#i think it has its merits in other ships as well i just like roman and logan lmfao and janus lmfao

[anxiousgaypanicking]

hypno is my top tier favorite kink, so: who's your favorite ship to write hypno for, and what are some of your headcanons about it?

definitely either roceit or loceit!

for roceit - im stealing this from hypenotized - i like janus hypnotizing him to get off on every compliment given to him so he can properly internalize it! that way any bit of praise from the others (whether they know or not) feeds into his torturous arousal, but ultimately its janus at the end of the day who gets to control whether or not roman comes. does janus think romans properly appreciated himself? has he really ruminated on the compliments he was given? and whispers more soft, sweet praises into romans ear until romans so overwhelmed with pleasure he has an untouched orgasm milked out of him (followed of course by a gentle, proper one as appreciation from janus)

for loceit its anything that involves logan humiliating himself. working too hard? thats alright, janus will just make him a messy, empty-headed puppy thats left to drool and pant and bark as he humps januss boots and sucks his fingers. logan neglecting his physical needs? janus hypnotizes him to be constantly thirsty, drinking so much and either not physically being able to enter the bathroom or simply not realizing how full he is until janus points it out, until janus is simply snapping his fingers and logans pissing himself without being able to stop it because his body bends to januss whims

outside of janus ships i think id also enjoy logince (wonder why) where they hypnotize each other to humiliate each other, dumbing them down and making them do embarrassing favors, and letting them remember the next morning how quick they were to fuck themselves on toys and beg the other to touch them or how eager they were to choke on cock until their stomach was full of come

[safflowerseason]

Idk if this is weird but where do you think Amy and Dan are on the sexuality spectrum?

It’s absolutely not a weird question at all! Although I’m not sure I can give an answer as thoughtful as my usual Dan/Amy posts….I’m obviously a major Dan/Amy shipper, lol, but of course I am very aware there are plenty of fans who ship Amy/Selina and Dan/Jonah. And I think it’s especially significant that for the most part, the textual foundations for those ships are actually found in the Iannucci era of the show (and, as usual, my answer to this question is mostly about Iannucci-Dan and Iannucci-Amy). You have Dan, obsessed with the physical/aesthetic trappings of masculinity, who seems to primarily view sex with women as a conduit to professional gain while there is little textual indication he enjoys it on its own merits (except with Amy). And Amy is a ball of ambitious anxiety who can’t unclench long enough to be in a sexually satisfying relationship with a man. Both characters also have fairly intense relationships with other members of the same sex, in addition to one another—Dan with Jonah, although mostly in S2 and S3, and Amy with Selina throughout the course of the show.

If I had to bet money, based on what we see in the show, whether it was Dan or Amy who had a consensual sexual encounter with another member of the same sex, it would probably be Dan, for a few reasons. On a very superficial note, Dan’s absolutely the type of guy who would be in a fraternity, and fraternities are some of the most deeply homoerotic institutions in the United States (there is extensive academic research about this. See also Dan pushing Jonah up against a wall, smashing a burrito in his face, and calling him “handsome.”). For another, his relationship with Jonah in the early years of the show is partly bound up in their competing performances of masculinity, and it’s not a stretch that their sexual hostility toward one another (or Dan’s with another man at some other point in his life) could actually turn, well, sexual. I do not think the show ever means to seriously imply that Dan and Jonah are interested in fucking one another, but the reading of their relationship works that way, if you want to take it there. Reid Scott and Tim Simons do have a particular spiky kind of chemistry that the early seasons of the show very much leans into—I believe that the S1 episode where Dan uses Jonah for intel was originally called “Dan Dates Jonah” or something like that. By late S3, the Dan/Jonah dynamic has faded into the background, and then Mandel takes their energy into this kind of less charged, bro-y territory in later seasons.

As for Amy…it’s harder to evaluate her because Veep is such a male-dominated show. She is presented as more sexually repressed (I find this concept problematic, but the show is pretty explicit about the framing) and also a lot more emotionally guarded…and considering her suburban/slightly blue-collar middle class socialization, I’m not sure she would have ever explored her sexuality enought to really consider sex with a woman. She’s vaguely propositioned by Melissa from Clovis, but the sexual implications seem to go right over her head. Amy’s primary female relationship in the show is with Selina, and while they are deeply drawn to one another for various reasons, personally none of it feels sexual to me as a viewer. As for whether or not Amy would be interested in exploring a relationship with another woman, I think she’d have to go through a lot of intense self-reflection and discovery first, and I’m not sure Amy is primed to ever do that for herself. Of the two of them, I think Dan on the whole would have a more fluid sexuality, whether or not he feels the need to identify as something other than straight.

Does that answer your question enough? I’m not sure I can give you, like, a number on the Kinsey scale, lol, but that’s my inital take on where things might stand. I don’t think Veep isn’t especially interested in exploring the sexuality of its characters insofar as they might differ from privileged heterosexual, cisgendered norms…it's a pretty small-c conservative show in that sense. Most mentions of same-sex relationships/sexual encounters are played for laughs, unfortunately…the way Gary’s sexual orientation is called into question by the other characters in the show is basically a bunch of off-color jokes about how gay men like “feminine” things. And the lack of attention paid to the sexual harassment of women in the workplace is another example of this curious distinterest in using gender and sexuality to criticize the political institutions at the heart of the show. But this absolutely does not and should not preclude a deeper examination from fans. What else is critical analysis and fanfiction for?

As a final sidenote, it has been interesting watching Succession as a Veep fan, knowing the two shows share the same creative DNA. Succession is also fairly small-c conservative, but the writers seem to be more consciously exploring performative masculinity in the workplace (not to mention the intersection of family and power, a intersection that is primarily defined by sex). The Boar on the Floor sequence, just off the top of my head. But even in a broader character sense—the way Tom acts when he’s in the office versus around the Roy family, the contrast between Roman and the other men in the office, Roman and Gerri’s connection, etc. The Succession writers also seem more interested in constructing complicated relationships between male characters that are purposefully sexually ambiguous, like Kendall and Stewey.

[kumail-fan]

Who Is Zeno? An Introduction to the Founder of Stoicism

Who Is Zeno? An Introduction to the Founder of Stoicism

The wonderful Galen, a dominant Greek doctor from the Roman Empire, in one stage endured the loss of his books and work. In a transparent case of what we could call a virtuous Stoic reply, he composed that"the simple fact that, following the reduction of the totality of my pharmaceutical remedies, the totality of my novels, in addition to these recipes of reliable remedies, in addition to the several editions I wrote on these, along with so many different functions, every of which displays that love of work mine my whole life; the simple fact that I felt no hassle demonstrates original the nobility of my behaviour and my bliss of soul."

If we can display the exact same behaviour when confronting such a dramatic reduction! As his times had been marked with endless wars and natural disasters, Galen naturally wasn't the only one of those ancients that has suffered such a loss. Zeno, the founder of Stoicism himself experienced you and in a sudden twist, is what put him on the road to doctrine.

On a ship between Phoenicia and Peiraeus, his boat sank with its shipment. Zeno ended in Athens, also while seeing a publication he was introduced into the doctrine of Socrates and, afterwards, an Athenian philosopher called Crates. These impacts radically altered the course of his own life, causing him to create the principles and thinking which we now know as Stoicism. According to the early biographer Diogenes Laertius, Zeno joked,"Now I've suffered shipwreck, I am on a fantastic travel," or according to another account,"You have done well, Fortune, forcing me so to doctrine," he allegedly said.

Zeno started his teaching in the Stoa Poikile That Was situated in the Ancient Agora of Athens. Here is the famous porch which Stoicism was appointed then you likely recall briefly mentioned on your high school or college philosophy course. However, the title was not necessarily that--in actuality, originally his disciples were known as Zenonians but just after they came to be called Stoics.

Obviously, Stoicism has grown because he Zeno first outlined the doctrine but in the heart of this, the message is exactly the same. How can it be attained? Peace of mind that comes from living a life of merit in accordance with nature and reason.

Following his passing, the Athenians honored Zeno using a bronze statue along with the next decree has been passed from town --extolling a guy which was a real instance that we can appear to now:

"Whereas Zeno of Citium, son of Mnaseas, has for several years been committed to doctrine in the city, and it has continued to be a person of value in the other respects, exhorting to merit and temperance all those of their youth that visit him to be educated, directing them into what's greatest, devoting to everyone in his conduct a pattern for imitation in excellent consistency with his instruction, it has seemed good to the individuals --and can it turn out nicely --to bestow praise upon Zeno of Citium, the son of Mnaseas, and to crown him with a gold crown according to this law, due to his goodness and temperance, and also to build him a grave at the Ceramicus in the public price...."

Regrettably, not one of Zeno's writings live and our very best account on him stems in Diogenes Laërtius, the biographer of Greek philosophers, along with his Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers. This is likewise true with another prominent Stoic pioneers who originally set the groundwork for what could be called Stoicism; we don't have a complete, maintained work from Cleanthes nor Chrysippus.

We do understand however that Zeno composed Republic, a job in direct opposition to Plato's book of the exact same name. Since Plutarch composed of Republic, that hasn't survived, it"aims separately at this, which neither in towns in cities we ought to live under legislation different one from the other, but we ought to look upon most people generally to function as our fellow-countryfolk and taxpayers, celebrating one way of living and yet another sort of sequence, like a flock feeding with equivalent right in a single common pasture."

Read more about  Who Is Zeno?

[morethanonepage]

2017 Fic Roundup Meme

Total Fics Posted: Nine. Ooof. 

Total Words Posted: 44041

Total Words (of Anything Excluding Blogs) Written: Man I don’t even know how I’d count this -- I’ve written at least ten briefs for work and those are usually between 2 - 5 pages, and I write a lot of WIPs that I don’t end up posting. So I mean it’s probably in the 100,000 range but the majority of that (obviously) is either not fandom related or not likely to see the light of day as publicly consumable or both.

My favorite fic story this year: greenwood -- written as part of an AU meme and so so random -- Maurice-AUs are hardly a fandom trope y’know -- but man that’s one I wish I could commit to writing more of. I love Maurice (both the film and the book) so much and I love John/Chas so much as a pairing that I just kind of forced it to work, and I think it mostly did. But it’s just too far from the Constantine premise to be worth expanding, beyond just for the gimmick. Like as a historical AU I feel like I’d have to incorporate some magic nonsense to it and it wouldn’t be impossible but ugh, plots. Better to leave them in that nice, tender moment with all the possibilities before them. My one regret for it was that I got a little fade-to-black about the sex (not true in the initial conception and I did a little draft of some more explicit from Chas’ POV) but in the end I felt like I’d written too much porn lately (and was trying to be in keeping with the aesthetic of the original story), so.

My best story this year: Adrift -- I’ve re-read it to myself a bunch of times, and I just genuinely enjoyed working through it and figuring out the relationship dynamics and possibilities and putting in references to so many well established headcanons of mine. And John’s SUCH an unreliable narrator/POV character that I always have a great time trying to write him as clearly feeling SOMETHING while he’s pretending he doesn’t. And idk it’s just one of my top pairings ever and I was glad to finally devote myself to writing a nice, slow developing relationship fic with just the two of them working their shit out. 

Story most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:  Honestly at this point, given that I’m writing almost entirely John/Chas fics, and otherwise for very niche pairings, I think any appreciation my fics get is a miracle. Though I do kind of wish I’d written Adrift in the Constantine fandom’s hey-day, because it’s a chaptered developing relationship fic and those are hard to come by and I feel weird saying it’s great but it’s solid and got really good reactions from people who did read it, and I’m proud of that. 

Also I’m not as proud of blended cotton with gannex twill, in terms of its actual quality (I’m not sure the POV shifts quite work as well as I wanted them to) but it took me SO LONG to finish it and it was such a goofy premise that I’m really glad I did, and again I’m a little sad some of the early-day Constantine people didn’t get a chance to read it when I first started goofing around about the possibility of a sentient trenchcoat.

I’m also kind of surprised a reasonable amount of trouble was the least popular of the historic AUs I wrote -- I joked that I didn’t really know what noir was but I think it was close enough and I tried to set a (vaguely angsty) mood of both yearning but inevitable dissatisfaction to it. Maybe I didn’t go gritty enough with it? That tends to be my flaw for any Hellblazer related stuff, admittedly -- I can’t quite commit to the bleakness I know it merits.

Sexiest Story:  Adrift has a lot of sex in it (IT’S NECESSARY TO THE PLOT, she said, not at all defensively), which was described with a fair amount of detail, and then I backed up to more subtle depictions b/c I thought all that sex stuff would get boring. There’s also a lot of John telling himself he’s pretty meh on the sex itself. So I feel like the sexiness of it was kind of neutered by it being so much about the plot (like, the shifts of what they actually get up to were to represent emotional shifts in how they were feeling about each other). Which at least made it less sexy for me to write, anyway.

I got good feedback about The (Shamelessly Indulgent) Sex Chapter in blended cotton with gannex twill [which was somewhat necessary b/c I wanted to get all manner of bodily fluids on the coat b/c in my vague headcanon/justification that’s what actively pushes it into true sentience but--], but honestly I think my truly sexiest fic of the year is mages against literacy -- to the point I was actively embarrassed writing it, and didn’t read it again for months after I posted it, and then went back and was like “w o w”.

Most fun story:  blended cotton with gannex twill. TRENCHIE NO! TRENCHIE YES.

Also a boy with a thorn in his side is....fun for me and a few very specific people, probably. I wrote another high school AU Star Wars fic in 2016 that was way more fun and goofy and idealistic -- it’s called the id fic for a reason -- but if the id fic was what I wish high school had been like for me, ABWATIHS is -- what high school was, tbh. I mean not precisely, but Cassian’s EMOTIONS and his inability to deal with them was #relatable. I wrote it so fast, mostly because I was so intrigued by the possibilities of it and the headcanons I came up with for it, which I’m still really fond of. Like if I were to ever write original fic, I’d file off the serial numbers and make a go of it there.

Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters: In Good Faith wasn’t, in my opinion, a great fic -- I wrote it too quickly and without enough of a reason beyond ‘someone asked for it’, and some parts were very derivative -- but I did work through some things with it, about Kes and Shara’s potential relationship history, and about what Shara’s flaws might be and what her life was like and why she and Kes work so well together. Not a lot of which actually came out in the fic IMO, but at least I had that going on in my head. 

Hardest story to write: partly mors et fugacem persequitur virum, because I didn’t remember nearly as much about Roman history as I thought I did (and what was I going to do, research??? [I did do some but none of it is actually like -- visible in the fic], and I was overconfident about my ability to make it work and still be in IC. I’m.....still not sure if I didn’t fail on one or both of those accounts.

Also I wrote Anything Can Happen (On Halloween) for no fucking reason other than because I wanted to post the 100th fic in the John/Chas tag (I EARNED THISSS) and I think it shows. Again I wrote it too quickly (in about a week?? ridiculous), I was too nervous about someone else posting something else as the 100th fic instead of me and that my hardwork would’ve GONE TO WASTE wah wah wah anyway the ending was boring and I still feel guilty about it not being very good.  Biggest surprise: Anything Can Happen (On Halloween) was actually surprisingly (to me) well received -- like it got very quick positive reactions and idk why since I’m still genuinely embarrassed by it -- I mean I don’t think it’s a bad fic but it’s rushed and clunky and not terribly original.  A story I want remembered:  Someone on twitter said that Adrift made them ship John/Chas and honestly that’s all I want for it -- that and for the people who keep coming to the lil’ Constantine fandom that there is and go looking for fic find it and read it and at least kind of understand why some rando keeps flooding the tag with John/Chas nonsense. 

Resolutions for 2018: This has been a very John/Chas year for me and while I’m mostly okay with that, I do want to at least try to make my way back to finnpoe again -- I’m working on a bigbang fic so I desperately want to finish that (it’s outlined and everything and I think it may end up being one of my most personal fics) but we’ll see -- Star Wars fandom continues to push me away, and I won’t be able to post it until May, which is rough for someone like me, who depends so much on positive attention. There’s also a bunch of DamFam things I want to explore, especially now. 

I also want to keep writing the John/Chas but I want to stop feeling so embarrassed about it -- like so what that it was so long ago, people are still into it! Every few weeks or so I get someone on tumblr clearly going through my John/Chas tag, anyway. So at least I will have/still have some readers for that nonsense. 

I want to be better about prompts people give me -- I try to set expectations at the floor level for these things but I do genuinely like writing things for people, at least partly b/c I’m terrible at coming up with ideas on my own, so I want to try harder to fill memes and such. 

And idk maybe I’d like to find another ship that I like, that’s not from a dead show, where the fandom isn’t the worst. DARE TO DREAM (the impossible dream).

[bloodroyalsrpg]

CONGRATULATIONS, ELLIE!

You have been accepted for the role of ISOLDE GREENGRASS. The deliberation over submissions for this role was incredibly difficult, but ultimately “ It would be so easy, to fall into the rabbit hole, to forget that they both belong to her sister more than they even belong to themselves. It’s the story of her life” hit us right in the chest. Isolde’s tight rope walk between love and resentment was beautifully and intricately articulated. Her history did a fantastic job of making her sympathetic yet so very far from a victim and we love how believably you balanced her just short of villainy but running the risk of tipping over that edge. Like Isolde, we too are wondering if she’s going to change.  Please look at the CHECKLIST for next steps. Welcome to Blood Royals!

♕ I: OUT OF CHARACTER ♕

NAME / ALIAS: Ellie

♕ II: CHARACTER INFORMATION ♕

FULL NAME: Isolde Lavinia Greengrass

Isolde: The Irish wife of Mark of Cornwall and lover to Sir Tristan in the Arthurian legend. [Clearly, Isolde thinks often, her parents had hoped she would grow to become much more beautiful than she did]  

Lavinia: In Roman mythology, the only daughter of Latinus & Amata who was courted by men solely for her father’s crown instead of on her own merits.

FACECLAIM: Could I use Billie Lourd, please? :)

DATE OF BIRTH: April 27, 1955; in a slightly unusual twist for twins, Isolde was born a couple of hours after her sister just after midnight on April 27. She often thinks of her birth as stepping into Rhoslyn’s shadow for the first time - she’s yet to come out of it. [If the Rhoslyn mun isn’t ok with this, then I am happy to change it to the 26th].

HOGWARTS HOUSE & YEAR: Slytherin, 1966-1973

GENDER & PRONOUNS: She/Her

SEXUALITY / SHIPS / ANTI-SHIPS: I see Isolde as being straight, though I also see her as being quite free with her sexuality, oftentimes going so far as to use sex to get what she wants [that is, when men want her and not her sister]. In terms of ships, I am all about the chemistry in game. I would be interested in exploring the strange triangle-that-kind-of-is-a-square going on with Isolde/Julian/Rhoslyn/Kingsley.

OCCUPATION:

She has no need for an actual job and in her opinion, a woman working for money is rather plebeian and muggle. However, Isolde is far from idle. While she dislikes her family’s philanthropic ventures, she has not been exempt from them and has taken to using these opportunities to further her own agenda.

ALLIANCE:

Neutral. While Isolde is technically neutral, that does not mean she does not have an opinion or that she doesn’t lean one way or the other. She believes in the superiority of wizards and in the superiority of blood above all other facets of individuals. Ability matters, yes, but to Isolde all an able-modied mudblood proves is that muggles have found a way to steal their magic. And that must be stopped. Because of this, she leans more to the side of the Death Eaters. The temptation to join them is strong, as it resonates heavily with her thirst for vengeance against those who have overlooked her, who have shoved her aside in favor of others. I really think this dynamic and conflict will be interesting to explore about her.

POLITICAL VIEWS:

Why is the concept of blood superiority even a question? To Isolde, the answer is obvious. Witches and wizards are better than muggles and purebloods are superior to those with lesser blood. This is a fact. Isolde’s political views are perhaps the one shining light she has in her family, one way she does not feel inadequate, though like many other things, she tends to go a bit far in her honesty. Whether it’s ignoring the muggleborn handing back her change at Flourish & Blotts or asking for a pureblood shopgirl at Twilfitt & Tattings, Isolde’s severity toward those of lesser blood is not tempered in public much as some of her other impulses can be.

While she would not admit this, Isolde has a fondness for her family’s house elves. They were her playmates at times and remembered the important milestones of her childhood. She is softer around them, much as she is with her immediate family.

KNOWN FACTS:

Fact: that her tongue can be sharp. While she is often cunning and quiet in her machinations, Isolde does not take well to perceived slights. There have been multiple occasions younger, weaker, lesser girls have left an event in tears because of Isolde’s cuttingly vengeful remarks [always spoken out of Rhoslyn’s hearing, of course].

Fact: that she often prefers books to people. Books don’t make her bite her tongue so hard that it bleeds and they certainly don’t talk back when she gives them her opinions. They are, at times, a welcome distraction from the mundane and to Isolde, a lot of things in today’s society are just that.

Exaggeration: that she is jealous of her sister’s beauty. While Isolde has been jealous of the attention Rhoslyn receives, it has been years since she truly wished she was the beautiful one. She considers herself to be striking in her own way, even if she is not classically beautiful the way that Rhoslyn is.

Rumor: that she and Alecto Carrow have more than friendship. This is one of the few that amuses Isolde more than it riles her and as such, she never confirms or denies it.

BOGGART: If asked, and pressed, Isolde would say that being separated from her family is her greatest fear, but that is a lie. In reality, her boggart is being without the person she considers her other half. Depending on the day, that individual changes.

AMORTENTIA:

Sandalwood: Heavy, earthy, its scent is one that is familiar and enticing. Spicy, too, a reminder that not everything is so dull as what she is accustomed to.

Pomegranate: Subtle, it evokes thoughts of wine, a tartness contrasting to the sweet. Temptation, a reminder that what she may want might not always be available to her.

Cigar Smoke: A hint of vanilla mixed with tobacco, intoxicating, a reminder that when she’d been a child, there had been one person who had at least tried to love his children equally.

PERSONALITY TRAITS:

Etiquettical  

While Isolde is severe and uncaring in her opinions and her words, she is very much aware of pureblood etiquette and societal standards. Etiquette, protocol, and social mores are the backbone of any society. She follows it, from bringing a hostess gift to any event and to having the perfect smile when she’s introduced to others from her social class.

Articulate

For all of her severity, Isolde is articulate in what she says and how she says it. Her vocabulary is nearly unrivaled and she finds a small pleasure in her superiority in this regard. In her mind, an insult that is thought out is incredibly more effective than a simple phrase that children toss about in the Hogwarts corridor. Nothing passes Isolde’s lips that she does not mean and she rather enjoys the look of confusion on another’s face when she uses strings of large words that they need to decipher before they can respond.

Guileful

Impulsive she may be, Isolde is able to recognize when it is important to play the long game instead of giving into her immediate wants. She is not a Gryffindor, Slytherins are cunning, and though it pains her to hold things close to her chest, the payoff is always worth it. It is not uncommon for her to sit on information for weeks at a time, revealing it when it best suits her needs.

Impulsive

While this trait has been tempered somewhat with age and with practice in the Slytherin common room, Isolde does not always hold her tongue. When she wants something, she finds a way to get it, even if it means stepping on others. If someone upsets her with their idiocy or foolishness, she has few qualms about delivering a sharp statement or a quick hex in return, often not thinking of the repercussions of her actions. This trait may just be her downfall or trigger her descent to the dark, for there are only so many times Rhoslyn can clean up her messes [not that she knows about that].

SPECIAL SKILLS: Isolde has an ear for languages and is currently fluent in four - English, French, German, and Swedish. She is learning Portuguese in her spare time, though she does not always have the time or company to practice her skills.

BIOGRAPHY:

From the moment she was born, Isolde Greengrass had been considered somewhat less than her sister. Rhoslyn had been a beautiful baby, nearly perfect in every aspect, but Isolde had been colicky and weak, requiring more attention until she turned two. Even when she was young, her parents often overlooked her milestones in favor of something else, be it Rhoslyn and their elder brother or business and social engagements. While her father did his best to pay all of his children equal attention, he was often busy managing the family’s estate and extensive portfolio. Her first steps were to one of the family’s house elves rather than to either parent and her first word was Rhoslyn, simply because it was the word she heard the most.

While many compared them even as babies, Isolde has always had a strong affection for her sister. They shared a womb, they share blood, and Rhoslyn has been Isolde’s constant from the moment she was born. She might secretly scoff at Rhoslyn’s perceived naivete or her goodness, but the younger twin has always felt the need to protect the elder from the world and from those who would take advantage of her.

The first time she can remember feeling resentment was when their parents planned the twins’ seventh birthday party. Born together, yet separated by hours and a day, the party had been planned for Rhoslyn’s birthday, April 26th, much to Isolde’s confusion and consternation. She had not understood why she could not have a party of her own and when asked, her mother’s response had been less than satisfactory. Rhoslyn had looked at her then, her eyes full of innocence, full of love, and when she offered to have the party on Isolde’s birthday instead, their parents had cooed over how perfect, how kind, and how gentle their [barely] elder daughter was. Isolde knew, even then, that Rhoslyn was everything she would never be, but she did not stop trying, not yet.

Her sorting took slightly longer than most, though not nearly as long as Rhoslyn’s, the hat unable to decide between Isolde’s darker nature or her impulsive one. Eventually, of course, her ambitious side, her thirst to be seen as something more than “the ugly Greengrass twin” won out. There was a brief moment when Isolde was sorted into Slytherin that she felt relief. For as beautiful and kind as her sister was, it was because of those exact traits Isolde could not fathom her in the house of serpents. For the few scant ticks it took for her sister to be sorted, Isolde imagined a life at Hogwarts of her own. Friends she could make that would not compare her to Rhoslyn, attending a class where she could shine without the shadows of her sister’s presence, carving out her own identity instead of that as Rhoslyn’s sister. The hope that bubbled up in her throat at the thought made her feel sick later - wasn’t she supposed to love her sister more than she loved herself? - but in the moment, Isolde clung to it, a young girl drowning in the sea of her sister’s perceived perfection.

And then it came crumbling down, a dark pit opening in her stomach. Rhoslyn was sorted into Slytherin as well, leaving Isolde to swallow the few hopes she’d had left and smile hollowly at her sister, feeling guilt for even wishing her in another house. For as much as Isolde knew others compared her to Rhoslyn, she was also aware that her sister had never been one to shunt her aside, always insisting on her inclusion. Family came first for the Greengrasses, even on days Isolde wanted nothing more than to be seen instead of lost in their shadows.

There were a couple of years, early on at Hogwarts, when Isolde tried to be nice, tried to achieve the same kind of attention her sister did. She took up an interest in fashion, wore her hair in the latest styles, bit her tongue when the sharper words came to the forefront, stilled her wand when she would rather curse,  and was exceptionally well read. She bored even herself in her minutiae. Still, everyone preferred Rhoslyn to Isolde. It confused the young woman, spurred vengeful thoughts and harsh words, who eventually came to realize that she would never be one of those girls who simpered and gossipped as they discussed the exact detail of the lace adorning their robes. And, as much as it pained her, she would never be beautiful. The stark honesty became her sole confidant and she relied upon it much more than on her grandmother’s assertion that she would grow into her gangly limbs and elfin features.

Isolde returned to Hogwarts for her fourth year much more comfortable in her own skin, preferring classic clothing to the most fashionable styles and most often seen in monochromatic colors. She blended in, perhaps too well, and picked up on innocuous bits of information. It was easy to slip into the shadows, especially when she became one, and she became adept at picking up information all over the castle. Her gaze was sharp, the cogs in her brain turning like clockwork, but no one noticed. No one ever noticed.

As much as Isolde was used to people preferring her sister, that did not mean they were off the hook when they humiliated her, when they passed by her as if she was little more than an inconvenience. Though the cunning part of her recognized the importance of playing the long game, other times she used what she had gleaned in the shadows, often to further her own agenda or to simply cause a little bit of chaos against those who had wronged her or her sister. What should she care if Lavender Burke cried for days after finding out her boyfriend had cheated on her? Or if the halfblood in Hufflepuff withdrew from school after his classmates found out about his same-sex exploits? Or if the entire school was on alert because a mudblood was in the hospital wing [he’d tried to speak with her when Isolde was in a mood and a swish and a flick later, well, the impulse had passed by then but the damage had been done]? Other people, lesser people, are often of little consequence to Isolde and the darker side of her enjoys creating a small bit of chaos, enjoys her small vengeances on those who have wronged her.

Isolde has the ability to temper her own impulses and her own severity, but like many things, she only does so when she must - for propriety and society’s sake - or when she finds it amusing to do so. She is used to holding her tongue around her family, but the older she’s gotten the more annoying she finds it.

In her final year of Hogwarts, Isolde grew closer to the younger Carrow girl and though they will never be the simpering idiots one reads about in girlish novels, she trusts Alecto more than she trusts her own sister - at least with who she really is. Her conscience falls away when she is around Alecto and Isolde revels in the fact that she does not have to hide in the shadows.

Since graduation, she has lived at the family home, though her mother incessantly reminds her to do this and do that in hopes of finding a husband. While Isolde couldn’t care less, she can acknowledge that it would be nice to set out on her own, to find someone who preferred her to Rhoslyn, to find someone who noticed her. Unfortunately, the only person who seemingly fits the bill is already promised. Of course he would be Rhoslyn’s. And, unfortunately, so is she.

CONNECTIONS:

Rhoslyn Greengrass: Rhoslyn is kind and good - Isolde often compares her to sunlight. But the problem with sunlight is that while it can make one happy, it also makes the shadows that much darker, makes it cold when the sunlight is not shining upon you. Isolde loves her sister, would kill and die for her, but she cannot help but be resentful of Rhoslyn’s kind ways, of the beauty she was born with, of the way that people simply flock to her. Though she has pushed a great deal of it down, Isolde finds it bubbling up each time someone prefers to speak to Rhoslyn above her, each time the society section of the Prophet writes about how lovely Rhoslyn is dressed, overlooking Isolde’s painstakingly simple, yet elegant, wardrobe. And yet, she loves her sister, more than anything in the world. That realization, when coupled with resentment, is enough to make Isolde lash out at others more than usual, for she cannot imagine lashing out at Rhoslyn instead. Rhoslyn is her conscience, her sole attempt at a morality other than grey.

The relationship is a complicated one, for while she feels jealousy and anger at times, she would not allow anyone else to harm her sister, not even herself. If it were not for her love of family and her attachment to her sister, Isolde would have no qualms about stealing her betrothed. But she cannot hurt her sister like that. She is capable of many things, but causing Rhoslyn utter devastation is not currently one of them.

Julian Avery: The other half of her own poisoned apple. The first man who sought out her company, preferred it, even, to that of her sister’s. At times, she thinks he is her other half - impulse, darkness, furtherance of their way of life. She does not need to hide behind false courtesies, does not need to give empty smiles and practiced speeches while her eyes remain detached to hide what else she’s picking up on. Each moment she spends with Julian is a blessing and a curse and they often operate in a bubble of half-truths, communicating more by what is unsaid than by what actually is.

Ironically, though it was her honesty and exacting nature that drew him in, it is around Julian that Isolde finds herself tempering her impulses regarding her own feelings. It would be so easy, to fall into the rabbit hole, to forget that they both belong to her sister more than they even belong to themselves. It’s the story of her life. And Isolde wonders if she’s ever going to change it.

♕ III: FREESTYLE ♕

[while I usually do drabbles in present tense, I write paras in past!]

Alecto stands with her at the garden party, pointing out the men who are still available, unattached, and socially acceptable. “His mother’s grandmother’s father was a mudblood,” Isolde sneers as she looks across the perfectly manicured lawn, her nose wrinkling. “I’ll not dilute my bloodline with such filth.” Words that many might think but few would say in public, not that Isolde has ever had any problem saying what she truly thinks aside from society’s incessant need to only say nice things. She’s not even certain if the fact is true - in truth it probably isn’t - but Richard Selwyn, of the cadet branch of his family, had teased her for years in school, mocking the fact that she was not as beautiful as her sister. Isolde will take pleasure in seeing the rumor spread, in seeing him fall from grace ever-so-slowly and never knowing why.

She turns back to Alecto with a smile on her face, a genuine amusement hidden within her irses. It is not the first time they’ve done this, rate the eligible men as if they are looking at a catalogue and deciding what to purchase. Isolde knows her mother despairs of her second daughter, of how plain she can be, of how her interests are slightly more bookish and dull than Rhoslyn’s. Well, it’s not as if she wants to live at home for the rest of her life either, Isolde thinks before she turns back to Alecto, allowing her eyes to briefly catch on those of Julian Avery.

He is standing to the side of her sister, close enough to show attention but not so close as to be deemed inappropriate. There’s a slight tension in his jaw that most would ignore, for it’s normally there at events like these. She pushes down the traitorous thought that he’s rarely like that around her.

Perhaps he sees something in her eyes as she turns away, but within a quarter of an hour, he’s standing in front of her and Alecto, sipping on the drink in his hand, her sister nowhere in sight.

Lost for a moment in her thoughts, she misses part of the conversation, save for the tail end of Alecto’s last comment. “…Selwyn’s halfblooded grandmother?”

The look Julian gives Isolde is telling, for he knows just as well as she does that Richard’s blood is perhaps even purer than her own. But still he chuckles, tension dropping from his jawline, something deeper than respect in his eye. When he looks at her like that, she thinks he sees her more than anyone else does. More than anyone else can.

Theirs is the language of unspoken words, of what’s left hanging in the air between courtesies, flowery expressions, things that Isolde had always abhorred, even as she’d offered a practiced - and oh, how long she’d practiced - smile.

“Oh, they’d keep him around on the periphery, of course,” she responds, her lips twisting into a small little smile. “There’s little proof. But everyone would always wonder.” Which is, of course, exactly what she intends. For Richard Selwyn to spend years wondering why his friends only invite him to the largest of gatherings, why he’s persona non grata at the intimate events, why everyone’s gaze is curious before their eyes shutter.

Her eyes move back to Julian. They aren’t seeking approval - Isolde has not sought that in years - but the twitch of his lips and the way his gaze remains on her makes her stomach flutter in a way she has yet to experience with another.

She can hate herself for this tomorrow. For now, though, she merely responds in kind.

[pipabethh]

Solangelo + camp jupiter AU? (Where both of them are roman demigods?)

so i been tryin really hard and this is what i got so far - i might go back to it one day.

Will has always had a talent for healing, being good with wounds and with illnesses right from a young age - which he really started to notice when he was ten years old - and his mother always knew this was because he was a son of Apollo.

His mother sent him to the wolf house when he was nearing his eleventh birthday but he really struggled to fit in because he wasn’t very militarily inclined. Lupa didn’t like him and he didn’t like her because he found the fighting difficult and took a long time to get the hang of it but he survived and found merit in other ways because he was so medically minded. He just knew where someones weakest points were. He also didn’t like the fighting because it was against his nature as a healer, he’d only do it when he absolutely had to. Because of this he was put into the 5th cohort, having only scrabbled away with his life. 

He got better at the war play but he still didn’t have to like it. When he’d read more books on anatomy and knew more about medicine he began to delight in figuring out the best ways to disarm his opponents in the way that would hurt them the least or to kill monsters the quickest and smoothest. 

When he’d been there for only four months and was still a probatio - hating every second of it - a scrawny ten year old boy turned up. It wasn’t clear where he’d came from or who was his parent but he’d arrived with Lupa, monsters right on their tail. Lupa had been looking for him and his sister specifically and had brought them across the country to be at Camp Jupiter. They seemed like powerful demigods but they didn’t know the extent of their powers. His sister had been killed by the monsters following them on their way to the camp when she tried to fight one on her own to save Nico, Lupa and her wolves. 

Nico was distraught when he came to camp, his sister was all he’d ever had. He would wonder round on his own and everyone left him alone. Lupa had told the Praetors that he’d been so jolly and enthusiastic about being a demigod when she’d found him and his sister at the Wolf House, not much memory about their childhoods and no idea how they’d got there. Now he didn’t want to talk to anyone. 

Will made an effort with him but he didn’t want to know. Nico moped around for the best part of two years. The only person he ever seemed to want to talk to, the only person worth his time was Jason Grace, the star student of Camp Jupiter and he would never ever admit but Nico had a massive crush on him. He wouldn’t even admit he liked boys. Everyone thought he liked Reyna.

Will realised he was bi when he was fourteen, he thinks that really he’s always known but now he’s getting older the hetronormantivity was being pushed onto him more and more and he needed a word for what he was. He likes boys and girls and is unapologetic about it - he doesn’t care what people think of his sexuality - its his merits as a healer that really count. 

Nico is twelve when him and the other demigods find out who his godly parent is. Usually the roman demigods know who their godly parent is as they’ve led them to the wolf house and told them, or their mortal parent knew and told them before they went to the wolf house - but for Nico it was a complete blank. He had no clue. But the two years he’d been there Nico had gotten on with the lares much more than the actual demigods and legacies. He could always see all of them when most demigods struggled if the lares didn’t want to be seen. People avoid him even more when they find out his father is Pluto.  

And because of this Nico mopes around in the underworld for a while and well, he isn’t missed. The Praetors and Centurions pretend to look for him but no-ones actually that bothered that he’s not there, except Will who had made various attempts to talk to him but never really got much of a response. Jason is a little worried too actually but he knows that Nico wouldn’t want to be looked for. 

When they go up Mount Orthys to destroy Kronos’ seat Nico turns up with his army of the dead and helps camp jupiter which they are grateful for but after a week he only unnerves them more - but not will. Will has seen a lot of death being a healer and so it doesn’t phase him. Nico becomes ambassador to pluto allowing him to be part of Camp Jupiter but not a permanent legionnare, which didn’t suit him at all, he’s happiest on his own. When he is in Camp Jupiter he spends a lot of time in the hades shrine. 

When Nico is thirteen he brings a sister to camp, Hazel. She fits in a lot more than he did but she’s still a little odd. Nico spends a lot more time around camp when she’s there and Will gets to talk to him more which he’s really happy with because he has a massive crush on Nico. 

Then Jason goes missing and Nico is distraught. Jason was one of the only people Nico really spoke to. He now only speaks to Reyna, Hazel and Will. He disappears to search for Jason but never comes back with anything useful. Whenever he thinks he has a lead the only people that listen to him are Reyna, Will and Hazel because none of the other Romans trust him, they don’t listen to Hazel either because of her curse and they don’t listen to Will because he cant fight and to the romans that is a terrible thing. 

After the battle with Gaia Nico comes back to camp jupiter and gets into a more normal camp routine.

I’m so sorry its not finished - I struggled with an AU that was still partially rooted in canon storyline ya know? 

send me an au and a ship and I’ll write it (and i’ll try do better than this fingers crossed)

[bobbov]

Almería - a mix of old and new

by Robert Bovington .

I like Almería. I like its mix of old and new. It is essentially a Spanish city with a North African flavour. It is one of the most ancient cities of Andalucía.

Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans have all left their mark, but it was the Moors that really put Almería on the map! The Romans called it 'Portus Magnus', but later it was called al-Mariyah, meaning 'Mirror of the Sea'. During the time of Moorish rule, Almería rivalled Seville as a major Andalucian city. The Moors ruled from 955 until 1489 when the 'Catholic Monarchs' — Ferdinand and Isabella — captured the city.

Alcazaba

Approaching the city from the west provides a dramatic view of the town with the magnificent Alcazaba on the mountainside on the left and the port on the right.

Alcazaba Almería © Robert Bovington

There are many things to see in Almería but the undoubted jewel in the crown is the Alcazaba. This enormous fortress dominates the city standing as it does on a hill overlooking the town and the sea. It was built in the tenth century but over the centuries it had further enhancements added such as a Moorish palace and, in the time of the Catholic Kings, a Christian palace.

(please refer to separate article “Alcazaba de Almería”)

The Cathedral is the other principal monument in Almería. It was built in the sixteenth century and was designed as a place of prayer and of refuge. This was because the shores of Almería were continually under attack from Turks and Berbers and so it was used as a place of safety as well as worship. 

Catedral de Almería © Robert Bovington

There are many historic buildings in Almería - the excellent map provided by the Tourist Office identifies thirty-three key places of interest but there are many more places of historic importance or of architectural merit. The city is a mixture of old and new and, I think, the buildings are a delight to look at with their Renaissance and Mudéjar façades. They are often exquisitely decorated in pastel colours, usually two-toned and have ornate window grilles. If you like looking at tasteful architecture you will like Almería.

Avenida Federico García Lorca, a wide boulevard that has replaced the old Rambla de Belén, divides the modern city into east and west. West of the old rambla is the Paseo de Almería, one of the main thoroughfares with banks, shops and cafés. At the top of this road is Puerto de Purchena, the heart of the city.

Avenida Federico Garcia Lorca © Robert Bovington

West of these landmarks is where the real historic part of the city is to be found. The Cathedral was built in Gothic style with a Renaissance façade. Whilst I can appreciate the workmanship inside, particularly the carved walnut stalls, I find the interior is rather austere. However, a door in the south wall leads to a sunny little oasis of peace and tranquillity in the form of a little garden brimming with flowers and shrubs.

The east facing façade of the Cathedral has a relief of the Portocarro sun, the symbol of the city.

On the north side of the Cathedral is the Plaza de la Catedral, a large attractive square with many tall palm trees. Tourist leaflets describe the Cathedral as having stark formidable walls. Certainly, they are tall and solid and the buttresses, towers and bastions give the building the appearance of a fortress rather than a place of worship. Yet, I think the Cathedral is attractive, the sandstone coloured building set against the bright “Almerian Blue” sky with the palm trees in the foreground make for an agreeable scene. In any case, the cathedral doorways are impressive with rich Renaissance decorative features.

Opposite the Cathedral is another attractive building, the 'Palacio Episcopal' or Bishop's Palace. It was built in the nineteenth century when the upper classes started erecting the grand stately homes and palaces outside the old walled city of Muslim Almería.

Almería - Palacio Episcopal © Robert Bovington

In the northwest corner of Plaza de la Catedral is the 'Convento de las Puras'. It is now a church, and was built in the 17th century on the site of the former convent.

A short distance the Cathedral is the ‘Plaza de la Constitución’ — also called the Plaza Vieja or Old Square. This 17th century arcaded square was really rather splendid a couple of years ago but, at the time of writing, it is being renovated. The plaza is entered via narrow alleyways and in the centre are palm trees and a commemorative monument in remembrance of a group of liberals who lost their lives in a revolt in 1824. I hope this square returns to its former attractiveness because it is a little haven of peace in busy Almería.

Almería - Plaza Vieja © Robert Bovington

In this area of the city there is one of the best tapas bars in town - 'Casa Puga' is located in Calle Jovellanos. Just opposite is one of the oldest streets in the city, Calle de las Tiendas, which literally means 'street of the shops'. This area has many little side streets with plenty of bars and shops.

Almería - Casa Puga © Robert Bovington

The Iglesia de Santiago is also located in this area and the main façade of this church is really rather splendid with its imposing Renaissance portal and magnificent sculptures including one depicting St. James, Slayer of the Moors.

Iglesia de Santiago © Robert Bovington

There are many fine churches in Almería and 'Iglesia de San Pedro', which stands in the square of the same name, is no exception. Named after St. Peter, it was one of three parish churches founded by the 'Catholic Monarchs', the others being San Juan (St. John) and the aforementioned Santiago (St. James).

The church of 'San Sebastian' is appropriately sited in the Plaza San Sebastian with its delightful little statue, a simple monument to the Immaculate Conception. It was originally erected in 1800 and restored after the 1936 Spanish Civil War. From the 11th century onwards, this plaza was one of the most populous parts of the city. In Moorish times, a mosque stood there and later, in Christian Almería, it became a shrine to Saint Sebastian. In the 17th century, the church was built.

Other religious buildings in the city include the convent of ‘Las Claras’ and the ‘Virgen del Mar’ church. There are also a number of modernist buildings in Almería such as the 'Palacio de los Marqueses de Cabra'. It is fine example of the aristocratic mansions built in Almería in the 19th century. Economic and demographic growth meant that the upper classes had much more money to spend so they started building grand stately homes outside the old Arab quarter.

Almería - Palacio de los Marqueses de Cabra © Robert Bovington

West of Calle Real is the old Arab quarter of the city. During the 11th century, Almería ceased to be part of the 'Caliphate of Cordoba' and became an independent kingdom. Many refugees from the Cordoban Civil War sought shelter in Almería but had to settle outside the old city walls. New defensive walls were built and the area between the older and the newly built walls was called the 'Musalla Quarter'. In the maze of little streets of this area there are glimpses of the magnificent 'Alcazaba' high on its arid hill.

Almería - El Cable Ingles

Other monuments in the city include the bullring, which was opened in 1888, and ‘El Cable Ingles’ which was used for loading ships with iron extracted from local mines in the early part of the 20th century.

There are museums in Almería including the recently opened ‘Cinema Museum’ – the ‘Casa del Cine’ is located in Casa Santa Isabel, a 19th century mansion. John Lennon resided there when filming “How I Won the War”. If you don't like architecture or museums, there are also beaches in Almería but you would probably be better off staying in Roquetas or Mojacar Playa! There are plazas, parks and gardens in the city including the ‘Parque de Nicolás Salmerón’.

Almería - Parque de Nicols Salmeron © Robert Bovington

more blogs by Robert Bovington... "Photographs of Spain"

http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/

"postcards from Spain"

http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/

"you couldn't make it up!"

http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/

"a grumpy old man in Spain"

http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/

"bits and bobs"

http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/

"Spanish Expressions"

http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.co

"Spanish Art"

http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/

"Books About Spain"

http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

[thewalkingchurch]

Prophecy Still Happens

The fact is that we can sit here all day long and show images of the decay or the prosperity of a nation, this behavior is called confirmation bias where people seek out evidence to support their beliefs; if you believe that Africa is a shithole, then you will find evidence to support that Africa is a shithole. Putting your opinions into the meme format doesn't render them true, and half truth is still deception; I could just as easily post a meme of photos of the urban decay of America and claim it is a shithole country, and it would be partially true; rude and inconsiderate, but true. I'm sure that people will take things out of context, intentionally misunderstand, and such as they discuss how wrong they think I am; most of them won't do it here, as they already know they won't win their arguments based in false perception and understanding against me. Earlier tonight I attempted to educated a misguided and very self righteous friend in Africa about his error in judgement, as well as about his own country and it's people; he was talking about what Trump said about Africa is true, then began putting down Africans for not standing up to their corrupt leaders. He apparently didn't realize why Africans have such an independent and strong will, that they have overthrown corrupt government after corrupt government, only to have that government become corrupt as well; such is the power and influence of wealthier corrupt nations, that because of the theft of resources and forced slave labor, utilizing paid Africans to enslave poor Africans, they have had to learn how to survive without the help of governments, gangs, militants, thugs, or even the wild predators of the actual jungle where they may reside; why do you think the "Negro" slaves of the colonial United States were so difficult to "break" in their strong willed pride, even with nothing but a name? Especially if they came from one of the British slave trade colonies that still exist and do trade to this very day in Africa, because those slaves knew it was the influence of the rich white man that their brothers were selling their brothers and sisters; are you getting how deeply embedded this programming is yet, they knew that these wealthy nations they were being shipped off to were exploiting their resources, and they understood they were one of the resources. This was not the first time I have had to correct this brother's behaviors or words, and he constantly argued against everything I said and even inferred I was evil several times; yet we remained friends, and my unfriending him had nothing to do with this participial incident, it had to do with his chronic behaviors and constant denial of any wrong doing whatsoever. He chose to berate me, challenging my understanding of Africa and African culture, not knowing that I was standing in solidarity with South Africa during Apartheid in the 1990's; he wasn't even born yet, nor did he seem to bother going through my friend list and filtering my friends that live all over Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. I actually pay attention to my brothers and sisters on the continent which contains the Garden of Eden, I think I have a pretty good understanding of the modern everyday life in the constantly developing infrastructure of Africa, much less life further out in the country of Africa, in many nations of Africa; I also read and share many articles about the developing African nations, recently the west African nations are discussing banning or have banned used clothes from America, it seems that those Goodwill donated clothes that aren't fit for the American consumer is just fine for the African consumer. There are many African companies, industries, and technologies developing all the time, as the African people are choosing to take their independence to a state level and investing in one another; there have been many American rappers returning to invest in Africa over and over again, how do you think 50 Cent went bankrupt? There are people all over the world, especially China, investing heavily in the future of Africa; being ignorant or in denial of these facts while laying the blame and guilt trip on your fellow Africans is not cool brother, while there may be some truth to what you and Trump had to say, partial truth is still deception. The plight of the African people is not because of their lack of standing up to corruption, it is losing faith that the next won't just replace the last corrupt leader; they have been paid to enslave their own neighbors by those nations you are applauding for "speaking the truth" with deception on their lips, if Africa were fairly compensated for the resources stolen from all of the nations for generations, the African people would be drenched in gold and worshiped like gods. Africa has the potential to be the greatest Unified Nations in the world, the power and resources there is why civilization rose from the Nile valley; research Michael Tellinger and you can learn all kinds of wonderful things about the hidden ancient (modern) culture and understanding of the ancient Africans, it is a wonderful revelation which even many Africans are unfamiliar with, but in some remote locations still utilize. I do plan to travel the world before I pass into the cycle and am born again, and I do plan to be born again; the suffering is well worth the experience, and I really don't get to get out of my home dimension very often, it is like an extended vacation here in this life. I have repeatedly told this brother that I am a messenger of the revelation, of which he denied and argued against me, offering to pray for my "lost soul" and I must pause to laugh out loud; if he only knew my true Spiritual form, he would bow and want to revere me as someone special, not realizing we are all special and unique while being the same. You cannot win every soul and you cannot force the blind to see, it is like the horse which is put out to pasture and refuses to eat or drink, no matter what you provide it is never enough to those who desire to starve themselves to death; absolute truth is called so because it is an absolute constant, it cannot be proven wrong, it stands on its own merit, the only argument which defeats it is ignorant denial. How can I say this any more plainly, my desire is for hypocrites to take the name of Jesus off their tongue and stop calling themselves Christians; they are giving my spiritual beliefs and teachings a bad name, a house divided against itself cannot stand. The divisions of the ministry of Christ are the foretold prophecy of the divided church, the literal division is called denominations, and their faith is a Roman abomination unto God; the Beast is the nation of the United States, the Eagle which comes from the West, what is it that your wolves in sheep's clothing have been telling you about the signs and prophecies? Did everything happen as they said it would, or were they wrong in their predictions and assumptions; they use beautiful imagery for such blind fools, standing in their stadiums, casting their guilt trips, passing their offering where you render unto them, praying to a ceiling, worshiping idols, vicariously indulging in sinful and carnal desires if not actually indulging; screaming how you are forgiven but no one outside of your denomination/church, and even some that are, are not forgiven.   Did they explain to you that you are a part of the One World Religion, that your main purpose is to spread the Good News about the authoritative and unquestionable WORD of the LORD and convert all non-believers into their version of what a Christian should be; or that the Holy Bible was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century AD (after the crucifixion and resurrection of the Christo) as Rome's adaptation of Christianity (their enemies of the state which had caused a decline in tribute and temple attendance) into their culture; which was something they already did with the cultural histories after they conquered a nation, and even ordered the destruction after demonizing the original order of Christianity (who had come out of hiding and surrendered their texts in good faith) and ordering all roots of the Gnostic Christian Fellowship of Brotherhood destroyed? Did you know that your religion is rooted in the blood of saints, that what you are taught from is considered to be the greatest weapon of mass control ever conceived; the greatest trick the Evil One ever pulled was convincing the world the he was their personal LORD and Savior, the AntiChrist of the Roman Church of Hypocrisy, they aren't even hiding it anymore, it has become normalized and accepted in modern culture. Do you not still not See that you are living to See the Tribulation, or the Tribunals; SEE, the Day of Judgement approaches, NONE shall be blind NO MORE, ALL shall see and behold the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. The Sages come from all Tribes, there are no preferred tribes over the other tribes, and then comes the Battle of Armageddon; when ALL NATIONS turn against this Cursed Israeli lie, SEE, on their flag flies the symbol of the witches hex! This is not the promised Hebrew Nation, nor shall that ever be given again; the time of private property rights is over in the old ways, the new paradigm demands a different respect to property as well as humans. Do you not SEE the Revelation unfolding, unraveling before your eyes, the truth cannot be hidden; you will soon understand, crimes against humanity must end now! Did you miss the Rapture?    Don't worry, that wasn't all of the souls to be harvested, that was just the first round of the living good souls; they must be reaped first, by the hands of those who desired their sacrifice to stave off the unveiling, as if they could put off what is destined. I know several people that personally realized that many good people were suddenly dying in freak accidents, suicides, and murders; it's kind of difficult to take that many people out of the matrix without someone noticing or catching on, sorry the reality isn't as dramatic as the imagery of the Preacher-Man, but the concept is low key and incognito. Believing isn't the same as knowing, I cannot stress this enough, what you have been taught of heaven and hell don't physically exist; they are places you reside within your mind, you create your own heaven or hell on Earth, I also cannot stress this enough. You are an expression of the Living God, created to be a creator; it is up to you what you create, good intentions don’t always equal good actions or outcomes, be aware of true intentions.  Speak to one another in truth and honesty, for what lies are told will be revealed; the veil is being lifted, none in humanity will be spared the transcendence into the new human being consciousness; the 46 & 2 update is near completion, the light workers have been working overtime, if only they got to rest when they sleep they should be well rested, God bless their weary souls. We are moving further into the light cloud, more people should start feeling the uneasy deja vu creeping in, beginning to have serendipitous synchronizations; you will begin to wake up to the truths that have been before your eyes all along, you will remember what you forgot. You may have noticed a strange feeling lately, like a vibration, a harmonious joyous feeling or perhaps uneasy feeling if you are a stranger to joy and it causes you fear and panic; do not be afraid, the harmonious frequencies are being raised, it is preparation for the ascension, the Rapture will continue throughout ahead of the evil and dark souls being culled from the harvest.  Look to the Indigo Children to guide you, they are very old and wise souls in rather young bodies, even as they age they seem ageless; they are well preserved, you are what you eat. They like to indulge in the simple pleasure foods, they enjoy life regardless of circumstances, they are the guides of the new souls which will be introduced into the new world, to create paradise on Earth, as it was 20,000 years ago only with new technologies and understandings; at least for the next 20,000 years, until the solar system passes outside of the cloud system again, civilizations will strive, thrive, and advance in a peaceful coexistence. Once back into the darkness and lower vibrations, there is no telling what will happen, probably the amnesia effect again; unless we find a cure this time, the dark and evil souls cannot survive in this paradigm, they will be taken out and cleansed of their ego to be returned as new souls. This message I leave with you, these other things must pass, the suffering is nearing an end, it wasn’t exactly what you were lead to believe would happen, but it is the reality of what is happening.