#i was born in the year of the rabbit (like 2023)

[hyuck-xix]

it's the year of the dragon in 2024🐉✨️

[starrierknight]

❣ TAGLIST FORM | BYF + DISCLAIMERS ❣

𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎: hi, darlings!! this is my first kinktober, which is so exciting! while this doesn't adhere to the official 2023 kinktober prompts, i hope it will be enjoyable for you all! 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒: this event exclusively features dom!reader x sub!character. the reader inserts are always gender neutral and written with AFAB anatomy in mind. all fics will be published at 11:30pm BST. all writing for this event will be tagged under ꒰ 🝮 ꒱ — kt 23 ❣ REBLOGS ARE VERY APPRECIATED! ❣

𝟎𝟎𝟏. 𝐃𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | megumi fushiguro

❥ dumb doll | 1.8k

You have a bad habit of breaking your favourite toys.

𝟎𝟎𝟐. 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | ryomen sukuna

❥ poor thing | 7k

"O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" — William Shakespeare, via Hamlet Act 2, Scene 2

𝟎𝟎𝟑. 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 | getou suguru

❥ just us / microcosm | 7.2k

“I am tired, I have a colossal need of you.” — Albert Camus, from a letter to María Casares written c. June 1944

𝟎𝟎𝟒. 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | toji fushiguro

𝟎𝟎𝟓. 𝐏𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐇𝐘𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃 | yuuta okkotsu

❥ chew toy | 3.1k

Your puppy missed you while you were at work. Won’t you give your dog a bone(r)?

𝟎𝟎𝟔. 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 | yuuta okkotsu

❥ guilty pleasure | 5.2k

“It is always pleasant to divulge a secret under dramatic circumstances.” ― Thomas Burnett Swann, Day of the Minotaur

𝟎𝟎𝟕. 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 | gojo satoru

❥ glutton for punishment | 7.2k

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ 'Cause I'm all that you want, boy / All that you can have, boy / Got me spread like a buffet / Bon a—, bon appétit, baby — Katy Perry, Bon Appétit

𝟎𝟎𝟖. 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑/𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐕𝐄 | toji fushiguro

𝟎𝟎𝟗. 𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐊 | choso kamo

𝟎𝟏𝟎. 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 | gojo satoru

❥ drunk 'n' nasty | 8.8k

“Here's to alcohol, the rose colored glasses of life.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and Damned

𝟎𝟏𝟏. 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀 | getou suguru

𝟎𝟏𝟐. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐇𝐘𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃 | gojo satoru

𝟎𝟏𝟑. 𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐒𝐌 𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐀𝐋 | yuki tsukumo

𝟎𝟏𝟒. 𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 | megumi fushiguro

𝟎𝟏𝟓. 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐘 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐊 | ryomen sukuna

𝟎𝟏𝟔. 𝐆𝐔𝐍𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 | gojo satoru

𝟎𝟏𝟕. 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 | choso kamo & yuki tsukumo

𝟎𝟏𝟖. 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | getou suguru

𝟎𝟏𝟗. 𝐄𝐗𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐌 | gojo satoru

𝟎𝟐𝟎. 𝐁𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐘 𝐇𝐘𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃 | choso kamo

❥ like rabbits | 5.3k

You both like the thrill of the chase, but he likes being caught more. You were fully willing to take advantage of this fact (and him).

𝟎𝟐𝟏. 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐗 | toji fushiguro

𝟎𝟐𝟐. 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐈 | getou suguru

❥ lit fuse | 6.3k

“Each of us is born with a box of matches inside us, but we can't strike them all by ourselves.” ― Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate

𝟎𝟐𝟑. 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 | maki zen'in

𝟎𝟐𝟒. 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍/𝐏𝐄𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 | choso kamo

𝟎𝟐𝟓. 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘/𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 | gojo satoru

❥ bite the hand that feeds | 5k

“Love is a sacrament that should be taken kneeling, and Domine non sum dignus should be on the lips and in the hearts of those who receive it.” ― Oscar Wilde, De Profundis

𝟎𝟐𝟔. 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | ryomen sukuna

𝟎𝟐𝟕. 𝐒𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | nanami kento

❥ work hard, play rough | 4.4k

You don’t work or play by the rules. So what if that’s unfair? This is a dog-eat-dog world, and the losers get left behind.

𝟎𝟐𝟖. 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐔𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | yuuta okkotsu

𝟎𝟐𝟗. 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 | maki zen'in

𝟎𝟑𝟎. 𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐗 | getou suguru

❥ pretty when you cry | 3.5k

You did his eyeliner and one thing led to another. Who can blame you, though? He had it coming (pun intended).

𝟎𝟑𝟏. 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 | unspecified m!character

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: I aim to complete 15/31 fics this year (2023) , and then finish off the rest next year (2024). this is a two year event! (⋆ˆ ³ ˆ) ✎~

these works belong to STARRIERKNIGHT . please refrain from plagiarising any of my works and do not repost/translate/modify/copy onto any platforms.

[lethalchiralium]

I NEED A GHOST FANFIC WHERE WE FALL IN LOVE WITH GHOST AND WINNIE AND IT SHOWS THEIR RELATIONSHIP ABD MORE!!! OMG I LOVE YOUR WRITING SO MUCH 🫶🫶🫶🫶

Dear Winter | Simon “Ghost” Riley x F!Reader

a/n: my first 2023 post! happy new year!!! thank you for requesting and being patient - this took a while lol. it might not be what you want but i literally could not NOT write this. it would be illegal.

song reference: Dear Winter by AJR

summary: Simon had to find a toy for Winnie, but discovers what finally pushes him over the edge to confess his love for you.

PREVIOUS << | >> NEXT

Simon didn’t feel like he should’ve been searching in his attic for a mindless little toy that Winnie wanted. He had packed it away when he recognized that she didn’t like it anymore, but now it’s all she’ll talk about. The goddamn elephant that he bought at the hospital when she was born - it was before he was able to see her. It sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and he put in a voice recording of himself saying, “I love you, Winnie.”

All Winnie ever wanted was the bear that Price had gotten her, the little green bear that did nothing but stare lifelessly. Now it was “I want Ellie, Daddy. I want Ellie!” all day and night, and his poor nanny was doing her best to keep Winnie entertained - which wasn’t enough, apparently.

He opened another plastic tub, placing the lid on the box beside it. It was full of Winnie’s baby clothes, ranging from frilly dresses to onesies. He dug through it, but still not seeing the pink elephant. He huffed in frustration, slamming the lid back on the tub and pulled it away, revealing another tub just like it.

This one was full of photos, which were of Winnie, him, and you specifically. Special milestones like when it was Winnie’s first steps, his eyes wide as he watched Winnie take her first steps. Or the picture in front of your family’s Christmas tree, the year he needed your help to figure out Christmas. Winnie sat on his shoulders and your arm around his back, his girls’ smiles large as his eyes were only visible from his cloth balaclava.

His girls.

His thumb swiped at your bubbly smile on the picture, a smile of his own now on his face.

He had fallen for you that Christmas. Spending more time with you than Winnie, since your three brothers kept the little one occupied for most of the trip. He had found you fascinating, you never pushed an answer from him, choosing to let him understand you first. He had very reluctantly allowed you to hug him, rest your head on his shoulder, and tried his best not to flinch when you grabbed his hand. That was two years ago - he was so far down the rabbit hole that he had convinced himself that you were just being friendly. He figured out later that you had a crush on him.

Simon sighed, beginning to move the large cluster of pictures out of the box and onto the floor when a folded piece of paper tumbled across the floor. He grunted in annoyance, dropping the pictures onto the spot next to him before stretching and reaching out for the paper, grasping it in his fingers. He was ready to toss it into the box when he looked back into it, only seeing old notebooks of his from when he was a kid. He thumbed the piece of paper, seeing a date that he remembered well.

If he was a little bit less tired of his daughter’s constant pleading for a toy he was very sure was in her room, he might have thrown the folded paper in the box again, shoving all of the picture on top of it. If he was a little more awake, he would’ve buried the paper at the bottom of the box - but it was something he had thought about for a few weeks.

It was an old assignment he had done in school as a teenager, on his 16th birthday when he used the last of his happiness and sanity to do the one assignment he really wanted to. Write a letter to someone in the future.

He tucked the piece of paper and the Christmas photo in his pocket, shoving the photos back in the box - he decided Winnie could wait another day for that stupid elephant. He slid the lid back on the tub and made his way back to the attic entrance. He quickly climbed down, pushing the ladder back up with one arm. It clicked into place and he turned away, making his way downstairs. He heard the thunderous footsteps of his daughter before she ran in front of him, her blanket tied around her shoulders as she held up her green bear. He watched her go by as she made the noise of an airplane, disappearing into the living room.

He looked back to where she came from, seeing a glimpse of you moving out of the playroom and into the front room. Simon then followed his daughter, walking into the living room as she then noisily made her way into the kitchen. He didn’t mind, he always hated noise but hearing his daughter have fun was an exception. Every noise his daughter made assured him that she was still alive, his worst fear was losing Winnie. He swiftly sat down on the couch, pulling out the folded piece of paper.

His fingers moved the flimsy paper to open, and it was like he was transported back in time.

Dear Winter,

I hope you like your name. I hope they don't make fun of you when you grow up and go to school, okay? 'Cause Winter is a badass name.

I hope you talk to girls or boys or anyone you like, I just hope you don't stay in every night. 'Cause I wish I was out tonight.

I hope you like your name. I'm hoping that someday, I can meet you on this earth.

I hope you like this letter. Even when you're thirteen and you scream at me for parenting you wrong.

I still hope you like your name. You know I cannot wait to teach you how to curse.

But Winter, please don’t move too far away. And please don't say I'm hovering when I call you to ask about your day.

I wanna hear about your day.

Will we still hang out and talk when I'm no longer in charge?

Winter, I hope you like your name. I hope you let me take a shot with you on your 21st.

He remembered writing this at a small park near his childhood home, turning it in the same day and hoping his teacher wouldn’t talk to him about it. He remembered forcing this piece of paper at the bottom of his bag when he got it back so his father wouldn’t see it, so his brother wouldn’t either and mock him. He had walked into his house, rushing through the hallway to the kitchen where his mother was humming.

“Mum,” He had said, she looked up from the food she was mixing in a bowl and smiled at him. He remembered how vibrant her dark blonde hair was, how his eyes matched hers - how her smile could instantly change his mood. He was a mama’s boy. “I got an A on my assignment.”

She set down her whisk and batted the flour off of her hands onto her apron, moved around the counter as he dug into his bag and handed her the folded paper.

Simon Riley would never forget how his mother had kneeled in front of him, held his hands and whispered, “I can’t wait to meet Winnie, I can’t wait for you to find someone who loves you even more than I do, Simon. You’ll be a good husband, a good father one day. You’ll always be better than him.” She had settled her hands on his face, wiping his tears as she said, “You’ll find her.”

He had planned to call his first daughter Winter, her name staying the same for a nickname. But, he now called his daughter, ‘Winnie’, so that it was like his mother was in his daughter’s life.

Dear Winter, I'm looking for your mom.

I gotta find a girl that doesn't mind that I'm inside my head a lot.

Winter, it won't be too long.

First, I just gotta find your mom.

“Simon.”

He looked up and locked eyes with you, seeing your wide smile as your hands settled on your hips.

“Did you find it?”

He didn’t register your words, he just gazed at you. He folded the letter that he had wrote when he was sixteen, the only thing he would’ve ever had hope for was love. That all his teenage self wanted, a family to love and be loved by.

Did you find it? You said.

He wanted to hand you that letter. He wanted you to read the most vulnerable thing he’s ever created - he knew he shouldn’t. But fuck, he wanted to. He shoved the letter into his pocket, and calmly spoke, “No.”

Your face fell, looking deep in thought before you said, “You checked everything up there? I could’ve sworn I went through her whole room…” You began to mumble to yourself as Simon held out his right hand towards you. You immediately stopped talking, gaze looking to his hand then to his masked face. “What?”

He turned his palm towards the ceiling, as if he was asking for your hand. You looked back down at his hand before placing yours on his large palm. He gently curled his fingers around your soft skin and pulled you towards him. You sort of stumbled forwards, your knees now hit the front of the couch and his thighs ghosted the side of yours. His other hand came to gently hold your empty one that was settled by your side.

He could feel your heartbeat quicken as his finger pressed into your wrist. His own heart was beating so fast that he thought he wouldn’t be able to go through with this.

Did you find it?

The picture of you three? Yes, and it made him pull the letter out again. He bit the inside of his cheek before placing it in your palm.

“What is this?” You curiously asked, he gestured for you to open it. He let go of you then, allowing you to read the letter.

His heart was in overdrive as he watched you read it, eyebrows sort of furrowed.

“You asked me if I found it. I didn’t find what Winter wanted, but what I wanted. Want.”

You read the last line and looked up at Ghost, gasping as you now saw his maskless face. His brown eyes watched yours trace his face, commit it to memory. And your right hand reached out, ghosting the skin of his cheek before his own hand pressed it down, his face leaned into your touch. You memorized every white scar, the way his lips curved, his jaw - he was beautiful.

“Tell me if I’m wrong.”

His hand pulled yours from his face, allowing his other hand to place a folded photo on your palm. You took it and opened it, staring at it.

It was the one Christmas that Simon and Winnie had spent with your family. You were looking up at Winnie as the little two year old sat on Simon’s shoulders. She was reaching for you, and then you looked at him in the picture. Even with the balaclava on and his face turned, you could clearly see that he was gazing at you.

Your gaze looked up to Simon again, still amazed at how beautiful he was. You knew him for almost four years, and this was the first time you have ever seen his face. Your heart skipped a few beats as his hand grazed your hip.

Your hand rested on his shoulder, he spoke again. “You. You are what I want.” His other hand settled on your waist, sort of coaxing you closer to him. He took a deep breath and leaned forward, resting his forehead against your stomach. Your hand moved from his shoulders to his dirty blond hair, you gazed down at it as he continued. “I didn’t always want to be a dad, I didn’t want to be after what happened to my family. But when Grace told me that she was pregnant, I ran. I ran away like a fuckin’ coward.” His arm moved from your hip up to hold the small of your back. “I…cared for her, I did. And when she died, I was surprised that I didn’t feel anything about it. Because I had to put all of my focus and strength in my daughter, the same thing you do while I’m gone.” He looked up at you now, his eyes meeting yours. “I care for you. And I can’t go a day without thinking of you.”

“Simon…”

“Please, tell me.” His hands pushed into your skin just a little more. “Tell me if I’m wrong and I will leave you be.”

You stared at him. You would have never expected any sort of confession from him, ever. He was the type to bottle everything up until he rots in a casket - not the type to say what he felt. And to be honest, your heart and stomach both fell from your body. You had pushed that ‘harmless’ crush all the way down into your soul, and here he comes- ripping layers of protection out of your heart and soul.

Your eyes darted to his lips then back up to his beautiful eyes, your thumb gently threaded across the short hair on the back of his head.

“Love me, Simon Riley.”

Oh Winter, I have already found your mom.

———

Copyright © 2023 lethalchiralium. All rights reserved.

[novy2sirius]

Vietnamese Astrology

Vietnamese astrology is a type of astrology based on the lunar calendar that assigns an animal to each of the 12 years in a repeating cycle. This is what people refer to when they ask what your vietnamese zodiac animal is. However, there is also such thing as animal times, days, hours, and months that can be resourceful (similar to transits in western/sidereal astrology) in planning new events, launching new businesses, starting a new relationship, etc.

Vietnamese compatibility

Just like in other forms of astrology, in Vietnamese astrology there is also certain signs that are more compatible than others as well as opposite signs which some refer to as enemy signs. During our enemy years, months, days, etc we tend to come across many obstacles whereas during our own animal year and friendly animal years we tend to succeed more often and have happier years

Chinese vs Vietnamese

There isn’t a huge different between these two types of astrology. You could use either I just personally feel as though the Cat and Buffalo make more sense when it comes to the personalities of people than the Rabbit and Ox do which is why I go by Vietnamese

What should I do during my enemy years?

The best thing you can do during these years from my experience and others experiences I’ve witnessed is to lay low. Don’t do anything risky, don’t surround yourself with people who will put you in dangerous/negative situations, and don’t start anything new during this time such as a company/business

How are my own animal years/trine years beneficial?

Some things I recommend doing during your own trine/animal year are having children, beginning a new relationship, creating new friendships, starting a new company, etc as this will help you have more success and happiness in life

Does numerology matter more than VA?

In my opinion both matter but especially numerology. My friend had her friend year in 2023 but it was her enemy numerology year and also a bad year for health. This is because 2+0+2+3 = 7 and 7 is the number of illness. You’re more likely to get sick in 7 years. A lot of people I know got sick during 2023 because of this. This is why numerology is also a very important factor to pay attention to

More resources:

• vietnamese astrology sign guide

• vietnamese compatibility trines and incompatible signs

• if you’re born at the beginning of the year

• vietnamese astro notes

[k-martins]

What does each jjk spirit animal symbolize (Part 1)

Or also "I'm bored so I'll look up random things about Japanese animals"

Yuji Itadori - White Bengal Tiger

This one is a bit obvious, as the kanji in the name "Yuji Itadori" also mean "bengal tiger" according to jjk's wiki. Furthermore, the name "Yuji" means "brave and heroic", which fits with his personality and importance in the plot. These two meanings are also attributed to tigers in Japanese culture, which are seen as symbols of "great power, courage and strength". I'm probably wrong, but this could link Yuji with Byakko, the guardian of the west cardinal point in Japanese mythology. According to legend, the principle of the Heavenly White Tiger is to protect and preserve. Therefore, it was common to find Japanese shoguns, generals and people of power and influence using a coat of arms with a tiger.

(I'm having some thoughts about Yuji and tigers right now, but I'll post that later)

Megumi Fushiguro - Bunnies

This one took me by surprise, but come on. Rabbits symbolize many things in Japanese culture, some of them being longevity, luck, patience, creativity, elegance, calmness, cleverness and BLESSING among children. And we can see that many of these words can also be associated with Megumi. The rabbit is also part of the Japanese calendar, (in fact, 2023 is the year of the rabbit), and one of the interesting things I found was that one of the defects of people born in that year is that they lack self-confidence and avoid confrontations. There are several myths involving rabbits in Japanese mythology and it would be a lot of work to bring them all here, but I want to quote the myth of the Rabbit in the moon (I discovered this thanks to a wonderful fanfic on AO3) which talks about a rabbit taken to the celestial realms by the Old Man Moon Sage after being chosen as the most generous animal. (The rabbits' colors probably symbolize Megumi's dogs)

Nobara Kugisaki - Flamingo

This one was also a surprise, as flamingos are the last thing I would have thought of as a Nobara spirit animal, but which I now fully understand in research. Flamingos symbolize perseverance and strength, elegance and grace. They teach us to be resilient through adversity, always maintaining balance in our actions. Much like Nobara who represented a balance in the trio, being as excited and fun as Itadori, but also smart and calm as Fushiguro. She is also shown to be very persevering in her desires to find Saori and get out of her village life. In Japan, flamingos also symbolize good luck because of the red color of their wings, which are associated with happiness.

Satoru Gojo - Snowy Owl

Ha!!! Satoru Gojo needed to have a majestic animal for him. A snowy owl fit right in, as it is a symbol of wisdom and the ability to see beyond appearances ("my six eyes tell me you are Suguru Geto, but my soul knows otherwise"). The white color, in addition to further accentuating the symbol of knowledge, is also linked to purity and ILLUMINATION (something Sukuna said he lacked in chapter 230). In Japan, owls are used as amulets and talismans to attract good luck, fortune, health and love (Satusugu canon, as Geto/Kenny also has an owl as a spirit animal, but that's for another post).

.

.

.

This started out as a shitty post that I just made for fun (and something to do while there's nothing interesting on twitter), but I ended up enjoying researching them. It is interesting to see that each of the animals was not chosen at random, that there is something in their symbology that links them to jjk. I really liked the symbology of Gojo's owl and Nobara's Flamingo (I kind of expected Megumi to have one of her shikigami, but the rabbits surprised me…)

I have a few thoughts about Itadori's tiger, but I think I've said too much.

[nonsensicalramblings79]

Dead Seagull: Do Not Eat – Albatrosses, Seagulls, and Guilt in Our Flag Means Death

(for future reference: written 10/6/2023, ~36-48 hours after the first 3 episodes of S2 were released)

Hi, all! I, like many of you scrolling the #ofmd meta tag, have a head filled with nothing but the Gay Pirates. This has been the case since 12am PST on 10/5/2023 and will remain the case for several months to come. On my 3rd watch-through of the first 3 episodes of season 2 of OFMD, I started paying closer attention to potential symbolism so that I could maybe predict how the rest of the series is going to play out and get a better idea of what’s going on in these little guys’ brains. This post is the introduction to a short series of long posts wherein I rant about symbolism that may or may not be in the show. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I haven’t written anything even close to a literary analysis since high school, and I generally don’t know wtf I’m talking about. I’m just having a lot of very normal thoughts about The Pirate Show and I need to put them somewhere; if anyone has more ideas relating to this please add to it!! And to the best of my knowledge, the thoughts I express here are my own – please let me know if there are other analyses that say similar things that I should link to.

TWs: animal death, blood, eating animals, starvation, emotional abuse, physical abuse, gunshot injuries, suicidal ideation, canon-typical mental health problems

MAJOR OFMD SPOILERS THROUGH S2E03!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What originally prompted this whole rabbit-hole exploration was the conversation that Ed has with Frenchie at the end of s2e01.

…

You know there's a bird that never touches ground?

It's born in the air. Never once lands. Spends its entire existence in the sky. …

As Frenchie astutely notes, this seems…kind of impossible. How could a bird be born in the air? I could see potentially never landing, but surely every bird has to come down at some point to lay eggs (or to hatch from them), right? So I did a quick Google search for birds that spend their whole lives in the air, and the first result that came up was the common swift, which apparently spends up to 10 months out of the year in the air, never once landing (or only landing very occasionally) during that time. They catch food in the air, sleep while drifting on air currents, mate in the sky, and only land to nest and lay their eggs.

So that seemed…promising? I guess? But not exactly what Ed was talking about. After all, these birds aren’t “born in the air,” and they certainly don’t spend their entire life without landing. And this still could be what Ed was talking about; it matches fairly closely, and it’s possible that whatever Ed heard was either mis-told, misheard, or intentionally exaggerated. But I think there’s a more elegant answer to what bird Ed is referencing here, and it has much more potential for analysis than the common swift: the albatross.

This is the second thing that I found while searching, and this piqued my interest much more than the last result, since - as many of you probably know, spending time reading tumblr metas – the albatross is an extremely pervasive metaphor in literature. It usually represents a psychological burden that one has taken on, most often as a result of having made a mistake that resulted in others getting hurt. I’ll go into more detail about the source of this symbol in a little bit, but the basic gist is that a dead albatross gets hung around one’s neck until whatever guilt they have is resolved – albatrosses are huge birds, so this represents an enormous weight.

Before I go on, I’ll add that, at first glance, the albatross actually seems to fit Ed’s description less well than the common swift does – albatrosses are known for being able to glide for a long, long time, but they do land…on the water. One of the first things that comes up when you search for “birds that never land” is that albatrosses spend years and years never landing on shore. There’s a similar problem here to the common swift in that no bird actually hatches from an egg while in the air like Ed is implying here. But I would argue that the albatross is indeed what Ed is talking about. Whether he misheard, someone misspoke, or a tale got distorted from it being verbally passed down, Ed is referencing the image of an albatross that spends its entire life above (or on) the sea, never once going to land.

And this fits. In the context of the conversation that Ed is having with Frenchie, Ed is lamenting the fact that he can only exist in one place, fulfilling one role – on the sea, performing the role of Blackbeard. He imagines the life of this fictional albatross as quite lonely, I think, never once leaving the place it has spent its entire life (again, this isn’t exactly how the birds behave, but I believe Ed views them this way based on how he’s interpreted whatever he heard about albatrosses). He’s resigning himself to never leaving his habitat, and quite literally never going back to shore.

“…We’re gonna sail…rob…raise hell forever…and ever…without end.”

Right. So, if I am to be believed, we’ve established that Ed is actually diegetically referencing albatrosses. So what?

Well, as another disclaimer, I’m not 100% sold on these ideas myself. Especially only having the first 3 episodes of S2 to go off of, there’s plenty of time for these ideas to be proven wrong in as few as – checks watch – 6 days. There are lots of different, potentially overlapping, potentially conflicting ways to interpret this information. I’m probably going to split this up into parts, for ease of access and reading. Because all this so far has just been the introduction :))

In one part, I’m going to talk about what is probably the most intentional reference: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the original poem that the albatross metaphor is pulled from. Beyond just the link to the “Impossible Birds” conversation, there are some other elements in OFMD that seem like pretty clear references to this poem. Based on references to this poem in popular culture, I suspect that parallels here would be non-diegetic – meant to be apparent to the audience, not to the in-universe characters. Link Here!

Next, I’m going to talk about another poem, simply titled “The Albatross” (French: L’albatros). This particular poem is maybe less likely to have inspired references in OFMD, but if there is an intentional link, this poem reflects a lot of how Ed sees himself and his life thus far. I’ll admit that I’m a bit biased toward this poem since I had to memorize it in French class in high school and it’s stuck with me – but it was also one of the first things on Wikipedia that was linked on the page of the metaphor of the Albatross. Parallels in this poem are what I would suspect to be diegetic – despite it being an anachronism, I think Ed has at some point read this poem, and he relates to the albatross/poet. [Link Here!]

Lastly, there are some loose ends that I’d like to pick up that may not tie into anything, but I feel like they’re worth mentioning, especially as they relate to the albatross metaphors and parallels. This section is going to talk more generally about birds and bird imagery in OFMD, and how these instances can support or refute my albatross theories. [Link will go here: haven't written yet :)]

[mysticstronomy]

DO SHADOWS APPEAR ON THE MOON'S SURFACE??

Blog#325

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023

Welcome back,

The moon is utterly familiar. We see it all the time, in the blue sky during the day, among the stars and planets at night. Every child knows the outlines of the moon’s lava seas: they trace the Man in the Moon or, sometimes, a Rabbit.

This familiarity goes beyond appearances. The moon is actually made of Earth. According to modern theories, the moon was born some 4.5 billion years ago when an oversized asteroid struck our planet. Material from Earth itself spun out into space and coalesced into our giant satellite.

Yet when Apollo astronauts stepped out onto this familiar piece of home, they discovered that it only seems familiar. From the electrically-charged dust at their feet to the inky-black skies above, the moon they explored was utterly alien.

On the next sunny day, step outdoors and look inside your shadow. It’s not very dark, is it? Grass, sidewalk, toes–whatever’s in there, you can see quite well.

Your shadow’s inner light comes from the sky. Molecules in Earth’s atmosphere scatter sunlight (blue more than red) in all directions, and some of that light lands in your shadow. Look at your shadowed footprints on fresh sunlit snow: they are blue!

Without the blue sky, your shadow would be eerily dark, like a piece of night following you around. Weird. Yet that’s exactly how it is on the Moon.

To visualize the experience of Apollo astronauts, imagine the sky turning completely and utterly black while the sun continues to glare.

Your silhouette darkens, telling you “you’re not on Earth anymore.”

Shadows were one of the first things Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong mentioned when he stepped onto the surface of the moon. “It’s quite dark here in the shadow [of the lunar module] and a little hard for me to see that I have good footing,” he radioed to Earth.

The Eagle had touched down on the Sea of Tranquility with its external equipment locker, a stowage compartment called “MESA,” in the shadow of the spacecraft.

Although the sun was blazing down around them, Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had to work in the dark to deploy their TV camera and various geology tools.

“It is very easy to see in the shadows after you adapt for a while,” noted Armstrong. But, added Aldrin, “continually moving back and forth from sunlight to shadow should be avoided because it’s going to cost you some time in perception ability.”

Truly, moon shadows aren’t absolutely black. Sunlight reflected from the moon’s gently rounded terrain provides some feeble illumination, as does the Earth itself, which is a secondary source of light in lunar skies. Given plenty of time to adapt, an astronaut could see almost anywhere.

Almost. Consider the experience of Apollo 14 astronauts Al Shepard and Ed Mitchell:

They had just landed at Fra Mauro and were busily unloading the lunar module. Out came the ALSEP, a group of experiments bolted to a pallet. Items on the pallet were held down by “Boyd bolts,” each bolt recessed in a sleeve used to guide the Universal Handling Tool, a sort of astronaut’s wrench. Shepard would insert the tool and give it a twist to release the bolt–simple, except that the sleeves quickly filled with moondust. The tool wouldn’t go all the way in.

The sleeve made its own little shadow, so “Al was looking at it, trying to see inside. And he couldn’t get the tool in and couldn’t get it released–and he couldn’t see it,” recalls Mitchell.

“Remember,” adds Mitchell, “on the lunar surface there’s no air to refract light–so unless you’ve got direct sunlight, there’s no way in hell you can see anything. It was just pitch black. That’s an amazing phenomenon on an airleuss planet.”

(Eventually they solved the problem by turning the entire pallet upside down and shaking loose the moondust. Some of the Boyd bolts, loosened better than they thought, rained down as well.)

Originally published on universetoday.com

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, August 26th, 2023)

"WHAT IS THE GREAT SILENCE??"

[zkwoodrow]

I should probably make an introduction oops..

Hello!! My name is Khrisz but by pen name I go by z.k woodrow (or just z.k)!

I am a 16 year old genderqueer person with a passion for storytelling and art. I aspire to become a YA horror author someday in the future!! I've been drawing digitally for around 5-6 years.

SO! What is there to expect from me?

• I am currently working on my first YA horror book: THE NEW NORMAL which has started its official first draft on March 31st of this year (2023) and WILL include illustrations drawn by me! :) I don't go by a schedule, so the date for this books release is a mystery of the future! But fear not, for I will be giving out updates from time to time ^_^!

• On the side of art, I occasionally draw characters from my book(s) and I'm mostly original content centered. Though I also SOMETIMES draw fandom artworks (Current hyperfixiation is The Spirit Bares Its Teeth and Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White)

• My works heavily rely on symbolism! I like to work with animal symbolism the most. Though surely other topics will appear later on!

• And finally, A summary of all the projects I work on/will work on in the future:

- THE NEW NORMAL: Story about an autistic and intersex teenager who believes in monsters and looks up to "the humans" despite not being one. Her brother gets mysteriously kidnapped so she sets out into the world to bring him back. But her beliefs get challenged as the line between human and monster blurs... (YA HORROR NOVEL WITH ANIMAL SYMBOLISM ABOUT HUMANS THAT ARE TRULY MONSTERS AT HEART)

- KING OF CROWS(UNDECIDED TITLE): Story about a semi/non-verbal boy born into a strict (and somewhat abusive) catholic household who lives in a christian neighborhood with a few trouble making friends. Then the "angels" come and the world erupts into armaggedon...teens develop powers and everything they've ever been becomes a thing of the past as they try and not become 'saints'. (CONCEPT YA HORROR NOVEL ABOUT RELIGIOUS TRAUMA)

- TO ESCAPE BY A "HARE": Story about a boy with unusual rabbit-like ears who lives with his overly protective mother in an isolated house in the woods. His mother says the outside world is dangerous and he must stay at home. A few "bad apples" show up on his yard and tell him he's in danger living in his house. Then he starts seeing ghosts that beg to be freed and are thirsty for revenge. (CONCEPT YA HORROR NOVEL ABOUT THE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A MOTHER AND SON)

- BIRDCAGE (UNDECIDED TITLE): Story about a 16 year olds car crashing down in the forest so they are forced to stay the night in a strangers house who has dreams of becoming a well known artist. Soon they realize they can't leave, and find themself stuck in a cycle of torture with the painter who is mentally un-well. After 2 years of torture, a mysterious car pulls up in the driveway. It's the MC's car. (CONCEPT YA PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR NOVEL WITH A TIME PARADOX PLOT)

That's all there is for now! I hope you stick around!

-z.k

[nakachuchu]

CHAPTER SEVEN: SLOTH

Golden Child series

SYNOPSIS: You fall into a deep slumber with no signs of waking up.

READER: female

WORDS: 1k

WRITTEN: 08/25/2023

As you fell into a deep sleep at three in the afternoon, you dreamt for the first time. It was so nice and warm that you never wanted to wake up.

"Emi!"

She smiled at you. "Ama, what are you doing? Your mom and dad are waiting for you."

Emi placed a hand on your shoulder and urged you to turn around. You turned around and smiled at the sight of your parents.

Though their faces were shrouded in shadows, you couldn't tell in your dream state. As far as you knew it, they were your parents.

In this world, your parents weren't deceased. You lived happily with them and they loved you.

Love.

You hadn't felt it in so long. But as a child, it was never missing. This was what love felt like and you never wanted to be apart from it.

"Mama, pick me up!"

Your mother smiled at how cute you were. "I think Papa should do it. He's much stronger than me."

"Papa!" you exclaimed, turning to him with outstretched arms.

"Alright, alright, darling," he said as he leaned over to pick you up by the armpits.

You laughed as he cradled your 5-year-old body to his body. Your hands wrapped into his clothes as he carried you through the field of flowers.

You wanted to live like this forever.

"Papa loves you, Ama!"

You wanted to stay with your parents forever.

"My love," whispered your mother.

Who knew a parent's love could be this warm?

"You're so beautiful," cooed your mother.

You wanted to feel like this forever.

“Play with Papa, okay? Mama has to take care of something.”

“What, Mama?” you questioned.

“Nothing important, my love. I'll be back before you can even say ‘I love you.’ ”

You opened to say the three words your mother bet you couldn't say, but your father covered your mouth and began tickling you.

“Papa!”

Your father and mother locked eyes as she walked away from the field of flowers. Your father turned his attention back to you and lifted you to spin you around.

In the real world, your room was shrouded in blackness despite it being four o’clock. Everything was black and looked like a never-ending nightmare.

All your furniture was consumed by blackness. The door Yaga used to walk inside your bedroom was long gone.

“Leave Ama.”

Ayumi smiled as she cradled your unconscious body. “She belongs to us.”

Any normal person who looked at Ayumi, a seven-foot-tall Curse with sharp claws, and Yaga, a sorcerer with cute Cursed corpses at his feet, could tell that Ayumi would win.

“I adopted her, so I believe that makes her mine,” said Yaga as he rolled up his sleeves.

“I'll kill you, old man. Don't you understand?”

“Perfectly, but before you try, tell me something. What is your purpose?” Yaga asked as a stuffed rabbit hopped around him in circles.

“To consume,” she replied as she drew her claw down your cheek. “Ama's soul is so beautiful. She was born to fall.”

Yaga looked at your unconscious body, but all he saw was a young girl who only wanted to live and be loved. He guided you for months, raising you from the broken mindset you had before.

You lived sixteen years, just to be killed. You were a cow for slaughter, living in ignorance by the two beings you trusted to take care of you.

They were your friends and your family, raising you since you were young after the deaths of your parents, aunt, and uncle.

Yaga took off his glasses and slipped them into his pocket. The rabbit stopped hopping and stood by his feet, growing in size each second.

“Don't touch my daughter.”

Ayumi's eyes twitched as her nails dug into your arms. She clenched her teeth, grinding them as she looked at the human in front of her.

“SHE’S NOT YOURS!”

The wall behind her exploded and the sunlight from the outside exposed your bedroom as it was before. Debris flew everywhere as she jumped off your bed with your unconscious body in her arms.

Without a second to spare, Yaga ran toward the wall, jumped onto your bed, and threw himself off the fifth floor.

Ayumi turned midair, wings spreading out in a flurry as she pointed a claw at him. Her nails shot out like projectiles. Yaga twisted his body, narrowly dodging her attack as a Cursed Owl attached itself to his back and allowed him to fly.

From a distance, the students heard the explosion and their eyes were drawn to the smoke.

“That's the dorm,” Ieiri said as she stood up from the bench.

“Kaneko’s there,” added Geto.

“Of course, she'd be where the smoke is,” Gojo said with a groan.

Geto summoned a dragon, while Gojo used his technique to quickly move to where you were.

Just based on the incident at the college, Gojo knew trouble had a way of finding you and that if he didn't stop it, you would end up another statistic.

While he still didn't know much about you, he knew that the death of a fellow sorcerer on school grounds would not be tolerable.

Being raised in the Jujutsu world with his techniques, he knew that sorcerers had to be strong to survive, and that only the strong should survive.

But knowing that his friends and classmates weren't Special Grade sorcerers like him didn't stop him from caring about them.

Nanami, Haibara, and Ieiri weren't Special Grade sorcerers but he knew he would forever think about their deaths if they died.

He knew that they weren't as strong as him or Geto, but that didn't stop him from caring about them — though he would never admit it.

But you weren't his friend. He didn't care about you like he did with them, yet there was a nagging voice in his head.

So, Gojo would do his best to save you, but only because you were a Special Grade sorcerer. Your life was valuable to the Jujutsu world.

TAGLIST: @sleepydang @nerdiel-has-no-braincells @the-fab-killjoy

[wundrousarts]

It’s officially 2023, meaning that Silverborn comes out this year!

I feel like the title is likely going to refer to something specific that we don’t know about yet, but here are some ways that silver has come up in the series and what it all might mean:

Nobility/The Rich + The Silver District

The description for Silverborn says that we'll "travel to places in Nevermoor that we've ever seen," and a lot of folks think that we'll be visiting the Silver District, which is where the rich reside. Some theories relating to this include:

— We could see Noelle again, which might be the character that we haven't seen in a while as teased by one of Jess's Instagram stories.

— Morrigan could come from nobility or a rich family. While she does come from some sort of wealth and privilege in Jackalfax due to Corvus's status as a politician, it doesn't really matter. Going with the Nevermoorian theory, perhaps Mog's mom comes from the Silver District. Additionally, Morrigan being from nobility could be another parallel with Lam.

— The [redacted] snippet could be a scene set somewhere in the Silver District. The redacted word was confirmed by Jess to be a surname, one that we haven't seen before. Perhaps it could be Mog's relatives on her Mom's side?

— Since the Silver District is where rich people live, it's likely a place where lots of Wundersmith monuments and etc. were commissioned. Morrigan might discover them and learn about some past Wundersmiths, and perhaps even run into a few Ghostly Hours on the way.

Another way that the "nobility" angle could come in, especially with it being something to be born into, could be Morrigan's status as a Wundersmith. Wundersmiths used to be put on a pedestal and even almost deified by the end of their time. Morrigan is born into this legacy and is starting to explore what it means.

The phrase about being "born with a silver spoon in your mouth" is one that's been thrown around since the title was announced, and refers to being born into a wealthy family. Perhaps it refers to Mog coming from a wealthy family, or perhaps it refers to her being born into the illustrious legacy of being a Wundersmith.

Additionally, while it's not something that people are born into (unless you count knacks, maybe?), the fact that Wunsoc folks have more privilege than other folks is definitely something we could see being explored more in this book and beyond.

Side note: Later in this post I discuss silver as it relates to inferiority. Perhaps if Morrigan goes to the Silver District and meets rich folk and/or Noelle, there'll be some sort of dynamic wherein Morrigan is just unintentionally superior to them in some way despite their wealth due to both her Wunsoc and Wundersmith status, and they are inferior because they lack these things.

Silver as it pertains to Witnesses

There are two moments where Witnesses have described a silver instance.

The first moment is this part in Wundersmith:

Jack looked at them a minute, frowning in concentration. ‘That loud one dressed as a clownfish would much rather be at home. Or somewhere else, anyway. There’s a … it’s like a thread, or something. Silver thread. Keeps trying to pull her right out the front door.”

The second moment is this part in Hollowpox:

Jupiter held the rabbit closer, examining every inch of fur, a frown deepening the crease between his eyebrows. “Her handprints are all over him. Cloudy silver smudges. Big hands, little hands. Hands a bit like yours. Twenty-odd years of them, layer upon layer.”

“Mog,” he said quietly. “I think, perhaps, this rabbit belonged to your mother.”

Silver relates to both a desire to be home or be elsewhere (the thread) along with the past and identity and ownership (the fingerprints). Here are some ideas for how this could apply to Silverborn and beyond:

— Morrigan is searching to learn more about herself, where she comes from, and where she belongs. She seeks to "return to her roots".

— She wants to properly "be at home," something she's been struggling with her whole life and is still trying to juggle with, even if it's not something she quite understands.

— We could learn more about Mog's Mom in this book, along with Mog's maternal family in general. See: the earlier thoughts about the [redacted] snippet.

— Squall is also someone longing to go home, because he wants to return to his beloved Nevermoor and the apprenticeship with Mog is a step towards that direction. I bet if a Witness looked at him, there'd be a silver thread pulling at him (towards Nevermoor?).

— When it comes to ownership, Morrigan is learning how to be a Wundersmith and take control of her powers and the history that come with them. As a teenager now, she's starting to figure out who she is and become her own person.

Silver as a key to Wunder

Morrigan's silver umbrella tip, given to her by Jupiter, is used to unlock the Hall of Shadows, which definitely seems wundrous, especially after we learn that Shadowmaking is a sub-art of Veil.

In Hollowpox, Jupiter gives her and Jack a silver key to unlock the frozen lake room so that they can ice skate. The room is as wacky and wundrous as the rest of the hotel. Morrigan makes a specific connection between the two things:

This wasn’t, after all, the first time that Jupiter had given her a slightly odd gift. It wasn’t the first time he had given her a key.

A memory came to her of a strange locked door on a quiet floor of the Hotel Deucalion. The tip of her oilskin umbrella—a birthday present from Jupiter—turning in the lock with a satisfying click. An enchanted lantern-lit room full of shadow-monsters within.

I just think it's interesting that twice now we've had something silver be a key to unlocking something Wundrous. I think we will probably see this continue.

Another line in the Silverborn description says "we'll meet people from Morrigan's past who will be very important in untangling the mystery of who she is." Perhaps whoever this is will be the key to unlocking Morrigan's past, whether it's related to Wundersmiths or her mother or both. "Key to unlock" and "important in untangling" feel like the same sentiment, just with different wording.

Silver as it relates to the Wintersea Republic

When Morrigan meets Maud, she sees this:

There was a double door made of dark wood, with an unusual set of silver handles that interlocked to form a large, ornate W.

Was she back at Wunsoc?

We quickly learn that the W stands for Wintersea and not Wundrous, but it's still interesting because it marks a clear distinction with the cool silver compared to the warm golden Wunsoc W.

The gold color related to Wunsoc comes from the golden color of Wunder, so perhaps the silver relates to the absence of Wunder in the Republic.

Some folks in the Discord brought up how silver has a connotation with second place and inferiority. Given how Squall helped create the Republic, this could make sense. It'll always be second place and less than his beloved Nevermoor, as it's just a temporary way for him to hold power until he returns. However, he's also the second most powerful person, as Maud is more powerful than him and even scares him.

I think that Maud and the Wintersea Republic are going to become more powerful and more important as we go into this second act of the story, and silver being associated with them is definitely something to keep in mind.

Silver + Secrets

Added 2/23/23

I'm currently rereading Nevermoor and have found some fun possible associations with keeping secrets and things being hidden that I wanted to share:

— Morrigan's umbrella unlocks the Hall of Shadows, which is in the renovated wing that she isn't supposed to be in

— Squall uses a silver scarf to hide his face on Hallowmas

— Expanding on the aforementioned silver Witnessing associations, being a Witness is essentially being able to see the secrets of people and things

Silver + Celestials

Added 7/22/23

Wrapped up my Wundersmith reread and found something fun.

— Jupiter receives a "note sealed with silver wax" from "the Celes-"

— This could mean that we might learn some more about Celestial Beings in Silverborn, or perhaps the term is related to them somehow

—— Could relate to a Celestial Being being born, someone born of a Celestial Being, or perhaps someone born under / during an important celestial event (cough cough Eventide)

—— Could also tie back to all the theories of Noelle's knack being related to, and even possibly stolen from, Celestials. Especially interesting since a lot of folks are hoping to see her again in the book.

— A side note: some of the emotions Mog describes in relation to Israfel's voice are reminiscent of some of the themes of family, longing, nostalgia, etc.

— Also: the Eventide phase on the Skyfaced Clock is referred to as “inky, star-strewn blackness”. If silver is related to Celestials and perhaps stars….. what if “Silverborn” is just another term for being born on Eventide?

[krikeymate]

Fictober 2023: Day 7: “Do you recognise this?” - Everything stays, but it still changes. Fandom: Scream Rating: T Warnings: None.

➖

Sam collapses back onto her ass, exhausted by the very thought of tackling yet another box.

She never realised just how much stuff she had until this moment, until it came time to unpack her life and fit it neatly on a shelf or in a drawer. She’s always been so used to having nothing.

When she left home, it was with only the clothes on her back and what she could fit into a single rucksack. Even before that… everything she had was for her sister, and if Tara had no need of it, neither did Sam.

Leaning back against a box full of clothing she’s sure she’s never even worn – shirts with the tags still applied, a hoodie with an image of a band Sam doesn’t listen to, pink boots that she couldn’t wear even if she wanted to, sizes too small – she realises that maybe that wasn’t something she ever stopped doing.

Sam had left never intending to return, but had carved out a space for her sister anyway, without even thinking about it.

It was just a part of her. Like Tara.

The thought makes her smile.

They belonged together, that’s what was right. And here they are, together again, in New York.

Sam could be there for her as Tara took the next step in her life, and for every step after.

Exactly where she was meant to be.

Leaning forward, Sam drags another box between her legs, determined to keep unpacking. She hasn’t found her heated blanket yet, and New York is colder than California. Tara’s going to have trouble sleeping here without it.

Flipping open the lid, she doesn’t find what she’s looking for. Instead, she finds something that hasn’t been where it’s supposed to be for… well, as long as her.

Sam picks up the stuffed rabbit gently. The colour is faded, pattern worn and fur discoloured, but Sam remembers what it looked like brand new.

How she had pulled and pulled at her father’s hand, demanding he buy it for her.

It had been perfect, she’d fallen in love with it the moment she’d seen it.

The perfect gift for her newborn baby sister. A guardian to watch over her while she was in the hospital, a reminder that she had a big sister who loved her and couldn’t wait to bring her home.

Tara had loved that thing as much as Sam loved her.

She slept with it every night, talked to it, cried into it. It was her one companion once Sam started to pull away.

And Sam had stolen it the night she left.

She’d taken it right from her sleeping sister’s arms. It had felt a lot like she was stealing the heart from her chest instead.

There were so many nights Sam had laid awake, clutching at the rabbit and hating herself for taking Tara’s only comfort, but all she could think about in that moment was how she couldn’t take her sister with her. So she took the next best thing.

Sam needed comfort too. Nobody ever recognised that. Nobody ever cared. Nobody except–

“Do you recognise this?” Sam asks.

In the doorway, Tara stands with a takeout bag in hand.

She glances down at the toy. It takes a moment, but Sam sees the instant that recognition flashes through her.

Putting down the food, Tara moves to join her sister on the floor. She presses close and rests her cheek against Sam’s tense shoulders.

“V,” she whispers, reaching out a hand to run a finger down its ear. It’s still soft, despite all the years and everything they’ve been through. “I always figured they were with you.”

Sam isn’t shocked by her words, but the tender tone makes something unravel deep within her.

“You aren’t mad?” she mutters, half a question, half a passing thought that she already knows the answer to.

“Why would I be mad?” Tara questions. Why wouldn’t you be mad, Sam wants to reply. I stole it, I took from you when I was born to give.

“You were looking after them, weren’t you?”

“Of course,” Sam responds, instantly. She would never let anything happen to it, the rabbit is a part of Tara, she would never let anything happen to her heart.

“And V was looking after you too… right?”

Sam finds herself slower to react this time, unsure of what to say, what to think. Eventually, she murmurs a quiet yeah, and rests her head against Tara’s.

“That’s good. I missed you both, but I’m glad you had each other. If I couldn’t be there to look after you, at least you had the next be–”

Tara doesn’t even finish speaking before Sam is pulling her into her lap, squeezing her tightly.

She can’t find her words, but she doesn’t have to, Tara hears her anyway.

I missed you.

I love you.

Thank you.

[reginavulturum]

Terry's Birthday: Fandom, the Internet, and Citations

Or, a too long, too in depth essay on a fictional character's birthday

If you aren't thinking I'm a total nerd by the time you're done reading this than you didn't really read this. But, let's start at the beginning. Recently I posted a timeline I made for "Batman Beyond" and in the time since I made that post there's been something I've seen pop up in tags which I'd never heard of before. A few people were saying that Terry's birthday is August 18th. I was really interested in the source of this claim because I had no recollection of ever seeing it anywhere before now. I looked it up on google (as you do) and found this date scattered around the internet. Case closed, right? But I quickly realized there was a consistent problem on every site I came across. None of them cited a source for Terry's alleged August 18th birthday.

Just look it up yourself and you'll find that the date is ubiquitous across the internet. Yet, as far as I can tell after all my research, it's also completely unconfirmed. I mean, I may have missed something, but if I have than someone else is going to have to point it out to me. I also made a post prior to this one asking people to cite a source for Terry's birthday and no one has so far. You can have a look at that post if you want to know what I consider a good source on this subject. In any case, if this date or any other had been confirmed in any piece of media or in an interview with any DC creator involved in Batman Beyond than I think I would have found a citation for that source somewhere by now.

Right now it kind of seems like August 18th is fanon that's been recycled into "canon". This seems to have happened through a process of source-less wikipedia edits being parroted across reddit threads, sites featuring profiles of comic heroes, other wikis, etc. The less popular June 27th birthday for Terry seems to have gone through the same process. Here are links to some of these sites: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

As my research continued I came across some possible witness testimony of the first mentions of these birthdates:

a.) In this archived thread from the DCAU wiki, in quotations below, I've copied an excerpt of an exchange between two users that I feel is most relevant to this post (emphasis mine):

"So, I've noticed lately that a lot of different sites have been stating Terry's birthday to be August 18th with various years attached to the date. The earliest mention of which I could find is an edit to his wikipedia page in 2008 (which prior to the change stated his birthday was June 27th). I don't remember a mention of when he was born on the show or tie-in comics, and the third volume of comics didn't come out until 2010, so would anyone here know where these dates originate from? -- ReachingForRevolution (talk) 17:48, September 26, 2013 (UTC)"

"I've done some extensive timeline research, and I never came across a good source for those dates. All I saw was a wikipedia edit war with those two dates, but neither is correct AFAIK. The most cited year of birth is 2023, which is speculation as well, but there's at least some foundation for that. --Tupka217 17:56, September 26, 2013 (UTC)"

b.) A similar claim was made in this thread. The relevant excerpt, written by the user "Yojimbo" on October 16, 2023, is in quotations below (emphasis mine):

"No official birth date was ever given.

There was a wikipedia edit war in the 2000s but no source was ever given for either disputed date, June 27, 2023 and August 18, 2023."

As I've travelled down this rabbit hole, I've begun to suspect I won't be able to find exactly where it began, but this is as close as I've gotten. Allegedly, sometime around 2008, there was an edit war on Terry McGinnis' wikipedia page between at least two users over the birthdates of June 27th and August 18th. Now, how or why that edit war even started, I don't know. Why those dates, I also don't know. What I do know is that August 18th is the birthdate that gained the most popularity in the end and spread across the internet.

I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes with this post or call anyone out, really. If anything, this post exists because the subject was interesting to me and I've found the journey enjoyable. If you want to say Terry's birthday is June 27th or August 18th, then please do. Fandom is about fun, not perfectly sourced and cited dissertations on fictional teenagers' birthdays...unless, of course, that sort of thing is fun for you. I know I've loved every minute researching for and writing this...because I'm a massive nerd...but I certainly don't adhere to a strict reading of the timeline myself which is something I plan on covering in an upcoming addendum to my timeline.

In summary, my own research has produced no officially confirmed birthday for Terry McGinnis. This leads me to believe that August 18th and June 27th are fanon birthdates. It may be that I've just not found the citation for one or the other of these dates so I'm open to anyone who can provide me a good source. But really, none of this matters in the grand scheme of things, although it's interesting to see the way user edited/moderated wikis can sometimes bring less clarity rather than more. I'm sure this isn't the only example of that. Assuming I'm right and these birthdates are fanon, I wouldn't consider this a cautionary tale or anything so dramatic. Instead, I'd say this was a case study in the interaction between fandom collated information about fictional works as it exists across the internet and why the adage, "cite your sources", will never die...or something like that...

[kakiastro]

2023 Astrology Vibes

Last day of 2022, I think I can speak for everyone when I say this year was something 🫣

But 2023 is going to be a different vibe and I’m going to tell you why

1. For the last 5.5 years Saturn has been in his home signs Capricorn &Aquarius! These were the probably some of the most challenging years and you had to do a lot of growth and break away from karmas. Also add Pluto Capricorn that’s been intensifying everything! Look at the years from 2017-Present. Check what houses Saturn, Capricorn and Aquarius were transiting those years using transit chart.

For ex. Saturn has transited in my 6&7h so I’ve learned a lot about relationships (platonic&romantic) and I’ve had some health stuff that made me want to change some diets.

2. Now Saturn is leaving his home signs into watery Pisces for 2.5 years. Pisces is ruled by Jupiter&Neptune. What happens when realism sign and non realism sign come together? It means it’s time to wake up and smell the roses 🌹 wherever you’ve had your rose colored glasses on, Saturn is about to snatch them off😭 if you have Saturn Pisces natally, then you are about to go through your Saturn return! check and see what house Pisces rules in your chart to see the themes you’re about to experience . Don’t worry you guys got this!

3. In numerology, 2023 is a water ruled year! The number 7 is ruled by Cancer. Cancer is ruled by the Moon.

4. In Chinese astrology, it’s ruled by the water rabbit! Rabbit means fertility and growth!

5. Pluto also takes a dip in new sign Aquarius for a few months before going back into Capricorn before stationing in Aquarius permanently in 2024 for 20 years. Aquarius is an air sign but is known as the water bearer

So what happened when you put all of these things together? Well here are my own 2023 predictions…

1. Spirituality will be on the rise, especially occult, I feel like people will dive into the unknown, I feel like people will be finding God on their own terms without influences from churches. More people may leave churches due to corruptions and I feel like karma is going to come to the toxic people who uses religion for their own gain

2. Something with fish, maybe a low fish supply since Saturn restricts. Also Pisces rules the deep ocean and Saturn represents time and ancient stuff, I wonder if we’ll find some ancient civilizations or species in the oceans?? When Pluto enters aqua, that may advance it since aqua rules technology and Pluto rules dark hidden places👀

3. Women will be the focus next year since it’s a cancer ruled year. I’ve seeing lots of babies and pregnancy signs so I think a lot of new souls will be born next year, these new babies will be advanced, I’m talking doing things at 2 when they shouldn’t be able to do until their 5 😅 honestly the whole Pluto cap and future aqua generation will be. Watch what I say😅 back to women though, sisterhood will become a big thing, women banding together to start a business or just to have a small support system.

4. The moon rules over our family, ancestors, home life, our private life, our emotional comfort. Themes surrounding these topics will be the focus. Now depending on your moon sign, this will tell you how your year can go, I would personally check your solar return chart and see what sign the moon is in for that year

For ex. In my solar return chart, the moon is in Leo 10h with moon ruler in the 9h for 2023, themes of children, traveling, having fun. My uncle &his gf is having a child in February!

5. Pisces also rules over addictions, with Saturn here I feel like more people will began to talk about there addiction struggles or become more aware. I know for one that I personally need to take a step back from social media & be more present, focusing more on my creative projects. So things like that will be topics

6. I’m very interested to see the kind of music that will be released! Pisces rules over music! I feel there’s going to be timeless music(Saturn ) it wouldn’t surprise me if a new genre appeared, last time Saturn was in Pisces, the grunge era was huge!!! Kurt Cobain was a Pisces. So I’m wondering if there’s going to be another Pisces icon on the rise next year? I feel like it would be someone who’s been in the industry but just now becoming mainstream, I’m thinking it’s going to be woman or feminine energy

7. Also a lot of good movies will be out next year as well! I feel like movies dealing with the past will be the theme, now I know movies are made a year before but I think by the time they are released it fits perfect with what’s going on Astrologically. I always tell people to pay attention to the movies and tv shows that come out. I feel like they’re a glimpse of what’s to come the following year! Especially the big ones, like Wakanda forever & Avatar both were the biggest movies and had themes of family, women and water hellooo

See you all next year

[definegodliness]

Made my picks for our annual Top2000 again. This year the list consists mainly out of songs that got stuck in my head at some point during 2023.

Norman Greenbaum - Spirit In The Sky Dire Straits - Your Latest Trick Neil Diamond - Beautiful Noise Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat Elvis Presley - Burning Love The Moody Blues - Tuesday Afternoon Willie Nelson - Whiskey River Johnny Cash - General Lee Kraftwerk - The Model Cranberries - Dreams Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue Bruce Hornsby & The Range - The Way It Is The Shadows - Wonderful Land Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven Bruce Springsteen - Tougher Than The Rest Queen - These Are The Days Of Our Lives Johnny Cash - I Got Stripes Nirvana - Lithium Massive Attack - Teardrop Procol Harum - Homburg R.E.M. - What's The Frequency, Kenneth? Boudewijn de Groot - De Vondeling Van Ameland Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here Underworld - Born Slippy Guns N' Roses - November Rain Elbow - One Day Like This Neil Young - Harvest Moon Korn - Freak On A Leash Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson Tame Impala - Let It Happen War On Drugs - Red Eyes Dua Lipa - Be The One The The - Uncertain Smile

[ladyhindsight]

Family tree anon again. Another continuity error I’ve noticed is that in the CP2 family tree it states that Jem and Will were born in 1861 (I think Jessie is the same age as well) and Tessa in 1862, which would make them 17 and her 16 in TID (this is confirmed in canon afair).

I don’t know where these new dates originated, but in the TSC wikia it states that Jem Will and Jessie were born in 1860, with Jem’s birthday in November, Will’s in December, and Jessie’s in August. So means the 3 of them would be turning 18 in 1878. Maybe I’m just doing the math wrong, but this makes no sense to me in canon.

First of all: Jessie always mentions how much she hates being a Shadowhunter and how she wants to leave the Institute, but she can’t since she’s still underage. If she actually turned 18 in 1878, she would’ve been able to leave during the event if CP (which takes place in July-August).

Second: Jem and Will are always being excluded from things involving the Enclave since they’re underage, but I feel like if they were turning 18 that year they still wouldn’t be treated like children? Also when Tessa and Jem are talking about their wedding, Jem says he feel guilt for binding her to marriage at 16, and she replies “you’re only 17”. How could he be “only 17” if he’s turning 18 soon?

I just don’t get how CC could change something like this that’s so clearly in canon.

Helloo!

This was actually a bigger rabbit hole than I first anticipated. Also the biggest mystery why Clare changed Will’s and Jem’s birthdays at all!! Not the first time assigning whatever birthdays have fucked up things. So, the Shadowhunters fan wiki says Will’s birthday is December 30, 1860, and it is sourced Clockwork Angel 10th Anniversary Special Edition. I watched a flipthrough of that edition but I didn’t really see where the info was exactly. The trivia on Will’s character says that (as of December 7, 2023):

The birthday (December 30, 1860) assigned to Will and revealed in the 10th Anniversary Edition of Clockwork Angel contradicts previously established canon: In Clockwork Prince, he said he was three months younger than Jem (whose birthday was revealed as November 8, 1860, making him only a month younger), and his birth year was listed as 1861 in the "found" family tree released with Clockwork Princess and An Illustrated History of Notable Shadowhunters & Denizens of Downworld, though the family tree may easily be considered inaccurate.

But the An Illustrated History of Notable Shadowhunters & Denizens of Downworld should be accurate, and I did check and Jem’s birth year is 1861 as is Will’s. (Thought to note on accuracy, many details have changed concerning TLH characters as well.) Now Jem’s assigned birthday is November 8, 1860 (source Clockwork Angel 10th Anniversary Special Edition) and the trivia says, “In Clockwork Prince, Jem is said to be three months older than Will. However, in the 10th anniversary edition of Clockwork Angel, their birth dates were revealed as one month apart; causing a continuity issue.”

Definitely. The scene in Clockwork Prince, chapter 4 “A Journey” went like this:

“Yes, though Charlotte’s rather fallen off in tutoring us lately, as you might imagine,” said Will. “One either has a tutor or one is schooled in Idris—that is, until you attain your majority at eighteen. Which will be soon, thankfully, for the both of us.” “Which one of you is older?” “Jem,” said Will, and “I am,” said Jem, at the same time. They laughed in unison as well, and Will added, “Only by three months, though.” “I knew you’d feel compelled to point that out,” said Jem with a grin.

Soon, meaning next year? Which makes me wonder what the original dates of birth were.

Jessamine was born August 10, 1860 (source Clockwork Angel 10th Anniversary Special Edition), but no trivia notes on her birthday. Probably because it was intended to be the one stated. In Clockwork Angel she even says in chapter 6 “Strange Earth”, “As I am sure horrid Will has told you, my parents, my dear papa and mama, are dead. But they left me a not inconsiderable sum of money. It was put aside in trust for me until my eighteenth birthday, which is only in a matter of months. You see the problem, of course.” Which takes place in May once Tessa has arrived to London. Tessa is born January 28, 1862, sourced also Clockwork Angel 10th Anniversary Special Edition. No trivia notes on the birthday because it is what it is.

The book timeline is:

1873, November 10: “Will Herondale left Wales and his family to become a Shadowhunter. Months after, Jem Carstairs arrived at the London Institute and met his future parabatai Will.” I wonder how that year was come up with since Will only tells Cecily in Clockwork Princess chapter 10 “Like Water Upon Sand” that “I first came here when I was twelve” and “It was, to be precise, the tenth of November of that year. And every year after, on the anniversary of that day, I would fall into a black mood of despair.” Which, in the “original” timeline, would mean Will had already turned 12 by November, because originally he was born 1861. Now that canon has changed, it means Will would turn 13 in the end of December, making him already soon to be 18 years old in 1878, which is not the case as we later see here. What also speaks of the fact that Will turned 12 years old in 1873 is this:  “When he’d reached twelve years of age, he’d been sent to the Institute; at that time he’d still been so small that he’d looked barely nine.” Quite point blank period.

1878 April is when the events from Clockwork Angel begin. Will is 17, Jem is 17, Jessie is 17 about to turn 18, Tessa 16. In May, Tessa arrives at London. On June 5, Clockwork Angel ends.

July to August, Clockwork Prince takes place. I don’t remember there being a mention of Jessie’s birthday. On July 27 Benedict threw the secret masquerade ball which Tessa and Will infiltrated. At this point Jessamine is already 18 and engaged to Nate. In the chapter 11 “Wild Unrest” of Clockwork Prince Sophie finds the invite from Benedict and it is dated 20th of August, which means Jessie’s birthday came and went, and I couldn’t find a single mention of it.

One could argue she stayed at the Institute in order to spy the Institute for Nate (and by extension for Mortmain). She had a chance to leave but she was also enamored with Nate and subsequently played into his plans. And after her betrayal Clave took her wealth and she was ordered to return to the Institute by Charlotte. So, Jessamine essentially (after turning 18) was spying for Nate and Mortmain, subsequently caught and tied to a bedpost, interrogated and taken to Silent City. After being released from the Silent City she was returned to the London Institute where she was immediately killed upon arrival. I mean, she had her moments to leave but in the end she stayed and some of these could be reasons why. I don’t think Clare really thought of Jessamine as much, though in Clockwork Angel chapter 6 “Strange Earth”Jessie says:

“Don’t you? I can leave the Institute, Tessa, but I cannot live alone. It wouldn’t be respectable. Perhaps if I were a widow, but I am only a girl. It just isn’t done. But if I had a companion—a sister—”

So there’s the main reason. It isn’t proper. Additionally in Clockwork Prince chapter 2 “Reparations” Jessamine says, “I don’t want to be thrown out of the Institute if we can’t find the Magister,” Jessamine went on. “Is that so difficult to understand?” When Charlotte tells her she can leave if she wants. So there’s also that.

October to December, Clockwork Princess takes place. Will proposed to Tessa in the Institute Christmas party and later tells Cecily, “You can’t be married, Cecily! You’re only fifteen! When I get married, I’ll be eighteen! An adult!” So Will was still 17, also ironic that there wasn’t such opposition when James and Cordelia get married at 17.

Also interestingly, Gabriel’s birthday is June 2, also in 1860 but in Clockwork Angel he is described as “the youngest of the group, a boy probably no more than a year older than Jem or Will.” Which could be Well, he looked older! But in light of all that we have gathered here, Clare initially wrote Jem and Will having been born in 1861. Then later Callida Fairchild says, “Perhaps with help from James Carstairs and Will Herondale, but neither of them is any older than seventeen. How much help can they be?” Also meaning Will and Jem were both born in 1861. Also:

“Nate, Tessa thought disgustedly, is exactly two years older than Will. Hardly a century. Nor is he by any stretch of the imagination “mature.”

And Nate’s birth year is stated to be 1859.

In the chapter 24 “The Measure of Love” in Clockwork Princess, Will thinks how it is “First Christmas morning without Jem in six years. The purest cold, bringing the purest pain.” For which the birthdays make even less sense in the context of “Months after, Jem Carstairs arrived at the London Institute and met his future parabatai Will.”

1. Christmas morning, aged 12 (because Will was already 12 when he came to London Institute)

2. Christmas, aged 13

3. Christmas, aged 14

4. Christmas, aged 15

5. Christmas, aged 16

6. Christmas, aged 17 (When Jem has become a Silent Brother)

Because Jem was 11 years old when Yanluo attacked (“When I was eleven, Yanluo found a weak spot in the ward that protected the Institute, and tunneled inside.”), so it stands to reason it didn’t take years for him to arrive at London.

Anyway, the point of this tirade is the same as yours. There is so much stuff stating Will’s and Jem’s ages, so why in the earth would she change it by a year and fuck all of this up?? I cannot fathom.

[seriously-nobody]

Hey I figured I should do a lil about me type thing. Plz don't judge too harshly again this is my actual life. So anyway here we go! 😵‍💫

@all-things-ghostly thx for this idea

I was born in 2004 in Newport Beach and grew up in sunny southern California, specifically one city over from Anaheim. And yes, I went to Disneyland, quite often actually. I'd say I went maybe 2-3 times a month or if it was around the holidays or a special event it was every weekend if I could. So, needless to say, I know Disneyland pretty well. Unfortunately, I had to move out of California in 2017, but that's a story for another day.

I was, for a long time, afraid of the mansion, surprisingly enough. The only thing I was afraid of was the pop up ghosts so everytime I passed the gate to the graveyard I'd close my eyes until the ghost host said his line "Ah there you are." and I knew I was safe. That was until a friend of mine who was a few years older than me took me through it and pointed out which graves had pop ups and when they usually spring up. I wanna say that I was around 5 or 6 when this happened. O also I remember the beating heart bride before Constance kicked her out lmao. I remember not being afraid of her because she just kinda chilled out there, she was super pretty according to mini me. My parents r super mega Disney fans and we used to go to an actual Disney club in CA and I remember it was a big announcement at our monthly meeting that a new ghost was taking over the attic and it was super exciting. I also remember when they announced they were installing Hattie into the mansion again and it was super cool to me since I already knew the history of the figure.

Anyway enough about the mansion (for now). For a long time my favorite attraction in the park was Splash Mountain. Yes I understand everything now but back when they were taking it out I had no idea about song of the south and the underlying story of it all. Now that I understand tho, I can say that it was super problematic and really shouldn't have been there. I really just thought it was about cute fluffy animals singing about a rabbit escaping death and u get wet. I mostly liked it because it had a single rider line and it was nice to ride alone on a hot day.

I'd say Indiana Jones was my 2nd favorite, even tho their single rider was kinda on and off sometimes, and I didn't come around to actually riding it for fear of the mummies that come out at you, that big projection of kali that appears on the cieling in the skull room, and the giant snake, until I was 6 or 7. I say 6 or 7 because again that same friend helped me through it. But after I got through it with my eyes open I loved it.

Ok enough of park rambling because I could probably talk about the parks until I die and I still wouldn't be finished talking. So I moved away from Cali sadly and I had to part with the park and characters I so loved. I wouldn't say I forgot about my love for these characters but I would say it faded, a lot actually. So let's talk recent, like early July 2023. I forgot what movie I was watching but I remember seeing a certain trailer before the movie that hit me over the head with a comically sized cartoon hammer. I remember seeing the purple wallpaper and I got real confused because I didn't hear /anything/ about there being another HM movie much less a scary one. Like this trailer made me so incredibly happy I cannot even tell u. When I saw that jerky constance in the corner shot I damn near cried. I was finally getting a more scary Haunted Mansion movie WITH ACTUAL HAUNTED MANSION CHARACTERS. Ya that went on the calendar real quick. Then I saw it in theaters and o my god was that THE hatbox ghost?? O my god??? They put him in here! O... o no... he's... he's evil... and he's so sassy and stupid... And then I fell. I not only fell for Alistair but I also fell back in love with characters and places I hadn't been since I was 13. And that love that had faded from being away for so long grew vibrant and close again. Ok quit it with the gushy mushy shit, me. Anyway so I really loved this movie and I had a Tumblr account at the time. I mean I wasn't posting anything but I had it to look into cool niche Fandoms. So I did just that. I didn't expect like anything but I was overjoyed to see so many people loving characters that I feel don't get enough of it.

And the rest, as they say, is history.