#just viewing the world through curiosity and creativity and being naive

[lychee-milk]

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[thorntonkrell-blog-blog]

Let's take this conversation out of the classroom and into American society writ LARGE.

The concept of stupidity, when applied broadly, has profound effects not just on individuals, but also on entire communities and cultures. The labels of "stupid" and "smart" carry significant weight in shaping how people perceive each other, how they interact with the world, and how societal systems function. At its core, the idea of "stupidity" is a reflection of human judgment, often used to simplify complex traits or behaviors, but it can have far-reaching consequences when it seeps into collective thought.

The binary of "smart" versus "stupid" can deepen social divides. In communities, labeling people as "stupid" often becomes shorthand for dismissing them, and it can be a tool of exclusion. Think about how people who are less educated, less wealthy, or who don’t have access to certain resources or opportunities might be labeled as "stupid." This labeling doesn’t just harm individuals; it serves to solidify class and status divides. The implication is that intelligence is something intrinsic, unchangeable, and often linked to socioeconomic status. Communities can become polarized when intelligence is reduced to this narrow view—those at the top dismissing those at the bottom as inherently "stupid," and those at the bottom internalizing that label as a source of shame or inferiority.

This kind of thinking prevents social mobility. If individuals within a community are continually told they are "stupid" or incapable of learning, it can suppress their potential and reduce their ability to see opportunities for growth. Entire cultures may operate under the mistaken assumption that some people are simply "born stupid," and thus unworthy of resources like quality education, healthcare, or leadership opportunities. This not only harms individuals but also reduces the overall potential of the culture as a whole, stifling creativity, innovation, and progress.

Culturally, the pervasive use of "stupid" creates an environment where open-mindedness is discouraged. If someone makes a mistake, they are swiftly labeled as "stupid," and the conversation is over. This approach closes the door to dialogue, learning, and personal growth. People are less likely to admit when they don’t know something, afraid of being perceived as "stupid," and so they stop asking questions or seeking out new information. In communities and cultures where this mindset prevails, the fear of being labeled "stupid" can lead to conformity, groupthink, and a resistance to change. New ideas are rejected because they threaten the established way of thinking, and individuals who challenge the status quo may in turn be dismissed as "stupid" or "naive."

This dynamic can have a profound impact on cultural evolution. When a society or community relies on rigid definitions of intelligence and dismisses the value of learning through mistakes or experiences, it becomes harder to adapt, innovate, or overcome challenges. The dismissal of "stupidity" breeds intellectual stagnation and can suppress creativity, curiosity, and the willingness to explore new perspectives—essential components of a thriving culture.

In educational settings, the concept of stupidity is especially damaging. It’s one thing for a teacher to label a student as "ignorant" (which can be corrected), but calling them "stupid" has a much more corrosive effect. It discourages effort, lowers self-esteem, and reinforces a fixed mindset that intelligence is something innate and unchangeable, rather than something that can be nurtured and developed. The belief in inherent stupidity may prompt students to disengage from the learning process, believing that no matter how hard they try, they will always be "stupid" in the eyes of their peers or teachers.

This cultural problem extends beyond the classroom. It permeates societal attitudes toward education. If people are constantly labeled as "stupid," they may feel less inclined to pursue education, knowing that their intellectual worth is devalued. In turn, this limits their potential contribution to society. When a culture embraces the notion that some people are simply incapable of learning, it wastes talent and prevents people from growing beyond their circumstances and produces a malignant form of elitism. This is particularly true for marginalized communities, where access to quality education is already limited. If those communities are already dismissed as "stupid" by the broader society, they may face greater barriers to educational achievement along with festering anger and desire for recrimination. Even the smallest worm having been tread upon will turn and every dog will have its day.

The concept of stupidity has a dangerous influence on politics and governance. When political leaders or media outlets label opposing views as "stupid," they dehumanize the people who hold those views. Instead of fostering meaningful debate and discussion, it encourages polarizing rhetoric that divides rather than unites. When ideas are dismissed as "stupid," there is no room for nuanced conversations about complex issues. People who hold different opinions become the "other"—out of touch, unworthy of consideration, and deserving of contempt.

This creates a toxic political climate in which reasoned discourse is replaced by simple-minded attacks. It’s easier to dismiss someone as "stupid" than to engage with their argument or try to understand their perspective. This dynamic undermines democratic processes by making it harder to find common ground or build coalitions across political lines. When "stupidity" becomes the go-to insult, it weakens the fabric of public discourse and inhibits progress. Interestingly, the use of the word "stupid" often says more about the speaker than the person being labeled. It can be a defense mechanism, a way of shielding oneself from vulnerability. Those who feel insecure about their own knowledge or abilities might quickly label others as "stupid" in order to protect their self-image. If they can cast others as ignorant or inferior, it makes them feel superior, even if that superiority is based on flimsy or flawed reasoning.

In cultures that prize individual achievement and competition—like capitalist societies—people are often measured by their success. Success becomes equated with intelligence, and failure with stupidity. This cultural pressure leads to a proliferation of the "stupid" label. When individuals encounter challenges or experience failure, they might internalize that label, believing that they are somehow unworthy of success or incapable of growth. On a community-wide scale, this culture of competitiveness can turn toxic, as people constantly measure their worth against others and dismiss those who don’t meet certain standards.

The concept of stupidity extends far beyond the individual and influences entire communities and cultures. When people are labeled as "stupid," it diminishes their value, fosters division, and suppresses the potential for growth. Whether in the classroom, in business, or in political discourse, this label simplifies complex human experiences and dismisses the possibility of change. By challenging the use of "stupid" as a catch-all term, we open the door to deeper understanding, empathy, and progress—both on an individual and societal level.

In recognizing that stupidity is often a failure of imagination, we can begin to shift the way we think about people and their potential. Ignorance, after all, can be overcome with education and experience. Stupidity, on the other hand, is a refusal to grow. By acknowledging the difference and rejecting the label of stupidity, we create a culture that is more open to learning, more accepting of mistakes, and ultimately, more capable of progress.

[nicklloydnow]

“With that legacy in mind, it is indeed curious to see Cave pop up in the so-termed art world—but only a bit curious. One can tell from viewing his work that Cave is serious about making art. In “The Devil — A Life,” a honed and aesthetic sensibility is apparent in well-executed ceramics, which cleverly reference Victorian porcelain but which feature Lucifer as the main subject. The works relay a tempestuous tale that oscillates between good and evil and stirs corners of empathy in a strange sort of way, a way we might have felt before from his music. Cave loads in a lot of symbolism and draws on topics around death and violence, but also love and religion. Darkness is always paired with light.

Much earlier in Australia during a rebellious youth, Cave went to art school, though he ended up leaving it behind in pursuit of music. “The band just kind of took off but my art career didn’t because I was preoccupied,” he recalls. It was in those years, though, that he learned to glaze and fire ceramics, even if it was not a skill he would tap into until more than four decades later. “What I had always wanted to do was be a painter. I loved painting and I learned about it, but my art school experience wasn’t particularly fruitful, shall we say? The band just ate up everything.”

(…)

Cave doesn’t take responsibility for the story depicted per se. The artworks “seem to know a lot more about what’s going on than the artists themselves,” Cave tells me. “I was lured along quite unwittingly along a narrative path that started to ask massive questions of me. What started off as pure whimsy ended up speaking to me about things that my songs haven’t been able to.”

These larger standalone pieces evolved out of so-called spill vases that he had initially started out making—Cave’s interpretations of Victorian vases that would hold a roll of paper or a twig, used to transfer a flame from one place to another in the house. “I wanted to make these because I wanted my work to be well and truly craft, so that it would not put me into the art world,” Cave says. “On some level, it is the last place I wanted to end up as a musician—the track record is disastrous. I went to art school [and so] I had a lot of artist friends and making art was a serious thing; they put their lives into this. This idea that you can knock out some paintings between tours felt like a kind of a vanity. That’s why I wanted to make craft things.”

Their folkloric style and craftiness, however, is exactly what makes them appealing. In an art world where so much work is just about a clever elevator pitch, the works Cave has made are sincere, clearly the result of an inner world percolating outwards, and products of an interest in process and curiosity. Maybe that is the irony—Cave’s attempts to avoid being read as an artist as such landed him in an art gallery. And that in-between state of Staffordshire ceramics (which he actually collects himself) as neither high or low art is what makes them so interesting to the art world, but also to Cave. “They are a bridge between craft and art, essentially made to bring a little joy into people’s lives,” he says. “There is a naive innocence about them—no pretension.”

(…)

Persevering with creative work no matter what tragedies life throws at you is something Cave writes about in The Red Hand Files, an approachable blog where he responds to fans’ inquiries, often lending his thoughts and advice—he calls it an exercise in empathy. He plows through mail and selectively responds, publishing the questions and the answers. It is disarmingly intimate. Because Cave has lost two of his sons (his 15 year old Arthur died 2015, and in 2022, he lost his 31-year-old son Jethro), often those who write him are grieving and trying to cope with similar losses. “There is this great river of suffering that runs through [The Red Hand Files],” Cave says.

But people bring forward all kinds of issues, some related to art. In February, for example, a person named Dan had written Cave asking help with continuing to make art in a world marked by “war and cruelty,” while a person named Tam wondered how to make art without a muse. Reading his answers, you can get some insight into how Cave has managed to continue to work faced with his own personal devastations: “We are artists and we labour in the service of others,” he wrote back. “It is not something we do only if and when we feel motivated. We are duty-bound to do our job, like everyone else, because the space we occupy depends upon our participation and breaks down if we don’t.”

To Dan, he added that “yes, the world is sick, and yes it can be cruel, but it would be a whole lot sicker and a whole lot crueler… if it were not the beauty-makers wading through the blood and muck of things, whilst reaching skyward to draw down the very heavens themselves.”

To Tam, he noted: “muses are for losers!”

(…)

The devil in his ceramic depictions, out of keeping with black-and-white portrays of good and evil, seems to represent a liminal space of reflection within the intensifying polemics and fraught climate of today’s world. Cave and I speak about the mood of moral outrage that seems to characterize the moment. “It is a huge societal problem, especially for young people,” he says of the online sphere in particular. “The centrist position, which I controversially hold—the capacity to hold two opposing ideas in my hand at the same time—is anathema. But we need to be able to do that.”

In one of the new figurines, Devil in Remorse, a horned devil sits hunched over, face in his palms. Here, the figure is depicted with a black tailored suit, with long legs and black hair combed back, in a style and dress not dissimilar to Cave himself. For an artist who has bared his soul in his music, these works are even more forthright. “Songs for me, essentially, always have been a way of speaking truth through a veil where you never have to be explicit. The more abstract and the more impressionistic you are with songwriting, the more interesting the songs actually are,” he says. “Now, you don’t get that with these figurines. They are what they are and I found that really exciting. There was no hiding.”

[moonstarinfinity]

BTS Group Astrology Interpretation

What is BTS's overall vibe? How does their debut influence them as a group, their sound, and how their career as a team will play out? There are a lot of things you can see about a group or business using event astrology, and we're going to explore how BTS's group astrology plays out for them as a whole. Want to see what placements are beneficial? Does their chart indicate fame? How does it influence their music? What potential things could be issues for them as a group? Lets take a look!

(This is long winded, so grab some banana milk and churros and enjoy the ride!)

Chart Pattern

Their chart pattern is called a "Tripod" pattern. This pattern indicates that they like to do their own thing. They are the trailblazers, and are often doing things that have never been done before. They refuse to be boxed in. We can see this in a TON of their music but the song that comes to my mind first is "Idol." They are not afraid to speak their mind and to bravely put their thoughts and feelings out for anyone to see and hear.

Personal Planets

Sun in Gemini - 7th House

Communication, self-expression, curiosity, and adaptability. This placement is STRONG for BTS when it comes to their lyrics and style. They change up their sound and styles frequently as they grow. They are excellent communicators and often times their lyrics are deep, but easy to follow.

They are crafters of the spoken word, and this placement is actually a great one for an artistic group. It allows them to stay current and to be able to understand and gather information about what is going on around them at all times.

Gemini Sun placements are very good at fitting in with the world around them, and in this case the placement is strengthened in the 7th house of relationships and beauty.

Gemini in the 7th house is all about learning how to get to know others better. This plays out in them trying to keep up with their fans and each other, and to really understand and relate to their closest relationships.

You can see this influence in their style, and in the way they try to empower, relate, and connect with people through aesthetics and communication. Take "Dynamite" for example: It was created in an attempt to connect, inspire and uplift people all over the world. It was well thought through, brilliantly created, and extremely successful.

Amongst themselves this placement allows for them to understand each other better. They are all very different people, but they all have an understanding and love for each other regardless, and this energy is part of what makes their bond so close due to it's ability to help them understand and communicate as a whole.

One thing they need to watch out with when it comes to this placement is a restlessness. They struggle to stay still for too long, which is good and bad. When it comes to the 7th house this means that they tend to not focus on one commitment for too long, but it also means that when things seem too stable they may get anxious as a group, which can cause some discord. Thankfully this is also good in the sense that it always helps them to stay relevant, and as long as they are investigating and researching before they make moves, they can use this to their advantage.

Moon in Leo - 8th House

Loyal, proud, adventurous, enthusiastic. This is a really bright and cheerful placement. It's also a placement that LOVES love.

In the 8th house this is a very creative and straightforward placement. They thrive on creating with their emotions, and they likely bring a positive spin to topics like death and rebirth. They often will have a deep understanding of things that are more taboo, and are able to express their views and feelings of these things in a creative and positive light.

As a whole they are very aware of the important people in their lives (ARMY), and it's very easy for them to emotionally attach because their love for their fans and their group is very deep and intense. If anything were to happen to their relationship to their fans or as a group it would be a huge blow.

They need to be able to express things in big, passionate ways. They have a big voice as a group, and it's likely people will try to discourage them and dull their shine and intensity. Think to when Namjoon and Yoongi were both teased and looked down on for being in a kpop group by other rappers. This is the energy they face as a group overall, and it's important to continually express their passion and energy regardless of the people that try to bring them down.

A downside is this placement tends to be pushy and somewhat domineering, so they need to stay patient with each other as a team. They may try to rush themselves into situations, and at times this could make them feel unstable, but again...as long as they are taking calculated risks with their music and contracts then this is a good thing.

Let me also say that this is a very psychic and intuitive placement and people and businesses with this placement are often times healers. They heal through their artistic expression, and they bring those deepest, darkest feelings to a place of comfort for their fans. If you look at all of their music there is a theme. Map of the Soul. That alone is already proof of this placement without including each song, their music videos and concepts, and the way they connect to their fans.

This is a GREAT position for a business because the moon in the 8th is also seen as a position that indicates wealth earned from others.

Ascendant in Sagittarius - 1st House

BTS has an overall energy that exudes exploration and is extremely social. They are relatable and well-respected all over the world. They are open-minded, flexible, and extremely good at adapting to constant change.

Hope. Excitement. Change. Optimism. This is a very good ascendant to have in both a personal and group situation. You can see everything here from adventure, to fame, to being charitable, to expression, to intuition.

Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter and in the 1st house they are larger than life. This placement has been, and will continue to be, an amplifier for them. It is a placement that has led to fame, expansion, and notoriety.

This placement helps them be confident in themselves and their music. It's a placement of good luck and success. People are drawn in by the energy of this placement, and it helps BTS explore and understand all types of people, no matter their background.

They exude a colorful, childlike energy as a whole, even when talking about deep concepts and darker parts of the world and psyche. This makes them relatable and even for those that don't understand their lyrics, they can feel a sense of magic when listening to their music. They are funny, playful, hopeful, optimistic, and extremely likable.

This is another placement that has a strong intuition and a connection to spirituality. They often discuss things like the persona, shadow, ego, and the soul. These things are explored and the group as a whole grows and bonds through their own personal journeys and discoveries of who they are.

Generous. They LOVE to donate to causes. They LOVE to do things that better humanity. They are well informed, knowledgeable, and extremely attuned to the things going on in the world, and will sacrifice whatever they can as a group to bring awareness, support, and donations to causes that really need it.

A downside to this placement is a tendency to get bored, so they may have lots of projects that don't get finished or brought to light. They may get restless when they feel like they've been stuck in a situation for too long.

For some they may come off as naive or overly optimistic, and we can see that this was an issue in the beginning for them when they were looked at as just a kpop group, and not as a group that is more serious. Thankfully they have worked hard and proven time and time again that they are much more than just a kpop group.

Personally I don't see many challenges for a Sagittarius rising, and I love this placement. It's beautiful, and I could talk for days about how this placement is a lot of what BTS is known as.

Mercury in Cancer - 8th House

Here we find a place that helps BTS to slow down their high energy. Cancer is all about emotions, intuition, and going with the flow, and is traditionally ruled by the moon. Mercury is all about communication and knowledge, and the 8th house is the house of Scorpio traditionally. A place that is deep and watery.

This is a gentle, calm, and deep placement. They understand emotions, and express in a way that helps people who are in the darkest places feel heard and nurtured.

This placement is a huge one for music. It helps with rhythm, lyrics, and putting emotion into melody. This helps BTS express emotion through their sound, and that's a magnet for them as a musical group. Think poetry through sound and lyrics.

They can get frustrated as a group with "facts only" conversations, and as a whole will always touch on deeper subjects. They likely won't engage with drama or mainstream theatrics. They will likely stick to more personal topics in their music.

This also allows them to present or perform things in a powerful way that lets people know what they think and what they mean without any doubts. They are honest, and expect that honesty back from the world.

They may also need to retreat at times to work on projects or to go through their projects as a team, and all of them have to bring their viewpoints together in order to create the deep, soulful music we know. They likely have a ton of deep conversations amongst themselves about their feelings and emotions.

Ultimately this placement is kind, caring, and loving. BTS uses this placement to help people heal deeper wounds through love and compassion.

Venus in Cancer - 8th House

This placement honestly just triples the love, compassion, intuition, and care BTS has.

It brings a sensitivity and dependable energy to their group, and to their fans. They are protective, patient, and caring when it comes to their group and to ARMY.

This is another romantic placement, and it means they have a DEEP love for BTS as a whole and for their fans. They feel the connection on a deep level, and they place a ton of trust in their fans. (See Jungkook running into a crowd during a concert with zero fear, or how outspoken they are on controversial topics.)

They build a home amongst themselves, and invite their fans in to that home. It's a home built on dreams, intuition, love, compassion, and connection.

Again...spirituality. Literally their chart screams spirituality. This is another placement that focuses on the deep inner workings of being a human, loving ourselves and others, and developing humanity overall. You can see all of these spiritual influences in their music. They even touch on subjects like astrology, intuition, death of the ego, dark night of the soul...the list can go on for a long time.

They need to make sure to appreciate where they are at now, as this placement can make them forget to enjoy the moment. They need to allow themselves to revel in the current success and not chase after the next thing on their list. Celebrate the successes that you have now, because soon this moment will be a memory. Enjoy it while you are in it.

When they are hurt by someone or something they have a tendency to close down, and this would affect them on a more personal level. For example if someone in the group is hurt by a rumor, the entire group will put up a shield and nurture that person. They might withdraw from the public to make sure everyone is safe and cared for until there is no longer a threat. They also might hold grudges as a team against people who wrong them as a group, meaning that they could potentially fuel each other to do this if they aren't careful.

If you've ever noticed that they have a magnetic draw, part of that charm can come from this placement. It makes them naturally appealing and have a social chemistry as a whole that keeps people intrigued and coming back for more. As a group they develop each other and can actually increase each other's attractiveness.

Mars in Gemini - 7th House

Witty and edgy! Mars in Gemini knows how to use their words, and they definitely are not shy about it. This is a high energy placement and when the group is fired up about something expect there to be a lot of explosive communication about it. Think about songs like "Cypher 4" and "Ddaeng" and you can feel this energy.

Fast. This placement is FAST. This seems to be a good thing for BTS as long as they can take the moments to celebrate their successes as they happen. They are always quick to change and adapt. This speed allows them to keep up with trends, other groups, and the world. They just need to make sure all decisions are thought through, and usually this placement really helps them make calculated, smart decisions on the fly.

This placement is really good for BTS in the sense that it's usually a great fit for careers in the media, fashion, and entertainment. Again it's about keeping up with the trends and communication. What is cutting edge? This placement knows.

Usually people with mars in Gemini discharge their powerhouse energy through their hands, so it makes sense that as a group they are constantly making music. They also enjoy doing group puzzles and games together. (See BTS Run.) They have to constantly stay busy or they may get bored or depressed, and this just means that as a group they feel the most success and happiness when they are busy. They need that constant change so they can stay hyped up, and when they are all together their energy levels rise tremendously. This is where some of that chaotic energy comes from.

With Mars in the 7th house they may often times actually thrive in being the leaders, and they tend to have a dominant energy, but for a powerhouse group this is a good thing. They are extremely honest and loyal to their fanbase and they will likely fight anyone who comes for their team or their fans.

They are extremely competitive, and this placement almost always guarantees success. They don't stop until they are finished with a project, and they throw themselves into what they are passionate about as a group.

Jupiter in Gemini - 7th House

Lucky. Successful. Spiritual. Curious. Jupiter rules Sagittarius traditionally and this is actually a really great placement for them. They love to travel and be students of the world. They are constantly exploring in many different ways, and this allows them to bring their knowledge to a platform.

This placement is also very fortunate financially. It brings them wealth, which in the 7th house this can mean that it also brings the group lots of beauty and love.

Long term partnerships and relationships (with each other and their fans, and company) are predicted here. Jupiter is the sign of expansion and in the home of partnerships, relationships, and beauty, this can indicate a very happy, harmonious, long term situation.

I want to mention that their Ascendant is in Sagittarius and that actually affects this placement as well. Sagittarius being ruled by Jupiter means that this placement is actually their chart ruler. That means the effects of their Jupiter can be felt much stronger as a group than some of their weaker placements.

They have an innate ability to make their enemies into their friends, gain the affection and trust of the public, and to turn any partnership into a successful, financially lucrative situation. So this makes lots of people want to work with them and sponsor them. Think LG, FILA, Maplestory, Hyundai, Conway, Baskin Robbins, etc.

This placement personally makes the group very aware of their own energy overall. So they are very in tune with what feels like it's in alignment for them at any given time, and they will do research if they are not sure how they feel. They will usually discuss amongst themselves and really feel out how the whole group feels and thinks about things like partnerships and projects before committing to them.

Legal matters. They win. The 7th house is also the house of legalities and contracts so if at any point any legal matters arise for BTS, they have luck and intelligence on their side x10 because of this placement. They likely will quickly, easily, and successfully deal with any legal stuff that comes their way.

Last, but not least, for this placement: Their fans mean the world to them. Their love and relationship with their fans is amplified because of Jupiter being in the 7th, and you can see their love for their fans runs deep. It hits them very hard that they haven't been able to perform live, or meet their fans in person for a while, more so than a lot of other groups. They feel very deeply for their connection to their fans, and feel extreme amounts of happiness, love, and success when their fans show them love.

Saturn in Scorpio - 11th House

Hard workers first and foremost. Saturn is the planet that rules over hard work, and Scorpio is one of the most intense signs in the zodiac. They take their work very seriously, and they will dive into their work and won't come back up for air until it is finished.

Shadow healers. They use their music to relate to people on a level that makes you feel like you are their best friend. This allows them to really help you open up to yourself and dive into the depths. They can take you on many journeys through your soul and psyche and help you through even the toughest moments.

Saturn here is really fortunate because it means they are meant to reap the full benefit of their hard work. Whatever work they put in they are rewarded tenfold in time. Because they had to put in the work they appreciate the reward a lot more, and generally don't let things like materialism or finances go to their heads. (See Bangtan forgets they are millionaires videos on Youtube.)

Friendship and their relationships with fans are very important to them. They value the friendship that the group has overall, but also externally. They actually gain a ton from their friendships due to this position, which is no surprise. Think about all of their music collaborations, and the fact that their fans are what makes them successful. This Saturn can traditionally make it hard for the person to open up completely, but...that's not necessarily a bad thing for BTS because they are a KPOP group, and need that privacy.

Speaking of privacy:they treasure their privacy, and they are extremely protective over their individual lives away from the group. They tend to have a wound here about trusting others with things like this, and I think rightfully so honestly. Fame can bring good and bad things, and being overly cautious when it comes to who you let inside is important for idol groups.

This placement also nods to a group that refuses to follow trends. They are very unique and want to express that, so they will ignore what everyone else is doing, and follow their own beat. This can lead to them feeling isolated as a group sometimes, which may make them doubt themselves at times, but they ultimately should know that this ability to be themselves is what attracts the greatest things into their lives.

Their biggest shadow fear is the fear of being misunderstood. Mostly because of the point we just went over. They have a fear that they will be so deep or different that people won't understand them and that they will lost interest, or they will never truly understand their messages.

They also may fear that they will lose their passion as a group and things may spin out of their control, or become inconsistent. They want to heal the world and reach as many people as possible, and there's a fear that they won't do this, and at this point that they would lose the status they have and stop being able to change the world through their music.

They need to know that their whole chart is lucky, and as long as they keep following their passions, their spirituality, and their values they will be extremely successful as a group. You're already so many leagues ahead of so many people BTS, so look around right now and know that you are safe and that so many millions of people love and support you.

Transpersonal Planets:

Uranus in Aries - 4th House

A powerful trailblazing placement! This is yet another sign and planet combination that goes their own way and leads the group into uncharted territory with confidence.

Uranus in the 4th house traditionally makes them feel like they are outcasts or outsiders. That they don't necessarily fit in or have a "home." Aries being here drives them to create a home of their own. This is why they make every person feel included and safe with them.

They also will find that this aspect makes them feel at home with each other as a team of people who may feel like they don't fit in with "normal" society, but they feel like they fit in with each other.

As a whole they will encourage each other to rebel against society, norms, and traditions. They will all feel like a fire is lit beneath them when they are working together. A passion and bravery will exude from them as a whole.

This will give them a craving for freedom (which goes hand in hand with their Sagittarius Ascendant) and a desire to be independent. They will find that this placement develops a safety and stability within their group, and this is what gives them a strong foundation. They may at times come off as cliquey but they are far from it. They just really like to do their own thing, and are confident in the foundation they continually build together as a team.

Normally this placement can indicate hardships with family, but because it's a group chart reading this is saying that they come from all different backgrounds, and atmospheres, and they find a way to make anywhere their home as long as they are together. At times they can be dependent on each other, but this bond is what gives them stability in their endeavors as a team.

They are all inclusive, meaning that their love (ARMY, music, each other) doesn't judge, and it accepts everything. They are not superficial, and they like to think of themselves as a safe place for anyone and everyone to land.

Neptune in Pisces - 3rd House

Led by their intuition and thinking processes, they will look within their group and themselves to move forward.

I know this is sounding like a broken record but: SPIRITUALITY. I can't say it enough. They like to know the ins and outs of the deepest parts of life. They like to develop themselves on an individual level, as well as in their group. They then like to share this journey through music and art as true Neptune in Pisces placements often do.

It's another placement that gives them a leg up when it comes to communication as well. They have a way of using metaphors, art, sound, lyrics, and emotion to explain and teach things on a global scale. It's one of the reasons they are so popular globally, and relate to almost anyone they come across.

This placement has a power struggle early on between the mind and intuition. Generally there's a lack of knowledge on how to express, but over time as the mind and creativity flow together, it becomes a powerful placement. We can actually see this in BTS in the way that early on their music was influenced more by others, and now they are the ones who are creating their music exclusively from within themselves.

Eccentric, different, funny, and sociable. This placement creates a very forward-thinking group that loves the unusual and thrives from doing things in their own ways. It's given a very energetic and humorous spin because of the fact that the ascendant is in Sagittarius, and the overall energy of their chart allows for the group to have a massive amount of freedom, passion, and drive.

Pluto in Capricorn - 2nd House

I laugh at this placement because this can lead to a tendency to be very frugal with money, but can lead to holding onto things too tightly. So for instance: If your phone breaks, you tape it back together instead of buying a new phone. It's not that you can't afford one, it's that you don't value buying a new phone, and would rather save the money for something better. Plus you like that phone, and it still works, so why not?

This is a very logical and practical placement, and the goal of this placement is to teach the group what is really valuable, and in doing so they can translate that to the world. It causes them to develop as a team in the realm of stability and finances.

They are incredibly gifted at following their intuition as a group when it comes to what they spend money on, how their tours are organized, what businesses to partner up with, and how much to invest into their projects financially. They just understand and know the ins and outs of what is the best deal and what can bring them the most success.

They likely have struggled as a team with the pull of money versus stability from within. They have to continually understand that their group is stable and abundant just because of who they are, and that it's not all about how much you can earn or how successful you are. This will help alleviate the fear that all can be lost at any moment by helping them understand that they could lose these things, but that they won't lose their stability in each other.

The lesson is to let go a little. They need to follow their intuition, and it's okay if they are a little possessive over their team, their fans, and their success, but they also need to be okay with letting things come and go. They seem to already work through this challenge really well, and thankfully their other placements make it a lot easier to not get stuck holding onto everything. See the song "Let Go."

Aspects:

Scorpio North Node - 12th House

Their purpose as a group is literally to show the transformation process (death and rebirth, spirituality) through art and music.

Their challenges are to embrace the unknown and to teach others how to do the same while understanding and accepting their emotions and themselves for who they really are.

It's all about embracing change and emotions for what they are and flowing through them. You will find that most of their music is about this very thing. Love yourself. Map of the soul. It's all about transforming yourself by working through your shadows and wounds.

Song recommendations if you want examples: Butterfly, Interlude: Shadow, Persona, Ego, Black Swan, Mikrokrosmos, Magic shop....I could just say their entire catalog really.

The goal is to change the world by helping people step out of their comfort zones, follow their passions, and love themselves. If that isn't beautiful, I don't know what is. If you find yourself drawn to BTS, don't be surprised if you are also drawn to spirituality, self-love, and massive personal transformation.

Pisces Chiron - 3rd House

When I do group Chiron placements they are read as how the group helps their fans, each other, and potentially the world heal.

In this case they help each other and the world believe in the universe again. That there is good in the world, and that we are all part of one big beautiful consciousness. (Not to get all spiritual on you.)

People who feel like the universe has dealt them a bad hand, beaten down by the world, discouraged with life, will come to BTS for healing. When you listen to their music and connect to them as a group it creates a sense of oneness. They teach others that they are important, they do have a place in this world, and that they belong. Your differences are what makes you who you are, and they are here to help you see that, accept it, and embrace it.

They will help you see that even in the darkest times there is always light. There is always hope, and you are ultimately in control of your life. They teach that the universe co-creates with you.

This placement helps them to open people up when they've shut down. To nurture people back to believing in the good again. They do this through communication and connection. They help people to face their wounds and to transform from them instead of running away from them. Then once they've faced them, they teach you how to voice your thoughts, your passions, your emotions.

Chiron in Pisces helps them to understand and actually feel other people's emotions and pain, so as a group they need to make sure they take the time to recharge after long tours or giving their energy to people. They can easily take on other people's emotions as their own, but this is also what helps them heal others.

The 3rd house Chiron placement also helps them teach others to find a balance between logic and intuition. Practicality and spirituality. Light and dark. A place where you can have both instead of leaning into one or the other.

Speak your truth. Be yourself. Feel your feelings. Love yourself. "Speak yourself."

Midheaven (MC) - Virgo

This makes so much sense it hurts me. Virgo Midheaven is all about having the ability to look inside yourself and bring what you find out in the open to teach others. They are destined for a career that allows them to better themselves (which they all do) as well as the world around them.

They use language as a healing tool, and are suited to a career that allows them to express their knowledge that they've gained from deep introspection. They are direct, but nurturing. They often bring a grounding energy into their career.

They strive for perfection and organization, which for a group placement makes a ton of sense, considering this is for their career.

This also indicates an importance when it comes to coworkers and teamwork, which is yet another reason they all work so well together.

They have great attention to detail, and we can see this in how much work they put into getting each part of their music to be just right. It's a great placement for working on masterpieces.

There is a tendency to be overly critical of their work as a group, but again...they need to recognize their accomplishments and their success in the moment and this will help curb that. Plus a little self-criticism can be a push forward if it's constructive.

Hopefully this gives you some insight into who BTS is and how they interact with each other, their fans, and the world around them. At some point I would love to expand even further on their placements because they exude such a warm and supportive energy.

Here's their chart for anyone who is interested. More on their aspects to come at a later time!

Stan BTS, and stream "Butter" on all platforms!

[astrolovecosmos]

Progressed Ascendant

There are many sources to look up your progressed chart. This is not the same as your natal chart. Progressed placements are mostly useful for predictive astrology and helps show how you’ve grown in certain aspects of your life. Secondary Directions in Progressed Charts are more about what is changing internally compared to transit charts that are used for prediction with the outer world - “what might happen to you or in your life”. When it comes to a progressed chart remember it is all about internal change. It is interesting to note that the Moon, our emotional selves changes frequently. The progressed ascendant moves more slowly than other placements. The ascendant changes sign around every 20 years, sometimes less. Mars, Mercury, Venus - drive/passion, relationships, communication also change quickly compared to the Sun and Ascendant - essentially the more outer part of ourselves. The Ascendant and Sun only change a few times in our life. When the ascendant shifts it gives us a whole new viewpoint and approach to the world.

Progressed Aries Ascendant: Moving from sensitive, receptive, and vague Pisces here is now a time where you likely want to be direct. Maybe this is a time for gained confidence or there is a desire to try new things and to take risks. Moving out from the hidden to the open is a strong theme. Remember there can be a big shift in the view of the world and self-perception. There can be newfound optimism or there could be a sense of combativeness.  A competitive spirit or a perception that the world has become more competitive or even aggressive can occur. A new philosophy on honesty can form or a focus on self-interest. There is a lot more energy and drive in how they interact with the world.

Progressed Taurus Ascendant: You have a desire to slow down. There may be growth in patience and level-headedness. Maybe there is new inspiration for self-care, indulgence, and any creative activities. There can be a new appreciation for food, nature, comfort, the senses. This can be a time of stubbornness, one may find themselves getting into ruts more often or maybe the first hardcore rut ever. Having a more practical outlook can happen. There is something to be said about a shift from Aries go-getter, take what is yours attitude to Taurus's attraction. More things likely come than are fought for. This can be in the realm of ideas, people, finances, many ways to interpret this.

Progressed Gemini Ascendant: There is an openness to one's worldview or approach, especially in the social realm. Communication, learning, and curiosity are at the forefront. At this point in someone's life can be critical for really taking on new ideas. There is flexibility in how they interact compared to the past. There can be a desire to shake up their routine. There may be a need for more space in their relationships. A want for detachment or separation may happen - for good or worse. The self can become unfocused and scattered. On one end is the ability to listen and share new ideas and perspectives, on the other is a feeling of being in limbo with what they thought of the world and how they interact with it or in their view of the self.

Progressed Cancer Ascendant: A focus on home, roots, past, and family may occur. The approach to self and the world is deeply emotional and receptive. There was a lot of learning and communicating before, now there is a need to protect and to sit with emotions. There is a great desire for security and safety. The worldview can become more understanding and compassionate but it could also become more skeptical, easily worried, guarded, and influenced by emotions. Creative expression during this part of life may be easier but at the same time there is a hesitance to share much of the self at all. This is a part of life more about introspection than interacting with others. Reflecting on the past is more common as well as understanding one's depth and intuition. The world seems scarier OR it may feel like one is more in tune with the reality of the world or at least the understanding of human nature.

Progressed Leo Ascendant: All those creative ideas and deep emotions from Cancer Ascendant are now ready to burst in expression and exposure! This doesn't have to mean creating masterpieces or shouting feelings from the rooftop, it can mean owning your self and emotions more. This can be a time of boosted confidence, a focus on self wants and needs, the ego is being looked at and this could mean an ego check or it could mean forming a healthier ego. Guarded and private is turned to openness, not just openness but the spotlight, leadership, or setting an example. A focus on play, celebration, fun, bold adventure, luxury, pampering, and daring can happen. The view of the world can be changed into something grand, from coming up with big ideas to maybe understanding how we all influence each other. There is an understanding in how leadership and power works. There can be insight into bravery, joy, generosity, impact, the heat of things, and the primal side of human nature.

Progressed Virgo Ascendant: If your ego didn't get checked before it will now. Humility and serving others is a big focus. With this time period I could see the approach to the world changing drastically. It isn't about you anymore, it is about others. Helping or caring is a big part of one's interaction with others. The view of the self can turn highly critical. Strong confidence or the past desire to be seen as strong or confident gets pulled apart by new inner eyes. Expect a more practical outlook and approach to the world along with a greater desire for routine and stability. Communication and intellect can be focused on more too. Observing others can be a big part of their new self and transition from Leo-Virgo. Finding one's self worrying more may happen. With this progression I want to emphasize the attention to others, the attention to detail, the attention to the self and to their life. Things come into focus.

Progressed Libra Ascendant: We see a continuation of focusing on others rather than the self but here it is about connecting and relating with others. One may become more aware of how others think and feel, they take fairness and objectivity into account. Caring about what other's think about them may be heightened. The view of the self can be balanced or they might lighten up on harshness or judgment towards themselves. Or sometimes self-perception can become a bit more shallow - ignoring faults, passion, intensity, any secret side, there can be a desire to come off as appealing, and creativity is important in understanding the self and relating the self to the world.This is also a time in one's life to learn cooperation and compromise. There can be a struggle internally between wanting to relax and take in the atmosphere, show social grace or practice peace and being driven, energetic, and active.

Progressed Scorpio Ascendant: It is interesting how after "stereotypical" light and airy Libra is the plunge to Scorpio. In all the cycles it goes from one end to the other. The self here wants more privacy from others, especially in the emotional sense. This can be a transition from connecting in the past to isolating OR moving from shallow connections to more intense and meaningful ones in their life. The self has become more interested in the depth of others and the depth of themselves. There is caution in how they approach the world now. They may find themselves more perceptive when they interact with others. This can be a time for empowering the self, honing intuition, and becoming more insightful. But the view of the world, others, the self can also be seen through an intensely fixed emotional filter. This may be a time of negative thinking, seeing the world in black and white, impulsive judgment, or extreme views. Even with the emotional currents internally there can be a sense of stability in how they come off to others and in their direction in life.

Progressed Sagittarius Ascendant: Adventure calls to this person now. There is more energy in their approach to the world and possibly a desire for freedom. This can be an impactful time for changing ideals and beliefs. One's mind may start to open OR they may discover a new belief to be passionate in. Being more excited about the world and others can happen. There is a great tug on improving one's self or going after new goals. This can be a time for new independence and the sacrifices it may take to be free, independent, or to go after their future. There may be new bravery in "being one's self". While there is a big focus on the carefree and positive side of Sagittarius in many blogs and articles, know this time period may be of huge risks. This can be a time where life forces them to listen, or where they realize possible irresponsible behavior, carelessness, selfishness, or that they don't always learn from their mistakes. This can be a time of many realizations and a time to work on their shortcomings. The self is focused on moving forward, exploring, and learning.

Progressed Capricorn Ascendant: Many talk about maturity, responsibility, and stability with this progressed Ascendant however "growing up" isn't exclusive to only those who reach this ascendant. This is a time period where the positive, carefree, maybe naive or youthful outlook of Sagittarius Ascendant becomes more serious, somber, or even negative. There is a greater understanding of reality, practicality, and even human nature in the most tangible, obvious sense. The dreams of Sagittarius are now taking shape with this ascendant. Ambition is focused on and one may finally come up with a plan on how to reach their goals. Excitement, passion, and openness from the past starts to get closed in. One learns to be more private and selective of who they share themselves with. There is skepticism in how they view the world and others. New fears, self-doubt, and negativity can also happen within this time period. It is important to tap into the hope and optimism of a natal Sagittarius Ascendant or the strength and understanding of a natal Scorpio Ascendant. This can be a time of restrictions or a time of great successes or both.

Progressed Aquarius Ascendant: While some placements I wrote about being a time to change beliefs or ideas, this is a time to change lifestyle and self! I've seen this described as breaking the chains from Capricorn Ascendant. I think that can be a bit harsh as great prosperity and important learning can happen in the time period before. There are still important strengths to a natal Capricorn Ascendant too. This is now an awakening from the traditional, routine, and possible negativity from the past. Any new ideas aren't just thoughts forming they become part of the self and actions. One starts to focus more on the collective, the political, social or civil subjects, humanity, trends, the world. There is an even deeper understanding of humanity and the world at large as well as a feeling of being connected to it all. Capricorn was about personal responsibility and now it is about responsibility to your fellow humans and maybe to the environment. This can be a time of radical changes for better or worse. Be careful of alienating loved ones or disconnecting from those who matter most. This is a personal revolution for the self and how one approaches EVERYTHING. But being brought back down to earth is important. There is an advantage for those who have natal Capricorn Ascendant, hopefully always keeping one foot on the ground. You never know which way the wind is going to blow. Many describe this as a time where people become more "green", progressive, or charitable. While the above sounds stereotypical Aquarius, changing the self radically can mean a number of big changes from becoming more fiscally aware to shutting in to more old-school beliefs to joining an unusual religion or do I dare say a cult. Typically there is an awareness that comes with this progressed ascendant that moves people towards caring about others on a large scale. They see the big picture in how the world can be improved. When it comes to the self this is a freeing time where they have an opportunity to truly feed their emotional, mental, and spiritual needs.

Progressed Pisces Ascendant: There is a common warning to this ascendant in that one might feel lost in their view of the world and view of the self. This can be a POWERFUL time for reshaping who you are. Intuition towards others and the outer world is heightened. Sensitivity, creativity, perception, and kindness all come to the forefront of the personality. There can be a vagueness in the expression of self now. One likely doesn't attach themselves to strong opinions. This can be a big moment for spirituality. Reconnecting with old beliefs or new ones. Tapping into religion, a new spiritual code, or just getting to know the soul can happen. Understanding the nature of emotions, the nature of emotional needs can be learned. Emotional and creative expression can have their moment to shine during this time period. Connecting with those who share similar creative talents, spirituality, or compassion can happen. Be mindful of those who pick up on this new sense of compassion and may use it. Also be mindful of helping those who don't want it, need it, or appreciate it - even if on a subconscious level.

[halcyon-writings]

family

requested?: yes (anonymous) //tldr, if alucard had a sibling (the reader, of course) dealing with the loss of family, both living and not

note(s)/warning(s): canonical character death, spoilers babyyyyy, violence and injury, angst it’s rare for anyone in this series to have a good time huh?, also for this being that the reader can literally look however you want, imma say Lisa isn’t white bc I do what I want and it’s my fic :) this is also the most i’ve written in a good while omg, im highkey proud so pls don’t let this flop

Lisa Tepes is dead.

Your mother, is dead.

Killed, burned alive. Gone to ashes.

All because the church had believed she was a witch of sorts. Several thoughts dance in the back of your mind as you gaze upon the pyre. Smoldering from the heat, the flames gone. Your father leaving his message, no, his warning, that he would act in one year.

“A farce that was!” You hear a shout, and you force down the bitter laugh, throat tight and eyes burning. Especially so when you slowly begin to hear continued shouts of agreement, from voices previously silent.

Here your mother was, her final resting place. Burned to ashes for some sick show of power.

And you could do nothing as she was mocked for it.

Your fist clenched at your side, you feel your nails cutting into your skin, but you walk away to return home.

And to say that the castle was no less better was an understatement. Your father was most likely in his quarters.

And when you finally sit down, the weight of your weary finally settling against your soul, do you allow yourself cry. Quiet tears turning to sobs as you muffle your voice with a pillow.

You had failed her. Missing the chance to save your mother, too late to have done anything.

But you pause, noticing the presence at your door, your brothers familiar knocking pattern resounding suddenly through the empty hall.

“Come in,” Your voice is embarrassingly raspy. As you clear your throat, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand. But it wouldn’t hide the redness of your eyes.

Adrian says nothing, and a part of you wishes he did. His larger hand takes yours. A comforting squeeze.

You blink again feeling your eyes burn, and you squeeze his hand back.

“Father is...” He trails off, no doubt thinking of what he could say next.

“What he plans on doing, it’s not justice.”

You stare up at him, But it would be deserving. A bitter corner of your mind supplies.

While Adrian had taken after Mother in his demeanor, much more kinder, more welcoming. You were no doubt like Father. Reserved, distrusting, easily prone to grudges if you were wronged in some way.

But you bite your tongue.

“He gave them a year,” You murmur after some time, “But no doubt he’s ready to calling his armies.”

At this Adrian turns alarmed. the warmth from his hand slips away.

“We must stop him!”

You’re still reeling from the events from earlier today, and a part of you wishes to have no part in his attempt to try and stop your father. But then you remember your mother.

Her kindness, regardless of how she was viewed for being different.

And your warily stand anyway.

If only you had more sense. Your father remains eerily silent as he embraces you both. His hold tighter, and while Adrian seemed convinced, you saw the dark look in his eyes.

The year had passed. You weren’t surprised to hear of the bloodshed.

It was naive to expect otherwise. While reluctantly following your brother, you can only stand, frozen as your blood feels like ice in your veins as your remaining family clashes.

“No.” Your voice is barely a whisper.

They don’t hear you.

Glass shatters.

And foolishly enough, you rush forward.

-

With your brother injured and fleeing, and you yourself were not free from any sort of pain.

Stepping in between the two as they fought ended with a gnarly gash on your shoulder, as you fell to your knees and blood slipping past your fingers. Your father stands in front of you, like a protective pillar as your brother stares in shock, quickly wanting to help you in some way.

And then the fight is over. Your brother is gone too.

The castle is much larger and colder now.

As you’re confined to your room, the wound healing into an angry red, then to a muted and dull scar. For a moment you wished it took longer, your father guilty and you were reminded of times you had been sick when you were younger. While you had not been too keen on the typical children’s books, reading theory on physics and other sciences only seemed fun when he would read to you and you’d ask questions in between passages. (Your voice funny from a stuffy nose led to laughter and a small coughing fit but otherwise it was nice).

But now was not the time to reminisce on the happy childhood.

You know you cannot stay. Ultimately, Adrian had been right. Once you feel as though you can move your arm once again, slowly, you begin pack a small bag. You didn’t want to build up any suspicions, finding some money in your room and whenever you could take a few coins or so from your father that he would not miss.

Extra clothes were folded and put away separately.

And you make your escape on a rainy evening, the uneven droplets helping hide your tracks. But you knew now that your father had brought back Hector and Isaac, new generals to help fight in his war, you had to be weary of the night creatures that would no doubt be sent after you.

Well, you were creative. At times flying in a transformed look, no one would suspect a bat in the dark of night afterall. And it was easier to. find good vantage points that way. But to also avoid any people, you didn’t quite trust yourself to not get into an altercation with a bigot.

You rarely slept longer than necessary, especially not when those dreams were memories or nightmares.

Now that you had learned how to walk, you were a right menace. It was an uphill battle in itself to keep you in one place. You were curious and the world you knew (being your father’s vast castle) was huge. Your childlike curiosity was never let down by your adventures.

You laugh quietly, which sounds like small squeaks as you fly up and hide above the gaudy chandeliers. Your father, giant coat gone, hair tied back and in a plain dress shirt and slacks as he searched for a curious toddler.

Snickers continuing as he paces down the hall. You hop down, landing slowly and feet planting into the ground, knees bent. Before you had down the opposite direction.

The lab usually wasn’t a place you could be allowed in on your own. But having heard that your mother was there, you knew it wouldn’t be a problem! So your little legs carried you along. Until you found the familiar doorway.

Dozens of tubes and mechanisms had you turning your head as you wandered in, your shoes tapping against the marble floor.

“Now what brings you here, sweetling?” The warmth of your mother’s voice has you smiling before you see her. As you run forward and hug her side, clutching her dress in your small fists. “Not causing trouble for your father are you?”

You shake your head grin betraying your word, “Nope! I’m not doing any trouble!”

“And how since when did that happen?” She laughs gently.

“Now.”

Your brother looks up from his own books, waving before returning to work. Your nose crinkles, so much for playing experimenting. But before you can say much, your nearly yelp as you’re brought up into the air by a pair of strong arms.

“I’ve found you, little wanderer.” Your father’s voice carries no heat behind it. Then again, he was always soft hearted for you and your brother. But most of all, your mother.

“I’m not little!” You pout, “I’m big now!”

-

You’re taken away from your reverie at the snap of a twig.

With your lack of sleep, as you had insisted on traveling more, you were less than surprised to have been snuck up on.

“Peace, my friend,” The old man murmurs. You keep your knife in an iron grip in front of you. Who you’re guessing is his son or grandson, has his hands raised the same way, but no weapon to be seen, magic, oh good. Then again, not like you needed a knife when you could make your nails go into claws and the fangs. Don’t forget the fangs.

“I can’t exactly be peaceful when it’s the middle of the night and suddenly figures in blue robes appear out of now where,” You answer dryly. But seeing as how the others behind the main two have not done or said anything noteworthy, nor were their stances make them look like they could really fight, you lower your weapon slightly.

Clearing your throat, “Although, I shouldn’t be swinging my own weapon around either.”

The old man just smiles gently. And you can’t help but be just slightly comforted.

In the end, the speakers stop for the evening. And the Elder, despite looking like a frail old man, is firm in his decision that you stay and “eat properly.” And like a scolded child, you listen. Food and drink all but pushed into your hands as you’re quickly brought into conversation, the previous confrontation all but forgotten.

And then you perk up when he mentions Gresit.

“So... the sleeping soldier,” You begin, slowly chewing on the sweet bread you had been given. “It was true?”

The Elder nods, “My grandchild and a traveller, they had gone to explore it. Well, the traveller had gone to save my grandchild. I will not hide the fact that I was a bit doubtful. But Belmont had proved himself a man of his word. Although, he does need to drink more water.”

You blink, a look of a surprise clear on your face. Belmont...

Fuck. 

“Although I hadn’t expected the legend of the sleeping soldier to be realized so quickly.” 

At your inquisitive look, the Elder begins to explain. Of a holy warrior beneath Gresit, who would come to save it’s people in their most dire of hours. 

“The pair had come up with a man with long hair, like gold.” You couldn’t help but let out the breath you had been holding. So the Belmont didn’t try to kill him. you could breathe a little easier at that fact. 

“Where are they now?” You ask, holding the empty cup in your hands, as you stare down as though waiting for something.

Getting your answer, you stand, adjusting your bag over your shoulders. You wave off the concern in staying, if it had already been several days since the Speakers had left Gresit, then you needed to cover a lot of land to get to your brother. 

That is, until you saw the expression on the Elder’s face grow stern, as though he was scolding a child. With a heavier bag, one that the Elder insisted that you take some more things you could eat along the way, in exchange you give the Elder a small trinket you had been using to hide from the monsters of your father’s army, you finally set off. While your worries were not completely settled, your shoulders felt lighter. Metaphorically of course.

Of course, giving away the object that kept you hidden made it a bit more, difficult, when it came to trying to hide and travel at night. Much less even try to stop and rest. 

It had barely been two days since you had left the speakers, and already, you had run into some trouble, a beastly creature’s claws barely caught on your sleeve, leaving your arm bare as you shuddered from the chill in the air. You can only sigh mournfully, you really liked that coat. But, better your sleeve than say, you actually getting wounded. 

Your nails resemble claws, while your free hand holds the dagger in a steady grip. But being surrounded on all sides, it did not look promising.

Well, you thought mournfully, if you died you could at least see your mother again.

Until you hear the sound of what reminds you of a whistle? And then a sword flying through the air, slicing through the night creatures, giving you a chance to get some distance.

You hear the surprised shout of your name, and look up, to see your brother wide eyed, sword now returned to him, and a man and woman standing at his side.

“Um... hi.”

-

Much to your relief, the night creatures are easily taken care of.

And as you’re finally able to explain your story, you find yourself relaxing into the extra cloak given to you by the Elder.

“You mean you met the Speakers on your journey?!” A woman, petite with short blonde locks, who you learn is named Sypha, asks, and you notice the way her shoulders sag in relief.

You nod, “Yes. They all were safe.” If her shoulders sagged anymore she’d full on be slouching. You leave out the part of leaving a possibly precious trinket with them, not wanting her to think you cursed them or something.

“So you mean to tell me, Dracula, fucking Dracula, had more than one kid? That he actually had a woman not only give him not just one, but two children?” Is incredulously asked next by the scruffy looking man. Trevor, as your brother says.

You only stare in annoyance, sure your father was about to raise an army to annihilate the human populace but he didn’t used to be that way.

Before you can retort with a scathing remark of your own, Sypha elbows him harshly in the side. And you know it hurts from the way he immediately puts a hand where she hit him, eyes widening slightly. Serves him right.

“And what of...” Adrian- no Alucard as he wishes to be called, asks, near hesitant.

“Father?” You ask, arms crossed, “Same old same old. Planning the same amount of destruction here or there.”

As he looks to the snow covered earth, you roll your eyes, “Did you expect anything different?”

It’s quiet, and neither Sypha nor Trevor speak.

“No.”

You all sat around camp quietly for a while after that.

-

Your lungs feel like they’re being constricted. Your throat burns as you struggle to breathe, claws digging into your skin like knives. Before you’re thrown backwards, landing harshly against the wall. Books fall from the book case and your weapon clatters noisily from the ground. 

You take shallow breaths, barely standing before you’re thrown once more. Curse your father’s stature and supernatural strength. You close your eyes, waiting for another attack and at least hoping to brace yourself for it, but it never came.

Instead, your brother stands in front of you, as he and your father remain in a standstill. Sypha and Trevor’s footsteps are rushing towards you three. 

It all continues to move so fast, until he stops noticing the painting of your mother, as she had been holding your brother and then you as a baby, and the next thing you know, your father is staked through the heart. And with wobbly legs, you take your sword, and swing. So falls Dracula. But it felt like no victory. 

You sit up with an alarmed look, stopping yourself from shouting.

That was... a dream? You rub your eyes, feeling that your cheeks are wet and you sigh. 

When you see a shadow looming over you, the light of the fire giving slight visibility, you freeze. Before noticing it’s your brother and not his companions. 

“Sorry,” You say, making sure to not look at him, so that he didn’t see your tears. 

Quietly, he places his coat over your shoulders, sitting beside you, wrapping his own blanket loosely around his own shoulders. “You have nothing to apologize for.” 

You only grip the jacket lapels tighter, shaking slightly as you hiccup, unable to stop yourself from crying again. 

He must think it’s because you miss your mother, and you do. But this dream was far different. And you say nothing as he brings you into his arms. Your tears having long since dried when the sun rises moments later. But you find yourself falling asleep as your brother rubs soothing circles on your back, feeling the build up exhaustion finally leaving you. 

When you’re awake much later in the day you can’t help but laugh a little when Sypha scolds your brother for being mean enough to make you cry, he didn’t you assure her quick enough, although you’re back to laughing when she then turns around to scold Belmont when he makes another slight comment. 

[magpiemorality]

Oh! It’s Saturday! I can send in a prompt! So way back when Altruistic Skittles did the first of the nightmare series, with Remus, you reblogged and said you might want to write something based on the picture. Last I knew, she said that people can write fanfictions from the pictures, as long as they’re properly credited. If that’s still something you’d be interested in, I’d love to see it!

This is very big, somewhat in honour of Remus’ birthday today, a very long and dramatic origin for him.

Check out the amazing art that prompted this fic here :) and thanks to @altruistic-skittles​ for making it and allowing works based off it!! 

Also thanks to @omgsomeonesomewhereonearth for giving this a glance over for me on very short notice :)

Warnings: unreliable narrator, Anxiety is viewed as a bad guy, Remus isn’t particularly friendly, long post.

AO3

***

Roman had been feeling off for a while. He was far from the only one; puberty was tough on every aspect of Thomas, including Logan who had been stretched to his limits trying to keep up with all the demands of an average American high school life. But with Anxiety suddenly in the picture things were even more complicated. Who was he? Where had he come from? And why wouldn’t he leave?

In all honesty Roman hadn’t actually known there were other sides. He’d sort of, maybe naively, assumed that the three of them were the sum of Thomas’ parts, and that they covered everything Thomas would ever need. Sort of like Inside Out, which had in no way at all influenced their existence; they were the pilots who tended to the world inside Thomas’ busy head, just… minus the less good parts. Maybe Thomas didn’t need avatars for those things; maybe he didn’t value them that way, or maybe he just didn’t view them as part of himself?

It was an unfinished theory, but Roman mostly left those sorts of things to Logan, and Logan was too busy for much introspection these days. Which was why Anxiety had gone unchecked for so long.

Sometimes it felt like only Roman was the target of his attacks. Logan faltered, sure, but he was stubborn as all hell when it came to his routines and priorities and Anxiety hadn’t managed to shake them too much just yet. Logan was too established in Thomas’ head to allow wiggle room for anxious thoughts to disrupt his work. Patton also seemed to get away with coexisting with the guy; they fed off each other, or perhaps Anxiety had seen Patton’s power and figured it was easier to work with him than against him, turning good feelings to worry and guilt.

Okay so maybe Patton wasn’t unaffected, but he was so good at putting on a brave face that Anxiety had evidently seen fit to back off out of pure pity, and that left Roman. 

Roman, Roman, Roman, trying his best to stay afloat on the sea of schoolwork and stress, to throw creativity into Thomas’ days so his smile wouldn’t fade. Until stupid, miserable, Despicable He, came along and took it upon himself to thwart Roman’s noble goal.

Their fights were spectacular, unfortunately often feeding into the influence Anxiety had clawed for himself over Thomas and leaving him feeling worse than before Roman had begun the battle. Not that Roman ever started things! He just kept trying to do his work, to do his best, and then Anxiety would show up and bam! Thomas’ hand would falter when writing his cathartic fanfiction, or his mind would blank as he searched for the lines to his latest monologue, or his voice would wobble and break on the notes of a song.

So things were weird, and that wasn’t all.

All it took in the end were a few cutting remarks from Anxiety that didn’t make any sense, and Roman was lost to that edge of paranoia, forever wondering what he meant. A jibe about Thomas not being a perfect person; a sneer laughing at how none of them had even known Anxiety existed before he’d appeared; a scoff that came with the bold assertion that just pretending you weren’t like that didn’t mean you actually weren’t. He seemed to reference someone else sometimes, with a vicious sort of victory that was at least in part tainted with misery, someone who- if Roman was interpreting the clues right- Thomas didn’t even know worked for him, who Anxiety had escaped from. 

And then there was the matter of the tower.

~

Roman stared out of the bedroom window. It was his bedroom, his own copy of Thomas’, and if he focused hard enough he could see the shimmering after-images of the original, with Thomas’ homework on the desk, his clothes on the floor, his posters not quite matching up to Roman’s. He wasn’t in his room like Roman was, downstairs at dinner with the family, and not thinking too hard with his creativity. It left Roman free to do what he so often did these days; stare out of the window. 

Spread out below him was the familiar, comforting sight of the backyard, with its play area and the patio and the grass, the treehouse in the far right corner looking shabbier than ever from its lack of use. Thomas’ dad had been talking of taking it down soon now the kids were too old to use it, but both Patton and Roman- and in fact Anxiety in a rare display of unity- had dug their heels in as Thomas instinctively balked at the prospect of losing just another tie to his childhood. Patton had discovered nostalgia recently and Anxiety had discovered how much Roman feared the term ‘growing up’ and the treehouse was just a big old symbol for all of them to cling to. A beacon of bad things; a final point of no return. 

Roman hadn’t been inside in years, in all honesty, but curiously Thomas had, and more than once. Whatever occurred in there Roman wasn’t sure, but he felt a sense of… something faintly off whenever he looked at the treehouse, that hadn’t entirely started after he’d stopped going inside. This time was no different, and he wondered what the slight churn in Thomas’ gut meant, now that Roman had inadvertently bent his thoughts in the direction of the bottom right corner of the garden. Why picking at the faint memories of the interior of that shadowy wooden structure made their creator push his food around the plate and focus extra hard on talking about his classes, shutting Roman out soundly. 

The treehouse was still there, still dark and foreboding and strange. Roman’s eyes started to water slightly, warping the image, until it flickered ever so quickly.

 He gasped, shoving his whole body forwards, pressing his nose to the glass as it fogged around him with his quick breaths, trying to see it again. 

It remained stubbornly as it always had been, leaving Roman to wonder if he’d imagined the flash of dark, crumbling tower that had blinked into and out of existence. 

But he hadn’t, because as he lay in bed that night, doodling ideas into his notebook while Thomas tried to fall asleep, the shadows outside his window lengthened and the light that should have fallen on his curtains was slowly, steadily blocked out. The darkness felt cool, and thrilling in the way watching a horror movie when you weren’t supposed to felt thrilling, with that edge of risk to it that got your heartbeat going and made your palms clammy. Roman could feel the moment Anxiety noticed it as well, because Thomas’ brain whirred back awake in an instant, the tossing and turning that disrupted him more and more often these teenage nights starting up yet again. Logan began gamely battling to get Thomas to continue on to sleep, Logic coming up against Anxiety for once, but Roman… 

Roman got out of bed, creeping out of his room and down the hall, sneaking carefully down the stairs one by one so Logan wouldn’t notice and stop fighting with Anxiety. The tiled floor was cool under his bare feet as he crossed it to the back door, sliding it open with a soft whoosh of the well-used mechanism. 

The tower awaited him, taller than the treehouse had ever been and far more foreboding. It was made of dark, black brick, slimy and badly worn, surrounded by thorns and with no discernible entrance. A real Rapunzel tower, straight from the Grimm brothers themselves. 

A fairy-tale come to life. And Thomas hadn’t imagined Roman in the image of a dashing Disney prince for nothing; so he started forwards, heedless of his lack of shoes or weapons or anything. He had his curiosity and that was a thousand times more powerful in that moment than anything else. He wanted to know, and whatever thing (maybe a monster? Roman had only vague theories but he was leaning towards trapped monster) was imprisoned within; it felt close to escape. 

Were he Logan in that moment, Roman would theorise that the tower held some kind of dark aspect of Thomas that he’d hidden from himself, and that in the darkness before sleep it was hardest to maintain the lie, confronted with the harsh truth of oneself. But Roman wasn’t Logan, and he didn’t think too deeply beyond thing bad- must know more. 

He got through the thorns with relative ease, considering how large and deadly they looked from across the garden. All it took was a stick from the pile they kept for a bug hotel, a brief flash of inspiration turning it to a shining sharp sword that sliced neatly through each thick tendril until they started to wither away from him as he approached and revealed a door with no lock nor handle, carved into the base of the tower. 

Curiosity won again as Roman kicked it in, crumbling the ancient wood. He gasped, coughing as a thick gust of stale air wheezed out. It left Roman’s stomach twisting with nausea, but the need to be the prince and climb the tower was too strong to be deterred. Inside the house Anxiety upped the ante and Logan turned too late towards his own window, missing seeing Creativity take a step forwards and disappear into the treehouse. 

~

It was dark inside, that was the first thing Roman noticed. It was obviously going to be dark, a tower with no windows, but the darkness felt more than that. It felt like it hid an endless number of bad things waiting to come forwards, to pounce at any moment. The walls were horribly slimy when Roman used them to find the winding staircase, and the smell… Better not to mention it at all. 

Suddenly, the sound of whispered movement from above. 

“Hello?” Roman called softly, hoping he’d imagined it. Nothing replied, but the darkness felt closer, and he hurried upwards with the sword ready. “Anyone there?”

A pair of yellow eyes watched, waiting, from below, but Roman never looked down, intent on reaching his goal. He didn’t see the way the door was repairing itself, or how the thorns had regrown. His only thoughts were for the top of the tower and what lay in wait. 

There was the tiniest crack of light when he got up at long last, feet sore and eyes dry from straining to see something. It was a sliver from under a door, faint silver light, the only hint there was a door there at all until he felt it under his fingertips. 

It didn’t budge when he touched it, and once again there was no sign of a handle. Roman kicked it with a frustrated sigh, only to freeze totally still when the whisper of movement came again, -only this time, closer and clearer- it sounded a little like rusted metal, sliding against itself. 

The eyes down below, having followed the prince’s progress, narrowed in thought, but before they could make a decision Logic gained the upper hand over Anxiety back in the house and for a brief, shining moment, the tower was lit up bright and the door clicked open. 

Roman threw himself in before it could close again, and just in time too, because the light faded not a moment later, the door sealing itself up again. How he was going to get out, he wasn’t sure. But that was a problem for later- the fairy-tale dictated he had reached his goal. This was the end of the story. 

So what was his prize? 

There was a shape, in the room. A figure, about his own size, sat facing the window. Roman blinked hard to clear the spots that danced over his vision in the wake of the sudden flash of light, and the figure came slowly into view in the murk. A boy, with poufy sleeves and an outfit to match the setting, staring out of the window back towards the house. Back towards Thomas, back towards where Roman had been staring out from. The boy yawned, stretching his arms up and it was then that Roman noticed the chains. 

He was chained to the floor. Was this the monster at the top of the tower? Or the… dude in distress?!

This wasn't actually a fairy-tale, so the former seemed exponentially more likely, and Roman gulped as fear took root. 

“I know, I know, come to shut me up again. I just wanted a bit of fun, D-“ 

The boy stopped, frozen as still as Roman’s heart as it skipped a beat. Two identical faces, two sets of identical eyes, stared in horror and dawning, dim comprehension at each other. 

“You’re Roman!” The other boy shrieked, loud enough to make Roman flinch back. It stopped the grin on the chained boy’s face in its tracks, and he tilted his head, eyes turning cold and calculating in a heartbeat. 

“Who are you?” Roman squeaked, barely able to get his voice to work. “Why are you locked up? Are you evil? Does Thomas have…” his voice fell to a whisper. “A Dark side?”

The boy cackled, a joyful sound that shouldn’t have been as unsettling as it was. The clanking of the chains as he doubled over only heightened the feeling that something was wrong, and Roman screamed when the boy darted forwards suddenly. 

He was yanked back by the chains, snapping his jaw in Roman’s face with a wild snarl and snorting with amusement when Roman’s back hit the far wall, sword out and shaking in his unsteady grip. “A dark side? Everyone’s got a dark side, Prince Perfect. If you think you don’t, you’re just not looking hard enough." 

"Thomas is good!" 

"Thomas is real,” the boy purred, moving back to sit at the window again, gazing back towards the house. The distant sensation of Logic and Anxiety fighting for the upper hand grew when Patton joined, his constant underlying guilt swelling support for their anxious antagonist. The chained boy laughed, fingers tapping against his face too quick for Roman to even see, lips moving soundlessly on words Roman definitely didn’t want to hear. “Have you come to defeat me, Roman? No, you didn’t even know I was here, did you. Locked in my tower, kept from my one true calling. It’s for my own good, you know? D- the dragon that guards me says so. It’s for everyone’s good that I don’t get out, most of all Thomas’.” The name felt reverent the way the boy said it, softly and sweetly, like calling the name of a deity. It made Roman wince. “It’s only right that a villain should be kept away.”

“Who are you?" 

"I’m you, but stronger,” the boy retorted, breaking into cackles. “I’m you but scarier. That’s what they thought, anyway. I think I’m just something else. I think I’m bad news. I think Thomas is bad news…" 

Roman wouldn’t stand for that. He held his sword out more confidently, raising his chin. "Thomas is a great guy! He’s the best! He’s full of good things and light and-”

“And darkness and wondering, wandering thoughts and impulses, just like anyone. Even you. You would kill me if you thought you should, if you thought it was your Disney story, wouldn’t you. Without hesitation, but Roman! Killing is wrong!”

“Not in Disney!" 

��Even in Disney!“

A howl of rage echoed around the tower, along with the sound of metal on stone as Roman brought the sword down on the window ledge beside the boy’s hands. The chained boy didn’t flinch, just beaming victoriously at Roman, cackling his disquieting cackle. 

"Who are you really?! Tell me!" 

The boy opened his mouth to speak, a hunger in his eyes that Roman didn’t understand, but the tower shuddered. His eyes darted to the door and Roman’s couldn’t help but follow. "Oh dear, Roman. You shouldn’t have come here. Curiosity killed the cat, you know, and the witch is on his way to toss you out of the tower…”

“I thought you said it was a dragon?”

“Dragon, witch, there was a time when there wasn’t any difference to you. Maybe you’re learning some nuance now though. That’s gotta be rough, buddy, you’re practically made from simplicity.”

Roman narrowed his eyes at the insult, and the tower shuddered again. The boy picked up his cackling again, louder and louder as the shuddering turned to heavy footsteps approaching up the stairs. And Roman wondered, if this was the monster that guarded this boy, what did that make the boy?

“He’s here.”

The door burst open, a hazy shape flying in and grabbing Roman, what felt like giant claws snatching him up and carrying him out of the tower, dropping him hard onto the lawn before it whirled back around and vanished back into the… treehouse? 

The tower was gone. The treehouse looked like it always had, dark and grim, but it was definitely just the same treehouse as ever. 

He fell back, sprawling on the grass as his limbs turned to jelly from the residual adrenaline, while inside Anxiety let up at last and Logan won the battle for the night. Thomas slipped uneasily into dreams.

The tug of unconsciousness grew heavy, dragging on Roman’s very being now his creator had finally fallen asleep. He just about managed to drag himself inside to bed before succumbing at last, glad to leave the whole strange night behind him. 

-

Masterlist | Buymeacoffee

[mercury-minded]

Message from Your Spirit Guides - Pick A Card 🔮

When setting this reading up, I asked my own guides how many cards and groups I should utilize: “6 and 6” - when I double checked the meaning of angel number 66, I was not surprised! This is a powerful number symbolizing unconditional love and trust in the Divine. This is no coincidence - they want you to know they are right there with you! Using your intuition, pick a card (left to right: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and see what else your spirit guides wish to tell you ✨

Group 1

There is quite a bit of air energy emanating from this group! Your guides are recognizing and acknowledging your feelings of stress and being overwhelmed. You seem to not only carry your own burdens but take on other people’s problems as well. You have a lot of drive and passion but your guides warn that even someone like you can get worn out. They’re really reminding you that you don’t have to do everything alone. There’s a lot of pressure that you put on yourself, you may feel like you often have to defend your choices and you hate to ask others for help. You’ve set the bar so high for yourself…don’t be afraid of making mistakes and being human. For some of you, this lifetime may be one of the first times you’re having a “human” incarnation. It’s important that you find “home” here, and become comfortable in your own skin. There’s a compromise to be found in regards to using your intuition and logic, don’t be entirely dependent on one or the other. Utilizing both will help transform you from the Page to the Queen: someone capable, independent, perceptive, and sensible. One last thing I’m picking up is your guides admiration for your fighting, strong-willed nature, and your free-spirited, idealistic tendencies. They don’t want to see you lose that!

Group 2

A very active heart chakra was something I noticed about this group right away, along with a strong fire and jupiter influence (so sagittarius especially!). You have so much to offer but are you giving it to those who really deserve it? Your spirit guides are emphasizing travel to me(for some of you this may be literal). Whether it’s getting out of the house, out of town, out of a relationship, or out of a career, they are stressing to me that better opportunities may lie elsewhere. Currently, you may be very drawn to someone/something…you have such a strong belief in them/it that it’s like you’re giving them/it your power! Is what/who you’re so drawn to worth it? Your guides are really giving me the sense that getting away or letting this thing go is really going to free you of expectations. There is freedom, patience, healing, and peace of mind to be gained when you move on. You aren’t going to feel so tied down or constrained by other people’s opinions. Breaking free of this illusion you’ve found yourself in is going to allow you to identify and follow a path better suited for you. Something else that is standing out to me is 44 - this angel number signifies that your guides are close to you and trying to communicate…they want to encourage and reassure you that you’re not alone on this journey. 

Group 3

Holy cups! I would not be surprised if some of you have a strong water influence, or a connection to water in general. This spread is really indicating to me that your guides are preparing you to wake the hell up, essentially. There seems to be a lot of untapped spiritual potential that they want to introduce to you. The rainbow symbolism is pretty evident here as well - a reminder of the beauty and mysticism that can be found after periods of unrest and darkness. I’m really sensing that whatever bad times you were going through are soon coming to an end. A new beginning with creativity, love, and generosity are waiting for you. Your guides insist that whatever it is that is bringing you joy or making you happy: keep pursuing it, keep focusing on that. The money/abundance is sure to follow. Your guides are also reassuring you that it’s okay to feel naive, inexperienced, or unprepared right now. They want you to allow your curiosity and intuition to guide you. Being fluid, adaptable, and open to change is paramount for you - just relax and keep going. This spread also speaks to completing a cycle - and in this case, I’m getting that it’s in regards to your emotional nature. Your guides admire how deeply you feel things, but they also want to help you control and manage this…a certain level of emotional maturity and understanding is to be found at the end of this particular cycle.

Group 4

Something I’m getting hit with right away is your feeling of hurt. Your guides are trying to help you see that feeling trapped by your negative memories is a choice. Yes, you were let down (perhaps repeatedly) and/or deceived by someone/something, but you have it in you to start over. There is the possibility of new love/opportunity in the future, but you have to allow yourself to seize it. Your guides are also really stressing that the universe is on your side - it wants to help you create the reality you desire. Find a way to utilize what you’ve experienced and gone through without letting those feelings hold you back. Balance those memories with what you hope to achieve. The message I keep getting is that “it’s been broken, but not beyond repair���. You survived everything up to this point, and you have it in you to keep pushing forward. Identify what motivates you, what inspires you, and dedicate yourself to this fresh start. Your guides really don’t want to see you give up or call it quits. For some of you in this group, the arrival of a new relationship is very promising. It feels like a new, serious thing, not some casual fling (ayyy rhyme lol). Others who are already in relationships may see it improving as well. If you were fighting with one another or going through a rough patch, I do see it working out (if that’s what you want) - one of you is still very keen on trying. One last thing I’m getting is that you have something very magnetic about you - utilizing manifestation would probably work out really well for you!

Group 5

There is so much pisces, aquarius, and MOON energy radiating from this spread! This group definitely has roots as star children or moon children. You may feel “not from here”, or like you don’t really belong - something may feel missing or off. Staying grounded and realistic may really prove to be a challenge for you. Your guides are acknowledging your spiritual gifts and tendencies, but also warn not to push yourself too far too fast. It’s like you often fluctuate between the conscious and subconscious realms, but you may not always take proper care of yourself as you do. Breathe and let your guides help you navigate the metaphysical. You may have some fears about not having enough time to do everything you have your heart set on - that you are “too late” or overwhelmed by the mundane, everyday things of this reality. Don’t abandon this world for the one in your mind’s eye - you have plenty of time for both. You can tap into the wisdom of the subconscious realm, and draw inspiration from it, but don’t get lost in there. For some of you, your spiritual journey may have just started. Your guides know how eager and excited you are but they also want you to be careful. Understanding the forces you’re dealing with is important - don’t go rushing into anything unprepared. Your spirit guides are also really trying to tell you to take care of and nurture your childlike wonder and fascination - it feels like your energy can get easily bogged down and “muddied”…don’t quit dreaming!

Group 6

This group is feeling very emotionally “pent up” - your guides have seen and felt your pains and frustrations, and they’re telling me what you’ve gone through is more like a blessing in disguise. If you’ve been obsessing, jealous, or holding grudges, sooner or later you’ve got to let those things go. You can still view things critically and discerningly (as you tend to do!) without being paranoid. Your guides are stressing that all these negative feelings are temporary, and it’s important that you don’t become numb, or reluctant to feel. You have such a great capacity for love, and they’d hate to see you keep that hidden away. You may be finding yourself at a crossroads, stuck between feeling like an outsider and having the emotional and physical intimacy you want. Your spirit guides are really stressing that that choice is entirely yours, you just have to make it. There’s a stubborn energy coming from this group - it gives me the feeling that some of you may have the fixed signs in your natal charts. Don’t let that stubbornness turn into “walls” you keep around yourself. In every life there is pain, and from it we are able to grow, mature, and gain perspective. Your guides are enforcing that you have a powerful transformative ability within you, and challenging times provide that catalyst for such change.

Thank you so much for letting me read for you! Please keep in mind this is a very broad and general reading - so not all aspects may resonate with you. If you’d like a personalized spread, my tarot services can be found here xx

If you’d like to support me and what I do, please consider buying me a coffee ☕️💕 

[mutantsrisingrpg]

Congratulations DEAN! You’ve been accepted as ARIEL.

Dean, you don’t know how overjoyed I am to have you and your take on Lenox back in my life! Lenox is one of my favorite skeletons and you just capture him so perfectly. For Lenox, the devil is literally in the details, since he has the ability to control how they’re perceived. I love everything about him, especially when I view him through the lens you crafted (or is it the lens he crafted, and I’m actually under the spell of his powers right now? my brain hurts)! I can’t wait to see the havoc you and Lenox unleash on this dash.

Welcome to Mutants Rising! Please read the checklist and submit your account within 24 hours.

its britney bitch

NAME/ALIAS: Dean

PRONOUNS: She/her

AGE: 22

TIMEZONE & ACTIVITY LEVEL: GMT, i’m fairly active bean and am always here to plot

In Character Information:

DESIRED ROLE: Lenox Syed

GENDER/PRONOUNS: Cismale, he/him

DETAILS & ANALYSIS: This is where you show us who the character is to you! The format of this doesn’t matter, whether it’s in bullet points or in para form, and can be as long as you’d like it to be. Feel free to get creative!

Lenox as a boy’s name is of Scottish and Gaelic origin, and the meaning of Lenox is “with many elm trees”.

Syed or Sayyid or Sayed (Arabic and Urdu: سيدعلی) is a family of Syeds in South Asia, notably India and Pakistan. Syeds are the direct descendants of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

Lenox is lost in his own fantasy world. Creating so many illusions for people each day that he has become lost in one of his own. With a lack of attention through his childhood, he craves the limelight and approval of everyone around him and will do pretty much anything to get it, even if it’s false or trickery.

He’s so painstakingly constructed, he’s his own work of art. Each detail of his personality and appearance delicately manipulated into something strikingly beautiful. Someone you can look at with awe just by the way they talk or move. It’s almost hard to realise there’s another man beneath the mask, someone raw and damaged. Like a bird with a broken wing.

BIO:

Tw: Drug mention

His mother is just fifteen when she gives birth to him, swaddled in a blue blanket and passed immediately to the arms of a doctor; she never held him, never looked at his freshly reddened face as his cries wailed down the corridors. It’s not because of his mutation, not because his birth family couldn’t bare to raise a being burdened with powers. She was a child herself, naivety leaving adoption as the only logical decision.  

A foster home decides to take him in, raising him from infancy without any awareness of any abnormality. It’s where he stays for the first nine years of his life, a cosy house in Oregon that housed five other children. But the dormancy of his powers didn’t stay concealed forever. It started with his foster siblings sleepwalking, Lenox’s dreams imprinting on them accidentally as they’d trample through the house enthralled by the vivid illusions of his fantasy worlds. Then it began intertwining into everyday life, emotional outbursts of temper alluding unsafe situations like fire or monsters that hid under the bed. Games became near impossible to differentiate between make believe and reality from the second he joined in.  

“You’re unsafe,” it’s a comment he’d gladly wear as a badge of honour once he’d matured. But to the little boy being dragged away from his foster family, betrayed by his caregivers and turned in for research, the words grazed his skin like stinging nettles.

The four plain walls of the room only further ignite an overly active imagination, a tool that was dangerous to have with a power like his own. The eleven years he spends there does the opposite of what society would have hoped, boredom allows for focus and practice, it sharpens his talents and he’s able to put them to good use. By the end of his stay the doctors had favoured him among the rest, because he wills it so. They go easy on him, carefully placed illusions write false notes on his reports. Detailed and intricate enough so that he doesn’t get caught out, handwriting remarkably identical to each nurse or scientist that take their turn testing on him. He starts to admire the way it feels, too chaotic to be part of society and embedded with more potential than anyone could have known.

It’s when that potential reaches a point where imagination can no longer be imprisoned by those four walls that he decided enough was enough. The process of discharging himself was a meticulous operation. Theatrically staged and miraculously timed with an annual cell collecting test. Before he can be sedated he’s enticed the nurses into an imaginary induced coma, deep enough into his intoxication that he can use the poisoned needle on them. The theater only has the two women on the floor when the doctor enters, sly projections manipulating each person he’d bumped into on his way to the exit into that same sleep, a psychedelic world of kaleidoscope landscapes and stained glass colours, once awakening they would never see this boy again.

“You’re unsafe,” the same words, just a different context. An ally ushers him to leave Oregon and head to Chicago. A place where policies were loosened and his own kind somewhat tolerated.

The new city put Lenox’s own fresh start in full swing.

Fragile reality was a vehicle for his reinvention, so easily malleable that to change it was simpler and more natural to him than breathing. He’s masterful in the way it’s applied, diminishing a past life of shame and grit in place of high strung worth and superiority. He’d created himself with utter royalty, his own nobility evident by the way in which he moved, regally eloquent and unmistakably ethereal to anyone who crossed his path.

He builds his career on the sins he knows other’s desire. Selling crushed up aspirin as a party drug in the underbelly of the city’s night clubbing scene, using his power to make it seem as if it were the legitimate stuff and not something that cost him a couple bucks from the convenience store across the street. Lenox could make them see whatever he wanted, turn their evenings into a production of his own design and leave with none of the being any wiser. It’s how Benjamin Granger catches word of him, a supposed mutant that was living life as if he were a king. He’s the first person to ever acknowledge his capability, strikes him up an offer he couldn’t refuse. Drawn like a moth to a flame after the slightest suggestion of power and the infatuation that he was finally wanted by someone and to belong to something.

EXPANDED CONNECTIONS:

Chance Matthews: He’s the face he can’t erase from his mind, the curve of his lips engraved in deep fixations when he couldn’t fall asleep on a Sunday night. Perhaps it’s the fact that he shouldn’t do it that makes it more enticing, a lust to ignite underlying passion to unearth exactly what they had both been burying.

Jordan Rojas: Jordan is somewhat of a curiosity for Lenox to unpick. A closed book that is intriguing because of their close association together. Always keen to show his worth, to prove himself to those around him, perhaps it’s a dangerous combination should Jordan utalise the other’s naivety in combination of his powers in the way that Benjamin does.

Jack Mizuno: He likes that he can get so deep into their head, that he can have full control of a world that wasn’t Jack’s domain. It’s all to do with power and annoyance, a deep craving to see exactly how far he can push people before they hit their breaking point. Even then, it’s fun to flip that breaking point into a place of pure bliss and drop it again just when his subject is at ease. He’s like a lab rat, someone he tries his tricks on before taking them to the main show.

EXTRA: 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/dean_ie/ariel/

Lenox spends a lot of his spare time writing and doodling. It’s all extremely sketchy, there’s never any sort of final draft. It helps his imagination, which is a much exercised tool in his life.

He is probably more invested in mental health than most. Meditation and yoga being a crucial part of his daily routine after a bowl full of sugar packed cereal.

He’s naive and eager to please anyone that might create a bond with him, he craves companionship after never really understanding it due to the absence of it in his life.

Lenox works as a part-time artist and painter, he’s guilty of using illusions to get clients to buy his art by playing into their preferences .

He also works as a drug dealer, never selling legitimate stuff but using over the counter medicines with the combination of his powers to masquerade as the real stuff.

He has an unruly sweet tooth. He keeps lollipops in his back pocket and will order dessert off a menu at a restaurant instead of a main meal. His favourite thing on the planet is warm cookie dough and ice cream.

He listens exclusively to Grunge music. Celebrity Skin by Hole is his absolute jam and he only ever sings Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet is his go to karaoke song.

Lenox is openly proud of his sexuality as a homosexual, though he’ll flirt with anyone and anything for the fun of it.

He prefers tea over coffee.

He’s a bit of a poetry dork, he collects first edition poetry books and his most prized possession is a first edition of Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg.

He’s very judgemental of how others present themselves and will tell you if your new shirt is ugly.

Lenox lives in a small apartment, anyone that enters he’s carefully to make them see it as 3 times bigger than it actually is with far more light.

He has a fear of heights.

[asapncah]

EEP HERE WE GO AGAIN. i feel like my intros just get longer and longer each time.. sorry not soRRY cause noah is a queen that deserves the Novel. so that’s what y’all are getting so brace yourselves for this wild ride. i’m so very excited for this reboot, y’all have no idea. OH and for anyone new here: my name is lenny, moreau is my child that i cherish more than the hair on my head, i am 21, live in the mst timezone, and use she/her pronouns ! i’m also ur friendly canadian so i’m here for any of ur canadian-related q’s!!! i know we’re a special breed lasdkjlh OK enough about me, onto the queen. y’all know the drill, like this / hmu to plot if u survive reading my Long Ass Intro.

( ariana grande • twenty three • cisfemale ) look, it's noella de luca from apartment 4B! apparently she moved into moreau apartments one and a half years ago and rumour has it, they can be quite possessive— good thing they’re also adventurous, hey? i hear they’re the hedonist of the building. 

↘︎ 𝒷𝒶𝓈𝒾𝒸𝓈 !

given name: noella sofie de luca

nickname: noah

age: twenty3

birthdate: march 18, 1995

hometown: keremeos, british columbia

occupation: waitress & dog walker

↘︎ 𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎 !

born to high school sweethearts, willa and antonio, who were very much in love until they just … weren’t

the separation of her parents came as a surprise to young noah but not much sleep was lost over the divorce as her parents remained civil and held no ill will towards each other — they even remained business partners

montagna park. a cozy, scenic campground just a few kilometres away from keremeos, nestled deep in the outskirts of the rocky mountains and home to the majority of noah’s most prized childhood memories

following the divorce, antonio moved permanently onto the campground as a year-round manager while willa remained in keremeos to handle the financial end of the business and raise their daughter, who spent nearly every other weekend in the mountains with her father mastering the wilderness

(tw: mention of adhd & prescription drugs & anxiety) she was diagnosed with adhd at the age of 10 after her teachers noticed her heightened hyperactivity and noah began taking a pill each day at lunch time to help her cope with her symptoms

this new routine brought stares and snickers from her fellow classmates and noah developed a harsh social anxiety with the pressures to act “normal” around her peers, but this only made her adhd worse – it’s a vicious cycle (end tw)

come graduation (which she just slipped by) she yearned to escape the confines of her small town. it was an itch that no amount of trips to the mountains could scratch so she set her sights on something bigger: europe

with the help of her parents, noah saved up for the trip of a lifetime, which she embarked on shortly before her 21st birthday and didn’t return from for several months. though she ventured across the european countryside, much of her trip was spent in italy as she reconnected with her roots and fell in love with the country, particularly florence and pisa. she paid her dues working in a small italian cafe in florence owned by an adorable old woman that reminded her of her own grandmother and made italy her home for many weeks, only returning home due to missing her parents and a dwindling bank account

while in europe, noah developed a love for journals. after finding a beautiful leather bound one in her first week of her trip, it became glued to her side and the obsession didn’t stop once she filled it up (which didn’t take long, mind you)

by the end of her trip, noah had filled up eight journals with tales of her adventures, short poems inspired by the european beauty, and songs that seemed to burst out of her like lightning.

↘︎ 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓈𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓁𝓎 !

vancouver became her home shortly after her 22nd birthday, a handful of months after she returned from europe. after experiencing the foreign continent’s beauty, keremeos felt small and stifling to her. the small town held no feeling of intrigue or adventure anymore so she made the big move to vancouver in the hopes of finding something more

the big city held a sort of vibrance for her, having visited a handful of times with her mother for big shopping trips and weekend getaways, and somehow the small town girl melted into the big city easily

moreau apartments caught her eye immediately when searching listings, its beautiful brick walls and ocean views promising her comfort and just enough exposure to nature to keep her sane in the concrete landscape, and she moved in immediately

due to her absolute inability to sit still and be bored, noah works 3 jobs in vancouver: waitress, dog walker, and pole dance instructor

waitress: she serves in an adorable, cozy local restaurant down granville street, close by the apartment building, mostly working morning or late night shifts

dog walker: to fuel her love for animals, noah’s gained a reputation in the neighbourhood as one of the most reliable dog walkers. you can often catch her with a small herd of hounds at any time of day, handling the tangling leashes like a pro

pole dance instructor: she found this studio shortly after her move to vancouver, wanting a physical and creative outlet for herself. she fell in love with pole dancing after going outside of her comfort zone and mastered the skill quickly, promptly bringing the owner to offer her a part time job instructing a beginner’s class on the weekends

she continues to keep journals, using the near-daily activity as a sort of meditation after a long day to ease her ever-racing mind. her collection of songs has grown considerably through her life experiences and her instagram is filled with short snippets of the lyrics in captions and videos of her strong voice that just seems to come naturally

↘︎ 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇 !

aesthetics: freshly picked peaches. crisp mountain air. old denim ripped and stained from wild adventures. perfectly painted nails. thriving house plants. the scent of fresh coffee and sweet lotion. journals inked with stories and rhymes. rose gold jewelry. caramel waves blowing in the wind as sneakers trample fallen leaves. hazy rooms and endless laughter. a strong voice singing about heartbreak.

notable traits: passionate, possessive, adventurous, charming, optimistic, honest, naive, self-indulgent

best described as a freshly blossomed rose, grown in the canadian wilderness and weathered by the elements, with blushing petals beautiful enough to draw you in and thorns sharp enough to protect herself.

willa and antonio raised their daughter to have a strong head on her shoulders. their independence, wild hearts, and honesty passed down to noah easily. she’s certainly her father’s daughter in terms of her curiosity, need for adventure, and determination, but her mother shines through noah’s feminist independence, brutal honesty, and passion for creativity.

in terms of how noah’s young experiences changed her constant state of wonderment as a child, she’s definitely grown tougher and carries herself with an obvious sense of responsibility to protect herself. she likes to believe the walls she’s built since those stares and snickers in school aren’t easily broken, but she falls prey to charming smiles, trusting words, and careful eyes — it’s something she’s constantly working on, always chastising herself whenever she falls too easily

at first sight, she’s a small girl with a big mouth. her personality purposefully magnified to hide the fact that she’s afraid of getting attached. her sailor’s mouth is a surprise to most, along with her openness with her sexuality (bi af) and honesty when it comes to just about anything she has a strong opinion on (feminism, equal rights, lgbtq+ issues, animal cruelty, etC)

but for better or for worse, noah generally prides herself for having hardly a care in the world. many of her days just go with the flow and she’s not worried about her future — the future is today, as she likes to say to convince her friends to join her on one of her many adventures

one of the greatest friends one could ask for because of her strong loyalty, charming smile, generosity, and taste for adventure (it also helps that, thanks to her green thumb, this one grows the best weed in moreau ajklsh). she distracts others from developing too much curiosity about her own story by being an incredibly good listener and shoulder to cry on

to elaborate on her disorder: noah still has a prescription to aid her symptoms (most commonly fast and rambling words, an inability to shit still — showcased by tapping her feet, twirling her hair, fiddling with anything near her, etc — and a short attention span that is often interrupted by interludes of hyperfocus) but often pushes aside her pills because of her stubbornness. relying on a pill isn’t her favourite thing in the world and she likes to tell herself she can get by without them but lbr, the bitch can’t kjlhsd at least not for too long. though she keeps her problems as best a secret as possible, i’m sure someonE’S noticed her slip ups

↘︎ 𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎 !

this was a rollar coaster and a half. i know. i’m sorry. akjlshd please love me

tl;dr: small town girl from the mountains, raised by two loving separate parents, hardened by teasing and stares because of her adhd, but found her freedom and passion for life in europe before moving to vancouver to keep that spark alive. works 3 jobs to keep herself busy and because she just can’t make her mind on what she wants to do (waitress, dog walker, pole dancing instructor). 

first things that come to mind when thinking of noah: peaches, house plants (wink wink), fluffy dogs and purring cats, leather bound journals, and a lust for adventure.

as for connections, i want them aLL but i listed a few right here for y’all to check out. if any of those catch your eye / you’re down to brainstorm, hmu through tumblr ims / discord or like this and i’ll come to you!!!

[mahouxshoujoxme]

all of them

Tsubaki lore, ya say?

(also I’m using you as her eternal bondmate, even though you aren’t back in the game yet )

Putting it under a read more bc its SO MUCH

abalone: what kind of situations compromise my muse emotionallyTsubaki is generally a bit of a bubbly, optimistic airhead, so not much will dramatically effect her emotionally unless it involves her friends or loved ones being hurt or put in danger.

aegerine: my muse’s opinion of the supernaturalShe pretends to be too “logical” to believe in spirits to cover the fact that she is 100% scared of ghosts

agate: how my muse calms downSince it takes so much to upset her, she rarely needs an outside distraction to calm herself down, but when she needs an escape from the world she will lose herself in her studies, or endlessly pester her bondmate for cuddles~

blue lace agate: my muse’s favorite form of communication (verbal, letters, texting, etc.)Tsubaki always prefers face to face communication above all else, but loves the romance and personality in hand written letters.

fire agate: if my muse is brave or cowardly I certainly wouldn’t call her a coward, but some of her “bravery” could at times be better described as naive optimism.

moss agate: if my muse has a high or low opinion of themselfTsubaki is certainly not one to brag of her own talents, but she knows she is a woman with high worth

amazonite: what kind of situations call for my muse to be dishonestShe would never lie, no matter the circumstance

amethyst: what my muse would most like to be able to shape-shift intosomething small and elegant, like a butterfly

ammolite: how lucky or unlucky my muse isShe’s annoyingly lucky

angel aura quartz: my muse’s opinion of LGBT+ issuesShe just thinks everyone deserves to live happy lives, however they wish to live them.

apache tears: a sadness headcanonNot much makes her terribly sad, but Tsubaki is a big crybaby. Both happy and sad crying happen frequently.

apatite: a headcanon about my muse’s intuitionBecause of her personality, many people assume Tsubaki is not the brightest upon first meeting her. But being a scholar and talented craftswoman, she has wonderful intuition. Whether she tends to follow that intuition, or ignore it for something more exciting is another story entirely, however.

aquamarine: where my muse feels most calm/relaxedin either her study or her workshop, surrounded by books and gadgets

biotite: the biggest problems my muse is currently dealing withWell her comrades being incapacitated and this strange voice are certainly not things she enjoys.

bloodstone: how my muse sees themself as part of the world at largeEveryone has a place, no matter how large or small. And Tsubaki is happy to have her place as a craftswoman helping her fellow adventurers on their quests.

calcite: my muse’s social tendencies (introverted vs extroverted, parties vs one-on-one conversations, etc.)Tsubaki is very outgoing and tends to try to spark conversation with everyone she meets. She wants to hear every tale every adventurer has to tell, and is always eager to swap tips and techniques with fellow craftsmen. However she tends to get a bit over excited and can be a bit much for the average stranger on the street.

carnelian: an art-related headcanonAs a practiced and proud craftswoman, Tsubaki can create masterpieces of jewelry, weaponry, armor, along with many types of decorative trinkets and statues. She can cook you any meal you could dream of, and leave your mouth watering for more, as well as brew you the purest, strongest potions an adventurer could need.

As far as the realm of visual arts such as painting and drawing, you would think she had never picked up a pencil in her life. That, however, does not stop her from trying.

celestite: how my muse deals with anxietyBy losing herself in her studies or her craft

chalcopyrite: how my muse deals with ending relationshipsHaving mostly dedicated herself to her studies and her work, Tsubaki had never taken the time to form deep romantic bonds with others, and therefore does not have much experience with ending a deeper relationship. She had plenty of friends and acquaintances from her travels, but had not developed an emotional bond of the sort until she met one certain unseasoned miqo'te gladiator, whom she bonded with through her mentor-ship and their journey together.

charoite: who my muse looks up toshe looks up to everyone, she’s pretty short (ba dum tss)

chrysocolla: a money-making headcanonBeing a master of her crafts, Tsubaki could easily bring in as much gil as she could need. She would rather, however, spend her time creating tools and gear to help out her fellow adventurers and will accept no coin for most of her work.

copper: how I think my muse will end up when they’re olderAs a scholar who wishes to learn all of the secrets of her great world, Tsubaki does not see herself ending her life as an adventurer any time in the near future. Traveling together with her love until the end is the only life she can see for herself.

coral: how my muse views the natural worldTsubaki loves the natural world, and is very thankful for all the materials and tools Eorzea can naturally provide for her. She is always very respectful of the enviornment around her, and only takes exactly what is necessary for her work.

diamond: a sex headcanonTsubaki views physical intimacy as a deep bond, only to be shared with the one most important to her. She prefers long, slow love making to quicker, rougher experiences.

dolomite: a sleep headcanonThough her bondmate could curl up on the bed asleep all day, Tsubaki would refuse sleep entirely if she could. Araragi often has to carry a sleeping Tsubaki to bed from her study deep into the night.

emerald: how my muse tells someone they love them without wordsTsubaki tends to show her love through her craft, leaving small treats and trinkets about for her love to find and take with him on his journeys.

fluorite: what my muse’s room looks likeHer room is full, every surface buried under piles of books and research materials or crafting tools. Though the room is crowded, everything seems to have its own place, and moving anything will earn you a stern talking to about her “system” and how you can’t throw her area out of balance.

fossil: what my muse’s dream job isTraveling all through Eorzea to learn all the world has to offer, doing odd jobs and creating tools and goods for those she meets to pay her way.

galena: what it’s like to be in a relationship with my museTsubaki loves deeply and intensely, taking every chance she can to dote upon her beloved. She isn’t shy to show off her relationship in public and showers her love in special, one of a kind, hand-made items to help him on his quests.

garnet: what my muse’s perfect partner would beAs it would take time away from her studies, Tsubaki was never much interested in romantic relationships, until she met certain miqo'te gladiator. Goofy and a bit unseasoned of an adventurer, she took it upon herself to mentor him through his journey. Along the way she found herself falling deeply in love with him, his happy demeanor a perfect match with hers.

gold: my muse’s financial situationNever wanting for anything because of the value of her craft, she never saw a point to accruing finances in the form of excess coin.

hematite: how squeamish my muse isGenerally her want to learn and her curiosity overtake any squeamish tendencies

iddenite: how much of an “inner child” my muse hasbasically, she baby

iolite: my muse’s drinking habitsTsubaki does not prefer alcohol, but would not necessarily turn a drink down. She is, however, a major lightweight.

jade: if my muse would ever cheat on a partnerabsolutely not.

jasper: what my muse would be like as a parentAs she wants to spend her life traveling, Tsubaki never had a want for Children. If she were to ever have them though, she would love them just as deeply and intensely as she does her bondmate, making sure they were always cared for and never wanting for anything.

kyanite: an anger headcanonNothing can make Tsubaki truly mad beyond her loved ones being hurt. However if you are the one to cause her loved ones pain, you will face her endless rage.

lapis lazuli: where ‘home’ is to my museAs a traveling adventurer, she does not have a true place to call home. She does, however always make it a point to return to the restaurant and guild hall her free company calls their headquarters.

lodestone: what kind of people gravitate towards my museBecause of her outspoken and bubbly demeanor, Tsubaki tends to draw people in of all types.

malachite: what my muse as a child thought they would be when they grew upGrowing up on the Steppe, Tsubaki always dreamed of leaving to see what the would outside had to offer.

mica: what my muse views as their worst personality traitTsubaki is always worried she is not strong enough to protect the ones she loves, always studying as hard as she can to further strengthen her healing magics

moonstone: my muse’s opinions on outer spaceIf she can study something about it, she is interested in it

mother of pearl: if my muse tends to lift people up or bring them downAlways an optimist, trying to bring the best of those around her, she will always try to lift up those around her

nebula stone: how good my muse’s memory isTsubaki has a near photographic memory, which helps in her studies greatly.

obsidian: which of the seven deadly sins my muse would behonestly my bab is so pure i dont have an answer to this

opal: how creative my muse isTsubaki is overflowing with creative energy, spending every free moment not devoted to her studies tinkering with some new creation.

pearl: a mental health headcanonTsubaki knows that keeping good mental health is essential to maintaining her studies, and thus makes sure to take plenty of time to ensure she is always treats her mental health well.

petalite: what my muse would do if they found a wallet on the streetTsubaki would absolutely search endlessly until she found the owner.

pyrite: a physical health headcanonIn order to continue her travels, Tsubaki keeps herself in top shape.

quartz: how my muse thinks other people see themTsubaki never much cared what others think of her, but she thinks in general people view her in a positive light.

rhodonite: if my muse prefers elegance or convenienceKnowing that long travels sometimes require more convenience than elegance, but also being a craftswoman who has an appreciative eye for elegance, Tsubaki tries to use her own skills and knowledge to create new gear that combine the two as best as possible.

rubellite: if my muse has any 'triggers’ that inspire painful memoriesNot really, Tsubaki is probably the only character I’ve ever written that doesn’t have a tragic uwu backstory

ruby: a happiness headcanonHappiness for Tsubaki lies in being surrounded by those she loves, and being free to roam and journey as she pleases

sapphire: if everyone my muse knew was hanging off a cliff and they could only choose three to save, the rest certainly dying, who they would chooseShe would absolutely never chose anyone’s life over another’s. Tsubaki would fight endlessly to find a way to save everyone, even if she would lose her own life in the process

serpentine: how my muse would seduce anotherTsubaki has never been one for romance or physical relationships, she she is very inexperienced. Intimate encounters with her bondmate tend to be very clumsy and innocent.

silver: if my muse prefers masculinity or femininityTsubaki is extremely feminine.

tsavorite: if my muse believes in destiny or fateTsubaki believes that everyone has the power to create their own future. Giving in to ideas like being stuck to one future or destiny is just someone giving up or not having the strength to fight for what they truly want, and she will do everything in her power to empower those around her to chase the futures they each truly want.

ulexite: how empathetic/sympathetic/compassionate my muse isENTIRELY. If anyone around Tsubaki is hurting or having troubles, she will absolutely take that pain onto herself and do anything in her power, endlessly to help them. Oftentimes to her own disadvantage.

unakite: what my muse’s ideal pet would beanything fluffy that will let her snuggle it and would have no problems being on the road for long periods of time.

verdite: my muse’s ethnicity/family historyTsubaki is a Raen Au Ra, though she could never stand for the secluded life of those she descended from

zebra stone: what gets my muse excitedliterally everything

zoisite: does my muse believe everything’s going to work out for them in the end or not?As long as she draws breath, she has an opportunity so solve any problem she faces.

[curious-minx]

On Bob’s Burger’s Gene learns to be a sweeter Mama’s Boy; The Simpsons rediscovers its heart by showing empathy to a struggling teacher.

Mama’s Boy is possibly one of my favorite Ramones song, at least the one I’m most obsessed with.  A track written sporting writing credits for all three Ramones. This fact really answers the age old riddle fo how many  Ramones  it takesto change a light bulb. There’s no question about it if the Ramones were still alive and kicking they probably would be cameoing in all sorts of animated shows and would be a Wonder Wharf regular. Episode 9, “Mama’ Boy” not only focuses on Gene’s wholesome adoration of his Mama,  but also makes a clear point of demonstrating how the Belcher’s challenge conventional gender norms. If I grew up with a dad like Bob Belcher, a man who is more than willing to get into a tub with me for a spa day I’d probably be a more productive citizen. The episode strongly packs in three whole subplots with Gene and Linda’s weekly “Spa Day” ritual being interrupted by Linda joining a Women’s Business Owner Group, Bob trying to be a substitute for Gene, and then Louise and Tina getting transfixed by a clever Rocky rip-off, Ham & Egger. The boys want a seaweed eucalyptus infused face mask and the girls want to brawl, a sweet and subtle commentary that is done with that effortless Bob’s Burgers charm. 

The main conflict between Gene and Linda is fraught with family psychology. Linda emboldening her only son’s clinginess with her gentle form of favoritism that threatens to mutate’s Gene’s cute Mama Boy into an emotional manipulative, controlling and abusive Mama’s Boy. This is one of the rare instances where Gene is essentially the antagonistic force of the episode, a role often bestowed upon every other Belcher but rarely reliable supporting player Gene. Gene’s antics are more than just his usual little stinker business and at moments threatens to veer off into Norman Bates territory when he fears that he’s losing his mom to the Business World. Thankfully, Gene is a thoughtful and lovable boy that experiences flashes of introspection, experiences self-realization and catches himself from going off the deep-end. The episode ends with Gene and Linda still enjoying a slightly inappropriate, but ultimately sweet relationship where boundaries are starting to further establish themselves, but I do worry for whomever ends up with Gene as a partner later in life. 

Ah! My favorite high school based musical, Sunday School Musical

The episode’s subplot with Louise and Tina is a great writing lesson, a clean how-to on writing a quality parody. The whole subplot is basically mapping elements of Rocky and making them slightly cheaper and sillier Ham & Egger versions. The subplot touches upon a very specific experience of childhood when you stumble upon a lesser, knock-off movie on cable before seeing the original version, therefore making the cheaper version the definitive version in your naive mind. The subplot also serves as a fun contrast/reversal with Gene’s arc, two daughters being more interested in rough housing and watching junky TV, whereas the son is clinging onto a more traditionally feminine activity. The show hasn’t been this progressive since its explorations with Tina and her explorations of a healthy sense of sexuality. The reason why these issues work so well on Bob’s Burgers is because the writer’s never draw attention to them or try to pat themselves on the back like other lesser sitcoms tend to do, and because after 11 seasons audiences have been given a lot of opportunities to bond and appreciate each and every Belcher. Every single Belcher is capable of delivering a solid episode and whenever I pick up on whether or not an episode is going to focus on a specific character or character relationship on Bob’s Burgers I am more or less satisfied with the direction the writers and actors make with this beloved TV family. 

4.5 Spools of Yarn as thick punchable yarn out of 5 thick and punchable slabs of meat. 

/////

News update in the Bob’s Burgers world: The Belcher family is officially losing its Fox TV status and gaining FX personhood. This ultimately changes both a little and a lot, the biggest impact of the change is that Bob’s Burgers will be removed from adult swim syndication. Bob’s Burgers is ultimately in the clear for however much longer the series wishes to stay on air. This change in syndication is mainly worrisome for the state of adult swim, which will at this point go completely under due to financial straits or assimilate itself into the HBO Max roster. The adult swim brand is still fairly strong one and as long as they have Rick and Morty to cling onto they will still have a cash cow to sustain them. If adult swim collapses we will be losing one of the last bastions for weird and creative TV programming and will be left with nothing but a sea of Disney detritus. 

/////

 Search result for a stock image of a “Sad Teacher” 

Speaking of Disney Detritus, it’s time for another peek back into the Simpsons brood with its 9th episode, “Sorry Not Sorry.” The episode for the most part is the most conventional episode of an exhaustingly highly conceptual season. The quality of the episode is probably due to the fact that the episode isn’t written by another one of the safe old white Harvard guys the series is doomed to forever employ, but instead, this above average episode is written by an  Ivy League woman and  1996 Subrina the Teenage Witch creator Nell Scovell. Go figure, the Simpsons enormously benefits from diverting from the usual white male voice that dominates the massive bulk of Simpsons screenwriting credits. The main reason I got back into watching the Simpsons in the first place was when I saw that slightly problematic Twitter rising start Megan Amram had written a couple of episodes for its 30th season. For me, this indicated the exact type of tone shifting the Simpsons needed to course correct itself from its perennial slump. Both of Amram’s episodes are fantastic, especially “Bart versus Itchy and Scratchy.”

The typical writer for the Simpsons 

This gender disparity in the Simpsons verse led my curiosity over to the Simpsons writer’s wikipedia page. Wikipedia lists 133 writers in total, I was able to tally up 18 different women who have at least one written episode credit to their name. Out of those thirteen women one of them is Conan O’Brien’s sister and Bart Simpson herself Nancy Cartwright. The numbers probably become even more grotesque when looking at anything else that diverts from the White Ivy League Educated paradigm that the Simpsons has firmly established in its endless run. So whenever a show as creaky and conservative, at least in terms of writing room staff, diverts from the white male paradigm I find that the typical Simpsons episode has a noticeable more pep in its step, the show for a brief moment feels more vital, and for me the reason is because of a wider perspective a woman writer can offer in a male dominated workplace. This episode’s title alone is a piece of modern mainstream feminism sloganeering that Lisa explicitly touches upon in the episode, and unlike Bob’s Burgers the Simpsons is the sort of show where it makes more sense for a character to explicitly call out problematic world views. This type of empathy and inner growth only tends to happen in the show whenever Lisa takes over the focus of an episode and it’s that quality of heart that is missing from the large swathe of modern Simpsons where forcing jokes for the sakes of jokes always takes precedent over having any heart or reflection. 

“The Simpsons, a feminist masterpiece” - Matt Groening’s accountant 

Ms. Hoover has always been one of my favorite characters, she’s got a great sense of style and her nihilistic world view and bottomless loathing of her job is especially relatable. Looking at Ms. Hoover’s Simpsons’ fandom Wiki I found disappointing tidbits such as she’s one of the only two characters in 2007 Simpsons Game besides Lunch Lady Doris given zero lines of dialogue. The series writers’ also thought it would be funny in season 25 to have Bart hook up with her in episodes set in the future. In the show’s 32 seasons very little time and space has been dedicated to Ms. Hoover so it was satisfying to get a substantial glimpse into this teacher’s life especially since she’s the only original teacher left filling in the void left by the late great Ms. Crabapple. Hard to imagine anyone having a more hellish year in Covid times than the Ms. Hoovers of the world the women relegated to teaching jobs, because society for too long has deemed a woman’s place is not in a major network animated sitcom writer’s room but silently suffering in the classroom with the rest of America’s ungrateful brats. All of our essential workers should be delivered a deluxe orthopedic vibrating chair from a pawn shop and I won’t accept anything less! 

In order to properly review this episodes I try my best to watch through them at least twice and I found that this episode in particular really holds up on a second viewing not only because its central plot is solid but also because the episode is full of little silent visual gags that make the show feel like a labor of love rather than another episode off of the factory line. 

A real solid PASSING GRADE episode! 

[charlottelan01]

A Rapid Launch to Artificial Cleverness For Regular people

Healthcare App Development ServicesRecently, artificial intelligence has been quite definitely the hot subject in Silicon Valley and the broader tech scene. To people of us involved with that scene it feels as though an unbelievable momentum is building around the topic, with all sorts of companies creating a.I. into the primary of their business. There's also been a growth within a.I.-related university courses which is observing a wave of extremely shiny new talent moving in to the employment market. But this isn't a straightforward case of confirmation bias - curiosity about this issue has been increasing since mid-2014.

The noise around the topic will still only increase, as well as for the layman it is all really perplexing. Based on what you read, you can think that we're headed for an apocalyptic Skynet-style obliteration as a result of frosty, calculating supercomputers, or that we are all heading to live permanently as solely digital entities in a few kind of cloud-based artificial world. Quite simply, either The Terminator or The Matrix are imminently going to become disturbingly prophetic.

AI is very good at certain specific tasks. But we're still a long way ... News of the future, now. ... The Power, and Limits, of Artificial Intelligence. Read about related to Live streaming App Development, Healthcare App Development Services, and much more. Visit the website for more information.

Should we worry or excited? And exactly what does it all indicate?

Will robots dominate the environment?

WHILE I jumped onto the A.I. bandwagon in past due 2014, I understood very little about any of it. Although I have already been associated with web technologies for over twenty years, I keep an English Books level and am more involved with the business enterprise and creative likelihood of technology than the research behind it. I used to be attracted to A.I. due to its positive potential, however when I read warnings from famous brands Stephen Hawking about the apocalyptic problems lurking inside our future, I normally became as worried as anybody else would.

THEREFORE I did what I normally do when something concerns me personally: I started studying it so that I possibly could understand it. Greater than a year's worthy of continuous reading, talking, hearing, viewing, tinkering and learning has led me to a fairly solid knowledge of what everything means, and I wish to spend within these text writing that knowledge in the hopes of enlightening anybody else who's curious but naively afraid of the amazing new world.

Oh, if you merely want the answer to the headline above, the answer is: yes, they'll. Sorry.

The way the machines have discovered to learn

The very first thing I uncovered was that artificial intelligence, as a business term, has actually been going since 1956, and has already established multiple booms and busts for the reason that period. In the 1960s the A.I. industry was bathing in a fantastic period of research with Traditional western governments, colleges and big businesses tossing large numbers of money at the sector in the expectations of creating a brave " new world ". However in the middle seventies, when it became obvious that A.I. had not been delivering on its guarantee, the industry bubble burst and the financing dry out. In the 1980s, as computer systems became popular, another A.I. growth surfaced with similar degrees of mind-boggling investment being poured into various enterprises. But, again, the sector failed to deliver and the inevitable bust implemented.

To comprehend why these booms didn't stick, you need to comprehend what artificial intelligence happens to be. The short response to that (and trust me, there are extremely lengthy answers out there) is a.I. is a variety of overlapping systems which broadly offer with the task of how to use data to produce a decision about something. It includes a great deal of different disciplines and technology (Big Data or Internet of Things, anyone?) but the most crucial one is an idea called machine learning.

Machine learning basically involves feeding computers huge amounts of data and permitting them to analyse that data to remove patterns that they can pull conclusions. You likely have seen this doing his thing with face acknowledgement technology (such as on Facebook or modern digital camera models and smartphones), where in fact the computer can identify and body human being faces in photos. To carry out this, the computer systems are referencing a massive collection of photos of people's faces and also have learned to identify the characteristics of the individual face from forms and colors averaged out more than a dataset of vast sums of different illustrations. This process is actually the same for just about any program of machine learning, from fraud recognition (analysing purchasing patterns from credit card purchase histories) to generative artwork (analysing patterns in paintings and arbitrarily generating pictures using those discovered patterns).

As you might imagine, crunching through enormous datasets to extract patterns takes a Large amount of computer handling power. In the 1960s they simply didn't have machines powerful enough to do it, which explains why that increase failed. In the 1980s the computer systems were powerful enough, however they uncovered that machines only learn effectively when the quantity of data being fed to them is large enough, plus they were not able to source large enough levels of data to give food to the machines.

Then came the internet. Not merely achieved it solve the computing problem forever through the enhancements of cloud processing - which essentially allow us to gain access to as much processors as we need at the touch of a button - but people on the internet have been producing more data every day than has have you been produced in the whole history of the world. The quantity of data being produced on the constant basis is completely mind-boggling.

What this signifies for machine learning is significant: we've plenty of data to seriously start training our machines. Think about the amount of photos on Facebook so you start to realize why their facial reputation technology is so accurate.

There is currently no major barrier (that people presently know of) stopping A.I. from attaining its potential. We are just beginning to work out what we should can do with it.

When the computers will think for themselves

There's a famous scene from the movie 2001: AN AREA Odyssey where Dave, the primary character, is gradually disabling the artificial intelligence mainframe (called "Hal") following the latter has malfunctioned and made a decision to try to kill all the humans on the area station it was designed to be running. Hal, the A.I., protests Dave's activities and eerily proclaims that it's scared of dying.

This movie illustrates one of the best fears surrounding A.I. generally, namely exactly what will happen after the computer systems begin to think for themselves instead of being managed by humans. Worries is valid: we already are dealing with machine learning constructs called neural systems whose structures derive from the neurons in the mind. With neural nets, the info is fed in and then prepared through a greatly complicated network of interconnected factors that build cable connections between ideas in quite similar way as associative individual memory does. Which means that computers are slowly needs to build-up a collection of not simply patterns, but also principles which ultimately business lead to the essential foundations of understanding rather than just recognition.

Imagine you are considering an image of somebody's face. When you initially see the image, lots of things happen in your brain: first, you recognise that it is an individual face. Next, you may recognise that it's female or male, young or old, dark or white, etc. You'll also have an instant decision from the human brain about whether you recognise the face, though sometimes the identification requires deeper considering depending about how often you have been subjected to this specific face (the knowledge of recognising a person however, not knowing right away from where). All this happens virtually instantly, and computer systems are already with the capacity of doing all this too, at almost the same quickness. For instance, Facebook will not only identify faces, but can also let you know who the facial skin belongs to, if said person is also on Facebook. Google has technology that can identify the competition, age group and other characteristics of the person structured just on the picture of their face. We've come quite a distance because of the 1950s.

[genderpunktheo]

Character Bio: Sawyer Blue

Sawyer is a 17 year old poet, blogger and lover of all things literature but especially classics. She’s white, 5″11 (very tall for a girl), has blue eyes and dark brown, almost black, hair. She writes heavily alongside her best friend and fellow blogger, Rose White, choosing to explore her feelings and ideas through words. Her poetry is fuelled by a desire for the truth (the truth of the world, the truth of her own feelings), her everyday successes and sorrows, and a large amount of coffee.

Because of her love of poetry, she never goes anywhere without her journal. She carries little pocket-sized molekskines about with her, filling each one with notes, poetry and sketches before buying another to replace it, keeping them all in boxes in the attic of her childhood home. This is perhaps one of her most defining features - people would almost certainly comment on it if they saw her without a notebook. She plans to go on to university to study Literature but after that she’s not sure on her goals. Something in her hungers for adventure that she doesn’t think she’ll find in any traditional job. 

Instead, she has dreams like back packing across Europe, like staying in the Tumbleweed Hotel for a few months and spending her days writing and drinking red wine by the Seine, of doing a bookshop tour of Dublin, even just of seeing the world outside her state and the couple of brief holidays she’d been on with her mum.

Sawyer has very little family to speak of, growing up with only her mum and no father in sight. She’s curious about this but not upset: her and her mum have grown incredibly close over the years and she’s been told a little about her father but, knowing that it upsets her mum to discuss, she’s happy to avoid the conversation rather than assuage her curiosity. Though Sawyer now stays away from home during the term time at a fancy Arts school - Kingsbridge High - designed to prepare her for college, she still comes home during the holidays and misses her mum greatly. 

Her personal style is one she’s taken great care to develop over the years, wanting to convey just the right amount of “pretentious creative type” mixed with “leave me alone.” In the end, you’ll usually find her in black converse, skinny jeans, a band tee and her favourite jacket - a blue and black checked, zip up hoodie, with a black hood she can pull down over her eyes. Her style is probably her own concession to vanity as the rest of the time she takes little bother in her appearance - her hair is simply brushed and then “left to do as it wants” something she is fairly sure it would do whether she allowed it or not, and she very rarely wears make-up. If she does it, it would be a tiny bit of mascara and lip gloss.

She’s grown up with no knowledge of magic to speak of, having inherited her gifts from her father’s side. When the Coven finds her, she loves being adopted into this far larger family and finds that being among them soon feeds the need for adventure she’s always felt (a need perhaps fuelled by her love of stories, and wanting to be like the heroines in the books her mother read to her as a child). Her exact gifts remain unknown for much of the book, eventually surfacing when she is put under extreme duress. The rest of the Coven each takes the time to teach her and test her in their own specialist areas. 

The one part of being found by the Coven that she struggles with, is having to keep the secret from her mum. She introduces some of her new friends to her, but knows she can never reveal the secret of magic for she would not be believed and that would crush her more than the secrecy. 

Sawyer is also bisexual, describing herself as having a larger interest in girls than in boys although she has had boyfriends in the past (for a long time she believed herself to be straight, naively thinking that if she liked boys that was the only option available to her). She is out to her mother and Rose along with a few other friends, most of whom have been nothing but supportive. She doesn’t consider her sexuality to be a big secret and would probably freely tell people should it come up, but chooses not to flaunt it knowing that in a small school, even one as liberal as her arty one, if people took against her she would have nowhere to hide. 

Her anxiety disorder - Generalised Anxiety Disorder or GAD - is one more thing that makes being open about herself tricky for her. Sawyer has constant fears of being rejected or abandoned by those around her, and many irrational fears of being a failure, of looking stupid to strangers, of bad things happening. Often she is unable to pinpoint exactly what it is she is afraid of, instead simply feeling dread settling on her chest. She struggles with the occasional panic attack but since starting self-compassion techniques is beginning to learn how to handle these if not how to get rid of them. 

Both her bisexuality and anxiety are own voices.

Her biggest flaws are perhaps how stubborn she can be and her fears. She would move and grow a lot further as a person if she worried less about how the world was viewing her, and sometimes her fear of abandonment leads her to lash out and try to push people away rather than be the one abandoned. Being stubborn, she sometimes struggles to let up and admit that she was wrong, even if having analysed it herself, she can see that she was.

However, her anxiety can also be a strength to her in some ways. Having worried about every possible way something could go wrong and planned what she could do to cope, when things do take a wrong turn, she is often the first to get back up and start fixing things - provided that her nerves are not already shot to hell, in which case she is likely to need some breathing room.

Sawyer Blue is the main narrator of The Fairytale Of Sawyer Blue otherwise known as #queerwitchstory. If you want to know more about her my inbox is open for questions.

[eyeontw]

Photo captured from the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market’s Website

The Eye on Taiwan news staff

Some 60 Taiwan-based audiovisual representatives and post-production companies will take part in the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), one of the world’s leading entertainment marketplaces, to promote Taiwan-made quality films and dramas.

The Taiwanese firms will join 850 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions to promote their products in the four-day FILMART, which will kick off in Hong Kong on Monday.

The trade fair is one of the nine events under the Expo Hong Kong, which will open on the same day with a kick-off ceremony, according to the organizer, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Taiwan’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development under the Culture Ministry said the participation in the fair will not only help promote Taiwan productions in the global market but also exhibit Taiwan’s prowess in digital production and special effects.

Photo taken from High Flash’s Facebook

Photo taken from Sen Sen’s Facebook

Photo taken from Father to Son’s Facebook

Bureau Director Hsu Yu-chun was quoted in a press statement by the ministry as saying that Taiwan has selected three films —  Explosion (引爆點) by Chuang Ching-shen (莊景燊), Sen Sen (生生) by An Bon (安邦), and Father to Son (范保德) by Hsiao Ya-chuan (蕭雅全) — for display and viewing during the trade fair to highlight the dynamics of the local movies.

To present the creativity, culture, and landscapes of Taiwan, the television series chosen include Iron Ladies (姊的時代), Angel Wei Wei (天使薇薇), and the Taiwan-Japan joint venture Fusulina of Remember (紡綞蟲的記憶)”  that explores life, love, cyberculture, and the relations between Taiwan and Japan, according to the press release.

Photo taken from Set Drama’s Facebook

Photo taken from Videoland Angel Vivi’s Facebook

The bureau has also set up two Taiwan pavilions at the trade fair for audiovisual operators to promote their works and business. A Taiwan-themed promotional event will also be held on March 19 to seek collaborative opportunities with professionals and companies from all over the world, it said.

Several visual effects companies from Taiwan, including Bulky Animation Studio (大腕影像股份有限公司), Jnana Studio (本覺創意有限公司), Taipei Postproduction (台北影業股份有限公司), Cheer Digiart (砌禾數位動畫股份有限公司), and Motion M VFX (米德媒體有限公司) will participate in the trade fair as well, according to the press statement.

Hong Kong–Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), a platform for Asian filmmakers with new film projects seeking financing and meetups with potential partners, will also be held in conjunction with FILMART, it noted.

This year, director Arvin Chen’s (陳駿霖) upcoming film project Naive Melody (買一送一) and director Huang Xi’s (黃熙) Common People (普通情事) were selected by HAF. They will be meeting with film financiers, producers, distributors, and buyers during the three-day forum to seek opportunities for advancing their projects to the next stage, the statement said.

Photo taken from Xiao Mei’s Facebook

Following FILMART, two Taiwanese films – Omotenashi (盛情款待) by emerging director Jay Chern (陳鈺杰) and Xiao Mei (小美) by Maren Hwang (黃榮昇) – will open the 2018 Hong Kong International Film Festival on March 19. Another five Taiwanese films will also be screened at the festival this year, according to the press statement.

Fusulina of Remember (紡綞蟲的記憶), a drama series jointly produced by Taiwan and Japan, was released on Taiwan’s first streaming application “i・active APP” on Feb. 14, according to the Culture Ministry.

Subsidized by the ministry and the Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development’s Broadband TV Production project, the drama is a collaborative project targeting the Pan-Asian market.

Filmed in Japan, the drama opens a new page for cultural exchanges and commercial partnerships. It stars both Taiwanese and Japanese actors and actresses to boost cultural interactions and understanding between the two nations. The drama will also be aired in Japan for Japanese audiences to watch quality drama produced with Taiwanese characteristics, the ministry said.

Photo taken from Fusulina of Remember’s Facebook

Fusulina of Remember discusses topics on vegetation and land and explores the relationship between Taiwan and Japan over the centuries. It seeks to create a heart-warming story that integrates the cultures, societies, and aesthetics of Taiwan and Japan, it said.

7 Taiwan’s films screened during 2018 Hong Kong International Film Festival

March 19, 7:30 pm — Omotenashi (盛情款待)” by emerging director Jay Chern (陳鈺杰) discusses how cultural differences between a Taiwanese and Japanese family and emotions change the lives of those involved.

March 19, 9:45 pm — Xiao Mei (小美) by director Maren Hwang (黃榮昇) draws viewers’ curiosity and concerns about the missing titular character through a series of interviews with her friends, family, and acquaintances. The film was nominated for the GWFF Best First Feature Award in Berlin International Film Festival in January.

Photo taken from IMDB.com

March 23, 8:00 pm — Cloud of Romance (我是ㄧ片雲) by actor-turned-director Chen Hung-lieh (陳鴻烈) is one of the 14 movies starring former Taiwanese actress Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia (林青霞) which will be screened during the festival as a tribute to the actress highly popular in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The movie — a digital restoration of its 1977 version — tells of bitter, triangular love which ends in a tragedy.

  Photo taken from YouTube

  March 24, 4:45 pm — Father (Orignal Title : Red Box) is a documentary which has taken  director Yang Li-chou (楊力州) 10 years to finish. It is about the strained relationship between puppet master Chen Hsi-huang (陳錫煌) and his father Li Tien-lu (李天祿), the renowned Taiwanese glove puppeteer. At the age of 79, Chen set up his own troupe, which soon earned recognition all over the world. Nevertheless, Chen finds no one to pass on his great skills.

Photo taken from On Happiness Road’s Facebook

March 25, 6:00 pm –The animation film On Happiness Road (幸福路上) by Sung Hsin-yin (宋欣穎) tells of how kids wish they could become celebrities in their adulthood, but after they grow up, they just desire to have an ordinary yet happy life.

Photo taken from The Deserted’s Facebook

March 31, 1:30 pm — The Deserted (家在蘭若寺) by iconoclastic art house director Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮)  involves a man recovering from an illness, who is unable to communicate properly with either his mother or the female ghost who lives next door. Instead, he communes with a fish. At 56 minutes, it is the longest-ever VR film best viewed with the Vive VR headset developed by HTC and Valve Corp. The headset uses room-scale tracking technology that the company says “allows the user to move in 3D space and use motion-tracked handheld controllers to interact with the environment,” according to Variety.com

April 2, 8:00 pm — Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land, directed by Stan Lai (賴聲川), is another movie being shown as a tribute to Taiwanese actress Brigitte Lin (林青霞).  It combines two unrelated plays – a tragedy (Secret Love) and a comedy (The Peach Blossom Land) – on the same stage, mixing seriousness with banters.

Photo taken from YouTube

Brigitte Lin honored in both Hong Kong and Italy-based Udine film festivals 

To honor Lin, who holds a legendary status in Taiwan and Hong Kong cinema, the Hong Kong International Film Festival will screen 14 of her films and publish a retrospective book (Filmmaker in Focus: Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia. It will also hold a public seminar on March 31, in which the actress will discuss her film career.

In April, the Udine Far East Film Festival based in Italy will honor the 63-year-old former actress with its Golden Mulberry Lifetime Achievement Award.

Photo taken from IMDB.com showing Brigitte Lin in Cloud of Romance released in 1977.

Lin, who retired from her acting career in 1994, has starred in more than 100 films, appearing in “sentimental melodramas and wuxia titles, to thrillers and eccentric experimental projects,” which the festival will “distill” into a retrospective that will include the European premiere of “Cloud of Romance” (1977), which was recently restored by the Taiwan Film Institute, organizer of the Udine festival said in a press release. The 20th Far East Film Festival will be held April 20-28.

Seminar on March 31, 6:00 pm — Filmmaker in Focus: Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia 「雲外笑紅塵——林青霞」專題選映 (Venue: Grand Theatre at Hong Kong Cultural Center)

  Photo taken from Hong Kong International Film Festival’s Facebook showing the book “Filmaker in Focus: Brigitte Lin” published by the festival organizer 

  14 films by Brigitte Lin screened during the film festival:

 1.      Outside the Window (窗外) (1973)

2.      Ghost of the Mirror (古鏡幽魂) (1974) 3.      The Dream of the Red Chamber (金玉良緣紅樓夢) (1977) 4.      Cloud of Romance (我是一片雲) (1977) 5.      Love Massacre (愛殺) (1981) 6.      All the Wrong Spies (我愛夜來香) (1983) 7.      Peking Opera Blues (刀馬旦) (1986) 8.      Starry is the Night (今夜星光燦爛) (1988) 9.      Red Dust (滾滾紅塵) (1990) 10.   Swordsman II (笑傲江湖II東方不敗) (1992) 11.   Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land (暗戀桃花源) (1992) 12.   The Bride with White Hair (白髮魔女傳) (1993) 13.   Chungking Express (重慶森林) (1994) 14.   Ashes of Time (東邪西毒終極版) (1994/2008)

  Some 60 Taiwan-based audiovisual representatives and post-production companies will take part in the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), one of the world's leading entertainment marketplaces, to promote Taiwan-made quality films and dramas. The Eye on Taiwan news staff Some 60 Taiwan-based audiovisual representatives and post-production companies will take part in the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), one of the world's leading entertainment marketplaces, to promote Taiwan-made quality films and dramas.

[acrossthew]

Refresh your mind - Steve Jobs motivational speech - Act 5

" Thank you. I am honored to be with you today for your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world ( Stanford ) . Truth be told, I never graduated from college. And this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out? It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: “We’ve got an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said: “Of course.” My biological mother found out later that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would go to college. This was the start in my life. And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked far more interesting. It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned coke bottles for the $0.05 deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example: Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating. None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it’s likely that no personal computer would have them. (Haha spade for Windows) If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn path and that will make all the difference.

Love and loss My second story is about love and loss. I was lucky, I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents’ garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation ' the Macintosh 'a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating. I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down, that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me, I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over. I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the world’s first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together. I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. And don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking. Don’t settle.

Death My third story is about death. When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn’t even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die. It means to try and tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes. I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and thankfully I’m fine now. This was the closest I’ve been to facing death, and I hope it’s the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept: No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960’s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, overflowing with neat tools and great notions. Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. Thank you all very much. " (The following content is a speech taken literally) Source: http://ift.tt/2wObqMN via ATW-Team