#literally big full moon festival

[tealvenetianmask]

Moxxie and His Weapons Grade Daddy Issues (Part 1)

I keep saying it, and now I'm going to explain what I mean. It's worse than it seems. Really. Blitz and Stolas get most of the attention for being our favorite disaster men™, but Moxxie's underlying issues are just as bad. And eventually shit is going to hit the fan.

Disclaimer: I love Moxxie and M&M, and Moxxie and Blitz as friends. I'm about to shit on how Moxxie is overly dependent on these relationships. And this is not a "they should ditch him" situation. It's more- the guy needs to understand his own worth and do some serious growing.

Prologue: Crimson is the worst, obviously.

He taught Moxxie two main lessons.

You have to be stereotypically masculine. Everything it entails. Tough, good at violence, straight. That's the only way to have value. Oh, and the reason this all doesn't come naturally to you is because you're a weakling.

2. Be loyal or be killed. Fucking literally.

Moxxie found a new life, but the lessons from his dad stuck with him.

He didn't internalize EVERYTHING his dad taught him about masculinity. He's open about being bi, and about liking musicals and baking and generally being a sweet guy. I think it's been really helpful for Millie to show time and time again that she loves him this way.

BUT I think his self-acceptance has a side that masks his serious lack of confidence. Is it great that Millie can be "the strong one" in the relationship and they can defy gender stereotypes? Yes. It's ALSO really worrying that he doesn't believe he's strong himself- he deserves to feel strong too, and not as a "tough guy-" as himself.

We see Millie and Blitz save Moxxie a bunch, and the times when he's given a chance to prove himself (see Murder Family, The Harvest Moon Festival, and Unhappy Campers), the guy completely freaks out. I'm not using a screenshot from the fucking penguin short (because I'm still salty) but there's even a moment in there where Moxxie has the chance to take the kill shot on the seal, and even though he DOES pull it off, he looks really scared beforehand . . .

Moxxie WANTS to prove that he's strong and competent, but the issue is so weighty for him that the moment he tries, his brain goes haywire. Over and over again.

2. He got himself out from under Crimson's thumb, and even learned to stand up the guy a bit. I think it's really telling that the moment he first trusted Blitz to lead him was when Blitz told him he had to get out of jail for his daughter.

Moxxie has learned that he wants something different from what he grew up with. It's also worth noting that Moxxie feels comfortable arguing with Blitz, criticizing him, and talking back, in a way couldn't have gotten away with when following Crimson.

And the "strong" woman he married, who protects him? She's a total sweetheart, and they have fun together all the time. She doesn't tell him what to do. She supports him pretty much unconditionally, as we see in Unhappy Campers.

BUT here's the problem. Moxxie's thinking is still kind of authoritarian, in that he seems most comfortable when someone else is in charge.

He calls Blitz "Sir." And yeah, it's sort of iconic at this point. It was pretty much the only thing he called Blitz, until--

I think that Moxxie really liked the idea of Blitz asking him to use his name. He wants to be on even ground and have a real friendship. But he DOES keep saying "Sir." Not exclusively anymore (people make a big deal of him saying "Blitz" in the van in Mastermind), and this isn't a full tally, but...

It's pretty obvious who else was Sir . . .

Moxxie was raised to follow, under threat of death. I think it makes sense that someone with that experience would have kind of contradictory feelings toward their boss...

Moxxie WANTS to challenge authority. He WANTS to offer input on missions. He WANTS Blitz to see him as a friend and an equal, but at the same time, whenever Blitz is unable to lead. Well.

A shallow reading of any Moxxie-centric episode has Moxxie fixing his problems. I've seen multiple reaction youtubers getting confused when he still struggles in subsequent episodes- didn't he just get over that? But the realizations he comes to really are baby steps. He practices his skills for building independence and confidence but doesn't quite get there . . . he's saved either physically or emotionally by Millie or Blitz (even Loona in Ghostfuckers, though that's more of a joke). And then the underlying problems remain.

I want to get deeper into the M&M dynamic and what this all might mean for the pregnancy plotline and their relationship going forward in another post. But for now, I guess I'll conclude by saying that there's some problem avoidance happening, which gives fans a false sense of security, and Moxxie's mental health situation might get worse before it can truly get better.

Update: Part 2 is here.

[xuchiya]

"Dance with me" || park seonghwa || one-shot

| genre: non!idol ateez. fluff. slice of life | mentions: teasing. fainting. jewelry gift. | This is literally my high school delusions. My old school is literally an 'old school' school like no phones and computers, being in a relationship is not allowed, and big ass windows as our source of fans--- i mean we do have electric fans and ceiling fans but with the weather and a very old, close to dying, e-fans? We really have to depend on the wind from our windows. Anyways, this list is basically a true experience. My personal favorite? Song Mingi's.

To visualize the story, here: How I imagine

The festival had ended with a loud bang. It is a celebration of the schools’ founding anniversary. Old students came and celebrated—even shared some advice in looking for a university and how to pass their entrance exam or stories about how they made the head school minister angry because of them not attending the last day of practice in graduation. 

“Hey! Ms. Naduranta asks for you to be part of the cotillion, have you given them the permission slip?” You snapped out of your thoughts when Seonghwa spoke, not even looking up from his work, he was facing your desk instead of his. He was jotting down notes that he missed last monday and is in a hurry to finish it before the practice for the promenade happens and he doesn’t need to overwork himself to comply with his missing requirements.

You shake your head, sighing. You were over the moon to be part of the dance but you have no confidence at all. Placing your pen beside your notebook as Seonghwa continues to write down his notes, looking at him. “I’m a bad dancer and besides, my absence could be a chance for the others to join.”

This time, Seonghwa looks up from his work, scoffing, playfully tapping the pen on your forehead. You mouth a small ‘ow’ before rubbing it off, “You are one of the good dancers here. Ms. Naduranta is the one asking for you; it means she has a feeling that you will win the crown for the night.”

You scoff this time, leaning back on your chair. “I’m bad and there’s nothing stopping me.” Seonghwa eyes you in judgement before shrugging, continuing his work, “Whatever.”

Prom. It was the event every senior anticipated, and Park Seonghwa, being in charge of the sound system, was busier than ever. He darted in and out of the classroom, monitoring the songs and equipment, leaving you alone to complete your notes and requirements, which he would later borrow to catch up.

Despite the demands of the upcoming event, Seonghwa remained by your side. He knew about your social butterfly still inside its cocoon, no anytime of the day will it try to come out of it. Though, there were times you spoke about you not including his obligation in his daily life but he debunked your words and chose to stay with you. No matter what, he speaks highly of you, he mentions things about ‘that’s her favorite’ or ‘she does not like that’.

Everyone thought you were his girlfriend; well, you are his childhood friend. Don’t get yourself wrong on this because he is popular as the school’s heartthrob and you feared he might drift away into the spotlight, surrounded by admirers, but like mention he stayed with you. Still, the envious glares of others sometimes made you question how long it would last.

You walk inside the room, already expecting the class to be half full since all morning classes were cancelled to prepare for the prom, and you were selected to participate in the dance. 

Seonghwa saw you, sliding the door close of your classroom, before walking towards the direction of the auditorium. He smiles, his heart speeding at the sight of you, holding the box of chords and extensions for the sound system, “Goodmorning, where are you going?”

You look up, rubbing your arm, as the chilly morning nips on your skin, “Good morning Seonghwa, I’m on my way to the auditorium.” 

Nodding his head, hiding his excitement because Seonghwa knew you accepted the offer after 4 days of considering joining. He heard from Ms. Naduranta about your acceptance and now every day, if he only knew this is what he has to see every day, Seonghwa watched you practice with your partner, his jaw tightening with an unfamiliar feeling that gnawed at him. He couldn't shake the discomfort—the way your partner held your hand, how you smiled during the routine—it stirred something deep inside him. 

His heart pounded harder each time, the jealousy creeping up uninvited. It wasn’t just about the dance. Seonghwa felt a possessive pull, an intense need to keep you close, fearing that someone else might steal you away, even though he never doubted your loyalty as a friend.

He wouldn't have let you join but he re-considers it after seeing you all smiley and interactive with other students.

Finally, on the day when you were alone in the auditorium, waiting for the others to join practice, a quiet settled over the room. You wandered over to the table where the sound system was set up, but there was no sign of Seonghwa. Curiosity getting the better of you, you sat down on the table and picked up his MP3 player. As you scrolled through his playlist, you found several old songs—tracks you both used to listen to when you were younger. Nostalgia washed over you as you stopped at one song and pressed play. The soft melody echoed throughout the auditorium, filling the empty space.

‘You’re just too good to be true …’ Your ears were satisfied with the soft music. These past days you were having a headache and earache as the loud music blares, almost to the point you have to yell to the others.

“Feeling a bit nostalgic eh?” Seonghwa's voice interrupted your thoughts. He emerged from the sound system room. You looked up, giggling, "I thought you deleted this one!"

He scoffs, placing his hand inside his blazer, "Why would I delete that?"

You rose an eyebrow, "Because you said it's not your type of music?" But truth to be told, all your favorite music were inside the MP3 as well, he hears you playing them every weekend. Including the one playing currently. His hand extended toward you, "May I?"

You meet his gaze, and without hesitation, you placed your hand in his. He guided you into a dance, your hands gliding above your heads, arms brushing against one another before he took your hand and spun you around. The dance was graceful, almost effortless, as if you had rehearsed it a thousand times. With every step, your heartbeat quickened, but not from the dance—it was from being so close to him. The warmth of his hand in yours, the way his eyes never left your face, made you realize that your feelings for him had grown deeper than just childhood friendship. You had always known he was special to you.

As the song drew to a close, Seonghwa led you into the final move of the dance. With a smooth dip, he cradled you gently in his arms, your faces inches apart. His eyes searched yours, and in that moment, you saw the same affection reflected back at you.

“I like you; you know?” he whispered, his voice steady, filled with sincerity. Seeing you in the arms of your partner, just a minute, he might not like the words will come out and guarantee himself inside the principal's office. So, with a small courage, he had spoken those words that he hid for a long time.

Before you could respond, he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, sealing the confession with a tender gesture.

The dance ended, but the moment lingered in the air, and you knew that despite everything—his popularity, the attention from others—his heart belonged to you, just as yours did to him.

Smiling softly, running your fingers on his jaw, tapping his forehead with your forefinger, "Took you long enough, Seonghwa."

[syrusinthedust]

Au where all of the characters played by Kim Whalen in the Hatchetfield Series are all supernatural and connected.

Like, Holloway we know is a witch and yeah some of them already have some supernatural connection, but like, I want more.

Becky Barnes is absolutely some kind of guardian Angel given she’s a warrior of light. She, along with Holloway, is the person who the others go to for help relating to supernatural stuff and injuries.

Girl Jeri gave birth to a hairy creature that lives in the woods, she’s a werewolf. The lumber-axe man has just lost his mind fully into the wolf, even when in human form, and now Jeri goes wolf to try to protect the kids at camp.

Stacy is that one friend who has like a sixth sense for people but it’s literally a sixth sense. She somehow hasn’t realized she’s psychic despite multiple other people directly telling her.

Karen Chasity is Also a werewolf and is related to Girl Jeri (And has a bad track record with controlling herself on the full moon, thus the cannibalism claim in hatchet town).

Miss Mullberry is theater teacher who goes “caw-caw” at some point. Make her into a half bird. Like a crow person, but nighthawk. She’s been banned from running the lost and found because she keeps on just taking the shiny stuff in it.

Liz Cunnigham we don’t know too much about other than helping charities and that she was once from clivesdale. So, since she was once a chemist, let’s make her into an actual Chemist who sells her products as a small company and that’s why they’re big enough to help charities and be in the honey festival.

Now I just need to figure out Sylvia, Jenny, Reese, and Miss Tessburger.

[the-starry-seas]

Hey there dear !

It's a tusken day apparently today (the best kind of days) so now I have a headcanon question and I love your hcs and worldbuilding. So what do you think the Tuskens relationship with the sky and stars would be ? Especially since you know, Tatooine has two Suns and I'm sure the most beautiful night skies too.

Oh! Yes! I have headcanons indeed 😂

Astronavigation is pretty much the only system the Tuskens use. Because like, Tatooine used to be an ocean planet, got glassed by an orbital bombardment, and then that glass dissolved into sand. I can't imagine there's many landmarks left after that level of destruction. But while the planet's surface was getting completely fucked over, the stars in the system stayed the same! So it was pretty much the only reliable way to navigate Tatooine while the planet underwent its apocalyptic reshuffling.

Eventually, the geography of the planet settled down. They figured out which mountains disappeared, and where there's big new pillars of glass and slag, and navigating via landmark is now something that can be reliably done...

When there's landmarks in the first place. Book of Boba Fett showed what was pretty much a featureless desert wasteland. Sand dunes move over time. Even at the rate of moving ten feet a year, that's gonna be thirty or forty miles for a single dune. Very hard to have geographical landmarks or manmade markers in that kind of terrain.

Tatooine's night skies are stunning. Check out this pic by the National Park Service. 95% of Tatooine counts as an excellent dark sky site. The names and legends behind constellations have been perfectly preserved since Tatooine's pre-desert time. It was the only thing that could stay exactly the same when quite literally the rest of the world was being destroyed. Very little of their culture could be retained so exactly, so star lore is extremely important to Tuskens! The suns, moons, and stars feature heavily in mythology, fiction, and art.

Constellations are also used to illustrate relationships and navigate grief. For example, a family with three kids will find a constellation of five stars, one to represent each member of their immediate family. Even when a family member dies, the star that represents them is never separated from the others, which is particularly helpful for young Tuskens facing their first loss.

This is also a great way to illustrate how, just like each constellation is connected to the rest of the sky, each family is connected to the rest of their clan, and each clan is connected to Tuskens as a whole. A star is never alone. Neither is a Tusken!

The three moons are named after the Kumumgah brothers who led the army that repelled the Rakata. Tatooine keeps a lunar calendar of 304 days, with ten months making up a year. The months vary in length by up to a week, based on the phases of the moons. Festivals fall on a full, half, or new moon. The last day of the year is marked by the only day on which all three are a new moon at the same time. Historically, this has also unofficially been a lover's festival, as the darkness is a great cover for couples to sneak off together without anyone seeing.

Unlike the moons, the suns have never had any specific names. Since pre-Tusken times, however, they've been referred to as a male-female couple in mythology, songs, and everything in between. The two sun symbolism features heavily in wedding ceremonies' spoken rites and visual decorations.

As a result, both the two suns and the colour yellow have come to represent loyalty and love in all relationship types. Pairs of round yellow 'sun beads' are exchanged as promises of lifelong fidelity between siblings, friends, and spouses. Often a proposal is done by gifting a bracelet woven from yellow fabric or embroidered with yellow beads. Clothes worn by couples at their wedding ceremony have two suns prominently featured in some way - to not have them is bad luck!

Polycules typically use the same symbolism since it's so culturally ingrained. However, some will pick out constellations with the proper number of stars, just like families do. In four-person polycules, it's common to double existing two-sun patterns.

Wearing clothing with only one sun is used to indicate that a person is in mourning for someone they loved deeply. The mourning period lasts until this piece of clothing is burned.

[chaifootsteps]

I have previously also made my own post about it, but I wanna point out that Vivziepop has claimed Stolas will get his comeuppance, but there is no way a genuine callout is happening soon, and all previous ones seem to have been deemed invalid by the narrative Octavia (Loo Loo Land / Seeing Stars) - If comforted by another character saying that Stolas means well and that he won't leave her, Not Valid Striker - (Harvest Moon Festival / Western Energy) Is deemed as antagonist and constantly villainized and called a hypocrite for working for a royal, Not Valid Blitz (Full moon) - Almost immediately apologizes after Stolas begins to 'cry', just framed as lashing out by the narrative, Not Valid Blitz (Apology tour) - Framed as Blitz being salty after Stolas rejects his advances (side note that scene felt incredibly OOC for Blitz), Not Valid Octavia (Future episode) - If the leaks are to be believed, she demonized the anti-depressants, so if this will be valid, Vivse would be ableist against depression, plus is likely considered her mother and uncle's manipulation, so most likely not valid So if Stolas will be called out, then when, and how will it be different?! Just really upset Stolas hasn't been called out validly at all once despite them both being in the wrong according to Vivziepop and Blitz having been called out, twice-ish (I don't know feels weird to rewatch episodes so I don't remember)

Well put. The fandom's acting like this big, serious callout is waiting right around the corner, that Stolas is definitely going to undergo what Blitzo went through in Apology Tour. I guess it's technically possible, anything is, but every single time the narrative looks like it's about to go in that direction, there's a hard pivot backwards. Literally every person who's ever criticized Stolas in-universe has been portrayed as unambiguously in the wrong.

If Viv wanted to call out Stolas's behavior and actually have it stick, she would have by now. But she hasn't, because in her mind, he's done very little, if anything, wrong.

[polyshipweek]

Polyship Week '24 - Day Six Prompts

We are (less than) four weeks away from #PolyshipWeek24, and it’s time to take a closer look at the prompts!

Day Six

Queer Disabled Polyam For this prompt, we're spotlighting polyships with queer and disabled characters! Write about a character adapting to a new disability, or one for whom disability is an old familiar companion. Show us those little everyday annoyances, the big frustrations, the adaptive tech and accommodations, and most of all, the way the members of your ship make space for and support one another.

Parties Time to celebrate! Birthdays, holidays, victory celebrations, class reunions, play parties, house parties, afternoon tea parties, or all-night raves — whatever the occasion, show us your polycule at their most festive! Who's the wallflower of the group? Who's made three new friends in the first five minutes? Who brings the best dessert to the potluck? Who should never be allowed to control the aux? Let the good times roll!

Kink Discovery The path from "oh, that better not awaken anything..." to "new kink unlocked" is often a short one, and this prompt is all about those moments of kinky enlightenment. Shows us those first times trying something new, those vulnerable fantasy reveals, and those times your blorbos trip and fall into something that makes their brains go brrrr. Sexual and non-sexual kinks are both welcome for this prompt!

Tight Squeeze Throw your ship into an awkward situation — literally! Redraw a frame from this iconic Sailor Moon scene or explore a time your polyship got stuck in close quarters. Are they hiding from bad guys? Breaking and entering? Stuck in a trash compactor? Maybe the proximity helps them finally confess their feelings, or just ratchets the tension through the roof — or maybe they're an established ship and happy to take advantage of the snug conditions.

As a reminder, feel free to make any kind of fanwork for any of the prompts, mash them up, or do your own thing entirely. Check out the 2024 Masterpost for the full prompt list!

[mono-blogs-art]

Revue Starlight Sports Festival Draft!

As you know, the big Stage Girl Sports Festival Revival will take place in February - literally just a full day event of the various cast members of Revue Starlight (from anime, game, and stage plays) will participate in a funky pretend-highschool sports festival. Today the full teams were decided via draft stream!

The team leaders had previously been announced:

Koyama Momoyo (Aijo Karen, Seisho) - Yellow Team "ZERO" Tomita Maho (Tendo Maya, Seisho) - Blue Team "This is..." Nomoto Hotaru (Yukishiro Akira, Siegfeld) - Red Team "HOT" Nanaki Kanon (Yanagi Koharu, Seiran) - Green Team "shuThuarunomi" (集中あるのみ; "sTay focused")

Also quite funny to me that 3 of the team leaders (all but Maho) are former Sera Myu performers... the Sailor Moon squad has taken over

As is tradition at this point, ensemble member Jinko Moe is the MC for this stream and explains the rules. In the first two rounds, all leaders are free to pick 1 stage girl of their chosing per round from the roster as their top picks. If any chose the same person, they will have to decide by draft - the loser can then choose freely again. After round 2, all other rounds are chosen by draft completely by luck. We already knew not all cast members are going to be there so not every stage girl is available for chosing. Suzuko Mimori (Hikari), Emiri Kato (Tsukasa) and Shiina Hekiru (Souda-sensei) are going to be the MCs at the event, so they won't be participating as athletes either. Also, Tsukui Minami (Suzu) and Kobayashi Yuka (Yakumo-sensei) are a "2 for 1" deal, as they won't be able to make the whole event (iirc).

Team Zero's name is the most easily explained. Moyo gets a lot of praise from her colleagues and chat for her genius team logo design. The E is a crown with tomato jewels... I'm in awe

Maho explains the pronunciation of her team: The "..." is performed dramatically with the eyes, like the above. Lol

Nossan's design of course features Hot-kun, Akira's favourite food & beloved plushie. The Hot-kun icon is actually the inside of a chili, not a sun. Apparently.

Kanon struggled quite a bit with finding a team name, and after consulting with the other leaders in their Line chat group, she wanted a good Koharu line as the team name. Koharu's "うるさい." ("Shut up.") came to mind, but she thought that was too rude for a team name, so shuchuarunomi it became. She placed a big T (position zero!) for the "ch" sound. Complicated, but clever.

Time for drawing the teams! In round 1, everyone is asked to present their top picks for their team.

Moyo's is: MATSUZAWA! Aka Matsuzawa Kanon, who plays Shiro from Siegfeld Middle School!

Maho's is the one and only Sato Hinata - student council president of Seisho herself, Hoshimi Junna.

Nossan's top pick is: Ikuta Teru of Futaba fame!! And funnily enough...

Kanon's pick is also Teru!!! She even drew a tiny Ponzu (Teru's dog) to sway the public. The crowd goes wild. They have to let fate decide who wins over Teru for their team, and Nossan comes out on top. So Kanon gets to choose again, and her next free pick is Haruchan! Aka her fellow Photon Maiden bestie, Iwata Haruki of Mahiru fame.

Time for round 2, and last round of free picks! Again, Moyo goes first.

Moyo's second pick is Saeki Iori, who plays Rinmeikan's Yuyuko!

Maho's second pick is Sasaki Mikoi aka Mikoron, Shizuha of Frontier!

Nossan's next pick is Koizumi Moeka aka Moepii, who plays the one and only Banana! Complaints from the other leaders are heard for her making her team too strong. Lol. We'll see about that.

Kanon's pick is Kuge Kokoro of the Siegfeld Middle Schoolers, who plays Minku! No overlaps this time, so everyone gets their first pick!

The next picks are all made by random draft, so it's really just up to luck. Kanon is praying to get at least one other Seiran member for her heart. Everyone is praying not to get Aiai (lmao). Kanon manages to draw Tsumutsumu, another Photon Maiden member, making it a 3/4 for her team (with the fourth PM member, Hinata, sitting in Maho's team). For Nossan, she manages to draw two people very close to her - Ozaki Yuka (Michiru) and Kadoyama Yoko (Hisame), two of Akira's girlfriends. Moyo gets both of the Yumeoji siblings. Maho gets to draw her bestie's wife, KDHR. Kanon's wish is fulfilled by drawing the 2for1 duo of Minami&Kobayashi, her fellow Seirans. The crowd goes wild when Nossan draws Aiai, her team being declared the noisiest for sure (they're not wrong, this will be utter chaos).

Final distribution:

Yellow Team "Zero": Koyama Momoyo (leader; Karen), Matsuzawa Kanon (Shiro), Saeki Iori (Yuyuko), Tono Hikaru (Shiori), Fukagawa Ruka (Ryoko), Kurachi Reo (Fumi)

Blue Team "This is...": Tomita Maho (leader; Maya), Sato Hinata (Junna), Sasaki Mikoi (Shizuha), Ito Ayasa (Kaoruko), Kudo Haruka (Yachiyo), Takeuchi Yume (Mei Fan)

Red Team "HOT": Nomoto Hotaru (leader; Akira), Ikuta Teru (Futaba), Koizumi Moeka (Nana), Ozaki Yuka (Michiru), Kadoyama Yoko (Hisame), Aiba Aina (Claudine)

Green Team "shuThuarunomi": Nanaki Kanon (leader; Koharu), Iwata Haruki (Mahiru), Kuge Kokoro (Minku), Tsumugi Risa (Rui), Sato Yuria (Kuina), Tsukui Minami (Suzu) & Kobayashi Yuka (Yakumo-sensei)

Info & Graphics can be found on the official Revstar twt , the stream was archived so you can watch the shenanigans yourself here!

[fizziepopangel]

Fizzie’s Top 10: Top 10 Favorite Helluva Boss Scenes & Why

Blitz blending his phone after Stolas starts talking dirty to him (pilot)

With Blitz being someone who often times is vulgar and always seems to have a dirty joke or one-liner for every situation, I love the idea of him being made that uncomfortable with something being said, especially something said by Stolas since the demon prince is usually written to be quite the opposite of Blitz, usually being quite eloquent and regal in the way he talks.I also think the look on the imp’s face during this scene was fucking priceless.

Blitz & Moxxie’s fight with Striker (The Harvest Moon Festival)

I think the fight scenes in Helluva Boss are usually really good in general, but I personally love this scene because I think the entire setup for Striker’s true intentions was really good and I loved seeing the more badass side of Moxxie for once.

Millie ‘pulling a shrek’ in her own way (Exes And Oohs)

I love watching people go feral for the ones they love, and Millie went absolutely fucking insane for that man. Like I love how hard she went for her man, especially because I love seeing strong female characters this way, especially when they’re not just strong, but strong too.

The I.M.P gangs fight & Stolas’ rescue scene (Truth Seekers)

This fight scene was literally one of my favorite scenes in so far in the series. Like literally *chef’s kiss*, love it. I love seeing each character being do their own thing and do it well, and I also love seeing Blitz just being his usual ‘I love my work family’ self + I loved seeing Stolas go feral for his man (much like I loved Millie doing it for Moxxie), especially since this is the only time we see him in this light, even going into his full demon form.

Loona putting Blitz to bed (Queen bee)

This scene is so important to Loona and Blitz’s father-daughter relationship! Like it truly showed a softer side of Loona, which we almost never get to see, and we got to see a more vulnerable side of their relationship.

Stella admitting that she just likes being an abusive person & Stolas standing up for himself (The Circus)

This is one of the best Stella scenes in my opinion because I love that she openly admits she just likes being an evil bitch. She really just likes being the cause of her husband’s suffering. Like there’s no big backstory that builds up to why she is the way she is, she was that way prior to him cheating on her, and now she just uses the cheating as a way to add to her tormenting of the man. I love when villains are written that way. And a female villain like that, to me is even better. I also really like that it pushes the narrative that the abuse was worse when the two were alone (as abusive relationships tend to be), because while we see Stella put her husband down, throw things at him, wish death upon him, publicly humiliate him, and even hire an assassin to off him, this is the only time we actually see her raise her hand to him herself; something that she was far too comfortable doing for it to have been the first time. I also love how shocked she seems to be when Stolas finally decides that he won't be made into her personal punching bag because not only is it a big moment character-wise for him, but it really solidifies Stella's hatred since you can see on her face that this is the first time that he's truly stood up to her and something about that does not sit well with her.

Blitz’s flashback to when he adopted Loona (Seeing Stars)

Despite it being Blitz’s flashback, me liking this scene had so much more to do with it furthering Loona’s backstory than anything it had to do with Blitz. I love how it explained her current attitude and behavior and showed more genuine emotional responses for the hellhound outside of just pure rage. It also shows just how far Loona has come when you compare where she seemed to be when Blitz took her in vs where she is now in the series.

Moxxie’s gas station fight (Western Energy)

Moxie’s badassery genuinely showed here. No help needed, and I love that for him.

M&M & Striker’s fight (Western Energy)

I loved seeing M&M work together for this fight, rather than Millie just playing the part of her husband’s savior as she normally does. And I like that they were fairly evenly matched for the most part….. And I’m not gonna lie, Striker’s face when Moxxie made things a little *cough cough* harder during the fight lives rent free in my mind. I even got a sticker of his face at that moment because of how much I loved that.

Blitz seeing that Stolas had gotten hurt (Western Energy)

I love, love, LOVE  this scene because i love those little moments when we see Blitz truly care about someone in his life. And we see that in this scene because this is the first time we see him genuinely see Stolas even near his level, seeing him as someone who he can and may lose at some point in time. It’s the first time we see a glimpse of how much Blitz cares about the prince…. And I think it’s the first time it really hits the imp too.

Bonus:

House of Asmodeus song (Ozzie’s)

The entire I.M.P jingle and video (pilot)

Striker’s theme song & his outburst at the tiny imps (Western Energy)

Truth gas hallucinations (Truth Seekers)

The songs in this series just hit different if I’m being honest. House of Asmodeus is playing on loop as I write this because it’s just that good. So these are my favorite song scenes in the series so far.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Oh yeah, me and my classmates watched Mech Cadets before I rewatched it at home and now I owe my bbf 10 pesos. My savings are DYING rn

[Zhenni'er's powers include: unexpected rizz. ]

She got that Alexander Hamilton kinda rizz, and great vocals too!

[Macaque in the TMKATI au ends up having really long/thick fur with big streaks of white in his hair and tail that intensify in the winter months. Wukong will spend literal hours helping his moonlight groom his fur, no complaints.]

I think Jiyu likes to have fun with Macaque's seasonally changes.

"yo, Mac! Is it that time of the year again when you look like a grandmother?"

"Jiyu, you shouldn't be talking. Your hair is full-on white."

"yeah, but I'm albino, PLUS I don't have great-great-grandchildren."

The Thanksgiving clapbacks Jiyu and Macaque have against each other is WILD. Sibling rivalry kinda stuff.

Akino def is excited for Thanksgiving every year because of the violating clapbacks. She doesn't even dare to speak cuz she's scared she gon' be the turkey instead of eating it.

previous Zhenni'er post + Macaque having seasonal fur changes.

any amount of money owed feels like a lot

China doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving (unless you count american expats), but I've heard that the Moon Festival acts very similarly. Family members forced to interact over dinner is bound to lead to some in-fighting.

In the regular TMKATI au; Mac is only a parent (grandparent later), but you know friends and family are gonna make fun of his "skunk stripes". XD

Nezha, mad at being kept at the Kids Table: "Bride of Frankenstein-looking ass..." Macaque, not even looking: *shadow portals a sandal straight at him* Wukong: "Great shot, plums."

[warningsine]

Drawing from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Lois Patiño’s film features a 15-minute light-and-sound interlude in which viewers can join the star on his journey to the afterlife

Lois Patiño had been thinking about phantoms when he came up with the idea for a film that people could watch with their eyes closed. The director’s first two features, 2013’s Coast of Death and 2020’s Red Moon Tide, showed the coastal landscape of his native Galicia in sweeping, spectral glory. Myths, ghosts and omens of death swirl as locals recall stories of shipwrecks, fishermen lost at sea, and rumours of a legendary sea monster.

“I’ve been digging into contemplative cinema,” says Patiño, 40, of his earlier work, “and wanted to go further into this idea of an introspective, meditative experience.” He began thinking about “the idea of the invisible in cinema. Suddenly, this very literal idea of making a film to watch with your eyes closed appeared.”

Samsara – its title is a reference to Buddhist notions of the cycle of life, death and rebirth – opens in Luang Prabang, in northern Laos, where a teenager regularly visits an ailing elderly woman named Mon. He reads her passages from the Bardo Thodol, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, a text that is meant to be read aloud, guiding the dead towards rebirth. He also meets up with a friend who is studying in one of the city’s many Buddhist monasteries, and they walk across forests and waterfalls, talking about their future aspirations (the monk hopes to study computers; the teenager wants to become a rapper).

As Mon says her farewells and dies – she hopes to be reincarnated as an animal – there is a 15-minute interlude that asks viewers to close their eyes and journey with her through the afterlife. We then emerge on the other side to join a family living on the coast of Zanzibar, the bright blue ocean in view. A young girl is delighted. A baby goat has just been born.

Samsara premiered in the UK at the London film festival in October, screening at the BFI Imax, a setting that showed how well the film – immersive, detailed, sensorial – fitted the big screen. Landscapes shimmer in full grandeur; sounds blare out of speakers with deliberately varied degrees of intensity. Speaking the day after the premiere, Patiño recalls that the closed-eye film idea lay dormant for a year or two, until he came across the Bardo Thodol, which sparked an interest in “how different cultures imagine the afterlife, how they relate to death”. Pairing a closed-eye sequence with a story about the afterlife felt like “the perfect match”.

Then he had to decide on the locations. “I needed a Buddhist culture,” he says, given the significance of the Bardo Thodol. He was intrigued by Laos, as he says its history is not too well-known in Spain (Thailand, he suggests, was also a no-go given the famously meditative and spiritual work of Thai film-maker Apichatpong Weerasethakul.) Patiño wanted the second part of the film to show a very different world, and inspiration struck after he was invited to Tanzania to give a film workshop. He spent 12 days shooting in Luang Prabang, eight in Zanzibar. He arrived with a crew of three from Spain. The rest of the production, camera crew and actors were locals – a decision he attributes to the film’s low budget, and his desire to tread lightly. “We were very aware of our position of power being from Europe,” he says, and mentions the collaborative nature of the process, which included checking scripts with the crew and actors. “We were lucky they trusted us and our intentions. I think it is important we have dialogue and curiosity” across cultures, he says, “otherwise if we just focus on our own cultural identity … nationalism grows”.

Mixing documentary and fiction, the film blends scripted scenes with sequences where people “speak freely”, including a lengthy conversation in which women at a Zanzibar seaweed farm air frustrations about their work – water from the nearby hotel contaminates the crop; the men don’t do this work because it is thankless. Discussions of death and different mourning rites crop up throughout the film, as does the idea of people being on the brink of major shifts. The young monk in Laos is just about to turn 18, Patiño tells me, at which point he’ll have to decide whether he wants to stay on in the monastery. These stories speak to the film’s broader desire to prompt people to consider their own choices, and whether there are different ways to live. It is Patiño’s “hope”, as a director, “to open [up] what we think of how life can be lived.”

Though it is “viewed” with closed eyes, the screen during Samsara’s afterlife interlude is constantly changing, full of bright flashing multicoloured lights, and sounds weaving in and out. Patiño was inspired by American light and movement artist James Turrell: “I saw Breathing Light in LA, and you felt like you were inhaling and exhaling light.” He also mentions avant garde British-Canadian artist Brion Gysin’s 1959 creation dreamachine, the first work of art to be experienced with closed eyes. The machine was made of a rotating slotted cylinder fitted around a lightbulb. As the cylinder spun, light from the bulb would flicker across the viewer’s closed lids.

Meanwhile, the audio follows a two-part structure: the first section is the film’s sound artist Xabier Erkizia’s interpretation of descriptions of the afterlife in the Bardo Thodol, while the second part plays recordings that Erkizia had taken across the world throughout his career – a girl and her grandfather speaking in Switzerland, a woman cooking in Timor – to represent places where Mon’s soul is tempted to reincarnate. The section is “full of little secrets”, says Patiño.

Samsara is the most narrative-driven film of Patiño’s so far. Bridging the worlds of video art and art cinema, his works often feature landscapes at a slow pace, and have sometimes done away with narrative entirely. A Guardian review of Red Moon Tide observed “the trance-like pacing and mystical meditation might frustrate viewers looking for an easy watch”. Is there something about making meditative films that appeals to him in today’s fast-moving world? The draw, he says, is more about “finding my own way of looking into physical reality” – bringing to mind the way a painter might draw out the fine details in a landscape.

But he understands that “asking people to close their eyes for 15 minutes, when they can see 2,000 shots in that time” is quite an ask, almost a “kind of resistance”. Then again, “there’s always someone in the audience who comes to me and says, ‘I will never forget this experience.’” Why does he think that is? “Suddenly they are asked to close their eyes in a film – and they discover something amazing.”

[missyourflight]

some stuff i read and watched in june:

taskmaster (s1-5): haven't done an early seasons rewatch in so long, s4 and 5 are basically perfect 2 me. incredible that mark watson manages to be both my favourite type of taskmaster guy (hopelessly despairing) and also nearly won the thing lol. nish forever obviously

silo: got well into this! probably at some point apple will stop throwing millions at sci-fi shows but i'm going to enjoy their folly in the meantime

mission: impossible ii: hadn't seen this one! the weakest of the lot but the john woo of it all is undeniable

mission: impossible iii: PSH outrageously good as the villain, hi keri russell

mission: impossible - ghost protocol: so much fun, especially the sequences where you can see brad bird's animation brain going

mission: impossible - rogue nation: ILSA my beloved, the opera sequence is so gorgeous, no notes!

mission: impossible - fallout: it's good when henry cavill reloads his arms, it's better when tom cruise is sprinting around london rooftops and breaking his ankle etc, my most basic trait is that i Love when they're in london like oooh tate modern. anyway i'm very ready for dead reckoning

asteroid city: the bits about making art really got to me! the vending machines were cool!

joint security area: crash landing on you prepared me for this, blank check weren't lying when they said it was homoerotic, song kang-ho forever etc

dodie smith, the town in bloom: the most delightful narrative voice i've read in Ages and v funny. easy to sell me on 1920s theatrical shenanigans

k patrick, mrs s: So hot and butch, i liked the butch friendship stuff almost more than the sex stuff. more sexy lesbian novels Please

kj charles, the secret lives of country gentlemen: another winner from KJC, my most reliable romantic comfort reads. this time it's smugglers!

alice slater, death of a bookseller: sticky little thriller about being poisoned by true crime, great sense of place, So many pints of dark fruits

laura kay, wild things: bisexual disaster in love with her best friend, tragically very me- and also george russell-coded, god i want to swim in a pond again

SOME STUFF I SAW AT ROCK WERCHTER

the dj on the first nigt who played a mash up of i'm gonna be (500 miles) into temperature and then the 1d cover of one way or another into little lion man (deeply cursed fandom flashbacks etc)

weyes blood with candelabras and glowing hearts and amazing adam curtis projections on the big screen behind her

king princess sending the gay girls of belgium absolutely wild - "you wanna hear a sad lesbian song?"

matty healy is a dickhead but he's very good at being the frontman of the 1975. like if ben whishaw was straight and kind of disgusting

stormzy!!! literally the rain was pouring during blinded by your grace pt 2

mumford and sons - this whole festival was like being borne back ceaseless into the past but the cave still fucks me up, marcus really in his ken marino era, face-wise

PUP - i do believe if this tour doesn't kill you, i will to be a wholly perfect song, they had a trans flag on stage, best vibes of the festival

sigur ros - sometimes you just want to be in a massive barn with thousands of people with your faces turned up in the dark feeling like you're inside the sound somehow

muse - fucking incredible live band still!! every time i'm see them i'm floored by how hot chris the bassist is and then i forget about it and then i see them again and i'm poleaxed etc. they had a tech meltdown during knights of cydonia at the encore so we got showbiz instead!!

christine and the queens - beautiful and terrible as the dawn

jacob collier - asked if we wanted to get funky then put on a special hat, bit george russell-coded in the face

arctic monkeys - sometimes you just want to be in a field with one of your oldest friends singing the songs of your youth!! i love the 70s act actually! there are so many sexy songs on AM!! the skies finally cleared for the beautiful full moon, thank you belgium, good night

[youraverageaemondsimp]

Heellooo. I have a thought and I want to speak out.

Do you remember the Disney movie about Maleficent? So...

You live in the dark wilds of the old forests, together with your people. You have a wonderful, kind, friendly society, that protects each other and the whole world around you. All of you, this is one big family. A big family, that loves and cherishes each other. And the most beautiful thing, is that you don't need to communicate with words. You all understand each other without words. Gestures, looks, facial expressions. Your people literally feel each other in their gut. You are all connected from birth and even after death. Of course, you have claws, horns, fangs to defend yourself. But you have no one to defend yourself from. The whole world is around you, it's your home. Your huge forest, swamps, rivers, mountains, seas, sky, it's all your home and everyone who lives there, your friends and family. And also, of course, you don't want to brag, but your best friend is the chosen one. In ancient legends it was said about her. She will bring even greater benefits to your society. And you're thrilled about it. Her initiation ceremony, one of the most exciting days of your life. You're so proud of her. And her fiance. You've already been appointed their children's godmother. By the Gods, you're the happiest monster in the whole world.

Yes, you're a monster. And you know about it. Humans, creatures, who came to this world much later, than your kind, appointed you terrible monsters and fought against you. But, personally, you're not angry. You don't care about humans.

From today, the time of celebration in the name of the chosen one begins. It's a wonderful time. You're so glad.

You've decided, you want to dress up. But not to be brighter, than the chosen one. Now is her time, and you want her to enjoy it to the fullest. You are actively participating in the preparation for the ceremony. You even agreed with her, that your outfits would be combined.

You decided, that you want to wear festive clothes all the days of the holiday. And so, jingling your jewelry, you flew to your favorite lake, to soak up the moonlight.

Once again, you're not bragging, but you like your huge and strong wings, you like your big, sharp and shiny horns. Especially decorated with jewels. And your claws are very beautiful. It cannot be said, that you are the most beautiful among your sisters, you even rather consider yourself the least attractive among them, because you admire your sisters, but, on the whole, you are pleased with yourself.

Unlike humans, you don't have the concept: "she's ugly!" You don't understand what "ugliness" means, you don't understand what "not beautiful" means. Everything in this world is beautiful. Even the disease is good, because it can be cured. Even death has its own charm, because it is a door, that opens the way to a new world, to new opportunities. You still feel everyone, who has left this world inside of you, in your heart. After all, you are all connected.

And so. You are lying on the soft, cool grass, stretched out to your full height and stretching out your wings. You feel good and calm. The light of the moon and the cool water of the lake, into which you dipped your fingers, filled you with pleasant, soothing sensations. You almost dozed off.

Now you hear the crackling of branches. You're looking towards the source of the noise. This is a human. A human male, with beautiful, long silver hair and... An eye patch? Well, okay. His presence does not bother you at all. After all, you know, that he will see you and run away. Humans are afraid of you. And even if he tries to get into a fight with you, you can either fly away or pierce him with claws, fangs or horns.

But he doesn't run away. He clearly sees you, but he doesn't run away in terror. You said, you can see him. In response, he just: "oh... My apologize." You shrugged and continued to enjoy your rest. This human male slowly approached you, as if you were ready to escape at any second, if he wasn't careful enough. He sat down next to the very tip of your flight feathers. He asked, if you'd mind talking to him. You sat down, gathered the wings behind your back and asked, what he wanted. The human male introduced himself, as Aemond Targaryen, crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms. "But, as I understand it, you are not interested in such titles," - he chuckled softly. In response, you nodded approvingly. He asked what your name was. You answered him, by telling him your name. Your dialogue has begun. Aemond turned out to be very nice and sweet to talk to. It was pleasant and interesting to listen to him. Although his excessive wariness with you, as if you were some kind of wild animal, annoyed you a little. But, you understand, he's struggling with his fear of your kind, it's fine.

Your communication has been going on for quite a long time. Aemond Targaryen, crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms, has become very dear to you. Now, you are very close, and you know a lot about each other. You were filled with warmth and tenderness for him. Although there was something dark and doubtful in him, but you decided, not to attach such a strong meaning to it. Maybe, you'll talk to him about it later.

You both often exchanged various gifts. He gave you books, that he loves, brought you flowers, from the royal gardens, treats, but he most of all, he liked to give you jewelry. And several times, he brought you dresses, such as the women of his world wear. It was a little strange feeling for you, to wear such a dress, but the way his eyes, oh... His eye, lit up, when he saw you in these dresses and jewelry, made you smile and sacrifice a piece of your comfort.

-You look like a true Princess... The most beautiful Princess, this world has ever seen. You could become a beautiful and unique, a true Queen...

One day, Aemond kissed you. He kissed you the same way, like the finance of the chosen one kisses her. Do you want to meet his parents? Aemond is in love with you. And he would be incredibly happy if his feelings are mutual. He's ready to marry you right now. If you want it, you could get married according to his traditions and according to your traditions.

Oh... A little unexpected...

You asked, if he was sure, that his kind, his world would take it well?

-They have no choice, my love. - Said the crown Prince, kissing the very tip of your flight feather. In response to your uncertainty, he he hugged you tightly, telling you, that his love for you, is stronger, than any silly fears and doubts.

Well, you like him too, so, maybe getting to know his parents should be postponed a little, but you let him love you tonight.

Later, you accept the ring from him. A small symbol of your love.

Aemond introduced you to his dragon. She seemed very nice, though a little grumpy. You obviously liked each other. Aemond is very happy with this. Everything works out in the best way.

Today, Aemond brought wine and various delicious treats. It's been three months of your special relationship, and he wants to celebrate it. How nice of him... Your lover has always been very attentive and sensitive to you, your feelings and desires. And you have already managed to think, that you are the only one, who has prepared a gift for this day... Aemond was too impatient today. But you thought it was funny and charming.

You woke up from the fact, that a strong current of air hits you in the face. You are wrapped in something, the wind is roaring in your ears, and your back is pressed against your flat chest. Aemond, noticing your awakening, kissed you on the top of the head and said, that you can sleep a little more, you will be home soon. Your eyes are heavy, your head is buzzing, your back and head and hands hurt. You forget yourself in an anxious dream again.

You're waking up again. What is this place? Where are you? Your heart is beating, like crazy. You jump to your feet, you want to rush to the balcony and fly home, but a wild pain pierces your back. You howl and fall to the floor. You hurt your head, which already hurts. And you see your hands. You're screaming in terror. Your claws are torn out! You somehow got up and saw your reflection in the glass of the balcony. Where are your horns?! Where are your wings?! They are torn out! Why?! What happened?!

A human woman, with red hair enters the room. And then Aemond. Aemond... Did he do this to you? Gods, it hurts!

Aemond comes up to you, wraps you in a blanket, because a Princess should not stand in front of a Queen in a nightgown. He takes you to the bed and sits you down. Calm down, dear, he will explain everything to you.

You look at a red-haired woman, and you see a painful mixture of emotions in her eyes and face. She is terrified, disgusted, confused. You look at her for support, but with her lips she says: "I'm so sorry..."

Aemond loves you so much... He's been watching you, since he was a little boy. He fell in love with you at first sight. And for so many years, was afraid to approach you. But his patience ran out. He needs you. He was so careful with you at first, because he was afraid, that he wouldn't hold back and would take you ahead of time. He's happy, that you reciprocated, but it's been more, than three months, and you haven't given him your consent to the wedding. It's so hard for him to wait! He loves you so much, that it hurts him! Yes, it's true, he tore out your claws, horns and wings. No, he adores them, they are beautiful, but thanks to them, you can escape from him. And he can't let that happen. He will die if you leave him! Yes, he had to cut down your fangs, because they are also dangerous. He can't allow you to be far away from him.

You ran your tongue over your teeth. They are really cut down. They are the same, as his...

He understands, how much it hurts you, darling, he's very sorry, but it's necessary! He loves you so much. He is very sorry, that he had to put sleeping powder in wine and treats, and put you to sleep. He apologizes, that he had to deprive you of wings, horns, claws and fangs, but it's all for the sake of your happy future!

You looked again at the red-haired woman, standing near the balcony. You can see, how her lower lip was trembling a little. You're assuming, it's his mother, Alicent. How did she let this happen? Why is she just standing there!

-My love, please, don't turn away from me. I love you, Y/n, I love you so much, that it hurts me. But this pain is beautiful. And your pain, - he gently runs his fingertips over what's left of your horns. - As beautiful, as mine... I love you. Too much time has passed. I can't wait any longer, my dear. I need you. I'm dying without you. I hope, you don't resent me for that. But I had to do it. Otherwise, you could have left me. And I won't let you do that. If I die. Without you, then so do you. I love you so much... We will always be together. My Princess. - Aemond kissed your mutilated fingers. - If there is a war between our kinds, then so be it. I won't let you go back there. This is your home. I'm your family. I won't give you to them. You're mine. My wife. Don't cry, my love, we will be very happy together. Don't cry, don't cry, my love. My sweet. My darling. My Princess.

WHAT THE FUCK AEMOND??? 😭😭😭😭 BRO THIS GUY IS INSANE TF, THIS IS WHAT THE READER GETS FOR LOVING HIM 😭

I'm gonna beat the shit out of him, I FELT SO BAD, THIS ASSHOLE.

SHE WASN'T GOING TO LEAVE YOU IDIOT, NOW IT WILL MAKE HER LEAVE BECAUSE YOU'RE STUPID OH MY GODDD

this was literally so good and i literally did not expect that ending, I NEED MORE!!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Re todays' full supermoon. (Per Moongiant.)

September Harvest Full Moon

September’s full moon is known as the Full Harvest Moon, as it is the full moon that is closest to the fall equinox. In the northern hemisphere, the Full Harvest Moon rises very soon after sunset, providing plenty of bright light for farmers harvesting their summer crops. September’s full moon is so well-known for its luminosity and brilliance that certain Native American tribes even named it the Big Moon. The Full Harvest Moon holds major cultural significance in many different communities, who spend this full moon not just celebrating the fall harvest, but also the moon itself.

The most widely known tradition associated with the Full Harvest Moon is the Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated by Chinese communities all around the world. It is also known as the Mooncake Festival. On the full moon night of the eighth lunar month, people gather with friends and family to admire the brilliant full moon while eating mooncakes and drinking tea. Mooncakes are a rich pastry traditionally filled with sweet bean paste or lotus seed paste, and sometimes even include salted egg yolks. The sweet osmanthus flower also blooms during this time, and is often used in teas and the reunion wine drunk when visiting with family. It is a common tradition to celebrate by carrying brightly colored lanterns, so you can often enjoy the beautiful sight of lanterns hanging in front of buildings or in parks, or sky lanterns floating towards the full moon.

There are many other variations on the Mid-Autumn Festival throughout Asia, including Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. The Japanese celebrate this full moon with the Tsukimi tradition (which literally means moon-viewing in Japanese), where people prepare offerings to the moon and eat round tsukimi dango, or rice dumplings. In Korea, this full moon is celebrated as Chuseok, which is one of Korea’s most major holidays, similar to Thanksgiving. People travel back to their hometowns for reunions with their family and tend to their ancestors’ graves. Traditional activities include exchanging gifts, playing folk games, drinking rice wine, and eating songpyeon, which is a rice cake shaped like a half-moon.

For most of the cultures that celebrate variants of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the desserts eaten during this festival are made using fruits, nuts, and grains harvested during this season. Similarly, the Full Harvest Moon is called the Nut Moon by the Cherokee tribes, who gather all sorts of nuts to make nut bread, which is eaten during harvest festivals such as the Ripe Corn Festival. During this moon, Native American tribes pay respects to Mother Earth for her generosity in providing food for her children, including corn and other staple foods.

Chinese communities, on the other hand, spend the Mid-Autumn Festival worshipping the Moon Goddess, Chang’e. According to legends about Chang’e, there used to be ten suns in the sky, which caused drought and suffering throughout the land. Houyi, a talented archer, shot down nine of the suns to save the world, and was rewarded with the position of emperor. Unfortuantely, he later became a malevolent tyrant, obsessed with the search for an immortality pill. In order to protect the common folk from being ruled over forever by a cruel emperor, his wife Chang’e stole the elixir of immortality from him during the full moon of the eighth lunar month. Enraged, Houyi chased after Chang’e, who swallowed the elixir to prevent Houyi from taking it. As a result, Chang’e became a deity herself and flew away to the moon, where she lives in a Moon Palace with her companion the Jade Rabbit, who pounds herbs in a pestle to help her create the elixir of immortality. Appropriately, the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program is named after Chang’e.

[thanks Ian Sanders]

[sixtymillionoverdueideas]

Literally doing this again because we can;;; :)))

NORI:

APHRODITE.   laughter-loving,      sweet  smiles,     dressed  in  silk  and  satin,    flower  in  their  hair,     sees  the  world  as  a  runway,     unapologetically  sexual,   the  sea  washing  their  ankles,     in  love  with  love,     stirrer  of  passion,  cunning  concealed  by  painted  lips,     secret  daggers,     doves,     revolution  in  their  kiss,   delighting  in  the  waves,    flirtatious  winks,     strolling  along  the  beach,    staring  wistfully  from  a  balcony, this  is  how  to  be  a  heartbreaker,     wants  to  be  adored,    gets  turned  on  by  danger.

APOLLO.   glitz  and  glamour,  art  galleries,   turning  the  volume  up,     being  made  of  gold,     neatly-organized  music  sheets,     notebooks  filled  with  poetry,    bathing  in  the  sunlight,  the  powerful  urge  to  create,     collecting  vinyl  records,     beautiful  cover  of  Wonderwall,    playing  multiple  instruments,   tasting  like  sunshine,    healing  touch,     speaking  in  prophecies,   smile  mingled  with  wrath,   shunning  lies,   sporting  shades,     hanging  out  at  music  festivals  with  their  friends,    sleeps  naked,  arrow  to  the  heart,    paint  brushes,   probably  has  a  Tinder  account.

ARES.     armed  for  battle, ��   wants  to  raise  a  dog  with  their  significant  other,   soft  spot  for  children, gives  piggyback  rides,     scarred  body,  blood  on  their  hands  and  face, willing  to  fight  the  world  for  the  ones  they  love,     fights  against  injustice,     warm  hugs,    well-worn  combat  boots, boxing gloves,   bandages  wrapped  around  bruised  knuckles,   fist  raised  in  protest,     ignites  revolutions,    fear  is  a  prison,   more  sensitive  than  what  their  tough  shell  would  have  you  think,     exhausted,    damaged  goods,    force  to  be  reckoned  with,     red  roses,   curses  under  their  breath.

ARTEMIS.     keen  sense  of  a  hunter,  freckles  like  constellations  on  their  skin,    piercing  eyes,  disheveled  braid,   moonlight  peeking  through  the  shadows,    the  calm  of  the  forest  at  night,     lying  on  the  grass  and  staring  at  the  stars,  mother  doe  and  her  fawn,    protecting  their  kin, the  moon  shimmering  on  a  still  lake,   quiver  full  of  arrows  resting  against  the  bark  of  a  tree,   running  with  wolves, bonding  while  circled  around  a  campfire,     not  being  much  of  a  people  person,    arrow  hitting  a  target,     popping  egos,    patience  on  3%,   touches  heaven  and  returns  howling.

ATHENA.     discerning  gaze,    unreadable  face, quiet  museums,   owl  perched  on  their  finger,     armor  that  intimidates,     eye  for  architecture,     plays  the  sims  for  the  sole  purpose  of  building   houses,     studied  the  blade  while  everyone  else  was  busy, big  fan  of  logic,     loves  brain  teasers,     ancient  buildings,     sweaters  in  neutrals  and  cool  colors,   hair  done  up,     can  kill  you  with  their  brain, heads  to  the  library  often  to  research,     sharpened  pencils,   abs  that  can  cut  steel, stoic  statues,    pottery classes.

DEMETER.     soil-covered  hands,   smile  that  can  bloom  flowers,   skin  loved  by  the  sun,    being  the  mom-friend,   can  lift  you  and  your  friends, flowers  kept  in  the  pockets  of  overalls,    takes  pride  in  their  beautiful  garden,     speaks  to  their  plants,    leaves  rustling  in  the  wind,     stalks  of  wheat,     picking  fruit,     greenhouses,     heart  as  strong  as  a  mountain,     values  simplicity,    daisies  dotted  across  a  collarbone,    curls  crowned  with  flowers,   folded  pile  of  sweaters  in  warm  hues,    pulling  out  fresh-baked  bread  out  of  the  oven  and  the  smell  wafting  through  the  air.

DIONYSUS.     drunk  shitposter,     on  their  sixth  glass  of  wine  before  you’ve  even  finished  your  second,     seductive  smirks,   untamed curls,    rich  fabrics  on  dark  skin,     sleek-furred  panthers,     theater  masks,    stage  productions,     receiving  a  standing  ovation,     rose  caught  between  their  teeth,     being  the  baby  of  the  bunch,   wild  parties  that  last  from  sundown  to  sunup,     creeping  vines,    inspiring  loyalty,   grand  opera  houses,    masquerade  balls,    rolls  of  film,   shattered  chandeliers  with  broken glass  scattered  across  the  wine-spilled  floor,   pouring  champagne  into  flutes,     lives  for  the   applause.

HEPHAESTUS.   the  calloused  hands  of  someone  who  knows  labor,  sweaty  brow,     flame  burning  in  their  eyes,     inventive  mind,   broad  shoulders,     steampunk  goggles,     nuts  and  bolts  stored  away  in  little  boxes,     ashes, striking  a  match,     blueprints  for  future  projects,     fixing  up  a  busted  up  car  and  giving  it  cool  upgrades,     wrestles  with  bitterness,   work  boots  have  seen  better  years,    wrinkled  plaid  shirts,    iron  melted  in  blazing  fire,   huge  jackets,    crafting  masterpieces,     greased-stained  overalls,     fascination  with  robotics,   pain  is  fuel,   stack  of  weaponry,     even  their  muscles  have  muscles.

HERA.     resting  bitch  face,     dressed  to  the  nines,   cows  grazing  on  a  pasture,   cool  rain,  loving  and  hating  fiercely,  hand  clutching  a  string  of  pearls,    large  chandelier  with  glittering  crystals,   plays  the  sims  for  the  sole  purpose  of  killing  off  their  sims,    romance  to  realism,   pictures  of  the  sky  while  flying  on  a  plane, downs  glasses  of  wine  as  they  relax  with  a  scented  bubble  bath  and  netflix,  like  their  selfie  or  you’re  grounded,    knows  57  convenient  ways  to  murder  a  man,   dark  eyes  that  penetrate  your  soul, marble  and  gold.

HERMES.     devil-may-care  smile,     always  up-to-date  on  the  latest  technology,     will  steal  your  french  fries,     does  it  for  the vine,     shitposter,     puts  googly  eyes  on  everything,     meme  hoarder,     long  drives  on  the  highway,     ma  and  pop  diners,    spontaneous  road  trips,     folded  maps,     fingers  dancing  across  the  keyboard  of  a  laptop,    shooting  hoops  on  the  basketball  court,     chatting  up  strangers  as  you  all  journey  to  your  own  destinations,    goes  jogging  in  the  morning,     mixes  redbull  with  coffee,     menace  on  april fool’s,    hoodies  and  sneakers.  

POSEIDON.    storm  with  skin,   colorful  coral  reefs,   waves  crashing  against  the  shore, stroking  the  soft  fur  of  a  cat,     their  heart  pounding  as  their  horse’s  gentle  trot  speeds  into  a  gallop,    tousled  locks,     clothes  smeared  with  paint,    owns  several  sketchbooks  yet  always  yearns  to  own  more,    leather  jackets, fondness  for  diy  projects,    handwriting  that  flows  across  the  page,     nimble  fingers  playing  the  strings  of  a  violin,     velvety  singing  voice  that  haunts  your  dreams,    mood  as  ever-changing  as  the  sea,     the  roar  of  a  motorcycle,    compass  with  a  spinning arrow.

ZEUS.   thunder  in  their  heart, running  on  coffee,     flash  of  lightning,     natural  charisma,     eloquence,    badass  in  a  nice  suit,   aficionado  of  history,     force of nature,   lenny  face,     nightmare-filled  nights,    proud  arm  around  their  lover’s  waist,   high-rise  buildings,     planes  soaring  through  a  cloudless  sky,     technician  on  the  piano, maintains  order,    strong  handshake,   juggling  multiple  events  on  their  busy  schedule  with  ease,    expensive watch.

Source: Tagging: @nearriver, anyone!!!

[noisycowboyglitter]

Brooms Squad: Perfect Halloween Costumes for Three Witches and Friends

"Brooms Squad Three Witches Halloween" conjures an image of a wickedly fun and spirited Halloween scene, blending classic witch iconography with a modern, playful twist.

Buy now:19.95$

Picture three witches, dressed in their Halloween best, forming a tight-knit group known as the "Brooms Squad." These aren't your typical cackling hags, but rather stylish and sassy enchantresses ready to take on the night. Their costumes might feature traditional elements like pointed hats and billowing cloaks, but with contemporary flair - perhaps sparkly fabrics, neon accents, or fashionable boots replacing the stereotypical buckled shoes.

Each witch clutches a broomstick, their primary mode of transportation and the source of their squad's name. These brooms could range from classic wooden sweepers to modern, sleek designs that look more like racing brooms from a fantasy novel.

Buy now

The trio exudes an air of mischievous camaraderie, suggesting they're out for a night of Halloween hijinks and magical adventures. You can almost hear their laughter echoing through the crisp autumn air as they zoom across the night sky, silhouetted against the full moon.

This concept would make for a great group costume, a festive Halloween decoration, or a whimsical artwork. It captures the spirit of Halloween - spooky yet fun, traditional yet fresh - while celebrating friendship and female empowerment.

The "Brooms Squad" idea also plays into the popular trend of reimagining witches as powerful, positive figures rather than evil crones, making it appealing to a wide range of Halloween enthusiasts.

Buy now

"Come We Fly" is an enchanting and inviting phrase that evokes a sense of adventure, freedom, and magical possibility. It's a call to action, urging listeners or readers to embark on a journey beyond the ordinary.

This phrase could be interpreted in various contexts:

In a fantastical setting, it might be the rallying cry of witches or magical beings as they take to the skies on broomsticks or flying creatures.

For travelers or adventurers, it could represent the excitement of boarding a plane for a new destination.

Metaphorically, it might encourage people to rise above their circumstances, to dream big and soar to new heights in their personal or professional lives.

Buy now

In a spiritual or meditative context, it could invite individuals to transcend their earthly concerns and explore higher states of consciousness.

The words exude a sense of community and shared experience, implying that this flight - whether literal or figurative - is not a solitary endeavor but one to be enjoyed together.

[non-operator]

okay... let me start off with "I'm sorry" because I lied and I'm bored, gave H*llavu B*ss a go because my feed is full of it and HH now and I have no impulse control and I also can't leave things unfinished. And HB is free on youtube; I can technically pirate hh but I don't want to be in that much effort for that...

And like, I think it's the same as I feel about that one song from HH. It's not that great, though I guess I can see why people like it? But in a "I don't think you people ever moved past deviant art era plot and art". Which, to be nice, isn't bad by itself but objectively speaking, there is better media and stories out there. All in all, I'm giving it a 2.5/10; I think the best way to summarize HB is that it's a show made for people who were already in love with it before watching it, not a show that tries to win over its audience.

Plot

It is episodic, so I will admit that plot isn't that big of a factor in the series. But I will say that it loses sight of its premise pretty fast. Like, it's advertised and set up as a "wacky hijinks in a found family assassination business", but after the first few episodes or so, it stops showing them doing work/killing people and how they go about that, and focuses more on what happens around or outside of work. For example, ep 6 and 7 just doesn't even show them working and skips straight to the aftermath and what they're going to do after work. The Spring Break episode does show them working, but it glosses over it; IMP is more like a plot device than a premise. Ep 2 straight up has them doing other stuff (aka bodyguarding, something that is explicitly said to be not a service IMP offers). Fuck it, even the Harvest Moon Festival ep is not work-related. For a show that is supposedly centered on IMP and the main cast killing humans on behalf of sinners with a grudge, it doesn't actually interact or play with that concept. And I think it basically drops completely out of focus in Season 2.

And like, I can understand if the show wants to make it more about character dynamics than the business, but the pilot (and ep 1 kind of) promises to explore that *through* IMP work. And that leads into the next big problem with HB

Character

I feel like everyone except Blitzo is underdeveloped, especially the women in the show. We get a lot of insight into Blitzo's motivations and emotional baggage and how he copes with that in unhealthy and asshole-y ways. But literally everyone else is kind of thrown under the bus unless it's relevant to Blitzo. The only character that kind of escapes this treatment (but not wholly) is Moxxie.

But Millie is only defined by how she's Moxxie's wife, and basically nothing else. Loona-- does have some more characterization than Millie, but her biggest-- and basically only-- role in the show is being Blitzo's difficult adopted daughter; her character arc about idk getting more in-touch with her feelings and being more expressive is centered around how she feels about Blitzo. And then the side characters: Octavia and Stella. Octavia is also about being a daughter to her father, and that's kind of it! Even though she's struggling with her parents' (incoming) divorce, she's only shown to be interacting/having an emotional connection with Stolas; Stella is never in the picture. Stella is-- just a major bitch, and that's it. That's all she has to her character.

But Octavia and Stella are side characters, so I can accept them having pretty flat personalities, but Millie and Loona? Those two are part of the main fucking cast. How are they being sidelined this hard??

I think a lot of the show revolves around Blitzo, so if the characters don't matter to him or don't bounce off well with him, they kind of get shafted by the writing. Like Millie. She is just generally so easygoing with Blitzo's antics that there's nothing for Blitzo to really react to there, so she's just essentially a background character.

Speaking of, almost all the characters and relationships are kind of built to parallel Blitzo and Stolitz (we'll get to this ship in a minute). Like, Moxxie is supposed to be a nice foil to Blitzo because they're both afraid of rejection, but they deal with that in opposite ways; Moxxie is polite, professional, no backbone because he doesn't want confrontation lest it lead to rejection whereas Blitzo is crass and a dick about everything so he can push people away before they reject/hurt him. And they both want to be loved, but Moxxie has a healthy relationship with Millie whereas Blitzo has no such thing in his life, so another contrast. And also daddy issues.

This is okay on its own. It makes a compelling dynamic between Blitzo as a boss and friend to Moxxie.

But then they do this for almost every character?? Loona (basically) has daddy issues and can't express herself that well because she's under-socialized and Trauma, Octavia is a daddy's girl and is too emo to communicate her feelings, Stolas has daddy issues and also communication issues, Fizzarolli has daddy issues (when he doesn't need to???)

And then there's the fact that it feels like the other relationships we see are supposed to work as parallels/foils to Stolitz as well? Moxxie and Millie and happy and healthy and committed, unlike Stolitz. Fizz and Asmodeus manage to work around that class disparity/power imbalance because they can communicate with each other, unlike Stoliz. They kind of just function as a "this is what Stolitz could be if they got over themselves and talked"

And generational trauma and the desire to be loved can be a major and shared theme, but there should at least be nuance between each representation of it?? These are literally all the same in that it boils down to "I don't know how to ask for proper intimacy".

Ships

There's only one main ship and it's Stolitz, and... I find it compelling?? But it's just not executed well enough. They just rush through the development, so when the show actually reveals that there's mutual attraction, it just feels like it comes out of nowhere and the audience has to do a lot of the legwork to figure out what the fuck happened from point a to point b.

It's also like, it steals a lot of attention from other aspects of the show. I feel like a lot of Season 2 episodes kind of focuses more on that relationship in favor of other characters who need screen time and development (like Millie)

I could give a really long analysis on Stolitz, but I'm just going to say that the problem kind of just boils down to the show doesn't sell that they actually feel genuine affection for each other. I can see them projecting their own emotional baggage onto the other and using each other, but there's no transition from the transactional relationship they have in the beginning to liking each other as people. In fact, I don't think they even know each other outside of sex and work. Which is bad. Because I can buy them fucking up communicating their wants and thus settling for fucking each other for "professional" reasons, but if the show really wants to sell this ship, there has to be something genuine between them that draws them to each other.

Which is to say, Stolitz is a ship for people who already love and want the ship, not for people who are just There. As in, the show seems to make the assumption that the audience wants this ship to happen and that the ship will happen, so they don't really take the time to establish a solid foundation and growth arc for it. It just feels like big emotional or romantic moments without the actual necessary context to make it work. Which is just a problem for the general show.

Pacing

It's bad. It's so bad. I can understand leaving arcs unresolved for a bit so that there's suspense or whatever, but they keep adding more arcs and problems while leaving unfinished plotlines unfinished. Only to then resolve it super quickly. Like ??????? It's all so cramped and rushed-- but then they sometimes slow it down in the worst way possible in that it just kind of ignores previous developments for a one-off episode or something (like S2 Ep 2 where they just ignore the Stolitz drama for wacky adventure in the human world and Stolas and Blitzo are just acting like nothing wrong happened). (And I Know! I know they showed details in the background that explain that this happens because both of them are ignoring the problem, but even so, they shouldn't be acting so casual with each other; it should be made more clear that they're both still uncomfortable but *acting*) (and something that changes the relationship should be shown to the audience clearly? Not just put in as "blink and you'll miss it" text messages??)

And sometimes this rushed pacing leads to info-dumps or telling, not showing. Like with Stolas' focus episode where we learn his backstory. It's not super bad, but it weakens the impact of big plot moments; we just hear Stolas saying he endured his loveless marriage for his daughter, but we. never really see that...? The times he's with her when she's a child doesn't count because Stella's not a picture in that. The one time we kind of see something related to this statement is when Stella's kind of being loud in the kitchen and he checks in on her sleeping peacefully, but like. That's not really and example of him enduring Stella's temper and insults for Octavia's sake. He hasn't even seen Stella at all before he drops by Octavia's room. The next time is when Stella is throwing an imp at him in the kitchen and Stolas is trying to be... nice? reasonable? But at this point, I think it's clear to Octavia that her parents don't love each other. And even then, we never really see him paying attention to her or expressing concern about what Octavia might think or feel during the fight, or trying to reassure her that this is just a normal spat between married couples afterwards as damage control. We can just take his word for it, but it's just not as powerful. I'd say the same goes for when we learn about Moxxie and his father/traumatic childhood. Would've been great to see how he struggles with that specifically or had more clues to that before we see him completely resolve to stand up to his father.

It just feels like the show itself expects the audience to be completely in love with it, so it doesn't really bother to develop its world or characters until Big Emotional Moments and at that point, it just gives the necessary context to pull it off real fast, so everything just feels so... compact and dense and not very natural. It's not trying to sell itself to a new audience, it's catering to an audience that's been supporting them since the pilot.