#one of these days i might just do an analysis on these guys & gals | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

bluewinnerangel · 3 years ago

Note

I love your blog I love your masterposts and ramblings and gayvinci tags and song analyses I LOVE YOU and I hope you have a great day. Also do you have an analysis on Perfect (did H&L really write in different rooms LOL)? Some ppl say it's about Pr relationships/closeting but I'm slow and need help connecting the dots. Thank you!

OOOOH PERFECT ANALYSIS YES

totally not just putting in gifs before the cut to grab peoples attention

Hi! Thank you so much <3 Sorry anon this really took me a while. I do have my opinions on Perfect, and iiiieee I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion or just a duhdoink of course this is the way to see it and everyone else in the room is seeing it too. There's just my interpretation, what makes way too much sense to me to view this song as anything else, so I'll share that.

And about the rooms thing, I think it was a joke among fans because god forbid they are interacting whatsoever right ;)

his silhouette is something else

I’m just gonna put in a cut here because of course it’s gonna be too long not to.

An analysis of Perfect below the cut:

First let’s go into what they’ve said about the song, of all the songs Harry has explained (if that) this one maybe most often. Still it isn’t much, watch it here and here and here. So the way I see it they are HAMMERING on that it’s not what it looks like and it’s so much honestly it’s pretty entertaining:

First answer: “yes we write from personal experience”, but then:

“no matter how loose that might be”

“it’s not literal”

“to be honest it translates to whoever”

“it doesn’t always have to be an exact story”

“not everything is so obvious”

“things can be taken in different ways”

“it’s not always necessarily about what it sounds like it’s about”

....and they just go on like this. So what I’m reading here is basically GUYS. GALS. BROPALS. IT’S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. THERE ARE DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS TO THIS. WE WROTE THIS IN A WAY TO HAVE LAYERS. PEEL THE ONION.

So in any case, in any possible case it’s definitely not just about what they think it’s sounds like it’s about. An then the question is what they think it sounds like it’s about then? Maybe it’s just towards the GP: it’s clearly assumed to be about Taylor (the media seemed to be really pushing this idea as well) and that’s totally fair and even true in some regards as you can’t really ignore the in-your-face Taylor nods in there. Then it could be that they’re just like yeah we see it looks like this is about haylor (as a real relationship) but it’s not like that. But, and this is a reach, it could also be their fear that those who support their relationship (Harry & Louis’ that is) might interpret this song as them being casual together, which people have. It doesn’t not make sense as a thought process right? Because they wrote it together. So maybe they’re like no oh no nononononono it’s not about us together! Not in that way! and just hammer on about this because they don’t like the idea of them looking anything less than whipped and married, sure hella farfetched I know but egh no harm in mentioning it.

Anyway this song is so much smarter than it looks! Nomnom the layers lets peel. It's a really good example of what we see time and time again especially in Louis' songwriting, his lyrics are so straightforward and so simple but once you start looking deeper into there’s a hold up and you find all kinds of things hiding in plain sight. (Harry too, but I mean his lyrics aren’t pretending to be easy, let’s put it like that)

On the surface we got this narrative of "im a chill boybander dude and im traveling the world yehyeh and you girl yeah im perfect for you if you're looking for that and nothing serious gurl yeah" which works perfectly as a 1D song. But then they’re also playing with that haylor narrative, and there are some wait that’s gay’s too. So my interpretation is that they’re being ironic/sarcastic whatever you wanna call it towards PR relationships, and more specifically the loudest of them all that already had a couple of songs to its name at that point being haylor.

It works as a response to Taylor’s Style as these songs are doing the same thing. In Style, Taylor describes how she and tOtAlLy nOt HaRrY are perceived, how they look, how they don’t go out of style because they look like this perfect hollywood couple. Perfect’s doing the same, they’re both painting this story of seeming perfect for each other, not because they’re actually romantically involved but because they’re something the tabloids/GP/whatever are going to love love love to eat up and/or that doing such a stunt is mutually beneficial (in some regards, namely money, fame, and having these narratives they can work with for their music I guess, and yeah I think it totally broke him, but at the stage of releasing Perfect this isn’t really the direction he went in with corporating that whole side to it into his music just yet).

So I’ll drop my personal ugly powerpoint slide and then do a lyric breakdown (yep I need a ptt to just barf out whatever song parallels I see sometimes otherwise it just keeps haunting me, it’s a like a notebook full of brainfarts and right now I can’t be bothered to recreate it into something less uh... chaotic looking and more nuanced, so just have this monster):

The pic says it all but let’s get into a lyric breakdown:

I might never be your knight in shinin' armor I might never be the one you take home to mother And I might never be the one who brings you flowers But I can be the one, be the one tonight

I'm not gonna save you, I'm not gonna date you, I'm not even gonna do romantic shit for you, I'm just not it. I’m truly really not it for you.

Surface lvl is “im a cool boybanderboy and yeah we can have some fun together tonight here in my hotel room but then you gotta get tf out of here because I’m a player lol bye”

Orrrrr it’s a joke: “girl I ain’t it, yaknow, because I’m taken. And not into girls. But I can pretend be the one, just for tonight tho when we step out to go stunting and get our pics taken and stuff”

(future) parallels:

Couldn’t take you home to mother in a skirt that short - Only Angel can’t do shit with this parallel but it’s there, I see I point, that’s all

When I first saw you From across the room I could tell that you were curious, oh, yeah

Yeah no that’s just gay. Spotting eachother from across the room, sneaky lil glances while standing physically apart in public, and being able to tell the other is curious? That’s the choice of word you’re going with? Curious? Really? Yeah no that’s fine.

Girl, I hope you're sure

Oh sorry it's not gay nvm he said “girl”

What you're looking for 'Cause I'm not good at making promises

back to im just a chill dude wanting to have fun and nothing else, no commitment whatsoever.

But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms And if you like having secret little rendezvous If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do then baby, I'm perfect Baby, I'm perfect for you

Yeah so hey girl if you wanna do all these secret things in private that seem to be sinful then I’m totally perfect.

GP understanding: if you wanna sneak away with me for a one-night-only yeah we can

PR stunt understanding: listen you wanna be with your secret little rendezvous person that you really shouldn’t be with according to what we’re advised shouldn’t enter the public eye, and you know I wanna be with my person too, so I’m perfect for you to be associated with publicly so the heat will be taken off of those rumors and then you can continue to go off and be with whoever you actually wanna be with in secret and I can do the same, thanks now I’m going back to that hotel room without you byebye

And if you like midnight driving with the windows down

Style nudge: “Midnight, you come and pick me up, no headlights” / “just take me home”

Kinda wanna put SOML here too: “The story of my life, I take her home, I drive all night, to keep her warm, and time is frozen”

And if you like going places we can't even pronounce If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about Then baby, you're perfect Baby, you're perfect So let's start right now

I mean she knows places? Right? Hah. hah.hah. But here again, like “if you like to do whatever I’m perfect”, like, I’m stunting with you because this whole PR circus is helping you achieve whatever it is you’ve been dreaming about, it can take you places where you haven’t been as in you can reach new heights (also may be just a nudge to touring really, places they’ve never been salad in the wind).

I might never be the hands you put your heart in Or the arms that hold you any time you want them But that don't mean that we can't live here in the moment 'Cause I can be the one you love from time to time

Really they’re just finding more and more ways to say the same thing: Girl, I’m not it. None of this should be taken literal, ending with “the one you love from time to time” which works for both having a .. uh.. buddy with uh bedroom benefits but also for a PR stunt counterpart.

And if you like cameras flashin' every time we go out

mirror mirror on the wall what’s the most obvious “this is about PR stunts” line of them all

Also this line counters “And if you like having secret little rendezvous, If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do“. So what is it, are they having secret little rendezvous or are camera’s flashing every time they go out? It’s basically and if you like doing things in the public eye vs if you like doing things in secret. How does it make sense that they’re doing these things with the same person, like these things wouldn’t matter enough to become seperate themes in a song if these are both about the singer + the same girl doing these things with each other. So I conclude PR relationship with flashing cameras + actual real relationships being the secret rendezvous.

It can also be another Taylor nudge ahgain (that’s me saying “again” with a sigh) as I Know Places and I believe some other songs on the 1989 album with Harry as designated driver mention some flashing camera’s and stuff.

Ok last about this line is that “every time we go out” is implying that they only go out to be seen and have their picture taken.

And if you're looking for someone to write your breakup songs about

aaaaand the most obvious Taylor nod of them all. Everyone else in the room can see it.

Baby, I'm perfect Baby, we're perfect

We never go out of style, we never go out of style

Yep that’s that. I think it’s a very clever song, I really love it, and yes they are singing about their relationship, just not the way it looks. It’s here instead:

But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms

And if you like having secret little rendezvous

If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do

And maybe here:

If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about

That’s it, that’s how I see the song. They’re being smart lil shits joking about / reflecting on / seeing the irony in their situation in the most lighthearted way.

Read my other song analyses here

#perfect #style #tiny little bit of #story of my life #smart things with lyrics #this is a simple one compared to some of the other analysis ive done hah #still managed to be more difficult than probably any other analysis about this #also yeah i am getting places with the kiwi one #and some other analyses #but i decided to take a break from those and just push this one through hah #its fun to finally talk about this #althought that little ptt picture is a bit too much of a look into my wild brainbut ok #enjoyyy

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btsmosphere · 4 years ago

Text

Crossfire | KTH

Moodboard Masterlist

~summary: The night your life blew up sent you on a collision course with the campus bad boy, Kim Taehyung. Though you were well aware of his reputation, it was his doorstep you ran to when you were bleeding with nowhere to go.

~word count: 5k

~gang!au, mafia!au, college!au, angst, fluff, action, strangers to lovers, friends to lovers

Warnings: swearing, mentions of cheating (warnings apply to each part individually, please read them)

~a/n: this week our gal gets some shit done and comes to a realisation due to Yoongi... also I am once again thanking everyone for supporting this story💜💜love you all,, n for those of you who haven’t heard I’m going to be posting a spooktober story soon so stay tuned...

“I want to help.”

Tae paused in the doorway, a steaming plate in each hand, staring at you with a dumbfounded expression.

“Huh?”

“I want to do something to help, you know, with the plan,” you eagerly pressed on.

“Oh,” Taehyung nodded, but a pout remained on his face as he kicked the door shut gently behind him, “the plan with Shinhyuk?”

“Yep.”

Nervously eyeing him as he shifted onto the bed, you waited for him to speak. Instead, he just passed you one of the plates and began to tuck in.

“Taehyung?”

“Mmm,” he hummed indistinctly, looking up at you, cheeks full of food.

“So… can I help?”

For just a moment, his bewildered stare was all that greeted you and his chewing slowed.

“Mmhmm,” he nodded, as if it was obvious.

“Oh. Okay.”

Admittedly, you hadn’t expected it to be that easy. As you began to eat yourself, Taehyung quickly went back to devouring his own meal without a second thought.

For once, the two of you were inside together during the day as it was the weekend and he wasn’t required for anything except a meeting, which was happening at his place anyway. With him here, you didn’t really need anything else to pass the time, but he had still vowed to bring you some more books soon, given that you had worked your way through the first pile completely now.

After last night, and if you were honest with yourself, even before that, any worry about being around Taehyung had faded away. Not only could you easily pass the time chatting, you very much enjoyed your time with him.

However, once you had both finished your food, it wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door announcing the arrival of the boys and the start of the meeting.

Only four had come as Jimin and Yoongi were out, doing ‘something’. You didn’t ask for details.

Taking the seat furthest from the window, hopefully hidden by Taehyung who sat beside you, you simply stayed quiet for most of the conversation. They didn’t need your input anyway; the plan sounded like it was progressing as well as it could be.

First of all, Jungkook and Namjoon confirmed the first members of Shinhyuk’s group they had managed to pick off, including the leader of a base inside his territory, though the rest were low-level: drivers, informants, dealers, fighters. Not enough to make his gang disappear by any stretch.

Not yet anyway, as Namjoon kept saying in encouragement.

As they resolved to keep digging through rival members, the real challenge was finding an in within Shinhyuk’s immediate circle – the ones who apparently were mainly stationed at what used to be your house.

“All I have is names,” Jungkook sighed, “even though I’m one of them, no one reveals anything about themselves.”

“Even the names might be fake,” Jin reminded him.

“I know,” Jungkook jammed his hands through his hair, “and there’s one – Jintao – he really doesn’t trust me. Makes it difficult for me to do anything. Always has his eyes on me.”

“Y/N can help,” Taehyung cut in then, causing four heads to turn sharply in your direction. You refused to squirm under their glares.

“Tae…” Jin was the first to speak, “it’s dangerous. I’ve been staking out Shin’s clubs and I’ve almost been caught so many times trying to talk to people-“

“She doesn’t have to go out on missions,” Tae reasoned, “a lot of snooping can be done from inside, and since she doesn’t have much else to do…”

“We have access to hackers, Tae,” Namjoon dismissed.

Biting your lip, you looked down. Since Tae had accepted your request to help so easily, you weren’t exactly prepared for this analysis. Perhaps it was stupid to think you would be able to assist these boys.

“She’s just as much a part of this as we are,” Taehyung surprised you with the ferocity in his voice, “she’ll be able to help. And I’ll let her even if you guys don’t.”

Namjoon in particular looked shocked by the younger boy’s unwavering words, but you watched in relief as he gave his assent with a nod, the others raising no further argument.

“What raids are coming up, Jungkook?” Hoseok brought the meeting back on track, prompting Jungkook to relay all the dates Shinhyuk had deals or attacks planned.

You listened as the boys decided which to focus on, though again they were frustrated by their lack of progress. Until Jungkook felt safe again, they weren’t going to counter any attacks, but they could make sure no one would be in the target properties to keep their allies out of danger.

Overall, the meeting left each of you feeling unsatisfied. This war with Shinhyuk was like having an unbearable itch while your hands were tied behind your back. You could only hope their careful preparation would eventually lend them the upper hand when they felt confident enough to retaliate.

With restless minds but nothing to do, Taehyung asked his friends to stay and a movie was agreed upon. As you had observed before, the boys relaxed remarkably quickly, and you were soon laughing with Hobi and Tae as you poured out snacks in the kitchen.

As you collected the packets, Hoseok returned to sit down. You and Tae had barely set foot around the corner when Hoseok let out a yell.

Startled, your head whipped around to find Yoongi standing silently in the doorway, leaning against one side, arms folded and a murderous expression.

“I didn’t see you there,” Hoseok breathed, laughing with a hand over his heart.

Before you could stop it, a snort escaped you, barely choked back, remembering exactly what you had said about Yoongi the night before. Luckily, you weren’t the only one, as you heard Taehyung beside you laughing through his nose, more successful at suppressing the sound.

“I hope there’s good news from the meeting,” Yoongi glared at you two, “I’m going bloody insane dancing around Shinhyuk like this.”

Everyone switched straight back to business mode around you, but you made the mistake of glancing over at Taehyung.

As soon as you made eye contact, neither of you could control yourselves and you had to fight to keep in your mirth. The dark warning glances from the other boys did nothing but fan the flames. Taehyung bit down on his lips as they threatened to break out into laughter; your cheeks ached.

Sinking onto the sofa, Taehyung looked pointedly away from you, shoving his fist into his mouth, shoulders still shaking.

With the tears brimming in your eyes, you didn’t care to listen to Yoongi as he talked about whatever he and Jimin had just come back from. When Jimin came in, a strangled laugh leapt from your mouth before you clamped it shut again, but you had set Tae off again.

The orange-haired boy across the room stared at you both like you were crazy.

“What’s your problem?” Yoongi’s sour face only made it harder to remove him from the ridiculous cartoon stereotype and Taehyung finally broke, guffawing loudly with his head thrown back, before falling against you and clinging to your shoulder, tears running down his face.

Shocked to find Taehyung’s head suddenly pressed into the crook of your neck, your breathless laugh was finally cut off. All you could do was stare down at him with a smile as he pulled himself together, wheezing dramatically the whole time.

At last, he seemed to realise himself and abruptly let go of your shirt. Pulling back, you were face to face for a second, expressions reflecting each other’s surprise, before he closed his mouth and turned back to Yoongi with a flawless poker face.

“Nothing.”

And then you were laughing again.

The prospect of Yoongi almost definitely hating you now didn’t bother you anymore. In the days following the meeting, you had begun to work through the list of names Jungkook had scribbled down of the members of Shinhyuk’s current inner members:

-Gi Beomho- has a Gwangju accent?

-Chaewon/known as Seb

-(Lee?) Minho

-Soonjae

-Jintao

Taehyung had told you his laptop password and you began trawling through the internet for any traces.

Though you were by no means a hacker, one of your friends at college, Jake, had once showed you a few things he knew how to do from his course in computing. Not to mention you were able to stalk someone very efficiently on social media from investigating the hot guy Lisa had seen on the street, or finding Soo’s mysterious girlfriend she refused to introduce to your group.

Now, though, there were no friends laughing around you as you tried to take apart the gang that was living in your house.

After your first afternoon of searching, nothing fruitful came up. When Taehyung had come back in the evening, you were more than happy to abandon the task and join him in your usual dinner routine, falling asleep soon after when you settled down together to watch a film.

But as the days progressed, you became more determined and frustrated in equal measure as you came across few things. You had worked your way through 3 people, giving up only after you had exhausted every avenue you could think to investigate.

Lee Minho took you even longer than the others to rule out, though you suspected from the beginning it was an alias since he shared the name with the famous actor, meaning there was an immense amount of unrelated material cluttering any path to finding the gang member, no matter what you searched.

Slumping back against the headboard, you set the laptop aside and flipped it shut.

Your attempt at working your way through the newest stack of books Taehyung had brought you was much slower than the first time around. Until he came back home, you barely took in the words.

At your side, a notebook containing the few possible leads consistently stole your attention instead.

You had managed to gain access to a couple of police reports on a Gi Beomho in Gwangju, but you would have to verify with Jungkook whether the photo was of the right person, or if you were barking up the wrong tree entirely.

When Tae finally arrived, you anxiously greeted him. Today Shinhyuk had planned his largest attack yet, on a shop that was a front for gang activity, and you knew all the boys had been on standby.

Taking in the scattered books, paper and laptop on the bed, his shoulders slumped.

“Nothing yet?”

“No, sorry,” you confirmed with a sigh.

“Don’t apologise,” he reached out and rubbed a hand along your upper arm to your shoulder. There it lingered, fingers slowly massaging for a moment.

“Were you hurt today?”

In only the short time since he came in, he had only squeezed out a smile once as he tried to reassure you.

At the shake of his head, you felt a knot in your chest release. But he still wasn’t happy.

“So what happened?”

“We didn’t go in at all. It was a lost cause,” he sat on the bed and kicked his shoes off without energy, “he shut the whole place down. It’s done for.”

With another huff, he fell back to lie on the bed. You did the same.

Weighty silence hovered over you both.

You had no idea how long you merely stared up at the ceiling, paralysed, before Taehyung moved. Slowly, he reached his hand out, fingers finding yours. As he intertwined your hands where they lay between you, you simply let your eyes slide shut, squeezing back.

“I know you’ll find something.”

Though you appreciated his support, he said it to assure himself as much as you.

Whether he could see or not, you nodded.

Just then, Tae’s familiar ringtone chimed in the silence. Pulling his phone from a pocket, he held it above him, checking the caller. Deciding it was worth it, he reluctantly pulled his had from yours to push himself up as he swiped across the screen and held the device to his ear.

Sitting up too, you could hear Jungkook’s voice crackling out from the phone.

“Hyung, I think I-I messed up-“

“Woah, Jungkook, what happened?”

“I was in Shinhyuk’s car, and I saw a file in there, he was looking through it, and it had you guys in it! It was labelled ‘bangtan’ and it’s full of information on everyone- I didn’t know he had that, but I just- I panicked, and I stole it, and now I have it but Shinhyuk’s leaving before me and he’ll notice it’s gone and- fuck-“

You caught Tae’s eye as you both listened in horror to the scared maknae.

“Where are you Kook?” Tae demanded, eyes breaking from yours.

“Um, at Y/N’s,” he replied, “the others are just packing away-“

But before he could finish, you had reached over and pulled the phone right out of Taehyung’s grasp.

“Jungkook,” you hissed into the receiver, “there’s two loose floorboards under my wardrobe at the back, they’re pretty quiet to move, can you hide it in there?”

“Uh, yeah,” the boy responded, “thanks.”

You lowered the phone to return to Tae, but suddenly brought it back to your ear.

“And don’t look at any of the stuff that’s already in there!”

“Oh- okay,” the boy sounded startled, but Tae seemed to find your miniature panic hilarious as he took the phone back and hung up.

Saying nothing, he wiggled his eyebrows and smirked at you.

“Oh, shut it,” you ignored the heat rising in your cheeks and shoved him lightly back onto the bed, where he only laughed louder.

“It’s not even- oh you are ridiculous,” you cried as he pulled you down on top of him, only making you turn redder.

In your embarrassment, you tried to wriggle away from him, pushing on his chest, but he grabbed your wrists, bringing you back down, grin ever-present on his face.

“Hey!” you protested, and then, “Ya! Stop! Tae-“

His hands reached down to tickle your sides, and you squirmed away from him again, only to have him follow, ending up on top of you as he mercilessly continued his attack, enjoying himself far too much.

“Ohmygod, ahh, Tae, please, aaaahahaha…”

Struggling, you writhed around, legs kicking out as you shrieked in protest before you finally reached his sides and exacted your revenge. He curled in on himself, giggling and apologising to get you to stop. You did, eventually, only to throw a pillow right at his face, though he easily caught it in the hands he had held up in surrender.

Both collapsing back onto the bed, you turned your head to one side, but you found he was already looking back at you. His laughter had dissipated into a smile which you returned.

“Thanks for helping out Kook,” he said earnestly, eyes boring into yours, “I told you that you would be helpful.”

This time, your heart soared with his praise.

You weren’t hopeful about finding ‘Soonjae’, or anything that could bring him away from Shinhyuk. Having gone through half the list already, the remaining two were the people Jungkook had the least information on.

Trudging through the morning, you were reluctant to take to the computer and be met with more inevitable defeat. Today you felt particularly tired, which didn’t help.

It was strange since you had slept for a long time, waking only after Taehyung had gone, leaving you missing his presence, even if you barely touched him while you shared a bed.

Nonetheless, you found yourself sifting through links and articles online, far from the first page of Google filled with celebrities and international news. With the little information you had on the man, you ended up reading through anything and everything containing the name Soonjae. Facebook profiles, comments on newspaper articles, a GoFundMe page…

Taking a sip of water, you scrolled idly to the bottom of the GoFundMe, which was for a child after all, no gang member, and read the ‘recent’ donations (the most recent being over a year old) and comments. Nothing.

Clicking on ‘show more’, you pulled up the full comment list and scanned through. For what, you weren’t sure. Most donations were small bits and pieces, but among the ones from three years ago, one was a little more sizeable. Along with it came an interesting comment: a woman called Sara was apologising for her ‘previous words’ and wishing the boy well.

You frowned as you read it. Though it was almost certainly unrelated, you were undeniably curious as to what she might have said to target an ill child.

Clicking next on the woman’s account, you decided to try and log in. After employing the password tricks Jake had showed you, you made it. The account had been created the same day as the donation was made on little Soonjae’s page, and appeared untouched since. You supposed this tangent had come to nothing, though you were certainly pleased with your skills after getting into the account.

Closing down the tab, you searched next for ‘Soonjae GoFundMe’. There was the campaign you had already seen, followed by a few that proved to be unrelated as well. You selected ‘next page’ with little hope.

Then something caught your eye.

About halfway down, the name Sara.

Quickly selecting the page, you found yourself on Facebook instead of GoFundMe, but what you found was certainly interesting. It was the same woman from the earlier page. This time she had posted a status:

If anyone on here donates to Soonjae’s fucking gofundme get ready to be cut out of my life XD cheaters don’t deserve your pity

That was certainly interesting. No wonder she had apologised to the boy – it also explained her big donation – probably given out of guilt.

But re-reading the status, you realised she couldn’t possibly be talking about the boy. Unless by ‘cheater’ she meant that he had cheated on a test in school, but you suspected that was not the case.

You clicked on her profile.

Her profile picture showed her holding a little boy that must be around ten, standing on a beach. Flipping through her older profile images, they stopped three years ago. Perhaps she had deleted all previous ones?

Only friends can see Sara’s photos

Only friends can see Sara’s timeline

“Not just friends…” you muttered, getting to work.

Unluckily for Sara, she had used the same password as on her GoFundMe, so you logged in easily.

The first thing you saw was that she reportedly lived in your city: a promising start. Scrolling through to three years ago, you saw only one other post close in time to her attack on Soonjae and his fundraising page:

Sara is feeling: heartbroken X(

That lead you nowhere, so you made your way back up her feed, seeing photos of her son and meals with friends. Few stuck out as anything but happy, all possibly related to the mysterious events of three years ago.

That’s right, delete your fucking facebook. I don’t need to worry about blocking you now XD

Sara is feeling: defeated☹: Just got out of court. Nrs

What was the point in all this? Just to prove something? Well you did, you proved I was right all along

Now you really were intrigued. You needed to find out what was going on, she was definitely linked to a Soonjae in your city, so you had reason to investigate further. Still, as you clicked on the messages icon, you felt very much like a trespasser.

Searching for ‘Soonjae’ at the top, two conversations were pulled up, both from three years ago. One with ‘Park Soonjae’ and one with ‘Help Soonjae’.

First choosing ‘Help Soonjae’, recognising the profile picture as the same image used on the GoFundMe, you read the exchange of messages.

Sara: What the fuck is this?

Sara: I can’t believe you’re pulling the pity card after what you’ve done

Help Soonjae: Excuse me?

Sara: You know what I mean

Help Soonjae: Ma’am, I don’t know you but please calm down. I will block you, this page is only trying to raise hospital funds for my son. I’d thank you to explain how this is ‘pulling the pity card’

Sara: Wait… Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!

Sara: I can’t apologise enough, I thought this was my husband’s page, he has the same name as your son! I didn’t check the page before messaging, I didn’t mean to offend you or your son

Sara: I’ll make a donation to your page to make up for this. I wish your son the best

Read 15:47

And that was the end of that. Wincing with second hand embarrassment, you quickly moved on to ‘Park Soonjae’.

Soon, you realised that the message history was long, but it all ended three years ago. You gave up on scrolling your way to the top, seeing that most messages consisted of ‘I love you’s and reminders to buy milk. The final conversation, however, gave you a lot more information.

Sara: What the fuck is this?

Then followed a screenshot of a GoFundMe page: Help Soonjae win Custody

Sara: You cheated. Maybe you should write that in your description.

Soonjae: Sara, I’ve told you I’m sorry

Sara: And I’ve told you that’s not enough. We are over

Soonjae: I can understand that. I just can’t understand why you want to keep my son from me!

Sara: HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?!?!

Sara: I never want to see you again, and I don’t want kai to either

Soonjae: How can I make it up to you without going to court? I can’t afford the fees and you know it

Sara: You can’t ‘make it up’ to me. And it’s not my problem anymore if you can afford it or not. I’m blocking you

And that was it.

You wasted no time in opening Soonjae’s profile in a new tab, before taking a screenshot of the messages and logging out of Sara’s account.

Soonjae’s account was indeed deleted, confirming him as the target of Sara’s earlier status update. One search for new profiles under the same name showed no one promising. Your ‘breakthrough’ seemed more trivial now you had taken a step back from it. Without a picture of the Soonjae you had found, you couldn’t confirm if you were on the right target.

You had one last option, and searched for the GoFundMe Sara had sent a screenshot of. At last you found it, though it took a while as it had been declared finished and was from so long ago.

But, once you opened it, it turned out Sara’s screenshot hadn’t included the full photo at the top of the campaign. It had only showed a baby cradled in someone’s arms, but on the site, the full photo extended to show the man’s face.

This time, you did not scroll down.

You just stared.

There would be no need for Jungkook to verify if this was the right man. Those eyes had stared at you before from underneath a hoodie in your own bedroom not so long ago. And the hands that held his son had given you the wound in your side.

“Holy shit…” you breathed, taking a screenshot when you recovered from your shock.

Then you proceeded to scroll down. And it seemed like you had hit the jackpot.

The description had been updated, and the last lines read:

Thanks for the generosity. This page will be deactivated as I have now sourced funding from a private benefactor. Will update those who donated on the court result.

“Tae! Oh my god-“

You froze on the stairs.

On hearing the door opening downstairs, you had presumed Taehyung had returned, but instead, Yoongi stood in the hallway.

“Hi,” he said coolly.

“Sorry,” you murmured, but didn’t retreat back upstairs. Staring back at him, laptop and notebook clutched in your arms, you felt the need to share your breakthrough.

After a few seconds glaring at you, Yoongi moved away down the hallway. Taking a breath, you followed.

“Um, sorry, I thought you were Tae,” you spoke from the door.

“Ok,” came his short reply as he rooted in the fridge.

“Actually, er,” you pushed, making the boy at least turn around and acknowledge your presence, “I wanted to show him something. But… I can show you instead. You know how I was searching up Shinhyuk’s closest members, well, I think I found something.”

His unimpressed face vanished at least a little, and he nodded, taking a swig from the drink he had picked.

“Okay,” you placed the laptop on the island and opened the screenshots you had saved, “so I found this woman’s messages with a Soonjae in the city, they were getting divorced but he couldn’t afford the legal costs to fight for custody of their son.”

Yoongi leaned forwards to read the screen and you stepped aside, worrying your lip. Watching him read, you leaned against the counter to support your tired legs.

“Bastard,” he muttered.

“Pardon?”

“He cheated on her,” he said simply, gesturing towards the screen, drink in hand.

You hummed in agreement and flipped onto the second image.

“He set up this GoFundMe, but see how it says he then received funding from elsewhere.”

“Could be Shinhyuk, definitely,” Yoongi agreed, “I can send Jungkook this guy’s picture-“

“Actually, you don’t have to,” you cut in, “I, er, I recognise him. He was one of Shinhyuk’s that broke into my place.”

“Shit,” Yoongi breathed, turning to take a look back at the man on the screen, “good catch.”

“Thanks,” you couldn’t help but smile, “so… what now?”

Setting his drink aside, Yoongi bent over the counter and opened a new tab, sending the images to his own email, along with a final one of Sara’s details on Facebook.

“I think we have enough to work with. We can use the details for leverage and approach him.”

“Nice,” you couldn’t keep yourself from smiling. Even if only Yoongi was around to see it, you were just proud to have hopefully helped bangtan get another rival under their belt, and get closer to defeating Shinhyuk.

It seemed Yoongi had finished with the laptop, even though he hadn’t yet left the kitchen or even picked his drink up again. Awkwardly, you stepped closer to shut the laptop and slide it off the counter.

Taking a stride back towards the door, you hesitated.

“Well, erm, thanks, I’ll just- yeah.”

“Wait.”

You turned back around, surprised at just how small Yoongi’s voice sounded. Not knowing what to say, you waited as he stood shuffling his feet.

At last he cleared his throat and spoke.

“Listen, I’m sorry for, you know… trying to kill you that time,” he said. His voice was quiet, as if a lower volume would allow him to pretend he never said it.

“Well there’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear,” you chuckled.

“No, I really am,” he spoke stronger this time, actually looking at you, “I know I haven’t been the nicest and-“

“No, it’s okay,” you flashed him another smile, “I know you were just trying to protect Tae.”

He fell silent again for a moment, and you thought that might be it. But something was still on the tip of his tongue and he looked down, one hand coming to scratch his ear.

“I want to tell you I’m happy for you guys. You seem… well, really nice, and I know Tae thinks so too, and I trust him, so… yeah.”

Gulping, he looked up at you, trying to hide his mortification at the barrage of emotion he had just released. You just stared back at him, lost for words.

Maybe he had said something wrong?

“A-and, thank you for doing this work on Shinhyuk’s gang, it’ll really help us. What you did was really impressive-“

“I-I’m sorry,” you finally spluttered out, “what did you mean when you said you- you’re… you’re happy for us?”

Looking back at you, his eyes widened.

“Shit, are you guys not-“

You tried to swallow down any signs of how flustered you were, clutching the laptop tighter in front of your chest. Perhaps he didn’t mean what you thought he might-

“I thought you guys were dating. Shit.”

You couldn’t agree more with that last sentiment.

Just as you opened your mouth, without knowing what you planned on saying, you were saved by the bell. Or rather, the door.

Tae had finally come home. It would be an understatement to say he was surprised to find you and Yoongi together, in conversation too apparently. Hopefully Yoongi had finally quit his tough act and exposed his softness that Tae had insisted you would find eventually.

Yoongi was quick to inform Tae of what you had dug up on Soonjae. Taehyung put his hand on your shoulder, sending you a proud grin that made your heart race as he told you he knew you could do it.

The whole time you were aware of Yoongi watching the interaction, and you excused yourself as soon as you could, leaving the boys to themselves.

Practically running up the stairs, you were left panting as you closed the door to the bedroom. Just one short burst of speed had knocked you out, but that concern barely crossed your mind as you surrendered to the mattress, thinking only of what Yoongi had told you.

He thought you were dating? Ridiculous…

But then why had the suggestion got to you so much? Sure, you shared a bed with the guy, and you enjoyed being with him, and liked it when he held your hand or hugged you…

Fuck.

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lady-griffin · 4 years ago

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As a fanfiction writer, I've noticed that one of the hardest things personally for me to pin down is an accurate guess regarding Hamefura's time period in relation to our world which makes it harder to decide certain aspects of a fic if it wants to get into world building (and have Katarina start and agricultural revolution). I've always appreciated the analysis work you do for Hamefura and was wondering if you had any guesses?

I would say there is no exact parallel to one of our time periods. Largely because there is a clear mix of concepts and aesthetics from older periods to later periods and even some modern ideas thrown in there.

That being said I think I found a decent enough match.

While Katarina (and many fans) describe it as a medieval setting, it is definitely not that. I would put the time period of Hamefura overall in the 18th and 19th centuries. 1700s & 1800s.

This is based off a few things.

Fashion

While not a clear comparison, the aesthetics of the different fashion trends of these two centuries are the closest to Hamefura’s own fashion styles - for the guys and gals.

It’s not perfect

Some of the characters’ fashions are clearly just a general idea of “old-timey” fashion. And other characters’ fashion are more modern (or seem to be inspire by some later periods) – Alan, Maria, Sirius, Duchess Claes, and Katarina’s Merchant’s daughter outfit for example.

Alan’s style of clothing is extremely modern in concept. So, it’s clearly a mix-and-match situation when it comes to fashion.

Books/Bookstores

Books are commonly and widely available. Not just for the rich, like Sophia and Katarina. We know this because there doesn’t seem to be much of an issue (or any) for Katarina’s maids and or Maria to gain access to books. As a maid in the Claes estate was the one who introduced romance novels to Katarina in the first place.

While again, not exact, the kind of reading and books we see in Hamefura works with 18th/19th century.

Serialized fiction (and books in general) surged in popularity during Britain's Victorian era (1837-1901), due to a combination of the rise of literacy, technological advances in printing, and improved economics of distribution.

Also, while romance stories are far from anything new (have been around since stories) – the concept of marrying for love (despite social class) was an idea that was popular in fiction around the the time period – for example, being Pride and Prejudice (1813).

The book-stores we see in Hamefura (very briefly) are very similar to, well, modern book stores.

James Lackington (1746-1815) and his once-famous London bookshop, The Temple of the Muses, basically “invented” modern-day bookselling as we know it. During his time James completely revolutionized the concept of bookselling in the late 18th century. And considering the rise in books and literacy, other book-shops began to follow.

Sweets/Bake Shops

We know that high quality pastries/sweets can be bought at stores (students buy them for Student Council).

I think this one is the least exact, as Patisseries have been around for some time, there is some parallel.

Marie-Antoine Carême (1784-1833) is considered to be one of the early practitioners of “modern Patisseries” (what we really see in Hamefura) and fine-dining, though he’s more known for Grande Cuisine.

His elaborate creations graced the windows of his Paris patisserie shop.

This is what we see in Hamefura.

So while the history is far from an exact match, the kind of stores that already existed and started to exist during this time are very similar from what the stores that we see in Hamefura, in regards to sweets

Love – Marriages of Love

In the 5th Light Novel, we learn that nobles falling in love and choosing to get married to one another (not arranged) is a concept that is becoming more and more popular. Particularly among the younger nobles around Katarina’s age.

As Katarina witnesses several couples being romantic to one another, who are not currently engaged to one another or not in arranged marriages.

The ideal of love as a primary reason for marriage began to spread in the late 18th century and early 19th century, partly due to the French and American revolutions - Enlightenment thinkers in this era promoted the right to personal happiness. And going back to books, this might be another reason p why love stories became so popular among the public as literacy and book technology grew in this time.

So, while Arrange marriages certainly exist in Hamefura (obviously) – the importance of love also matters.

Take Geordo and Katarina’s arranged marriage, for instance. Despite them being 8, the two of them made the match together. It wasn’t arranged by the King or Katarina’s parents in the traditional sense of an arranged marriage.

Sure, Luigi Claes set up a meeting with Geordo for Katarina (a match-making meeting) and we know there was pressure coming down on Geordo to get a fiancé (due to his older brothers being engaged), but still the decision was largely between Katarina and Geordo.

Geordo proposed and Katarina accepted.

Now on the other hand, while never stated. it seems likely Geordo had to get the King’s Approval before he proposed and Katarina’s parents also had to agree to the match. But again, their engagement is still rather unique, in that it wasn’t decided by their parents and they had no say in the matter at all.

Now on the other hand, the arranged marriage for Alan and Mary seems like it was largely set up by their parents, so the two of them have a much more traditional arrangement. Now that might just come down to Geordo being far more independent than Alan is, when it comes to his person affairs.

We we know Luigi Claes (from the novels) sent a letter to Geordo asking for him to meet with Katarina, while he probably also sent it to the king as well – we are never told that explicitly, so we can’t say for sure.

But to the main point, overall, the concept of marrying someone for love is clearly an idea that is growing in popularity in the world of Hamefura.

In Fortune Lover, Geordo wants to break off his engagement to Katarina when he falls in love with Maria. If Maria is successful in Alan’s route, Mary breaks of their engagement so the two can be together.

In the current timeline, Alan tries to break off the engagement with Mary, because he’s not in love with her.

Geordo, clearly wants Katarina to love him back and not just marry him because she has too.

Nicol’s parents want him (and Sophia) to fall in love and marry for love.

Geordo, Alan, and Nicol in Fortune Lover were all able to end up with Maria with no problem, for the most part.

Now, because there is a dual system of power and status (based on nobility and magic) – Maria being a Light Weilder and a powerful one at, automatically raises her profile to being more than an acceptable marriage partner for a noble (my belief).

So, the idea of being with someone for love is more common for Katarina and her peers than their parents’ generation.

Luigi and Miridiana’s father arranged the marriage between the two – Though Luigi did fall in love with her before the marriage, but because the marriage wasn’t decided by the two of them along nor did they have much of a relationship – their marriage suffered from a lot of miscommunication.

Dan and Radea(?) Ascart, the parents of Nicol and Sophia, married for love. Though we learn we learn in the 5th novel that Radea was already engaged to another man and Dan made a deal with her father – basically if he could become the prime minister, he would be allowed to marry her.

While not like modern times, marrying for love is a concept that is growing and becoming more of the norm in the world of Hamefura.

Technology

Due to the character of Larna Smith, technology (based on magic) in Hamefura is getting quite the revolution.

One of her inventions, using Wind Magic, is a phone.

Italian innovator Antonio Meucci is credited with inventing the first basic phone in 1849, while Alexander Graham was the first US Patent for the device in 1876.

Based on the comic in the 6th Light Novel, we know Nicol’s most treasure possession is a Fountain Pen his father gave him.

And given the fact that we see Katarina writing with a quill, the two types of writing utensils existing with one another was happening in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Now Fountain Pens, have a longer history than that. But basically, due to them not being the most stable or consistent way of writing, it seems like in Western Societies (Hamefura), that them being coming commonplace took over a period of time, as the technology improved bit by bit.

Nicol’s Fountain Pen seems to be an excellent one that works great. But we can assume that since Dan Ascart is an Earl and Prime Minister, he has more access to such technology than other people.

Conclusion

I was surprised that a lot of what we see in Hamefura, actually does match or more accurately fit within the general existence of these two centuries nicely. Not always an exact match, but the overall ideas and changes in the 18th and 19th century are a nice parallel to what we see in Hamefura.

It’s a broad span of time (around 200 years), but that’s my thinking.

In full disclosure, I did some light research on the matter – so I apologize for any historical mistakes (and grammar/spelling).

To be clear, I don’t think Hamefura fitting in the 18th-19th centuries (particularly in Western Culture) was really intentional on the Author’s Part.

We see that the general style of dress in Hamefura, is popular amongst many manga/anime/Mahwha that have an aristocratic setting. And just a lot of general world-building in such stories, basically take a loose idea form these two time periods, rather than be historically based on them.

And since Fortune Lover is a love game and Hamefura is a romantic-comedy, love would of course be of upmost importance despite the restricted aristocratic status. And falling in love despite said restrictions is definitely a more prevalent modern idea.

So, it’s all probably unintentional. I mean, they probably were inspired by the these two centuries, but more in a general idea of their story-world, rather than a specific time-period setting. But still it’s a nice overall fit.

Also, the 18th-19th Century setting works rather nicely with your idea of Katarina starting an Agriculture Revolution.

Thanks for the question Anon! I hope this helped you out!

#Hamfura #Katarina Claes #Bakarina #Otome Game No Hametsu Flag #Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta #Destruction Flag Otome #My Next Life as a Villainess #Anonymous

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

Text

Reading beyond the veil: Paranormal book Recommendations From the Pros

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Don’t cross the streams. Never take your hands off a Ouija board without first saying “Goodbye.” The undead has to be invited in. Kill it with fire. Shoot it in the head. Wolfman’s got nards.

When it comes to the entertainment of the unexplained, or paranormal pop culture, humans live in a world(s) populated by all manner of preternatural, supernatural, otherworldly, and extradimensional phenomena. But entertainment also tells us there are rules that bring order to the abnormal – whether it’s a ghost or demon, alien or sasquatch, werewolf or vampire, or even a troll or fairy.

Yet behind every silver bullet solution that makes it into a script, there is typically a wealth of academic study that’s both complicated, and sometimes contradictory. From folklore to grimoire, anthropology to parapsychology, researchers have attempted to document and take a serious look at topics slightly askew from the norm. They are the real-world counterparts of Dr. Spengler, Dr. Van Helsing, and Father Merrin.

(And, perhaps unlike those fictional “experts,” many researchers would likely tell you the more they read up on these topics, the clearer it becomes there is more unknown than known, and more theories than rules.)

With that in mind, we reached out to a few notable figures and esteemed colleagues within the paranormal community to offer reading suggestions that go beyond what pop culture tells us about the unexplained. The following list is a guide for those inspired by the movies and TV shows to take a longer look through the veil, under the bed, at the stars, and into the forest.

Amy Bruni

(Host/Executive Producer, Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits; Author, Life With The Afterlife):

ESP, Hauntings and Poltergeists: A Parapsychologist’s Handbook by Loyd Auerbach

“While I think it’s highly important to have a library of paranormal books, and to form your own research and investigative methodologies, I almost always recommend Loyd Auerbach’s ESP, Hauntings and Poltergeists: A Parapsychologist’s Handbook as a must have.

It was published in 1986, and is widely cited as one of the books that inspired many of today’s most well-known investigators to investigate the way they do. A good number of Loyd’s methods and theories still ring true, as well as his healthy dose of skepticism. It’s not the type of investigation you see on television, that’s for sure, but it’s got some great ideas to help distinguish between what could be an actual haunting vs a perceived haunting.”

Grant Wilson

(Host/Executive Producer, A&E’s Ghost Hunters):

Morphic Resonance & The Presence of the Past: The Memory of Nature by Rupert Sheldrake

“Rupert Sheldrake, Ph.D., and former research fellow of the Royal Society, guides us through his journey to discover if our memories exist outside ourselves, and how that idea could affect our view on how the entire universe operates. Sheldrake gently opens the mind to this idea with solid thinking, educated speculation, and sound experimentation. More than just a mental exercise, his theory proposes that all self-organizing systems, from crystals to human society share a common memory which guides their collective form and behavior. Basically, the more people learn something, the easier it is for others to learn. Which, if true, would have huge implications in the field of paranormal research, not to mention the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and sociology. If our memories are collectively shared and stored outside our own brains, are ghosts simply some sort of manifestation of shared memories? I recommend this book to anyone looking to draw their mind out of the box we so comfortably live in and reshape how we think about well, pretty much everything.”

Jeff Belanger

(Author, Writer/Researcher, Ghost Adventures; Host, New England Legends podcast, and TV series):

Confessions of a Ghost-Hunter by Harry Price

“Published in London in 1936, this is a must-read to see how far paranormal investigation has come (and how little it’s actually changed in almost a century). In the book, Harry Price (1881 – 1948) explores some of his favorite cases, how to test a spirit medium, spirit photography, and he delves into his methods of investigating including equipment, trigger objects, interviews, and theories. Harry Price is the original ghost hunter.

Read it for free online here: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.218596/page/n9/mode/2up

Ghosts: True Encounters with the World Beyond by Hans Holzer

Parapsychologist Hans Holzer (1920 – 2009) helped usher the paranormal into the mainstream with his many books and media appearances. Originally published in 1997, Holzer profiles some of his favorite cases and the first-hand experiences encountered by the witnesses he interviewed. By 97’, Holzer had reached the age and point of his career where he believed he pretty much had everything figured out. Though I don’t agree with all of his theories or ideas on the afterlife, I tip my hat at his confidence on spelling out the unknown.”

Bryce Johnson

(Actor; Co-host, Bigfoot Collector’s Club podcast):

Where the Footprints End, High Strangeness and the Bigfoot Phenomenon Volume I: Folklore by Joshua Cutchin and Timothy Renner

“What in the hell is really going on with Bigfoot? Is this just a flesh & blood creature like most think, or is there something more “paranormal” taking place? It’s a great question, and one that Cutchin and Renner (both outside-the-box thinkers) tackle head on. It’s hard to deny that these guys are onto something, and after having read it, I don’t think that I can ever go back to thinking that Sasquatch is just an unconfirmed North American Wood Ape. Instead, what if the big guy/gal is more like a wilderness poltergeist? A “Wildnesgeist” if you will. A term coined by the authors. And while the term does not exactly roll off the tongue, it certainly could help explain the strange lights and orbs, sudden dematerialization, telepathic mind-speak, and the countless varieties of size, shape and colors reported with Bigfoot sightings. Books like the aforementioned are an integral piece of the puzzle if we ever wish to get to the bottom of what is really taking place on this strange planet of ours, and perhaps what Vallee did for the UFO phenomenon, Cutchin & Renner could do for the Bigfoot Phenomenon. Overall Rating 4 Bigfeet out of 5!”

M. Belanger

(Comparative religious studies author, The Dictionary of Demons; Paranormal Investigator, Paranormal State, Portals to Hell):

Poltergeist by Colin Wilson

“For those doing research into ghosts and the paranormal, Colin Wilson should be on your bookshelves right next to Hans Holzer. In addition to his landmark eponymous survey, The Occult, Wilson produced numerous books exploring psychic and paranormal phenomena over his decades-long career. My personal favorite is Poltergeist, which explores the concept of destructive hauntings. Extensive, cross-disciplinary research is a hallmark of Wilson’s work, and this book is no exception. Poltergeist includes theories about what these “noisy ghosts” really are, explores psychological and supernatural implications of their manifestations, and recounts numerous documented cases of the phenomena from the ancient through the modern world. Throughout the book, Wilson blends perspectives from psychology, anthropology, folklore, and mythology together with dedicated reporting of modern experiences. I keep my copy next to Harry Price’s book on the same subject.

The Phantom World by Augustin Calmet

“For a deeper dive into the folkloric roots of many of our modern beliefs about ghosts, hauntings, and even vampires, it is worth the search to score a copy of Augustin Calmet’s treatise on the apparitions of spirits and on vampires, often titled simply The Phantom World. This chunky tome covers a wide variety of hauntings, retelling experiences as they were relayed to Calmet himself, often through other members of the clergy. As a French Benedictine monk, Calmet was viewed as an authority on the supernatural and the miraculous, and although he does not apply much in the way of critical analysis to the stories he receives, the fact that he was able to record and publish these tales at all makes up for what modern readers might consider a fairly superstitious nature. As with Glanvill’s Saducismus Triumphatus, it is important to keep in mind that clergy effectively filled the role of paranormal investigators during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, collecting, verifying, and disseminating the accounts of their parishioners. Without their writings, credulous as they may in hindsight seem, we would have little access to any record of these strange and frightful encounters. Calmet’s work is of special value because it is one of the fist treatises to collect a wide variety of European vampire encounters, including some of the stories that have proven seminal to vampire folklore as we understand it today.

Demoniality by Lodovico Sinistrari

The final volume I would recommend for modern investigators is a slim treatise produced by another member of the European clergy, this time a Franciscan priest by the name of Lodovico Sinistrari. Sinistrari is arguably where we derive most of our beliefs about incubus and succubus demons, and he collects both his theories on these creatures and several compelling tales in his book, Demoniality. It is a quick and fun read — if, like me, learning about demons is your definition of fun.”

Margee Kerr, Ph.D.

(Sociologist; Author, Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear):

On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears by Stephen T. Asma

“Hailed as “a feast” (Washington Post) and “a modern-day bestiary” (The New Yorker), Stephen Asma’s On Monsters is a wide-ranging cultural and conceptual history of monsters — how they have evolved over time, what functions they have served for us, and what shapes they are likely to take in the future.”

Richard Estep

(Author, Haunted Healthcare; Travel Channel’s Paranormal Night Shift):

This House is Haunted by Guy Lyon Playfair

“In a field that’s chock full of sensationalist books, Guy Lyon Playfair’s This House is Haunted is a breath of fresh air. One of the few comprehensive accounts of a poltergeist-type haunting that runs from the very first incident through to the end, Playfair’s book is a masterclass on how to investigate the paranormal. There’s no drama, no theatricality; seasoned investigator Playfair and his partner, Maurice Grosse of the Society for Psychical Research, examine the strange goings-on in a small house in Enfield with a critical eye, always seeking out rational explanations and debunking whatever they can. This House is Haunted works as a page-turning narrative, but also contains a wealth of information for today’s paranormal enthusiast. As such, it deserves a much wider audience.”

Brian J. Cano

(Paranormal Investigator; Travel Channel’s Paranormal Caught on Camera):

The Encyclopedia of Ghost & Spirits by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

“To me, this is a must-have in any serious paranormal library. It references an impressive amount of material, and I use it often. There may be a name or concept that sounds familiar to me and when I need a refresher, it’s the first tome I reach for. Invariably, as I turn the pages, I get sucked in, and end up delving into many other entries. It’s like an academic supernatural “choose your own adventure”!

How to Hunt Ghosts: A Practical Guide by Joshua P. Warren

“This gem of a guide is perfect for anyone looking to get their feet wet in paranormal investigating. It is thoughtful, comprehensive and delivers the necessary information for anyone to begin doing the work while walking the fine line between skepticism and belief. I’ve recommended it many times over the years and the guide has held up to this day.”

Buy How to Hunt Ghosts: A Practical Guide on Amazon

Ryan Sprague

(Author, Podcast Host, Somewhere In The Skies; Co-host of Mysteries Decoded on the CW):

Communion by Whitley Strieber

“In the 1980s, author Whitley Strieber was best known for his horror novels such as The Hunger and Wolfen. But below the surface of his fictional works was a story so visceral and bizarre, that it would change the course of his career thereafter. This was the 1987 best-seller, Communion. Many are familiar with the now-famous book cover of a beige-colored alien with big, black orbital eyes. But the contents of the book is what truly stays with readers. The story of a man struggling with fractured memories of being taken in the night by what he calls “visitors” and experimented on. The raw and traumatic string of events is what packs the biggest punch in the book. But even stronger are the bigger questions to be asked of this supposedly true story: If we are not alone, and we are being visited, what do these visitors want, and to what lengths will they go for their true agenda? Communion is well written, brutally honest, terrifying, beautiful, and profound in the most alien of ways. It ushered in the alien abduction controversy for many years to come and has ingrained itself into the annals of both pop culture and UFO history forever.”

Buy Communion on Amazon

Lynne S. McNeill, Ph.D.

(Folklorist; Author, Legend Tripping: A Contemporary Legend Casebook):

Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live and Lucifer Ascending by Bill Ellis

“These two books present a folklorist’s perspective on the kinds of traditions and phenomena that paranormal investigators are interested in. His perspective highlights that folklorists aren’t looking to debunk or prove anything — they simply want to understand the cultural role that these ever-popular topics are playing.”

Buy Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live on Amazon

Ty Gowen

(Paranormal Investigator, Haunt ME):

Ghost Hunter by Hans Holzer

“This may not be an obscure text in paranormal circles, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Holzer existed in a liminal time for the paranormal, when the obscure community was in the direct center of a century-long shift between the popularity of the Spiritualism of the late-1800s, and its Hollywood resurgence in the mid-2000s.

This book chronicles some of Holzer’s cases while researching in NYC, as well as providing his commentary. This commentary is particularly important to those studying the field. We’re able to get a snapshot of what early research and curiosity were like, before it was tainted by the entertainment industry. It can be a bit dry, but that is part of the appeal; the book isn’t meant to dazzle or secure ratings. It might not be for everyone, but it was definitely a gateway book for me.

Honorable mention (because it’s fiction) is Ghost Stories by Roald Dahl. He read 749 short stories and narrowed it down to 14 for his book, and they’re great! Who knew the guy who wrote BFG was so macabre!”

Buy Ghost Hunter on Amazon

Aaron Sagers

(Creator, ParanormalPopCulture.com; Paranormal Journalist, Paranormal Caught on Camera, Paranormal Lockdown; Co-Executive Producer/Host, Paranormal Paparazzi; Co-Host, NightMerica Podcast):

The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel

“Journalist John Keel remains a giant in the paranormal field, and for me personally, he was the first person whose work I discovered that connected the dots between multiple phenomena. He’s described by some as a UFOlogist, but I think he’s so much more. Before it was a 2002 movie that did wonders for the Chapstick brand, The Mothman Prophecies was Keel’s 1975 book that documented strange sightings around Point Pleasant, West Virginia – which culminated with the lethal collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967. Yes, this book discusses the winged thing (Cryptid? Demon? Alien? Ultraterrestrial?) eyewitnesses described in Point Pleasant, and gives historical and folkloric context to it, but Keel goes deeper into the story. Though he does have his own conclusions, the author’s journalistic approach, and open-mindedness, served as an inspiration and starting point to me within this strange world. For a second helping of Keel, I’d recommend Operation Trojan Horse.

Buy The Mothman Prophecies on Amazon

A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters by Peter Aykroyd

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Notice that last name? Yes, Peter Aykroyd is the father of Dan Aykroyd, aka Ray Stantz, Ghostbusters co-writer, UFO aficionado, and entrepreneur of the metaphysically themed Crystal Head vodka. Dan inherited his love of the paranormal honestly, coming from a family of prominent Spiritualists, and in this book, his father discusses the Aykroyds’ role in the belief system popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though it can be a dry read at times, and is not a collection of spooky ghost stories, History takes the reader on a tour of an era of living room seances, mediums, charlatans, eccentric characters, and famous names. I also think there are a lot of parallels to the age of Spiritualism, and the one we’re in now, where reality-TV paranormal programming continues to be a popular genre, and many people seek life answers in the supernatural world.”

Buy A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters by Peter Aykroyd on Amazon

The post Reading beyond the veil: Paranormal book Recommendations From the Pros appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3dPUT0V

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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pruinesce-a2 · 4 years ago

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ZODIAC ANALYSIS FT. TODOROKI FUYUMI, PART ONE : SUN, MOON, AND RISING.

the sun / the basic personality: sagittarius. “ restless, cheerful, and friendly, sun in sagittarius people are generally on the go. they have a love of freedom, and a disdain for routine. generally quite easygoing, sagittarians make friends with people from all walks of life. they love to laugh and tease, and get along well with pretty much anyone, regardless of social factor. sagittarians have an often blind faith in people, and in the world. their optimism is infectious, although it can get them into trouble from time to time. these are curious people who love to learn. their idealistic nature is hard to miss. although generally easygoing, sagittarius is a fire sign. this gives natives a generally quick temper. fortunately, they’re usually as quick to forget what got them angry in the first place. the need for escape is generally strong, and some solar sagittarians come across as a little irresponsible. they’re generally easy to forgive, however. after all, their direct, honest approach in life is admirable. ”

sagittarius is a fire sign : “ like fire itself, fire signs tend to be passionate, dynamic, and temperamental. fire can keep you warm, or it can do great destruction. while fire burns out quickly without fuel to keep it going, it can also regenerate its power from the ashes. a single spark can set off a forest fire. as a result, fire signs need to be nurtured and managed carefully. ”

it’s also a mutable sign : “ these signs end every season—and have learned the hard lessons taught by spring, summer, fall and winter. they know that all good things come to an end, and their role is to prepare everyone for the changing of seasons. mutable signs are the adapters of the zodiac, a little bit older and wiser. more flexible and comfortable with change than other signs, they can “chameleon” themselves to fit into a variety of situations. mutables are also the editors of the zodiac—the ones who complete the package with a winning touch. a plan can be sparked by a cardinal sign, built by a fixed sign, then perfected with the critical eye of a mutable sign. ”

at first glance, fuyumi doesn’t seem like much of a sagittarian. she’s not exactly adventurous or ‘ free ’ - tied down to her family, stuck in that house as she is - but i’d say there’s still a lot of points that agree with her personality: optimistic, cheerful, the need for escape. as a fire sign, she’s oddly very subdued - but mutability fits her quite well, i think; unlike her brothers, she’s welcome to the changes her father tries to make to himself, and i think the specific phrase “chameleon themselves” is interesting - because fuyumi has and does... pretty much exactly that.

it does start to make more sense when you look at it in combination with her moon sign, the libra.

the moon / deepest needs, habits and reactions, emotions: libra. “ emotional equilibrium is the ultimate goal for those born with the moon in libra or the 7th house. on your best days, you are calm and centered, so much so that people might mistake your serenity for indifference. [...] with the sign of the scales directing your feelings, you simply like to take your time. every option must be carefully weighed and deliberated. rushing into decisions gives you major anxiety. before you can move ahead, you want to check out a situation from every possible angle. a die-hard romantic, love is all you need [...] compromise is usually the goal for this moon sign. [...] A natural peacekeeper, you have a talent for calming “difficult” people. [...] this gift can be a double-edged sword, leading you down the slippery slope to enabling or codependence—especially if you had a turbulent childhood. some relationships aren’t meant to be mended, at least not by you alone. It’s difficult for this moon sign to let go and watch people struggle. Interfering can leave you shouldering a heavy burden and might even stall people’s emotional growth and maturity. ”

SOUNDS MUCH MORE LIKE HER. fuyumi is obviously all about compromise - and the lines about a turbulent childhood, difficulty letting people struggle, and that interfering can leave them with a heavy burden / stunting another’s emotional growth... wow. fuyumi with endeavor much?

fuyumi is resistant to change here, in the sense of change AROUND her. while as a sagittarius, she can easily change HERSELF to suit the needs of others.

ascendant ( rising ) / the mask, ‘ the persona adopted from family conditioning ’ : cancer. “ these people come across as gentle creatures. there’s something familiar about them — they’re the guy or gal next door. when [...] because they are rather sensitive to their environment, they can get flustered easily, especially in public. their first instinct, when threatened or on unfamiliar ground, is to protect themselves. when new situations present themselves, they can immediately withdraw or act shy. generally, these people come across as caring people. They seem quite sweet — even innocent. usually, these people appear unassuming enough to be quite approachable. some cancer ascendants, however, have retreated into themselves so much as to be quite the opposite. [...] in some cases, cancer ascendant people can surprise their partners. why? because they come across as rather unassuming, family-oriented people. ”

“ you appear gentle and soft, and you act rather reserved with others until you know them well and feel it is safe to be open with them. you have a strong need for emotional security and a sense of belonging, and are deeply attached to the past: your heritage, roots, family, cherished friends, familiar places, etc. making radical changes or moves away from what is known and safe can be very painful and difficult for you. you tend to cling and hold on to people, memories, possessions of personal or sentimental significance. having a home, a safe haven, is very important to you. ”

“ you carry the qualities of and in some way embody the archetype of the mother. you will find that you attract people who need care, understanding and encouragement. [...] you are very sympathetic in both the sense that you feel for others and also in the sense of “sympathetic resonance”. your own feelings and moods will often reflect the dominant feeling tone in your environment. you absorb the atmosphere around you and thrive in surroundings that are home-like, personal, supportive, and cooperative. when out of balance you are hypersensitive to hurts and slights, are prone to extreme moodiness, worry, and self-pity, and/or feel like an insatiable needy child yourself. self-nurturing and self-responsibility are thus extremely important for you to develop in order to bring out your best. ”

“ the most noticeable feature of the cancer rising person is the round, moon-shaped face. people who have cancer rising also have a tendency to put on weight, especially in the hip area. the legs tend to be short and stocky. the cancer rising female tends to be nicely curved. ”

so this one. This One. makes me sad. and obviously there’s a lot here, but i think it’s rlly important to note - the rising sign is shaped by family conditioning, and fuyumi has been shaped into a mother. like. what more can i say - each of these is pretty self-explanatory... and i also like that it matches her appearance to LIKE WOW THIS ONE JUST. HITS HOME

AND NOW HOW IT INTERACTS W/ THE OTHERS.

sun sun & libra moon. “ when dealing with others, they are very understanding and inspiring. these natives hate confrontations and most of the time are the ones who bring the peace. that’s why they are more prone to making compromises. not to mention how tolerant and open to new opinions they can be. ”

libra moon & cancer rising. “ your moon in libra suggests that you were “born to be mild” and a peacemaker. you also carry a deep feeling for beauty and part of your function in the world is to bring graciousness, sweetness and beauty into it. the tendency to avert or avoid conflict can be a strength or a deficit. ”

sun sun & cancer rising. “ the character of a person with the sun in sagittarius and the ascendant in cancer is too emotional with respect to others, which in fact does not correspond to their inner, spiritual core. so they often live in conflict either with themselves or with others. if they behave good-naturedly and affably, they then find themselves uncomfortable; if they make demands, they run into resistance. ”

like. her whole chart is just. “i want everyone to get along please stop fighting” NGDKJMFSDGZLFSD NO WONDER SHE FUCKIN ACTS THE WAY SHE DOES

#✲ \ 𝚃𝙾 𝙸𝚂𝙼𝙴𝙽𝙴 ‚ meta.#long post //#ask to tag //#also that lil line abt.#' part of your function in the world is to bring graciousness sweetness and beauty into it '#FUYUMI FUCKIN CORE? LIKE DAMN.

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kokoinupi · 5 years ago

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Jitterbug (Hashiya Nanashi, feat. Hatsune Miku & MEIKO) analysis, from an autistic point of view

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Disclaimer: This is based on my personal experience growing up with autism, and the experiences of the people around me. This song is also really gay by nature, so if MikuMei isn't your thing, this is your warning. Obviously this is in no way any sort of official analysis, and actually, ironically due to my autism, I may misinterpret some things or have a hard time not taking lines literally, so don't get mad at me if I get something clearly wrong. I'm just very passionate about this interpretation, and this song comes very close to representing a real (canon) autistic experience. No one else seems to comment on it from that point of view though, so naturally I had to write this up! This is also my first full analysis, and I'm not good at being concise, so please bear with me!

[[MORE]]

Overview: The video, for me, is a major factor in how Jitterbug comes across as an autistic narrative. The name itself, while it is still a reference to a 1920s dance (befitting of the electroswing style of the song), doubles as a meaning for someone who can't sit still, and actually on a personal note was an affectionate nickname my family called me as a kid, so that tipped me off right away. All throughout the video, I noticed most of all, the way Meiko moves her hands while she dances is very close to stimmy behavior, not really like how a neurotypical would normally dance (nor is it a part of the jitterbug itself). While Meiko is moving her hands like that, Miku very often has something in her mouth, either a kind of stick, or the laser pointer, definitely suggesting an oral fixation. Of course, both girls obscure their eyes with sunglasses (I think Meiko's aviators look so cool), and while that definitely has some metaphorical meaning as others have pointed out in their analyses of the song, it's really not uncommon for autistic people to wear shaders and/or noise dampeners to combat overstimulation and sensory issues. None of these things on their own prove anything, of course, as the video is often a small part of a song's meaning, so let's dive into the main course!

Lyric analysis:

I can't talk about any wishes, nor my ideals

Giving out the same, invariant answer all the time

For being the first line in this song, this really already punches home the idea that Miku is dissatisfied with herself, and, as is often the case with autistic people, doesn't even know how she's supposed to navigate the world. She either doesn't know her aspirations in life, or doesn't know how to talk about them without being judged.

You don't need a rotten yesterday

Dump it before you get betrayed

Meiko, being the free spirit in contrast to the masking, frustrated Miku, assures her that she can't just hold onto bad things that happened, being judged or not knowing herself, she needs to dump her perfectionist tendencies and learn to live as herself a little before her own precariously-built persona comes crashing down on her.

Just fully utilize it, tame it

Can't give it away nor dye it tomorrow

I'm fully ready

Meiko tells Miku that she has to learn to work with herself the way she is, find her talents and use them fully, rather than constantly trying to change or push her feelings deep down. She can't give away her personality, and she can't truly make herself different inside, no matter how hard she masks on the outside.

Hungry critics that can't even move

are just glancing at you sideways

The people who would judge Miku for who she is are just hungry for something to laugh at, someone to other or exclude, but when it comes down to it, they're no real threat. If she can just get over that initial hurdle, she'll realize her haters are just pathetically lapping at any entertainment they can get, and they're really not that scary at the end of the day.

Who cares! Ignore those idiots

Given this is the first line they sing together, it almost feels like an admission on Miku's part, she wants to believe Meiko and stand up for herself for once, even if it is just among them for now.

Come at nights, grab my hand and dance

The girls are obviously fond of each other (just gals being pals), and in a way, understand one another on a deeper level than other people understand them, having similar neurotypes. Dancing itself is sort of a wild, energetic activity, that can help express a wide variety of pent-up emotions, and the jitterbug itself is a pretty manic dance that fits the image rather well.

Use your eyes only for me and let's light it up,

Your one and only, scorching laser light

This line is honestly just gay. I don't think there's any deeper meaning to the laser light specifically, but it is a cute thing to call your funky spunky girlfriend, isn't it? It actually may be a reference to how Miku really is on the inside, bright and strange, and often blinding and scorching to others. She hides that side of her pretty well normally, but with Meiko it's not only fine to be bright and weird and full of personality, but actually encouraged.

Fitfully ranking things and aligning them vertically

Abandoning my heart, I convert them to numbers out of impulse

Honestly, upon my first translated listen of this song, I didn't think absolutely anything autistic was happening until this line hit me. This is so autistic in nature, I'm surprised that a lot of analyses leave it out. Miku not only sees the world in sets and orders and numbers like many autistics do, but actually feels (most likely from outside influence) that by her brain being wired to see the world like that, she's abandoned her humanity and become a robot.

The magic gradually faded out

Instead, pessimism flowed in and was entrenched

I'm taking a little liberty here, but many autistics with savant syndrome (and/or gifted kid syndrome) are praised in their youth for the amazing things they can do, such as doing complex math quickly or reading at a faster speed than their peers, but later in life, when those skills are either no longer relevant or have averaged out, the things they used to be praised for become seen as annoying, not something to brag about, or a burden. Miku no longer sees the way her brain works as magical and special anymore, it's a curse and proof to her that she's not like the people around her.

Struck speechless by the awful scenery,

Very clearly overstimulation.

I linger in the raining streets, soaked from head to toe

Some wait for the sun, some grumble about the rain

All pointing at me inside their umbrellas

This line could very well be taken literally, but it's most clearly just a way of describing how different Miku is truly. She doesn't see the same things as bad as other people, she doesn't see the same things as good either. She could be the type that embraces darkness in life, both literally and figuratively. People may not actually point, but she can feel eyes on her, and it makes her feel even more alienated. Even when she tries so hard to fit in, there are some parts of her that are too obvious to change, and she knows she draws attention anyway.

Who cares! Ignore them right now

Let's smile, choose my hand and sing

Feel the rhythm with your heart and dance

I'm not sure exactly why, but the line about feeling the rhythm with your heart made me feel really connected to the song. It might just be because of my own personal music stim habits, but either way it's another line about leaving behind your facade, being as true to your nature as possible, and just dancing out your worries to the beat of the song.

On this rainy stage, as bright as the scorching light

This line embraces the idea of Miku preferring the rain. No one else has to like the stage they set for themselves, because when they're together, it's just about them and what they want to do. Miku can soak herself in rain and bright, scorching light, and just exist with no one around to point and stare.

Eyes go dim and words are lost

While this can just be a reference to depression in general, it's worth noting that many autistics have trouble showing expressions, and/or go nonverbal, often in response to stress or unusually upsetting circumstances.

The colors of today have faded out

Still, it couldn't end because of someone

This can be a way of insinuating that Miku is actually suicidal due to how she's seen by others, and Meiko is the one thing keeping her here, or it could just mean that Meiko stopped her days from getting too bad in a moderate sense. Either way, pretty gay, and shows more how much the girls depend on each other in mutual understanding.

Who cares! Ignore those idiots!

Come at nights, dance and grasp your aspirations

Referring back to the first line, Meiko does assure Miku that not everything needs to be worked out for others' sake, but by spending time with your true self and unpacking your feelings, the future you're supposed to have and the things that truly make you happy will become clear.

I shall dedicate my entire life to you

Let's shine on, like the scorching light

Reach your hands out, until the very end

Miku is in lesbians with her. Ending the song on such a gay note is never a bad thing of course, but it is a little anticlimactic for this analysis. Though, the line of reaching your hands out might actually refer to their hand movements in the video, symbolizing to keep being weird and authentic as long as you can, but that may be a bit of a stretch (or a reach, if you will)

Final thoughts: I have seen other analyses (though not as in-depth) about the meaning of the song, and while they definitely do have some meaning and I can see it from that point of view, there are just some obviously autistic cues that I couldn't ignore that just swayed my perception of the song entirely that direction. I'm not sure if I only picked up that meaning because of my own experiences biasing my view, or if I actually am onto something with the original intention of the song. If you guys have any insight to offer on any of the lyrics, or if I missed or misinterpreted something, feel free to let me know! Thanks for reading this far, honestly! 🌸

#vocaloid #vocaloid meta #meta #jitterbug vocaloid #vocaloid analysis #jitterbug analysis #actuallyautistic #hopefully the readmore works #suicide ment #mikumei #edit: the readmore does not indeed fucking work and i cant edit it on desktop so im sorry #long post

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arcadianmoonshadowjedi · 5 years ago

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TTS-Cass Character Analysis (My Personal Opinion) Part 1

There has been something I have been thinking a lot for quite a while. I’ve been thinking a lot about how views about Cassandra in the fandom are very polarizing, which I found to be super interesting that there are so many different interpretations about this one specific character.

I personally do not have a crush on her lol (my one only is my boy Eugene!!) nor do I romantically ship Cassunzel, Cassarian, or her with Eugene. But at the same Cass is a character that actually grew to not only be my favorite series exclusive character, but also has become my joint favorite character alongside Eugene and Rapunzel in the whole entire show (And believe me, I never saw that coming when I started the show because I was only interested in New Dream haha)! I found the amount of complexity that we see in her in S1, S2, and S3(to an extent) to be really interesting and enjoyable. It made her a very cool and well rounded character that I became so invested in her story, mostly in S1 and 2. But I wanted to reflect more on how I felt about this character throughout the show.

When I was first introduced to her in the show, I wasn’t really quite sure how I was going to feel about her like a part of me was like: Yeah! Rapunzel is finally getting a gal pal! Something we hardly see a Disney Princess getting! I enjoyed her in the Wind In My Hair scenes, her telling Rapunzel about the black rocks, and the scene where they tried several ways to cut her hair lol! On the other hand, I was completely mad at her whenever she interrupted New Dream scenes or when she pressured Rapunzel to keep a big secret which was negatively affecting her relationship with Eugene, but overall, it was more of a “Honey, I’m mad at you but I’m enjoying this kind of mad” lmao.

I wasn’t entirely mad at her for insulting or picking on Eugene because I know my boy is strong and can stand up for himself, like he calls her names too! I personally don’t think she was mean to Eugene for fun, but it was more like she was very distrustful of him because he was the wanted thief that her father was hunting down and the fact that she thinks he’s “too laidback” or “self-centered” or a “freeloader in the castle” lol. (Just to make things clear, I’m the kind of person who can absolutely love a character, but still call out their individual flaws and actions, which are qualities that makes them more realistic and human, and makes me adore them even more). I for one enjoy Eugene and Cass’s sibling rivalry dynamic (My favorite friendship and platonic ship in the whole show haha!) I found it so hilarious and enjoyable how those two are throwing insults back and forth and annoy each other lol. I think I started liking Cass more than I did before in Rapunzel’s enemy and definitely Fitzherbert P.I. when she was actually rooting for Eugene against her dad!

Then of course, I was spoiled about Moonsandra!! Until this day, I hated getting this spoiler when I was still watching the show (I started about a year ago) and still in S1! I still wish I was surprised by it at the end of S2! Of course it didn’t help that the first episode I watched after that was none other than Challenge of the Brave! I was trying to keep in mind that this spoiler was going to happen much later and that I should enjoy the episode I’m currently watching but I felt so conflicted this entire episode I could hardly enjoy it lmao! I will get back to my thoughts on this episode later because it took me so long to re-watch it.

Thank goodness Cassandra v. Eugene was the next episode because it helped ease the conflict I had about her more lol!! I found it hilarious how she and Eugene were locked in the cell and forced to work together but we see them bonding more! Overall, I liked seeing Cassandra’s arc for the rest of S1 and I liked seeing her grow a lot more. I felt like we got to see her be more compassionate, especially in Queen for a Day where she was willing to hug Rapunzel when Eugene and the guys were going to save her parents or when Rapunzel thought Pascal died. I loved seeing this side of Cassandra so much and has shown how much she grown since we first saw her! I also loved seeing her be a trio with Rapunzel and Eugene in a lot of latter S1 episodes where we see them working together more! I loved seeing Cass start to loosen up and not only be nicer and a better friend to Rapunzel but also seeing her start to get along with Eugene more while still maintaining their comical banter! I also liked seeing her and Eugene working together to help or save Rapunzel like in Painter’s Block and The Alchemist Returns.

At the same time, I loved seeing more of her goals, like wanting to become a guard or proving herself to her dad. I loved that we also get some insight into her insecurity, which I felt like we got more of in Secret of the Sundrop, Under Raps, Great Expotations, and yes even Challenge of the Brave. The two latter episodes weren’t really episodes I liked or enjoyed, even when I rewatch them but at the same time, I felt like they do give clearer insight into her insecurity and COTB definitely does show a lot of what lead her to become Moonsandra. Cass is someone who wants to feel like she is noticed, appreciated, she wants to feel like she matters. While in that episode, Cass had done extremely shitty things and took it way too far, which I do not think is ever going to be acceptable like ever, I didn’t entirely see this episode as one sided conflict.

Now I know that people might disagree with what I’m about to say and I totally accept that. I decided to re-watch this episode a lot later while S3 was airing so I could get more insight into the whole Moonsandra turn. I felt like this episode showed so much of her insecurity and how she felt being looked down at as “Rapunzel’s Handmaiden”. This goes into that Cass wanted to be seen for who she is and for her combat skills, which is something that means so much to her. While I do love Rapunzel so so much (She’s the number 1 character I relate to and see myself in) I did feel like she was in the wrong as well, maybe not as much as Cass but still. Even though Cass didn’t talk about how much this meant to her, Rapunzel did notice signs of Cassandra being nervous and even told Eugene. Even throughout the challenge, there were several instances where Rapunzel could tell that Cass was bothered, but still continued anyway. I just felt that in this episode Rapunzel did act in a way that was inconsiderate and selfish (somewhat similar to Goodbye and Goodwill, but that played out differently), but at the same time, I don’t entirely blame her. She was locked in a tower for her first 18 years with no human interaction except with a horrible, abusive “parent” that never loved her. Of course she is going to lack a lot of social skills and knowledge about how friendships work, but over the course of the series she goes through many things that teach her more and I absolutely loved seeing her grow in this.

Back to Cass, while I do think that this was more of two-sided issue that could’ve been prevented by better communications on both sides, I’m in no way excusing what Cass did. However, what I did admire is that when they did talk and Raps apologized, and although Cass should have apologized and said she was wrong out loud, at the end, Cass at least came to realize that she was wrong and has owned up to her mistake, maybe not completely or in the most traditional way, but when she saved Raps from Wreck Marauder, raised Rapunzel’s arm up to declare her champion, and actually hugged her, that was her way of apologizing. Now I know that not everyone will agree with my interpretation of this episode but it’s just how I saw it and I tried to see it from the points of view of both characters and be unbiased as much as possible.

I personally don’t think of Cass as a horrible person or toxic friend, at least in S1 till the mid/end of S2 because on a more personal note I have dealt with so many toxic friendships in real life. In those toxic friendships, one major issue that has lead me to cut ties or create distance is that when the toxic friend hurt/used me (Which I really don’t wish to go into detail on atm), they NEVER and I mean NEVER admitted their actions were wrong or ever even bothered to see it, even when I called them out on it. I refuse to see Cass as a toxic or horrible person because even when she does something wrong, she’ll admit it, she’ll own up to her actions and accept the consequences, and eventually she actually started apologizing.

I know this post is super long but I really wanted to express my thoughts on Cass and still want to go over her arc in S2 (my personal favorite!!) and S3 (which might actually might be super painful! I would say I had overall mixed-negative feelings on that lol) But this concludes most of my thoughts on S1 Cass I wanted to reflect on!

#rapunzels tangled adventure #tangled the series #tangled cassandra #random thoughts #character analysis #cassandra #challenge of the brave #painter's block #secret of the sundrop #tts season 1 #rta season 1 #rta #tts #tts cassandra #Tas's thought dump

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ts-2020-olympics · 5 years ago

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EPISODE 1 - “My Legs Were Not Qwoperating” - Kathy (Part 1)

One world ! 24 other players ! I

I'm too old to be here but... it's happening! I made it on Tumblr Survivor mom! Determined to not be first boot!

Also I'm aligning with Jordan Pines because I love chaos and these newbies won't know what hit them

Well this is certainly something. I'm going to try out seeing who pms me without me saying anything. I'll pick up the activity tomorrow, so it doesn't really affect me, let's see if anyone takes the initiative so I don't have to. If I get dragged into a majority alliance then that's cool. I don't think that this group is great in terms of teamwork as of yet, but we'll see. There's so many tribes our chances of going to tribal are pretty slim, even if we suck. We're kindof underdogs, so sucking might not be excusable.

First day of surviving the Survivor survivorship...survivor. These forms are going to take some time to get used to, but I'll manage. Got conversations from Beck and Sammy so far - might scope the field, see what's out there. Or, I can lay low and do what I need to do for my team until merge hits.

i actually really like the people on my tribe and i'm excited because i have hopes for us. i've also made some nice friends so far and i'm hoping that pays off later but even if it doesn't i'm glad my first day in a skype survivor org has been positive! woo!

Fuck this complicated ass first challenge

youtube

Hello! Guess whose back? It me! Anyway, it’s been a fun first night. Things are going okay. I am worried a little bit about the One World mess, I don’t want to come off too social right now but at the same time I need to secure a good place. So here is the breakdown analysis of my tribe: Chris Stoner: hello ???? I didn’t know they let stoners into the Olympics, didn’t we drug test? I haven’t spoken to him much but we did play Crossroads together although not really together. Anyway, fun to see him. Don’t know if I’d work with him but I guess that’s to be determined. Karen: KARENNNNN! I wasn’t expecting to see them here but now that it’s happening I am very glad to have someone who I have worked with before around, and a solid foundation of working together. Right away I felt like I had someone who had my back and I hope I’m not misreading that, because Karen and I always seem to work together until a certain point. Hopefully we can work together longer than usual this time! Kevin: uhhh soooooo love Kevin but we don’t have the best track record? He was in Circle with me we had a little fight where I may have called him a racist for being mad at Asya anyway it SEEMS as though that’s not an issue anymore and I think we might be able to work something out. I don’t wanna have to vote Kevin out before Stoner or Tommy. Tommy: ok no offense to this man but he is so hard to talk to so far. Every conversation feels flat and even though we are talking about subjects I could go on about for a while, it feels like the convos are going nowhere. I feel like there’s a sort of slight bond between Karen, Kevin and I but then Tommy and Stoner are kind of...hopefully who they’d want to kill off first, I’m probably wildly misreading every situation rn. Outside of my tribe I’ve talked to Juls who I am going to take under my wing as my daughter and she will win this season if I don’t get to! I love her so much she reminds me of my old school Skype babies and I feel like a cool mom when I talk to her I’ve also talked to beck briefly, KING love him bc he’s dating Asya and I don’t necessarily want to bond based on that. I also know beck is a good as game player bc I’ve watched him play so......I’m gonna be nice and observant and maybe we can establish a threat/threat symbiotic relationship. I also talked to Jacob C. who I love so much and he and I have been comparing some notes. He’s already told me Sammy has an idol that he can only use for three rounds so heh heh heh. OH SPEAKING OF SAMMY I love that man he’s such a doll and I really hope we can work together if I get far. At this point I love this cast but I really feel like I am not gonna vibe with the newbies, they’re like very....quiet in the PM’s but loud in the one world chat? I find that backwards. I’m hoping the newbies I do like will be able to get rid of the newbies I don’t like so that when we merge the newbies I do like will help me get rid of the returnees I don’t wanna work with. That’s what we are manifesting, 2020 vision yeehaw.

Showmance, eh? I might play dumb, surprise them all later? I could play the role of disposable pawn while possibly orchestrating things behind the shadows. Could be a long, long shot, but it could work.

AAAAHHHHH IM HERE HI MOM IM ON TV IM SO EXCITED AND I CANT WAIT FOR EVERYTHING IM ALSO SCARED AS FUCK CUS EVERYONE KNOWS HOW THESE THINGS WORK AND I DONT

omg okay this is all so crazy i love it i can’t stop shaking AAAAHHH dhdkshHSJDHEVSJbokayOKAY so like i LOOOVE my tribe we’re the fuckin best tribe here cus we’re all so cool like we’re the FRIENDSHIP tribe and being able to make friends is a useful skill in this game like no offense but being the “dominant” tribe or “champions” tribe or whatever tbh it’s pretty unskinny bc that’s a target on you forever whereas my tribe we’re all friendly and trusting!! 💖💞 xoxo lets hold hands all the way to finale and have fun! 🌈✨

okay i forgot to talk about strategy lol anyways yeah I looOOOVve everyone on my tribe and that’s great but also sucks because there’s only 5 of us, it just takes 3 votes to send you out so I wish there was some oblivious cocky dick on our tribe we all could hate so we’d have an easy first vote like that guy Billy.. why is he on the respect tribe¿? anyways i love everyone but I think Will and I are becoming the closest we talked for a lil while last night yknow things got a little steamy 🥰😩 (you’ll have to pay for ts all access for that footage 😘) we bonded really well and I think for this first vote if we lose, Will and I are definitely gonna be voting together.

Alright, so here we are at the 2020 Olympics. I came in as a last minute replacement, so I feel like I have to prove myself more than some others who applied weeks before hand and made the cut. As well, got some past players, and past winners, which makes the competition stakes that much greater this season. Then, to top it all off, at the One World style camp, so can talk to everyone which is definitely a nice touch. Now, regards to my tribe, I honestly like the people on my tribe, and find that we're going to be a solid crew. Here is my actual impressions on my tribe mates thus far though: Beck - Probably one I recognize most, just due to being in a discord org vl with her, definitely seems like a friendly gal, and when time is right, I feel she could end up being my closest ally on the tribe Ben - Probably one so far who I have talked the most too, and I feel like we're connecting alright thus far, so going to keep building up a bond with him and his route could end up being as my first ally of these Olympics. Kathy - Haven't spoken one on one with her yet, just in the tribe chat somewhat and main chat, which she definitely seems like a cool person, and hoping to get to know her a bit better, but terms of this game, hard to say if we'll be on same side or not. Bailey - Speaking with her a little, but kind of same lines as Kathy currently with her, just not sure if Bailey will end up being an ally who will be with me, or someone who will be against me. Overall, time will tell how this game goes, but hopefully it goes well for me and I come out with at least something worth while.

HOLY SHIT I FOUND AN ADVANTAGE OH MY GOD!!!!! I GOT AN ADVANTAGE ON DAY FUCKIN TWO OF MY FIRST SURVIVOR EVERR HOLY SHIT!!!! okay so it says i can get an extra vote IF at the next tribal i decide to NOT vote and save that vote for later so i’d have an extra vote. Now the hard part is making my first tribal an easy vote so i can save my own.. hopefully i’ll be able to do this! i’m so scared ohmygod

okay i’m in a serious predicament... so I may not vote at the next tribal meaning there’s only 4 votes. While looking at the cast reveal i discovered something.. Nik is a drag queen, Eve also does drag as well... what if they applied together from some drag community or are bonding because of that. That’s 2 votes together already on a tribe of five.. that’s dangerous especially when I’m not allied with either of them! If they vote together and i don’t vote... they’d have half the votes already and may get rid of my ally Will! I’m hoping to god they don’t know each other but if they are aligned then Will or I could be out! I want this advantage but i don’t know if i can take it.... fuuUUUUCK

I’m really enjoying my tribe and I think that the people in this game are super awesome! However with that being said, I can definitely see who could potentially be an issue down the line and I’m keeping my eyes peeled for them!

whoa. this game is a lot. I managed to message everyone on day one because I just rely on my social abilities. I tried to be as relatable as possible to everyone but literally some people were dead fish. Some newbies have asked me for advice already and they said returners are intimidating so I said "I mean only the returners that won" hahah and they were like "oh yeah so true" sorry I threw y'all under the bus. But ummm kathy is playing and we are from the same hometown so I am hoping we end up on same tribe sometime soon. I love juls too!! OH AND JACOB IS MY RIDE OR DIE. we had a tribe call and I was so uncomfortable because I felt like I had nothing to add to the conversation. my fav 2 on my tribe are Jacob and Caeleb tho! umm okay last thing I searched for the idol....AND BIH ON DA FIRST TRY I GOT ONE BLSFSI only good for next three tribals I attend tho. I told Jacob. it was in a yellow condom. okay sorry this was very choppy I just wanted to get it all out.

This tribe seems to be working fine together, while I'm still terrified of losing, I think we stand a fighting shot. This cool little band of misfits would be a cool sight. I've kept my quiet for the first day, time to ramp things up just a tad. I've talked to Landen and I feel pretty alright about him, and given this tribe is as small as my will to life after playing QWOP, we only need one more! Landen's probably talking to everyone, so I just need to seal the deal with him. I think my challenge performance will suffice for being enough to keep me around, but I need a bit of a backup just in case. If we go to tribal, there's not a "stay UTR" option. It's either I'm in an alliance and I'm calling some shots, or I'm being (in)directly blindsided. But, I picked my strong suit in flash games for a reason fellas. The one world chat has quite a bit of activity. I'm quite and that's fine, if we swap I can readjust. If we go to tribal I'm sure I'll become just a tad more popular along with the other 9 that go. tldr:I'm winning duh

Ayo, tribe energy looking DOPE AS HELL BAY BAY! We all seem to be getting along pretty well, seeing as our communication during this challenge is pretty dope! No bad personalities in sight. I gotta wonder though, how nervous do I have to be? I know for a damn fact if I start talking more to these people they gon' be fallin' as hard as underage kids seeing the hottest girl in school enter their club. Thing is though, I'm fresh meat coming into this, so any pre existing relationships in this game are like dust mites to me. Can't see em' but GOD DAMN they annoy me. Nonetheless, I gotta work my magic in case we go to Tribal. I ain't letting anybody take out a rookie, especially a rookie who has somethin' to prove, and someone who at his best is the damn king of the world. See me work bay bay!

#zestypowerfuluniqueflavorfulhealthy #confessionals

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astrologydonut · 6 years ago

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All about The Ascendant (RISING sign)

The Ascendant (or rising sign) is often considered the mask one wears when meeting others. Perhaps it is most aptly thought of as the automatic responses to one’s environment. The Ascendant shows our natural defenses and how we cope with day-to-day issues. The energies of the sign and condition of the Ascendant are most overt and obvious to others. The Ascendant shows an individual’s first, natural reaction to new people and situations.

Aries Rising: People with Aries Ascendants are direct and quick. Their first instinct is to do, rather than think. Planning ahead? Forget it. Aries rising simply charges forward without much ado. This position does not make a person aggressive. Forthright, yes, but aggression is too strong a word for these natives. They have a youthful, direct manner that sees what it wants and generally goes for it. At the same time, there isn’t any malice in their intent. Some Aries rising people are competitive, but they generally put most of the pressure on themselves. These people love to come out ahead in all that they do. They get ready quickly, walk quickly, and have little patience for dilly-dallying. Their temper is quick, too. It’s also quick to disappear. Rarely do you find Aries rising people holding grudges. Their mannerisms are rather simple and straightforward. Aries rising loves action, and is often trying to stir up some activity. Their strengths lie in their enterprising ways. Finishing things they start does not always come as easily, unless the ruler, Mars, is placed in a more tenacious sign, such as Taurus or Scorpio. Aries Ascendant often gives a rather swift walk, with the head leaning forward slightly. This walk is surprisingly distinctive. Headaches, and sinus and eye problems are the usual physical complaints of this position. Rashes and acne on the face and shoulders sometimes occur. Broad shoulders and slim hips are common. Often, Aries rising people are quick to smile, and they possess a youthful charm throughout life. Probably early on in life, Aries rising people got typecast as the “independent” child. As adults, people with Aries Ascendants often stick to that role in life. People don’t run to help them out — they appear quite fine doing things on their own. These people have learned to be self-reliant, and this generally stems from their early experiences. Despite a rather brusque and independent manner, these natives are usually very willing to compromise in their relationships, and are very attached to the people they hold dear.

Taurus Ascendant Slow, steady, and capable are adjectives that we can safely attach to individuals born with a Taurus Ascendant. These natives have tremendous stamina and staying power. They’re often quite loyal to those they care about. Although they generally don’t come on strong, they have personal presence; and they fairly radiate stability. The sign on the Ascendant generally reveals how people start anything new. Taurus, by nature, is resistant to change. It can be difficult to sway Taurus rising natives–they’re often rather stubborn and fixed in their ways. Their first responses are to feel things out, not in the way a Pisces might attune to their environment, but in the realm of the five senses. They have well-developed sense of smell and touch, and respond to the material world. Theirs is a practical approach to life. Security is one of their foremost considerations before undertaking anything new. Taurus rising natives are often quite cautious and careful. With a fixed sign on the Ascendant, they are not known for their flexibility. Rather, they possess determined single-mindedness. More than most, Taurus rising prefers the “good things” in life. Self-indulgence can be a weakness for many with this Ascendant. Often collectors in some way, Taurus rising natives place a lot of value on their material possessions. Taurus rising individuals prefer to dress in quality clothes with a comfortable feel to them. They are rarely ostentatious in their presentation. Many have strong and sturdy physiques. Often rather possessive in partnership, these natives won’t easily break up their relationships. Although they are not particularly jealous, they view their partners as their personal property. Intensity and loyalty are especially important to Taurus rising natives. These are highly sensual people who prefer the comforts that a one-to-one, stable partnership offers. Although Taurus rising individuals value harmony and calm, their partnerships may be on the passionate side. Taurus rising natives are often very comforting to be around. They have a stability about them that is soothing, and an inner harmony that is attractive.

Gemini Ascendant Those born with Gemini rising see the world as a place to learn. They are curious about the people around them. Sounds similar to Sagittarius rising? Well it is, but there are some important differences. While Sagittarius seeks to expand their mental and physical horizons in a broad sense, Gemini is mostly interested in moving about in their social circles.These are people who love to ask questions, to move around freely, and to mingle. Definitely restless and often quick in physical expression, natives of the Gemini Ascendant exude an air of impatience even if they don’t mean it. In fact, there is a cleverness to Gemini Ascendants that can intimidate some, especially sensitive folk. Their facility with words can be a wonderful asset, although sometimes Gemini rising individuals identify too much with their mental agility and forget, in their personal interactions and communications, to nurture the people around them. A certain lack of warmth in presentation can be the result, and although this style is generally a facade, it is not immediately apparent to most. People with, for example, predominant Water signs may feel a little ill at ease with Gemini rising people (that is, before they get to know them more personally), while strong Air types more fully appreciate the fun and cleverness of these individuals. I have found two styles of presentation most common with Gemini rising people. One style is bubbly, changeable, talkative, and a little quirky. These natives are interesting and fun. They constantly explain things, whether it’s their own behavior and opinion or those of the world around them. Another distinct “style” is a rather cool and intellectual demeanor. These natives are often quite witty and clever, but they present themselves in a less cheerful and changeable way than the first group. Their observations are sharp and the overall manner is a tad brusque. No matter the style, Gemini rising natives are given to analysis and making sense of their world. Their powers of observation are well-developed, they are mentally active (more often than not, their minds are racing!), and they almost always have something bright or witty to say. It is easy for individuals with this position to get sidetracked, as their curiosity is large, their minds are quick, and their attention spans rather short! As children, natives born with a Gemini Ascendant are often labeled as the intellectual, inquisitive, and perhaps odd child. Many feel their upbringing lacked some warmth. In one-to-one relationships, Gemini rising people often seek a certain amount of personal freedom and space. They enjoy intellectual debates and exchanging ideas. Although they often demand a fair amount of freedom, they are often just as willing to give their partners room to breathe. More on Gemini Rising.

Cancer Ascendant These people come across as gentle creatures. There’s something familiar about them — they’re the guy or gal next door. When they enter a room, they don’t walk in with a splash. Instead, they move to the sides and weave their way inwards. These people have a familiar feel to them. Because they are rather sensitive to their environment, they can get flustered easily, especially in public. Their first instinct, when threatened or on unfamiliar ground, is to protect themselves. When new situations present themselves, they can immediately withdraw or act shy. Generally, these people come across as caring people. They seem quite sweet — even innocent. Usually, these people appear unassuming enough to be quite approachable. Some Cancer Ascendants, however, have retreated into themselves so much as to be quite the opposite.

Since Capricorn is on the Descendant, Cancer Ascendant people are looking for structure and security in their partner and their relationship. These people function best when their partner displays strength, financial and emotional stability, and know-how. In fact, many Cancer Ascendants prefer it when their relationship has well-defined rules. Security is the basic need, and they are generally more than willing to give up some personal freedom in order to get it. In some cases, Cancer Ascendant people can surprise their partners. Why? Because they come across as rather unassuming, family-oriented people. When it comes to marriage, they have a rather matter-of-fact, practical approach.

Leo Rising: Leo rising people cannot help but be noticed. They radiate a special energy and magnetism that gets others’ attention. Sometimes it’s because they are loud people who pay a lot of attention to their personal appearance (especially their hair!); other times it’s due to a regal manner that simply demands interest from others.Leo Ascendant people are very self-aware and body-conscious. They are acutely aware of others, and how they come across. In fact, these people are especially aware of their personal “backdrop”–they consider what the people they’re with, and the environments they are in, do to their own image. Often, Leo rising natives feel as if they are on stage, even in the privacy of their own homes!They are given to rash decisions, temper tantrums, and excesses. However, they have plenty of staying power, drive, and their idealism keeps them from getting into too much trouble. The desire to oversee the goings-on in their circle can sometimes amount to bossiness. If this desire doesn’t go too far, however, it can just mean a person who wants to make sure the people they love are all right. Many Leo rising people are managers, either by profession or character.The tendency to overestimate things, and themselves, is generally present. This is due to a natural enthusiasm and optimism about any new undertaking. Sometimes, they are walking commercials. In fact, Leo rising people make excellent promoters.Leo rising people are generally demonstrative, and given to grand gestures. Drama comes naturally to these natives. In fact, some are so caught up in fiction, they’re a little blind to fact. They have an unusual need to be admired.Leo Ascendants often have a strong physical constitution. They pay special attention to their personal appearance and mannerisms. Usually, they choose clothing and hairstyles that are youthful. Their manner is authoritarian and strong.No matter their age in real-world terms, Leo rising people are kids at heart. They are fun-loving and warm; generous and spirited.Just how magnanimous and outgoing a Leo rising individual is will be modified by the placement of the Sun by sign and house. This is because the ruling planet of a Leo Ascendant is the Sun. For example, a Leo rising person with Sun in Virgo may not come across as strongly as a Leo rising person with Sun in Aries. No matter the placement of the Sun, however, Leo rising natives are quite self-aware and optimistic. They have a natural flair for presentation, an eye for quality, and a hard-to-resist warmth of style. They want to make things happen, and create a stir

Virgo Rising: People with Virgo rising are often a little understated in their personal mannerisms and appearance, although a lot depends on the position of Mercury (the ruling planet of Virgo) in the chart. Generally, there is an intelligent and reserved aura about Virgo rising individuals that is unmistakable. These are actually somewhat shy people who need time to analyze things around them before they warm up to both situations and people. This quality can be received exactly as that, or it can be received as a rather stand-offish, cool, and even critical manner (depending on the audience).One of the biggest personality traits of this position is body-awareness. People with Virgo ascendants are sensitive to any discomfort or other signals their body gives them. Many are especially interested and concerned with physical health, and some are attracted to mind-body awareness exercises such as yoga. Virgo rising people are often rather particular about food. Although some have good appetites, there can be an unmistakable pickiness about what they put in and on their bodies. Virgo ascendant natives have a tendency to worry a lot, especially when confronted with new situations. They notice the tiniest details that others overlook. Many people with this position have a tendency to attract (or be attracted to) people who need help. Their relationships may be confusing as a result. Despite the Virgo rising tendency to appear rather collected and professional, relationships can sometimes be messy simply because these natives don’t always see their partners and partnerships clearly.There’s a quiet charm to many Virgo rising people. Once they have the chance to warm up to new people and situations, you’ll find they have a lot to offer. They’ll help you out of a jam, go out on a limb for you, and surprise you with a natural modesty under a somewhat critical and standoffish manner.

Libra Rising Everybody seems to like Libra Ascendant natives. They just come across as nice, pleasant, and fair. Look a little closer at their lives, and these nice people may have had quite a few problems in their relationships. Some of them have had a string of relationships, and it can be hard to imagine why! These natives attract others to them effortlessly. Besides, they simply don’t know what to do with themselves without a significant other.Libra rising generally appear to be smoothing everything over. They have charming smiles, a gentle approach with others, and an easygoing image. Even if they were not endowed with good looks, they are attractive. Most pay a lot of attention to their personal appearance — the colors they wear, their hair, the way they walk.Libra rising people can be enormously persuasive, although they will almost always use a “soft sell” approach when they want to win others over, which is all of the time! A tendency to pass the buck and keep up that “nice guy/gal” image are their worst qualities. However, they can make excellent mediators and will generally be the first to accommodate you.Libra rising natives are usually attracted to competent, active partners. Their relationships are often characterized by bickering or competitiveness until they learn to drop their sweet image once in a while and to stop blaming their partners for everything that goes wrong

Scorpio Rising Scorpio Ascendant people have a lot of presence. There is something about them that tells the world that they are not to be pushed around. Their manner commands respect, and in some cases, fear. Scorpio rising people can be quiet or loud, but they always seem powerful and determined.You either love or hate Scorpio rising people they are rarely people who go through life unnoticed. In fact, some of them are confused when faced with the fact that they get such strong reactions from others. They seem to look right through people, seeing through superficiality. This can be quite intimidating to some, and intriguing to others. Scorpio rising people, in their dealings with others, look for answers by reading between the lines. Surface details are discarded when they are getting a feel for people and situations around them.Scorpio rising people value their privacy so much, it can border on paranoia. They have a strong need to control their environment and are experts at strategy. Rarely people who will blow their chances with impatience, they plan out their moves carefully and deliberately, relying on their awesome ability to feel out others and situations.Scorpio rising natives are drawn to down-to-earth, natural partners. Reliability in their partner is very important. They generally look for complete commitment and have little patience with flighty partners.

Sagittarius Rising The world is filled with adventure, new things to experience, and, most of all, hope, with this Ascendant. There is an unmistakable faith and enthusiasm with Sagittarius rising people. Grand schemes, big promises, and a willingness to explore and experiment are themes, although follow-through is not a strong characteristic of Sagittarius.These individuals are somewhat restless and often active people. They always seem to be looking for something that is just out of grasp — and many do this their entire lives. They can be quite direct at times, yet they are likable enough to forgive for their faux-pas. Most have a lot to say and offer. Their insights and opinions are usually interesting and exciting, although sometimes lacking in details.Sagittarius rising people have opinions about everything, and they just love telling others exactly what they are. Not all people with this position are outgoing folk, but they all have a way of moving about that at least exudes a certain level of confidence. Some might even call them naive or overly optimistic. Even the quiet ones don’t shrink from life and from experience.One of the most obvious and endearing traits of Sagittarius rising is their willingness to keep up a sense of humor. Even when they’re feeling low, they manage to find humor in life and have fun with whatever they do have. The placement of Sagittarius’ ruling planet, Jupiter, will give more clues to how they go about expressing themselves. Jupiter in Capricorn, for example, might give a more sarcastic approach, but underneath there lies an unmistakable hope and spirit for living.

Capricorn Rising There’s a seriousness to Capricorn rising people that is unmistakable. Even when they’re joking around, it’s of the deadpan variety. In fact, plenty of very humorous people have Capricorn Ascendants. It’s all in the timing…and the fact that they don’t giggle before the joke is over.Capricorn Ascendant people project competence. They simply ooze it. They’re generally very image-conscious people–the clothes they wear and their manner are a big deal to them. They want to appear successful, and they generally succeed!Often the Ascendant persona is the one that was forced upon us by family conditioning. For example, parents may label their Libra Ascendant child the “nice” one; their Aries Ascendant child the “independent” one; and their Pisces Ascendant child is generally the space cadet of the family. We adopt these roles as familiar ones, and often carry them with us as our defense mechanisms, in some way or another, for the rest of our lives. In the case of Capricorn Ascendants, these were the children who were considered the responsible ones. Sometimes, it was they themselves who looked around them and felt the need to be the structured, dependable, and responsible members of the family. So, often, Capricorn rising people adopted a strong sense of tradition, family, and responsibility at a very young age.Capricorn rising people are generally big on family, and forever worry about security–for themselves and their dependents. They come across to others as hard-working, competent, and dependable people. What others may not see under that cool, even suave, exterior, is an inner struggle: they often ask themselves, “Am I doing enough?”, “Do I deserve all of this?”, “How can I make things better?” They worry a lot about the future.If success seemed to have come easy to these folks, it hasn’t. They just made it look that way with a patient, hard-working, driven personality. Some Capricorn rising people practice some form of self-denial. They know how to do away with the frivolous. Still, they’ll spend money on the clothes they really want (the ones with the right labels, that is), and other status symbols. Although they’re rarely showy, their quiet air of success is often a result of conscious effort.More often than not, Capricorn rising individuals are success stories. Their childhoods may have been difficult, but they slowly but surely turn their lives around. Saturn rules this Ascendant, and this generally means a kind of backwards way of living–as children, they are serious and bear a lot of responsibility; and as they grow up, they age beautifully, learning how to loosen up.

Aquarius Rising How unique and original Aquarius rising natives come across! These individuals are just that — individuals, and they won’t let you forget that fact. Often turned to for advice, these natives possess intellectual poise and savvy. They often are curious, and quite learned, in both science and metaphysics–anything that involves advancement of the human race holds much appeal.It’s hard to shock an Aquarius rising. They’ve seen it all, or at least want you to think they have. In fact, they often enjoy shocking others. Not that they are flamboyant by nature, but they do like to, albeit quietly, get a rise out of others. Some natives born with Aquarius on their Ascendant can be quietly provocative and irreverent.Most people with this Ascendant are quite friendly and likable. Their personality quirks generally go over quite well with others. They generally give others quite a bit of freedom–accepting, as a rule, people from all walks of life as equals. And, their somewhat cool and detached curiosity about all that goes on around them appeals to most.Curiously, Aquarius rising people can be a little standoffish while also coming across as humanitarian and kind.Often labeled as independent and original children, Aquarius rising natives often feel a little “different” or “special” throughout life. They often feel like they are on the outside looking in, and their ability to observe and deduce is often uncanny. They’re also adept at getting things to work, even when the parts that make up the whole seem like a puzzle with unusual pieces–especially when it comes to groups of people. This sets them apart as managers and team leaders.The Ascendant often reveals physical mannerisms and even choice of dress, as it shows how people present themselves to the world. With Aquarius here, natives sometimes have a quirkiness to their manner, and some dress in a slightly offbeat manner–not enough to make them stand out like a sore thumb, but just enough to express their original temperament.Because these people seem so open to new ideas, it may be surprising when you encounter their decidedly stubborn streak. Aquarius is a fixed sign, after all. The ascendant sign shows how individuals react to new situations, and with Aquarius rising, there can be a resistance to change that seems to belie the native’s generally progressive nature. There’s a distinct inflexibility with Aquarian rising people, and, sometimes, a tendency to want to force their opinions on others.With their eye to the future of mankind as a whole, some people born with an Aquarius Ascendant overlook the more personal needs of the people closest to them. They are often attracted to partners who possess self-confidence and ardor.

Pisces Rising “Go with the flow” seems to be a Pisces rising motto. They move about the world in a vaguely directionless, gentle manner. They come across as artists and lovers of peace; but their open minds and hearts can give them a chameleon-like persona. Others are not always sure who they’ll meet from one day to the next with a Pisces rising person. Although often quiet and shy, another day may find them talkative and passionate. They are hugely impressionable, have a dreamy disposition, and project a soft-hearted personality. Pisces rising sees the world the way they want to see it at any given time, so objectivity is not necessarily a strong point. Neither is decision-making!People with Pisces rising resist any kind of labeling–their characters are changeable, and they don’t want to be pinned down or pegged in any way. Theirs is a restless, searching nature that cannot be happy with any one way of living or being. Pisces rising avoids cold, hard facts and harsh realities like the plague. They don’t have a decisive plan for tomorrow or even today, preferring to keep things open. Since they change their minds frequently enough, and like to “feel” their way through life, too much organization or structure can be seen as very limiting.Pisces rising people walk around with their heads in the clouds, and even when you do have their attention, their dreaminess is almost always apparent.These people look for a stable partnership–one that is reliable. Pisces rising people gravitate to partners who keep them on their toes, and they often will pass off the little details and reality checks to their significant other. They seem to need a practical, realistic partner.Pisces Ascendants often have a sensitivity to drugs, and sometimes are prone to allergies that come and go. Their physical constitutions seem to be less resistant than most.Pisces rising people often possess an irresistible charm that comes on in a quiet way, with a soft aura about them. Both their appearance and mannerisms are usually quite intriguing to others.

#ascendant #rising sign #astrology #birth chart #aries #libra #taurus #gemini #cancer #virgo #leo #scorpio #sagitarrius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces

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billnoncipher · 6 years ago

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Wendip Week Prompt 2

Just My Luck

By William Easley

(Not part of my normal continuity and written for the Wendip Week 2018 prompt 2, "Typical Pines Luck")

Before the Mystery Twins had been in Gravity Falls for more than the first three days of June 2015, Mabel had found a new boyfriend.

"A fawn?" Dipper asked. "Seriously? You're going with a baby deer?"

"No, silly!" Mabel, who was preening at the mirror, said. "F-a-U-n! As in part hunky boy, part goat!" She narrowed her eyes and whispered confidentially, "He doesn't wear pants!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dipper said. "T.M.I! And also, no. No, you cannot date this guy, thing, whatever it is—"

"He's a faun," Mabel insisted. "And his name is Raymond."

"I don't care if he's a—Raymond? Raymond is a faun's name?"

"Yup," Mabel said, changing her earrings. "He's got the cutest little hoofs, and a twitchy little tail, and these two little curly horns."

"Yeah," Dipper said grimly. "I've read in mythology that fauns were always horny! Look, you know this guy's just gonna dump you for another girl. Or maybe another goat. Take my advice and give Raymond a wide berth!"

"You're not gonna spoil this for me, Dipper!" she said. She'd settled on earrings in the shape of little gold pine trees. "Anyway, we're just going to frisk in the meadow for a while. You can come along if you want. Hey, you could do the—"

"Don't even say it! I am not doing the 'Lamby Lamby' dance. Especially for a guy whose mom may have been one!"

Dipper told Wendy, whose response was, "Mabes can take care of herself, Dip. Besides, I give the relationship two days, tops. Just wait until they have a meal together!"

He had to chuckle. "Yeah, heh. I guess a faun would be pretty disgusting to watch eat."

"Um, right," Wendy said. "The faun . . . ri-i-ight."

Next he told Ford, who said, "That's interesting. The fauns rarely come down from the tablelands below the western cliffs. I'll have to ask her to collect a hair sample for DNA analysis."

And the last resort was Grunkle Stan, who shrugged. "Meh, she'll find out soon enough the guy don't have any money, and that'll be the end of that."

When Dipper collapsed groaning into a chair, his Grunkle gave him a sharp look. "What's the matter, kid? Scared a goat-guy's gonna elope with your sis?"

"Noooo," Dipper moaned, drawing it out. "It's just that—we've been here practically no time, and she's got a date already! I asked Wendy if she might want to go see a movie with me, and she told me, 'Wait until you're old enough to drive, and then we'll talk.'"

"So, ask somebody else," Stan suggested. "Plenty of seafood in the ocean, kid!"

"Wouldn't do any good," Dipper said. "I have terrible luck with girls."

"Give me a fr'instance," Stan said. "Maybe I can help."

"Aw," Dipper said, "there was this girl, Francine, at one of the school dances, and she wasn't dancing with anybody, so I walked over, got my nerve up, and asked if she wanted to dance. She said yes."

"See, you were in luck!"

"No, because when we walked out onto the floor, she stepped into a little pool of spilled punch and her heel skidded and she sprained her ankle! Just my luck!"

"Don't sound like hers was any too good, either," Stan said. "Come on, Dipper, that was one time!"

"Another time," Dipper said, "Mabel talked this girl, Ellen, into being open if I asked her on a date. I asked her to a movie for that coming weekend, and she said yes."

"Luck turned around, see?"

"No, it did not," Dipper said. "Because the movie was on Saturday, and on Friday her dad moved the whole family away. Turns out he was in witness protection, and somebody in the family let their real last name slip."

Stan's eyes narrowed. "Realllllly? Uh, what was the name?"

"Farghandahler," Dipper said.

"Never heard of 'em. Well, it was worth a shot," Stan said. "Kid, it sounds to me that you need a good-luck charm."

"Oh, come on," Dipper said. "I don't believe in horseshoes and rabbits' feet and all!"

"Got a point there," Stan conceded. "Horseshoes were invented so hicks could beat city folks at a stupid tossing game. And if a rabbit's foot brought luck, you wouldn't be able to buy any, 'cause every rabbit's got four of 'em! Nah, I'm thinkin' along the lines of an amulet. They really work. Sometimes."

Dipper remembered Gideon's amulet of telekinesis, which did seem to work. "Worth a shot," he mumbled.

"Come with me."

Grunkle Stan led him to the stock room. Though Soos was Mr. Mystery these days, and Melody was engaged to become Mrs. Mystery soon, Stan still kept a close eye on what the Shack offered. He fiddled around in a box and then came up with something shiny. "Aha! Knew we had half a dozen of these. OK, kid, I'm gonna make you a gift of the world's most powerful good-luck charm. It comes all the way from Niue!"

"Where . . . is that?" Dipper asked. He'd never heard of it.

"Ah, somewheres near Metuchen, I think. Anywhoo, this here is a five-dollar silver piece. No kiddin', real silver, so take care of it! Look at it. See these little insets? This here is a genuine four-leaf clover from County Cork, Ireland, blessed by a priest who's also a part-time leprechaun! And this is a miniature horseshoe, actually manufactured from a real shoe once worn by Man O'War, the luckiest horse that ever ran in the Derby! This is, uh, a preserved ladybug. Not killed, it died of old age, ya understand. Ladybugs are notoriously lucky!"

"What?" Dipper asked.

"C'mon, Dip, ya never heard of one's house actually burnin' down! And last this is a little figure of a lucky elephant. With all them on your side, your luck will turn right around! You'll see! If it don't work, double your money back."

"How . . . much are you charging me?" Dipper asked.

"Nothin'! It's a free gift! Take it before I change my mind. I could sell this dealy to a sucker for fifty bucks!"

Oh, well. The silver disk had been pierced for a thong, and Stan threw a rawhide one in for free. "Word of caution," he said. "The gals go nuts for a guy who wears a thong! Don't get yourself in trouble, kid—or them, either."

Dipper put the rawhide cord around his neck. What the heck, it would either work or it wouldn't.

And Gideon really had almost cut out his tongue with lamb shears that one time.

Strangely, that night Dipper had a vivid dream of a tourist couple parking in the Mystery Shack lot. They had a cute daughter about fourteen and a little baby not more than a year old. The weird thing was that they pulled their Grand Rover van into a slot, the dad and mom and daughter got out, and they turned to take a photo of the Shack and the totem pole—and the van rolled away backwards, because the dad had evidently not put it in Park. The mom screamed as the van rolled over the edge of the hill and then fell and rolled over and over down to the forest edge, where it collided hard with a tree.

And the baby was inside.

The next morning, while chatting with Wendy at the sales desk, Dipper glanced out the window and saw a maroon Grand Rover van—exactly like the one he'd dreamed of—just pulling into the lot. "Be right back," he said to Wendy and dashed outside.

He felt creeps all over his skin—the van was parking in the exact spot that he'd dreamed of. He sprinted across the lawn and leaped over the low fence just as the mom, dad, and teen daughter got out and the dad hefted a camera. The van started to roll. Dipper leaped into the driver's seat—the dad hadn't closed the door—and jammed on the brakes, while pulling on the emergency brake handle. The mom screamed.

The dad came running up, white-faced. "What happened?"

Dipper said, "It's OK, sir. I saw the van start rolling. I think you didn't put it in Park."

The mom opened the rear door and took the baby—a cheerful little one-year-old boy who had no idea he'd been in any peril—out of his baby seat. "He's OK," she said. "Bless you!"

The father was reaching for his wallet. "How much can it—"

"No, sir," Dipper said. "Just—I don't know, pay it forward. Help out somebody who's in trouble. And enjoy the Mystery Shack!"

The dad got behind the wheel, started the engine, and pulled the car back into the parking slot. He very carefully put it in Park and set the emergency brake.

Someone tapped on Dipper's shoulder. "You can take this, anyway," the teen girl—braids, freckles, really cute—said. And she hugged him and kissed him on the mouth. "Thanks for saving my baby brother!"

Dipper realized he had an audience. Wendy and Stan had come out on the porch. "Uh, you're welcome," Dipper said.

The girl took his hand and wrote something on his palm. "My email," she said. "Get in touch with me. My name's Laramie."

"O-OK," Dipper said.

He walked back to the Shack, where Grunkle Stan clapped him on the shoulder. "Lucky you spotted that!" he said. "Saved us from losin' some customers!"

Wendy, settling back behind the counter, asked, "You know that girl, Dipper?"

"Uh, no," he said. "Just saw their van start to roll and she was, I guess grateful or some deal."

"You mean this isn't gonna be a regular thing?"

"Gosh, no! They're probably from Canada or someplace. I'll never see her again."

Wendy grinned. "Just teasing, man. Good going."

Later that afternoon, because he really couldn't think of an excuse, he went with Mabel to meet Raymond. Raymond waited for Mabel in the bonfire clearing. He seemed skittish when he saw she was not alone, but then she introduced Dipper as her twin. "I'm Alpha, though," she confided.

Well, Raymond wasn't quite what Dipper had expected. True, he had curly little horns and a crown of curly black hair. True, his ears were pointed, and his eyes had strangely slit-like pupils. And he definitely had hoofs and a strange ankle joint. However, the fur on his legs and waist and, um, that general area, was six inches long, very fluffy and shaggy, and he might as well have been wearing pants.

And he talked normal. No baaas or godawful puns, no "I'm Mr. Satyr day night" or anything like that. He seemed interested that Mabel had a brother. He wanted to know where they were from, what Dipper liked to do, why they had come to the Falls, did they like the forest, would he like to see some secluded beautiful areas, and so on.

Mabel looked increasingly uncomfortable and finally reminded Raymond, "You were gonna show me that beautiful forest pool with a cascading creek leading into it. Dipper doesn't have time, sorry." And she led him off.

In about an hour she was back, looking mad. "You win," she said. "I broke up with Raymond. I hope you're happy!"

"Hey, I didn't do anything!" Dipper said.

"Yes, you did! Raymond asked me if you were attached. He wants to date you! Lucky!"

"Tell him I'm not into guys or goats. And especially not into guy-goat combos!" Dipper said. He was beginning to think that luck had its downside.

But he tested it. The next day he asked Wendy if she'd like to go see that movie on Friday night. "I'm still not old enough to drive," he said. "But I don't mind being driven."

She grinned. "OK, Dip, just this movie. But it's no big deal, understand? Just two friends going to see a three-D earthquake movie!"

"I understand," he said. "Just friends."

And then the next day Candy came over to visit Mabel and wound up telling Dipper he was really growing up to be a handsome guy, and she sat uncomfortably close to him. And a little later he went outside just to get away from her and found a wallet on the ground.

He opened it and saw a drivers' license, the picture looking familiar—oh, yeah, a guy who'd gone out on the tour with a bunch of others. And speak of the devil, Soos came driving the tram back just then, and the very guy jumped off, looking anxious, and headed for his car, which he opened and checked—

"Excuse me, sir," Dipper said. "I just found this wallet. Is it yours?"

"Yes!" the guy said, looking relieved. "I must have dropped it while going out to the tram."

Dipper handed it over. "You might want to check to make sure everything's there."

The man did. "Yep, all the cards, all the money. Here you go, son." He held out a twenty.

Dipper shook his head. "I didn't want a reward, sir. My great-uncle co-owns this place, and he'd never want to make money from someone's misfortune." That was true, sort of. Of course, Stan didn't mind a bit if he made money from them any other way.

But the guy asked his name, went inside, and evidently praised him to Soos and Wendy, because they both gave him thumbs-up when he came back in. And Candy hugged him. "My Dipper is an honest and truthful man!" she announced.

Wendy raised an eyebrow at "my Dipper."

Still later, downtown at a convenience store, Dipper fed a dollar into a vending machine and bought the first and only scratch-off lottery ticket in his life so far. Back in the Shack, he scratched it off.

Yeah, it figured. He'd won $1,000.00. There was, of course, a catch. He gave the card to Stan. "I can't use it," he told his Grunkle. "You have to be eighteen or over."

"I'm eighteen or over," Stan pointed out. "I'll do somethin' nice for ya, kid." And he did. He went into town to cash in the ticket and brought Dipper back a candy bar.

That night, Dipper complained to Mabel about the amulet. "It's making me lucky," he said, "but not in any way that helps me out. And it's got you mad at me."

"I'm not mad," Mabel said. "Just disappointed that Raymond prefers you to me. That's not your fault. My irresistibility must've rubbed off on you a little." She picked up the candy bar. "You gonna eat this?"

"Don't like coconut. You can have it."

"Thanks, Brobro!"

Mabel bit into the candy bar and chipped a tooth. Fragment of coconut husk. Stan had to rush her to a dentist he knew who owed him a favor. She came back with a repaired tooth and a rueful, "You're lucky you didn't want the candy, Dipper!"

But the amulet didn't work with Wendy. The next morning, she said, "I gotta break our date, Dip. Sorry, man. My dad wants me to go with him and my brothers to visit my aunt this evening."

And without Wendy—meh. The kind of luck he was having just wasn't worth it. After some soul-searching, Dipper walked out to the Bottomless Pit and walked back a little lighter and amulet-free.

Just before quitting time, Wendy apologized again—but then the phone rang, and she answered it. "What? Oh, OK. No, tomorrow's even better. Sure. OK if I see a movie, then? Thanks, Dad!"

She hung up the phone. "Huh. My aunt called Dad and asked him to put off the visit, so our date's back on, unless you got someone else to see it with."

"No!" Dipper said. "Uh, no. No, I don't. Uh. If you want to go."

"Yeah, I guess so," Wendy said. "Guess you're in luck, Dipper."

Yeah, for a change, he guessed he really was in the best kind of luck. Seeing a three-D movie about an earthquake sitting next to a gorgeous redhead who made a practice of not dating anybody under the age of sixteen? But she would make one exception?

Hmm, maybe he shouldn't have tossed that amulet away so quickly . . . .

Nah. Typical Pines luck was better than anything it could dish up!

The End

#wendip week #gravity falls #william easley

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datshq · 7 years ago

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Going Forward

So, I’ve been thinking pretty hard about what I want to do on this blog going forward and I’ve finally come to a conclusion.

I did actually enjoy doing a liveblog and I’ve gotten enough feedback to know I’m being more entertaining that annoying when I do it, so I will, indeed, be doing more liveblogs in the future. Right now I’m too busy with job hunting, interviews and catching up on things I neglected while doing the YYH one, however. I have, like, three fics where the people thought I’d died because I didn’t update. Ha. And, since you all know I’m a Meta Gal, I have a couple of lectures for summer cons to prep for.

Even so, the blogging format I used for YYH just isn’t sustainable in the long run, so I will need to change it up somewhat. For one, the detailed grading was extremely time-consuming and exhausting, so that will be replaced with simpler “final thoughts” segments, like I did for movies. The pace was also too fast, you might have noticed with how it puttered out near the end. So, this time I’ll be aiming for episode-a-day from the start, with sometimes double features when I have extra time on my hands.

I’m not gonna leave you guys completely hanging in the meantime, however. I do have the whole Three Softer Worlds edit series still going with daily additions, since I’ve gotten pretty fast at making those so it won’t strain my schedule. I also have a few additional meta thought pieces for YYH to write and I think you guys will enjoy them. As always, you guys are free to send me suggestions for themes you’d like to see me go over.

So, upcoming things for the blog:

A chronological analysis of Hiei’s entire character arc in the show, starring: why I think Hiei wants to be wanted rather than needed and how that forms his actions

A Watsonian analysis on why Kuwabara is the most important person to Yusuke, to round up the Doylist analysis I did on the topic of their relationship’s importance

Demon materialism and why demons’ negativity towards humanity is partially motivated by envy

This stuff doesn’t have a set schedule. I’ll post them as soon as I get them done. However, I do have a date for you guys:

9/6/2018

That’s the date for when my next liveblog kicks off. More details on that at a later date.

#dats chats

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lesbian-ed · 7 years ago

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I read that at your work, you're surrounded by butch lesbians and gay men, out of curiosity what is that you do? (I'm studying engineering and one sure thing im not looking forward to is being around straight men all the time.)

I’m studying Systems Analysis and Development (basically IT, but a shorter course). I work at a publicity agency, basically being the go-to person for any technology-related issue.

I know that there is this random architect working there as something completely unrelated to architecture, but idk about engineering hahaha

In Brazil, such a leftist/humanities workplace is still safe for a lesbian who is actually same sex attracted, but idk where you are, and I’d be wary of extreme genderists anywhere in the US tbh. I say this because a humanities place of work might be a better shot for you at actually being more around women, since unfortunately STEM areas are so often man-ruled.

Although, I personally lucked out with a welcoming workplace. The other day a lesbian started talking about how capitalism invented the modern concept of happiness, and how she’s a communist, and another lesbian told me all about her plant babies and her chef girlfriend, and another lesbian called herself a dyke and joked with a straight guy about how they need to coordinate their outfits, lest they will start twinning every day, since they were pretty much the same clothes.

I feel blessed by the number of women and specifically lesbians I get to work with and live around on a daily basis. I don’t think it’s completely hopeless for us STEM gals, you just gotta find the right company for you. Look out for female CEOs/females in positions of power in the company, as it’s less likely they’ll have an entirely male work force then.

/Mod A

#working #mod a #answered asks #superconfusedme

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quadratic-shipping · 5 years ago

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Kay, new icon is Vriska’s dice cause the gradient was lame, and every Vriska blog halfway to sunday has already had every photo of her face as their icon twice. It also works cause of yknow liking dnd and stuff. one thing I really liked about my last vriska pic one was the negative space made it feel like it popped and I feel like this one has sort of the same thing going for it. Wow, it can be that deep. I’m just rambling cause it’s 3am and yet again I have stayed up this long. I can;t wait til it’s winter again so I can force myself back into a normal sleep schedule. I stayed up all night a couple nights ago, and that gave me one decent night of sleep so I might just try that again tonight. Rest put under the readmore because it’s irrelevant and sleep deprived rambling I wouldn’t dare subject my beautiful followers and browsers to.

While I’m here, posting a late night thing no one will see or interact with; thank god; I was cleaning and I came across one of those neck warmer things that legit just a tube you pull up your face to keep your nose from freezing off because Canada Winters, I never can use them because I always fog up my glasses, and I just wanted to say that Niqabi gals with glasses are so brave? Legit if I had to deal with my glasses fogging up I’d die, I’d rather lose my nose to frostbite than fog them up (like I go outside enough loll) so for them to deal with that everyday is like, legendary. I mean, I guess if you were pretty antisocial you wouldn’t have to deal with it much but still, point totally stands.

While we’re on the positivity train? Lesbians? y’all really like Vriska HUH? Thank you for interacting, I appreciate, yall are so valid. I’m torn between “You have good taste” jokes and “Yall will just like anything w/ vriska in it” and either way it takes too strong a stance on my own content to feel good about it. Obvs goes the same way for all the NB and Trans ppl interacting, yall are also Excellent and I appreciate yall. Obvs I’m cis so I don’t have any real godtier takes or anything abt. gender, but reading your guyss stuff is excellent please keep making it.

Uh sexuality update; Still labelling as bi, IDK if I really want to date men tho, before I actually and FINALLY get a taste of the other side; please; because I feel like the problem with my relationships re; dudes is just that I can’t just be myself, I’m just 900000% in my own head about it and not even like; trying to be idealized, idk whats going on I just have a hard time connecting w/ them and it’s defo my fault so idk bro. IDK it’s fun to have crushes but dating is BORING from my very limited experience with only guys which is why a gf would be excellent. Or girl aligned partner. I feel like maybe what I’m attracted to is like, femininity, not necessarily femmes or women. IDK bruh it’s weird. doesn’t help I can’t even figure out how to get and keep friends LOLLL it’s 3am. Sorry

Honestly before I started vrisrose posting I felt so useless yknow cause in the vriska circles there are a lot of intelligent people who understand canon better and are overall smarter and better spoken so I just felt like everything I had to say was just old hat and not very interesting. But the thing I like about VrisRose is no one else is talking about it as frequently ( I was searching the tag and my blog came up in the recco’s for blogs up top and I was very happy) so I feel like, hey, this is my niche. That one engineer of useless inventions quote: The best way to become top of your field is to specialize:, I jsut love rarepairs so much! I think it’s such a great way to approach character analysis because no one exists in a vaccum so seeing peoples interactions and what people like is so fun!!!! I say, invalidating all my personal issues lollll

CHARACTER ANALYSIS! FUCK TALKING ABOUT INTERACTIONS OR ACTIONS ON THEIR OWN OR THOUGHTS OR HC’S, I STAND BY MY ONE TAAKO ‘vriska did nothing wrong’ QUOTE; Trying to understand what characters morals, and their opinions on certain things by analyzing their opinions and interactions in canon is 500x more productive seeming to me than other things. Like, say taako’s thoughts about vriska, V and Lucretia are p similar actions wise, and he was pissed at her but that was mostly cause of the personal connections, when it doesn’t affect him Taako doesn’t seem to have any moral objections to any of the icky moral stuff; think robot planet or whatevs where they were gonna genocide the place and lup was like no and that was like the only reason he didn’t I’m pretty sure, I’m not too big brained on taako or adventurezone either so don’t take my word; So I think that Taak’s would be chill with Vriska. Another thing? The Lucretia thing was like, giving up which Taako is not ok with and Vriska thigns were about not giving up so I do legit think he would be totally coool with her, even if she were real, unless obvs she hurt one of the seven bird red robe people and their new friends.

ISN;T THAT SUCH A FUN METHOD OF CHARACTER ANALYSIS? I’m not drunk or in an altered state just tired enthusiastic and with a lot of pent up thoughts. Speaking of which, this song just came on it’s “Slowdance with you” by the Marcus Hedges Trend Orchestra and it is SOOOOO good, it’s on a vrisrezi playlist I put on bc I’m rereading song of the pyre because it was vriska day and it’s super good soo so good. It’s on loop now, legit best

Quick detours before I lay out some more hs thoughts;

Overwatch:

-Ben “Captainplanet” came out w/ a new article and I LOVE IT so much and I want hhis job so bad I wanna get into stats so much ahhh please so good it’s giving me a , this is crude but it’s the best way I can phrase it, a math erection. I love math so much <33333333

-The Shock, my faves, are doing well and I’m happy for them! I hope they go 7-0, I believe in them! I’m lying I am so fucking nervous for literally every match they have they’re gonna 2-5 AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Why am I so INVESTED? They technically could take first spot but that’s require titan’s to lose every match left and the shock to 7-0, but the thing is I thought that I wanted that but

-then I watched the titans london match today, and I HATED the thought of titans losing. And losing so hard to other teams too, and I didn’t realize this but I think I do actually kinda like the titans?The thought of them not being a great team makes me sad. I think it’s like I really like them and shock as rivals, yknow, stage one and two, then this upcoming map? If Titans aren’t still Good in this meta it just sorta makes their rivalry not fun. Kismesis vibes is what I’m gonna say cause I’m TRASSSHHHHH pls stop my terrible hands from typing also if I ever saw actual ship stuff I would kill whoever made it. Like I’m not gonna check their socials or anything but if they’ve got a match against most teams I’d probs root for them. The Wolf section today was so funny lollll

-I think I might hate the London Spitfire. I have literally no reason to? I think all the players are good and I like them as people and I would never actively hate on them? But I’m like. Really mean to them in my head. I was so satisfied seeing htem lose to Florida, and Titans like IDK? Also they’re hella overrated so anticlutch jfc. Hate the franchise, love the players if that makes sense. IDK WHYYYYYYYYYYY

-Also I’m gonna miss tomorrows shock match and I’m so scared rip.

Misc:

-Tripped backwards and somehow upturned my moms glass scale and it fell on my foot, that shit hurted.

-Oh My God I’m Projecting a million different things right now because I feel like this will not have an audience if you see this I’m begging you please don’t interact I’d die of embarassment keep the fact you’ve seen this a secret from me

HS:

-JFC song of the pyre is an excellent fic, I wish it would ever get updated it’s so fucking good guys

-I need to read more vrisrezi long form

-Non-sgrub vrisrezi is best vrisrezi

-My ideal Vrisrezi au would be like HS canon, diverge into non-sgrub and they completely fall out of touch, Killing Eve season 1, then Song of the Pyre. THAT is what I want.

-Killing eve season one and two would be an even BETTER VRISROSE AU AHHHHHH

-I once read a very good trollstuck rose but it was an eri-rose ship so basically what I want is that persons troll rose but paired with vriska. For how much I blog about it I’ve read very little vrisrose fic but almost everything I know comes from this fic. . Oh uh this is not the erirose fic that I read w trollstuck although it does unfortunately have erirose but I can excuse it when the vrisrose is this Excellent

Alright I’ve run out of hyper juice, have a nice night, sorry for posting thisssss

bye

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