#opal celebrates 50

[notebookmusical]

congrats cossette!

🌷 + long live by taylor swift <3

thank you, karolina! 🤍 sorry this is 50 years late! i feel like i have to recommend "band books" — such as daisy jones and the six by taylor jenkins reid, and the final revival of opal and nev by dawnie walton, but i also feel like long live gives me very like, YA coming of age fantasy found family vibes, so like the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater, little thieves by margaret owen, the witch haven by sasha p. smith — and this one isn't YA nor is it fantasy, but it is very dear to my heart: portrait of a thief by grace d. li! trigger warnings are under the cut 🤍

mini little celebration!

daisy jones and the six: abortion, addiction, alcohol abuse, anxiety, cheating, depression, drug use/abuse, eating disorder, pregnancy, self-harm

the final revival of opal and nev: racism, rioting, sexual harassment (mentioned), death, anti-Blackness, infidelity

the raven cycle: x

little thieves: poisoning, whipping, attempted sexual assault (off page), physical abuse, emotional abuse, blood, emesis

the witch haven: grief, attempted sexual assault, blood, murder both on page and off, stabbing, vomiting, drowning, absentee parents, mutilation of corpses, the main character’s mother resides in an asylum for assumed mental health issues, mentions of asylums, alluded child abuse, discussions of Native American boarding schools, and underage drinking and smoking

portrait of a thief: death of a parent, hospitalization of a grandparent (minor), grief, violence, weapon descriptions

[uk-fossils]

Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood, Miocene, Indonesia | Genuine Specimen with Certificate of Authenticity

This Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood from the Miocene epoch is a stunning piece of natural history, blending the intricate structure of ancient wood with the mesmerizing beauty of opal. Discovered in Mount Cidolog, Pasanggrahan, Sagaranten, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, Indonesia, this fossil has undergone a remarkable transformation over millions of years. The original wood material has been replaced by opal, preserving the unique textures and grain patterns of the wood while adding the vibrant, polished sheen of a gemstone. Each fossil is a carefully selected specimen, and the photo provided shows an example of the high-quality piece you will receive.

Product Details:

Type: Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood

Epoch: Miocene (~5 to 23 million years old)

Origin: Mount Cidolog, Pasanggrahan, Sagaranten, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, Indonesia

Size: Average size 50–100mm (Scale cube = 1 cm; see photo for full sizing)

Features: Stunning opalisation with preserved wood grain patterns and a polished, gemstone-like finish

Genuine Specimen: Includes a Certificate of Authenticity, verifying its origin and age

Each piece of opalised wood is one of a kind, showcasing distinct patterns, textures, and opal hues. The fossil preserves the essence of the ancient tree while offering the vibrant beauty of opalisation, making it a truly remarkable piece for collectors, geology enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates the natural wonders of our planet.

Why Collect Opalised Petrified Wood?

Opalised petrified wood represents the perfect intersection of geology and biology, preserving the structure of prehistoric trees while undergoing a chemical transformation into opal. These fossils provide a unique glimpse into Earth’s Miocene epoch, when lush forests were alive with diverse plant life. Collectors treasure these specimens for their rarity, beauty, and scientific significance, making them a prized addition to any collection.

This fossil is ideal for display, study, or as a unique gift for fossil enthusiasts, natural history lovers, or gemstone collectors. Its captivating appearance ensures it will be a centerpiece in any setting.

Order with Confidence:

All of our fossils are 100% genuine and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. The photo in this listing shows an example of the fossil you will receive. Each piece is carefully chosen for its quality, uniqueness, and beauty, ensuring your satisfaction with this extraordinary fossil.

Own a rare and beautiful piece of Earth’s history with this Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood from Indonesia. Perfect for collectors, display, or as a unique gift celebrating the wonders of the natural world!

[mindsquotes]

50 National Opal Apples Day Quotes, Wishes, Messages & Captions

National Opal Apples Day is a delightful occasion that celebrates the unique and crisp Opal Apples. As we embrace this special day, it’s not just about enjoying the apples but also about sharing joy with meaningful National Opal Apples Day quotes, warm wishes, heartfelt messages, and captivating captions. Related: 70 National Apple Day Quotes, Wishes, Messages & Captions National Opal Apples…

[thequietabsolute]

… it came off okay, thanks to having a bunch of those sanitised sachets you get from places like KFC in one of the 50 little pockets my rucksack seemingly keeps evolving. makes me wonder though. how would Berryman celebrate this epiphany?

Nourished he more & more, enveloping laps betwixt said dwelling place and throughout the whispering dead – where rabbits gamble amid trees & tombstones of Powerful Memory; Henry unheralded, unheeding, his book of Laws let rest a park bench to : squelch ! in radioactive bird shit, blemished his soul O a colour like off opal, ill nacreous pearl with thin streak of evil yellow darkened this half set plaster goat’s eye. Henry beats his breast. Swirls his crimes unknown must be; Gods & Great Punishédments . — Mr Bones. Pal, alas I have erred, forgive me. And with tremendous good fortune, friends, i died.

i dropped my copy of The Collected John Berryman in bird shit on a park bench just now. i think he’d find that very good; yes, he’d say that was entirely marvellous 🌳

[cheritzteam]

[MM] Announcement on the Birthday Event for V and the Release of New Merchandise

Hello, this is Cheritz.

September draws near! When you look at the blue sky of September, don��t you get reminded of one of the members of the RFA?

That is right! The 9th of September is the birthday of V, who has a heart as wide as the sky, born with the same color as the clear sky!

For more information on SNS events prepared for V’s birthday and newly released merchandise, please check the announcement below and join us to celebrate his birthday!

< ① V’s Birthday Event : Photographer of September>

The members of the RFA decided to do something for V, who has been working with his cameras without a rest.

On his birthday this year, you would be a photographer in person on behalf of V so that he could get some rest with no worries!

Post the wonderful work that you took as a photographer on SNS with a brief description and the hashtag #Today_Iam_V! 📷

We also have prepared a bonus event ⌛ to celebrate V's birthday. Use the hashtag #Happy_Birthday_V to celebrate his birthday, and do not miss your chance to get 50 hourglasses as a winning prize. ♥

Lastly, as we have prepared a discount event for some merchandise to celebrate the birthday of V, please stay tuned for the discount period below.

Cheritz Market Discount Event Period : The 9th (2 PM) - 16th of September (2 PM) (KST)

< ② Game-Access Event >

To celebrate the birthday of V along with you, V’s title illustration for his birthday will be shown in-game during the period below!!

Title Illustration : The 1st - 31st of September (KST)

< ③ Release of Mysterious Confession of Love Rubber Keychains! >

The characters’ rubber keychains, which have been maintaining their popularity since their release in August 2018, are coming back in the 2nd version with sweet confessions of love♥ for this summer!!

Apparently, the members of the RFA have brought rings made of their birthstones, so you can wear your favorite jewel or person on your ring finger!

Aquamarine for March Yoosung★ Diamond for April  ZEN Pearl for June  707 / Saeran Sapphire for September V Opal for October Jumin Han Turquoise for December Jaehee Kang

...Hold on!

There are 7 members of the RFA in total, so are you wondering why there are 10 silhouettes?

If you are wondering who are the charming characters hidden among the RFA confessing their love, please check the Cheritz Market on the 6th of September!!

< ④ Release of the 8th L-Shape Folders! >

We heard many of you have been waiting for the new series of L-Shape folders, so we have prepared various items as quickly as we could!

On the 6th of September, the eight new L-Shape folders will be released at the Cheritz Market, so do not miss an opportunity to get the birthday and seasonal illustrations in the big size!♥

< 8th L-Shape Folder >

2021 Yoosung★’s Birthday 2021 April Fool's Day 2021 ZEN’s Birthday 2021 707’s Birthday 2021 Twins' Birthday 2021 Saeran's Birthday 2021 Korean Children’s Day 5th Anniversary Event

In addition to the Mysterious Confession of Love Rubber Keychains and the new L-Shape folders, various preexisting merchandise are also on the market!

Drop by and take a look right now.♥ Cheritz Market Link : http://en-shop.cheritz.com

These are all the news that we have prepared for you!

Our appreciation for celebrating V’s birthday with us in advance. And we hope the warmth of the sun will blend into your daily life!

Thank you!

Best, Cheritz

[ichorai]

sin to win ; k.sj

requested by anon (50 + angel au) for my milestone celebration !!

pairing ; angel!jin x demon!reader (gender-neutral) ft. boxer!jungkook

summary ; an angel and a demon are forced to put aside their differences to help out the same human.

themes ; fantasy, action, comedy, angel au, demon au, boxer au

words ; 1.4k

warnings / includes ; fighting / boxing, cursing, one mention of murder and jail (but nothing of the sorts in the fic), reader is an annoying lil shit KWJLKSDJF, jin is basically a concerned parent bye, jungkook is an emotional n reckless boxer yikes

a/n ; for ficscafe's au pairing event :D i used #5 !! writing this fic made me realize i write this kind of dynamic all the fucking time but i'm not ashamed bcs writing bickering is super fun KWJDKJF

masterlist.

“You’re a nuisance,” Jin hissed out as he flicked his fingers, the boxer’s laces you had just untied lifting into the air and knotting themselves neatly. “I thought you were supposed to be helping the poor guy.”

One of your shoulders lifted in a half-shrug. “Tripping once or twice never hurt anybody.”

The guardian angel rounded on you, bristling. His opal-aureate wings fluttered with the sudden movement. “That’s exactly how people get hurt. Now stop mucking around, the match is starting.”

Your eyes rolled to the dim pipes crisscrossing the ceiling of the underground boxing arena. The large room was filled with people surrounding the make-shift ring, their deafening cheers making the cheap plaster walls quiver.

“You know, what we’re doing may be illegal but at least you look amazing. You look like this all the time?” Your charming (at least, you thought it was charming) compliment received all but crickets in response. Though, you were pretty sure you saw his pretty lips twitch a bit. Whether it was into a frown or a smile, you didn’t need to know. “I’d never expect an angel to be willing to cheat in order to help their human out. Doesn’t that go against one of your billions of rules?”

With an exasperated glare, Jin scoffed out, “I’m merely protecting my mortal. I wouldn’t intervene unless necessary. This is necessary.”

“Awh, are you afraid little Jungkook is gonna get a boo-boo?”

The beautiful angel that stood just centimeters away from you didn’t grace you with a response. You grinned at him smugly.

“Well, you’re right to be afraid. Skullcrusher here has won every single match since ‘89. He’s not known to leave his contender in tip-top shape, if you catch my drift. I used to be a big fan. Now? A little bored, if I had to admit. Jungkook winning will create enough chaos to keep me satisfied for a while.” You chuckled, slinging your elbow over Jin’s shoulder, to which he moved away with an irritated side-glance.

The shrill ringing of the red bell signified the start of the match. Skullcrusher, a burly man with a missing eye and more scars than you could count, loomed over Jungkook in the ring. His clenched fist looked bigger than his opponent’s whole torso. His tough features were fixed into a hard, gnarled expression. This man looked as if he’s seen war a million times. In stark juxtaposition, Jungkook stood on the opposite end of the ring, fists raised but raw carmine terror painted across his features. If you looked extra close, you could see his bare shins tremble. Way to play it cool, kiddo.

“I think it’s pretty fucking hot that you’re getting your hands dirty,” you whispered whilst leaning closer to Jin. “I’ve been around for eons, but never have I ever met an angel like you.”

“Stop, I’m blushing,” he replied dryly. He wasn’t blushing, nor were angels really capable of such a feat.

Both of your attentions diverted from each other to the ring, where the first punch was thrown. Jungkook managed to lithely duck out of the way, sliding along the barriers and throwing a jab of his own against the larger man’s abdomen. That must’ve hurt no more than a tiny flick would’ve.

Both of you yelled at the same time.

“You’re doing awful!”

“You’re doing great, Jungkook!”

A bark of a laugh escaped you. “Don’t give him false hope. That shit is poisonous in this industry.”

“He’s not doing so bad,” Jin said, just as Skullcrusher landed a bone-snapping strike against your boxer’s shoulder. “Okay, yeah, fine. But he still needs encouragement.”

“Now or never, angel,” you whistled in a sing-song tone, red magic forming between your fingers. “Your human won’t last much longer in there.”

Gritting his perfect teeth, Jin nodded once. “Do it.”

With a maliciously delighted smirk, you murmured an incantation under your breath. Jin watched in baited interest as Skullcrusher paused in his furious blunder towards his mortal, singular eye turning red. He dropped his fists, an expression mimicking one of a kicked puppy splaying across his rugged visage. Well, as close as a man like that could look like a kicked puppy. Jin turned to look at you, observing the way your own irises were now stained with rose petals, hair floating in the air slightly as your fingers twitched, lips moving whilst susurrating a mantra of sin.

You were beautiful, but you were also deadly. It was hard to remind himself that he was meant to stay well away from you. Jin had to pry his eyes away to make sure he wasn’t staring too long.

Whilst you were keeping the burly man under control, Jin snapped his fingers and fixed his human’s broken shoulder.

The boxer, slightly miffed as to why Skullcrusher wasn’t going absolutely feral and just how his shoulder suddenly stopped buzzing with pure agony, shrugged it all aside and seized the opportunity to land a parade of jabs and punches against his exposed skin. One after another, it sent Skullcrusher toppling down in a matter of minutes. The ceiling pipes rattled as his head hit the ground. Jungkook didn’t stop, sweat dripping down his forehead, going so far as to play dirty and use his feet to throw kicks with a scarily accurate precision. Man, you liked this mortal.

Jin didn’t seem too pleased.

“Get up!” Jungkook roared, but it was all drowned out by the upset boos of the crowd. They were hoping to see another notch in Skullcrusher’s belt. With a concerned furrow of his brows, the angel beside you used his powers to tug Jungkook’s flailing body away from Skullcrusher. He certainly wouldn’t protect Jungkook from jail if he accidentally murdered somebody, that would just be plain immoral. Judging by the crystal disappointment in your gaze, it was evident that you had wanted Jungkook to carry on with his ministrations. Thankfully, you kept your mouth shut.

Disoriented, the boxer stumbled away from the large body and dodged a flying can of soda thrown at his head. With an angry growl, he ducked out of the ring, ripping his gloves off and rushing out of the arena. What was this, Cinderella? It wasn’t even midnight yet. Jin clapped his hands together to push people out of the way for Jungkook.

“Your mortal is moody,” you hummed in amusement. “He’s fun. Keep him around for me, will you?”

Jin’s golden pupils flickered from you to the green-lit exit, and back to you again. For a moment, he appeared as if he wanted to say something to you, then decided against it.

After a considerable amount of hesitation, Jin cracked his lips open once more. “I’ll be back.” His words rang in your ears and you cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him. “After that stunt, people are going to be hunting Jungkook down. Once you’ve reached the top, there’s always going to be a million hands pulling you down, after all. I might want to fight fire with fire, is all.”

If you thought Jin couldn’t get anymore handsome than he was before, you were absolutely wrong. He looked wickedly arresting in the dim light, a taste of the fruit you couldn’t have.

Your palms planted themselves on your hips. “Would you look at that,” you drawled with playfully narrowed eyes, “Mister Pure Angel wants to see the morally corrupt devil again, huh? Here, have this. It’s my business card.” You conjured a scarlet piece of cardstock out of thin air and slotted it into his cool palms. The brushing of your warm fingers against his skin sent a jolt down his blemishless wings.

An unamused snort escaped him. “This just says meet me in hell, bitch.”

“Well, that is where I live.” Noting that Jin looked quite peeved at your jesting, you gestured for him to turn the card over. “The back’s got an engraved rune. Tap it seven times and I’ll come to you. Now go back to your human. I think he’s crying behind a dumpster. He reeks of fear.”

The angel nodded once, backing away as he said, “Again, thanks for helping out my mortal. We’re indebted to you.”

“I didn’t do it for you!” you called out to Jin, whose figure was growing smaller and smaller the farther away he walked. If you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought he was ignoring you. That was absurd, though. “I was just bored, but一and he’s gone.”

A dry laugh danced on your lips. Until next time, ya’ sinful bastard.

[sylverra]

Time for a new update!

Our Birthday Sale is winding down, just under two weeks left! Make sure to grab a coupon below 🙌

New today:

SPECIAL DROP: Lepidolite polished top points

Angelite runes with carrying bag

Amethyst tumbled bracelets

3" Nuummite points

Kyanite hearts

Red jasper chips

Pink opal sterling silver earrings

Rough sulphur quartz

∘₊✧──────────── ✧₊∘

🎂🎈🎉 SYLVERRA’S 3RD BIRTHDAY SALE 🎉🎈🎂

It’s time for our annual birthday sale!! We’re officially THREE YEARS OLD and this year we’re putting up SIX different coupons to help you save on your orders all month long!

BDAY10 - 10% off any order BDAY15 - 15% off $20 BDAY20 - 20% off $35 BDAY25 - 25% off $50 BDAY30 - 30% off $65 BDAY35 - 35% off $75 Click any link to automatically apply the code to your cart 🎉 Thanks for celebrating with us, and happy shopping!!

all codes expire 9/30 at 11:59 pm ET. one coupon per order. free shipping applies to US orders over $50 after discount.

∘₊✧──────────── ✧₊∘

✨ We’ve got THREE coupons we’re giving out just for subscribing to our bi-weekly shop update newsletter!

To subscribe, visit our website and wait for the popup, fill it out and get a coupon for 20% off your next order, no minimum, no expiration date!

Sign up to receive birthday coupons! Fill out this form to tell us when your big day is and get an email with a special discount 🎂🎈 (This will also subscribe you to our newsletter, if you don’t want to fill out the popup)

And as a thanks for filling out THAT form, you’ll get ANOTHER coupon for 25% off $20+ awarded immediately upon completion!

✨ Sylverra Apothecary is open! Shop our collection of organic, kosher, responsibly harvested, culinary grade herbs & more here 🌿

[delvalentine]

hbd to me ... soon

i'm going to turn twenty-one next month on october 5th 🎉 !

the past year has marked triumphs and failures of great magnitude for me. while i was 20 i: got out of a bad relationship and reunited with my true love, passed the halfway mark for my RN degree after severe battles with mental health, started and completed my minor in communication studies & made honour roll despite worsening covid times, worked with the provincial and federal government to ramp up provision & administer covid vaccinations, participated in a research study to examine the importance of wellness in BN students, worked in an ER and participated in moments of saving life and also witnessing the loss of it, got up to 10 piercings, went on vacation with my best friend to explore west canada's coast, surpassed 1.5 million words published (according to ao3), annddd now we're here.

but celebrating it with friends is what makes everything worth it in the end :)

here's twenty-one prompts! they're personal, random, and hopefully inspiring - do with them what you will. use one or all; in order or not; for whomever or for whatever, writing or art or shower thoughts. all i ask is that you tag me/send it to me/let me know what you created !

my tag for these drabbles is #deltachye2021.

Golden fireworks

Bridge x Xiao

Love letter

Fire opal x Diluc

Venus fly trap

Stargazing

Mint

3:50 AM x Haiji

Cherry x Artem

Puppy-dog eyes x Thoma

Honey

Cascade

Jade

Sweet pea

Window

Strawberry moon

Sea salt

Pressed flower petals

Spruce x Cullen

Polaroids x Luke

Strength

[thejonzone]

Judee Sill Will Always Be Better Than The Eagles

I had an (in hindsight) bleak, year-long obsession with The History of the Eagles. The two-part documentary, a Greek Tragedy-level case study in hubris, explains the rise and fiery crash of country-rock megastars The Eagles. What my brain fixated on, during this obsession, is that The Eagles, empirically one of the most successful bands in American music history, aren’t very good. This group has album sales on the same order of magnitude as Michal Jackson and Elvis Presley, yet band leaders Glenn Frey and Don Henley don’t seem much smarter than any other two guys you might happen to find somewhere. Sure, the Eagles have hits, but watching the doc, it feels as though the math just isn’t fully there.

This isn’t an essay about the Eagles. They are, however, one of the most recognizable music groups that rose to fame in the 1960s-70s from Los Angeles’ increasingly mythologized Laurel Canyon neighborhood. It would seem there is a limitless demand for the nostalgia of that era. With a growing list of documentaries that center Laurel Canyon, SoCal’s soft rock salad days are buoyed as much by songs as celebrity.

I’m always waiting around for a song to save me. And two Laurel Canyon-era albums do that for me.

I first listened to Joni Mitchell’s Blue on the City of New Orleans train, leaving Chicago on a summer night, slow roll pushing past the industrial rail yards and bridges southward toward the Mississippi. She sang “I am on a lonely road and I am traveling” and in that moment, I didn’t need anything else. Maybe I’ve spent the past five years fumbling toward explaining how that album lifted my guts up, breathed life into me. I’ll never fully get there.

Earlier this year, a round of retrospectives came out celebrating the 50th anniversary of Joni Mitchell’s Blue. Mitchell is a legend, of course-- the greatest Canadian songwriter, she defined pop and folk music for decades. And Blue is a masterpiece, a moon shot.

With hindsight, it is clear that, when defining Laurel Canyon’s most important work, Blue is joined by another 1971 release-- the lesser-known Judee Sill’s self-titled debut. Judee Sill and Blue are earth-shattering travelogues, tracing uncertainty from California across the globe and out into the cosmic universe. I clutch on to songwriters who write about how lost and helpless they feel. These two albums are the clear-eyed transmissions that, 50 years after their respective releases, still matter.

While Joni Mitchell will get New York Times write-ups, Judee Sill won’t, and the conversation suffers for it. Sill was born in Studio City, California, and had a tumultuous childhood: a contentious and violent relationship with her stepfather, and a series of armed robberies with a boyfriend landing her at reform school. As she endearingly recounts in a live recording, she was the church organist at her reform school and learned “a lot of pentecostal licks” in the process. Her first album (Sill was the first artist signed to David Geffen’s then-fledgling Asylum Records) is a phenomenal mix of gospel, baroque, and folk.

Sill’s religious songwriting is fascinating because it runs counter to many of Laurel Canyon’s canonized musicians, who tended toward the secular, especially during and in the aftermath of the 60s. Joni was “looking for something / what could it be”, and Judee was on a similar traveling search, but with an apocalyptic angle. In the opener “Crayon Angels”, she sings “nothing’s happened but I think it will soon / so I sit here waiting for God / and a train / to the astral plane”. It’s worth noting that Judee Sill struggled with addiction, and died far too young of a heroin overdose.

Sill is able to intertwine the redemptive story of Christ with her own fight to find a new day. Take “The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown”, a bonkers song where Sill narrates a biblical battle, with talking serpents, sacred opals, and cardinals so big they’re ridden on like dragons. While the subject might be strange, the emotion is clear-- it is a song about light finally winning over darkness. As Sill sings in the round at the end, it’s so clear that it’s possible, that we can defeat the demons within us. The song is timeless, a celebratory shout of life from the bloody corner of the battlefield.

Flying is a theme on both albums-- desire and regret materialze in travel. Mitchell’s “This Flight Tonight” tells the story of an airplane trip and her regret of leaving, asking the pilot to “turn this crazy bird around”. In Sill’s “Enchanted Sky Machines”, she fantasizes about God’s vehicles that will transport humans during the rapture: “Until the enchanted sky machines take all the gentle home”. On “Loping Through the Cosmos” (and a warning: this song is really fucking sad), Sill, lost and searching, reflects “I’m hoping so hard for a kiss from God / I miss the sweet love of the air.”

It’s all about love, isn’t it? Visions of the end of the world or of big parties in Europe, both women wrote songs on their ‘71 records looking for transcendence through love. On “The Last Time I Saw Richard” Mitchell narrates an interaction with the titular fellow, a pessimistic man whose light has gone out and is chastising Mitchell for her romantic notions. It’s the album’s final song, and it is devastating.

“Jesus was a Crossmaker”, perhaps Sill’s best-known song, was written about longtime Eagles songwriting collaborator J.D. Souther, who dated Sill for a time. Life isn’t a game with a score kept, but Sill’s song is certainly more impressive than anything Souther wrote with the Eagles. As she reflects on the live album Songs of Rapture and Redemption, Sill wrote the song to make sense of her relationship with Souther (“I knew that wretched bastard was not beyond redemption”) but more so to make sense of herself (“it saved me, this song. It was this song or suicide.”).

It’s really worth listening to Sill’s live album, if only to hear her asides and charming anecdotes as she introduces her songs. She is so funny-- describing her song “The Archetypal Man”, she says “I really wrote this for an old boyfriend who had a lot of passion in his dishonesty.”

I love these albums because their emotions are truthful and transparent while still being hopeful. When Mitchell sings “and sometimes / there’ll be sorrow”, on “Little Green” it is unflinching. When Judee sings ‘Though I’m sitting in the grit and grime / the spark of hope is in me strong” on “The Phantom Cowboy”, it always makes me smile-- she was down bad but getting back up. Too often I feel more like Richard than like Joni, more like Souther than Sill. Which is to say, a loser. Sill and Mitchell’s albums are still worthwhile because there is emotional bravery, an abiding belief in love as a savior. Maybe it manifests as Jesus, maybe it’s a map of Canada.

I attached myself to the Eagles because I made them out to represent everything I don’t like about myself. These guys were greedy and egotistical, dumb and thoughtless. They let stupid things like money and machismo get in the way of relationships that mattered. Obsessed with their documentary, I couldn’t see the forest for the trees-- I didn’t realize I was projecting. But listening to Joni and Judee, it’s impossible for me not to face myself fully. Because I want to believe in something. I don’t want to be hobbled and silenced by cynicism. I want to be patient in love, even though sometimes that makes me want to tear my skin off. Blue and Judee Sill are two masterpieces, testaments to the power of being fearless when you are terrified. If Laurel Canyon is to be defined, it should be through these albums. Not the Byrds. C’mon.

[thehierophage]

Holy Day Celebration 3/31/21 e.v.

March 31, 2021 æ.v. 

Dies Mercurii, 

Sol 11° ♈︎ : Luna 26° ♏︎ : ☿︎ : Ⅴⅴⅰⅰi 

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. 

The Day of Kaph, the Day of Fortune 

Hebrew Letter: Kaph 

Numerical Value as Letter: 20 

Numerical Value as Word: 100/820 (Kaph+Peh) 

Meaning: Bent or Hollow Hand, Palm, Fist. 

Thoth Card: Fortune (Atu X) 

Alternate Title: The Wheel of Fortune, The Lord of the Forces of Life. 

Image: 

Correspondences: 

Tree of Life Path Association: Key 21 - Netzach to Chesed (from Sephira 7-4) 

Astrological Sign: Jupiter 

Element: - 

Egyptian Godforms: Amoun-Ra 

Geomantic Figure: Square and Rhombus 

Gemstones: Sapphire, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli 

Perfumes: Ammoniacum, Golden Copal, Mace, Balm of Gilead, Saffron, Ash, all generous and expansive odors 

Plants: Hyssop, Oak, Poplar, Fig, Arnica, Cedar 

Animals: Hart, Eagle, Dolphin, Praying Mantis. 

Colors: 

King Scale – Violet 

Queen Scale – Blue 

Prince Scale – Rich Purple 

Princess Scale – Bright blue rayed yellow 

  The Secret Instruction of the Master:

Follow thy Fortune, careless where it lead thee! The axle moveth not: attain thou that!

Mnemonic:

Sped by its energies triune, the Wheel Of Fortune spins: its Axle's immobile.

Recommended Text for Meditation:

L Liber Liberi vel Lapidis Lazuli, Cap. 3

Liber Liberi vel Lapdis Lazuli Adumbratio Kabbalae Aegyptiorum Sub Figura VII

Being the Voluntary Emancipation of a certain Exempt Adept from his Adeptship. These are the Birth-Words of a Master of the Temple. A.˙.A.˙. Publication in Class A. Imprimatur: N. Fra A.˙. A.˙.

III

1. I was the priest of Ammon-Ra in the temple of Ammon-Ra at Thebai. 

 2. But Bacchus came singing with his troops of vine-clad girls, of girls in dark mantles; and Bacchus in the midst like a fawn! 

 3. God! how I ran out in my rage and scattered the chorus! 

 4. But in my temple stood Bacchus as the priest of Ammon-Ra. 

 5. Therefore I went wildly with the girls into Abyssinia; and there we abode and rejoiced. 

 6. Exceedingly; yea, in good sooth! 

 7. I will eat the ripe and the unripe fruit for the glory of Bacchus.

 8. Terraces of ilex, and tiers of onyx and opal and sardonyx leading up to the cool green porch of malachite. 

 9. Within is a crystal shell, shaped like an oyster - O glory of Priapus! O beatitude of the Great Goddess! 

 10. Therein is a pearl. 

 11. O Pearl! thou hast come from the majesty of dread Ammon-Ra. 

 12. Then I the priest beheld a steady glitter in the heart of the pearl. 

 13. So bright we could not look! But behold! a blood-red rose upon a rood of glowing gold! 

 14. So I adored the God. Bacchus! thou art the lover of my God! 

 15. I who was priest of Ammon-Ra, who saw the Nile flow by for many moons, for many, many moons, am the young fawn of the grey land. 

 16. I will set up my dance in your conventicles, and my secret loves shall be sweet among you. 

 17. Thou shalt have a lover among the lords of the grey land. 

 18. This shall he bring unto thee, without which all is in vain; a man's life spilt for thy love upon My Altars. 

 19. Amen. 

 20. Let it be soon, O God, my God! I ache for Thee, I wander very lonely among the mad folk, in the grey land of desolation. 

 21. Thou shalt set up the abominable lonely Thing of wickedness. Oh joy! to lay that corner-stone! 

 22. It shall stand erect upon the high mountain; only my God shall commune with it. 

 23. I will build it of a single ruby; it shall be seen from afar off. 

 24. Come! let us irritate the vessels of the earth: they shall distil strange wine. 

 25. It grows under my hand: it shall cover the whole heaven. 

 26. Thou art behind me: I scream with a mad joy. 

 27. Then said Ithuriel the strong; let Us also worship this invisible marvel! 

 28. So did they, and the archangels swept over the heaven. 29. Strange and mystic, like a yellow priest invoking mighty flights of great grey birds from the North, so do I stand and invoke Thee! 

 30. Let them obscure not the sun with their wings and their clamour! 

 31. Take away form and its following! 

 32. I am still. 

 33. Thou art like an osprey among the rice, I am the great red pelican in the sunset waters. 

 34. I am like a black eunuch; and Thou art the scimitar. I smite off the head of the light one, the breaker of bread and salt. 

 35. Yea! I smite - and the blood makes as it were a sunset on the lapis lazuli of the King's Bedchamber. 

 36. I smite! The whole world is broken up into a mighty wind, and a voice cries aloud in a tongue that men cannot speak. 

 37. I know that awful sound of primal joy; let us follow on the wings of the gale even unto the holy house of Hathor; let us offer the five jewels of the cow upon her altar! 

 38. Again the inhuman voice! 

 39. I rear my Titan bulk into the teeth of the gale, and I smite and prevail, and swing me out over the sea. 

 40. There is a strange pale God, a god of pain and deadly wickedness. 

 41. My own soul bites into itself, like a scorpion ringed with fire. 

 42. That pallid God with face averted, that God of subtlety and laughter, that young Doric God, him will I serve. 

 43. For the end thereof is torment unspeakable. 

 44. Better the loneliness of the great grey sea! 

 45. But ill befall the folk of the grey land, my God! 

 46. Let me smother them with my roses! 

 47. Oh Thou delicious God, smile sinister! 

 48. I pluck Thee, O my God, like a purple plum upon a sunny tree. How Thou dost melt in my mouth, Thou consecrated sugar of the Stars! 

 49. The world is all grey before mine eyes; it is like an old worn wine-skin. 

 50. All the wine of it is on these lips. 

 51. Thou hast begotten me upon a marble Statue, O my God! 

 52. The body is icy cold with the coldness of a million moons; it is harder than the adamant of eternity. How shall I come forth into the light? 

 53. Thou art He, O God! O my darling! my child! my plaything! Thou art like a cluster of maidens, like a multitude of swans upon the lake. 

 54. I feel the essence of softness. 

 55. I am hard and strong and male; but come Thou! I shall be soft and weak and feminine. 

 56. Thou shalt crush me in the wine-press of Thy love. My blood shall stain Thy fiery feet with litanies of Love in Anguish. 

 57. There shall be a new flower in the fields, a new vintage in the vineyards. 

 58. The bees shall gather a new honey; the poets shall sing a new song. 

 59. I shall gain the Pain of the Goat for my prize; and the God that sitteth upon the shoulders of Time shall drowse. 

60. Then shall all this which is written be accomplished: yea, it shall be accomplished.

Love is the law, love under will.

[the-forgotten-and-exiled-ones]

SubmergedMemories/Firestone/TiedbyFate

The question is: Just how do all four of them share the bed when Trimaar is easily the largest of all them?

Simple!

Trimaar sleeps closest to the wall (Opal and Rattla ended up buying a customizable rounded bed from Merlopian to accommodate Trimaar's large frame and tentacles after they complained of not resting well.) Rattla sleeps to the right of Opal leaving her to sleep in the center and Aspherra sleeping on the opposite side and closest to the edge. LOL

The last time that Aspherra was even close to falling off the side Opal quickly wrapped her arms around them to keep them from falling off the side of the bed. Since that night the quadruple huddle together to prevent any more close calls

After celebrating their third year of being together Opal handcrafted and customized all three new sets of jewelry each personalized with their names, sexual orientation colors. Trimaar was absolutely thrilled to bits with his gifts which included a ring, two gauntlets, and a necklace.

Tw: Scars especially keloid scars

Opal knew eventually before they could take their relationship with Trimaar further they would have to show him the scars on her back and tell them the real story behind her scars and why she got them in the first place. When they were finally alone inside the house Opal turned her back to the royal and took off the shirt they wore revealing their heavily scared back to Trimaar who stared in shock. By the end of her tale Trimaar asked if he could touch her scars Opal hesitantly obliged not knowing or seeing their partner's reaction. With upmost delicate care the old king traced all 50 scars with a finger before turning the Serpentine around to hug them.

Clarification:

Oh, I should mention that after 25 years of being married Opal and Rattla agreed to have an open marriage. Their relationship or marriage wasn't going sour or anything like that but it had definitely become slightly strained.

Opal is a workaholic and while she always makes the claim she's planning to retire from her job she never backs the claim up. They're always stressing over their never ending list of orders or commissions they have to get down because for so long that's all Opal knew - Get up at the crack of dawn, go to work from 7-6, come home get ahead start on the easiest orders, eat dinner then go to bed. When she came to the city she didn't have anything to her name therefore she had work from the very bottom and make her way up.

Where is Rattle in this, you ask?

Trapped in the tomb with the other Serpentine before they were released, after reuniting with Opal and the fiasco with the Ninja and cultists stopped, Rattla took up being a referee for the Slither Pit.

The second factor that set the strain between them was after their only son, Harry, died suddenly of a heart attack while on the operation table. Harry was only seven years old when he passed. Sure they did adopt Luke later on as their own and raised them to be the dorky veterinarian everyone loved yet the ache of losing their first child still scarred them deeply.

is Luke already old enough now for them to start more relationships? or do they have healthy boundaries?

Oh yeah, Luke is seven years older than Josel which places him in his mid 30s.

Opal and Rattla talked a lot of things over about what they each wanted and didn't want in an open marriage.

1. No blatantly lying about being with someone new.

2. Open communication about each other's whereabouts and who they're with so they could plan up to meet

3. Being open with their respective partners of being in an open marriage

4. Be honest with each other.

The ironic part of it is that Rattla hasn't found anyone to hooked up with which is not saying he hasn't had sex or participated in group sex before.

is it ironic because Rattla proposed it?

Actually Opal was the one to propose an open marriage to Rattla not the other way around. Both of them enjoy sex it's difficult when you're not in the right frame of mind and either party feels they only got back together again to prove others wrong.

Rattla still holds a lot of strong feelings for Opal and has kept those feelings for her long after she was exiled. Mentally wise the decision is hard on both them due to them devoted and loyal partners however they do agree that they're marriage has been in a standstill.

Extra:

Opal is someone who is caught in the middle of the past and future. It is because of her legend and the scars that cover her back? Yes, her scars never have the proper chance to heal because when it's time for them to shed their skin they reopen the wounds and relive that constant state of agony they felt when they were whipped.

Height chart:

King Trimaar- 10 ft

Opal - 8'7

Rattla - 6'5

Aspheera - 6'4

Being that tall does any its advantages unfortunately it has many disadvantages. Opal often complains about joint pain In her knees, wrists, shoulders, neck and back. It doesn't happen to often but there have been incidences where Opal has all three of her lovers (She and Rattla are married mind you. They've agreed to have an open marriage) visiting at once therefore arguments often happen on who gets to massage Opal.

Rattla often wins about massaging his wife's back since he has the most experience. Aspherra gets to massage her wrists and knees which leave Trimaar to massage her neck and shoulders. Opal is very spoiled and pampered which is something she's still trying to get used to being after many years being alone by herself.

[uk-fossils]

Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood, Miocene, Indonesia | Genuine Specimen with Certificate of Authenticity

This Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood from the Miocene epoch is a stunning piece of natural history, blending the intricate structure of ancient wood with the mesmerizing beauty of opal. Discovered in Mount Cidolog, Pasanggrahan, Sagaranten, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, Indonesia, this fossil has undergone a remarkable transformation over millions of years. The original wood material has been replaced by opal, preserving the unique textures and grain patterns of the wood while adding the vibrant, polished sheen of a gemstone. Each fossil is a carefully selected specimen, and the photo provided shows an example of the high-quality piece you will receive.

Product Details:

Type: Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood

Epoch: Miocene (~5 to 23 million years old)

Origin: Mount Cidolog, Pasanggrahan, Sagaranten, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, Indonesia

Size: Average size 50–100mm (Scale cube = 1 cm; see photo for full sizing)

Features: Stunning opalisation with preserved wood grain patterns and a polished, gemstone-like finish

Genuine Specimen: Includes a Certificate of Authenticity, verifying its origin and age

Each piece of opalised wood is one of a kind, showcasing distinct patterns, textures, and opal hues. The fossil preserves the essence of the ancient tree while offering the vibrant beauty of opalisation, making it a truly remarkable piece for collectors, geology enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates the natural wonders of our planet.

Why Collect Opalised Petrified Wood?

Opalised petrified wood represents the perfect intersection of geology and biology, preserving the structure of prehistoric trees while undergoing a chemical transformation into opal. These fossils provide a unique glimpse into Earth’s Miocene epoch, when lush forests were alive with diverse plant life. Collectors treasure these specimens for their rarity, beauty, and scientific significance, making them a prized addition to any collection.

This fossil is ideal for display, study, or as a unique gift for fossil enthusiasts, natural history lovers, or gemstone collectors. Its captivating appearance ensures it will be a centerpiece in any setting.

Order with Confidence:

All of our fossils are 100% genuine and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. The photo in this listing shows an example of the fossil you will receive. Each piece is carefully chosen for its quality, uniqueness, and beauty, ensuring your satisfaction with this extraordinary fossil.

Own a rare and beautiful piece of Earth’s history with this Opalised Petrified Fossil Wood from Indonesia. Perfect for collectors, display, or as a unique gift celebrating the wonders of the natural world!

[tinnchan]

the nosy ask: 33, 47, 50. Have fun being vague ;)

Thanks for the ask! lmao you chose the best questions no need for vagueness at all. Nosy ask

33. If money was no object, what would your wardrobe be like?

I have a pretty, pretty business casual  thing going on the daily so Id just keep that but add some flair and drama. Blouses with more billowy/large sleeves and fancy buttons, leather pencil skirts in more fun colours, opal and gold jewelry, more statement coats. Like, just x10 the drama.  Except...I also want all the suits?? Id just go to the best tailors with pics of kristen stewarts’ suits and make them tailor me some. Please. I want those suits. 

47. If you could marry any celebrity, who would you pick?

Jeez, I had to like shut off my brain because it kept going ‘no, parasocial relationship bad! a relationship between a fan and a celebrity would be icky right???’ and , stfu dude it’s just a question. I think i’d go for brie larson, I just feel like shes someone whose fun to be around also...shoulders????? shed take care of me i feel. (Yeah everyone, big shocker, i didn’t go for Earth).  50. What’s your favorite kind of weather?

Cloudy and Windy! 

[thecowfiftyflippingnuggets]

If you're lazy everything of value will be in color or in BOLD

Yo so I don't agree with wikipedia it's dumb

I base the ages of the Sonic characters off of Sonic's age which by MY terms goes by how many years since the first game came out.

(Aka- The ages of the Sonic cast if they were aged up properly every year)

So Sonic is currently 29. (According to the Wiki sonic is 15 and Tails is 8)

Tails and Sonic have a 7 year age gap so

Tails would be... 22.

In 2006 Sonic was 15 and Silver was 14. So Silver and Blaze are 28. Oh my sweet babies--

Sonic was 15 at the same time Amy was 12.

That's a 3 year age gap.

Amy Rose is currently 26. (Silver is older than her woah that just occurred.)

Despite crackhead google saying Shadow is 15 on a quick search, Shadow was actually 50 at the time Sonic was 15 even though physically Shadow appears to be anywhere from 15-20 because he's the ultimate life form (Technically immortal, like vampires).

That puts Shadows age currently at a WHOPPING 64. Okay daddy PHEW.

Apparently Rouge is 18 and Knuckles is 16 according to the Wiki (aww we love that Knuckles is younger than Rouge).

So age them up properly and

Rouge is 32 and Knuckles is 30. Shadow is literally TWICE Rouge's age. Let that sink in. 🤣

But we'll count Shadow as ageless tbh.

Let's seeee I'm curious how old Cream is.

According to the Wiki she's 6.

So Cream is currently 20. (wiki Vanilla could be anywhere between 17 - 46, though I think she's somewhere in the middle so by my terms she's currently 31-54.) That leaves a 2 year age gap between Tails and Cream.

Now, incase anyone cared about their birthdays

Sonic - June 23 - gemini - Alexandrite/Pearl

Amy - Sep 23 (?) - Virgo - Sapphire

Tails - October 16 - Libra - Opal/Tourmaline

(Tails' birthday was yesterday :D)

Knuckles - Feb 2 - Aquarius - Amethyst

Rouge- Unknown (Though her first appearance was on June 18th In SA2 meaning she would have the same stone and sign as Sonic)

Silver- Unknown

Blaze- Unknown (I'm going to match their personalities to zodiacs if I can, because I'd rather not have them both be November babies)

Cream - Unknown (There seems to be a theme. Cream made her first appearance in The sonic collection which came out on Nov 10th. That would make her birthstone a Topaz and her zodiac a scorpio)

Shadow - Unknown (His first appearance was SA2. So his birthday would be June 18th , the same month as Sonic's. Let alone the same day as Rouge's. Prepare for trouble and make it double. I can see Shadow sharing a birthday with Rouge even if they didn't know hers. "Piss off, Faker. Go celebrate Rouge she doesn't have a birthday. Just leave me out of it.")

Y'all I had to do some mean number crunching and math pease appreciate me 😂

[oscar-fairchild]

RevolutionaryWriters Event 1

I finally did this y’all lol

Prompt: “What if something happens to you?” / “People can live for a hundred years without living a minute”

Ship: Blackdale (Lucie x Jesse)

For the lovely @princesslucretia!! 💕 (I hope it’s okay that I used this prompt for the event! I just thought it fit really well!)

As the grasping fingers of nighttime overtook the day, Jesse Blackthorn awoke with excitement in his heart. The moment after he opened his eyes, he willed himself into darkness again, the great black nothingness suffusing him for just a second before he appeared in Lucie Herondale’s bedroom.

The excitement disappeared when he saw she was crying.

“Lucie!” He hurried over to her, wishing desperately that he could lay a hand on her shoulder. She sat on her bed, her pale pink dress spread before her, her body wracked with sobs. She would have, should have, been a vision of beauty, a goddess come to life, if her face hadn’t been crumpled in sadness. My light should never be so dim.

She looked up at his approach, then quickly covered her face with her hands. “Jesse, not now.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, but Lucie didn’t answer. He watched her cry for a long moment, shifting nervously. “Lucie, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

She sniffled behind her hands. “Nothing. It’s nothing. Just leave me alone, please.”

He reached out a hand, but of course it just passed right through her. Tentatively, he positioned himself on the bed next to her. If I were alive, this would be very improper, he thought. Lucie had never seemed to mind, though.

“You wanted me to come hear your story, right? So read it to me. Maybe that would make you feel better.” He tried to use as gentle a voice as possible, but Lucie broke into fresh sobs anyway. Her small body shuddered, her hair bouncing in its curls. Jesse could feel his heart cracking into pieces.

Wordlessly, he stood up, walking over to Lucie’s desk, where a flickering candle sat next to a scattering of papers. Stories were her refuge, and he couldn’t bear to watch this go on for another second. The paper on top looked like the final page of a story, and he scanned it quickly.

“...spent his days in bed, too weak to do anything but cry. He was convinced he would never be strong, and he felt like he’d failed everyone he loved. His mother was despondent, and it was his fault. His sister, lovely Princess Grace, would bring him tea and sit at his bedside, but he was sure he’d failed her, too. “

Jesse felt his throat tighten. Oh, Lucie. He almost didn’t want to, but he let his eyes slide down the rest of the page.

“The terrible disease slowly overtook him, and he died without joy and without hope. Now the beautiful Prince Jerrod is condemned to a wispy ghostly existence, longing to return to his loved ones, watching as they carried on their lives without him.”

Jesse stood in stunned silence for a long moment, staring at the paper. He no longer needed to breathe, but his chest felt desperate for air anyway. “Lucie, I’m-- What is this?”

She pulled her face out of her hands and saw him gazing at the paper. “No! Don’t read that.” She darted up from the bed and snatched it off the desk.

“Is this about me?”

“No.” She crossed her arms, the story crumpled in one hand. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“Lucie. Lucie, look at me.” He reached his hand out again, letting his ghostly fingers trail along her cheek. He knew she couldn’t feel it, but she slowly raised her eyes to his regardless. “I will admit that my life was not easy. My mother loved me, but she was stern, and it was very lonely, even with Grace. I cannot pretend that I was happy.”

“It’s just… it’s so unfair. You deserve so much better.” Tears rolled down Lucie’s cheek. She turned her face into his hand, closing her eyes, and he would have given more than he was willing to admit to be able to wipe the tears from her face.

“My Lucie, my light. I am happy now, happier than I ever dreamed I would be.”

Lucie blinked. “You--you are? But you’re still…”

“I may be dead, but my soul has never been more alive.” Jesse stepped closer, putting his forehead against hers. She took a shuddering breath. “People can live for a hundred years without living a minute; that’s what I was doing, all those years, locked away at home. But meeting you has filled me with life in a way a living body never could. You are my light, Lucie, my happiness and my soul.”

Lucie’s eyes fluttered open, and she gazed at him, her eyes brimming with tears. Jesse smiled softly at her. He had wondered before if ghosts could cry, and now he found the answer to be yes; tears streamed steadily down his own cheeks as well.

“You need not worry about my past, Lucie. Think only of the now. In the now, I have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“But what if something happens to you?” She pulled away, and her hands became fists at her sides, wrinkling the material of her dress. “If this-- if this is your happiness, if you truly have what you’ve always wanted, I can’t help but fear that the universe, cruel as it is, will take it all away. Your ‘life’ as a ghost is so tenuous, and it could all fall apart so easily.”

“Oh, Lucie, it’s--”

“You’ve suffered enough!” Her voice was half whisper, half shout. “I can’t bear-- I simply could not bear to see you unhappy, ever again. I could not bear to lose you.”

Jesse stepped closer to her again. “You won’t, Lucie. I swear by the Angel, you won’t lose me.”

They stood there, together, for an endless moment, the oversaturated silence sinking into Jesse’s heart. Her eyes, locked on his, sparkled in the candlelight, and he almost had to look away. The look in her eyes was so vulnerable that his oath did not feel like enough, but he didn’t know what else to offer.

Lucie smiled, then, just slightly, but it lit Jesse’s world like a beacon. “You shouldn’t make promises you’re not sure you can keep.”

He smiled back. “Anything for you, my light.” Anything for you.

[gffa]

Scattered Star Wars thoughts: - As I’m doing my rewatches of TCW and Rebels, I’m trying to watch the behind the scenes stuff to go along with them and it makes me wish a little that Disney+ would have them on their service, because it’d be so much easier than switching over to YouTube when I’m watching them on my TV. It really makes me miss this kind of thing for the animated series--Resistance didn’t get any of the kind of in-depth stuff that the others did, and I’m not sure if they put any extras on the DVD/Blu-Ray releases?  That was my thought for what they were going to do when the first season was airing, but without having bought them myself, I’m not sure if they had anything like that?  I’m assuming they didn’t, since I never saw references to them, which is a shame, because they’re very cool and fun! I wonder, if there’s another animated series coming up (and when/where it would be announced--Celebration seems an awful long ways away for that?), will they return to doing them?  Or were they too much effort/better lures for buying the Blu-Ray sets? - John Boyega plays Jedi: Fallen Order was an absolute delight to watch!  He really is delightfully charming and I love that he apparently plays as Anakin in the BF2 game sometimes (and Finn as well), and that Mace Windu is his all-time favorite Jedi (I FEEL U, JOHN), and just a lot of really cute stuff. - I finished The Raven King and have started on Opal (and am about 2/3rds through it) and I’m going to be sad when I finish all of the books and have to actually wait for more!  I found the four book The Raven Cycle series very satisfying, the characters’ resolutions were all good for me, I enjoyed that they’d gotten to better places, and I found Adam’s epilogue especially poignant.  Not that he’d forgiven his family so much as that he’d let go of so much of what was poisoning him about it, that he was in a better place, rather than being eaten by those feelings and pain. I’m enjoying Opal a lot, one of the things I like about this world is how off the wall some of the dream logic/magic can be, but instead of feeling like it borders on twee or ~kooky~ worldbuilding, there’s something about it that is really pulled off with charm and something surprisingly earnest.  I guess I can really get invested in something so long as I feel like it’s not necessarily trying to be the most clever ever (though, it was clever in the right moments, for me) but instead build something with heart and care. So when Opal gets her own POV for several chapters worth here, when she’s a bit of a wild and feral thing, but stuffed full of very earnest feelings, it just really works for me a lot. - I’m about 2/3rds of the way through Rebels season 2 and I love that I continue to find stuff really works for me even more than it did the first time around, knowing where all of this is going to end up.  The journey to find Lira-San, the knowledge I have now of what happened to the Lasat people, that I suspect it was their use of the Force woven into their culture that got them on the Empire’s radar, in addition to that they’re incredible fighters (hence why the Wookiees were targetted as well, I think?), so it makes the whole “so HOW does all of this navigation stuff work???” go smoother, now that I can just shrug and go, “Eh, Force Woo is gonna Force Woo.” Also, the Kalluzeb stuck on the Geonoisian moon episode is JUST as much of a joy as ever.  That ending with Kallus going back to his ship, limping back to his quarters with no one saying much of anything to him even after all that, contrasted against Zeb’s friends greeting him so warmly, it was such good foreshadowing, now that I know for sure that it’s going somewhere, instead of just highlighting the difference between them. (And, man, does David Oyelowo do an incredible job with his voice acting.) - I read Star Wars: Empire Ascendant #1 and I have to admit, I was pretty underwhelmed.  The Aphra epilogue and the Kes/Shara story were the highlights, otherwise I’m having trouble even remembering what happened.  Oh, right, the story about the death troopers and then the Valance story, neither of which managed to engage me much.  In theory, this could be an interesting collection of stories, whether they’re serving as an epilogue to other series or launching points for new series, there are grains of interesting ideas--the death troopers story was about the mindset of the Empire, that victory at all costs was the most important thing, or the Valance story could have been an interesting look at an interesting character (except I just cannot bring myself to care about him), but the only times I felt engaged were in the character-driven moments of ones that I already cared about. Trying to sort out my thoughts, I think it’s something that I’ve been bumping into for awhile, something that crystalized for me after watching a Jimquisition video about the word “consumer” (which is an interesting video by itself!), at about the 13 and a half minute mark, there’s a tangent about how companies’ focus on the audience being consumers pushes out any stories that can have an important message that should be discussed, because instead of giving time for any story, it’s about getting consumers hyped for buying new products and then get excited for the next product. Which obviously hit a familiar note, as a Star Wars fan, because there’s a constant stream of new content, you barely have time to digest one thing before GET HYPE FOR THE NEXT STAR WARS THING, like, GET HYPE FOR THE MANDALORIAN, but you’ll only have limited time to really turn it over and discuss it because GET HYPE FOR THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, but you’ll only have a month or two to really turn it over and discuss it because GET HYPE FOR THE CLONE WARS coming back, but you’ll only have a month or two to turn it over and discuss it because GET HYPE FOR THE NEXT STAR WARS THING.  In the meantime, there’s also about 50 other smaller things coming at you, so no one thing ever really has time to percolate with the fans before the hype train is coming for what’s next. Most of the time, I don’t mind this too much, because I take my time with what I want, I circle back to what I want, I feel satisfied by my explorations of them as far as I want, as well as Star Wars is not exactly where I go for Deep Thought. But sometimes I run into a comic that just fails to engage me because it felt like a hype train for upcoming comics, rather than actually having a lot of story in and of itself. I can live with the hype train, Disney, but you gotta give me a story or a fun experience that isn’t just hype for hype’s sake.  And I feel like this comic was only halfway successful at that.  (Or maybe it’s just me?  I’ve been feeling a little, “What’s the point of all this?” about a lot of the SW stuff over the last year, and I’m hoping it’s more because LF couldn’t really do much until TROS was nailed down, and maybe now we’ll start seeing stories with more weight?) Anyway, navel gazing thoughts, there you go. - Annnnnd with having seen TROS I HAVE MET MY 2019 GOAL!  I’m not sure if I’ll do another one for 2020, a lot depends on how some RL stuff shakes out, but I’m glad that I got this one accomplished! - I HAVE SEEN TROS I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START. Scattered Star Wars Thoughts/2019 Resolutions Update: - The Rise of Skywalker: The Galaxy Needs You - Star Wars: The Clone Wars s2e18-19 - Star Wars Rebels s02e16-18 - Rebels Recon 1.01-1.08 - The Rise of Kylo Ren #1 - Star Wars: Empire Ascendant #1 - Episode III: The Chosen One Featurette - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Current total:  520/520