#queer money experts

[bitchesgetriches]

NEW POST!

Personal finance--it's not just for medium-ugly straight people anymore! Here are 5 helpful queer money experts from the LGBTQ+ community.

[embervoices]

A very useful thread on Bluesky:

(There is a lot more. Rather than give you all the images, I've copied the full text below.)

Meredith Rose‬ ‪@mrose.ink‬ November 8, 2024

This is not going to be a repeat of 2016-2020. It will be better, it will be worse, but most of all it will be different. Here are things I want every single person to keep in mind as we head into round 2 of a Trump admin.

My credentials: I’m a queer female public interest attorney working on tech policy in DC. I’ve been doing this for a decade--longer than some, not as long as others. I had to navigate three different administrations, as well as Congress, regulatory agencies, courts, and the advocacy world.

FIRST: don’t let despair override your media literacy.

The left has grifters, just like every other movement. If you’re able and compelled to donate, give to orgs with established track records. Avoid giving to individuals, especially anyone who emerges overnight with a one-weird-trick “plan.”

The left is not immune to misinformation, and everyone—EVERYONE—falls for it sometimes, present company included. There is no shame in it. When (not if) it happens to you, you should acknowledge it; delete or retract the post to reduce the spread; and move on.

If a source consistently shares half-truths or outright misinformation, it is not trustworthy, no matter how much “their heart is in the right place.” Unfollow and move on.

Prediction, analysis, and reporting are three fundamentally different things. Learn to identify them for what they are. Reject attempts by amateur “analysts” to predict the future. They know as much as you do.

Real subject matter experts know and acknowledge their limits. They’re also (usually) hesitant to try and predict the future. The best frame their predictions in terms of a range of possible outcomes. Subject matter experts may also disagree with one another! It happens!

SECOND: What we know for sure about how the Trump, how he operates, and how that will impact the next four years.

Trump is a narcissist who avoids reading and doesn’t care about details. He cannot be persuaded by argument or logic; he’s moved mostly by flattery, and will agree with the last person who flattered him. He can and will upend his own administration’s work without warning, often by tweet.

As a result, most policy experts—even those "on his side"—dread him taking an interest in their field. Ask any Republican staffer who worked in Congress during the last administration, and most of them will confirm that their greatest fear was Trump tweeting about anything related to their work.

As such, people who are serious about their work will do everything to make it as invisible and boring-seeming as possible. This is the policy equivalent of defensive camouflage. Lots of “normie” work will continue in silence. (The lion’s share of tech policy ends up in this bucket.)

If you have a niche issue that you care about, now is a great time to donate to orgs that work on it. Lots of money will be funneled to big legacy orgs working on headline issues: ACLU, climate change orgs, etc. Consider sending your donations where they matter most: local, niche, established.

Trump runs his cabinet like the Apprentice. He thrives on chaos and making people compete for his approval. Not only does he not reward collaboration between his subordinates, he actively undermines it.

Moreover, everyone who works with him knows that they’re vulnerable to being thrown under the bus at a moment’s notice, for any reason (or for no reason at all). His cabinet is going to be scorpions in a bottle. They will not be able to coordinate, for good or ill.

One scorpion can still do a lot of horrific damage. But large scale inter-agency coordination is unlikely, particularly after the first few months, by which point he will likely (prediction warning!) have gone through a handful of cabinet secretaries already.

FINALLY: The view from inside civil society heading into 2025.

In 2016, Trump was a largely unknown quantity. The left and establishment right alike wasted a lot of time trying to read tea leaves and make sense of this guy, because he was completely outside the realm of what anyone had dealt with. That’s not happening now.

He did us a favor by broadcasting his plans in advance (aka Project 2025). Civil society has spent the last 2.5 years strategizing around it. We’re not starting off flat-footed.

The Biden admin did a good amount to future-proof its own achievements. Folks can speak to their own areas of expertise, but clean energy and CHIPS and Science Act (investing in domestic semiconductor production) have benefitted from huge sunk investments. That money’s not getting clawed back.

OVERALL TAKE-AWAYS:

It's going to suck. But civil society and the political left have some advantages we didn't have last time. We know him, we know his angles, and we know who he's bringing in--none of which we had in 2016.

We'll get through this. It will be grim, but we'll get through it.

John Cutting‬ ‪@johncutting.bsky.social‬

Thanks Meredith. I really valued your analysis over the past few years, and I think this is a reasonable, actionable framework to think about the upcoming storm

Meredith Rose‬ ‪@mrose.ink‬

I really cannot overstate how much time was (necessarily) wasted in 2017 trying to figure out this guy and his influences. The fact that he's not only a known quantity, but ran the most over-studied administration in this nation's recent history, makes this a very different game.

John Cutting‬ ‪@johncutting.bsky.social‬

I bet we can weaponize his narcissism. Let's say some ghoul starts making progress with a mass deportation effort, if we start calling that ghoul that "shadow president" en masse, Trump would fire him in right away and appoint Hulk Hogan or something

‪Meredith Rose‬ ‪@mrose.ink‬

This is exactly why I don't think Musk will last very long. Trump is very clear that he's the only one in the room allowed to have an ego or any kind of brand name.

[grison-in-space]

from the number of asinine complaints about how "voting is NOT a form of harm reduction" because harm reduction is for ADDICTS! ONLY! I'm seeing around... all coming from OP blogs I don't recognize and which otherwise don't have much presence... well, that coordination alongside the timing of US politics sure feels like the Russian troll bots agitating again. (Yes, they absolutely infested Tumblr; I think @ms-demeanor had a great post about what the bots looked and felt like somewhere that I will have to try and track down tomorrow.)

The thing is, if you actually do know harm reduction well, the complaint makes no sense. It's not as if the origin of harm reduction is a secret or especially hard to find out more about. I am not exactly an expert in the field: I have a educated layperson's interest in public health and infectious disease, I'm a queer feminist of a certain age and therefore have a certain degree of familiarity with AIDS-driven safer sex campaigns, and I'm interested in disability history and self advocacy (and I would in fact clarify harm reduction as a philosophy under this umbrella). So I have about twenty years of experience with harm reduction as a philosophy basically by existing in communities whose history is intertwined with harm reduction, which means I know it well from many different angles, and I know how the story of the philosophy is generally taught.

See, this is a story that starts, as so many stories do, in the 1980s with something monstrous President Reagan was doing. In this case, it was the AIDS epidemic, and Reagan refusing to devote any money or time to what eventually became called AIDS (rather than the original GRIDS, which came with its own baked in homophobia). Knowing themselves abandoned by society in this as in all things, and watching as friends and loved ones died in droves, queers and addicts are two communities who see that they are the only resources that they collectively have to save each other's lives. Queers know that sex, even casual sex, is an important part of people's lives and culture... and people aren't going to stop doing it even if there's a disease, so how can it happen safely? Condoms. Condoms every time, freely available, easy and shameless, shower them on people in the street if you have to. (And other things: this is the origin of the concept of "fluid bonding", for example... both of which were concepts that were immediately adopted in response to COVID, like outdoor socially distsnced greetings and masks and "bubbles." That wasn't an accident. Normalizing sexual health tests and seeing hard results on paper before sex was a thing, too.)

Addicts, too, knew that using was going to happen no matter how earnestly people tried to stop. If it was that easy, addiction wouldn't exist. So: how do you make using safer for longer? If you could stop someone getting HIV before they could bring themselves to get clean, that's a whole life right there. If you could stop someone overdosing once, twice, a dozen times, that's more time you're buying them to claw themselves out of addiction and into a better place. Addicts see, right, needle sharing is getting the diseases spread, so cut down on needle sharing. Well, needles aren't easy to get hold of. Their supply is controlled because people who aren't prescribed needles are theoretically junkies, so taking the needles away makes it harder to use, right— and no one is complicit, and also you see fewer discarded needles lying around where they're unsanitary and unsafe, right? Except that people want to do a buddy a good turn, so they share if there's no other option, and they'll keep a needle going until it's literally too blunt to keep using if need be. So fighting needle sharing means making it easier to get needles to shoot up with: finding a place to discard used ones and get as many fresh ones as you need to use safely!

Making free needles available to junkies and free condoms for the bathhouses was not a popular solution with politicians, for perhaps obvious reasons. Nor was routine testing of the blood supply, because that cost money too. But these things work to stop the spread of disease. Thus the principle of harm reduction: policy interventions in response to communities that frequently engage in risky behavior should focus on whatever reduces aggregate harm by reducing the risk rather than by trying to reduce the behavior. The homos and junkies say look, all your societal judgement in the world hasn't stopped us being homos and junkies yet. You ain't going to look after us? We'll look after our own. And this is the form that takes. Not increasing the pressure to act like people who aren't is, but making it safer to be the people we are while we try to be the happiest versions of ourselves. Even if that means being morally complicit in a whole lot of casual sex and drug abuse.

The thing is, harm reduction is a philosophy rooted in the defiance of people who knew that their society thought they deserved to die painfully, young, invisible and alone. This is not the kind of thing that people come up with and get mad if you adapt it and share it, especially if you tell the story of where it came from. And importantly, harm reduction is not purely the child of addiction: that philosophy, from the get go, was cooked up to apply both to substance abuse and casual sex. It didn't just spread from addiction care; it was born straddling addiction care and queer & feminist health care.

So it doesn't make sense to see actual activists who know harm reduction well complaining that this is a term exhibiting semantic drift when we talk about voting as harm reduction. It's actually a good metaphor: you're reducing the overall risk of the worst case scenario metaphors by voting Democrat, at least until future votes can install a system where multiple parties can flourish on the political scheme. (Democrats and Republicans are essentially coalitions of a pack of arguing factions anyway, and those factions are essentially what would be classed elsewhere as a party in its own right; the US essentially just lumps political granularity rather than splitting it in our political system.) And anyone who understands harm reduction itself knows that.

So it's this wildly inorganic complaint being voiced repeatedly by different sources. Sounds like a pretty good flag for a potential psyop to me.

If you want to learn more about harm reduction and its history, especially from an addiction perspective, I cannot recommend Maia Szalavitz's Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction (2022) highly enough. Szalavitz has a history of addiction of her own as well as being a clear and accessible writer with an excellent grasp of neuroscience and history. I have a lot of respect for her work.

[blue--ingenue]

Slytherin Traits

Note: This is just my interpretation of Slytherin traits. Take what resonates, and leave what doesn't 💚

“Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends” - Work smart, not hard. Colleges and publishers deem textbook piracy “immoral” and “unfair” to other students who pay full price for books. But when higher education prices are inflated by privileged administrators, this power imbalance nullifies such comments. It also reminds me of a quote I saw spray-painted on a wall: 

“If paying is not owning, then pirating isn’t stealing.” I wouldn’t go out and steal a physical textbook, but no real money is lost if I replicate a few hundred pixels on a screen so that I can finish my education

Additionally, choosing to play “fair” in a system designed to exert control over people with less privilege and power will not benefit you. The same people setting arbitrary standards for “fairness” can often be the same ones benefiting from those rules.

Continuing on with being cunning, bending the rules here and there can help you level the playing field. Blanket statements and generalized restrictions don’t affect everyone equally. For example, exams that rely on hard memorization, and testing environments that punish students for fidgeting are ableist and severely limit the types of students who will be able to succeed in school/university. 

In my case, my class was allowed to bring a single note sheet to our final exam. I have trouble memorizing formulae/processes, but can solve nuclear reactor physics if the formulae are in front of me. Although the professor advised against writing out full examples, I bought an ultra-thin writing ink pen and crammed all the exampled I needed. I passed.

Ambition, defined as “a strong desire to do or achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.” Ambition is very subjective. One Slytherin’s ambition may be to graduate at the top of their class and become an expert in their field. Another’s ambition might be to set healthy boundaries for themselves to prioritize their mental health. Someone else’s goal might just be to get out of bed that day. The only person who can decide the importance of your goal is yourself.

Everyone has different abilities, desires, material resources, and life experience. No matter the goal, ambition is essential for completion, and success in any measure deserves celebration.

Speaking of accomplishments, pride can be a well-deserved reward for achieving your goals. You more than deserve to celebrate your successes. Taking pride in your achievements can help build self-confidence. Feeling capable, accomplished, and proud of yourself can be empowering.

In my experience, it’s a lot easier to underestimate yourself than it is to oversell your accomplishments. If you’re someone who tends to downplay your abilities/accomplishments, there’s a chance that you’re selling yourself short. Take pride in yourself. You’ve earned it.

Slytherins also understand how it feels to be Othered, negatively stereotyped, or feared. As a queer POC and one of only ten women in my major (bearing in mind that my university's graduating class size is 10,000 people per year), I know what it feels like to be singled out. I was also the only Asian student in my high school class, and the only family of color for a 1-mile radius in my hometown. 

People tend to see you through their own narrow-minded lenses and stereotypes. This isn't a reflection of you, but merely a projection of their own prejudice and ignorance. No matter your reason for feeling Othered, know that their comments and limited perceptions are merely their own self-reflections.

[scientia-rex]

Medicine is a numbers game. I use probability all the time. If you don't understand probability, you'll look at someone with chest pain and have no fucking clue how likely it is that you're looking at a heart attack. You may not even know what the other top contenders are. GERD is common. Anxiety. An angry rib muscle. Lots of options. Most of the time, most chest pain won't be a heart attack, but sometime it'll be something worse--an aortic dissection that's rupturing will kill you even faster than most heart attacks.

I see so many patients who come in with a symptom that the Internet, whether Google or influencers, has told them is associated with this one thing. It's often the thyroid. And yeah! A fucked-up thyroid can cause all kinds of symptoms. But here's the deal: if I check your thyroid and it looks normal, it's probably not your thyroid that's causing the symptoms. It could be something else we understand. It is very often something we don't understand. But the fact that I can tell you modern medicine doesn't understand some process doesn't mean your naturopath or chiropractor or Certified Hormone Expert Influencer does understand it because they have this different way of looking at the body. Look, long, long before I wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to be an herbalist. I'm queer, I'm a woman(ish), I am neurodivergent, I am not The Man. I'm not beholden to the system; the system doesn't care for me and wishes I would sit down and shut up, most days. And I have a background in research science and statistics. I used to have a rubber stamp that said "Denied" and one that said "Approved" and I'd hit piles of paper for research applications at an R-1 university, in triplicate, with my stamps, because I understood research well enough to get a Human Subjects Division job evaluating it. If a naturopathic approach to thyroid worked well, I would be doing it. I'm a utilitarian. I don't give a rat's ass about the theoretical underpinnings of modern medical practice, I want things to work. Ideally I would like to know why they work, too, but hey, we can't always have it all.

So the dozens of patients I get every month who are looking elsewhere for answers, looking to people who don't actually know any better but are good at pretending they do, who pay money for elaborate supplement regimens or unvalidated genetic tests or (my personal least favorite) "memory-improving games," I have to be calm and professional and diplomatic about what I say. I can't say, "That's quack shit." I can't say, "Your favorite influencer is a liar and an idiot." Not just because I'd get lower patient satisfaction scores, but because patients wouldn't believe me, and they would reactively like me less and the other guy more. (You're calling me stupid? You're saying I wasted money? If I believe you're just a shill for Big Pharma, that hurts less.)

It takes years, even decades, to understand how to put together the probability maps. Chest pain in a patient under 40? Highly unlikely to be a myocardial infarction, but not totally impossible, especially if they've been doing cocaine. In a patient over 60? Much more likely. Is the pain crushing? Is it sub-sternal? How long has it been going on? Is it constant, or intermittent? Does the patient smoke? What other health conditions does the patient have? These are all deeply important questions, and I remember feeling overwhelmed by things like this all the time in medical school. It's taken so long to build my knowledge, and my background in research is only tangentially valuable most of the time.

Please don't believe authority just because it looks good. Don't trust people because you want to trust them. Learn about the scientific process, learn how the sausage gets made, and then you'll be in an infinitely better position to know whether this is a "wow! science!!!" or a "wow! science bullshit!" moment.

[collectivecartomancy]

Quick & Easy Tarot Card Meanings (Yes, All 78)

The Modern Phrasal approach is a novel method of learning tarot.

It queers older card meanings by applying them to a wider context of human life.

Each phrase is built for modern concerns, attention spans, and situations. 

I developed the Modern Phrasal Approach during my twenty-two years of tarot study.

Temperance Queer Tarot, my tarot service for queers, feminists, and leftists, has been in operation for the past twelve years. 

The Modern Phrasal Approach also comes out of my lifelong work as a poet. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

SLINGSHOT, my first book of poems, won several awards. It also reminded me of the importance of the phrase to language. 

The primacy of the phrase is what poetry understands better than all other forms of writing.

The Modern Phrasal Approach combines tarot, storytelling, and poetry to paint a picture of possible futures. 

You may notice that there are no reversed card meanings.

This is because the reader is intended to read reverse as a return to the unlearned lessons of the previous card.

That is the best method of reversal reading for this system. Of course, you may elect not to read reversals at all. 

Ok, let’s go!

(P.S. I don’t know how to put in anchor links so control + F is your friend!)

Major Arcana

0: The Fool

Keywords: Risk-Taking. New Beginnings. Variability.

Love & Sex: Androgynous and/or Bisexual Lovers. Risk-Taking in Love. Asking Someone Out.

Friendship: A Scattered, yet Affable Friend. New Friendship. 

Money: Making Money Through Gambling, Speculation, and Other Risks. Money Lost and Won. 

Career/Business/Work: Self-Employment. Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow. 

 1: Magician

Keywords: Initiation. Manipulation. Communication. Technology. Alchemy. 

Love & Sex: Making the First Move. Manipulating a Lover (Especially with The Fool). 

Friendship: Forming or Forging a New Friendship. Initiating a Friendship. 

Money: Creating Money Out of the Ether. Money Drawn Through Clear Communication. 

Career/Business/Work: Technologists. Scientists. Alchemists. Clear Communication At Work. 

2: High Priestess

Keywords: Mystery. Prophesy. Intuition. Three-Faced Goddess: Maiden. 

Love & Sex: Lesbians. Sex Activating Deep Desires. Mysterious Love. Secrets in Love. 

Friendship: Covens. Clandestine (Informal) Gatherings. Psychic Friends. 

Money: Money Made From Secret or Hidden Sources. Money Made From Psychic Work. 

Career/Business/Work: Therapist. Psychics. Mediums. Religious Leaders in Feminist Traditions.  

3: Empress

Keywords: Three-Faced Goddess: Mother. Fertility. Abundance. Nurturing. Creativity. Nature.

Love & Sex: Being Worshipped By a Lover. Getting Pregnant. Creative Sex. 

Friendship: Abundant and Nurturing Friendships. 

Money: Financial Ease and Abundance.  

Career/Business/Work: Nannies. Housewives. Career Success Without Much Work.

4: Emperor

Keywords: Power. Valor. Stability. Direction. Hierarchy. Decisiveness. Masculinity. Experts.

Love & Sex: Aggressive Sex. Love With Someone Who Has Power. Older Lovers. 

Friendship: Being Friends With Your Boss. Friendships With People Who Have More Power.

Money: Making Money Through Wise Decisions or Powerful Connections. Money Moves. 

Career/Business/Work: Brokers. Military Leaders. Power. Expertise. Promotion. 

5: Hierophant

Keywords: Religion. Order. Secret Organizations. Organization. Governments. Three-Faced Goddess: Crone.

Love & Sex: Serious Relationships. Missionary Sex. Marriage. Escalator Relationships. 

Friendship: Socially Sanctioned Friendships. Mentorships.   

Money: Money From Investments, Banks, and Business. Money From Religious Work. 

Career/Business/Work: Clergy. Trustees. Security. Working Up an Established Business Ladder. 

6: Lovers

Keywords: Love. Romance. Choice. Harmony. Balance Between People and Sides of Yourself.  

Love & Sex: True Love. Deep Romance and Understanding. Loving Sex. Self Love. 

Friendship: Spiritual Friendships. Loving Friendships. Friendships That Encourage Self Love.

Money: Money Made in Harmonious, Easeful Ways. 

Career/Business/Work: Harmonious and Spiritually Aligned Jobs.  

7: Chariot

Keywords: Ambition. Success. Drive.  Self-Determination. Missions. Journeys. 

Love & Sex: Landing an Idealized Partner. Satisfying Sex. Athletic Sex. Competitive Dating. 

Friendship: Friendships That Bring Success or With Successful People. Competitive Friends. 

Money: Money Gained Through Ambition, Drive, or Brute Force. 

Career/Business/Work: Professional Success. Military Service. Sports. 

8: Strength

Keywords: Boundaries. Force. Grace. Human/Animal Dichotomy. Willpower.  

Love & Sex: Breaking Old Patterns in Love. Setting Boundaries. 

Friendship: Setting Boundaries With Friends. Helping a Friend Advance Emotionally.

Money: Applying Grace To Your Financial Life. Being Honest About a Financial Situation. 

Career/Business/Work: Strength of Will At Work. Overcoming Rivals. 

9: Hermit

Keywords: Seeing the Light. Being Alone. Leading the Way. Self-Isolation. Loneliness. 

Love & Sex: Celibacy. Needing To Put Yourself Out There. Frigidity. Too in Your Head. 

Friendship: Need To Make New Friends. Philosophical Friendship. 

Money: Money Made in Isolation. 

Career/Business/Work: Work That Requires Long Periods Alone To Complete. Scholars.

10: Wheel of Fortune

Keywords: Gambles. Wild Rides. Fate. Turning Your Present Condition Upside Down. Cycles.

Love & Sex: Relationship Ups and Downs. Fated Meetings. New Relationships. Karma. 

Friendship: Fated Friendships. Changes in Friendships. Long-Term Friendships. 

Money: Surprise Money Gain or Loss. Money Appears From an Unexpected Source. Gambling. 

Career/Business/Work: Gamblers,Poker Players, and Card Sharks. Taking a Chance At Work.

11: Justice

Keywords: Balance. Fairness. Legal Decisions. Karma. Retribution. 

Love & Sex: An Equal Romance. You Reap What You Sow in Relationships. 

Friendship: Being in Right Relationship With a Friend.  

Money: Money From Legal Settlements. A Fair Split. A Fair Wage. 

Career/Business/Work: Contracts. The End of a Business Dispute. 

12: Hanged Man

Keywords: Patience. Surrender. Sacrifice. Martyrdom. Enlightenment. 

Love & Sex: Waiting For the Right Person. Getting a New Perspective in Love. Pillow Queens. 

Friendship: Tripping With Friends. Friends Who Change Your Beliefs or Attitudes. 

Money: Money From Alternative Healing. Waiting For Money To Come. 

Career/Business/Work: Yoga Teachers. Wise People. Allowing a Boss To Show Their True Colors.  

13: Death

Keywords: Endings. Clearings. Rebirth. Transformation. 

Love & Sex: Breakups That You Could See Coming. Strong Orgasms. Relationship Transformation. 

Friendship: Ending Friendships. Life-Changing Friendships. 

Money: End To a Source of Income. Clearing the Way For New Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Losing a Job. Moving On From a Career. Working With the Dead. 

14: Temperance

Keywords: Balance. Budgeting. Human/Divine. Miracles. Healing. Spiritual Expansion. 

Love & Sex: Making Up After an Argument. Equitable Sexual Encounters. 

Friendship: Friendships That Come From or Lead To Spiritual Expansion. 

Money: Creating a Budget. Putting Money in the Correct Accounts. Expansive Financial Thinking. 

Career/Business/Work: Philosophy. Spiritual Work. Exceeding Your Estimations At Work. 

15: Devil

Keywords: Obsession. Abuse. Capitalism. Celebrity. Greed. Sexuality. Addiction. 

Love & Sex: A Volatile, Abusive, Dangerous, or Manipulative Lover. A Lover With an Addiction.

Friendship: Friends Who Bring Trouble. Charismatic, yet Abusive Friends. 

Money: Developing an Unhealthy Relationship To Money. Greed. Money Over Everything. 

Career/Business/Work: Film Industry. Jobs That Use Underhanded Tactics. Watch Your Back.  

16: Tower

Keywords: Shock. Surprise. Confinement. Revolution. Major Changes. Potential Danger. 

Love & Sex: A Surprising End or Change To a Relationship. A Quickie. 

Friendship: Shocking End To a Friendship. Major Changes in a Friendship. 

Money: Changes in Wealth, Like Sudden Home Moves and Bank Account Closures. 

Career/Business/Work: Working in Prisons or Hospitals. Job Loss or Radical Job Change. 

17: Star

Keywords: Healing. Faith. Renewal. Guidance. Prophecy. Wisdom. Altruism. Social Justice.

Love & Sex: An Altruistic Relationship. Healing in Relationships. Asking For Relationship Advice. 

Friendship: Renewal of a Friendship. Wisdom Gained From Friendship. 

Money: Money Made For the Social Good. Giving Money To Charity. 

Career/Business/Work: Social Justice Organizations. Listening To Internal Guidance At Work.

18: Moon

Keywords: Emotions. Confusion. Illusions. Psychic Ability. Repressed Emotions and Trauma. 

Love & Sex: Problems and Confusion in Relationships. Trauma Affecting Relationships. 

Friendship: Emotional Illusions in Friendship. False Friendship. Confusion Due to Friends. 

Money: Money Made Through Night Work, in Theaters, Hotels, or Nightclubs. Financial Illusions. 

Career/Business/Work: Any Work That Creates Illusions. Wait For the Truth About a Job. 

19: Sun

Keywords: Revelation. Clarity. Children. Optimism. Heat. Passion. 

Love & Sex: Clarity in a Romantic Relationship. A Partner With Whom You May Want Children.  

Friendship: Friends With Children. Clarity About Friendships. Optimism About Friendships. 

Money: Revelation of a New Way To Make Money. Summer or Seasonal Jobs. 

Career/Business/Work: Optimism About Your Career Careers in the Public Eye. 

20: Judgment

Keywords: Decisions. Accountability. Outcomes. Awakening. Recovery.

Love & Sex: Making Romantic Decisions. A Lover Holds You Accountable. Turning Points in Love. 

Friendship: The Outcome of a Conflict With a Friend. Deciding Whether or Not To Stay Friends.

Money: Successful Business Deals and Financial Endeavors. Careful Where You Put Your Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Be Decisive At Work. Becoming the Person in Charge. Responsibility. 

21: World

Keywords: Completion. Attainment. Breaking Cycles. Moving Up in the World. Fulfillment.  

Love & Sex: Major Life Events in Love Like Starting a Family or Moving in Together. 

Friendship: Events Where Friends Can Watch You Succeed Like a Graduation or Wedding. 

Money: Confidence in Financial Endeavors. Financial Success After Hard Work. Public Trading. 

Career/Business/Work: Traveling For Work. Fulfilling Jobs.

Minor Arcana: Wands

Ace of Wands 

Keywords: Beginnings. Conception. Sex. Invitations. New Jobs. Opportunity.

Love & Sex: Flings. Impatience in Love. Sex Without Love. Quickies. Meetings.

Friendship: New Friends. Sudden Return of Old Connections. 

Money: Quick Cash. Temporary Increase in Income. Gambling. 

Career/Business/Work: Move Quickly Towards a New Opportunity. Invitations.

 Two of Wands

Keywords: Working Together. Expansion. Making Decisions. Road To Success. 

Love & Sex: Wandering Eye. Grass Always Greener On the Other Side.. Practical Decisions. 

Friendship: Working With Friends. Friends Made At Work. 

Money: Money From Small or Self Owned Businesses. Helping Your Job Make More Money.  

Career/Business/Work: Interviews. Evaluating Potential Employers. Collaboration. 

Three of Wands

Keywords: Media. Communication. Travel. Evaluating Your Companions. Taking the Next Step.

Love & Sex: Decisions About Love. Traveling Together. Online Dating. Ultimatums. 

Friendship: Traveling With Friends. Online Friends. Expansion. Early Stages of Friendship.

Money: Making Money Online. Investing in Yourself. E-Commerce. 

Career/Business/Work: Remote Work. Online Donations. Advertising. Creative Business. 

Four of Wands 

Keywords: Surprises. Success. Celebrations. Luck. Rites of Passage.

Love & Sex: Good News. Weddings. Baby Showers. Wedding Showers. Housewarmings.

Friendship: Celebrations With Friends. Joyous Occasions. Graduations. Creating Memories. 

Money: Hosting Parties For Money. Enjoying Your Money. Down Payments. Abundance. 

Career/Business/Work: A Thriving Team. A New Workplace. Joyful Work. 

Five of Wands

Keywords: Conflict. Play. Team Sports. Young People. Debate. 

Love & Sex: Conflict. Arguments. Difficult Conversations. Light Kink. Group Play. 

Friendship: Banter. Conflict With Friends. Disagreement. Team Sports.  

Money: Auctions. Fighting For a Contract. A Competitive Financial Environment. 

Career/Business/Work: Friendly Rivalries At Work. Professional Competition. Business. 

Six of Wands

Keywords: Power. Drive. Moving Quickly. Success. Accomplishment. Achievement. Esteem.

Love & Sex: Attractive Companions. Coming On Too Strong. Success in Love.

Friendship: A Successful Friend. Making the First Move. Success With Friends. 

Money: Winning Grants and Awards. Promotion. Asking For a Raise. 

Career/Business/Work: New Jobs and Promotion. Success in Business Assignments.

Seven of Wands

Keywords: Battle. Drive. Uncertain Outcome. Defending Yourself. Hostility. Arguments. 

Love & Sex: Surprising Conflict. Too Much Sex. Differing Sexual or Romantic Needs. 

Friendship: Arguments With Friends. Annoying or Competitive Friends. 

Money: A Competitive Field. Feeling Like There Isn’t Enough Money. Overwork. 

Career/Business/Work: Unrealistic Demands. Rivals. Overbearing Boss. 

Eight of Wands

Keywords: Swift Movement. Letters. Information. Quick Results. Communication. 

Love & Sex: Flirtation. Love Letters. Sexting. Sneaky Links. Unexpected Connections. 

Friendship: Sexy Parties With Friends. Being a Wingwoman/Wingman. Flirting With Friends. 

Money: Quick Flow of Money. Spending Money. Money Spent To Advance Yourself. 

Career/Business/Work: A Fast Moving Project. Hearing Back From an Interview. Internships. 

Nine of Wands

Keywords: A Pause in Battle. Attractiveness. Health. Considered Action. 

Love & Sex: Being Admired. Multiple Love Interests. People Fighting For Your Attention. 

Friendship: Working Out With Friends. Friend Who Has a Crush On You. Conflict Between Friends.

Money: Negative Attitude About Money. Bank Charges. Temporary Loss of Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Negative Performance Reviews. Need To Work Harder. 

Ten of Wands

Keywords: Overwhelm. Burdens. Taking On Too Much. Demands. Final Straw.  

Love & Sex: Too Much of a Good Thing. Need To Take a Step Back. Too Much Work To Date 

Friendship: A Needy or Demanding Friend. Picking Up the Slack For Irresponsible Friends. 

Money: Low Return On Investment. Not Planning For Taxes. Money That Becomes Burdensome. 

Career/Business/Work: Too Many Jobs. Too Much Work. Suffering Under Your Own Ambition.

Page of Wands

Keywords: Young People. Active or Sporty People. Fun. Casual, Short-Term Relationships.

Love & Sex: Dating Around. Casual Sex. Short-Term Relationships. Younger Lovers. Speed Dating.

Friendship: Younger Friends. Immature Friends. Acquaintances. 

Money: Figuring Out How To Make Money. School or Learning. Gig Economies. 

Career/Business/Work: Playing Around At Your Job. Gig Work. Still Figuring Out What You Want. 

Knight of Wands

Keywords: Rushing in. Valor. Enthusiasm. Being Seen. Physical Attractiveness. 

Love & Sex: Partners Who Aren’t Taking You Seriously. Affairs. Heartthrobs. 

Friendship: Opinions About Friends’ Romantic and Sex Lives. An Attractive Friend. 

Money: Grabbing a New Opportunity. Getting the Financial Upper Hand. A New Idea About Money.  

Career/Business/Work: Changing Jobs. Becoming the Office Hero. Creative Problem Solving. 

Queen of Wands

Keywords: Popularity. Influence. Grace. Glamor. Magnetism. 

Love & Sex: Waiting For Lovers To Come To You. Having Your Pick of Lovers. Feeling Sexy. 

Friendship: Popularity. People Who Seem To Be Friends With Everyone. Powerful Women Friends.

Money: Feeling Control Over Your Financial Life. Influencing or Being Influenced About Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Businesses That Empower Women. Motivational Speaking in the Office. 

King of Wands

Keywords: Powerful. Self-Directedness. Leadership. Paramour. Businessman. 

Love & Sex: An Unavailable Man. A Sexy, yet Short-Term Relationship. Cheating. Hot Sex.

Friendship: Friendship With a Business Mentor or Superior 

Money: Making Your Own Money. Money That Comes Based On Image or Appearance.  

Career/Business/Work: Owning a Small Business. Becoming a Leader At Work or Business.

Minor Arcana: Swords

Ace of Swords

Keywords: Information. Endings. Truth. Death. Cutting Through the Bullshit.

Love & Sex: Finding Out the Truth About a Lover. A Turning Point in a Relationship.  

Friendship: A Crisis in a Friendship. A Secret Is Revealed About a Friend. 

Money: Money From Legal Decisions. Security Deposits. Making Financial Decisions. 

Career/Business/Work: Applying For New Jobs. Communicating With Your Employer. 

 Two of Swords

Keywords: Inability To Make a Decision. Fear of Moving Forward. Denial. Legal Issues. Delays.

Love & Sex: Filing For a Divorce. Applying For a Marriage License. Denial About a Lover. 

Friendship: Difficulty Making a Decision About a Problem in a Friendship.  

Money: Delayed Money From Legal Sources. Process Difficulties With Money.  

Career/Business/Work: Delays in Signing Contracts. Uncertainty About Leaving a Job. 

Three of Swords

Keywords: Heartbreak. Sudden Endings. Miscarriages. Pain. Unavoidable Ruptures. Discord. 

Love & Sex: Break-ups. Arguments. Misunderstandings. Affairs. Hurt Feelings. 

Friendship: Ending a Failing Friendship. Big Fights Between Friends. Being Abandoned By Friends. 

Money: Expected Money Fails To Come Through. Contracts May Be Dissolved. Finances Stalled.

Career/Business/Work: Job Loss. Communication Problems. Workplace Harassment. 

Four of Swords 

Keywords: Rest. Healing. Confinement. Loneliness. Isolation. 

Love & Sex: Missionary Position. Boring Love. Healing Conversation After a Fight.  

Friendship: Visiting Friends in the Hospital. Not Having Many Friends. Missing Friends.

Money: Finances On Hold. Considering the Next Financial Move. 

Career/Business/Work: Taking a Leave of Absence From Work. Considering Your Options. 

Five of Swords

Keywords: Impasse. Deception. Duplicity. Abuse. Selfishness. Abandonment. Worry. Strife.

Love & Sex: Two-Faced Lovers. Verbal Abuse. Selfishness In Bed. Sexual Abuse. Ghosting. 

Friendship: Friends Who Use You. Entitled Friends. Abandoning a Friend.

Money: Theft. Scams. Things That Appear Better Than They Are. Taking Advantage of Others. 

Career/Business/Work: Abusive Workplace. Wage Theft. Bait and Switch In Business.

Six of Swords

Keywords: Moving On. Getting Away From Abuse. Travel and Movement. Finding Safety.  

Love & Sex: Establishing a New Pattern of Healthy Relationships. Leaving Abusive Relationships.

Friendship: Staying With Friends. Moving in With Friends. 

Money: Making Money Through Travel. Finding a Clear Path To Make Money After a Hard Time.

Career/Business/Work: Traveling For Work. Finding More Harmony in The Workplace After Strife. 

Seven of Swords

Keywords: Theft. Cheating. Doing What’s Best For You. Forcing Change. Surprising Behavior.

Love & Sex: Infidelity. Leaving Suddenly. Lying. Considering Multiple Partners. 

Friendship: Lies and Deception in Friendship. Sudden Changes in Friendship. 

Money: Getting Over On Others. Stealing Money. Scams.  

Career/Business/Work: Lying To Your Boss. Going Behind Your Colleagues’ Back. Hidden Rivalry. 

Eight of Swords

Keywords: Feeling Trapped. Fear of Moving On. Being Stuck in Hostile or Painful Patterns. Incarceration. Addiction.

Love & Sex: Being Trapped in Abusive Relationships. Fear of Leaving. Limiting Beliefs About Love.  

Friendship: Friends That Hurt You. Continuing Painful Friendships. 

Money: Limiting Activities Due To Lack of Funds. Repeating Patterns That Keep You Broke. 

Career/Business/Work: Being Stuck At An Unsupportive or Bad Job. 

Nine of Swords

Keywords: Trauma. Grief. Shadow Work. Sadness. Humiliations. Betrayal. 

Love & Sex: A Relationship That Causes Pain. Fear of Relationships Because of Past Hurt. 

Friendship: A Painful Event in a Friendship. Difficulty Making Friends Due To Trauma. 

Money: Financial Stress. Poverty Trauma. Money Worries. Self-Worth Issues Related To Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Prolonged Unemployment. Stressful or Unrewarding Work. 

Ten of Swords

Keywords: Final End. Release. Destruction. Goodbyes. Relief Caused By Letting Go. 

Love & Sex: Unresolvable Issues. Emotional Catharsis. Feeling Better After a Relationship Ends. 

Friendship: Ending a Friendship For Good. Resolving Old Issues. 

Money: Failure of Some Kind in Finances. Ending a Period of Hardship By Making New Decisions. 

Career/Business/Work: End of a Job. Termination. Lay-offs. 

Page of Swords

Keywords: Gossip. Chit Chat. School Groups. Casual Conversation.

Love & Sex: All Talk. Relationship Gossip. Flirtatious Texts. Getting To Know Each Other.

Friendship: Casual Friend Groups. Gossipy or Shallow Friends. 

Money: News and Documents Related To Money. New Plans to Make Money.  

Career/Business/Work: News About a New Job or Potential Job. Applying For Jobs. 

Knight of Swords

Keywords: Breath of Fresh Air. Fools Rush in. What’s Done in the Dark Will Come To Light. 

Love & Sex: Intellectual Companions. Romantic Banter.

Friendship: Sparring Partners. School Friends. Debate Partners. Intellectual Friendship.  

Money: Surprising Information About Money. Possibly Bad News Related To Money.   

Career/Business/Work: Information About a Possible Job. Communication. Marketing. 

Queen of Swords

Keywords: Exacting. Cold. A Single Parent or Divorced Person. Could Be a Widow/er/x.  

Love & Sex: Frigid. High Standards. Wants a Partner, But Doesn’t Need One. 

Friendship: People Who Are Difficult To Get To Know. Friends Who Seem To Have It All Together. 

Money: Wise Financial Decisions. Independent Assets. Clear Financial Communication. 

Career/Business/Work: Working Independently. Nurses. Thought Leadership. Witches.

King of Swords

Keywords: Smart. Logical. Unemotional. Professional. Charming. Lacking Empathy. 

Love & Sex: A Professional. Someone Who Needs To Feel Above or Removed From Others.

Friendship: A Collegial Relationship. A Professional Friend. 

Money: Anticipating Future Needs. Wills. Trusts. Bonds. Financial Deals Go Well. 

Career/Business/Work: Law. Communication. A Charming Boss. An Intellectual Environment.

Minor Arcana: Cups

Ace of Cups

Keywords: Emotional Beginnings. Outpouring. Abundance. Fertility. 

Love & Sex: Conception (Especially With the Ace of Wands.) Orgasm. New Love. 

Friendship: New, Emotionally Fulfilling Friendship. Emotional Sharing With Friends. 

Money: Creative Money. Outpouring of Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Jobs in Creative Fields. Renewal in Business Life. 

 Two of Cups

Keywords: Partnership. Harmonious Relationships. Romance. 

Love & Sex: Romantic Love. Lovemaking. Early Stages of a Great Romantic Partnership.  

Friendship: Harmonious Friendships. Friends To Lovers. 

Money: Making Money Through Strong Business Partnerships. 

Career/Business/Work: Mixing Love With Money. Counting On a Good Team. 

Three of Cups

Keywords: Friendship. Parties. Gatherings. Revalry. Socializing. 

Love & Sex: Group Sex. Friendly Relationships. Taking a Lover To Meet Your Friends.

Friendship: Friend Groups. Parties and Events With Friends. A Sweet Time With Friends. 

Money: Money Made In Groups. Money Made From Social Events. 

Career/Business/Work: Working With Groups of People. Harmonious Group Dynamics At Work. 

Four of Cups 

Keywords: Meditation. Isolation. Shutting Out Information. Trance. Transcendence.  

Love & Sex: Ignoring Potential Suitors. Not Listening To Your Partner’s Needs. Celibacy. 

Friendship: Not Returning Texts. Feeling Like You Don’t Have Friends. Isolation. 

Money: Focus On a Particular Stream of Income. Ignoring Sound Advice About Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Overworking To Avoid Emotional Problems. Honing Your Craft.

Five of Cups

Keywords: Grief. Loss. Counting Your Blessings. Reevaluation. Taking Things For Granted. 

Love & Sex: Grief Over a Lost Relationship. Emotionally Unfulfilling Sex. 

Friendship: Losing a Friend. Mourning Lost Relationships.

Money: Losing Money. Poverty Trauma.

Career/Business/Work: Underemployment. Considering Leaving Your Job.

Six of Cups

Keywords: Reunion. Innocence. Immaturity. Sharing. Mutual Aid. Karma. Children.

Love & Sex: Getting Back With an Ex. Synchronicities With a Karmic Link. A Younger Lover.

Friendship: A Younger Friend. Reunion With Friends. An Immature Friend.  

Money: New Beginnings With Money or Potentially a New Source of Income. 

Career/Business/Work: Working With Children or Teens. Harmonious Work Environments. 

Seven of Cups

Keywords: Choices. Illusions. Social Media/Online Environments. Spiritual Journeys. 

Love & Sex: Online Dating. Choosing Between Partners. Promises That Don’t Materialize. 

Friendship: Choosing Between Friendships. New Friendships You’re Idealizing.

Money: Money From Spiritual Work. Money With Hidden Strings.

Career/Business/Work: Choosing Between Jobs. Contracts That Aren’t Exactly As They Seem. 

Eight of Cups

Keywords: Moving On. Leaving the Past Behind. Ending Abusive Dynamics.  Disappointment.

Love & Sex: Trial Separation. Going To Bed Without Resolution. Sexual Disappointment. 

Friendship: Ending a Friendship. Recognizing Unhealthy Dynamics in a Friendship. 

Money: Financial Loss. Moving Forward With a Bad Investment. 

Career/Business/Work: Leaving a Dead End Job. Drudgery At Work.

Nine of Cups

Keywords: Wishes. Manifestation. Satisfaction. Pleasure. Egotism. 

Love & Sex: Great Sex. Manifesting a Partner. A Partner Who Is Too Good To Be True. 

Friendship: Trying To Make Friends Jealous. Wishing For Friends. Manifesting With Friends. 

Money: Manifesting Money. Desired Money Arrives.

Career/Business/Work: A Seemingly Perfect Job. A Job That Gives You a Big Head.

Ten of Cups

Keywords: Creating a Family. Lasting Love and Friendship. Joy. Abundance. 

Love & Sex: Excellent, Loving Sex. Life Partnerships. 

Friendship: Friends That Are Family. Happiness in Friendship.  

Money: Money Through Those You Love. Money That Comes With Happiness. 

Career/Business/Work: Joyful Work Environments. Family Businesses. 

Page of Cups

Keywords: Becoming Emotionally Aware. Naivete. Creative Beginnings.

Love & Sex: Getting Attached To a Casual Date. Emotional Hookups. Good First Dates. 

Friendship: New Friends. Playing With Friends.  

Money: A Small Amount of Money From a Creative Source. 

Career/Business/Work: Being Creative At Work. Creative Employment. Creative Apprenticeship.

Knight of Cups

Keywords: Fools Rush in. Pitching Woo. New Suitor or Date. 

Love & Sex: One of the Best Indications of a New Lover. Short, yet Passionate Romance. 

Friendship: A New Friend Who Becomes Emotionally Invested Quickly. An Earnest Friendship. 

Money: Money or News About Money Arrives Quickly From a Creative Source. 

Career/Business/Work: Delivering a Presentation With a Creative Element. 

Queen of Cups

Keywords: Nurturing. Parenting. Psychic Power. Mysterious Emotions. Femininity.

Love & Sex: Kind and Sweet Lover Who Can Be Overgiving. Sensitive Partners. 

Friendship: Friendships That Have a Caretaking Element. Caring Friendships. 

Money: Money Made Through Intuitive Prediction. Money Made in the Care Economy. 

Career/Business/Work: Work Helping Others. Working With Mothers. 

King of Cups

Keywords: Emotional Control. Creative Power. Self-Mastery Through Emotional Understanding. 

Love & Sex: An Emotional Lover. Drama Queens. Romantic Environments.  

Friendship: Friendships With People Who Like High Drama Settings. Emotionally Mature Friends.

Money: Money Made Through Others’ Emotional Responses. 

Career/Business/Work: Theater. Artistic Professions. Working For an Emotional Boss.

Minor Arcana: Pentacles

Ace of Pentacles

Keywords: Financial Beginnings. New Homes and Businesses. Beginnings of Stability.

Love & Sex: A New Relationship That Could Go Somewhere. Sex For Conception. 

Friendship: A New Dependable Friend. Money that comes through friends. 

Money: A New Source of Income That Could Last. Investing.

Career/Business/Work: A New Job. A Promotion. A Raise.

 Two of Pentacles

Keywords: Balance. Robbing Peter to Pay Paul. Juggling Responsibilities. Financial Fluctuation.

Love & Sex: Creating Balance in Relationships. Overwork That Affects a Relationship.   

Friendship: Juggling Social and Professional Responsibilities. Sharing Responsibilities.  

Money: Money Comes and Goes Fast. Economic Change. Stock Markets. Gambling.

Career/Business/Work: Promotion or Demotion. Revolving Door Jobs. 

Three of Pentacles

Keywords: Building. Collaboration. Creation. Communication. Religious Spaces. 

Love & Sex: Co-creating a Future With a Lover. Getting Serious.  

Friendship: Working With Friends. Creating Something With a Friend Group. 

Money: Money Made Collaboratively. Sometimes Money Made From Building and Construction. 

Career/Business/Work: Real Estate. Clergy. Construction. Working Together To Meet Goals. 

Four of Pentacles 

Keywords: Stinginess. Hoarding. Control Issues. Greed. Afraid To Let Go. 

Love & Sex: Selfishness in Bed. Controlling Your Partner. Putting Pressure On  a Relationship.

Friendship: Forcing a Friendship. Controlling Your Friends. Rubbing Your Gains in Their Face. 

Money: Holding On To Your Money. Greed. Bank Accounts.  

Career/Business/Work: Working With Money. Being Selfish At Work. 

Five of Pentacles

Keywords: Poverty. Unwilling To Ask For Help. Feeling Shut Out of Care. 

Love & Sex: Relationship Problems Caused By Financial Problems. Emotionally Cold Sex. 

Friendship: Feeling Shut Out of Friend Groups and Friendships. Friends Talking Behind Your Back. 

Money: Loss of Money. Needed Money Doesn’t Come Through. 

Career/Business/Work: Job Loss, Business Failure, Economic Problems. 

Six of Pentacles

Keywords: Charity. Philanthropy. Hierarchy. Provider. Financial Harmony.

Love & Sex: Making the Relationship Officiall. Crumbing. Stone Top/Pillow Queen Dynamic. 

Friendship: Lending Money To a Friend. Feeling Secure in a Friendship Due To Established Rules.

Money: Money Comes in From an Established Source. Money Through Charity or Venture Capital.

Career/Business/Work: Charity Work. Working in Philanthropy, NGOs, or Non-Profits.

Seven of Pentacles

Keywords: Investment. Patience. Sowing So You Can Reap. Doing the Hard Work.  

Love & Sex: Quality Time. Long Sexual Sessions. Orgasm Denial. 

Friendship: Long-Term Friendships. Investing Time Into Your Friendships

Money: Investing Your Money. High-Yield Savings Accounts. 

Career/Business/Work: Working Overtime. Working At Banks, Trusts, and Financial Institutions. 

Eight of Pentacles

Keywords: Apprenticeship. Higher Education. Philosophy. Working Towards a Professional Goal. 

Love & Sex: Breakthroughs. Learning Each Other’s Sexual Desires.. Working On a Relationship. 

Friendship: Friends Made Through School or Internships. 

Money: Money From Academic Gigs. Building Wealth. Grants. Fellowships. 

Career/Business/Work: Academia. Professorships. Internships. Apprenticeships. Mentors.

Nine of Pentacles

Keywords: Beauty. Isolation. Self-esteem. Healing Alone. Reaping the Fruit of Your Labors. 

Love & Sex: Relationships With People You Already Know. Masturbation. Friends To Lovers. 

Friendship: Lovers To Friends. Dinner Parties. Garden Parties. 

Money: Easy Money. Having More Than Enough Money. Abundance. 

Career/Business/Work: Gardener. Independent Wealth. Domestics. Home Offices.

Ten of Pentacles

Keywords: Inheritance. Elderhood. Wisdom. Maturity. Family. 

Love & Sex: Sex or Relationships With Older People. Solid Relationships. Families. 

Friendship: Very Well Established Friend Groups. Sou-Sou.  

Money: Money Gained Through Family or Inheritance. 

Career/Business/Work: Estate Planning. Wills. Working For Long-Established Organizations. 

Page of Pentacles

Keywords: Financial Support. Moving Toward Stability. 

Love & Sex: A New Prospect That Represents What You Ultimately Want in Love.

Friendship: Solid New Friends That Could Become Close Over Time.

Money: Small Amounts of Money From a Raise or a Small Promotion. 

Career/Business/Work: Financial Literacy and Education. Starting a Retirement Fund. 

Knight of Pentacles

Keywords: Money is Coming. Caught in a Financial or Career Whirlwind.  

Love & Sex: A Stable Prospect Arrives. A Reliable Lover. Reliable Orgasms, Quickly. 

Friendship: A Trustworthy Friend Arrives. News About a Close Friend. 

Money: Money Arrives Shortly. News About Money. Digital Banking (Venmo, PayPal, Cash App). Transfers.

Career/Business/Work: Bank Tellers. Truckers. Security Personnel. News About Income.

Queen of Pentacles

Keywords: Pregnancy. Growing Money. Watching Over Your Money. Patience. 

Love & Sex: A Good Spouse. Love That Creates Family Relationships. Submissives.

Friendship: Mom Friends. Friendships With People in Traditional Lifestyles. 

Money: Being a Good Steward of Your Own Money. Checking On Investments. 

Career/Business/Work: Stay At Home Parents. Daycare Workers. Teachers. On the Right Path.

King of Pentacles

Keywords: Financial Stability. Mastery in Career. Patriarchs and Matriarchs. 

Love & Sex: A Predictable, yet Stable Romantic Relationship. A Partner Suitable For Marriage.   

Friendship: Mature Friendships With People Who Are Established in Their Lives. 

Money: Money Made in Traditional Ways. Having Mature Insight On How To Make Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Bankers. Patrons of the Arts. Business People. Mastery in Career. 

[stackthedeck]

Hey, we've been mutuals for a while, and I think of you in a good light. I'm disappointed to see you post infographics that are clearly designed to persuade left leaning youth to not vote in the upcoming election. If you actually think Trump and Biden are equivalent, you've been badly mislead. Anything that convinces people their vote doesn't matter is dangerous and unethical to post.

Literally just google a list of things they did during their presidencies. Here's a list for each, from the same website: trump, biden. It's different. This doesn't even include the price cap on insulin Biden just mandated, since his list was made before that. He also reversed a policy, that trump put in place, permitting medical professionals to discriminate based on religious values (aka turn away gay and trans patients.)

If not that, look at who Trump appointed to the supreme court, and then look what happened to Roe v. Wade. The justices a conservative appoint are going to vote differently than the ones a liberal will appoint.

Like, I'm sorry if this is coming off as rude, but please think a little more critically and actually look at what they each have done and will continue to do. You are discouraging people from voting and you are responsible for the impact this has. You're spreading misinformation.

Frankly this does come off as rude. That post did not say don’t vote for Biden and it made incredibly valid criticism of Biden. Has the Biden administration put in place good policy? Yes of course. Are citizens right to also criticize that the administration hasn’t and isn’t doing enough? Also yes.

Listen I’m a political science student this doesn’t make me and expert by any means but I have done work in government so idk. I’m registered to vote in a red state I’ve voted third party for president in every election and I vote for candidates I agree with and know are effective in local and congressional elections. I’m not saying don’t vote. Even people saying don’t vote Biden aren’t saying don’t vote at all but encouraging voting at all the other levels

I don’t want trump to win but public pressure from key groups of voters such as Arab Americans of all ages (because framing this as a lazy ungrateful younger generational issue is incredibly ignorant) and yeah younger voters could encourage the Biden administration to actually change its policies especially about the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Biden does not get my vote or anyone’s vote because he’s not trump, that’s not democracy it is a hostage situation. Biden must be responsive to the people not just on election day and on the campaign trail but every day. I donated money to his campaign and grassroots organizations that empowered people to vote in 2020. I will not do so again until the Biden administration ceases all aid and weapons to Israel.

I don’t live in a swing state Biden doesn’t care about me. I’ve been harassed in the schools I’m employed at by teachers and parents alike because I’m visibly queer and because I live in a red state I have no legal recourse. Why doesn’t the Biden administration do anything to stop the hundreds of anti trans and anti queer bills in the states? Why don’t I have federal anti discrimination laws protecting me? My trans health care was denied under a blue president what difference does it make.

Vote blue no matter who is just as damaging to democratic values and thinking as make America great again. Either way the parties are complacent because they just have to be not the other guy instead of being responsive to the will of the people. We have to demand better.

Hopefully by 2024 I will be registered to vote in a swing state and Biden will have made the changes to earn my vote. But I know that I will be voting for state and local candidates and it will be coordinated with other truly civically engaged voters who want to see real change in their communities

[loneberry]

I have a poem that was recently published in The New York Times Magazine here.

Since it’s paywalled, I’m pasting Anne Boyer’s beautiful introduction below.

Jackie Wang’s poem draws its title, in part, from Djuna Barnes’s 1936 novel of queer love, “Nightwood”: “ladies of the haute sewer taking their last stroll, sauntering on their last Rotten Row.” The poem’s rhythm echoes the rhythm of the life the poem describes. Some readers will already know this life. For them — for us — the poem is a recognition, one I don’t often see in contemporary poetry. Poets, however, were once experts on the ecstasy of the gutter. As Francois Villon or Charles Baudelaire did before her, Wang writes poetry that reminds us that life is more than the grim fatalism of to-do lists and bank accounts. The poem rushes forward, headed toward the edge. Then the lover-thieves get caught. The bill comes due. The poem slows. The heart breaks. This was, after all, an elegy. Despite the living thrill of its cadence, “those days,” those lovers, are gone now. What’s left is poetry. Selected by Anne Boyer

Ladies of the Sarasota Sewer

By Jackie Wang

in those days

we ate garbage for every meal

i dove in the dumpsters with

the atlanta boys

got chubby on a bucket

of expired breakfast bars

fine dining was stealing

continental breakfast

at all the nearby hotels

filching lukewarm dannon

yogurts and bananas

from the mediocre spread

only once we were caught

they gave us a bill

we had no money

i said i would go home

to try to get some money

and when i left

they let you go without paying

thinking i had left you in the lurch

all the love i see is gone

we lived on fumes

the adrenalin of our

breaking bones

[bitchesgetriches]

5 Rad Queer Money Experts You Should Follow This Pride Month

It’s Pride Month! The most gayest time of the year! The month when corporations release rainbow-embossed merch and proclaim themselves Down With the Gayness. Yet here at Bitches Get Riches Incorporated, we’re not just LGBTQ+ community spokespeople… we’re also members! And so it is with zero hypocrisy and a whole lot of enthusiasm that we come to you this week with a very special message. And…

[danganronpa-headcanons-imagines]

can I request a poly qpr (a relationship nor platonic or romantic, simply comfortable within whatever boundaries they set! Romantic acts with out needing to be romantic! Besties holdin hands! Etc! I suggest doing a bit of looking online, I’m not the best at explaining things) with ishimondo?

That sounds so cute oh my god?

I know about Queer Platonic Relationships, but I'm not an expert. So I tried to do as much research as I could to write this and formulate it. If it's off in anyway please feel free to let me know so I can improve in the future!

----------

QPR with IshiMondo

Your relationship kinda formed out of the blue. While you guys were hanging out, Taka was doing research on a college paper he was working on and stumbled upon the definition of Queer Platonic Relationships. As he explained it you all just nodded your heads casually. It took a hot minute for the three of you to kinda realize that was your deal already

There was little change in your guys' behavior honestly, now you just had a proper label to tell people! Even then, it's not like it's their business anyways

Taka spent 2 days researching every little bit of info about QPRs, to the point it got a bit excessive. He tried to encorperate the term "Zucchinis" but it confused Mondo so much that it was basically dropped instantly

Kiyotaka and Mondo formed a romantic relationship somewhere in the middle of being friends with you, with you being 100% supportive

People tend to assume it's like a love triangle or a polyamorous situation, but nah. Just guys being dudes, dudes being guys

You've been friends for a long time, ever since highschool!

After graduating, you all wanted to move out of your homes, but kinda disliked the idea of getting separate apartments. Something felt special when you all were together, so living together just kinda fit (not to mention less rent!)

You all splurged and got a giant king size bed to share. It saved money and you didn't mind sharing

Cuddling is nice and casual. When you do stuff like watch movies or just chill in bed you all feel comfortable just cuddling

The living definition of "kissing the homies goodnight"

Give each other a casual "love ya" whenever you go to do something

Kiyotaka usually stays up super late studying for college, leaving you and Mondo to just chill. Taka is pretty much always the last to bed

On the flip side he is ALWAYS the first to wake up. He's like a god damn rooster and drill sergant mixed into one

Lots of fights on what to watch on TV, movie nights can get verbally violent

When it's time to go shopping you ALWAYS need to be there. It can be with Mondo, Kiyotaka, both, or alone. The key point is you. The other two can not be trusted alone, they will come home with half the store in the car

You all have a group chat where you send memes to each other. Kiyotaka uh... isn't the best at it (I'm talking minions boomer memes)

Mondo's infamously short temper can be a problem. When it gets too intense, you and Kiyo like to just bear hug him until he calms down

Whenever invited somewhere, it's pretty much expected for all three of you to show up together, no one questions it

It doesn't matter whether you are small and weak or big and strong, Mondo and Kiyotaka are 100% your protection squad

----------

{Like my work? Consider tipping me on Ko-fi! Every little bit counts~}

[miss0atae]

Let's Talk about Chu - Review

All the most engaging BLs I’ve been watching are now finished or about to end, so I needed to fill the time with something else.

That’s how I decided to start Let’s Talk about Chu, a Taiwanese series which came out this year and is available on Netflix.

The pitch is simple enough :

“Chu Ai, a wax technician, runs a sex education vlog on the side. Living by her motto of "Only Sex, No Love," she has a long-term sexual relationship with Ping Ke. In the face of the challenges and conflicts that arise from the Chu family's, unfulfilled demands for sex and love, can Chu Ai find the answer to desire and self-discovery and start a relationship that goes beyond the physical?”

The synopsis made it seems like the main character was Chu Ai, but it’s not true. The main character is the Chu Family, as a whole.

Chu Yeh Mei Chih and Chu Cheng Nan are the parents. They don’t have a really good relationship. They let things between us goes without have a proper conversation and now they live with resentment.

Chu Yu Sen is the oldest son. He is lying about his job to his parents to hide the fact he is earning his money from being an expert card gambler. He is also openly gay and has an open relationship with his current boyfriend and things are not going well. He will eventually meet a gangster and things will change...

Chu Wei is the oldest daughter. She is married to Lin Shi Chieh who is older than her and he is a teacher in University. She desires a deeper connection with her husband because she feels they lost the passion in their relationship.

And finally, we have Chu Ai, the sex education vlogger who has a friends-with-benefits relationship with Ping Ke who also have to deals with his own vision of what is love or relationship based on what he witnesses in his family.

I have to admit, I didn’t like the first episode. However, I know myself and I also always hate the first episode. I don’t know why, but I start to know if I like a series after the second episode. That’s why I never trust my first impression. I’m glad I didn’t stop after the first episode because this series is awesome. It’s very engaging for several reasons.

First of all, because this series deals a lot with sexual relationships, it’s important when the actors can translate that well and here it works. They all have a really good chemistry. Nothing feels too awkward, but it is also not trying to portray “too perfect” moments. I would like to also add there isn’t that much nude-scenes despite the series focus on sex and love.

I also appreciate how it centered the story around different stages of relationship. We have the old couple who never talked, the queer relationship, the open relationship or friends-with-benefits relationship… You can see the point of view of a younger generation on what is love or sex, but also the view of the older generation.

Finally, the series also allows you to have an insight on different issues such as not wanting children despite being pressure to have them, sexual compatibility, STI, childhood trauma, homophobia, abandonment… just to name a few.

My favorite couple were the oldest sister and her husband. They have an age-gap and he also was her teacher, when she was in university. At first, I found her annoying because she never seems to understand how her husband may not want the same things at the same time she wanted it, but I started to understand her after a few episodes. They lacked proper conversation about what they wanted, because when the passion is not there anymore, you have to connect differently. Their couple is all about, how your relationship can turn if you don’t communicate enough. Despite their issues, you could feel their love for each others.

My second favorite couple was the oldest son and the gangster he met. I wasn’t expected them to end up together, but what a ride it was. They really are good for each other and they fulfill what the other needs. Of course, they don’t get to this point without facings some difficulties, but their unexpected relationship is really wholehearted. They get more grow than some BL couples and I also like how it gave us an insight of what is it to be gay in Taiwan nowadays.

I was less interested by Ai because I felt she was the least likable character. It is mostly due to how she treated Ping Ke. I felt she was usually not fair to him. I agree, he also needed to express his feelings more, but when you learn about his family story you kind of get why he is this way. I feel like Ai, as his friend, should have known more but I can see why it wasn’t that easy for her. They are cute, but I believe their relationship is not as interesting as the others. I liked them both more as individual character than as a couple.

Finally, I connected less with the parents because their relationship made me think of my own parents and I didn’t really like what it said about my reality. I feel the mother has a real personality while the father remains bland because we don’t see him that much as he is not present a lot in the series. The mother is struggling a lot and I really appreciate how she grew from it and learn more about her children but also about what she yearn for. Brownie points to the mother (she is one of us) who was watching a BL series on Gagaoolala.

Overall, this series is a true gem. Taiwan can really produce amazing series and they should not be overlooked because they really have something to offer.

[creepymutelilbugger]

hey I got a question about your "bunch new followers, if you pro/anti x then fuck off" post, and while this is probably not the best place for constructive criticism or discussion, I'll just give it a shot:

I consider myself very leftist, anti capitalist, much in the queer/trans bubble, anti car, pro choice, pro nuclear and very pro "the end justifies the means" (in terms of violence/militanz). but one thing I never understood is "pro cop = bad". sure, cops as the concept they are today is clearly not working because people with violence "tendencies" who are greedy for power are in such positions, while those should rather be occupied by people who really wanna help others, and not give them a felony for a gram of green - not to even mention murdering black people. but not having an executive/police at all is also not really an option, is it? in a perfect world, where you have all the power to change anything to your liking, what would it look like? or is anti cops really just the anti bad cops who are greedy for power and abuse their position, but not anti those who actually help and care for the people? While anarchism is a interessting thought, it would just not work out. Unless you stone every racist to death... then the whole world would probably be a lot better but I sadly don't think that'll happen (soon).

anti cop for me is a way of saying i hate and want to defund the police. the police eat up enormous amounts of the budgets of a huge amount of cities across the usa and they use that money to terrorize the people. im not a political expert but i have had enough bad encounters to hate the fucking cops . my own brother has been shot with rubber bullets after being corralled into a block by three walls of police officers who then opened fire on the peaceful crowd he was in with 'non lethal' munitions and tear gas (this was in Oregon a few years back after George Floyd). i am not opposed, on paper, to the presence of an effective and fair police force, but that is a distant fantasy right now. cops in this country arrest innocent people to make quotas, kill innocent people, hurt innocent people, scare innocent people, inconvenience innocent people, and harass innocent people. even if they actually properly did their jobs in addition to all that, that would be unacceptable, and grounds to push a police reform. fuck pigs. hope this helps

[alarrytale]

‘My favourites among Louis' sisters have always been Georgia and Fizzy. I think that says enough tbh’

What makes them your favorites? I don’t know anything about Fizzy, and I’m assuming Georgia is a half or stepsister?

You mentioned nepotism, what are your feelings on Anne and Gemma?

Good morning, anons!

Yes, Georgia is his half-sister on his biological dad's side. All his sisters and brother are half-siblings. Georgia is between Lottie and Fizzy in age. Georgia used to be active on both tumblr and twitter and there was a time where she was the only one who didn’t shit on larries or perpetuated the stunts. I think Georgia is more like Louis personality wise than his other half-siblings. She has an actual personality, has clear interests and is indie and cool in a way Louis will never be. She was pro lgbtai+ and supported gay marriage when the other siblings seemed to support Louis in his queer rejectals. She's cool.

Fizzy was my favourite among the Tomlinsons because she was intelligent, bright, reflected and informed about social issues. She was the only one defending us larries, she called out the Clar*s for lying and stealing pics and the only one not liking E's ass. She swore, she was loud, interacted with fans, and was just all around a great woman. She always had good takes. So different in comparison to her sisters. She spoke about the destigmatisation of mental health issues. How she was trying to quit smoking and that her favourite subject at school was philosophy. Like can you imagine any of the other sisters hosting discussions like this and being so frank about subjects like this?

About Gemma. My feelings are the same as the Tomlinson sisters. They're all taking advantage of the platform they've been given just by being the sister of a famous person. They're using their platform to get attention and influence, so they're working as influencers. I don't know why the sibling of a famous person's thoughts and views about this and that should matter more than a random person on the street's thoughts and views...

The difference between Gemma and the Tomlinsons sisters is that Gemma is legitimising her bad takes by claiming that her influencer book was written with the help of experts on the field. She's also discussing subjects she clearly has no idea about and is doing it in a very moralising way, which is very off putting to me.

I just don't understand why they don't have any aspirations and goals in life, besides taking advantage of their brother's fame to make money of their own. No wish for self-development by getting an education? No wish for self-realisation by earning their place? No wish to contribute to society by doing honest work in an honest job? No wish earning their privilege and not relying on their relation to their brother. They'd rather help their brother in lying and gaslighting their fans and perpetuating false narratives, because it's beneficial to them. No pride, no shame.

[odditybee]

Progress Pride Flag NSB Expansion (An Extreme Legacy Challenge)

Hello pals! I’ve taken the initiative to create an exciting extension to Lilsimsie’s Not So Berry Challenge! This new version draws inspiration from the vibrant colors found in the Progress Pride Flag, making it a perfect opportunity to celebrate and embrace queerness within the challenge. Get ready to embark on a colorful journey that celebrates the beauty of queerness, self-discovery, and self-expression!!

RULES

-Must be on short lifespan (The more chaos, the better!)

-Legacy Heir must be color-themed (and their siblings, if you want!)

-No money cheats to be used (Unless you really want to, I suppose)

-Start with one sim (White Gen Sim)

-Can live anywhere (except for Brown gen)

RECOMMENDED RULES

-Divorce Mod (Makes children sad about divorce)

-Move each gen to a different world (Explore!)

-Most Packs are Recommended (And some necessary for gameplay)

-Spouse color doesn’t matter

WHITE

Family Oriented, Perfectionist, Neat

-Big Happy Family Asperation

-Must marry as a young adult in the first week of gameplay

-Must rely on spouce’s income

-Must have at least 4 kids

-Max Parenting, Cooking, Gourmet Cooking and Piano

-Set cerfews and enforce them

You recently moved from out of town and have made the decision to transition into a stay-at-home parent role. With a deep devotion to family and a desire to be fully present for your children during their formative years, you are excited about this new chapter in your life. However, before diving into the role of parenthood, you also long to find a special someone to share your life and love with. Equipped with a warm and caring personality, you are ready to embark on a journey to find a partner who values family and embraces the idea of creating a loving home.

PINK

Unflirty, Rancher, Generous

-Freelance Botanist and Expert Nectar Maker Aspirations

-Max Gardener Carreer - Botanist Branch

-Never marry or woohoo

-Must have at least 1 child via science as an adult

-Max Guitar, Handiness, Nectar Making and Gardening

-Only friends can be your family, pets, and ranch hand (and eventually Brown Heir)

-Best friend must be your ranch hand

-Have one Perfect Plant

-Give away at least 50k Simoleons

You grew up in a lively household with four siblings, surrounded by the joyful chaos that comes with a large family. As you navigated the bustling suburbs, you developed a deep appreciation for nature and the simple joys it offers. Longing for a slower pace of life and a genuine connection to the land, you dream of owning a ranch, where you can escape the busy urban environment and return to your roots. The desire to create a peaceful and harmonious space, surrounded by wide-open spaces, animals, and the beauty of nature, drives you to pursue your vision of a ranch, where you can immerse yourself in the tranquility and fulfillment that comes from living in harmony with the land.

CERULEAN 

Squeamish, Erratic, Party Animal

-Party Animal Aspiration

-Max Charisma, Comedy and Photography

-Max Law Carreer - Judge Branch

-Must shower in the rain

-Must have 10 good friends

-Must have a best friend

-Must have an enemy

-Always accept invitations to go out

You were raised on a ranch, where hard work, discipline, and a deep connection to nature were instilled from an early age. However, despite your rustic upbringing, you harbor a contrasting desire for a carefree and adventurous lifestyle. Having a squeamish disposition, you prefer to avoid the gritty aspects of ranch life and instead crave the excitement and thrill of partying and spontaneity. The yearning to break free from the structured routine of ranch life fuels their desire to embrace a more erratic lifestyle, seeking moments of unrestrained joy and unrestricted self-expression. With an inherent sense of wanderlust and an appetite for excitement, you are on a quest to navigate life on your own terms, seeking experiences that bring you closer to your true sense of freedom and adventure.

BROWN

Loyal, Hates Children, Animal Enthusiast

-Country Caretaker and Friend of the Animals Aspirations

-Max writing, mischeif and pet training

-Max Writer Carreer

-Must live in Henford-on-Bagley

-Must have all animals at least once (Dog, Cat, Horse, Cow, Llama, Chicken, Goat, Rodent (of your Choice))

-Befriend a Rabbit

-Must Marry a Family-Oriented Sim and divorce as adults

-Must have twins

-Must have a good relationship with Pink Heir

Nurtured in the company of your ranching grandparent, your passion for animals blossomed and became an integral part of your identity. The countless hours spent tending to the ranch and caring for the animals left an indelible mark on your heart. However, in contrast to your affinity for animals, you harbor a strong dislike for children. Despite this, fate intervened when you cross paths with a person who cherishes family values and has a strong bond with children. Over time, you found yourself falling in love with this family-oriented individual, despite your initial reservations. Unfortunately, your love story takes an unexpected turn, leading to your eventual divorce. Throughout your journey, one constant remained - your unwavering love for writing, which served as an outlet for your emotions and experiences.

BLACK

Noncommittal, Active, Geek

-Nerd Brain and Renaissance Sim

-Max Logic, Video gaming and DJ mixing

-Must be a streamer and/or Youtuber starting as a teen

-Must have 10,000 followers

-Max Social Media Career

-Have 3 failed relationships before marrying as an adult

-Have your first child before you get into a relationship with your “soulmate”

-Go running every morning

You are a tech-savvy, energetic, and independent person. You had a unique upbringing as a child of divorced parents, which shaped your perspective on relationships. From a young age, you embarked on your journey as a social media influencer, leveraging your passion for technology and your innate ability to connect with others. Despite societal expectations, you became a parent before tying the knot, embracing the idea that love and commitment can take various forms. Your unconventional path has allowed you to inspire and empower others through their online presence, showcasing the beauty of embracing one’s true self and challenging societal norms.

RED

Childish, Hot-Headed, Romantic

-Serial Romantic and Soulmate Aspirations

-Max Baking, Painting, and Flower arranging

-Only earn income from sold paintings, flower arrangements and food stand

-Sneak out 5 times as a teen

-Woohoo in all the spots (Double bed, Hot tub, Walk-in Closet, Shower, Treehouse, Animal Shed, Boardwalk Rides, Photobooth, Backyard Observatory, Sauna, Tent, Pile of Leaves, Party Bush, Sleeping Pod, Brindleton Bay’s Lighthouse, Rocketship, Money Vault, Dumpster, Hot Springs, Ice Cave)

-Get in 1 fight with your Best friend, befriend them again

You are a person with a youthful and fiery temperament, raised by a single parent until your parent discovered their true love, igniting within you a deep appreciation for the power of love. However, despite your fervent belief in soulmates, you struggle to find your own perfect match. You become so consumed with the pursuit of love that you unintentionally overlook the importance of your friendships. This leads to a rift between you and your closest companion, resulting in a heated argument and potential fallout.

ORANGE

Self-assured, Adventurous, Cringe

-World Famous Celebrity

-Reach 5 star Celebrity Status

-Max Actor Career

-Max Bowling, Dancing, Mixology, and Acting

-Take your first date to the Bowling Alley

-Propose at the Bowling Alley

-Have a massive wedding

-Dance at Wedding

-Have One child

You aspire to become a renowned actor, but possess a somewhat cringe-worthy demeanor. However, you also have an undeniable passion for the sport of bowling. So much that you take your first date to your favorite alley and even propose there! Despite the informality of the proposal, you and your love have a giant bash of a wedding.

YELLOW

Clumbsy, Loner, Socially awkward

-Inner Peace, Zen Guru, Self Care Specialist and Angling Ace Aspirations

-Get to Level 7 of the Secret Agent Carreer before quitting

-Must start your own Resturant (after quitting Secret Agent Career), which fails on the first day and you lose 100k (If you have to sell stuff in your house to reach 100k, then you must)

-Sell the rest of your belongings and house

-Live off the grid and max Wellness, Fitness and Fishing

-Meet the love of your life while living off the grid

-Raise a family off the grid

-Stop living off the grid as elders

You were raised in the constant glare of the public eye due to your renowned parent. Despite your parent’s fame, you always felt out of place and struggled to connect with others, often finding solace in your own company. Unexpectedly, you embark on a thrilling journey and become a covert operative, working as a secret agent. However, this path doesn’t resonate with your true self, and you eventually decide to leave the world of espionage behind. Seeking a new purpose, you venture into the realm of entrepreneurship and open a restaurant, hoping to create a space where people can find comfort and connection. Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, the restaurant doesn’t flourish as expected. Lost and without a purpose, you undergo a profound transformation and embrace a spiritual path, leaving behind the materialistic world you once knew. As you delve deeper into your spiritual journey, you ultimately become a revered spiritual guru, guiding others towards enlightenment and inner peace.

GREEN

Materialistic, Vegetarian, Jealous

-Five-star Propety Owner and Fabulously Wealthy Aspirations

-Max Cross-stitch, Entrepreneur and Robotics

-Have a Servo

-Manage at least two units (Asside from your own)

-Have a one-time affair

-Get left at the Altar

-Have a difficult relationship with Blue Heir

-Have Servo Raise Blue Gen

You had an unconventional upbringing, living off the grid, yet harboring a deep affection for material possessions. You embark on a journey to become an entrepreneur, driven by your aspiration to become the most exceptional landlord in town. Alongside you, they have a loyal Servo companion, providing both companionship and assistance in their endeavors. However, just as you were about to embark on a new chapter of your life by tying the knot, a moment of weakness led you to betray your partner, resulting in your partner leaving you, heartbroken, at the altar. This painful experience only added to the complexity of your already strained relationship with your child, making your path to redemption and personal growth all the more challenging.

BLUE

Kleptomaniac, Loves the Outdoors, Gloomy

-Extreme Sports Enthusiast and Outdoor Enthusiast

-Max Herbalism, Rock Climbing, Skiing or Snowboarding

-Max Politician Career - Charity Organizer Branch

-Donate to Charity any time they call

-Get abducted by aliens

-Have an Alien baby

You had a tumultuous upbringing, marked by a strained relationship with your parent. Despite the challenges you faced, you developed a deep passion for the great outdoors. Determined to make a positive impact on the world, you decided to establish a non-profit organization. One fateful night, as you were stargazing in a remote location, you were unexpectedly whisked away by a group of curious extraterrestrial beings. Returning to your home, you realize that you are pregnant with an alien child.

PURPLE

Paranoid, Proper, Genius

-Accedemic, Seeker of Secrets and Mansion Barron

-Graduate Highschool early

-Get a College Degree in Computer Science

-Max Rocket Science, Programming, and Research and Debate

-Must be in debate club -Max Engineer Career

-Make a Rocket Ship and travel to Sixum

-Have a shark pond

-Die from Falling in the Shark Pond

-Get a Game-Over

You are an extraordinary individual who stood out from the rest. You, possessing an unmatched intellect and a touch of paranoia, were known as a true genius. Despite your peculiar nature, you managed to graduate from high school at a remarkably young age and pursue a degree in computer science. Fueled by an insatiable desire to explore the vastness of space, you embarked on an ambitious mission to construct your very own rocket ship. With your immense wealth, you reside in a grand mansion, surrounded by opulence and luxury. However, fate has a cruel twist in store for you, as your life tragically comes to an end when you meet your demise in a shocking incident, falling into a pond teeming with ferocious sharks.

[not-poignant]

Looking forward to the new chapter of UtB! Also I learn a lot hearing your thoughts on fandom culture, and I was wondering why you think puritanism is getting stronger? Lately I’ve experienced it a lot both online and irl.

Hi anon,

I could write like a 10,000 word essay on why I think moral puritanism is getting stronger in the world, and how that intersects with increased moral panic, and 'anti' or fancop behaviour among fandom.

But I think there's more than one reason, and that at the centre of it, is the radicalisation of political extremes alongside the disdain for human life and education in the USA specifically. In non English-speaking cultures, antis are often considered a uniquely American phenomenon, for example. (They're not, but I do think some of the problems start there).

And from there it's necessary to look at:

The high presence of evangelist religion and their millions in USA politics in particular, and the influence this has on the news and government systems from the top down, affecting legislation, what we see on the media, what gets censored, who gets impacted (SESTA/FOSTA etc.) and so on. When companies like Paypal or similar say they won't support certain sites because they don't support sex workers or explicit artwork, we see extremist perspectives being normalised into the mainstream. Puritanism becomes baked into the system, and accepted as normal. And it has a domino effect, taking one thing away usually means to another thing being taken away, and by 'one thing' I usually mean like... equality, access to basic human rights, and more.

The presence of certain billionaire TERFs in UK politics actively working to destroy legislation over there gives a platform to hateful, bigoted extremists of all kinds, including Nazis (as seen in Australia recently, during a TERF event where Nazis turned up in open support). Also, I'd like to add that a lot of anti/fancop thinking is generally SWERF, anti-kink and eventually TERF in nature, and often homophobic and transphobic even when it's perpetuated by queer folk.

A long-term attack (we're talking over several decades now) on education (especially the humanities and any area that teaches critical thinking) including gutting the funding to libraries, colleges, high schools, primary schools and not increasing the pay of teachers, decreasing the general intelligence of US citizens in IQ tests across multiple metrics (except spatial reasoning). This, combined with the lack of emphasis on teaching nuance and critical thinking, means you get people primed to make didactic, black-or-white decisions and often are prone to radicalisation and black-or-white thinking. There's an increasing lack of ability to understand complex or even reasonably moderately complex thinking tasks. A great example of this was re: anti-vaxxers who said 'if masking works so well, why do you need vaccines' because there was a complete inability to understand that just because something works well, doesn't mean it works 100% of the time. There was a consistent inability too, to grok things like the swiss cheese model. That's not the only reason people are anti-vaxxers and there are some extremely smart people who are anti-vaxxers, but among broader populations, a lack of basic appreciation of nuance and risk mitigation in health was a huge issue. (And it's fairly easy to see this happening in many fandom discussions when we discuss how racism in fiction is generally not great, but that rape in fiction does not cause rape in reality.)

I know the above paragraph is long and unwieldy but it doesn't actually come close to capturing a lot of my thoughts on this so slafkjdsa it'll have to do though. The tl;dr is 'the government said philosophy and critical thinking isn't worth money, so a lot of people don't know how to do it, and anyone who can do it is often attacked or viewed with suspicion' (see also: The increasing suspicion and hostility towards experts in their field x.x). (Oh see also: A lot of people thinking YouTube videos count as 'valid research' for their viewpoints, and a lot of folks just...not ever learning how to research in general).

Something something social media privileging inflammatory and provocative takes as well as clickbait etc. encouraging people to often say things in the worst or least nuanced way possible.

The systemic attacks on democratic processes in the USA (and the UK and Australia and many other places).

The loudest and most obnoxious voices are often the people saying the stupidest shit. As in: It will feel like puritans are everywhere (and there's definitely more of them), but they're also just louder and getting more attention than they used to. It's misleading. Anti-vaxxers are actually a tiny minority for example, and antis are a minority in fandom, they're just...the loudest and the most willing to try and murder real people to defend the rights of fictional characters.

Er so. That's some of it anyway. There's more, absolutely, because I could talk about the presence of puritanism in a lot of levels of our experience/s, whether you're religious or not.

It's frustrating writing about this because I fall into the same trap of knowing that I can't talk about this in as nuanced a way as I want to, even if I get to do it in 1000 words instead of like, a miserable amount of characters on Twitter. Anyone thinking 'but it's not always like that!' or 'but not in every situation!' like trust me, I know. But if I sat here caveating everything that deserves a good caveat this post would blow out even more.

Basically if you try to stop educating your people as much, don't teach them how to research, debate or learn (yes, you have to learn how to learn), and don't give them access to basic needs, and gut your democracy/s, and the people at the top believe a fictional being cares if they're virgins or not or have abortions or not, and you don't care if people commit genocide against the children of your nation because that's not as important as the right to kill them in a moment of anger..., and you create a world where the children of your nation are primed to develop PTSD due to the fear of being gunned down while learning, you create a really great environment for radicalisation, extremism, the safety and comfort of puritanism (i.e. following very strict rules in the hope of fixing what's wrong with the world) while people look for a solution to why they feel so empty and hopeless in their lives.

[puppipound]

Gonna preface this with: tumblr discourse isn't real and can't hurt you...

Here's some two-cents on the stupid goth/punk as a music-based subculture discourse coming from someone who's clocked about a decade in a DIY scene, along with some info for those actually genuinely interested in pursuing a relationship with your local scene rather than arguing about things you have no knowledge of online. Your local scene is always looking for new people!

I'm not presenting myself as an expert here but I'm pretty knowledgeable due to my time involved. Under the cut I've got a rundown on how easy it is to break into your local scene instead of arguing online.

THE REALITY IS:

Preface: I don't want to discourage people and this isn't gatekeeping! Join your scene! A lot of these scenes are actually dying due to commodification and gentrification and they're always looking for new people! I have pals in hardcore bands who actually LOVE seeing tiktok kids at shows because there's a new generation of people interested!

One thing you'll discover if you become involved in your local scene is that it's most often entirely DIY based! Everyone is welcome and venues go out of their way to be accessible to everyone, including disabled folks, people of colour and queer people, so if you've spent time at even one show, you'd know "gatekeeping" isn't about keeping things pure, it's because we're trying to keep brands and instagoths/punks from gentrifying long-standing communities dedicated to the arts! What newbies and dweebs on here should understand is that going to shows, community-building and meeting like-minded people is what goth and punk are about. Not spending exorbitant amounts of money on clothes to look like you participate. Regardless of the community's political alignment (no, punk and goth are not one monolithic political opinion and if you got off the internet you'd figure that out pretty quick), the music is what brings people together, and often allows outcasts to find a community that brands simply cannot replicate.

The answer is: if you want to be a goth or a punk you have to listen to goth or punk music. This doesn't mean you can't listen to other things; you don't even have to dress the part at all to be in the scene! My partner plays in local goth bands and wears jeans and tees and that's about it. Because goth and punk are and have always been music-based, they require you to be involved in the music, and simply put, allowing people to believe it's an "aesthetic" gives way for brands to commodify an entire community. It jeopardizes the sincerity of art! And that sucks ass!

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

If you're curious but don't know where to begin: your best friends for community-building, DIY and meeting people are your local thrifts, all ages and adult venues, queer clubs, zine-making nights, art shows, indie movie theatres, bookstores, record stores, Etsy, military surplus, vintage stores and I can't stress this enough, Instagram small businesses. Personally, my battle jacket is made up of patches I bought and also made myself, alcohol paint I got from the local art store, safety pins from the sewing store, chains from broken old belts and jewelry, studs from a small business, pins from small businesses and friends and the jacket itself was thrifted. My first battle vest I made when I was 15 was thrifted and almost all of my patches were hand-painted!

The best places to find shows are social media, posters on the street and at record stores, and asking around! There's a reason people you'll hear the term 'ask a punk' about the location of DIY venues; meet some people in the scene and most of them will be open to helping out. My first few shows I went to as a teenager I found on Facebook and through older friends.

This isn't to glorify scenes, they have their own independent issues varying city-to-city, but I promise you you will always find someone who's willing to help you out. What a real gatekeeper looks like is someone who's unwilling to give you a chance because of your identity, whether that be age, skin colour, gender, sexual orientation etc.

THE MUSIC

As I said, people are here first and foremost because of the love of the music. Here's some YT playlists I've put together if you'd like to explore what goth and punk actually are (it's literally not an aesthetic)! Some of this can be found on Spotify, and pretty much always on record/tape/CD!

(Thought I'd mention that maybe a couple of these bands have controversial politics; I do not condone it but regardless of politics they're critical to the history)

PS - I'm not a genre purist, sue me. These playlists include a lot of bands who might not fall under the traditional goth category, just songs that are critical to the subculture.

GOTH (including deathrockers, proto-goth, rivetheads, trad goths, new-wavers, post-punks, mod goths and more)

PROTO-GOTH - music important to the evolution of what became goth in the very late 70s as we know it! Starting with 30s delta blues up to 1980!

EARLY GOTH - the earliest days of goth, mostly focusing on late 70s post-punk, deathrock, new wave and early industrial through to the mid-ish 80s, some people call it proto-goth but I personally consider it first wave (it's all labels anyway!)

GOTH NINETIES - the 90s had a resurgence of goth subculture through industrial, industrial metal and a continuation of deathrock. Other genres begin to find an interest in darker material and take influence from goth bands.

MOD GOTH - the 00s to the present! This is super, super broad and should have something for everyone. There's a lot of modern music with goth influences.

I'm continuing to add to these playlists as I've made them for this post! Check back later and there'll be more.

PUNK (including hardcore punks, no-wavers, trad punks, proto-punks, dispunks and more)

For this I'm going to give you my personal punk playlist - it's such a broad genre with a million subgenres that I can't really cover it all in one post! The playlist is biased as I have my personal faves (including digihardcore, post-hardcore, skramz, no wave, electropunk, d-beat, noise rock and NYC '77). If you have questions about it DM me!

I REALLY hope this means something to someone, because I promise you there's places IRL where you don't have to argue about what makes you a fashion punk or not! If you're interested in the scene, start with the music and then go touch grass. It's music-based first and foremost; never mind the Dolls Kill bullshit.