#rainbow rowell

[palimpsessed]

COC, day 26: Savour

But I still didn’t let myself dwell on any of the good things, you know? It’s the good things that’ll drive you mad with missing them.

I keep a list—of all the things I miss most—and I’m not allowed to touch it in my head until I’m about an hour from Watford. Then I run through the list one by one. It’s sort of like easing yourself into cold water. But the opposite of that, I suppose—easing yourself into something really good, so the shock of it doesn’t overwhelm you.

I started making my list, my good things list, when I was 12, and I should probably cross a few things off, but that’s harder than you’d think.

Anyway, I’m about an hour from school now, so I mentally take out my list and press my forehead against the train window.

@carryon-countdown

[paper-beats-writers-block]

bringing this post back because I think more of you in this fandom need the reminder

my main takeaway from the Simon Snow series

You Are Not Broken.

Simon grew up in care with no one that really cared about him. No one coddled him, no one fussed over him when he didn't feel well, and he felt like the most insignificant nobody in all of England.

And then this cool guy that has a sword and can do magic (whoa!) sweeps in and tells him that he's the most important and powerful somebody to ever exist and sweeps his entire world out from under him.

When we get his POVs, the mage spends the entire book telling us he has to fix Simon. That Simon is broken because he can't harness his power (which I did a tiny essay on here if you're interested). That Simon is so broken and shattered that he is unfixable.

From a boy with nothing to "Let the greatest power of powers reign, and may it save us all" and then back to a boy with nothing. His magic was what connected him to that beautiful world of worthiness and just as quickly as he was whisked into it, he was cast out. After being told by his mentor that he was unfixably broken.

That's... devastating.

and even more devastatingly, he believed it.

He believed it so much that started self-sabotaging every other good thing in his life because one horrible manipulative person told him he was broken.

and he believed it for over a year.

Which is why Simon and Baz meeting Lady Salisbury was so important.

She had a son who barely had any magic. And even though he didn't have magic, he didn't have that crucial connection to his mother's world that was coveted above everything else, she loved him anyway. She loves him so so much. and then, her son with some magic became her son with no magic at all. And she still cried with joy over his return when he came back to her.

Because love doesn't care about a silly thing like magic. Love is the greater magic, and it always is, and always will be.

He didn't have any magic to give, because he gave it all away. But he had love. He has more love in him than any other character in that series, except for maybe Ruth. He loves his school. He loves his friends. He loves his world of mages, even if it hurts too much to be a big part of it. He loves his mentor, and the silly goats that everyone overlooked, and even his evil, scorned roommate. Maybe the scorned roommate most of all. Simon never had a shortage of love to give.

And meeting Ruth and his real family was finally able to prove to him that the love he held close and carried around his whole life was finally enough. Better yet, it had always been enough, even though he was the last to see it.

Your love is enough. The love and goodness you put out into this world is enough. And you are worthy of love in return. Always. No exceptions. You are not broken. You are human, and humans are immovable and unshatterable. Your love is your magic, and you are worthy.

This post is for you. Never let them tell you you're not magic.

[pacey-bunce-loves-joey]

our fates are no longer intertwined. how tragic

[rimeswithpurple]

Carry On Countdown

Day 28: Snowed In

How ever will they fill the time?

I was traveling yesterday and could only get so much drawing done on the plane. I really thought it was gonna be quick and easy, but in a move that should surprise no one, it got away from me. As I was working on the sweater, I thought it would be made to fit with magic but I wanted Simon to be independent. So then I started thinking of how that construction might work and suddenly steeking and fair isle got involved. And I’ve drawn so many wings during this event that as I looked at them more critically, I realized that I had gotten the growth plates for the bones wrong. Of course my high school anatomy class knowledge would pick now to show up.

Spadey even got his own little mitt. (I loved this idea, @facewithoutheart! And thank you for letting me run logistics by you and just generally egging me on, @thewholelemon)

This will be my last day for COC as I’m regrettably spending the holidays with the in laws. I’m honestly surprised that I was able to participate in as many days as I did! I’m so proud of what I’ve managed to create and thank you so much for everyone’s kind words! The holidays can be hard and this made them a little easier for me.

[stardustasincocaine]

Day 27 of @carryon-countdown

Intertwined

Have a work in progress. Sorry fam, I might be done for the time being. I got my kid’s illness and it’s kicking my entire ass. Like can’t sit up levels of ass kicking.

Time will tell. Fingers crossed for a magical turn around.

[kidovna]

thinking about him again

[letraspal]

Studying with Baz

[oyabun-draws]

coc 2024 Day 8: Bleed

[saintapplebees]

@coartremix time! i got to do my take on @skeedelvee’s art here. felt a bit silly doing holiday art in the middle of summer but it was so fun and cute!

bonus version without the mistletoe bc i thought it was still cute

[artandmartini]

Happy 27th!

[cactiunderyourfeet]

[palimpsessed]

COC, day 27: Intertwined

I’d give him all that I am.

I’d give him all that I was.

I’d open up a vein.

I’d tie our hearts together, chamber by chamber.

@carryon-countdown

[lonleyhumanbeing]

Simon in the first 150 pages of Carry On

[pacey-bunce-loves-joey]

Grimm-Pitch’s learning a whole new meaning of Snowed in for Christmas

[dalooch]

Snowbaz commuting is something very dear to me 🫶

on Instagram @loochleftovers

[lamentable-comedy]

so anyway snowbaz at watford are basically that one kate beaton comic