#rare belgian posting

[pluggedintosaverockandroll]

so many things to do so little time

[discoursedumpster]

@puppypalice what do you think a Zionist is, though? Because this implies that there's some kind of Zionist organization or political party that people can join.

As far as I can tell, there are two different definitions people are using for "Zionist."

People who don't think Israel should be violently destroyed.

A specifically Jewish movement of people who love genocide in general, or genocide of Palestinians in particular.

But there's not an organization for either of those things.

You seem to be picturing the second definition? But like... what are they joining? The IDF?

I know they're not joining some evangelical megachurch that wants Israel to exist so that the End Times can come or whatever.

Because nobody is protesting those. They rarely even get mentioned.

I know they're not joining Hamas/PIJ/PFLP, despite the fact that Sinwar said he would fight until the last child in Gaza; despite Haniyeh demanding "the blood of Gaza's children, women, and elderly;" despite the fact that Gazans loathe Hamas for starting the war, routinely torturing and executing dissenters, and committing countless atrocities against them over the past 15 months.

Because at best, nobody gives a shit about Hamas. And at worst, they buy the propaganda that Hamas is "the Palestinian resistance." (Instead of the We Want To Live movement and the Gaza's Liberators movement.)

Are future historians going to be saying this about anyone who hates and opposes Hamas? Because that seems to be what usually gets Gazan activists, and Jews, denounced as Zionists.

If so, that now includes not only most of Gaza:

But also, the rest of Palestine:

That's from one of the co-organizers of the We Want To Live movement, who has twice been jailed and tortured by Hamas for organizing marches in Gaza.

He's only 24, and he's repeatedly put his life on the line for Gaza's freedom. And there is not one person in the pro-Palestine movement that will platform him, or anyone like him. Even Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib -- another Gazan activist, one who hates Israel significantly more than Howidy -- gets pre-emptively blocked.

Anyway, the context for the whole "they'll call them Zionists" thing was that the Hind Rajab Foundation filed 12 complaints against IDF soldiers.

Which does make it seem like that must be what everyone's going to be called Nazis for joining?

The Hind Rajab Foundation is chaired by a former Hezbollah member: Dyab Abou Jahah, a Belgian man from Lebanon who also:

founded a Holocaust denial group;

has repeatedly called for the violent destruction of Israel;

says Europe makes "the cult of the Holocaust and Jew-worshiping its alternative religion";

questioned the existence of the Nazi gas chambers;

and calls gay men “AIDS spreading faggots”...

...just to hit the highlights.

The article notes that there were no troops around when Hind Rajab was killed. Which is news to me, because I only learned about it on social media.

So basically, a guy who is at best a Nazi apologist started a group named after someone who wasn't killed by the IDF, but who he wants us to think was. And now that group is running "a campaign... to identify Israeli soldiers who have published videos to social media in which they commit, claim to have committed, or appear to endorse committing potential war crimes, and to file complaints against the soldiers on that basis."

@stoptheantisemitism blocked me after I said you can't just report people you assume must have committed a war crime. Because surely you can, since "they've posted themselves committing atrocities all over social media" or whatever.

But in fact, the article they posted literally says that the campaign includes people "who appear to endorse committing potential war crimes."

And no matter how despicable or disgusting that is, it's also absolutely fucking silly to be like, "Hey!! Sri Lanka!! SRI LANKA!! This guy who tweeted about wanting to burn Gaza City to the ground is in your country right now!!! Arrest him!!!!!!"

The fuck you want Sri Lanka to do about that??? He didn't commit a crime on their soil, and he's not a citizen of their country.

So I'm assuming you're talking about the IDF. But what's the point of saying that future historians will imply people were Nazis for joining the IDF even if they don't hate Palestinians? People are already calling them that today.

More to the point, it's not like there's a massive movement to move to Israel and get permission to join its military.

Is the point just to make sure we damn everyone in the IDF, whether they personally hate Palestinians or not, whether they were conscripted or not, etc?

Is the point just to call them Nazis?

Is the point to minimize the Nazis by deemphasizing what they did?

Because it seems important that Hitler not only industrialized mass murder and killed a peak of 500,000 people a month, but also:

declared a state of emergency,

seized dictatorial powers,

stripped Jews of their citizenship,

made relationships and sex with them illegal,

pressured white people to boycott all Jewish businesses,

and banned them from leaving the country without turning their property and money over to the Nazis,

none of which Israel has ever done to either the Palestinalsians, or its own Arab citizens.

like, I would assume that nobody is making a conscious attempt to minimize what the Nazis did. But it minimizes what they did either way.

[pedriache]

Hi! Would it be possible to request fluff with Cole Palmer, like a lazy morning in bed when he doesn't have training and then getting up to make breakfast together? I love your work sm

Mornings like this — Cole Palmer.

Pairing: Cole Palmer x Fem!Reader

Summary: You loved when Cole didn’t have training. It meant you got to have a normal day together, doing normal things like cook breakfast together without needing to rush.

Word count: 620+

Disclaimer/s: Fluffy + banter !

A/N: I’m finally going through my reqs heyyy

Sun seeping through your curtains had to be the most annoying thing. On Cole’s rare day off, you two liked to sleep in, but the sun had a vendetta against you, clearly. Your boyfriend shifted behind you with a groan, nuzzling his face into the nape of your neck.

“How many times do I have to beg you to get blackout curtains?” He grumbles, his voice raspy with sleep.

A small breath of laughter escapes your lips. “Baby, if you want them so bad, you can buy them.”

Cole’s eyes fluttered open, an amused grin on his lips when his eyes met yours. “Fine. Today, we go get them today.”

Shuffling around to face him, you nod in agreement. “Breakfast first though. Are we in the mood for anything specific? I would kill for Belgian waffles.”

“Do we have flour?” Cole quirks an eyebrow, “because if we do, then we can make some, but I want bacon.”

“Bacon and waffles is an odd combo, but i’m so down.” You sit up, stretching your arms and back. “Okay, I need to go to the bathroom first, i’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

The man nods, climbing out of bed alongside you. He goes to place a kiss on your lips, but you dodge him. “Oh.. we need to brush our teeth first.”

His lips purse and he has to suppress a groan, but nods in agreement anyways. So instead of making his way to the kitchen, he follows you to the bathroom.

After your morning routine was done and you both make your way into the kitchen, you begin preparing for breakfast cooking. You both move in slow motion, too tired to make a hasty breakfast like you usually would on his training days.

“Pass me the measuring cups?” You sigh, putting your hand out patiently.

Cole steps away from the stove where he was making his bacon to grab the cups. Handing them to you, he goes back to where he was previously.

Your phone was connected to a speaker, playing soft tunes while the two of you cooked. “Ay, can I have a drink?”

Your lips pull into a frown. You’d just poured the perfect cup of orange juice. Reluctantly, you hand your boyfriend the glass. “Don’t drink it all, Cole.” You point at his accusatorially, which he feigns offense at before taking two large gulps just in spite.

You gasp, resisting the urge to lunge at him. “Hey! What did I say? You’re such a—“

“Woah!” He laughs, “watch it!”

“A loving, kind, boyfriend.” You grit through a forced smile, “hand it over.” Your boyfriends laughter echoed throughout the kitchen as he hands you the now half empty cup.

Once breakfast had been made, you two sit down at the table across from each other. “So, we go get curtains at around one, and then stop at the new café down the road? I want to try it, your sister said it’s amazing.”

Cole hums, “after that can we stop by the mall? I want to get a new hoodie.”

“You have like—five thousand. Why do you need another?” Your lip curls into a teasing grin.

“Yeah, and so why is my closet empty? Oh, should we go take a peek in yours?” He shoots back. Your smug look falters. Well. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“Oh, shut up.” You huff. “New hoodie, got it.”

The rest of the morning goes smoothly, both of you showering and getting ready for the day at a snails pace. You were grateful for his days off, they always made for the perfect lazy days. Plus, any extra time with Cole was time well spent, no matter how productive.

likes , comments , and reblog’s are all appreciated. lmk if you’d like to be tagged in any of my posts.

DTS , @halfwayhearted @spidybaby !

[fictionalred]

Wil gewoon even itereren hoe veel beter de dienst is geworden sinds zo'n 10 jaar geleden :)

Treinen vallen zo minder in panne tegenwoordig, het is wel aangenaam!

@nmbs-sncb-official moet ik nu wel taggen

 NMBS aka “nothing works but hey I got to ride in a cab!”

A little story below in Dutch.

Keep reading

[bitbytebot]

i think OFF is getting a new, official english translation alongside the fangamer merch releases in december.

my reasoning: i've been digging through the website given in the teaser. right now it's an email newsletter signup page; this makes sense, given that the URL needs to be live to build hype up to the event date.

on this website, there's a rotation of quotes from OFF that are in english. and apparently, along with the very rare and completely new quote that pops up on there sometimes, the quotes the website flashes are not a match to the v3 english fan translation... even though that's the only way to play the game in english. (yes i know about forgotten dreams)

i have OFF english translation v3 open in RPG maker 2003 right now on my laptop. and using some web dev magic, i also have the official text from all of these dialogues. come find out why i've slowly been going insane over the course of today. (it's thanksgiving 2024, if you were wondering. also this post is probably best viewed on desktop.)

here's a quote from purified.zone, the teaser website from fangamer.

Uh... will you find the leader of the specters? Well... it would be great if that were possible... Well... yes...

and here is that same quote, directly from the r3proj file used by the OFF v3 english translation.

Uh... Will you find the leader of the spectres? Well... It would be great if that was possible... Well... yes...

sentence-case capitalization and tense changes aside, the move from "spectre" (european english) to "specter" (american english) immediately jumps out at me. (i say european, but i don't know the translator's nationality. i just know that professor layton did that with one of their games, last specter in the USA and last spectre in europe.) the important part being, mortis ghost is belgian and speaks french. the original game had it as spectres, and either the fan translator was european or preferred that spelling and kept it. fangamer, however, is an american company -- and the spelling of "specters" on their site is specifically in american english. (only we would fuck up a perfectly good word. it looks way better with the re.)

how do I know it wasn't just a typo? because there's two lines with the word specter in them on the site! screenshots upon ye!

You've come to eliminate the specters? That's good news.

You've come to eliminate the spectres? That's good news.

not just someone getting carried away on copy, then -- this is an intentional change. specifically, i think this difference can be explained by these being two subsequent translations, first v3 and now the website/new english translation/steam release/v4, with differing guidelines for their finished products. they're entirely TOO similar to not be related, to me -- forgotten dreams (2023) is a good example of a vastly different english translation of the game, and proves that one can be done. but if you have a widely beloved english fan translation that already exists... why not just get the rights and spice it up a little with some fresh editing?

So, will the final verdict be handed down soon? The employees here are certainly in need of your muscular wrist...

So, will the final verdict soon be reached? Numerous employees are certainly in need of your muscular wrist...

these changes feel like they've been made by a copy editor; the meaning is the same, but the structure flows better. "soon be reached" fits a latin language (french) phrase structure where the verb goes at the end of the question, whereas "be handed down soon" is a more natural english phrasing, at least to this native english speaker.

some changes, however, are stylistic in nature. i quite like the change in dedan's line here, for example.

If all of you would just listen to me more often, you wouldn't keep stepping in it.

If only you listened to me more often, you wouldn't keep making fools of yourselves.

"stepping in it" feels WAY more natural and in character for dedan to say. he's the big man in charge, da boss! he isn't wasting his time on lengthy diatribes, saying shit like "if only." this is a localization change, giving dedan a gruff and tough vibe through the way he talks. good stuff!!!

but it's a lot of care and thought being put into these dialogue rewrites for, need I remind you again, an email newsletter website. (this thing is written in like, straight html/css/javascript, i doubt they even used a web builder.) the guy that made this didn't retranslate the lines for this; he got his copy from someone, who got it from somewhere else, which somewhere all the way down along the line got approved by mortis ghost. and fangamer, obviously.

this post is long, we've been here awhile. how about a refresher: I think OFF is getting a v4 official english translation coordinated around the release of this new fangamer merchandise wave.

because if i'm fangamer, should i release merchandise for a beloved cult classic game that can only be played in english by my target american audience when using an unofficial translation on a real computer? where you have to use the file system? i don't know if i would. wouldn't you rather release merch for something safe, something on steam or consoles? something like undertale?

oh. that's weird, that link goes to a physical release of undertale being sold on fangamer's website. that's not merch, that is a game that was originally released digital only on computers and wasn't released physically + on consoles until a few years after. not to mention that you can buy undertale physical edition in stores these days, as published by fangamer, due to its massive popularity.

hm.

let's see... what about FAITH the unholy trinity?

see, that was originally a little indie game released in three chapters on itch.io that blew up with the lofi/analog horror scene, and ended up getting a steam remaster + physical release + merch release from fangamer. given their shared themes of cleansing, unsettling imagery, and excellent character writing, you can see where i might draw some similarities -- they both have pixel art, for one thing.

i think the pattern is there. it's true, fangamer does sell just merch and not physical releases for some games -- oneshot comes to mind, but that game was officially ported to consoles, which is an entirely different undertaking given that it uses fourth wall break mechanics. the tradeoff makes sense to me for it to still be profitable. (most people probably don't own a physical copy of stardew valley and yet probably do have a piece of stardew merch from fangamer...)

no, there has not been an official announcement about this. this is purely speculative, with evidence gathered from one afternoon of poking around with postman and rpg maker 2003. but i think there's evidence for OFF getting, at the very least, an official steam/itch.io release with a new translation. the date announcement trailer even has game footage from an area that isn't in the original game data. so... there's that, too.

i probably could have just led with that and saved us both 1219 words. ah, well. c'est la vie.

[comandersprings]

Moments Like This (Gojo x GN!Reader)

Note: After months of being MIA, I come back with a new fandom altogether lol.

I never expected to become a Gojo fan, but here I am. My brother gave Jujutsu Kaisen a shot earlier this year; it only took him telling me about Gojo liking Digimon and him taking care of one of the characters (Megumi) since he was a child for me to grow interested. He is now one of my main comfort characters and so, I wanted to post something for his birthday. I hope you all like it! <3

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1,285

Summary: In which you and Gojo revel in each other's company before hitting the pillow.

• • • • • • •

“Check this out,” Satoru says as he leans towards you, phone in hand.

He’s showing you a short video of a cat in a banana costume. It’s everywhere and he has seen it countless times by now, but it never fails to make Satoru chuckle and in turn, you chuckle along with him. The video starts again and he lets it play. You lean your head on his shoulder as the images follow one another before your eyes. This time, when the short ends, Satoru scrolls down in search of a new video that’s interesting or amusing enough.

You keep your head on his shoulder, watching and hearing milliseconds of videos as he swipes past them. Soon enough, however, your mind drifts and you no longer pay attention to those fleeting frames. Your thoughts go to how his and your back are comfortably resting against the pillows, how the thick blanket you took out of the closet last week because it was getting too cold covers your legs, how Satoru casually drapes an arm around your shoulder… Moments so mundane, yet so rare with how busy he often is.

As he continues to scroll with his free hand, the one he has placed on your shoulder rubs its thumb back and forth over the fabric of your pajamas. You nuzzle your head against him almost imperceptibly and lift your gaze from the phone’s screen, looking up at Satoru’s profile. He still makes your heart flutter like when you were starting to fall for him, back in your teenage years, and you can’t help the soft smile that crosses your lips as you take in his relaxed expression.

Just as you’re about to turn your attention back to his phone, Satoru looks at you. He flashes an almost smug smile that makes his eyes crinkle. “Caught you.”

You shake your head, releasing a soft snort. “You always catch me.”

You go back to resting your head on his shoulder and when you do, Satoru leans his head on yours. You smile once again because every little display of affection he presents you with makes your heart skip a beat. You watch him scroll past the feed of videos until he reaches one with a black Belgian Shepherd that appears to be frowning.

“Doesn’t it remind you of Megumi?” he asks with amusement —and a hint of fondness— in his voice.

“What?” you laugh, comparing in your mind the dog’s expression to the one Megumi almost always wears. “A bit, yeah.”

The browsing continues for a few more minutes until you notice Satoru’s arm drifting down. You shake him gently and he turns his head towards you, eyes half-lidded.

“Was I falling asleep?” he asks, half-smiling.

“Yes, you were, and you’re not the only one. I feel like I could fall asleep soon, too.”

“Alright, let me leave this on the nightstand.” Satoru puts his phone down and he lies on the bed, extending an arm towards you. “Come here.”

He doesn’t need to tell you twice. You lie down, your head on his chest and his arm around your waist, like every time you get to sleep by his side. As Satoru reaches to turn off the lamp by his side of the bed, you wrap your arms around his frame, but you realize you should be turning off your lamp as well. Although you are way too comfortable now and you’d rather not move, you take care of the light on your nightstand and envelop Satoru in your embrace once again.

You two bid each other goodnight and a light silence falls upon the room; the only sound that can be heard is that of your steady breathings—although for you, it’s also the sound of his heartbeat. If someone witnessed this peaceful moment, they would never guess that you and Satoru often see yourselves in life-threatening situations.

Minutes tick by and although you are definitely sleepy, you can’t seem to drift off just yet. You open your eyes and look up at Satoru again. Turns out he isn’t asleep either: he looks at you the moment you move your head, although his movements are slow and somewhat groggy.

“I hope I didn’t startle you,” you say, placing a hand on his chest.

“Nah, don’t worry. I wasn’t fully asleep yet.”

You smile at him and lay your head on his chest but as you do, an idea dawns on your mind and your smile widens. You lift your head again and shift upwards so you can have a look at his face. Satoru’s eyes are still open and even in the darkness of the room, you can see a glint of amusement in them.

“There’s something I’d like to do, but it might be a bit silly.”

He raises an eyebrow. “A bit silly? You know I like silliness, so don’t be shy.”

You take a moment to answer, swallowing hard and mentally laughing at yourself for feeling almost as giddy as you did when you shared a bed with him for the first time.

“It’s just… I thought we could switch our positions so you’re lying on me.” You lift your shoulders with a coy smile gracing your face.

Satoru grins at you. “And you call that silly?” His smile softens. “I like your idea. Let’s do it.”

He waits for you to lie on your back and he moves downward, wrapping his arms around you and placing his head on your chest, right above your heart; Satoru can hear it racing. A soft huff of laughter escapes his nose, but he makes no comment.

With him snuggled against you, you run your fingers through his white locks and lean down to press a kiss to the top of his head. You can feel him tighten his arms around you ever so slightly and you do the same in return.

You love every moment you spend by his side, no matter if you two are being goofy together, fighting side by side, or “going somewhere nice”—as Satoru calls it when he takes you out for dinner. However, it’s moments like this you treasure the most: the simple ones where you just bask in each other’s company, the ones that make it clear how big of a part he has in your life. You wouldn’t trade them for anything.

As for Satoru, he couldn’t be more thankful to you. When you are with him, he can drop that cocky, “the strongest” persona he puts on to reassure both himself and those around him. You see him for who he is and although he can’t spend as much time with you as he’d like, you never reproach him over it. Instead, you give him unconditional love. Sometimes, he wonders if he deserves you, but he never voices it. He knows you’d look at him all puzzled and say that yes, of course he does.

Satoru can feel himself fall asleep, but there’s one thing he needs to say beforehand. Although you are still playing with his hair, he lifts his head to look at you.

“Hey.”

You stop your motions. “What?” you ask, letting your hand stay on the back of his head.

The passing car that briefly illuminates the room as it drives past your apartment allows you to see the smile on Satoru’s lips and the soft, almost slack look in his eyes.

“I love you, baby.”

You chuckle tiredly, but the grin lighting up your face has the energy of a thousand suns. In response, you hold Satoru even closer to your chest, but not so close your embrace would prevent him from hearing your answer.

“I love you too, Satoru.”

[faroreskiss]

The Hero, The Guilt and The Chocolate

Summary: Days of peace were still upon you, but you had to ruin it with your thoughts of the previous life you had. Time tries to calm you down, but not in a way one would expect. Oh Nayru, how do you explain a typical office job to someone like Link? Or corporate slavery?

Based on this fic. Can be read stand alone.

Read on Ao3

Ah… Winter was finally here, or was it already leaving? It was proving really difficult to tell with all the portals making you jump from one place to the other. You never thought different times would also mean different seasons.

It was getting… tiring, no, exhausting… mundane, even? You never thought this could happen. Here you were, pretty much risking your life every day you went out, even for a walk, with your favorite heroes, even involved with one or two (or three?) in a situationship way.

You were dealing with magic, learning a language that doesn't even exist where you come from, acting as an interpreter, trying (not) to reveal mysteries of all Links. And now you were saying to yourself that it was getting… boring?

Oh how weird human nature is. 

A few of you were staying in the Forge in Hyrule Town tonight and sleeping on makeshift beds prepared by the Smith’s grandpa. Old Man insisted that you were all fine, that you had bedrolls, to no avail. 

Of course now was one of the calmer times, albeit rare. You took the mug of hot chocolate you prepared in silence in the small kitchenette and looked around the room. You liked the silence of the forge, except the gentle crackling of fire… And of course, the lowkey snore of the Sailor, who somehow managed to roll himself ON the Captain like a ragdoll.

You were pretty sure he was aware, any of them would be. They were all seasoned adventurers who probably had to be vigilant as they slept outside, having a “bunny sleep” as they said where you came from. Instead of rolling him off, the Captain simply let him. A smile cracked near your lips as you turned to look outside.

You watched the snow slowly gather on the hills, covering the ground like cotton candy, the steam coming off the mug fogging the window. Roofs of the small houses and shops in the town were also slowly building a layer of snow on their thatched tops. How long would it last?

You thought of the routine of the people who live in Hyrule Town. A simple life. If not for the current adventure, the Smith would also have a similar one. Wake up in the morning, have breakfast, go to the Forge and work through the orders, spend some time with Zelda, talk to Minish… 

You sighed. Wasn’t it also how your life was when you were in Post Calamity Hyrule? A simple routine, plenty of fresh air, time dedicated to learning. It was boring, but you liked “the boring”. It was such an awkward feeling to miss your previous “life”, even though you had another one before it.

Your “real” life. Where you had to wake up before dawn, get into crowded buses, have coffee as breakfast, sit on a chair a minimum of 8 hours a day, deal with people you’d rather not see, and make ends meet. Spend time with a loved one if you could find the energy. In the end, be so exhausted that you did not really have time for what mattered. 

You sighed. Of course it wasn’t that simple.

“Couldn’t sleep?” the high baritone voice of the blonde gently spoke as he also sat down next to the window. Link.

“Just craved some chocolate,” you replied. It wasn’t exactly the truth, but not a lie either.

He understood and didn’t question it further, he also looked a bit nostalgic, his one open cerulean eye tinted with yearning for something far away.

“Wanna taste?” you offered your mug after you took a sip. So creamy and just sweet enough to not burn your throat.  “It tastes even better than genuine Belgian chocolate,”

He nodded thanks and gladly and took it to his lips. A glint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

“The milk in this…” he trailed off and then took another sip.

You gave him a lopsided smile. Of course, the world of Smithy also had a LonLon Ranch. 

“... is indeed high quality,” you completed his sentence.

He chuckled to himself and returned the smile. 

“Now that the pleasantries are over, what’s on your mind?”

You bit your lip. He never beat around the bush, you didn’t even fight back.

“I mean, aren’t you also a bit worried about the calm before the storm situation we have in our hands? It has been some time since there was a portal or any report of monsters,” you tried to change the subject, you didn’t know to what extent you can bore the Hero of Time.

The Hero of Time.

“I won’t lie and say it doesn’t bother me, but one should take the opportunity given and use it to rest.” he answered cautiously yet unconvinced. 

He knew it wasn’t good to push you too much for answers, as you might spill something that can be about his fate. Even after a few years, it wasn’t clear to the rest of the Chain how much you actually knew about each of them. 

“Link… I don’t want to burden you, it’s just stuff about my old life” you had a distant look in your eyes, thinking about the past. The future. 

“I won’t pry, but know that I will lend an ear if you require it,” he put a hand on your shoulder as he looked into your eyes.

Din damn you, handsome blonde. Of course you would just spill everything. You were willing to do it anyway.

“You would think I’d miss my life and be in agony all the time, but…” Other than the fact that here I am with my favorite boys , you didn’t say out loud, “I do miss home , but also, on the days we have peace like this, I do appreciate the simplicity. I didn’t have that where I came from,” you started.

“I wouldn’t count the risk to life as simplicity, but well…” he raised an eyebrow. 

“I mean overall…” you paused for a second. “You know, the simple life. Wake up, do things, spend time with loved ones, sleep?”

Oh Nayru, how do you explain a typical office job to someone like Link? He might not understand that perhaps, but he can understand “adult” you supposed.

He nodded. “… I miss the ranch and after finally having the simple life I desire, it does make me feel frustrated to be apart from it once again. I miss it too.” 

“Yes but have you ever thought, ‘Damn I am so sick of this I just want some time to myself’ after a day in the ranch?” you were just probing another line of inquiry.

He chuckled the way you phrased it with such passion. “On the days I had to deal with cuccos specifically, I suppose.” 

“So I assume you would spend your whole day in the Ranch, with Malon, have some time with Epona, sometimes go to Castle Town, the forest and such?” 

He was curious to see where this was going. 

“Pretty much, yes. Simple and quiet.” he nodded.

“Admit it, didn’t you get bored of it, ever?” you deadpanned. 

“What? Why?” he looked a bit scandalized by your question, but you pressed on this time.

“Come on Link, be honest now.” you had a grin. He took the mug to his lips again as he rolled his eyes.

“Fine, sometimes it CAN get boring but not in a way you think it is, I love my wife and the ranch,” he protested mockingly as he drank the rest.

“.. But you already knew this, so what’s your point?” he looked back at you.

“Of course I know what you mean. It’s just, it is something you worked hard for in life and you love it, yet even that can feel mundane sometimes, that’s normal,” you held a finger almost to his lips to hush him as he was about to open his mouth again.

“Or you can be so in-love with your partner, but sometimes, as cruel as it can sound, you might need some alone time,” you added.

“Because you know you love them and they know you love them, there is trust,” he replied.

“Precisely, hence also why you can bear the distance a bit better, it is an established love, not taken for granted,” you winked. You could swear there was a bit of pink in his cheeks as he turned his gaze away, but maybe it was because of the hot chocolate.

You signed again.

“Now imagine, that you are still doing something you like but now you absolutely HAVE to do it, and after a day of it you are so exhausted that you can’t do other things you like, at least not as much of it,” you continued.

He was listening intently.

“Every day, almost the same, nothing new, and very limited time to create something new. After studying for almost 20 years… Mind you, I was… or am still one of the privileged ones over there. While studying I didn’t have enough of the material resources to do some of the things I liked but had some time. Then after I finished, I had the material resources but not the time,” 

You spoke in one breath. 

“And I was or am practically expected to keep doing this until I am an old lady, unless I win the lottery of some sorts or go into some other ventures,” 

You guessed this was a good enough explanation for someone in his situation to understand. The word “corporate slavery” came to mind, but it was too early for that.

“...I see,” he replied, sensing you still have more to say.

“And I… have or had, a… uhm, romantic partner…”

He perked up a bit, he suspected it since he overheard your talk with the Champion, but tried not to let it show. He was aware of your involvement with the Champion, and even possibly with the Rancher. 

“...in your world, you mean?”

You grimly nodded.

“I still don’t know if I will ever see them again. And what will happen once I do,” 

You gulped, trying to fight the tears of guilt and shame back. You thought you shattered his image of you. Cheating on your partner. A deep breath.

“Y/N”

You looked back at him, his expression unreadable.

“I can’t know or claim to understand the exact thing you are going through. We all have our burdens. But…”

Oh there it was, the judgment was about to be passed. 

“If they are YOUR partner, they would understand. But only you will be and can be the judge of your own,” 

He wasn’t done. 

“We all know the noble love stories where one waits for the other for a lifetime, I assume they also exist where you come from, yes?”

You nodded, holding back a sniffle.

“That’s all they are, stories, legends.”

So are you , you wanted to tell him.

“Look, Y/N. I would give my life for Malon.”

You never heard him speak like this. 

“But If I were to be thrown off between different worlds and time, with no absolute guarantee that I would find my way back to her…”

You waited patiently.

You could see that it made even his eyes foggy. He kept looking outside the window, touching his own scars without realizing.

“...Time heals all wounds, even if it leaves scars. And scars, they hurt. (Y/N), you were gone for years from your own world with no way back in sight, and then thrown into another adventure,”

He turned back to you again.

“I believe, even I might not be able to stop my heart from fluttering again, if I were to be in your shoes,”

The tears were streaking your cheeks now. The guilt came back to haunt you again.

“But now, what if there is a way for me to get back?” your lips trembled. “How will I face them?”

“A friend once told me that the flow of time is cruel, you can’t prevent it from affecting you, in a good or in a bad way. When the time comes, you might have to face the consequences,” he said, as a matter of fact. It felt cold like the winter air outside.

“To them, I am a lost person for years. But there is always the possibility that if I ever can get back, it will just be as I left it…”  you trailed off.

The Old Man nodded. 

“Don’t forget, time also could be flowing for them too, but knowing you, I’m sure there will be a way to reconcile. Together, or seperate.”

That’s why you liked this Link. He never tried to spoil and calm you with sweet words or false promises. He said what he thought as it was. That was his way of showing he cared.

That didn’t help the pang of guilt that threatened to boil in your stomach, but at least you felt calmer.

He got up and walked to his bedroll to pick up a blanket, and for some reason, still smoking hot mug of chocolate.

“Come, let’s go out a bit.”

You both sat down on the bench in front of the forge, wrapped up together in his blanket. He gave you the mug to keep your hands warm. You put your head on his shoulder. He adjusted the blanket a bit more for the both of you, and gazed into the stars between the clouds.

“Thank you, Link.” 

“I’m sorry I can’t fix things, but I will be here to listen.”

You smiled.

“But Y/N, there is something,”

“Yeah?”

“What is ‘Belguain chocolate’?”

You let out a guffaw.

[gemsofgreece]

P.O.P: A masterpost!

Given that this is a blog about Greece, I suppose it's only fair to discuss what is going on in Greece right now. We're in the mid of an interesting, maybe unusual (if not unprecedented) cultural phenomenon. And I am seeing that splinters from this explosion have even reached Tumblr.

Chapters:

Preface

The Album

The Songs

Preface

The artist that represented Greece in Eurovision this year, Marina Satti, is not exactly a newcomer. She's actually involved with the music and general artistic industry of the country pretty much in the last 15 - 18 years. However, it was only eight years ago when she decided to put her phobias and anxieties aside and claim a prominent role as a solo singer and performer of her own work. In those eight years, she had the tendency to appear suddenly, go viral with one song or one project, then disappear and repeat that cycle over and over. In 2022 she eventually released her first album YENNA (=birth), celebrated by fans and music critics, and from that point onwards she started building a more consistent career, more open to the exposure of the audience and the media alike.

In late 2023 she was announced as the representative of Greece in Eurovision. In March 2024 she released the song for the contest, Zari, which sort of shocked a large part of the population for many reasons that I do NOT ascribe to, half of which should be studied in Greek sociology. (The song has literally 0 shocking elements.) From that point onwards, an unbelievable war was unleashed against her, not only by people, but also by other celebrities and the media, all while she was trying to prepare for her Eurovision performance. Satti defended her song Zari but except for rare incidents, she mostly avoided commenting or answering back to the hate she was receiving. This mass assault persisted and continued even when she lost her father three weeks before she had to fly to Sweden for the contest.

Her days and rehearsals in Malmö, Sweden weren't exactly good either but I have analyzed what she went through in another post already. On top of everything else, in the press conference of the qualifiers for the final, she feigned disinterest towards the Israeli participation for the obvious political reasons, a move that doubled the hatred she was receiving from the Greek government, Greek national TV broadcaster, half the people and all the Israeli, Jewish people and Israel supporters who unleashed a well organized cancel campaign against her. Unlike what happened with the Belgian, the Dutch and the Irish participants, the Greek TV broadcaster did not support or protect Satti but instead forced her to revoke, in supposed fear of a diplomatic episode (for a yawn in a pop song contest, mind you).

Marina Satti and her song Zari for Greece got the eleventh place in the final, which caused confusion anew in the country, as the fans were not happy but still content with the result, while the haters wanted to blame her for missing the Top 10 but had a hard time proving themselves right for having predicted a disaster or a disqualification.

In any case, with her unconventional song and her very charismatic if a little loud persona in Eurovision, Satti managed to quickly build a small European fan community. A few days after the final, Zari started climbing the global charts (it's #16 in the Global Viral Chart as we speak, a first for a Greek lyric song).

Four days after the contest, Satti strategically released her second album, called P.O.P.

The album

P.O.P. has become single-handedly the talk of the town in Greece, in a way that I don't remember happening enough for other artists and certainly not for a woman. To be honest, I don't remember another famous woman doing what Marina did here. Part of the novelty of this album is that its main goal is not the music itself but rather expression and it is a manifesto of sorts. But the true novelty is HOW she did it. So let's analyze a bit the genius of P.O.P.:

I call it P.O.P here but the album's title is actually Π.Ο.Π in Greek. Apart from the obvious nod to the pop music genre, Π.Ο.Π. actually stands for P.D.O. (Protected designation of origin). This could be a jab at all those who hated her and questioned her ethnicity for having a Sudanese Arab father and being, ALAS!, only half-Greek, while in the meantime Marina in Sweden was vocally advocating for the support and promotion of the Greek language and Greek ethnic sounds in modern music. So, she's P.D.O., certified GreekTM and pop! This is one of the cleverest album titles I have seen.

Now, let's go to the equally clever cover of the album.

What is only seemingly a rushed design looks like a draft in microsoft paint. It looks like the colour base was black which is erased with rushed white brushes, until the white prevails over the black, leaving only a few traces of the darker paint behind (remember, she's half-Greek half-Arab and she receives hate for this). On top of it all, there are several bold brushes of Greece's trademark blue. At the center of the cover we see the title, in the likes of an instant message. P.O.P aka P.D.O. and a Greek flag emoji next to it. Protected Greek origin. Below is her name in Latin characters, with her surname in capital letters, probably a tirbute to her late father. The time of the text message, next to her surname, I wonder whether it is random, but knowing Marina, I have this morbid feeling this time is not random at all. The message is circled with more blue paint and it suspiciouly looks like something is covered under the blue paint, next to the Greek flag. Below the text message, there is an emoji of a goat. This works in three possible ways: a) the goats are a classic image of the Greek countryside, especially Crete island where Marina comes from, b) it is used as the slang G.O.A.T, which is possible given the content of the songs and c) well, it could also serve as a self-deprecating joke idk!

The back of the cover features the names of the songs with a suitable emoji each. The time remains the same, next to the last song, which is the song she dedicated to her father.

The songs

TUCUTUM

Tucutum is a song Marina had releashed as a single last year actually. The reception of this song was very interesting because before Eurovision it had almost as many dislikes as likes. You see, it was Marina's song that made Greeks remember they actually like quality music. An extremely hypocritical attitude since more young Greeks than I care to admit like trap music. And I am listening to it and I am pretty sure Marina's trap is rocket science compared to the average trap of the... uh... proper trappers. And yet the trappers get nowhere near as many dislikes. But there is an explanation even for this: Marina blends Greek, other Balkan and Romani cultural elements, she indirectly trashes the biggest political party of the 80s-90s (largely responsible for the financial crisis), she directly addresses her haters, "who do nothing but say, say, say" and states it's her time to be heard. In the music video, she is supposedly the guest singer in such a feast of mixed cultures where men drink and celebrate to a decadent degree. When Marina breaks her trapping to intersect with a beautiful melodic bridge which is the part she was practicing the most before she arrived, therefore what she truly cared to express, a short ballad expressing her dream to fly away free like a bird, only a little girl listens to her in hope, while all the men have dropped unconscious due to their decandence. In the end of the feast, women discard the unconscious men in trucks. So you see, there is cultural, political and gender commentary. Too much for a braindead type of Greek to deal with, so let's just pretend we suddenly hate trap.

2. ZARI

As already stated, Zari was the Greek song for Eurovision. The lyrics is a blend of a regular love song, her exorcising her anxiety for the contest and multiple sly references to her older songs as a treat to her fans. She did once more something amazing - the song is sort of jarring and crazy because it combines many music genres. Instead of toning it down with the music video, she went all in and created an even crazier albeit ingenious video targeting foreign viewers. This time, Marina is a lowkey insane tour guide helping an unsuspecting typical "German tourist" (fun fact: the actor is actually an American retiree in Greece!) navigate and explore what seems to be an Athens-on-drugs. This once again made "proud"(?) Greeks protest that "this is not what Greece truly is", entirely missing the point that Marina didn't even have to do a travel promo in the first place. My humble opinion is that Greece is A LOT of things and when all of these are compressed in a presentation under 3 minutes with a touch of humour, it can totally give an on-drugs vibe. In truth, Marina didn't lie about anything she showed. She was proven right again, with most foreign people loving the video and her perception of Athens, including the winner of this year's public vote, Croatia's Baby Lasagna, who praised her for having the best music video this year. Objectively, she did.

3. STIN IYIA MAS

Now we go to the new, post-Eurovision songs. This is a pure song for a feast, where the composition belongs to Marios Tsitsopoulos, an artist I don't know much about but the general vibes are bouzoukia, ethnic, folk, balkan, arabic, a bit of trap, world etc. It's an easy, cheerful song and Satti elevates it with her angelic voice. So far, so good. (NOTE: There is a lyric there, she says she is swimming in the Aegean Sea but calls for he love to take her out so she won't drown. This is not an unusual lyric trope in Greek but keep it in mind for later.)

4. LALALALA

This is a song that takes you aback with it's childlike, unreserved joyousness. It almost feels like a musical "talk to the hand while I go lalalala" to the haters. It is basically Greek island folk turned into pop and the lyrics are pure innocent happiness, perhaps also paying tribute to classic Greek movies of the 50s-60s. I don't know if Marina filmed the music video before or after the ageists went berserk against her (she's 37 and everyone acts like she's 87) but the music video for this song, intentionally or unintentionally, is the most epic fuck you to the ageists. Marina, all people in our 30s are with you!!! The music video has had more than 1 million views in under 48 hours, a huge success in our small country. She's going viral. Again.

5. EIMAI KALA!!!!!!!!

The party is officially over. Again, this album is more of an experience than purely music. In this track, which is under one minute, the album features a Greek life coach recommending some positive affirmations for happiness, love, career etc. In short, that is a jab for what Marina has to do to deal with all the changes in her life and also all the good and all the bad vibes she has received.

6. MIXTAPE

If everything else wasn't bold enough, here we are. Mixtape. The 10-minute descent into madness. Ultimately, this is what makes this album what it is more than anything else. A song that is resolutely not a song and yet everyone admits that they have been listening to it again and again, either trying to understand everything or dancing to it as if it is actually a song. The funniest comment I saw about it is someone saying: "my mom entered the room as I was listening to this and I switched it to porn because at this point it is easier to explain". XD This could serve as one of those youtube videos about "what schizophrenia feels like". There is no way Mixtape can be effectively translated into English. In short, it is her answer to all the hate (or some of it, for the full deal Mixtape should be one hour long) in a delirious way through a patch of sounds and songs. There is trap in there, a famous bouzoukia singer whose lyrics can incidentally be used as Marina's commentary for the haters, she warns and reminds of her first song TUCUTUM, saying "didn't I say back then I am ready to speak now", she says she managed to shut the haters up, there is direct address for the criticism for Zari, she's mocking the lyricist who claimed copyright violation for the lyric "ta ta ta ta" (for real), she features (surely to her ignorance) a song from the singer that called her song "cat vomit", she features other trappers making a commentary on the Balkan ways of a Greece that pretends to be West Europe, she mocks those who obsess over Bouzoukia but become music critics when it comes to her, she mentions Eurovision, I think she also makes some references to Ireland's and Malta's songs (not negative), she speaks of a man that I am not sure who is supposed to be, many more things that I haven't fully deciphered, then she has like a kid song praying to Virgin Mary for a miracle for all this madness to stop before (tw) she loses her mind and falls from a cliff, then some more stuff, then suddenly a catholic Hallelujah is heard (implying the miracle has happened) and then she returns to the kid song but her voice sounds more mature than before and she goes like: "Sike I lied to you, thanks to Virgin Mary I don't care anymore, I am off to my vacation, I don't give a fuck and BYE". I don't think this has happened before by a Greek artist, especially in such a way. And I am so delighted that it is a woman who did this. This has attracted so much interest and curiosity around her, her personality. She is THE talk right now. Hats off, honestly. We wish non-Greek speakers could really fathom what is going on here but after all, she made this for us only... and it is...an experience.

7. AH THALASSA

In another 180 degree turn, this is a very emotional ballad for the loss of her father. She ends this frankly lunatic album by allowing access to her psyche, the suffering she went through all this time and never let it show. The title means "Oh, sea", where she implores the sea to take her down and drown her (notice the contrast with the lyrics in STIN IYIA MAS, that I mentioned). The ballad is sweetly haunting, Marina sounds truly like a siren mourning. But even here we get a taste of the ever surprising gem Satti is. The last part of the song is instrumental and as the music reaches its climax, the song ends straight away, right before the highest note in a morbid metaphor that almost scares you to death. Because that's how death is, especially of a loved one. Always unexpected. (This is the only song of hers so far that her haters have steered clear from and I think this says something.)

So, this is what Greece is basically dealing with now, crazy as it is. We are losing our mind over an artist who is not new, but only recently decided to start revealing all her cards. Furthermore, Satti is about to become known globally or at least beyond Greece's borders. If eventually she doesn't, that will be because she decided against it or she miscalculated greatly. But right now, the stars are on her side and we only need to see what happens next.

[capricorncorvette]

Pixar Cars - Horse AU:

Explaining my stuff

In this au all characters from Cars who we know as vehicles are horses. So here i am explaining my shizz

Lightning McQueen

Lightning is a thoroughbred in this AU, the thoroughbred is one of the fastest horse breeds, wich is why its frequently used in racing. Lightning is a brown thoroughbred stallion and he is a very famous racehorse.

In Radiator Springs he learns trail riding, dancing and he gets ridden in a western saddle for the first time. In the AU, he runs in the race from the movie and its kind of the same: if he wins, he gets sold to Dinoco. If he loses, he goes to the slaughterhouse, but he doesnt know that.

Mater

Considering Mater is a tow truck in the actual movie, i thought it would be best for him to be a draft horse breed. Drafts are very big and strong and used to be bred to carry loads on farmland and in the country. Nowadays they are mostly used in shows. I eventually decided to make Mater a Clydesdale, a big horse breed that is also used to pull and carry loads. Mater is a scruffy Clydesdale, towering over everybody but very sweet and a good talker. He has a mostly brown coat and long, messy mane. Will post his design soon :)

Sally

What could be the horse equivalent of a Porsche? I had no katchowing clue. I decided to turn Salls into a Haflinger, a horse breed with light colors, wich i thought suited her really well. There isnt much to say yet as i don't know what to add yet.

Doc Hudson

As Doc is a retired racehorse he is just like Lightning a thoroughbred. He was forced to retire and the Radiator Springs folk bought him, so he could live the rest of his days out on the ranch, wich he strongly disagreed with, but has accepted it now. His race tack is still in the saddle room just like his western tack, even though Doc is rarely ridden anymore because he's older now. He was a stallion for most of his life, but he got castrated (gelded) with his arrival to the ranch.

Guido and Luigi

Guido and Luigi are two ponies imported from Italy that have been living in Radiator Springs for about 7 years now. Guido is a shetland (so he's the tiniest) and Luigi is a palomino, also a pony but a bit bigger. They absolutely love the farrier and hoof care in general.

Flo

Flo's stable is the closest to the eating bays and she likes to bring food to the other horses. She is an appaloosa. The horses all like Flo, Flo is a very energetic horse and loves rides in the forest. She is from another state, but has lived in America all her life. She used to do barrel racing before she got to Radiator Springs.

Ramone

Ramone might very well be the most stylish horse in the ranch. Ramone wears rugs and he absolutely loves to wear colorful ones. He sometimes picks out his own rugs and he would love to wear them all the time, even though its mid summer when the story takes place. The people in Radiator Springs sometimes paint rugs and let Ramone pick the colors. Ramone also has shaving work around his neck, back and hind legs, wich Flo adores. Ramone is a brown a grey - brown paint gelding.

Fillmore and Sarge

Fillmore is a Belgian draft gelding. He has been at the ranch for a long time and he loves listening to music. He is very relaxed and despite his size the ultimate beginners horse. His best friend Sarge, a muscular Holsteiner and an ex - military horse, is very alert. He was ridden a lot in the glorious years of Radiator Springs since he was used to working with different people. Sarge is easy to ride, stall and trailer. Due to his work in the army, Sarge is very bombproof and he doesnt flinch at loud noises, fast moving objects or any other things that would have other horses spook. Sarge enjoys grooming and being cleaned, he sees riding as something normal and he's always alert on rides. Sarge really likes to have a schedule and he likes to know when exactly he has to do what, but Fillmore on the other hand doesnt really care about that - wether his breakfast is in the usual morning or at the end of noon when he's in the paddock, Fillmore is chill about it. Sarge is not.

Sheriff

Just like Sarge, Sheriff had a job too: he used be a police horse. The Dutch Warmblood is very loyal and an excellent riding horse. He is in his senior years, so he isnt actively ridden anymore. He may be old, but he canters and gallops very well for his age, he is bombproof like Sarge and he likes to have a schedule, al though, every once in a while he likes to plop in his stable and sleep. Sheriff got gelded when he was 2 and was given to Radiator Springs by the local police when he was retired.

Lizzie

Lizzie is a small, old shetland pony and the second horse Radiator Springs ever got. She loves kids and she likes to walk along with her much bigger friends in the paddock and during rides. She was in love with:

Stanley

Stanley was the first horse Radiator Springs ever got. He liked kids a lot, so Martin (the owner of the ranch) used him for riding lessons, wich gave the idea for the ranch. Stanley became best friends with Lizzie after her arrival. Just like her, he was a shetland pony.

[adarkrainbow]

As I was looking for Hansel and Gretel illustrations (for my previous post), I came upon these illustrations of a book where the witch in the candy-house is replaced... BY A FRIGGIN MURDEROUS BEAR

These are pictures of an old German children book called "Das Zuckerige Haus oder Hansel und Gretel" (The Sugary House, or Hansel and Gretel), by Lilly Scherbauer. I couldn't find the original text, and there are only a rare few other pictures of the book on antique book-selling websites:

(The second picture comes from a variation of the book, a different edition called "Das zuckerige Häuschen")

But given the fact the witch was replaced by a bear, I can easily tell you which kind of story it might be. You see, this book seems to tell a German variation of a fairytale found in the countries between Germany and France - a story that is itself a variation of "Hansel and Gretel", which involves typically an animal (usually a wolf) within a sugar house, and his attempt at devouring two children.

One famous example of this tale is the Belgian fairytale known as "The Sugar-Candy House" (well... "sucre candi" actually means "cane sugar" in English, but apparently the Sugar-Candy House has been a more common translation?). It was notably collected/written by Jean de Bosschère, and had some pretty trippy illustrations:

The story goes as such. Jan and Jannette, brother and sister, lived near a big wood, and every day went there to play and do childish things such as fishing in the streams or making necklaces of red berries. But one day they went further in the depths of the wood than usual, and found a "pretty red bridge" over a brook. Crossing it, they saw a little pink cottage, that as it turns out was entirely made of "suga-candy". The children, loving all kinds of sweets, started eating the roof - but unknown to them, an old wolf named Garon lived in the house. He was fierce and strong and dangerous, but hopefully he had one paralyzed leg meaning he couldn't move very fast. Upon hearing noises outside, he limped out of the cottage, asking "Who dares touch my sugar house?"

He saw no one, since the children had run away hidng behind the trees, and when he roared again "Who dares touch my sugar-candy house?", the children answered with the rhyme of Hansel and Gretel - you know, the rhyme according to which it is just the wind, who is a "mild and lovable child". The wolf, satisfied with this answer, returned in his house. The next day, the whole adventure repeated itself - but this time, while Garon returned in his house after the rhyme, there was "suspicion in his eyes".

The third day was a stormy day, and this time Garon got out of the house immediately as he heard the nibbling sounds, catching the children in the act. He jumped to devour them, but the children fled. A chase followed through the woods: the children were not afraid, because they knew they could outrun the wolf, and the limping beast could never catch up to them... But the wolf still kept on following them, and never left them out of his sight, and the children could not lose him in any way. Unfortunately for the children, they ended up reaching a very deep river with no bridge.

To avoid being caught by the wolf, they begged ducks that swam nearby to carry them over the waters, and the nice ducks obliged. The wolf, having seen how the siblings had crossed the river, also asked the ducks to carry him over - but instead of politely asking, he threatened the ducks of eating them if they did not obey him. The ducks, who refused to suffer such rudeness, and didn't like the wolf much anyway, took the wolf on their back... but threw him in the water right in the middle of the river.

Three times he went down and three times he came up, but the fourth time he sank never to rise any more. That was the end of old Garon, and a good job, too, say I. I don’t know what became of his Sugar-Candy House, but I dare say, if you could find the wood, and the sun had not melted the candy, or the rain washed it away, you might break a bit of it off for yourselves.

[Trivia: The choice of "Garon" as the wolf's name is no random fanciness. "Garon" is very similar to the French word "garou", which is an old, folkloric term typically used to designate supernatural, malevolent and/or humanoid type of wolves. For example, in French a "werewolf" is a "loup-garou", "loup", meaning "wolf".]

[booasaur]

Recently found the courage to go back and rewatch Kana I won’t say it didn’t hurt but I stopped before the you know what part and I’m choosing to believe they left together to go travelling.

Ah, man... The ending we could have so easily gotten and SHOULD have.

Sometimes I see notifications on old Kana posts and I look them up and read the tags and ahhhh, they were so good. Nothing can do it like soaps! You just don't get that time with characters outside of them. In fact, nowadays you can't even get 20 ep regular seasons or multiple seasons, your ship better be together by the end of 8 eps or that's it forever.

Actually, I wanted some comfort watching these last few weeks so I started watching the end of the second last Neighbours season, the one that was supposed to be the finale, because I knew they were going to reunite Chelly and I thought at least that'd be a nice ending, though I never did actually end up watching their original storyline. And it ended up being really touching and so amazing what they were able to do with all the cameos and wrapping what they thought were going to be forever endgames. Like, Mike and Jane, who were first together almost 40 years ago and getting a reunion so many years later? Played by the same actors? I adore that kind of thing.

But anyway, I ended up wanting to know more about Chelly and as it turns out, I had downloaded the full eps from the seasons they got together and have slowly been making my way through them and you truly get SO much with soaps! There are all these character and relationship building moments before the romance even starts. It's always been one of my regrets that Kana only got so much interaction before Rana's drunken kiss, but they definitely took their time after!

I was talking to my friend about Chelly and also that other Belgian soap I giffed a little while ago, Thuis, and we were discussing how rare it is that any soap couple gets the literal soulmate treatment Kana got. There are a lot of little moments I've forgotten but this one is burned in:

She was trying so hard not to give in but the mention of soulmate and she's helpless.

Sometimes I think about going back and watching and obviously also stopping before That happens, I might really do it at some point. I rewatch Otalia sometimes, the good stuff near the end of 2008, and it really isn't ruined by the trash that came later.

I also started watching this season of Ici Tout Commence, a French soap, after hearing of recent developments there, I'm still just on September but I'm enjoying the ride. Eastenders, I have all the eps downloaded from when Eve arrived but it seems too daunting a ride to get on at the moment. Keeping an eye on 4 Estrellas, I do actually love them but I tend to catch up in batches and I'd like to wait for them to get back together first. General Hospital, still not caught up at all. But yeah, it seems I'm a soap girl now, huh. :)

[urfavsherlockholmeskinnie]

Redoing a presentation post cause the first one is kinda old

Ayo everyone I'm Eden and welcome to my blog :)

all my marauders headcanons posts here

—my pronouns are he/they and if i had to label my gender i would say genderfluid even though i mostly feel like a guy or non binary most of the time but on rare day i feel like a girl so yeah, don't really care about my gender i just slay ig

—i'm bisexual even though i really don't care about labels for my sexuality like really i just fall in love with people and that's all (could technically use pansexual but i prefer using bi cause i'm the definition of bisexual disaster)

—i'm also asexual (or maybe demi-ace????) and it took me sooo long to realise it cause i'm not sex-repulsed and i just never understood what sexual attraction is (like wdym people see other people and they're like "wow i want to have sex with them" like that really exists? i thought it was a joke) (also wdym saying someone is hot doesn't mean you find them cool and think they have a great outfit???)

—i'm 17, i'm fine with everyone interacting as long as you stay nice and polite:)

—dyslexia and adhd so it just means i'm a demi god

—i also have autism so i'm nico di angelo

—i would like to be a writer but for the moment i only have written one chapter in two years so i probably should stop procrastinating (like mate, stop procrastinating) (yes i'm a stay)

—james potter kinnie (istg we're the same person)

—apollo kid, sun friend, golden retriever energy, yellow coded yeah i think you got the vibe

—my friends also always tell me i have the exact same personality and reactions as felix from skz which i take as a huge compliment

—i mostly post about marauders a pjo even though i also made a post or two about tfota and will maybe post about other fandoms such as jjk, stray kids or any of my hyperfixations

—obsessed with greek mythology

—my favourite colour is red like really i'm obsessed with it (i'm just like percy jackson with blue except it's red)

—also my native language is french (but i'm not from france i'm belgian) (i'm also portuguese and spanish)

[houseofashesif]

𝐍𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐀 ❝ 𝐍𝐈𝐊𝐊𝐈 ❞ 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐊𝐀𝐒 𝐕𝐈𝐊𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐇

𝐂𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄 ;; Erebrus, named after Greek god of primordial darkness

[ 20 || 6'2 || cis - male || androsexual lithromantic || ❤ ash & rin ]

𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐒

a big tattoo on his back spanning nearly the entirity of his upper back. one can even see the floral pattern by the side of his neck from a certain angle

𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑼𝑨𝑳 : everyday casual clothing , which is usually either all black or has some in it , but never without it

𝑩𝑼𝑺𝑰𝑵𝑬𝑺𝑺 :

𝑭𝑶𝑹𝑴𝑨𝑳 : he just likes a lot of burgundy and maroon red

𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑪𝑶𝑨𝑻 : being the classic guy he is, Nikita likes wearing long trench coats over his suits whenever he's off to a super important meeting or something

𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐊

this but with a lot more shadows around the edges leaving over the lower half of the face barely visible

𝐕𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄

bugatti divo

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀

pronouns ➜ he / him

build ➜ athletic

height ➜ 6'2"

guns ➜ sköll & hati

ice cream ➜ mint chocolate chip

breakfast ➜ belgian waffles with a drizzle of maple syrup

take - out ➜ a crispy chicken burger

sweets ➜ classic chocolate cake

drinks ➜ herbal tea & espresso macchiato

◾️ his MBTI type would be ISTP-A (Assertive Virtuoso). a Virtuoso (ISTP) is someone with the Introverted, Observant, Thinking, and Prospecting personality traits. they tend to have an individualistic mindset, pursuing goals without needing much external connection. they engage in life with inquisitiveness and personal skill, varying their approach as needed. which in a nutshell basically embodies his whole "do it my way or hit the highway" mindset

◾️ Nikita usually prefers to keep his gaze away from people unless he’s speaking, keeping his eyes down to the ground whenever he’s all alone by himself for reasons to be discussed later. but in the rare times when you finally meet his gaze then you’ll finally realise how deep yet bright of an emerald green his eyes are, almost resembling an uncut emerald. they are surrounded in thick black coloured lashes which make his eye colour pop out even more. they seem almost hypnotic in a sense, mesmerising and trapping people in those deep pools of green. however they are just as scary. whenever Nikita feels a very rare yet sudden burst of bloodlust or anger his eyes turn into a muddy, dirty green. they become more sharp and calculating, losing the lazy and carefree glint in them, even soulless as some describe. people have even pointed out how his darkened eyes resemble ones similar to a dead fish’s.

◾ suffers from myopia or nearsightedness and is therefore required to wear glasses. however he vehemently refuses to wear them, and instead goes for lens instead or none at all

◾️ *seductively takes off glasses* "wow, you are so fucking blurry."

◾️ other than his hellhounds, who he likes to call by various flower names (i.e. lily, rose, iris, buttercup and etc), Nikita also likes to create shadow ravens who serve as his messengers from the sky, thus his crow inspired mask.

◾️ apart from depression, Nikita also suffers from post - traumatic stress disorder or ptsd (courtesy of his fathers death), anorexia nervosa, bodily dysmorphic disorder and mild insomnia.

◾️ one of his main hobbies is collecting. as a kleptomaniac, Nikita usually gets quite … creative with his hobby of ‘collecting’ stuff, especially the shiny ones. he doesn't really collect much, but when he does its large in quantity and amazing in quality. his favourite things to buy + collect are music boxes.

◾️ although he's not yet ready to accept Yvette back in his life, Nikita for now, has chosen to simply avoid his confusing feelings about his mother but focusing on the mission in hand (but still he's saved her contact as "Deadbeat Mom" in his phone)

◾️ in terms of love, oh boy, Nikita is super dense, so he probably wouldn't even realize he's got a crush until somebody slaps him across the face figuratively by telling him straight - up clearly by stating facts even he can't deny or some miracle of an epiphany strikes him out of nowhere – when he's still oblivious he'd probably be more docile and kinder towards the crush, probably being slightly overprotective and flirting without knowing it. when he's not-so-oblivious anymore, cue the flusteredness and avoidance because he's embarrassed! let the drama ensue!

◾️ he chose "Elysium Cleanup Crew" as the group name, mainly because he wasn't ready to start another war in the group chat about the names, plus it seemed the most logical to him then, in his still sleep muddled brain

◾️ more info shall be added once available

IF :: @vendetta-if

[royal-confessions]

“Every main line teen royals in Europe today have private instagram accounts. Their cousins with public accounts follow them so it’s easily searchable (Leonor and Sofia seem to have them too but can’t confirm, they either don’t have accounts or they are just very picky with who they allow to follow them so it’s hard to say if it’s really them or not). Anywhoo, out of everyone it’s only Ingrid, Alexia, Isabella, and Christian’s pictures with friends that gets leaked a lot so they either don’t mind them being leaked or they need to be more careful on who they allow to post pictures or follow them.” - Submitted by Anonymous

“I know pretty much every GenZ royal’s private instagram account I can confirm that they all have one- all the main line Dutch, Belgian (even Eleonore has one now), Norwegian, and Danish (the older 2, i don’t think the twins have)- the Spanish sisters either don’t have them or they chose misleading handles and only allow private accounts to follow them. They very rarely post tho, I think they just have them to keep up with their friends.” - Submitted by Anonymous

[beansprouts]

just found my new favourite post on the bg3 subreddit 🐦

Transcription follows:

I’m an avid birder, and blue jays are my favorite bird. So the portrayal of blue jays in this game is hysterically funny to me. It’s extremely clear that Larian (a Belgian company) has absolutely no clue what a blue jay (a corvid endemic to North America) actually is.

My evidence:

Apikusis's red jay. The existence of this bird implies that it's some sort of rare morph of the blue jay with red pigmentation instead of blue. Which, in a fantasy setting, would parse...except blue jays don't actually have blue pigmentation at all! The shape of the keratin in a blue jay's feathers produces a prismatic effect, which makes them appear blue, even though the only pigment in their feathers is melanin, which is brown.

The blue jay fussing over its nest in the Druid's Grove. If you're a bard, you can convince him to sing, and he sings quite beautifully! Unlike a real blue jay, who is only capable of screaming -- and a few very impressive mimics of other birds, like hawks. Which also sound like screaming, coincidentally.

The blue jay at Rosymorn Monastery, who asks for help ridding "his" nest of the Giant Eagles currently inhabiting it. A real blue jay would call up a bunch of his blue jay friends and attack the eagles en masse in an act called mobbing, because blue jays are suicidally overconfident. Although I will admit, the fact that the blue jay murders the eagles if you leave them unconscious is accurate blue jay behavior. They're little shits.

So, I think Larian thinks blue jays are like, regular bluebirds or songbirds, when they're actually just crows but smaller and more evil. BG3 is pro-blue jay propaganda.

Absolutely no shade at all to Larian, just poking some fun at them! I just found their portrayal of blue jays to be very funny as a Certified Bird Fan and wanted to share.

[falasta]

🍓🍊🫐🪐? :3c

Favorite food! Chicken with forty cloves of garlic, Haagen Dazs Belgian chocolate chocolate, any melon/peach/watermelon/cherries at the height of ripeness, swedish meatballs, peppermint ice cream

Favorite seasons? Definitely winter. Here in L.A. winter is basically either rain (which I love because it's so rare) or cool, sunny days. Everything turns green here in the winter because of the rain. Close second would be early spring when the wisteria starts to bloom and you can smell the flowers in the air.

Favorite show/series of all time: I think it really has to be Star Trek TOS, even though it started 20+ years before I was born. I grew up on BtVS which I still love (first three seasons only) and the X-Files. For fun I enjoy Community, Parks and Rec, the Office, and Arrested development. Also the Simpsons. It's just *classic*.

(I'm sorry I don't know the third icon but I'm sure it's my computer's fault).

Thank you Lino!!! It only took me 8 months to answer! Link because this is so out of date: