#referring to this motto feels so important to me

[mourn-and-watch]

obsessed with warden carver's "in war, victory, champion, and whatever else may come" farewell line. he really refrained from mentioning the "in death, sacrifice" part to his sibling he was going to follow into a battle that seemed pretty much doomed to almost everyone

[cup-o-stars]

How to draw like you no borax

Good question!

I'd warn against following my process (at least if you want to learn), but I'll be honest and show you, lol. (Heads up: this is just how I do FAN art. When having fun, I generally care less about the fundamentals.)

1. I slap down super rough sketches, jotting lines/expressions like bullet points of my idea. Pretty much stick figures with just enough detail to remember who's who later. Not shown here, I also move, resize, and add details to express the intended composition if I'm planning something larger. You may notice a lot of curved lines / haphazard circles.

2. I refine the sketch by drawing it with more intention and build structure with slightly blockier shapes. If I'm really struggling with a pose, this is also where I'll find references or look at myself for bits and pieces to fill in the gaps. (When practicing, I would highly recommend using a reference from the start so all your limbs are an appropriate length and you don't need to say things like "that's passable" right before posting. If you're a perfectionist you'll leave that thought with the rough sketch.)

3. I'll decide around here whether or not to leave the sketch as is or commit to lineart (not likely). I guess I'd say I "shape the lines" here by going over some to add thickness/weight, and by adding basic sort-of-shading to break things up a little. Then I'll just fill in space if the page looks empty. (Usually this is where I incorporate the borax, but I hear baking soda works nicely if you're worried.)

4. Onto coloring. I don't feel confident enough to pretend I know what I'm doing here, lol. I just choose my base colors, imagine the general direction of the light source, then add minor gradients to the light and dark layers so they don't look flat. Then I just add some BS highlights and outline them. I've only recently found the motivation to properly practice coloring and just go with the flow tbh.

You may notice that Nami's forearm is too long, her hand looks like a pancake and Chopper has no joints! My kind sibling explained to me once that my anatomy is poor, but cohesive enough that nothing stands out too bad, lol. That's why it is important to use references!! And if you're me, practice all parts of anatomy at the same time with full bodies so that even when you're at a loss, your hands aren't that much better than your feet.

All in all, to draw like me, just have a very hedonistic approach to art, ha. Draw what you want, avoid getting burnt out on any single piece (sometimes that happens when you try to perfect drawings one at a time), and follow my personal motto:

Make fun, not masterpieces.

Idk how helpful this was, but there you have it!

[curio-queries]

FACE, LETTER, & CLOSER THAN THIS

Disclaimer: The following post is full of my own opinions and interpretations. I do not share this with the intent to convince anyone else that this meaning upholds for all. My interpretations are also limited to English and that is an important distinction to make when accessing art from another language and culture. There are absolutely intentions and meanings that won't translate. Art is beautifully subjective, and I hope you all find your own reasons to love Jimin's music.

This is quite a lengthy post. Thank you to anyone who reads. I'd love to hear your thoughts as well, so don't feel shy to share! 💜

So FACE has been out for nearly a year, why am I making this post now? Honestly, it's all because of Closer Than This and the few nuggets we can glean from the music video. The very first clip of the mv is of Jimin's team discussing the lyrics and then Jimin's recording session. Honestly, I was quite surprised CTT was written at the same time as all of the FACE songs.

So the question then rises: Why wasn't CTT included in FACE? The answer I've arrived at is because CTT is not part of the journey Jimin was describing with FACE. More on CTT below but first, we need to revisit FACE:

TIMELINE

(US dates - I have to do too much timezone manipulation in my job, I'm not spending the time here):

30 DEC 2018 : Promise Release on SoundCloud

21 FEB 2023 : FACE announcement

16 MAR 2023 : Set Me Free pt.2 Release

23 MAR 2023 : FACE Release

22 DEC 2023 : Closer Than This Release

And here's the FACE schedule:

MOTTO-THEME-GUIDE

These phrases are ALL OVER the FACE project! They're in the digital media that was released, on pretty much every side of the physical albums, on the back of the photocards and postcards... They're pretty much on everything official connected to FACE. They're not just fluff included to fill up space; these words have MEANING in this project. I've been using these phrases as guide posts to help me interpret some of the meanings behind FACE recently, and I would encourage anyone interested in Jimin's deeper message to do the same. I've highlighted my references below.

Circles of Resonance Reflection of vulnerable minds and unexposed wounds. An echo, tremor and small movement to reach you. Face of facing the deepest part of inner-self. Face, the reflection of myself in an unfamiliar appearance. Waves originated from the deepest invisible inner world, pass through the face on the surface and reach others to resonate while transmitting the inner voice. Waves spread beautifully, finding its own flow despite wounds and distortions from a smallest scratch. The face of unwavering effort despite repeated falls and pain.

When asked what the album was about, Jimin freely shares that it relates to the events during the pandemic...and then the conversation usually moves on without any deeper discussion. This interview is probably the most verbose Jimin was any time he described the meaning behind FACE. If you haven't watched it recently, I highly recommend it.

We know that Jimin rarely shares the problems he's having whilst he's going through them (with us at least). He always waits until after he's moved on so that he can tell us not to worry, that it's in the past. (This concept comes up again in this post so keep it in mind.)

The distinction that I think is important to make is that, yes, FACE is about the pandemic, but it's not a straightforward diary of events. It's about how those events affected him. How the waves caused by the pandemic RESONATE, ECHO, and TREMOR through him - effecting the UNEXPOSED WOUNDS. Jimin found something in himself through this experience and had no choice but to FACE it. There were no distractions anymore, no pushing it to the side to deal with later. And he was able to share that journey with us in such a tragically beautiful way.

THE TRACKS

I made the below gifs for each track but I think they look best as a set without the tags so you can get the full effect of the differing ripples. Check out this post to see what I mean. ☺️

FACE-OFF

I know everyone likes to meme about Face-Off and trying to find who hurt Jimin to make them pay...but I really don't associate Face-Off with an external person. You can betray yourself in much worse ways than anyone else can because you know exactly all of your own weaknesses. You know exactly what pretty lies to tell yourself. And honestly, the source of the event doesn't really matter in the context of FACE. I view Face-Off as the initial incident. The SMALLEST SCRATCH that pushes the waves to spread.

There's also a lovely bit of foreshadowing with the lyric "Like crazy, everyone shout out, yeah yeah". CIRCLES OF RESONANCE. Not singular, multiple; we are in for a bumpy ride.

INTERLUDE : DIVE

I admit, I only listen to this track when I'm doing a full album listen. I love instrumental tracks but this isn't instrumental to me, it's sound effects. And I just personally have a sensory issue that comes out to play here BUT it's important to include in our discussion so don't skip it when you're trying to delve into the meanings!

The message I glean here is just how pervasive the issue is becoming. Jimin can be going about his life, trying to disregard it but the UNEXPOSED WOUNDS are there lurking underneath it all.

The pretty music overlaying the track may sound like glitz and glam, but this is just the beginning of the WAVES SPREADING BEAUTIFULLY, FINDING ITS OWN FLOW DESPITE WOUNDS AND DISTORTIONS...

LIKE CRAZY

I've been promising a post on Like Crazy for ages and this may be the closest I get to it. Let me know if any of you are interested in a more in-depth discussion on how the movie and the song work together. My short summary for both is this: there are moments when you willfully take actions that you KNOW are against your best interest. Not in a fleeting eats-too-many-cookies way. In a I-know-putting-my-hand-on-the-stove-and-turning-it-on-will-burn-me way.

I hope none of you experience this to such a damning extent. I have. Despite being the kind of person who I thought would never venture down such a path. It's not something I wish upon anyone. This is the WAVES ORIGINATED FROM THE DEEPEST INVISIBLE INNER WORLD, PASS THROUGH THE FACE ON THE SURFACE...

ALONE

Have you ever repeated a word enough that it starts to sound bizzare? What if you got the point where you thought the weird sound was reality? And then you were confronted with the truth. This song is that point. Where you are left with the sober understanding of yourself. FACE, THE REFLECTION OF MYSELF IN AN UNFAMILIAR APPEARANCE.

SET ME FREE pt.2

The rise! Jimin was able to find a way to push himself beyond the betrayal of himself. It absolutely wasn't easy and there were setbacks, but this is a clear call to any who find themselves in similar circumstances: you CAN overcome. THE FACE OF UNWAVERING EFFORT DESPITE REPEATED FALLS AND PAIN.

Remember when I said earlier that Jimin only tells us about his struggle once it's over? I honestly believe that's why SMF was the pre-release track. He needed us to know that there was a happy ending before he would tell us about the pain he went through.

LIKE CRAZY (English Version)

As I mentioned my sensory issue above, I cannot talk about Like Crazy without mentioning the whispered English at the beginning/end. I HATE it sooooo much! It just twigs my brain in all the wrong ways. It's a huge part of why it took me a long time to appreciate LC. As much as I hate it though, it's absolutely necessary for the interpretation of LC. It firmly gives us a landmark into where and how the song relates to the movie. It also creates a bookend structure that gives the original and the English versions their own rightful places to exist.

LETTER

My very first post on this blog was a simple comparison of the lyrics in Like Crazy from the translation on the original music video to the english version. There is absolutely a difference here and I think it's a very important distinction that there are two versions of Like Crazy in the album. One is AN ECHO, TREMOR AND SMALL MOVEMENT TO REACH YOU. This phrase is for us, the audience. None of the other phrases use "you". Even though Jimin has set himself free, there are still CIRCLES RESONATING.

If you have seen any of my posts prior to this, you likely know how obsessed with Letter I am. I have the hardest time naming anything as a favorite (even favorite colour, there's just sooo many good uses of different colors) so I hope you understand how revolutionary it is for me to unequivocally state that Letter is my favorite song. Like ever. For all of my (cough*decades*cough) of music-listening, opinion-having life. Letter is THE ONE. Letter is it. I probably have stronger feelings about Letter than any relationship I've been in (but I'm aspec so take that with a grain of salt...)

I listen to Letter A LOT (sometimes on literal repeat - there's a video on YouTube that loops it for over an hour and I've definitely contributed several of those listens) and while working on this post, I would still get emotional hearing it at the end of FACE. This song is the absolute definition of the beauty that can only truly be understood after utter tragedy.

To me, Letter is about how this experience has effected Jimin to the point where there's a noticeable difference in the way he interacts with and appreciates those he loves, in all interpretations of the word love. WAVES...REACH OTHERS TO RESONATE WHILE TRANSMITTING THE INNER VOICE.

I am not using this post to debate the merits of exactly who Letter is for: a significant other, ARMY, or Jimin himself. Frankly, I don't think it matters to the meaning of the song. Use whatever flavour most appeals to you. That's the real genius and gift of Jimin's music imo. He creates it in such a way that we can fold it around our own personal stories and needs.

WHAT WAS THIS POST ABOUT AGAIN?

Right, so rewind to the release of Closer Than This. I'd had very little sleep as I traveled for the holidays and was absolutely feeling the timezone difference. But I stayed up to hear Jimin's new song. I listened to it first in Spotify and thought it sounded like a beautiful, happy, well-produced gift of a song - perfect for the end of the year and to comfort us with his departure for military service. Then I watched the mv to read the subtitles... Y'all, I absolutely was NOT expecting to see clips from the time covered in Jimin's Production Diary! I wouldn't have been surprised if it was the same team that Jimin worked with before but at a later time - he trusts them artisically after all. BUT these clips were the same angles and same conversations we saw from the development of FACE.

So I started my due diligence. Is it possible CTT was supposed to be part of FACE but they held it specifically to release when it did? I listened to FACE multiple times trying to insert CTT into the narrative. And it just doesn't fit this journey...at all. Like not in the slightest. I thought maybe immediately after Letter or even replacing Letter but no. I even tried inserting Promise as a bridge and it just doesn't work in the context of FACE.

CTT has a pretty literal storytelling narrative. It describes the journey WE have been on with Jimin. It lists his promises to US going forward. The music video being an album of memories, supports the nostalgic and loving viewpoint of the song. It has absolutely nothing to do with how Jimin was affected by the events of the pandemic or anything he found inside himself because of it.

Both songs have been described by Jimin as a 'fan song' and as I described in this post, there are many reasons that support both of them falling into this categorization. To me, Letter is more about Jimin having a deep intimate conversation with us because he trusts us. While CTT is literally about the relationship between ARMY and Jimin.

Anyway, I think that's all I've got to say about it for now. What are your thoughts? Should Closer Than This have been included in FACE? Was it just a marketing ploy to keep generating our interest after Jimin left?

(BTW I'm really happy with those FACE gifs and how the ripples look when they're together. They took some time to figure out. I just wish I had some better software to turn them into gifs so the colours display better, but alas, beggars can't be choosers. They look really great in the ppt that I made them in but I guess that's just for me to enjoy!)

[bluelocksource]

Hiori Yō’s trivia (src: twt & Egoist Bible 2)

"Exposing yourself is only one aspect of ego."

☆ Character color: Light Blue.

☆ Weapon: Inspiration's Pass/ Supply of Inspiration.

☆ Birthday: 30th November.

☆ Current age: 16 (source) (2nd year of high school)

☆ Zodiac: Sagittarius.

☆ Birthplace: Kyoto.

☆ Family: Father. Mother. Himself.

☆ Current height: 183 cm.

☆ Dominant foot: Left foot.

☆ Blood type: B.

☆ Motto: "Life is not a game, but games are fun."

☆ Starts playing football: At age 0. "I was given a soccer ball the moment I was born."

☆ Team before joining BLUE LOCK: Bambi Osaka Youth (same team as Karasu).

☆ Hobby: Gaming.

☆ Favorite football player: Mesut Özil.

☆ Favorite animal: Sheep. ."My name is Yō (羊 = sheep), so I feel a sense of affinity with it. Meeee—*."

* He's imitating a sheep's bleat.

☆ Favorite season: Rainy season. "Can’t play soccer in the rain → stay at home → can play games → I like it."

☆ Favorite food: Sanma no shioyaki (Salt grilled Pacific saury) he even like the bitter parts. "I can handle bitter parts too."

☆ Food he dislike: Cotton candy. "Don't you feel cheated? It's just sugar."

☆ Favorite song: NieR: Automata soundtrack. "Let's try this game." "You should try this game, it's really great!"

☆ Favorite manga: Level E. "I like the scene with the smiling bug."

☆ Favorite movie: Ready Player One. "My otaku heart got excited."

☆ Favorite TV show: Monday Late Night Show. "I like how Murakami adds a good flovor to it."

☆ Favorite celebrity: Erika Toda "Congrats on your marriage!"

☆ Favorite brand: "Somehow, Square Enix."

☆ Magazines he often read: Jump and Young Jump.

☆ Frequently used app: Taiko no Tatsujin. "The one you play with your fingers."

☆ Mushroom shoots vs Bamboo shoots: Bamboo shoots. "They're crispy and delicious."

☆ What goes best with rice: Nagatanien’s (brand name) ochazuke. "I always have it with me. It’s a must!"

☆ What makes him happy: Being left alone.

☆ What makes him upset: Interference.

☆ What he thinks his strength is: Able to see things from a broader perspective.

☆ What he thinks his weakness is: Playing too much leads to a lack of motivation for other things.

☆ What made him cry recently: "I cried at the ending of 'Kaze no Klonoa'."

☆ Favorite/best subject: Computer.

It's written as パソコン (pasokon) which means Personal Computer, but it's just referring to Computer subject.

☆ Weak/least favorite subject: Physical Education. "I already play football, I don't see why I need to move around a lot."

☆ Ideal type: Someone who can leave him alone.

☆ Number of chocolates received from previous Valentine: About 4. "One was from a guy, so I was surprised."

☆ At what age he experiences first love: At age 10. "I was into Erika Toda from 'SPEC'."

☆ The first time he got confessed to: "A senior in middle school, one year older. They said they had been watching me, but I didn’t know them at all, so I turned them down."

☆ Fixation: Girls with broken bones (Influenced by Erika Toda in "SPEC").

☆ Average sleeping time: 7 hours. "I don't sleep when I'm gaming, though."

☆ How he spend his holiday: "Games. Games. Games."

☆ When taking a bath, which part he washes first: His neck. "I've heard it's full of nerves."

☆ What he usually buy from the convenience store: Yakult. "The health of intestinal environment is important."

☆ What will he do if he received 100 million yen: He would like to invest in gaming company.

☆ At what age he stops receiving presents from Santa: "Probably at 10 years old. My birthday is on November 30, so I was getting presents twice within a month."

☆ What was his last wish from Santa: "PS4 (now I’d ask for a PS5) and Nintendo Switch."

☆ What will he do during his last day on Earth: "Play as the killer in "Dead by Daylight" and get a complete wipe."

☆ Favorite historical figure: "All the people who created interesting video games. They are my saviors. Thank you!"

☆ If he hadn't encountered soccer, what will he be doing: "Probably other sports; either way, I think my parents would have made me do something."

☆ If he could only take one thing to a deserted island, what would it be: A tent. "It’s important to have a place where you can be yourself."

☆ If he had a time machine, would he go to the past or the future: The past. "I’d like to see my parents when they were active athletes. Maybe then, I could understand some things better and make peace with them."

* The crossed words are the changes made from twitter’s answer to the answer from Egoist Bible.

note: i want to apologize in advance for any mistake made in the translation!!

Last updated: 06/01/2024 05/06/2024 23/10/2024

[trobedgirldads]

Hey, I'm working on my Cooliver fic. Do you have a list of episodes that are best to rewatch to get their personalities and dynamics?

okay first of all i’m honored that you thought to ask me. second of all, i’m sorry i took forever to reply but i realized i didn’t have a list so i put one together lol

the otto motto (s1 e18) is the first time the idea of oliver being gay is mentioned

the walk (s1 e 20) is sooo important for cooper. first time we see his real personality instead of just his cool kid facade. also iirc this is the first appearance of “move on to your next point”

boo-who? (s2 e5) is pretty good for early oliver. it’s got his sass, some insecurities, a touch of scheming and ofc his iconic scream. cooper’s not in it tho.

blondetourage (s2 e11) is so iconic for them. the sneakers, the phone scheme. “i’m already riding bitch on your vespa.”

all coupled up (s2 e17) is their first big fight, so if you’re writing a fight/argument this is a good one. also some good cooper & katie moments.

it’s hard to say goodbye (s2 e19) is another one without cooper, but if you’re writing sad oliver this is such a good reference; he’s really well written and acted in this episode. the cgi tears take me out tho 😭😭

here we go again (s3 e2) has them work through conflicts and like resolve a fight without intervention from katie/greg. i love them <3. absolutely banger episode for each of them individually, and them as a duo.

enemies: an otto story (s3 e4) has a good oliver scheme, and he gets cooper in on it. cooper talking about tagging along to boarding school with him makes me feel things.

trust me (s3 e5) is the absolutely iconic scooby-doo halloween costumes/making out practice episode that every cooliver writer has written about. i think it’s the first time cooper is seriously brought into the whole “oliver might be gay” bit, but i might be wrong about that (i know cooper’s mentioned the first time it’s ever brought up, but i think this is the first time he really seems like a piece of the puzzle)

body image (s3 e6) again, no cooper, but very good for insecure oliver

mo’ money, mo’ problems (s3 e13) is also so iconic in my brain. idk how genuinely important it is to either of their development, but it means a lot to me. i can’t remember who it was, but someone on here posted a really good analysis of cooper in this episode and how he’s lying to try to get oliver to not go to the party, which could be useful depending what you’re writing. also this is the first time cooper calls katie and greg mom and dad :(

insta-friends (s3 e16) is another big fight for them, and also some serious cooper daddy/mommy issues. this one isn’t super helpful for individual oliver, but it’s great for individual cooper and their dynamic when they’re mad at each other

field trippin’ (s3 e20) is a much sillier, fluffier episode than a lot of what i have on this list. silly lil scheme gone wrong. cooper’s really only in the first like half of this one tho

a mom’s parade (s3 e22) ok so hot take i don’t really like this episode that much… you can do you is very queer coded tho so it’s going on the list lol

girls’ night out (s4 e6) is just so awesome. oliver’s really sweet towards the end, and it’s bcuz of cooper. cooliver/triplor double date mention!!! tiny touch of cooper angst. greg implying that cooper holds a similar role in the family to trip. just all of it is so perfectly cooliver. this is one of their best episodes imo

hip to be square (s4 e9) is the i love you episode!!!!!!!!!!!! them fighting and then saying they love each other!!!!!!!!!!! so interesting for their dynamic!!!

a very english scandal (s4 e14) is the one where the whole school thinks oliver is gay. the one time cooper denies being oliver’s boyfriend. overall very gay episode.

all is fair in love and war reenactment (s4 e17) is a good one for them supporting each other, but not enabling each other’s shitty behavior. really good for their dynamic, and cooper’s got some good layers in this episode

senior prank (s4 e18) ohhhhh they’re such big brothers in this one i love it so much. if you wanna write them as parents this might be a decent reference. also, not cooliver related but franklin is just so iconic in this.

vacation! (s4 e19) i’ve said it before and ill say it again: this episode feels more like a cooliver fic than an actual episode. so good for both of them as individuals, their dynamic as a couple, and how cooper fits into the otto family as a whole.

prom (s4 e20) is another one that i think is good for oliver as an individual and their relationship as a pair. also big brother cooper crumbs!! (they’re very small but they’re there and they’re important to me 😌)

graduation (s5 e1) is ofc so good if you’re writing some angst. seeing how they deal with issues involving them that seem out of their control. also more cooper fitting into the family as a whole <3

psych (s5 e2) is really good for later-seasons oliver and his need for validation. also supportive bf cooper :)

coupling (s5 e3) is the episode i show ppl if i want to get them into the show bcuz it gives such a good overview of all of the characters and their relationships with each other. more cooliver fighting if you need references for that. the couple coding in this episode is so intense.

kids these days (s5 e5) is sooooo good for their dynamic bcuz it really shows how they support each other without enabling each other. i love cooper so much in this episode. “our family” <3

mother’s little helper (s5 e6) is pretty good. shows off that no matter how much they’ve grown, they’re still just dumb teenage boys.

encourage, discourage (s5 e8) is soooo good for cooper fitting into the family as a whole.

the heist (s5 e9) chef cooper origin!!!!! oliver being a supportive bf!!! i love them!!!

getting frank with the ottos (s5 e10) is a big turning point in their relationship. once again, supportive bf oliver!! they’re so cute.

the election (s5 e13) i feel like their dynamic is a little bit weird in this episode (oliver’s like weirdly chill abt once again being confronted w the idea of cooper moving, but ig it’s bcuz he has his own stuff going on) but it’s so good for sad cooper/daddy issues cooper. this is definitely a huge one for cooper angst references

okok so this is a really big list. obvs i don’t know what the plot of your fic is or when it’s set, so some of these might be much more helpful than others depending what you’re writing. these are just my suggestions of the ones that stand out as important for them as individuals and as a duo. hope this is helpful!!!! i’m excited to read your fic if/when you post it :)

[speaker-of-the-void-cats]

The Veil, Nezarec, Jakob Böhme, and the role of pain and suffering in the Destiny universe

Some may call it cope, but I'm starting to feel like Nezarec is even more important than we're being led to believe, and we're just getting started with him. The Winnower/Darkness in Unveiling describes itself similarly to the way Nezarec's described in Nezarec's Sin, that he's less of a malevolent entity and more a force of nature. During the raid he says "I wish to experience the universe with this new perspective," referring to his new connection to both Light and Dark via the Traveler's blast. What happens if a primordial being of pain and death gets a dose of the Light? What happens when Nezarec realizes, from this new perspective, that the Witness wants to destroy the very concept of pain and that in order to maintain a world where life moves onward and pain in all its forms continues, he needs to help us?

He isn't a traitor to The Witness like some Guardians once believed. At least, not yet.

He is that which is end. That which covets sin. The final god of pain—the purest light, the darkest hour. And He shall rise again. When the guiding shine fades and all seems lost He will call to you. Fear not. All He offers is not as dark as it may seem. For Nezarec is no demon, but a fiend, arch and vile in ways unknown. He is a path and a way, one of many. And his sin—so wicked, so divine—is that he will never cower when dusk does fall, but stand vigilant as old stars die and new Light blinks its first upon this fêted eternity.

It's really interesting to see what elements of his design differ from Rhulk. Rhulk is singularly red and black, his Final Shape is precise and consistent.

Nezarec's newly regenerated form is chaotic, and has bursts of color and pattern that don't adhere to tenants of Darkness.

The Gardener's patterns are represented as chaos in Unveiling, much like the patterns and growths we see overtaking the Pyramid from the Traveler's blast in the raid. Nezarec's new form embodies that chaos and shows how the Light has become a new part of him, changed him to his core.

Nezarec is the Final God of Pain, and there's been a huge focus on pain in Lightfall. We hear the Witness say it's "purpose is [pain's] end," and Nimbus quotes the Cloudstrider motto that "today we suffer, so that tomorrow can live on." Is pain a necessary part of life, or something that can be killed?

In "Pleased to Meet You", the author asks us to imagine a world where nothing can die or change, because Light dominates. It references Jacob Bohme, a German Lutheran philosopher, theologian, and shoemaker.

One of your philosophers said, "It is not to be thought that the life of darkness is sunk in misery and lost in sorrow. There is no sorrow. For sorrow is a thing that is swallowed up in death, and death and dying are the very life of the darkness." He was a shoemaker. He was right, and it matters more than anything.

According to him, the visible world is a manifestation of eternal light and eternal darkness, and it is in eternal opposition that eternity has revealed itself. The fall was necessary for creation to escape its first imperfect stasis and seek a truer form. Heresy? Well, then, I am the heresiarch. The philosopher died of a bowel disease. Those who do not exist cannot suffer and are of no account to any viable ethics. If the true path to goodness is the elimination of suffering, then only those who must exist can be allowed to exist. It is the nature of life to favor existence over nonexistence, and to prefer the fertile soil to the poisoned wind. Because those who open their mouths to that wind pass from the world and leave no descendant, whether of flesh or of thought.

But imagine the abomination of a world where nothing can end and no choice can be preferred to any other. Imagine the things that would suffer and never die. Imagine the lies that would flourish without context or corrective. Imagine a world without me.

Bohme's cosmogony consisted of three worlds, the "Light world" of the Holy Spirit, the "Dark world" of the Father, and the physical world. He argued that the fall and introduction of original sin into the universe was necessary, as to return a state of Divine Grace, we must go through hell. This cosmogony consisted of two halves, Light and Dark, divided but also joined vertically down the middle by a thin line on which Heaven and Earth (among other things) rests. It is also pierced horizontally in two by the line of the soul, which crosses into both Light and Dark.

There's a lot to it and I need to read more detailed discussion of it. But from what I gather, The First Principle, the Dark world of the Father, contains wrath, craft, devils, art, omnipotence, among other things, while the Second Principle, the Light world contains wonder, spirit, the angelic world, images, etc. Encircling this duality or dyad is the abyss. Law, self, gospel, and resignation lie at the four corners of everything, being outside even the abyss. Bohme claims to have had a vision of this when he looked into a pewter bowl in which a ray of sunlight was reflecting.

The illustrated cosmogony looks like this

The Veil, a seeming merging of Light and Dark, conscious and physical, something that embodies "the mind and memory of the universe," looks like this

In Bohme's view, both Light and Dark are necessary to the structure of the universe, but only insofar as the Dark pushes the Light to seek and grow into its perfect form through the pain of the trials we face as a result of the fall.

In Prophecy, there's dialogue where the Drifter is shown a world of full Light and a world full of Dark. In one, everything dies. You cannot see your hand an inch away from your face. "No sparks. In the other, nothing can die, and the beings there are driven mad by it, blinded by the overwhelming light of the sun and their hatred for those they cannot see, but constantly bump into in their unseeing eternity

The Guardian approaches the Emissary of the Nine at Mercury

The Emissary: Dredgen. Let's play a game. Your kind reveals so much in the choices you make.

Drifter: What the hell does that mean? You know what - okay, I'll bite.

The Emissary: Your feet find purchase in shifting sands.

Drifter: Okay, why is it getting hot? Do you feel that, Guardian? I can't… I can't see anything.

The Emissary: The night has enveloped you. This is a world full of Dark. No sparks.

Drifter: What's that smell?

The Emissary: The stench of the dead.

Drifter: Am I dead? I hope so, because what I'm smelling, I don't want to be touching.

The Emissary: You stand atop a dead world. A collapse.

Drifter: Get me outta here.

The Emissary: Very well. Your feet find purchase in shifting sands.

Drifter: Holy hell, what're you doing now? It's too bright!

The Emissary: The sun is blinding. This is a world is full of Light. No shadows. A creature runs into you in its blindness; it nearly bowls you over.

Drifter: [grunts] Hey, watch it! What was that? That's not funny.

The Emissary: It has lived here all its life. Too long. It is very old. But if you could see, you would see it appears young.

Drifter: Okay, when I said "get me outta here," I meant I'm done with your bull-

The Emissary: It grabs your hand.

Drifter: Don't touch me.

The Emissary: It begs. It begs you for help.

Drifter: You call this a game?

The Emissary: It begs you for death. On this world, ruled by full Light, it cannot die. It has companions that are as long-lived. It hates them, and they hate it. It will never end. It will never die.

Drifter: Get me outta here, Orin! It won't let go. I can smell it rotting!

The Emissary: And it smells you! You won't help it?

Drifter: I said I'm done!

The Emissary: Very well.

Drifter: What the hell is wrong with you, you lunatic?

The Emissary: You asked about Light and Dark. Come find us again any time, Dredgen. Guardian.

Like Hive orges, beings in a world of pure Light cannot die. But that eternal life is one of stasis, never changing, never seeing. Even without the pain of Darkness, they suffer. But without any Light, nothing can see an inch in front of its face. There is nothing, not even a spark to lead their way. Without Light, everything dies before it can live. Without Darkness, nothing truly lives at all.

So to bring this back to Nezarec, I wonder if we aren't seeing the Final God of Pain relearn his place in the universe and see that pain and struggle, when faced by a group of people who want to protect the universe and life for the right reasons, with the intent and will to do it and the solid conviction of their beliefs at their backs, can be strangely beautiful. He can be the whetstone on which we Guardians are honed into a killing blade to face the end of all things, and reap the pain he seeks to devour at the same time.

I'll end my rambling with a passage from one of my favorite lore entries, Trust and Hope. It's the final entry in Unveiling, in which Eris reflects on the missives from the Darkness and what she's seen of Guardians' beliefs and behavior in the 5 years prior. She asks Mara to explain her belief in balance between Light and Dark. I like Mara's answer a lot. Though Eris pushes back a bit, because she had not yet worked through learning Stasis, her response feels unknowingly in agreement with Mara to some degree. The necessity of something does not mean it is welcome or allowed to fester. Mara often leads people to find their own truth, a teaching method that Savathun and Eris herself have practiced in the past.

Friend,

Over the past five years, we Lightbearers—you Lightbearers—have grown strong. Each victory opens more territory for searching Ghosts, and more Guardians rise. None of these newborn contenders are mighty without equal—but you have been at the forefront, again and again. To see you fall would be disastrous. And there are so many ways to fall…

It has become fashionable, lately, to analyze Light and Darkness as if they were political opponents, each with something to offer us. Some Guardians even take secret names to mark their transgressions. I despise this flirtation. But I cannot speak against it; after all, I have had to find my own pathways to power. Thus, I asked my Queen, who has preached a doctrine of balance, if she truly believed in the equal worth of Light and Dark.

The Awoken were made in conflict, she reminded me. All her people volunteered to return from heaven to fight and die in the cosmic war. They are by nature and by doom drawn to that edge, that place of tension. And she has her own prejudices: she has made terrible, ruthless choices in the name of salvation from Darkness, so she cannot dismiss its power without in a way dismissing herself.

All that said, she told me, "I believe in balance. But to seek balance is not to seek equity. A sea half of water and half of poison is not in balance. A body half alive and half dead is not in balance. Given the choice to live in any world, any world at all… we would need a little Darkness in it, I think, to keep the balance true. But not so much as we would need the Light…

"What do you think, Eris Morn? When you went into that pit, your Light against the clawing Darkness, did you feel balance?"

No. I did not. I felt overwhelming, all-consuming evil.

I think a world of balance would fight the Darkness, because Darkness unchecked is Darkness thriving. I think that a world of balance would never mistake the excitement of transgression or the grim necessity of trespass for a genuinely righteous act. We must remember the value of unshakable, irrational hope. The choice to act as if we lived in a better world can create a place for that better world to exist.

I do not think that a good Guardian can even for a moment entertain the Darkness. This is a power that has devoured worlds beyond knowing! A power that has practiced its appeals against entire zettalives! There is no defense against it except to avoid the battle entirely.

It is a sign of self-respect, Eriana always said, to fearlessly question our deepest beliefs. But it will always be rank foolishness to leap into a vat of plutonium salt and call it self-exploration.

And to tempt your friends into that vat with you… that is evil.

Thank you for being so worthy of trust. Thank you for carrying my hope.

—Eris

[kimium]

Music Tag Game!

I was tagged by @m34gs (in this post). Also doing this in a new post because I don't like it when posts get cluttered. I love doing these, but bold to assume I have ten mutuals/followers to tag.

Also, time to out myself for majority of my songs are not mainstream music...

Rules: When you see this, post 5 songs you actually listen to and tag 10 of your followers/mutuals!

MWTWB by Amalee

The entire album by Amalee relates to her Vtuber character, The Monarch and the backstory to her. While I like all the songs on the album, MWTWB (Messing with the Wrong Bitch) is my favourite because it has strong Vil from Twisted Wonderland vibes. That's honestly a big reason why I love the song so much. However, besides that I love the entire theme of the song is "Fuck Around and Find Out". My favourite lyric to the song is, "Uh-oh! Keep making me mad and it will be off with your head." because I love a good Alice in Wonderland reference.

2. The Rumbling/Under the Tree by SiM

I know this is cheating, but I believe these two songs need to be listened in conjunction. These are the two openings to the final season of Attack on Titan. The Rumbling is written in Eren's perspective and Under the Tree is written in Mikasa's. What I love about these two songs is how they capture the essence of the two characters. Both have changed significantly since season one and this change has caused a lot of heart ache (and death).

Eren is focused on what he feels is his "duty" with lyrics such as, "If I lose it all, slip and fall, I will never look away." At this point in the series, Eren feels there is no other path he can take, no matter the cost.

Meanwhile, Mikasa's song has heartbreaking lyrics like "Where are you at? / Where have you been?" and "Why oh why, why oh why/Don't you want to stay with me?"

This truly feels like the two are in conversation with one another, with Under the Tree Mikasa's response to Eren's song. That kind of duality always gets to me in songs. I love when songs connect to one another and these two do it perfectly.

3. homura by LiSA

Oh look, another anime song. How predictable of me. Anyways, while most people cite Gurenge as their favourite Kimetsu no Yaiba song, I think homura is my favourite.

Even if this song wasn't from an anime, the lyrics to this farewell song are heartbreaking. Right at the beginning, the "Sayonara, arigatou koe no kagiri" ("Goodbye" and "thank you" at the top of my voice") pulls at my heartstrings. The next part, "Kanashimi yori motto daiji na koto" or, "What is more important than grief?" really hits me hard.

Also, my link is to LiSA's performance on The First Take and her voice is breathtaking. Absolutely stunning.

4. Avid by Hiroyuki Sawano

From the anime Eighty-Six, this soft, but powerful song always makes me want to cry. The repetition of "Don't you get there?/ It calls, it calls" makes this song feel haunting, like someone long gone talking to you. Which, given Eighty-Six's plot, makes sense.

5. Love From The Other Side by Fall Out Boy

Oh, look, a mainstream song that I could play at work and not be accused of only listening to anime songs. Finally, right? (Not that anyone accuses me of that, but they definitely could and get away with it.)

Uh, I know I've talked about this song in a prior ask somewhere on my blog, but to repeat myself: I like Fall Out Boy. I'm not a huge fan, but I have a smattering of songs from them that I really like. This is one of their newest songs and I was immediately hooked as soon as I heard the lyric, "What would you trade the pain for? Not sure". I'm just always here for songs that have questions to the listener that make you pause and think for a second. I also love the reference in, "We were a hammer to the Statue of David". My minimal two years of art history jumped in glee.

Time to tag. If this isn't your cup of tea, no pressure! Also if you dislike being tagged in things like this, let me know!

Tagging: @someobscurereference @a-little-harmed-shinra @shreedle @serenescribe @zeldabard and @lonery-w

[phoenixislost]

(1/3) Hi! I just wanted to say that I’ve been thinking about your fic again. You manage to write the topic of trans pregnancy so well, how do you do that? There’s probably a certain level of authenticity because of your experience a trans man, but I also notice a lot of thoughtfulness being put into this story. Trans pregnancy might be considered as a hard or taboo subject, but you manage to portray it as any other experience that some people go through.

(2/3) It’s written as equal parts beautiful and also difficult. Also, were you worried on how others might received a topic like this? from what i get from the story is that its not so much as pregnancy/having a child itself that bothers xiao but more so the changes from his ideal body image and having to correct others regarding the terminology (correct me if im wrong), and also the possibility of them having more kids being implied (which i honestly feel excited about!) (3/3) how do you approach the topic in a positive light and be mindful that it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation? and whats the correct terminology thats okay for the readers? i see other authors use strictly masc/feminine/interchangeable terminologies in regards to a trans character’s position as parent, so what do you think is the correct way to address them especially when considering the different types of trans perspective? (sorry if my question seems super duper lengthy :'))

My answer ended up a bit long, so read it under the cut ;A;

So, the biggest thing about writing History for me was that it was very much just for me at the time. With that in mind, I went about it the way that I personally would have wanted to be approached in such a situation. I wanted to explore this topic as a way to explore my own feelings on the matter, and maybe rationalize them. But where I could not pull from my own personal experiences, I researched others' experiences. I read articles and case studies, sought out public interviews, and looked for medical resources (that are slowly being compiled, which is awesome)! And the thing is - trans pregnancy is something that some people go through! More often than many realize, even. It's just simply pregnancy, but with parents who happen to be trans (and therefore might have some extra baggage to work with).

When I did finally decide that I would share the fic, I 100% worried about how it would be received. This fic was (and still is) my baby, and was written with only the best intentions. But there will always be the concern that I misstepped somewhere, or did not approach something delicately enough. (And particularly with the darker topics). I also worried that fellow trans men might have issue with the story. Not everyone in the trans community is particularly open to these topics in fiction, for one reason or another. But, so far, I have only had one anonymous person harass me, and everyone else who has approached me has been lovely about the story - some even found some relatability in it, which brought me so much joy to find out!

Regarding terms and the "one-size-fits-all" issues - my motto is to go by a case-by-case basis. I cannot speak for other writers, or even other trans people, but I go by what the person prefers. In Xiao's case, he has presented as a man for most of his life and for all intents and purposes is a man. For him, it was important to be seen as a father, and not a mother. That is the case for a lot of trans fathers, from my experience (and it is my own preference, as well). But gender is a spectrum, and our experiences with it vary even amongst cis people. So what might fit one person, might not fit another; and that is also perfectly valid. Any story that might take a different approach is okay, as long as it is well-intentioned (in my opinion, at least). There is the question of some tropes, like A/B/O, where gender is usually cis-normative, and I will say that it does personally squick me when a father is referred to as "mother" if they birth the children; but these are not intended to be trans stories, so I would never say that they are transphobic or otherwise problematic. To each their own, honestly. Tldr; just ask what the person prefers!

In some small regards to future children in this series: I cannot confirm nor deny. c: But I am currently writing the sequel, and have the third story planned and outlined as well. So - you'll just have to see!

Asks like this always make my day ;A; Thank you so much! (And so sorry for the long-windedness, omg).

[yorshie]

A wtiting ask from one of my favorite tmnt writers! Hmmm, so many good questions.

6?

Question: What is your writing process? Describe it.

Oh sweet pineapples. My writing process? Bold of you to assume it’s a process Nonnie lol

I get a lot of my ideas when I can’t sleep, or when I’m feeling lonely, or when I’m listening to music. And since I’m the type of person that likes to wallow in the lonely, I live by the motto ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’, and I’m literally listening to music all the time, the ideas tend to pile up. Whether or not they get used depends on how often I return to the idea and what mood I’m in. 

Most of these ideas are malleable, and they get twisted around a lot instead of used immediately. I know that’s a poor way of explaining, so I’ll include an example on how an idea might go through the wringer:

I stumbled over a writing prompt list on Pinterest last month, and wrote down the following tidbit: (listen to me. You’re trapped. They’re going to take you.) 

Now, shivers, immediate shivers. And then we add the little notes I’d written under the prompt, (two separate notes, meaning I came back to the prompt twice), you can tell I was in a different mindset each time.

The first note is embarrassingly disjointed, but it was: Bay Blue/Reader. Mission gone wrong, open end. Bay Blue is Bayverse Leo, judging by mission gone wrong I can safely assume this was not a happy fic envision, and open end means I thought the ending should remain open, or basically leave it up in the air whether Leo would save reader.

The second note is more explanatory, and I know I was listening to my playlist Orange Creamsicle (its happy go lucky songs like Owl City, CRO, and OneRepublic) because the note began with that, but it went: Orange Creamsicle, DonDon, capture the flag, reader on team with D and R, hides in a tunnel and gets found, looses game. Immediately I know this was a happier version, likely almost comical of Donnie telling reader the other team of brothers had found their hiding spot. Probably will end up going this route when I eventually write it.

Sometimes its notes like above, sometimes it's simple blurbs of text, and sometimes it's just a few names and a song title, but once I warm up to an idea, it goes to my sister, who is the one that tells me yes or no. You guys have no idea how many times she’s gone: “No. Red. No. You can’t write that, that’s evil. You’ll make people cry, and then you’ll feel awful.” Apparently she’s saved everybody from the ‘angst train’ a number of times, as she likes to call it. For reference she likes the second version of the 1st idea, in fact when I mentioned the first one she straight up put her head in her hands and just said “noooooooo”. She’ll also egg me on if she thinks I need it, though, hype me up, problem solves with me so everything flows right. 

And then I write the outline, if the story is long enough to need one. I don’t do chapter by chapter summaries, but I do make sure to plot out things that HAVE to happen, and observations to keep in mind while I’m writing. The most important thing to me is that my stories feel like real people, how one might react in a real situation, and they behave in a way that consistent with how I’m handling the characterization. 

Then I write out everything out once, either the whole fic or the chapter, open another document, and copy write it again, but the second time paying more attention to word choices and descriptors. The second time goes quicker, but it also lengthens the document since I tend to meander and add in unneeded details.

[naznaznazzzz]

CTS B Week 12: Summative Assessment Prep — Session 2

Compulsory Question 2

What is the purpose of having one’s own artistic statement? In my opinion, I think that an artistic statement helps me express my creative strengths and weaknesses. Not only just that, it helps me express my creative purpose and values as a designer.

Going back to Week 10, we were supposed to create our own artistic vision statement. We were first asked to write out a draft for our artistic vision statement by answering 4 questions that correlate with how we would like to shape our artistic vision statement. So, I got to thinking about how I would like to write the answer to these 4 questions. I decided to write about my desire to become a creative director, grow through lifelong learning, and stay resilient in overcoming challenges.

The feedback I got from my classmate encourages me to stay motivated, keep on learning and aiming high, with a suggestion for a personal motto to stay focused on future goals.

Taking that feedback into consideration, we were then tasked to shorten what we wrote (and to adjust our statements according to feedback received) and arrange them into an artistic vision statement .

I made it by following what I have written in exact order as written in my question segment. My opinion on my vision statement is that I feel like even though there is some good, there could be something better such as using a better representative of my hunger to survive by explaining why I have the hunger or my passion to survive in what? For example, like in the design industry or this fast-paced or evolving world where technology is becoming more & more the norm.

One design that I came across when researching that applies to tradition/lineage but aligns with my vision statement is the packaging and overall branding aesthetic of the brand Kulfi Beauty that came to vision because of  Super Spicy Studio (which is also an Indian-owned creative studio). 

The brand's name, "Kulfi," is inspired by the traditional South Asian frozen dessert, that comes in many different delicious flavours, which represents the warmth, joy, and diversity of South Asian culture. They are an Indian-owned beauty product company that celebrates South Asian culture, creates products that help promote inclusivity,expresses importance in joyful self-expression and redefining beauty for people of color, encouraging consumers to embrace their heritage, individuality, and creativity. 

Kulfi Beauty’s packaging is vibrant, culturally inspired, and modern. With warm, rich colors and sleek, practical designs, it celebrates South Asian heritage and self-expression. As someone that comes from a South Asian background, this makeup collection holds a close place to my heart as I come to know that my culture is finally represented in a culturally correct and colourful way.

Word count: 452 words

References:

Thomas, Roshita. “Bitter Aftertaste: The Fraught World of Branding Cultural Food Products.” It’s Nice That, 10 Sept. 2024, www.itsnicethat.com/features/bitter-aftertaste-the-fraught-world-of-branding-cultural-food-products-graphic-design-100924.

[dan-lasalle]

Compulsory Question 1

Since there are only statements that we all agree with, there are not many of them. Although these 4 rules are quite obvious and cliche, they’re inarguably true. 

Rule number one is about simplicity: “Less is more". In design communication, in order to ‘communicate’ easily and effectively, we have to be able to simplify things. The simpler the messages and the visuals are, the easier they can reach out to people. Simplicity also leaves space for creativity and other perspectives. The simpler the idea is, the easier it can be developed. 

Rule number two is communication and engagement. Learning to communicate is always important whether it is between designers, clients or the society. It is the key to understand each other, to care and to collaborate. The communication here is also referring to how designers can engage in and impact our community. 

Rule number three is “Attention to detail". We believe that what makes a designer stand out from the others is the ability to pay attention to even the smallest thing, give it reasons and context. It is also about how one can filter what is and is not important, pay attention to small details, but not anything. 

The fourth rule is reflection. In the process of exploring, generating ideas, developing and adapting a design, the reflection step always lies in every stage. It is crucial to be critical, to reflect what we have done and what we could have done better. 

There is one more statement that we didn't include in the version 2 because it’s a bit different from the others (originally in my manifesto): Nothing is more truly artistic than to love people. This is also one of my mottos in life because I think love is so beautiful and the purpose of most any form of art is to express love in some ways.

But in design and in relation with CTS B, to me this quote talks about the importance of the context and the story. It's always better to have a strong understanding of the context of what you are designing for and what story you want to tell. For example in the branding module, instead of just coming up with a random tea brand to design for, I found a video about how Japanese people grow and produce ceremonial matcha and their technique inspired my design. So I use that technique as the main inspiration for the design.

I also want to add one more rule: Show yourself. This is what I learned from CTS B (especially week 9 and 10) and it’s particularly significant to me: Always be aware of  your identity, interest and vision. For example, I'm interested in context and background story of any design work so I found a story for my tea branding project to make it more meaningful; I also talked about the interest in risograph and want to intern at a risograph studio; and the identity of a Vietnamese teenager in my personal project (that I'll discuss more in question 2). All of these helps others to understand who I am and help me to preparing practically for my future. 

(495 words)

Archifest Singapore 2023. (2023, October 23). https://archifest.sg/

BrainyQuote. (n.d.). Vincent van Gogh - I feel that there is nothing more truly... - brainyquote. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/vincent_van_gogh_383837

INSIDER. (2022, August 9). Why ceremonial-grade matcha is so expensive | so expensive food | business insider. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlFXl--H8eM&t=180s

[seasideretreat]

Religion in China

China has a variety of religions. Most important is Confucianism, but this is only partially a religion; for the other half it is a moderating order in the Chinese society, a collection of norms and values. Another religion in China is Daoism, but this is another problematic case because the higher forms of Daoism are akin to a philosophy more than a religion, although of course the lines between religion and philosophy are thin, bringing us to the final religion of China, Buddhism; Buddhism in China is truly unique, a kind of practical philosophical reform of the great system, in which we of course see the prominent place of the Chan Buddhism sect that seeks to "point directly at the mind".

You know, I was considering deepening my knowledge of Africa, but it seems too heavy a task - it would take me years to achieve a level of knowledge equal to my knowledge of Asia, but I am not sure I really know that much about Asia, but surely there is nothing to know, the point is that we feel the fineness of the conditions for life in the world - there is something eternal about China, as there is about any old place; and within the context of Asia, China is surely infinite. After all, Asia is the place of the cradle of civilization, and the largest empires in the world stretched into Asia, with the exception (in a sense) of the British empire.

You know, the motto of my old university was "With us, you get to know the world." I am really baffled by this statement. It seems at university you just learn that you know nothing; and all your collected wisdoms are just commonplaces and posturings; but yeah, I have said some things and they certainly seem to point at a great consistency in the great expanse of the world - you know, I can use religion in my life, because it helps me focus on the world's problems, and it takes me away from my confusions; you know, in religion things make sense, except maybe in Judaism.

I ain't got nothing to say. It seems there is nothing to be done in life. The purpose of attention is to make sense of the entire world. It's weird. I have said many things, but it seems those things are just directives that move us in no particular direction, you see, because the totality of the world is a matter of Art, not of Science.

It would be nice to have something to do. I was reading In Search of Lost Time just now. That was nice for a while, but I was perturbed; my concentration was quite low, and I was not quite at ease; it's still only slightly past midday and I don't have any plans, the day seems uncomfortable and miserable, but hey, it's a rainy day. It is actually raining outside.

It's not too hard to have a good time writing - as long as you have a larger overarching theme of some kind you will be good, but of course the thing is that for the sake of humanity you can't just work all the time; I write recreatively. And that is a big discovery.

I suppose writing is not quite loafing. You're supposed to invest mental resources into the act, which is a matter of staying concentrated I suppose, but contrary to popular belief, concentration is not unpleasant - I think we mostly concentrate because we enjoy it. As a matter of fact, etymology is perhaps the most entertaining form of writing, because we get to discover something, to say something true, to state something logical - that is all highly rewarding, but I realize all too well that etymological thought is highly preoccupatory, and we are stuck in the business of getting attracted to a kind of word, which is a hellish business. How do you choose the word to be etymological about? You know, the last few words I was into (and you know, this isn't exactly "science" nor would we call it "humanist research") were 'sedate' and 'contentious'. Sedate comes from an Indo-European root that means "to sit", and basically means to be calm and composed: a great word, because it refers to something that is so quintessentially English, but in a very neutral way - quite different than when the English or anyone else practically says that anybody is "calm and collected". The word contentious, then, serves as a kind of antidote to this, meaning to "hurl, to shoot, to stretch out" and is basically when we are quarrelsome. You know, one of my teachers actually called me contentious once, but it almost seemed like he did it by accident and actually supposed to say "conscientious", but he didn't. Still, it seems kind of appropriate. I do think I can be contentious, because especially in this context it seems you have to enforce this a bit, and move to say something to someone at a given point in time even though maybe it is not an entirely natural thing to do, and this reminds me of a quote by De la Bruyère who said that people who say little are "perfectionists", whereas I would say they are "idealists"; you know, people say De la Bruyère is not as smart as he himself thinks, and in this context it seems we can shift the blame from perfectionist to idealist, although it makes little more sense; but I really do think people think there is something like a natural conversation that is meaningful and fulfilling, but it really ain't, because the point is to say something, not to hope for something sayable to come along - and it seems therefore that we can enforce a statement from ourselves, if we are willing to put ourselves out on the line and "stretch out" as the word contentious says, and thereby "say something", which is not called for, but simply ups the ante perhaps, or changes our character, on the other hand.

You know, you really should loaf more. It is quite enjoyable to simply hang out and be languid. But I am not a strange man who demands ordinary action from extraordinary gentlemen, but rather I simply exist and propose different actions from individuals. I do what I can to say something, but oftentimes there is just nothing to say. I do what I can to make sense of the crazy things that are universal, but I just can't do anything in the vast analysis of normal things. We know what we ought to do. I can make sense of the normal things that are real, but I don't know what the essences are of normal ideosyncrasy - you know, we don't know anything. But the essences of normal work are insane; everybody wants to know something from who we are, but there just isn't anything fun to be done in the grand total of being, that unfolds from the nonsensicality of pure normality that goes nowhere in the ideality of normal things, that we know of, but that are vapid and unidirectional in the simplicity of time and space when we encounter it with furious rebukes; and everything is silly, but we can do something simple with clear knowledge, even though we are stuck in nonsensicality; and we all wish to make sense of the brilliancy of sheer nonsensicality, but we must fight the nonsense of incredibility in the vastness of content, that moves directly into simplicity and knows nothing about the extent of simple things; you know, everything is vague and idiotic at the same time, because frank knowledge is foolish and moves into diverse directions at the same time, just like little people thinking too much about the inevitable demise of the natural order that supports them; but I don't know what I am trying to say, in fact, I am quite disconcerted at the proliferation of crazy things in the vastness of space and time; and I am stuck in the insanity of sitting around and not knowing anything; you know, the fact is that I am quite distraught at the vehemence of normal things that overpower us at every turn and make us dream of the limitations of crazy nonsensicality that gives no quarter but that moves insanely in the direction of idiotic things that do nothing villainous in the functional necessity of sheer movement, but yeah, everything is distressing in the last analysis and we have to do what we can do to make sense of the normal things, that are all stuck in the silliness of grand disposal and normal degeneration; the simplicity of pure time is lost on us, and we don't do anything automatic in the littleness of space and time, and subtle things are lost in the vast ideosyncrasy of space and time.

[drbollmann]

"A Lifetime of Wellness: Insights from an Active Octogenarian"

Introduction

In a world where the pursuit of youth and vitality often seems like an endless battle, there are those who serve as beacons of hope, reminding us that age can be embraced with grace and vigor. I am Dr Charles Bollmann, a sprightly octogenarian in my mid-eighties, who stands as a testament to the possibilities of leading a life brimming with health, vitality, and wisdom. I am not here to boast but rather to SHARE my journey and insights into a Total Wellness Program that has kept me in excellent health and high spirits throughout the years - sort of a “How I did it.”

In medicine, we are taught very early in medical school about “Pearls”, which are certain things we need to learn and which we cannot do without. So here goes:

Pearl 1: Nutrition - Fueling the Body

Good nutrition is the cornerstone of vitality. I do not follow any extreme diets but instead adopt a balanced and sustainable approach, encouraging a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. I believe in moderation, savoring an occasional treat without guilt. For all my women followers, I will say this again - WITHOUT GUILT. I have learned that enjoying food is a vital part of life's pleasures. I go back to Michael Pollan's wise motto – eat food, not too much, mostly vegetables - here “food” refers to shopping for food at the edges of a supermarket instead of that found in the inner portion, where all the processed food is found.

Pearl 2: Exercise - Staying Active - Movement is the key

Keeping physically active is a lifelong commitment. Life is a marathon. One important thing I have learned is that life continues. And continues, And continues. In my forties, I had this feeling that  I would die at age 50. Now I am in my mid-eighties - and still here. For those students of the Bible, “We know not the day nor the hour.”

Regular movement (the new term that I must use because exercise has a bad connotation, according to my daughter) is essential - this can include daily walks, light weightlifting, and stretching exercises. The key is consistency. Find an activity you enjoy, and make it a habit. It's not about competing; it's about staying mobile and feeling good.

Pearl 3: Stress Reduction - Mind and Body

Much of my enduring health is due to stress management. I practiced meditation and mindfulness to keep my mind at ease. Additionally, I believe in the power of laughter and maintain a positive outlook on life. My brother, a Benedictine monk/priest, always told me, “Worrying won't add a single day to your life, don’t worry about anything.” Stress is the enemy; laughter is the best defense.

Pearl 4: Spiritual Values - Finding Purpose

While not overtly religious, I place great importance on spiritual values. For me, this is actually my NUMBER 1, MOST ESSENTIAL, AND MOST IMPORTANT PEARL. Having a sense of purpose and a strong moral compass can significantly impact one's overall well-being. Being kind, helping others, and finding meaning in everyday actions are essential. It's about being a good person and finding contentment in your choices.

Pearl 5: Supplements - Enhancing Health

I freely admit; I take supplements. As we age, these are important in maintaining health and wellness. We are an aging population; no longer dying at age 29, the average age of death in 1900. I still remember learning in medical school that in the year 1900, 33% of babies died in childbirth, and 8% OF THE MOTHERS. Today, a maternal death is a rarity. As I pointed out earlier, we might not want to live until 100, but we might not have that choice. So buckle up.

It is not a good idea to rely on supplements as a panacea. So I take a pragmatic approach, consulting with healthcare professionals to address any specific deficiencies. Supplements should complement your diet, not replace it. Remember, they're not a shortcut to good health.

Fortunately for me, my daughter, KeriLyn Bollmann, MD, FACP, is a leading physician in the field of Integrative Medicine, and an expert in supplements. So she tells me which to take. And she has personally designed the Supplements that we now have in BARE by Dr Bollmann.

Conclusion

As a physician, it has been my privilege to serve my patients over the many years, and I am looking forward to continuing to share and give back for the many gifts I have received in my lifetime. I feel I am a living testament to the power of adopting a holistic approach to wellness that encompasses nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, spiritual values, and supplements - sharing the wisdom and experience that comes with age.

Achieving a fulfilling and active life in your eighties and beyond is possible. It's about embracing the simple joys, maintaining balance, and nurturing your body, mind, and spirit. Take a page from my book and embark on your own wellness journey, knowing that the path to a healthier and happier life is open to all, regardless of age.   

 Who is the poorest person in the world?

     The poorest person in the world is the one with the most desires.

 Hoping you all get to laugh a lot.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE COMING PEARLS.

 LOVE ALL, SERVE ALL.

PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

[kyrlazasmorcota]

Who The Kitsune Is

HEYA! I'm Kyrla Zasmorcota! I'm just putting up an intro, a fair warning, while I'm open to new friends, I am very socially awkward/limited...My social ability is pretty much not there, heh. Due to the way my brain seems to be wired I may not come off how I don't wish to and also I can't really read social cues/subtleties so I do better with more direct things, but I do try my best and have ways to try to better navigate things so please be patient with me, heh ^^

If I'm doing something wrong and I don't notice, just let me know and I'll work on correcting course ^_^

I do my best and have good intentions at the end of day, and I'm always trying to do better ^_^

PRONOUNS: Any just mix it up like crazy! Bonus points if in the same sentence....Or even more for same word, lol ^_~

I do lean very much so more masc, but the fluid part is important to me....The second most from masc would be gender neutral or somewhere in the middle and last femme ^^

Which leads me to the next thing

NAME: Kyrla (Femme) Lun (Gender Neutral) or Kashi (Masc) Zasmorcota is the main names I use. I have others, but this is the main one I use. I used Kyrla first and for longer so most people know me by that one....Even though I'm manly masc Kyrla is a name that's important to me....Besides the whole being fluid thing XP

SEXUALITY: I'm gray-ace/demi/pan ^_^

GENDER IDENTITY: As you may have guessed, I'm genderfluid transmasc ^_^

POLYAMOUROUS: I have two wonderful partners! I practice kitchen table nonhierarchical polyamory. Still fairly new to polyam ^_^

FURRY: My main sona is of course the blue nine tailed kitsune! Though I do have others! ^_^

SPIRITUALITY: I have my own personal supplementary spirituality that I accept can most likely be explained by other things, but it works for me, helps me and feels right. Plus it does have some more real life affects such as mindfulness though meditation. I believe in multiverse reincarnation, energy work, crystals, spiritual meditation, charka work, runes, and tarot.

INTERESTS: I love anime, manga, video games, roleplaying, art and writing. I'm always interested in new things from things like new types of games to whole new hobbies! And of course new friends!

MY THING: I've always playfully referred to myself as the High Priestess/Priest of The Great Shiny! The owner and founder of Crazy.Corp any insane amazing non-existent company on a mission to defect normalness! Hence why my motto is: Life is too short to be normal! Also, I always offer dark cookies curtesy of the Rainbow Goblins! Also obey The Great Shiny! For a long time my friends called me "Kyrla Of The Craziness", lol ^_^

THE ENDING STUFFS!!!

Well I think that about covers the basics! If anything comes up I'll edit it in below the end of the post! If you have any questions, throw them at me, lol ^_^ And I'll do my best to answer! Of course I may not answer everything, I do reserve that right of course ^_^

Here's A Yip Yip Bibi

This one's Intro....FAILED!

Wait..no...

This one's Intro....FIN!

[iamnmbr3]

Regulus decorated his room with a painstakingly hand painted version of his family crest and motto ("toujours pur") which references blood supremacy. He did this because he was presumably proud of his lineage and his family's beliefs. It's also notable that Sirius's parents later had qualms about Voldemort. This was very obviously not because they changed their blood supremacist views. Regulus's ultimate betrayal of Voldemort likely had similar roots - he was probably disgusted by Voldemort's decision to split his soul and worried about what his eternal rule would actually mean for the pureblood ruling class.

(And he was right to worry - as we see from Voldemort's treatment of his Death Eaters and the whole Malfoy family, he doesn't seem to really hold any great respect for the pureblood elite, and actually seems to enjoy degrading and hurting them. Just look at how they address him; their treatment of him seems modeled on the behavior of house elves, calling him "Master" etc, bowing in front of him - i.e. they are using the language of slavery. I doubt most of the ruling pureblood families wanted to spend an eternity as slaves).

Regulus did like Kreacher, but it was also he who volunteered Kreacher for Voldemort's service, possibly to advance his own standing (though he did have some reservations as he impressed upon Kreacher the importance of coming back).

This occurred a year after Regulus had become a Death Eater, and from Kreacher's story we know in all that time he didn't express any changes in his views and still saw it as an honor for Voldemort to ask something of him. So it's not like he became a Death Eater and then immediately got cold feet and changed his mind.

Furthermore, he knew a lot about what he was signing up for before he joined. Remember, he became a Death Eater at the height of Voldemort's power. It was pretty clear what that would entail. And Regulus seems to have been all for it since the other thing decorating his room was a collage he made out of news articles about Voldemort's crimes.

That's what he slept with over his bed. That's some Barty Crouch Jr. & Bellatrix Lestrange levels of Voldemort devotion.

None of that takes away from the fact that Regulus changed his mind and gave his life to fight Voldemort and seems to have often cared about Kreacher's wellbeing and feelings (although he doesn't seem to have viewed enslaving him as wrong). Probably he didn't renounce his blood supremacist views though we can't know for sure. Either way though, he certainly held those views very strongly for most of his life and was not coerced into becoming a Death Eater by his family. And that's what makes him interesting. He is complex and contradictory and flawed. I like Regulus as a character; I find him to be utterly fascinating. And his flaws are what make him interesting and fun.

(Just like I like Snape as a character btw. Snape, who we know definitely did renounce his blood supremacist views later, who risked and ultimately gave his life to fight Voldemort, and who went out of his way to save others when he could. This doesn't take away from all the cruelties he engaged in or the fact that he was a Death Eater or the fact that he took his justifiable anger over past trauma out on people who were innocent of blame and did not deserve it. To me it just makes him complicated and interesting, just like Regulus).

This is not to say that anyone has to like or dislike any particular character. But I think it's a shame when we sand down the complexities and flaws that make them interesting. Regulus isn't interesting because he was a soft baby who was forced into becoming a Death Eater against his will (why? why would his family do that? what would they even gain?). He's interesting because he had a creepy little Voldemort fan collage in his bedroom and proudly joined the Death Eaters and never broke with his family like Sirius did but also ultimately turned against Voldemort, wrote him a dramatic F U note, gave his life to fight him, and cared to make sure his house elf got out safe. These are interesting contradictions and provide a lot of fodder for analysis and discussion and headcanons and fic. To me that's much more fun than Regulus just being a pure cinnamon role. That's just me though.

"you can't defend regulus and not defend snape"

actually, yes, i can. watch me.

snape was a child abuser, who regularly insulted, embarrassed and physically injured his students on a daily basis. he only was part of the order bc he had an unhealthy obsession with his childhood bestfriend, who he called a slur on several occasions. who he, on top of trying to kill her husband, didn't care about her child or family until her life was in danger. he only became "good" when the woman who had rejected him several times might have been injured. he was such a terrible teacher and human being, that one of his student's BIGGEST FEAR was him. he was racist and a blood supremecist, even though he was a half a blood himself. he was not "morally gray", he was a horrible person.

regulus black was forced to become a death eater by his family, and in the end, betrayed voldemort and gave up his life to try to end the war. he loved his house elf, and did everything to make sure kreacher made it out alive. he was not an abuser, he was the abused.

so, yes, i can defend regulus and not defend snape.

[thesymphonyoflife]

The Keys of Life

I figured it out. Finally. The keys to life. You ready? Here goes.

1) Be Nice

2) Work Hard

3) Have Fun

That’s it. 3 Things. In that order. Thanks for reading.

What, you were expecting more philosophical insight from me? What kind of blog do you think this is?

In all honesty, these have been the tenets I have been talking about for the past 12(!) years blogging here. I, unfortunately, have not made some newfound epiphany. I just am putting it into much more concise and straightforward terms. 

First, an important note is that the order of this list is absolutely important here. You cannot achieve full “completeness” of a successful, joyous, fulfilling life without the preceding pre-requisites. I fully believe we cannot start really any interactions, jobs, relationships, goals, etc (basically “life”) without first being truly nice. We cannot truly work hard or to our fullest without first being a nice person. And we cannot unlock the fullest, most fun experiences without both being nice and working hard.

So let’s discuss each item.

1) Be nice. Seems simple right? I think the answer may surprise you. I certainly have given this one a prominent thought in my life over time. I never really thought the method to being nice or the construct of “niceness” could change much if at all over the course of my life. But I have learned that as we age there are enormous changes to our approach and perspective of what this complicated word really means. 

I have also learned that the environment and social climate also can change the way you think about this word. For a current example, think about the “cancel” culture built up over the past few years. I would almost simplify the whole movement on the very definition of what it means to be nice. Is it good to have empathy? What if that empathy is so strong that it causes vitriol, anger, and a lack of nuance or degree of forgiveness? 

I think I had a pretty good understanding of the “golden rule” preached early on in school and from my parents and sister. Refresher of the golden rule: Treat others how you would want to be treated. This is what I commonly refer to as the building blocks of what “empathy” encompasses. I do think this is a good start for niceness, but this rule, especially early in life, was really meant to deter bullying/teasing and essentially meant “don’t be mean to others.” And while that alone is a great motto to live by, true kindness adds a lot more.

Kindness includes so many other things, such as compassion, positivity, honesty, patience, generosity, and many more traits. Add in the fact that we all judge niceness differently, and one can certainly feel like just this key building block of life is not so easy to achieve. But I am here to tell you to not fret. Just go back to those fundamentals. Remember the golden rule. Seek out conversations and wisdom from those who you believe to display niceness. And always remember, even with changing environments around you or your current emotional states, that those building blocks of niceness are always there within ourselves.

2) Work hard. This one should also seem straightforward, but again, the changes we go through in life can drastically alter our perception of this tenet. 

The concept of working hard is also something that is shaped very early in our lives, and continually gets shaped by our environment and our own personal growth. I was lucky to witness this trait every day at an early age from my parents, who both left family and friends behind in another country to work in an entirely new country, as well as juggling the not so easy task of raising kids in this totally new environment. I also witnessed the concept of working hard through school, and was blessed to be friends who had positive attitudes and similar mindsets/enthusiasm for learning (mixed in with a little mischief here and there).

As we get older, it can start to get more difficult to assess our own performance of working hard, as some of the bounds that constrained us early in life (being dependent on parents, school, jobs where tasks are clearly defined for you, etc.) can change drastically or even go away completely. This is why as I get older I really have started to define this tenet simply as: setting goals and trying your hardest to achieve them. Whether it be for our jobs, hobbies, or personal relationships, working hard is exactly that: difficult. But that makes life challenging, and eventually, as we get older, we start to get reinvigorated by the challenges life throws at us, as it forces us to grow in new ways and makes us more complete individuals. Just always remember, if you are feeling burnt out, or you do feel good progress being made towards your goals, that you should:

3) Have fun! 

One of my underrated appreciations in life is to just listen to someone talk about a hobby they are very passionate about. Even if you have no knowledge on the subject matter, there is something so human about witnessing this kind of enthusiasm and positivity first-hand. It shows that there are so many different ways that make people happy, and there are truly no bounds either.

As with the previous two items, it is also important to note that this can change drastically as we get older. It can sometimes be disheartening to suddenly find yourself less than enthralled or even downright angry at hobbies or situations you used to find fun in the past. It always catches me off-guard when I can suddenly feel disinterest or frustrated with a hobby I used to love. I now understand that this is all a normal part of our growth. Even fun can grow too, and sometimes even be challenging. Just don’t fret, and remember that this part of life allows us to be more well rounded individuals, and helps us understand what a “fulfilling” life truly entails. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So that’s it. Pretty easy, right? 

Oh, and another thing. Always remember to listen to the symphony.