#rich and powerful people tend to be very devoted to things that will give them more power

[fandomfairyuniverse]

The funniest thing about that ring is that it’s really just a massive placebo. Like these rich buttheads have absolutely convinced themselves that whoever has the ring is all powerful. But it’s just a ring. Maybe there’s some legend behind it of a great king who ruled a powerful dynasty with “the power of the ring” but it’s still just a ring. The maniacs have all of this power and yet they still bow to the whims of whoever possesses this hunk of metal that is. Really. Just a ring. The only power it has is the power they gave it. It’s literally just a ring.

[harmoonix]

☾ Moonlight Astrology Notes ☽

🏝️ ~ La Isla Bonita ~ 🏝️

︻︼︻︼︻ ︻︼︻︼︻︻︼︻︼︻ ︻︼︻︼︻︻︼

🌙 - Mercury aspecting Moon makes the native emotionally intelligent and wise, they know when to talk and how to talk to impress people

🌙 - Lilith aspecting Moon gives intensely powerful vibes, this aspect is intense and magical, you drain people so easily to you

🌙 - Mars aspecting Uranus natives are having so much energy in them, these people could be really good dancers and talented

🌙 - Mars aspecting MC (Midhaven) people will always see you as a competition and will try to compete with you, the reason is that you are so hot that they wanna be inside your skin someone said "Bunch of wannabes that wanna be me, me three if I was you" while I wrote this

🌙 - Cancer/Moon in the 7th house will nurture their relationship so much is otherworldly how much love these people have for their partners

🌙 - Mercury - Saturn aspects can get anxiety while talking and sometimes this anxiety can be more intense if they are harsh aspects

🌙 - Uranus prominent in someone's chart gives "I'm unique bi**ches" they are different than majority of people (in a good way)

🌙 - Uranus at 4°, 16° or 28° degrees might change their home aesthetics a lot

🌙 - People with Moon or Venus in the 4th house often want to make their house the biggest comfort and the palace where they feel safe

🌙 - Sun or Moon/Lilith in the 9th house gives the vibes of an priestess living in her gorgeous temple worshiping their favorite gods (love their placements so much)

🌙 - Moon in 10th house can tend to over-share things that happened to them but without knowing the other person's intentions, be careful of your surroundings

🌙 - Asteroid Hekate (100) aspecting Moon gives the person who can embody witch/enchantress vibes, often because of their positive intuition

🌙 - Jupiter aspecting Neptune are these type of people who feel like a fairytale when you are around them, something is special about them

🌙 - Taurus Venus/Libra Venus aesthetic will be a fairy for sure because they can embody these traits very good their clothes might remind you of a fairy tho

🌙 - Someone with asteroid devota (1328) in their 7th house may be very devoted to their lovers/relationships, these people are very loyal and lovely

🌙 - Scorpio/Aries And Leo Venus always be having jokes that will transform into flirt words, at some point their brain will activate "Flirty Chatty" energy and they will talk in a flirty way 😭

🌙 - Ascendant aspecting asteroid Aphrodite (1388) the meaning is self explanatory, you LOOK ethereal darling, your vibes, your energy your voice.... EVERYTHING

🌙 - Someone with asteroid Pallas (2) and asteroid Juno (3) aspecting eachother might also have this imense loyalty towards their partners (in the right aspects 😭)

🌙 - Cancer Chiron/Cancer Lilith always needs to solve their families karma somehow 😭 like why do they have to be the healers instead of enjoying some good life

🌙 - Venus in the 12th house is mystical, Venus here is has an energy like sleeping beauty she is reaching for love but something seems like it blocks her way (most times these are boundaries)

🌙 - Venus in the 2nd, 5th, and 10th house can have a passion for shopping (aswell if you have Venus in Taurus, Leo or Capricorn)

🌙 - Venus in the 11th house or Venus in Aquarius have the energy of Megara from Hercules (if you didn't see the musical, please do it is enchanting) , they have this vibe of fatality and amor both in the same time

🌙 - Moon in the 8th house/Moon aspecting - Pluto give "Alejandro" vibes by Lady Gaga, so misterious, magic and dark yet iconic

🌙 - is 12:12 when I write this observation and having 12°, 24° degrees in your Venus makes you to be emotional bounded with your partner, you are the type of person who loves so deep

🌙 - JUPITER in the 8th house (DEEPER, DEEPER) has an iconic reputation, you have the life purpose to marry someone rich and to live life at fullest

🌙 - Virgo Moon/6th house Moon love to read/write based on the weather, if is rainy and atmosphere there they would start to read or write

• I choose 3 square placements to write quotes about since squares are the top 1 harsh aspects

🌙 - Sun square Moon quote: What you choose to do? To think with your brain or to feel with your heart? To touch the earth or to feel it inside of you? To think or to feel?

🌙 - Chiron square Moon quote: The wounds are deep but slowly I can heal, pain I don't want to remember, my heart will be still?

🌙 - Saturn square Moon quote: Will they think I'm cold when all I wanted was to feel protected?, Will they judge me for being this distant? All I know is that I don't want to suffer anymore, it was enough

🌙 - Mars at 12°, 24° degrees can mediate when they feel angry or agitated, you have a powerful mind and you can control your anger often if you concentrate enough

🌙 - Asteroid Nefertiti 3199 aspecting ascendant will always radiate royalty vibes (esp if you have Nefertiti in Libra, Leo or Taurus). Is the type of aura you tend to show

🌙 - Nefertiti 3199 aspecting Chiron can show an wounded related to authorities, you don't like when someone control you or tells you what to do and tend to call them out for that

🌙 - Asteroid Nike 307 in the 7th house indicates an victorious relationship, you either your spouse might be well known by the people around and your relationship can get known aswell

🌙 - Nike 307 in Aries/Leo/Libra are just glamorous to have. Because of your confidence, power, your beauty. You have victory written in your destiny bestie, but may tend to have an big ego aswell

🌙 - Asteroid Bless 98291 sextile/trine/conjunct Juno can be blessed with a good relationship/spouse/marriage. If you have this aspect you probably gonna have that type of relationship just like in movies

🌙 - Asteroid Bless 98291 at Scorpio Degrees (8°, 20°) or in the 8th house may have a blessing related to their power and also blessed sexually

🌙 - 18+ Asteroid Lust 4386 in the 2nd house might get too touchy with their partners of having an kink related to it

🌙 - Asteroid Lucifer 1930 aspecting asteroid Juno (3) might have an extremely kinky relationship, like both partners being obsessed with eachother sexually and physically is mind-blowing

🌃 These photos have a vibe of a ~fever dream~ I love it so much, blue hour is underrated and so aesthetic, is also my most favorite time to go out with my babes 🌃

🌃May the moon bless you with her gifts🌃

🌃Hope everyone has a really really great Sunday because Mondays are always gonna be a rough start, (at least for me😭) so enjoy this day at the most🌃

[hewholivesinhisname]

What actually would be the best political system

In a lot of ways, in a lot lot of ways, I really want to take over. However, I really feel like there's a real lack of choice in political affariss as well as a lack of good options for people as well as a lot of political types who just want to generally restrict the freedom of others to make choices.

So, a lot of anarchists just want to fight the state, but really what I think we need is a state and people who are very much devoted to the idea of preserving tolerance, choice, good will as making a group whose stated goal is to take care of it's members. Like, the united states, they assert that tehy have authority over you, but if you get sick- man the only thing they offer you is this shitty healthcare that is not really healthcare.

They tend to preserve the right of the rich and powerful to do whatever the fuck they want and they've loaded up the United States with just so much debt I don't know how we are ever going to pay it back. So, I see the future of this country as collapsing honestly and maybe in 12 years or 15 or 20 years or 30 years. Well, I think the country is going to basically collapse just from all the debt and shitty policies and the shitty way people are treated.

I really feel that everyone should be cooperating together but what we are all cooperating together doing in America seems mostly to be protecting an international order that steals from teh poor and gives to the rich and maintains a very unequal and insane power structure adn we do need some sort of government and hierarchy that is open and which is very much deliberately determined and dedicated to making sure that everyone is taken care of, the economy is good (not jsut for monopoly capitalists) and so on and so forth.

In order to do that, well, it's going to be a process and I do want to take over, but not the way the zionists or these trumpers do, instead I want to create an alternative organization that is much more attractive than it is conquistatorial although I'm not sure if I even want to make an organization since all these "groups" and "organizations" tend to have all sorts of issues in them and people fight about who is in charge and what the organization means.

Rather I think I just want to become the kind of leader who people can count on to do the right thing for them and who will help organize them in a way that makes sense.

Ultimately, i already really believe that we are all one anyway. we live in a sort of samara of separation from each other and separation from god but that's not true and I think reality will generally be a process int eh future of gradually connecting and working together with ourselves to form better and better groups in teh future that honeor individualism while creating a better collective whole.

[mstexalicious1961]

BREAKING THE SPIRIT OF MAMMON

devotion by Robert Morris (Gateway church)

The word “mammon” is in the Bible four times, and three of those times Jesus said it. But what does it mean? Today, I want to talk to you about the spirit of mammon, because I think it’s crucial to having a biblical view of money.

“Mammon” is an Aramaic word that essentially means “riches.” At its heart there’s an attitude that says: Man doesn’t need God—we’re self-sufficient. This is what the spirit of mammon tries to tell us: You don’t need God. Trust in riches!

You may recognize “mammon” from the New Testament. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus clearly suggests it’s possible to serve mammon instead of serving God, but He goes even further: Jesus states it is impossible to serve both at the same time. He says you will love one and hate the other. According to Jesus, there is no middle ground—no half-and-half.

Did you know all money has a spirit on it? It either has the Spirit of God or the spirit of mammon. Money that is submitted to God and His purposes has the Spirit of God on it. On the other hand, money that is not submitted to God has the spirit of mammon by default. That’s why people think money can bring them happiness or fulfillment. Mammon is basically the spirit of the world—and that spirit is a liar.

I’ve noticed that the people most under the influence of the spirit of mammon tend to have the most fear about their money. As Jesus clearly suggests in today’s verse (Matthew 6:24), mammon tries to take the very place of God. Pastor Jimmy Evans, founder of MarriageToday, once said, “Mammon promises us those things that only God can give—security, significance, identity, independence, power, and freedom. Mammon tells us it can insulate us from life’s problems and that money is the answer to every situation.”

Clearly, this stands in direct opposition to the Spirit of God. For example, mammon says to buy and sell; God says to sow and reap. Mammon says to cheat and steal; God says to give and receive. Mammon tells you that if you had more money, people would listen to you, your relationship problems would go away, and life would be sweet. The differences between these two spirits seem very cut and dry; however, it’s possible for believers to become influenced by the spirit of mammon without realizing it.

Mammon wants you to think, If I just had more money, I could really start helping people and giving more to the kingdom. Keep in mind, Jesus never told anyone the answer was more money. Money is not the answer to problems—God is. Now, don’t get the wrong idea—money and mammon are not synonymous. Money is not inherently evil. One of the most frequently misquoted verses in the Bible is in 1 Timothy 6:10, which says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

Notice the Bible doesn’t say money is the root of all kinds of evil. It says the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. One of mammon’s biggest tricks is getting us to trust in money rather than God. When you feel financial pressure, notice how the spirit of mammon tries to position itself as a substitute for God. It says, ”You either need God to work a miracle right now or you need more money.” That’s simply a lie. We need God, period.

That’s what Jesus is saying in Matthew 6:24. You can’t serve two masters. You can’t rely on both God and money to be your security and comfort. The Bible makes it clear that it’s one or the other, and if I had to choose, I’d take God over any amount of money in the bank.

[nenithil]

About Hans and Shadis, and their insight on humanity(1)

Hans is often regarded as too pure and naive, or doesn't that understand human nature(comparing to Erwin or Armin), has unrealistic illusions about human beings and over-idealized.She even rejects selfish desires, this impression particularly comes from C71, when she scolded Shadis: To give up the individual and dedicate the heart to the public, it's like that,isn't it?

It's a very powerful scene. At first glance, I also feel a kind of frightening moral cleanliness from their words, but combined with other plots, I don't think so.

On the contrary, I began to think that her eyesight and response to people's mind are very sharp. She has usually appeared very joyful, it's not because she is naive or only looked at the good aspects of the world, or really had a very happy life,but because she focused on objective work and generally would not be distracted from those kinds of nonsense.

There are many descriptions of this kind of things in smartpass. For example: In  "crimes inside the wall", Levi mentioned that the Survey Corps often cooperates with some members from aristocracy in gray areas for financial needs: "There are not a few rich men who make use of criminals... For example, smuggling or assassinating opponents in trade. They are too professional to be tracked. Even if they are unluckily caught, they could just deny that they knew it. Before, there are some just  soldiers who tracked them down. Finally, they found that the behind the scenes was actually the sponsor of the corps. Similar events emerge one after another." Eren was very angry when he heard this, which made Levi even wonder if he said too much to youngsters. He went back to discuss it with Hans. Hans replied: "If it's something you will know sooner or later, it doesn't matter whenever you say it." "Teaching new people what's reality is an important task for senior superiors! I don't think you did anything wrong, Levi."

And in smartpass about Eren: When she first met ERen, she performed  psychological investigations on Eren, asked him about his dreams and made some comments, which showed that she at least knew psychology well. She even said to Eren: "Apart from the fact that you can shift into a titan, you seem to be an ordinary kid,  Eren." "I mean, at least, I don't feel some violent nature from you, like what they discussed in the court." It doesn't really matter whether Eren is an ordinary child, but Hans's words could greatly comfort Eren, who was regarded as a monster, anxious and self doubted at that time. What she said would make him feel closer to the Corps.  She made her comments on him on practical purposes, not to show her judgment.

This reminds me of her comfort to Mikasa in the Manga during "midnight sun". In order to prevent Mikasa from snatching injection,  she expressed her understanding and closeness to Mikasa's pain and told her, "but we have to move forward".

she accurately saw that Mikasa was not really that kind of people who only cared about the life of her own friends, totally disregarding for the lives of others,but was just unwilling to let it go for the moment. So she chose comfort rather than admonishment.

She don't need much cover up with her words, but always enter the truest part of the heart.

We can imagine  what will happen,if she criticized Mikasa for "only caring for personal desires and ignoring the interest of public"and asked Mikasa to" give up her personal feelings and devote yourself to mankind ",as any critics did in some forum. She can stop Mikasa  not only because of her kindness but also her wisdom.

In smartpass:Shelter from the Rain ：Hange&Jean，she also showed her interest and understand of 104: "At present, people who can make calm judgments are very valuable." Hange said this because she had come into contact with the "power" of Jean's contemporaries,and she knew that they could not be controlled merely by giving orders as a superior. "Armin is smart, and he's always been self-abase about his lack of strength... I think we have to get him on our side..."

There are a lot of details like this in smartpass. Even for Erwin, who is generally considered the most enigmatic, Hange offered a rather unique perspective in his  personal interview:

Hange： Charismatic, unshakeable faith, he would not mind sacrificing himself or others for the goal…well, he tries to maintain that kind of outer appearance. Hange: He might not be too happy if I say too much out loud. What I told you just now, it might be something that he shows to the public…however, even if you were to peel off that appearance, you still wouldn’t be able to see his true personality. That’s my personal opinion about it. H: Even so, he is someone that we can trust. If we leave the situation to Erwin he will evaluate it, and we therefore rely on the commander. If he wasn’t trustworthy, he would have been stabbed in the back. This is not something that is only limited to a commander though.

She haven't idealized Erwin so much, but regarded his appearance as  "shows to the public,"  she confessed her doubts about his true personality and haven't even overestimated his morality,or selflessness, as Levi did. She just said pragmatically that if he would make the right decisions, I would trust him

In her own interview, she said: Erwin’s active support of my research has been very helpful. And I’ve heard that he also has doubts about how this world was formed?

She thanked Erwin for his support and then without further comment, but she clearly caught the core desire of Erwin: doubts about how this world was formed

If regardless of smartpass, she also showed her sharpness towards humanity many times in the manga: C52 her threat to Sannes:

She accurately summarized the reasons that ordinary people would use to make excuses for doing evil.

This is also why she can quickly come up with a ferocious plan to deceive Sannes into confession. She knows their kind well

Similarly, in C60, when facing journalists who wrote false news and slandered their dead subordinates, she also showed tolerance for weakness of human, and performed her skill of getting closer to others.

She may have succeeded in persuading Fregel,who would rather live a miserable life, in similar way (the manga doesn't describe it in detail, and I doubt even Isayama doesn't know how to write.

She is regarded as an "over idealistic" commander, but she still said such words:

Her words have described Hizuru's intention to monopolize resources, which can only be inferred by herself. At the same time, she also speculated that countries regard eldia as a scapegoat to maintain their domestic unity. It shows that she has basic insight and understanding of politics. Particularly, if compared with Armin:

... well, I don't know why Isym wrote like this. Armin is  not like a naive kid to ask suchquestions. I regard it as a simple emotional vent. Here I can even understand why Eren showed such a disdainful face,Lmao

Hans obviously won't believe Mikasa's words, which are indeed too simple, but their kindness did give Hans some strength, or positive feelings, making her focus on what she can do - surveying and understanding the world, striving for friendship with others, rather than what can't be changed- all countries are selfish, they deceive citizens and don't mind doing harm to others in order to maintain their "rule".

PS: the plots that I like most about Mikasa in manga almost are with Hans. I'm happy to guess that Hans gets along well with individual having this kind of character (like Levi)

These are my views on this side of Hans. She can see and master the complex and dark side of people skillfully, although she still tends to look at the good side of them. She treats other as human-being with their own weakness and  uniqueness. She would not judge others without considering the specific situation

So about C71, I think what she said to Shadis was not because she is too naive, or being so strict with others to ask them to give up their personal desire, but because of the special relationship between them.

TBC..

[jypbae7]

Could you do a breakdown natal chart for Kun from Wayv?

QIAN KUN - NATAL CHART

Kun was one the most requested I got which was a pleasant surprise!!❤️❤️

(Not claiming to be an expert this is just for fun please don’t take anything too seriously!) Hope this is helpful and that you enjoy it 🥰❤️

Personality: Capricorn Sun, Leo Rising, Taurus Moon, Capricorn Mercury, Capricorn Mars

Clearly a LOT of Earth sign placements but nicely broken up by the fire sign rising

Capricorn Sun has serious and long term plans for the kind of future they want for themselves and once they set out for it they seldom give up. Stubborn to a fault, but also consistent enough to actually persevere. They want the perfect job, reputation, partner, house, family, etc.

Leo rising is a bright, warm and outgoing personality. Lots of energy, creativity and flair. They enjoy having a strong core of friends that they feel understand and enhance their experience and effect on the world. Leo’s are known for being hardworking and as a fixed sign it offers a lot of consistency and determination. They are extremely devoted and loyal once they develop a bond and trust with someone. Though the passion can fizzle out quickly if they aren’t feeling the kind of attention and passion they want.

Taurus Moon is a very grounded person with more social charisma and approachability than Capricorns are known for. They also have a tendency to like bold styles, they have big dreams and goals and you’ll be surprised at how well they can attain them if they’re focused enough (Kun is a Capricorn Stellium so yes this boy KNOWS how to get shit done when it needs to be done) Taurus is also a fixed sign which along with the stubbornness everyone knows about also comes with patience and consistency making them really good leaders when added with their natural friendliness and perseverance

Capricorn Mercury indicates a strong preference for structure, somebody who tends to follow rules and feels uncomfortable breaking them. They tend to have authoritative energy and demeanor. Big ambitions and determination to succeed and excel in their chosen career. Spend more time thinking than they show with a generally very logical mind which can sometimes lead to a black & white perspective

Capricorn Mars - responsible, organized, secretly a thrill seeker, can come off as aloof or guarded when they are around new people or people who they really want to make a good impression on.

Relationships:

Non-Romantic Relationships: Capricorn Sun, Taurus Moon, Leo Rising, Capricorn Mercury, Capricorn Mars

Trustworthy and dependable - the “dad” of the friend group who everyone calls when they have something serious to deal with

Platonic love languages: acts of service and quality time - he loves spending time with people with shared interests especially music. Also loves going out to different places such as different trendy cafes, movie theaters, museums - you name it.

Likes other thrill seekers who push and motivate him to get out of his comfort zone

Sense of humor is a lot more childlike and playful than one would expect from his serious and strict side

Capricorn energy is NOT to be crossed or messed with. These are the ones who are calm af and calculated when angry - this is when you know you are screwed. When Capricorn is calm and collected while enraged, ohhh boy, do they figure out ways to hurt you in the smoothest and most effective ways without so much as lifting their finger. Spare yourself the trauma and DO NOT LIE to him no matter what.

Romantic relationships and preferences : Aquarius Venus, Capricorn Mars, Capricorn Juno, Aries Eros

Aquarius Venus is outgoing, friendly and charismatic. They are attracted to interesting and unique people who stand out of the crowd. They like bold and spontaneous gestures and they will do them back for their partner as well.

Aquarians also dislike overly clingy/needy partners which Capricorn also isn’t a fan of either. These signs are all about independence, individuality, personal expression and achievement. Meaning that while they do yearn for a partner (especially Capricorn placements) they want a partner who is self sufficient and independent with their own hobbies, careers, dreams, goals, etc.

Capricorn Juno implies they’ll be a tough to nail down for very long because Capricorn wants only the best of everything and they’re always busy trying to excel at things and scoping out their options. So you’ll have to prove your worth to them before they are willing to commit because once they do it’s for the long haul

Capricorn likes natural ethereal beauty while Aquarius likes the bold - my guess is healthy mix of both. Natural looking and soft featured with some bold/unique traits like bright/bold hair or fashion style, a bit of spice/sass here and there is another secret pleasure

Be prepared for endless serenades and songs made and sent to you like love letters - whether he’s singing or composing a warm ethereal instrumental for you, his whole heart is in it

Love languages (most to least) - words of affirmation, gift giving, physical touch and quality time

Words of affirmation makes him feel really wanted and needed, he’s also really really good at giving it out to people he loves so if he’s doing it one sidedly it would hurt him and make him feel insecure.

Gives either unbelievably beautiful luxe gifts or unique/fun gifts and loves to surprise his partner with them often especially after time apart

Capricorns HATE wasting time they are hyper aware of how many hours in a day and how much can be done in a day. So, if he’s spending a lot of time with you, you’re very very special and important to him and he prioritizes this time very highly

Star gazing dates, beach dates, camping trips - this man will go out of his way to make sure every date is an experience. He is PREPARED, he has an itinerary in his mind, he’s looked up the travel routes and picked the best one. When you go camping he will FLEX with his efficiency and ability to handle the labor heavy tasks. This man will purposely wait till you’re looking to start chopping wood (not that ANYONE is complaining), put the tent up and have it filled with blankets and pillows galore in 2.00034 seconds because he practiced in the dorm living room with the others like a drill routine. (Lucas taught him how to chop the wood & still look hot while doing it)

Is the MOST polite and endearing person to your family and friends. Goes above and beyond to be the perfect partner around your family and they are unable not to LOVE him. Is especially soft and doting of any children or elderly relatives. And none of it is phony at all, he doesn’t know anyway else to even think. Respect, manners, and family are extremely important to Earth signs. They’ll probably end up liking him more than you but honestly you can’t even blame them

(None of y’all ungrateful people better ever slack on Zaddy Kun’s visuals ever again!! If I don’t get to see his happy trail during 2021 I’m burning the SM building down once and for all)

18+ Preferences:

Aries Eros ooof - passionate, possessive and steamy. Pick their partners off instinct and energy - once they really like you they become infatuated and want to STAY that way. If it’s not the “I need you so fucking bad I’m gonna lose my mind” type of love they DON’T want it.

Leo Rising is a possessive as fuck placement thankfully when they get riled up or jealous they have the confidence not to get angry with you or insecure about it. BUT.... you‘ll still be awakening a whole new type of beast and quite frankly he will let you know that it’s all your fault as he holds you down and uses you like the stupid toy you are till you remember who you belong to

If he sees you doing anything even remotely domestic his Taurus Moon and Capricorn Juno will have his mind go from soft and warm thoughts to bending you over the kitchen counter and taking you right there without a care or second thought spared

Positions where he feels in in control are his favorite - he likes being on top of you, behind you and if he can pick you up and carry you while ramming into you best believe he will.

His favorite is position is missionary - likes to feel big and dominant he also wants to be able to see as much of you as possible and kissing you as much as possible from your lips to just about anywhere else he can reach. Will be staring at you 99% of the time with big smoldering eyes that don’t waver in the slightest. In fact if you give him eye contact back he’ll just be even more turned on

Now...this might be controversial but... Capricorn Mars usually suggests power play/dynamic kink - think rich powerful CEO who secretly fantasizes about being tied up and blindfolded. Not to say that is exclusively his main kink bc it’s definitely not, he is 100% mostly dom BUT with the right person he’d be more than willing and very excited to try it out - probably because they are always in control so it’s an adrenaline rush for them to relinquish it to someone else. Doesn’t necessarily mean an extreme level of being submissive even just simple restraints can feel very extreme for a bossy and in-control Capricorn

Aquarius Venus also likes breaking relationship “norms” and trying out new things. They are super fun and bright when happy so when he’s in love he’s in LOVE. Wants to sing about it 24/7 but is too stubborn to be clingy or needy. The type to smile during sex, especially when he’s on top of you or drunk. Don’t even get me started on drunk handsy Kun whining in your ear about how he just wants to sneak out of the party early.....bc I will genuinely never recover

Very vocal in the bedroom - gives his partner tons of praise. Completely loses his mind and is loud af when you kiss your way from his neck down to below the hips

Most of the time sex with him is more passionate than kinky, not lightening fast jack rabbit thrusts instead hard and deep rhythmic ones that make your whole body shake - Hungry makeout sessions, sneaky little hickeys where no one else will see, massages than turn into hours of love making, takes his time to hit deep and hard inside you, handfuls of your hair, gaspy whispers

When he is feeling more kinky it’s usually spur of the moment. In the car in the middle of a rainy night during a cancelled schedule or after an especially steamy date night where he decides to take you to a hotel afterwards

KING OF AFTER CARE (NOT up for debate) - cooks you an amazing meal afterwords or orders up a feast if he’s too spent to get up too, cuddled up in blankets watching a movie for the rest of the night afterwards.

[sineala]

Is 616 Tony a Democrat or Republican or neither? I’ve seen posts comparing him to Trump (barf!)

Wow. Geez. You don't ask easy questions, do you, anon?

First off, I am going to assume that whoever was comparing 616 Tony to Trump was trying to slander Tony. And I will tell you that we do in fact have 616 Tony's canonical opinion of Trump -- yes, Donald Trump exists on Earth-616 and has been referenced in several comics -- and he doesn't seem to like him much. I mean, this is back when Trump was primarily being known for being a New York businessman. They canonically ran in the same circles and Tony canonically knows him. He doesn't like him.

Here's Tony in Iron Man v1 #227 complaining that Trump bought him out of a building:

And here's Tony again in Iron Man v3 #37 being not especially thrilled when he thinks that the person he is about to meet is Trump:

(The person he is actually meeting is Tiberius Stone, which is also a very bad idea.)

I am also going to point out that due to the way Marvel likes to handle politics in its comics, I don't think we can say anything about the canonical political affiliation of most characters, because Marvel deliberately leaves that undefined. So to the best of my knowledge, we don't have a canonical statement about Tony's political affiliation and we probably won't ever get one.

But we can speculate based on canonical evidence, can't we?

My very long answer is under the Read More.

Your question is sort of framed as "tell me if Tony is a good or a bad person," and I would like to suggest that this is not really a useful framing for several reasons: (1) what the political parties currently stand for is pretty recent, actually, and Tony as a character predates a lot of the modern conceptions of the two parties; (2) the history of the Democratic Party specifically in New York, where Tony is from, is, let's just say, not 100% pure and unproblematic; and (3), when we're talking about someone with the amount of money, connections, and influence that Tony has, party affiliation generally doesn't mean the same thing it would mean for us ordinary mortals. What I mean by that last point is that there is a big, big difference between every one of the following list of statements: "I would vote for Republicans," "I am a registered Republican," "I would give very large amounts of money to Republicans," and "I would accept a political appointment in a Republican administration." For most of us, the last two of those points aren't ever going to be something that comes up in our lives, but they are going to be things that matter very much for someone like Tony Stark. And we have a canonical answer for at least one of those things. We can theorize about at least some of the rest of them.

I'm saying all that because I suspect you're really not going to like my answer.

I think that there is a very, very high chance that 616 Tony is a Republican.

I mean, I don't think he'd be a Republican right now at this exact moment in time, are you kidding me, but I feel like he has definitely been a Republican at some point in the past. Say, before Trump. One of those socially-liberal fiscally-conservative types. With a conscience. Sort of like Mitt Romney. Picture the kind of Republican Massachusetts likes to keep electing as their governor.

Yes, is possible that, since Tony is from New York, he's a lifelong Democrat. It is definitely possible. New York is heavily Democratic in our world, and barring contradictory evidence, that is probably also the case on Earth-616. But I think that, specifically because of the rest of Tony's background and the ways that Tony has interacted with the world of politics in 616, he is most likely to be a Republican. It doesn't mean he couldn't be a Democrat! I have no proof either way! In terms of several elements of his characterization -- say, his commitment to social justice and fighting inequity -- I would say he definitely leans Democrat, because these days that sort of thing is mostly the province of the Democrats, although I suspect that back when Tony was created it wouldn't have been out of character for a lot of Republicans. I'm just saying that Republican seems more likely. If you gotta pick one. I think you could definitely argue for either. He doesn't fit completely into either but his canon interactions with politics push me toward thinking he's a Republican, because he does several specific things that I think it would be unlikely that anyone other than a Republican would be given the opportunity to do at the specific time that he does them.

Yeah. I know.

Right. Okay. Tony is extremely, extremely rich, and even though I know that he is basically the fantasy of The One Good Ethical Billionaire (more on this in a sec), it's probably worth thinking about what actual real-life rich people do with their money in ways that intersect with politics. And the answer to that is, well, generally they give money to politicians who are favorable to, say, helping them continue to have money. Now, yes, as far as I know there is no evidence of Tony doing this in canon -- this is where all the conjecture comes in. So we ask ourselves, okay, if Tony were to endorse particular politicians because of this, what party would he give money to? Who would he want to get in good with? In most parts of the country, that would probably be the Republican party. But, specifically in New York, it's the Democrats.

So, yeah, one of the big points in favor of him being a Democrat is that, well, Democrats traditionally run New York. The class of old-money New York elites are pretty stereotypically Democrats. And that would include Tony. Which is not to say that he couldn't be a Republican, but if he wants to get anywhere with New York politicians, and I suspect he probably does because he is trying to run a series of very large businesses and he owns a fair amount of real estate including several buildings whose permitting processes I can only imagine fall into the category of “probably highly irregular" -- I mean, he has multiple jets that he regularly lands on his house and secret underwater tunnels for a submarine -- he has to cozy up to Democrats. If he gives money to anyone involved in politics, that's who he gives money to. Making superhero bases probably took a lot of money. A massive amount of money. The city planners probably cry when they see him coming.

(At one point I believe they did ban him from keeping the Quinjets in his house. That was when the Avengers had the Hydrobase.)

I tend to assume most people know something about the history of the Democrats in New York, or at least the history of US political parties in general, but the tl;dr version is that the parties haven't always stood for the same things that they do now. They also weren't always the same parties. And historically, in New York, the political machine gives you Democrats. That's just the way it is. The Democratic Party of the past was not really, um, devoted to all the same causes as the current Democratic Party. And it was very hard to get anywhere in New York and not be a Democrat. It still is. If you haven't read up on Tammany Hall, maybe you should. There was a lot of corruption. I mean, yeah, it's not currently a thing, but the Democrats remained in power in New York; it dissolved probably around about the time the Republican Party explicitly decided that the way to win the South was to appeal to the racism of white voters ("the Southern strategy"). Because, yes, before that a lot of white, conservative Southerners were traditionally Democrats. And then the Democrats split about civil rights, and, uh, the Republicans took in the racists.

Anyway! US political history is sure a land of contrasts! Rich New Yorkers are traditionally Democrats! That is a point for Tony possibly being a Democrat, yes. Moving on!

But Tony is not just a random old-money New Yorker. He inherited Howard Stark's money and Howard Stark's company. And Howard was, well, a defense contractor. And so was Tony, until he stopped making weapons. And, uh, being a defense contractor is, um, one of those things that is extremely, extremely Republican. No, I don't have stats to back this up. Just trust me. So, yeah, he's a rich New Yorker -- but he's also a defense contractor from a family of defense contractors. I would be amazed if Howard Stark were anything other than a Republican. Which is not to say that Tony could not be a Democrat anyway, but the job does come with a certain predisposition.

(Incidentally, one of the other things Tony inherited from Howard was his membership in the Hellfire Club, which is one of those things I keep forgetting about until canon smacks me in the face with it every few years.)

We all know that the conception of Tony, as a character, is basically the fantasy of the Ethical Billionaire. He is The Best At Capitalism. He has money and he is not corrupted by it. He has money and he uses it to do the maximum amount of good in the world because that is what he really, deeply wants to do. He supports a large number of philanthropic causes! He has a foundation named after his mother! He funds programs for low-income youth! He runs a homeless shelter for women! Throughout his history, he has been consistently portrayed as a deeply, deeply kind human being, who wants to help people. A lot of people! People who aren't like him! People who might not even like him! That is just... who he is, as a person.

And these days we tend to associate that kind of push for systemic change and caring about social issues and remedying inequity with Democrats, but that wasn't always the case. I think it still would have been believable coming from a Republican, oh, around about the time Tony came into existence. He was created back when you could be an elected Republican and, uh, push social policies that I think these days we would consider progressive. I mean, Eisenhower was the one who started integrating schools, right? The Republicans are the party of Lincoln! It's not like Republicans are prevented from doing good things. And I think we need to keep in mind that Tony dates from the early 60s when socially-progressive was still a thing Republicans could conceivably be.

So, yes, Tony is very kind. It's nice. We all like that about him. But also many of the ways in which he is kind to people are very much Republican fantasies. Like, yes, he's a great boss. He's close to his employees. They're like family. If any of his employees have problems, he helps them out on a personal, individual level -- and that, as an ideal, seems very Republican to me. I mean, he's a CEO, right? He's owned a lot of companies. Are any of them unionized? Combing through Wiki, I find one reference to a union in ToS 63, which is really, really early -- you know, back when unions were more popular. I can't find anything after that. And nothing is coming to mind. So, I mean, yes, we have now established his employees were at one point unionized, but he's certainly not known for, say, running a union shop. Part of the fantasy of the Ethical Billionaire is the idea that Tony's employees don't need unions because Tony is so kind and so generous and so personally selflessly good that he takes care of everyone who works for him. And the thing is, Tony actually does do this. He is fictional and therefore capable of achieving perfection.

Okay. He's a fictional character. Let's step back a little and think about fictional characters, and specifically the way Marvel Comics depicts fictional characters interacting with well-known real people. Many real people from our Earth do seem to exist in 616. Earth-616 is not our Earth in a vast number of ways, but one thing it shares with our Earth is presidents. Whoever is the real-life president when a comic comes out is pretty much generally president on Earth-616 at the time. Yes, I'm going somewhere with this.

Now, for whatever reason, Marvel often does not canonically refer to presidents by their names in dialogue, but the artists pretty much draw whoever is president at the time when someone in canon needs to meet the president. (Captain America seems to get to meet the president a lot. I'm sure you're shocked.)

There are a couple exceptions to "everyone who looks like the president is the president,” namely that Marvel says that the villain who was Number One of the Secret Empire in Captain America v1 #175, who attempted to conspire with aliens to take over the Earth, whom Steve watched commit suicide -- anyway, the official Marvel word is, I believe, that this guy is not Richard Nixon, but Steve Englehart, who wrote the comic, says it absolutely was:

And, yes, this is the incident that causes Steve to lose faith in America and become Nomad. You can kind of see why that would be traumatic. Marvel clearly had some feelings about Watergate they needed to process.

Anyway, I just wanted to put in a picture of that time Ronald Reagan was turned into a snake person. It's Captain America v1 #344:

I love comics.

More recent presidents still make appearances in the comics, and they are the president who was the real-life president at the time. For example, the president who pardons Steve for all his SHRA-related crimes in Who Will Wield The Shield is definitely Obama:

And that means that I must also unfortunately inform you that Hydra Steve also received a presidential pardon:

Though the issue in question (Captain America v9 #8) does not specifically name the president, following the "whoever is the actual president is the 616 president" rule, the president who canonically pardoned Hydra Steve is... Donald Trump.

Let's just pause here to contemplate this. Take as long as you need.

(I was today years old when I learned that Hydra Steve has been dead in comics for over a year. Since the issue in which he was pardoned, actually. Which is an issue I am sure I read the day it came out, but somehow I missed the four entire pages where Hydra Steve is set on fire and burns to death while hailing Hydra with his last breath. I guess it wasn't memorable! I mention because I am pretty sure I am not the only one who missed this.)

Anyway. I do have a point to make here, and my point is this: Tony has received political appointments. Two of them, in fact. In the 2003-2004 Iron Man arc "The Best Defense," Tony becomes Secretary of Defense. He does get Senate confirmation; it's not a deputy appointment. He actually gets unanimous confirmation. And I know that Tony had this job is a fact that everyone knows about Tony, but I feel like a lot of people may not be totally conscious of the timeframe involved here, and by that I mean that he is absolutely, positively, the Secretary of Defense for Earth-616's George W. Bush. Yes, I am sure of this.

Here is Tony with the president in Iron Man v3 #78, being told he got the job:

Yeah. That’s George W. Bush.

Can a Cabinet appointment cross party lines? I mean, sure, it's possible. I am not the kind of giant politics nerd who has this memorized, but there is in fact, a Wikipedia page for US political appointments across party lines. And it looks like there have been five cross-party Secretaries of Defense and five Secretaries of War. So, I mean, yes, it's happened, but it's fairly rare. None of the cross-party Secretaries of Defense (deputy secretaries excluded, since they weren't confirmed, obviously) were ever Democrats appointed by Republicans. And since we're looking at Dubya's administration specifically, it looks like only one of his Cabinet appointees (Transportation) was cross-party. So it looks like he in particular would not have been especially likely to appoint a Democrat to his Cabinet, since in real life he only had the one.

So to me it seems that the most likely party affiliation for Tony has to be Republican, because of this. Sure, the appointment could have crossed party lines. But I feel like it's just... not likely. Being a Republican Secretary of Defense in a Republican administration just seems way, way more possible.

(Also I'd like everyone to remember that Tony is replacing the previous Secretary of Defense because the previous Secretary of Defense was secretly the Red Skull and released an engineered flesh-eating virus at Mount Rushmore. Just, y'know, to set the mood.)

What's more, Tony gets a second political appointment from the Bush administration. It's not a Cabinet position, but he does become the Director of SHIELD in 2007. Here Tony is with the president, slightly earlier, in Civil War #1:

This is not really as good a likeness of Bush as the previous and I guess you could argue that the artist was drawing A Generic Politician but I feel like, y'know, it's probably still meant to be Bush. And Tony may not have wanted this particular job -- we know he definitely didn't -- but he absolutely wanted to be Secretary of Defense. So we know that he is definitely fine with serving in a Republican administration.

So, yeah, that's my argument: odds are pretty good that Tony has, at some point in his life, been a Republican. Maybe not right now. But probably in the past.

Having said that, given the way Marvel handles politics, I don't think it's likely to ever be much of an issue in canon; the Avengers mostly just tend to get to get along with whoever the president is at the time and I can't recall really anything about partisan issues. However, you're never going to convince me 616 Steve was anything other than a New Deal Democrat -- even though I know that in Cap #250 he turns down both the Democrats and the Republicans when they ask him to run for president -- because, I mean, come on. I assume that he and Tony probably try not to discuss politics ever anymore, because we all know how the SHRA went. They probably mostly agree, but when they disagree, people have a tendency to end up dead.

That was probably more than you ever wanted to know about my thoughts on this topic.

[jupiteronic]

Introduction to Egyptian Astrology ☥ (Part 1)

🇪🇬 Egyptian astrology has 12 signs just like Western astrology, except instead of being based on constellations, they’re based on Egyptian gods/goddesses - with the exception of the first sign, The Nile. The Egyptians believed that the gods they worshipped not only predetermined their life, but also imbued their qualities into an individual’s character. There are two different ways of calculating your Egyptian sign; using the traditional ‘decan’ method or the Greek influence method. The traditional method says that signs cover different days of different months in decans. The other version is based on what the Ancient Egyptians learned from the Ancient Greeks about Babylonian astrology, assigning dates in a similar way to Western astrology. This post will cover the traditional dates, I will do a post on the signs following the Greek influence if requested.

The Nile

Traditional dates: January 1 - 7, June 19 - 28, September 1 - 7, November 18 - 26

Ruled by the River Nile.

Characteristics: Like the river, those born under the sign of The Nile are nurturing and giving. Likely to succeed in a teaching career. Peace-loving and quiet, they often avoid any form of dissension. Emotional nature can be a disadvantage, but their calm and observant character makes them good at mediating and communicating. Endowed with a practical, diligent and analytical mind. Lovers of refinement. Receptive to riches and prefers to live in an ‘awakened’ state. Wise, tolerant and capable of motherly tenderness. However, The Nile people are subject to changing moods. Can be impulsive and domineering.

Keywords: Caring, loving, gentle, calm, peace, wisdom, perception.

Benefits from vivid red and deep blue colours. 💙

Compatible with Amun-Ra and Seth.

Amun-Ra

Traditional dates: January 8 - 21, February 1 - 11

Ruled by Amun-ra - the Egyptian god of creation.

Characteristics: Optimistic in nature, their natural leadership is boosted by their intuition and good decision-making ability. Endowed with talents and luck. Carries an aura of royalty around them. Strong, tough and hardworking. Humanitarian and concerned about the world, often devotes themselves to solving its problems. To be born under the sign of Amun-Ra is both a challenge and a gift; either way, life is rarely shallow or mediocre. Generous and inspiring, guided towards great opportunities. Often meditative, disappointed by less-than-spiritual feelings and experiences. The inclination to detach from loved ones as well as secretive tendencies likely causes problems. May have an ego.

Keywords: Powerful, strong, domineering, secretive, distant, royalty.

Benefits from yellow and orange colours. 🧡

Compatible with The Nile and Horus.

Mut

Traditional dates: January 22 - 31, September 8 - 22

Roman:

Ruled by Mut - the Divine Mother who is also associated with water.

Characteristics: Like Mut, people born under this sign tend to be motherly and often make good parents due to their nurturing and protective character. Likely to succeed as an accountant. Wise, logical and practical yet full of hope; great role models for young minds. Secretive nature, shy in opening up to others. Sensitive and reserved, but generous and patient. Full of irony. Those born under the sign of Mut are vulnerable and often go through bouts of melancholy. May be prone to emotional outbursts as it takes them a long time to get out of feelings of pain. Seeks protection and goodwill from others. The inclination to be deeply involved in relationships should be controlled in order to avoid getting hurt.

Keywords: Vulnerable, caring, protective, reserved, distant, logic.

Benefits from brown and carmine colours. 🌹

Compatible with Amun-Ra and Thoth.

Geb

Traditional dates: February 12 - 29, August 20 - 31

Ruled by Geb - the Egyptian god of the earth.

Characteristics: Highly sensitive, intuitive and impressionable. Sharp intellect. Likely to succeed in careers involving teaching, writing, administration and counseling. Strong sense of what is ‘correct�� and appropriate. Honest, caring and fair. Can be obsessive, anxious and egoistic. Trustworthy and modest with an engaging personality. Often struggles with saying ‘no’ - placing boundaries is important for those born under the sign of Geb, as they can be easily influenced by energies around them and may therefore invite negative energies into their life. Deeply affected by the environment and others’ moods, can go from being elated to dispirited; the ability to empathize with the upsets of others can be a disadvantage. Usually concerned about the wellbeing of people and the earth.

Keywords: Balance, calm, proud, perceptive, responsive, reliable, a contributor.

Benefits from violet and orange-red colours. 🦑

Compatible with Seth and Horus.

Osiris

Traditional dates: March 1 - 10, November 27 - December 18

Ruled by Osiris - Egyptian god of the underworld who is the symbol of rebirth.

Characteristics: Symbolizing rebirth, people born under the sign of Osiris often have dual personalities. They can be both extremely strong and vulnerable. They can make great leaders because of their charisma, passion and outspoken nature. Always willing to help others and has little trouble starting new things. Optimistic, generous and full of energy. However, they can also be restless and impatient with a hot temper. It is difficult for people under this sign to take criticism. There is a tendency to avoid responsibilities when emotionally disturbed, which can get them into trouble. This must be addressed for the sake of the native. You waver more than others in moments of adversity. Can be bossy and overbearing.

Keywords: Optimistic, fiery, vulnerable, outspoken, passionate, restlessness.

Benefits from yellow and green colours. 💚

Compatible with Isis and Thoth.

Isis

Traditional dates: March 11 - 31, October 18 - 29, December 19 - 31

Ruled by Isis - the mother goddess/goddess of nature who is also the protector during childbirth.

Characteristics: Straightforward, logical and often misunderstood. Endowed with practicality and ambition. Playful. These people often have a great sense of humor and are full of energy. This may lead to restlessness and cause them to turn to escapism despite responsibilities, which can invite negativity and problems. Beware of this tendency and the inclination to be demanding. You are likely to be very hospitable. Go where you can give and protect life. Be receptive to people, but don’t allow your motivations and intentions to be muddled by others. Don’t let disappointments get in the way of this; they often hurt more under this sign. Can be demanding.

Keywords: Logic, straightforward, hospitality, humor, clarity, purity.

Benefits from white and blue colours. 🔹

Compatible with Osiris and Thoth.

Thoth

Traditional dates: April 1 - 19, November 8 - 17

Ruled by Thoth - the Egyptian god of knowledge and wisdom.

Characteristics: Communicative and creative, usually comes up with fresh new ideas. Endowed with courage and honesty. Loyal, it is unthinkable for people under this sign to break their word or cheat others, often has stable relationships due to this. Lovable and respectful, but can be naive and difficult to work with. Opinionated, struggles to accept others’ points of view. Likes to take risks provided it helps them improve themselves; usually competes with themselves. Enthusiastic and enterprising but strongly dislikes meanness and mediocrity. Their reliability and ability to communicate means they can be efficient when it comes to solving problems. However, those born under the sign of Thoth are strongly affected by betrayal and must work on seeing others’ points of view or it could disturb the stability in their life.

Keywords: Loyal, honesty, courage, communication, ambition, wisdom.

Benefits from pink and white colours. ⚪️

Compatible with Isis and Bastet.

Horus

Traditional dates: April 20 - May 7, August 12 - 19

Ruled by Horus - the protector of the pharaoh.

Characteristics: Extremely dedicated to their community. Brave, daring and optimistic. Endowed with charisma, fierce will and intelligence, their vast knowledge makes them appear capable of understanding and uncovering everything which is often how they make their way in the world. Courageous and loyal. Extremely stubborn and domineering, they can force people to work their way. This eagerness to dominate may get them in trouble and must be tamed, as well as a tendency to get overprotective and jealous in relationships. Needs to work on inflexibility. Hardworking & loves security and peace.

Keywords: Dedicated, knowledge, stubborn, hardworking, willpower, domineering.

Benefits from carmine red and gold colours. 🔑

Compatible with Bastet and Geb.

Anubis

Traditional dates: May 8 - 27, June 29 - July 13

Ruled by Anubis - the Egyptian guardian of the underworld.

Characteristics: Solitary and creative. Clever and full of compassion, however harbor a darkness; represented by the god who symbolizes death, they have an understanding of the dark side of life. Due to their sufferings, they can be deeply ambivalent, often with a fatalistic outlook. Endowed with a strong sense of confidence and honesty. Passionate and creative, but controlling and overly competitive. No pushovers, yet readily trust others and quite affectionate with their loved ones. However, the Anubis personality’s tendency to wear their heart on their sleeve may get them into trouble and cause them to become inhibited in their relationships. This along with a domineering streak must be controlled. Can solve complex psychological dilemmas.

Keywords: Introverted, domineering, trusting, honest, creative.

Benefits from sienna and purple colours. 💜

Compatible with Isis and Bastet.

Seth

Traditional dates: May 28 - June 18, September 28 - October 2

Ruled by Seth - the Egyptian god of chaos.

Characteristics: Active and strive for perfection. Endowed with charisma, tenacity and strength. Strong thirst for knowledge that aids them in times of adversity. Their need for freedom and constant desire for change may backfire and cause them to break rules or invite negative elements into their lives. For this reason, people born under the sign of Seth need to control their adventure-seeking tendencies. When it’s important, the passion and courage they have is unrivaled. The Seth personality is called upon to lead the way into unexplored dimensions and bring about great changes; it embodies metamorphosis.

Keywords: Change, adventure, experiences, life, knowledge, chaos.

Benefits from turquoise blue and black. ⚫️

Compatible with Geb and The Nile.

Bastet

Traditional dates: July 14 - 28, September 23 - 27, October 3 - 17

Ruled by Bastet - the cat goddess of pleasure and fertility who protects women.

Characteristics: Endowed with inner strength, endurance and agility. Likely to bring great insights into business ventures as well as affairs of the heart. Intuitive, psychic and mysterious. People born under this sign love peace, constantly seeking out balance and harmony in their relations with others. Conflict-avoidant. Likes to enjoy the good life and help others. Clingy. There is a tendency to be possessive and influenced by greater power. These people can snuff out the most obscure psychic forces. They may be inclined to ignore their needs in order to devote themselves to others and loved ones, so people born under the sign of Bastet must learn to prioritize their needs for self-protection.

Keywords: Psychic, peace, intuitive, harmony, balance, strength.

Benefits from yellow-ochre and gray colours. 💿

Compatible with Sekhmet and Horus.

Sekhmet

Traditional dates: July 29 - August 11, October 30 - November 7

Ruled by Sekhmet - the lioness goddess of war who is also a judge.

Characteristics: Down-to-earth and protective. Endowed with majestic grace, the ability to lead, and an inner sense of beauty. Likely to have success in their professional lives due to having a perfectionist streak. Jovial, talkative and welcoming. Honest and sensitive. Self-destructive egos with dual personalities. They can alternate between being strict, controlled and disciplined to being extremely free-spirited and carefree, extremely pure to most impure etc. Strong moral code that may be hypocritical due to their ‘impure’ side. There is a love for luxury in life that must be controlled, as well as a tendency to stifle/control loved ones out of overprotectiveness. Those born under the sign of Sekhmet need to work on these areas for balance. Can be impatient and easily offended.

Keywords: Observant, sharp, critical, telepathic, authoritarian, equity, justice.

Benefits from clear green and turquoise blue colours 💎

Compatible with Bastet and Geb.

[kneworder]

Originally I was just going to leave this as an rb on my original post, but it got super long, so it’s getting its own. I don’t usually write meta, so I hope this makes sense, but here’re my thoughts on Klaus’ cult and how it relates to Allison!

Allison’s rumoring and Klaus’ cult are, in many ways, extremely similar, yet while one is treated as an inexcusable crime, the other is only brought in for comedic purposes.

Ultimately, Allison uses her power to take away the free will of the people around her, including those she loves. This is a direct result of her upbringing — being taught to cultivate and weaponize her ability leads her to having no real incentive not to use it, at least, until she faces consequences for it. I’m not going to try to excuse her actions, but my point is that neither is Allison: she’s making an active effort to change because she understands that what she did is wrong. This is a point directly acknowledged in-universe, what with her renouncing her ability and attempting to carve out a real life.

I don’t want to draw a false equivalency here — Klaus using his powers to exploit people because he sees it as his best possible means of survival in the completely new and extremely hostile environment that is the 1960s is extremely different from building an entire success story on top of lies and manipulation. However, it really should be addressed that starting a cult is objectively, an extremely messed up thing for him to do.

Let’s talk about cults for a moment: contrary to what Klaus and TUA might have you believe, one guy performing some unexplainable feats isn’t going to give him a following so devoted they abandon their lives for him. Cult leaders typically fall into a very specific personality type: narcissistic, manipulative, and charismatic, especially when they don’t believe in the higher purpose they preach. A cult only forms because its leader builds it, and they do that by exploiting the insecurities of its members. Someone who feels dissatisfied with life, who is suffering from societal pressure or serious mental illness, is going to be especially vulnerable to a cult’s reach.

No one joins a cult because they’re happy. No one joins a cult because it can genuinely save them. People join a cult because they want the answers and acceptance they’re not getting in their current life.

We don’t get to see too much into Destiny’s Children, but the character we get the most insight into is Jill. Jill gave up a Fulbright Scholarship to follow Klaus across the country — she willingly gave up an education that could have propelled her into an extremely successful future for him and his cult. And what does she get from him? Pithy sayings from 2000s hits? A ‘meeting of their multiple spirits’ in the sex swing? He doesn’t even remember her name!

Look, I’m not saying that Klaus is some irredeemable monster. All I’m saying is that despite how little Klaus seems to care for his cult in the canon few days we see him, he had three years previous to build his following — it didn’t just spring up out of nowhere. No matter how comically the show treats it, the creation of a cult is never going to be a benign process. People give up their lives. People give up their money. How exactly did Klaus get that mansion in Dallas? Even if it was gifted to him by the rich older woman we see him picked up by when he arrives, it would have been because she believed in his prophet status, what with his showing off his ‘levitation’ in front of her -- she would have given it to him because she believed in his lie.

Klaus exploits his followers for money and for sex, things they give him because they’ve completely bought into his proselytizing. I would argue that no matter how much they may claim otherwise, these are not things they’re capable of giving away of their own free will, they’re things they’re giving away under the false pretense of Klaus’ false godhood.

And this is where Allison comes back in. Allison’s power is, quite literally, manipulation. She is constantly reminding herself and others that working to give that up is deeply important, that no matter how terrible a person is, she doesn’t have the right to take away their free will. Klaus, on the other hand, has quite literally brainwashed himself an entire following. They treat him as a god and his words as scripture, they’re willing to tend to his every whim and every need. Yet unlike Allison, Klaus doesn’t seem to care that he’s essentially stripped these people of their free will. He only regrets the cult because their devotion is irritating, not because he actually cares for his members. Cults ruin lives, and Klaus being its leader does not make Destiny’s Children the exception.

Contrary to how it may sound, I actually don’t have a problem with this writing choice. I think finally getting to use his powers, which have been nothing but a source of suffering, to make himself rich and powerful is an extremely in-character thing for Klaus to do. He’s still struggling with addiction, he’s still mourning Dave, he’s been stripped of everything and everyone he’s ever known by the time jump: Klaus isn’t doing great himself. But, just as Allison’s upbringing doesn’t excuse her actions, Klaus’ circumstances don’t excuse his.

The only person who ever seems to acknowledge how genuinely messed up Klaus’ actions were is Ben, and even that can be dismissed as having ulterior motives because of Ben’s crush on Jill. My point is that in many ways, Allison and Klaus are guilty of very similar offenses. But while Allison’s entire character arc revolves around hers, Klaus’ are treated as comedic background noise.

Again, I don’t necessarily think this is poor writing, or something terribly out of character. I just wish the writers (and the fandom) would acknowledge that for a show that puts so much emphasis on the importance of free will, maybe having a character become a literal cult leader is something that should be addressed!

(Thank you to @chrrysodas​ for expressing interest, sorry this turned out stupidly long!!)

[antiquitiesandlabyrinths]

Akhenaten

The name Akhenaten is rather well known as a Pharaoh of Egypt. Like Ramesses II, Hatshepsut, Cleopatra, and Tutankhamun, Akhenaten won the popularity contest of modern society through defining himself as far different from most other Pharaohs. With Akhenaten, however, he’s not even like the special Pharaohs.

Let’s look a little at his life and the history of the time period he ruled over. He was in the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, from 1353-1336 BC. Like most Pharaohs there are a few different pronunciations of his name, including Akhenaton, Ikhnaton, Khuenaten, all meaning of great use to Aten, which leads into his conversion into the cult of Aten. Before the conversion his name was Amenhotep IV, son of Amenhotep III. His mother was named Tiye. Later on in life he married Queen Nefertiti, fathering two children, one from his wife Nefertiti and one from his lesser wife, Lady Kiya, having Ahnksenamun and Tutankhamun to each wife respectively.

Before we get into the whole mess of his religion and the ‘revamping’ he did of ancient Egypt, let’s recognize the other things he did for or to the country.

You’ll recognize the vastly different art style between Akhenaten’s rule and the history of most of Egypt. In art that depicts Akhenaten, he was shown as long and spindly, a style that carried into his family. Some people believe that this was because he and his family suffered from Marfan’s syndrome, a disease that caused the elongation of bones and skinniness. A more likely explanation stems from the Pharaoh’s religious beliefs, which as you know, was vastly different from other Pharaohs. This theory is a little more likely because there was no reason for the queen Nefertiti to have the same condition as her husband. Instead, it was probably because their status was far different from the other Pharaohs, as they were moved into a genuinely god-like status for their worship of Aten.

The part of Akhenaten and his rule that interests me the most is the way the royal family was presented in art, despite the style. Like many parts of Akhenaten, it’s entirely different from other Pharaohs (though, whether that’s good or bad is up to you).

Now, most Pharaohs presented themselves highly in art. They could do that, so why not? If I had the guts and the money I probably would too, but my point is that essentially all Pharaohs depicted themselves alone on stelas, engaging in hunting or other activities that strengthened the image of themselves that they wanted to show the world. Usually they were masculine tasks that could be done only by those with great strength and great riches. Akhenaten went in an entirely different direction; he depicted himself with his family. In the stele of Akhenaten, he is shown in a private way, the scene being him with his family, enjoying themselves together.

While we can’t say the definitive reason for him presenting himself as this, the most logical conclusion has to do with, again, his religious beliefs. In his mind, the Aten was held above all else, even the Pharaoh. With Aten as the highest consideration, the Pharaoh and his family enjoyed their lives under the influence of the Aten’s love and grace.

Now that we have a little insight, let’s get into the whole mess of his religion that died immediately after he did.

Akhenaten originally reigned as Amenhotep IV, a reign that lasted around five years before he switched religions. Changing his name, he converted to a cult that worshipped Amun to that of Aten, abolishing the ancient rites of those before him, and instituting what is believed as the first example of monotheism state religion in the world. His rule as Akhenaten lasted 12 years, during which he was labelled as the infamous ‘heretic king’, so that should give you some insight into how people felt about him. 

Before his rule, the cult of aten was a cult like all others in Egypt. It was a bit like choosing your favorite God – find the one you like most, and join that cult. For example if I were to join a cult, I would join the cult of my favorite God, Ma’at. I mention this because before the change, the Aten was shown in inscriptions of Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV at that point), represented by the sun disk. It’s also important to note cult doesn’t carry the same meaning as it did then, and each cult shared the same goal: balance and eternal harmony.

At the time of Amenhotep IV’s rule the Amun cult (where the Aten is from) held incredible power. Their power had been growing for a long while, and by the time of his rule, they held nearly as much power and riches as the Pharaoh himself, and actually owned more land than Amenhotep IV. The fifth year of his reign he switched everything; this was when he abolished the practices of the previous religion of Egypt, and proclaimed himself the “living incarnation of a single all-powerful deity known as Aten,” (Joshua J Mark), and by the ninth year, he closed every single temple, prohibiting all the old practices and devotion to the many Gods the people of Egypt worshipped.

Around then was when he moved the royal seat of Egypt from the traditional house of Thebes to a city of his own creation, a city named Akhetaten, and with that he changed his name to Akhenaten. Here he earned the name the Heretic King, earning the ire of some historians and the admiration of others.

Despite the fact that Akhenaten’s influence completely destroyed worship of the Gods many Egyptians loved, one of the main problems with his rule was that the Old Gods of Egypt instilled harmony and order in the citizens, ultimately helping to create a country that lasted over 4,000 years. Without these Gods, things got a little wonky.

Religious tolerance was allowed with the many Gods, emphasizing peace to the point where religious intolerance wasn’t even an issue. Unfortunately, for monotheism to work, there has to be something inherently wrong with the other side, which made Akhenaten’s work a lot harder, and its’ effects much stronger. It led to the intolerance of other beliefs and some severe suppression, and if you look at the monotheistic religions of today, you can see the same sort of pattern. With intolerance comes hatred and war.

“Dating to this point in Akhenaten’s reign was a campaign to excise the name of gods other than the Aten, especially Amun, from the monuments of Egypt. This was done with violence: hieroglyphs were brutally hacked from the walls of temples and tombs. This was probably carried out, at least in part, by illiterate iconoclasts, presumably following the orders of their king. [Akhenaten] carried out a religious revolution the like of which had never been seen before in Egypt.” (Zahi Hawass, 42-43).

There were priests of Atum who attempted to hide religious artifacts, storing statuary and texts away from the soldiers ordered to destroy them. The priests, with nothing left to do, were forced to abandon their temples. In response Akhenaten either hired new priests or forced the other ones to obey him, proclaiming him and his wife once more as Gods on earth.

Now you can see how Akhenaten kind of sucks. Let’s talk about how he sucks even more.

His foreign policy.

With his ego inflated to the size of the sun, Akhenaten thought himself above interactions with foreign powers. He left his duties to spend more time on himself and his family, ultimately leading to a severe neglect.

You might be asking, “didn’t every Pharaoh have a super-inflated ego?” and yes, you’d be right, but no Pharaoh before Akhenaten had genuinely claimed themselves to be a God. As a self-proclaimed incarnated God, he must’ve thought such affairs beneath him.

Discovered through letters of the time, several (former) allies of Egypt had asked for their help several times with various affairs. At the time Egypt was wealthy, prosperous, and strong, a state that had been slowly growing before halting at Queen Hatshepsut’s reign. Hatshepsut and her successors employed a strategy of actually doing work, by working out when to approach with diplomacy, and when military action was required. Akhenaten on the other hand, ignored everything outside of his palace at Akhetaten. 

The uncertainty of Akhenaten’s rule, along with letters of correspondence between the city of Amarna, the Pharaoh, and foreign nations, led to this era being called the Amarna period. These very letters were proof of the Pharaoh’s negligence. However, the letters also show his keen eye in foreign diplomacy, if the situation interested him so. It was a whole thing with the Hittites, but since this is chiefly about Akhenaten, I’ll leave that topic for later. All you really need to know is that he only tended to issues that affected him directly, and through the Amarna letters, historians can see how poor of a King he was, as well as how deeply many of his subjects disliked or despised him. 

Essentially, the main reason this mess didn’t work out was because it brought about something new: exclusivity. And the Egyptians did not like that, believing that the world needed to have a balance in order to stay away from slipping into chaos. In the end monotheism didn’t last; hell, it was ended basically the second Akhenaten’s son took the throne. Tutankhamun, originally named Tutankhaten, changed his name to reflect the return to polytheism. His successors tore down the reminders of Akhenaten’s reign, removing him and his adoration for the Aten, eradicating his name from the record.

There’s no saying he didn’t affect the world – he did, a lot. Whether that affect was good or bad is up to the interpreter (personally I don’t like it all that much). By Freud’s thinking (hear me out, I know he sucks) Akhenaten’s rule inspired the ancient world, leading others to copy his ideas and theology, eventually snowballing into our modern world, where there are essentially no polytheistic religions. You have to give him credit – he was the first person of the ancient world to dream up monotheism, changing what had defined humanity for so long.

With his name stricken from the books, historians only discovered him upon finding his city Akhetaten. In the records, Horemheb is labelled as Amenhotep III’s successor, skipping over both Akhenaten and Tutankhamun’s rule. Later when Tutankhamun’s tomb was found as one of the very few graves still filled with treasure, interest spiked in Tutankhamun’s life, eventually leading back to his father Akhenaten. 

[fictionadventurer]

Top 5 unpublished stories (unfinished, in-progress, etc. yours or others' - things posted on tumblr fit, but not indie or traditional publishing)

To be clear, I’m limiting this to:

Works that have at least a partial scene drafted. If it exists only in outline or in idea form, it’s ineligible. There has to be some writing for me to reread and like.  

Stories that are not current WIPs.

So, in no particular order, here are five favorites that I’m fond of.

(Warning: Very Long Post)

1. Airship Sleeping Beauty.

In this world, parents buy fairy gifts for their children at birth. Most people are limited to two or three. Seraphina Crowne (please call her Sara) was gifted with twelve. Her impoverished parents had friends among fairy kind who were able to bend the rules to give this child enough gifts to survive in their harsh environment. Thus, Sara has everything from enhanced beauty and grace to strength and speed and musical skill, which makes her an unstoppable force of (super)nature. She loves a challenge and decides to support her parents by becoming a sailor on a flying sailing ship, where she rockets up through the ranks.

Our POV character is Jack Sanders, who serves under her as second lieutenant. Jack has spent years struggling through the ranks with only one unsuitable fairy gift. The father who chose his gift was an insomniac, and gave his son the gift of helping people fall asleep. Surrounded by people with more useful skills like strength or navigation, Jack languished as a midshipman for years until he served under a captain who realized the greater uses of his gift. Jack hates Seraphina Crowne, assuming that she’s the daughter of a rich man who has enough money to bend all the fairy gifting rules for his precious princess.

As they travel through a tropical land, they run into many adventures, and Jack starts to respect Sara. He learns that she comes from a much less privileged background than he’d assumed, and they slowly become friends. Then one day, they’re taking a day of shore leave on a flying island when they get into a fight with some local ruffians. Sara falls over the edge and is impaled on one of the metal spikes that serve as a barrier between the island and the open sky. But she doesn’t die. She climbs up with a gaping hole through her torso, and the should-be fatal wound heals within hours.

Sara is forced to tell Jack her greatest secret--she actually has a (highly illegal) thirteenth gift. Her mother’s greatest friend among fairy kind was a fairy who was banished from the guild for giving gifts that were too powerful. This fairy wanted to make absolutely certain that her friend couldn’t possibly lose this child at a young age. Her gift to Sara was that she would die by being pricked on the spindle of a spinning wheel--which means that nothing else can kill her. Not disease, injury, old age--she is invulnerable as long as she stays away from spinning wheels, which is easy to do in this industrialized age when your average person has never seen such a thing.  

Jack promises to keep Sara’s secret and they return to the ship. But Jack isn’t the only one who heard her confession. There’s a local airship pirate who supports his business by adopting infants and getting them the illegal fairy gift of being able to transform into birds. One of these bird-children also heard Sara’s story, and they inform their pirate father, who make plans to attack the ship and take out its most powerful asset.

I never finished the story because the climax falls apart. The pirates were going to attack and stab Sara, but Jack is able to stall her death by putting her to sleep--and I could never figure out a way to save Sara without it feeling cheap and predictable and/or detouring into a completely different plotline that takes us away from the story. But I think of the rest of it as one of the best fairy tale retellings I never wrote.

2. Faraway House

This one is my middle-grade portal fantasy for adults. Mara meets Adrian, a mysterious, magical man whose house sits in a space that connects to three different universes--ours, one that has a more medieval fairy tale vibe, and one that’s more steampunky and involves lots of chimeras and people with animal traits. People in need of help tend to fall into this in-between space, and Adrian lets them stay at Faraway House for as long as they need.

There are tons of characters who drop into this story and provide little subplots, but my favorite part was an overarching plotline involving Adrian and Mara. Adrian, who was originally from the fairy tale world, was the evil magician of every childhood nightmare, a powerful man who did all sorts of horrible things to people. He became obsessed with immortality and eventually got it--at a great price to the rest of the world and to himself. He was caught, stripped of a lot of power, and left to live his long life and see the consequences of his actions. He spent a few centuries wandering the three different worlds and undergoing a ton of character development. As a newly humbled man, he was given charge of Faraway House, since his magical talents would be valuable to keep the area and the portals stable. Now, he’s the nicest, sweetest guy you’d ever want to meet. He rarely tells anyone about his past, and most people wouldn’t believe it if you told them.

Anyhow, after Mara’s been staying at Faraway for a long time, she and Adrian go through a portal that links to Adrian’s home universe. They soon realize that it links to his world several centuries in the past, when Evil Adrian was at the height of his power. And he’s very interested in Mara, because her adventures in Faraway have given her some kind of magic that will help him reach the Well of Immortality (or something like that--it’s a very nebulous, fairy tale idea). Unfortunately, taking this magic will kill Mara, so Older Adrian does all he can to save Mara. He succeeds and gets her back home. But his younger self is still on the lookout for her, and he eventually makes his way to Faraway, where he drains the magic and escapes, leaving Mara dying.

And I know this is the most cliche way to end this, but I like my stories predictable and cheesy, and Older Adrian ends up saving Mara by giving up his immortality, which kills him. It’s all very Disney-moving. The story ends with Mara being made the new caretaker of Faraway. And I give away the ending because I’m never going to write this, but I’m still fonder of this story than it deserves.

3. The Island

Anne of Green Gables meets fairy tales.

The Island is a place full of magic. Amphibious mermaids swim along its shores. A fairy forest fills the heart of the Island. Selkie live on the tiny islands off its shore. Pixies cause trouble in the farmyard’s back garden. It’s amazing to the relatively low-magic areas of the rest of the world, but it’s all part of daily life to the farmers and fishermen who live here.

The Fairy’s Daughters, a retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”, had the most words written in it, but I think I’m fonder of some of the shorter sketches set a generation earlier that highlight little bits and pieces of the world. I started with the tale of Lizbet, an ordinary orphan girl living with her aunt who befriends Gideon, a half-fairy boy who eventually becomes the town’s magical doctor. Their friends include the widow lighthouse keeper who tries to adopt an orphan boy and is surprised to get Amy, who’s a girl--and a mermaid. There’s Captain Avery, a fierce-looking old sailor with a gentle heart and a surprising amount of experience with magical creatures. There’s Auberon, a fairy prince and eventually king who’s racist against humans, spends some of his younger years traveling in human lands to import human-made products, and becomes even more racist because of it.

I think my favorite thing in this universe are the sylphs. I borrowed Andersen’s idea of the “Daughters of the Air”, and made my sylphs into invisible, benevolent creatures who do good deeds for people, and can accomplish magical feats far beyond what any fairy can do. The sketch I reread most often is a scene where Amy, out for a swim in a storm, is rescued by a sylph who has taken a human (though translucent) form, and gets invited in for tea by Amy’s grateful friends.

It’s a fun universe to play in, but not one that I’m very good at finishing stories in, so I think it needs to stay as a pretty aesthetic and a fun sandbox.

4. Clever Anne

A retelling of “Kate Crackernuts” set in a non-magical Regency-esque setting. Anne is the beautiful, intelligent daughter of a duke. Kate is her bold, daring stepsister. They are deeply devoted to each other, but Kate’s mother hates Anne for being so much more beautiful than her daughter. She gets one of the servants to push Anne into the embers of the fire, leaving her face badly burned. Kate throws a veil over Anne’s face and gets her out of the house, insisting they’ll go off to make their fortune.

Anne was childhood friends with a young man who, through a convoluted succession crisis, unexpectedly finds himself on the throne. They stumble upon him in their travels, and find themselves able to help him by investigating the mysterious behavior of his half-brother, who resents that he was passed over for the throne and may be plotting something sinister. I was never able to figure out a good political-intrigue parallel to the “dancing all night with fairies” portion of the plot, so it never got written. The only really good scene I wrote from this story was the moment where Kate finds out about Anne’s injury and insists on leaving the house. But even in that one scene, their relationship is so strong and so vivid in my mind that I love their story even if I never finish it.

5. The Beast’s Mechanic

This is the one on the list that’s closest to being a WIP. I actually edited some of the beginning in March. It’s a sci-fi take on “Beauty and the Beast” set in a world where two planetary empires are at war. The war destroyed Monique’s father’s shipping business, forcing the whole family to move to a desert planet where they run a small spaceport. Monique is a top-notch mechanic, her sister Gemma is a pilot, Gemma’s twin Joanne stays at home to take care of the house and the two youngest siblings, and Leo is a seventeen-year-old rapscallion who is desperate to join the war as soon as possible.

Their world is upended when, for the first time in years, their mother wants to meet with them. A former starship captain, she and her husband disagreed over the war, and she left the family years ago to join the war effort. But now her starship is in for repairs and she wants to take some time to reconnect with her family. There’s some controversy among the family--do they really want to open these wounds again when they’ve finally moved on?--but Monique the peacemaker insists that, even though it’s impossible for the whole family to make the trip, her father should take the chance. He goes to meet his wife, but on the way there, his spaceship breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and he’s rescued by the Beast, an infamous cyborg outlaw. He also breaks important equipment on the Beast’s ship, and is only able to keep from being thrown out of the airlock by insisting that his daughter can fix it.

Monique nearly does, except that the authorities show up just before she’s done with repairs, forcing the Beast to take off with her in the ship. She comes to learn that the Beast is far from an evil criminal and has been helping people wronged by the government, and she helps him get home to his family (in the enemy empire), but her patriotic starship captain of a mother takes all of these events in very much the wrong light.

I’m very fond of this story for the ways that it avoids some of the usual BatB retelling tropes. There’s much more to this story than the romance, and little focus on the mystery of how the Beast became a Beast, and there’s much more focus on family. The Beast hasn’t even shown up yet, but I’m just incredibly fond of Monique’s family and their everyday working-class life on a desert planet. I hope I can make more progress on it someday.

[obscuremarvelmuses]

Darkstar headcanons: Laynia dresses in primarily dark cool colors with bright accents in the form of trims, patterns, or accessories. Due to coming from cold Russia, short bottoms aren’t in her wardrobe and most of her sleeves are long. She favors high-necked blousy belted tops with sleek pants and functional but pretty boots. Her long blonde is eternally pushed back. by some sort of headband. Cloth, plastic, wood, plain, pearls, bejeweled, patterned, she has them in near every variety possible and they are her most common accessory. She also owns a large assortment of stylish winter coats, scarves, gloves, and hats. Because, again, Russian. She's not much one for bracelets, preferring brooches and pendants more, typically in oval or starburst shapes. She has a love for black velvet, and it will show up for dressy events in forms such as a rhinestone-dotted envelope handbag or round-toed pumps with ankle straps. Laynia collects small antique music boxes and crystal glass figurines of pretty things like ballerinas and swans. She likes black velvet jewel pillows, black flowers and black butterflies, gemstones (clear, black, or yellow) all sorts of museums (but especially art, astronomy, and natural history) and the sight of pure white snow under the street lamps at night before people can ruin it into dirty slush the next day.  She listens to classical, romantic, disco, pop, and synth music. Laynia likes sweet delicate desserts like rock candy, powder candy, jujubes, marzipan, and bliny or oladyi with varenya style fruit preserves. She dislikes zhurek, tukmachi  and any kind of preserved fish dish (fish should only be served fresh or not at all!) She dislikes being asked about Putin, the Romanovs, etc. Basically, about the only things Americans know about Russian culture. She also dislikes how people don’t know the different between Russian and Belarusian.  Her favorite animals are white weasels/minks (because they're so pretty and cute) and wolves (because they're beautiful too, but also such social animals with strong family dynamics) Laynia likes “slice of life” fictional media, such as domestic drama novels or family-centered sitcom shows. These are fantasies for her, these are escapes from what’s “normal” in her life. For the same reason, she avoids spy thrillers and similar genres, no matter how unrealistic they are in their depictions. She delights in mundane tasks. Likes working in small groups (3-6 people counting herself), dislikes working alone or large groups. She anthropomorphizes the Darkforce, calling it "she" and believing it has feelings or at the very least is capable of pain. What she actually feels when she feels the Darkforce in "pain" is due to simply her mental connection to her own Darkforce constructs that allows her to create, maintain, and manipulate them. When they are attacked, dissipated, or changed against her will, she feels that as pain, and interprets it as the Darkforce being in pain "herself" Though not religious aside from a vague conception of Heaven and its goodness/judgement, Laynia is a strong believer in the supernatural, in particular of ghosts. She is not, however, a fan of them, and would prefer to stay away from anywhere that is rumored to be haunted, had a tragedy occur there, or simply feels creepy to her. Due to her isolated upbringing within a lab, Laynia's social skills are rather lacking. She's extremely polite, but there are so many ways that one can commit a faux pas even with perfect manners, and the nuances of how to navigate complex personal situations escapes her completely. Of course, this applies to plenty of people who WEREN'T raised in a box, so she's really doing marvelously, considering her background. Overall, she comes off as well-bred but clueless, and many assume her to just be a naive rich girl cliche. Her Russian accent also helps with this, making many people attribute her social missteps as merely due to being foreign. Laynia gladly allows them to think this. During times of high emotion or action, Laynia's social niceties deteriorate further, and it's at these times she's at most risk of hurting others emotionally---which, also, is a time they'll most likely be hurt, if their emotions are also running hot. Laynia is more than a little bit of a hypocrite with her morals when it comes to violence and killing in the line of duty. For the most part, she'll always use the minimum force needed to accomplish a task, and will resort to lethal means only when it is truly necessary. At least, until it comes to someone she personally cares about being hurt. For instance, she would probably just teleport a group of bank robbers to jail with her Darkforce powers, leaving them unharmed but contained, even if they shot a hostage. But if they shot her brother? Then they would die. Some people might see this as proof of her devotion to her loved ones, and it is, but it also means that she applies special standards to her own pain and loss over others, and loses her morals when they're actually in a position where it's difficult to uphold them. What's worse, she'll actually be downright irrational in these situations; she'd probably not only kill the person actually responsible for consciously choosing to murder her brother directly, but she'd also likely go after the person who sent them on the assignment. Laynia has precious few people close to her, and her mania at the prospect of having them taken away is something both dangerous and easily exploited. Un-hypocritically, she does understand this in others, seeing it as understandable to commit murder in righteous anger, but not in cold blood. She also understands feelings of isolation, alienation, and being kept apart from others. When she sees someone or something (even an insect) kept prisoner, her instinct and desire is to free it, and she will do so if the being asks, even if it is an enemy. She is far from blindly loyal, and will question her own side should they do things she doesn't agree with, and is also capable of respecting her enemy and even considering them possibly in the right. Despite having been raised to be obedient first and always, she has always had a strong conscience of her own, to the point that she will refuse to work with someone should their methods be too brutal, or reject a loved one if they commit a heinous act. That said, she has trouble openly questioning those in positions of authority over her, specifically those of her own country. She is deeply loyal to Russia, and willing to do things she finds distasteful and wrong if it means saving her homeland, such as kidnapping or pressing someone into service. This same loyalty has made it easy for her government to deceive, manipulate, and just plain strongarm her into serving them in ways she finds wrong. Eventually, she is pushed too far and vows to never again serve the Russian government, but she deeply loves Russia itself and seeks to reform it from within, rather than defecting to the US. She’s basically in an abusive relationship with an entire government/country.  Since her only peers growing up were two boys that grew into very proud and aggressive men, it’s made her a bit sexist, tending to generalize men as always thinking they know best and as always fighting first without question. She believes in battle-forged trust, and will typically consider someone a friend and automatically trustworthy if they fight on the same side together at any point, even if they don’t actually get to know each other at all, and be offended if they don’t think the same of her. Despite her veneer as the softest member of her squad, Laynia is defiant in the face of torture and captivity—-and as kind as she can reasonably be when she is the captor rather than the captive, which has happened more than once when service to her country required her to commit kidnapping. Laynia was raised only to be concerned with the physical well-being of herself and her teammates. It would not be accurate to say that she doesn’t care about the feelings of others, more that she just doesn’t always prioritize them as highly as she should. Because of this, she can frequently ignore or tread on the feelings of others, giving the impression she’s insensitive or mean. Ironically Laynia actually considers herself quite sensitive and emotionally astute, and would be very surprised to learn of such complaints against her. This is because growing up, she WAS considered the emotionally wise one—but only compared to her brother and Ursa Major! Because Laynia was brought up not to complain, she often won’t express that something is bothering her or that someone has offended her. She thinks she’s doing the right thing, but many people would in fact far prefer that she speak up if she’s got a problem. Laynia lacks a lot of basic life skills because they simply weren’t taught to her in the “school” she was raised in. For instance, what outfits are appropriate where, car maintenance, budgeting, cleaning, and cooking. She was taught how to find and prepare food in the Siberian wilderness should she ever be stranded or stationed there, but not how to go to the supermarket and make a normal meal in a normal kitchen. She knows to turn to Google for most of this stuff, she's not stupid, but it can be surprising to some people what she doesn't know, and she often doesn't even know it's something she needs to know until it comes up. Laynia is automatically inclined to trust and obey doctors, professors, and similar people, as well as military personnel. It doesn’t mean she’ll do or believe absolutely anything they say, that depends what it is, but she gives their opinion and approval more weight than she does other people. Laynia has a hard time making big decisions, and an even harder time sticking to them, frequently going back and forth even after she's made her initial choice. Laynia takes criticism from her superiors very personally, but doesn't show it. Crying every time you get reprimanded of course wasn't something you're allowed to do when being trained by the State, so of course she'd never show it, but she would FEEL it because she was taught that her entire purpose was to serve said State, thus her self-worth hinges on it, and a failure hurts that self-worth. This need for approval from authorities means she’ll try to evade blame when something goes awry, and is loath to step out of line. This can make her a snitch, a suck up, and disliked by her peers for it. Laynia does her best to put up a kind and cordial demeanor to all, and retain a polite decorum even when it’s not returned. This is more to avoid making waves in the team than anything else. If there is discord in the ranks, she refuses to ever be the one to blame for it. It’s not that Laynia doesn’t question orders ever. She does. And she does sometimes find her moral conscience at odds with them. The problem is that she seldom acts on these thoughts, instead proceeding with her missions despite her misgivings.

[anhed-nia]

BLOGTOBER 10/7/2020

I missed THE GOLDEN GLOVE at Fantastic Fest last year. It was one of my only regrets of the whole experience, but it was basically mandatory since the available screenings were opposite the much-hyped PARASITE. As annoying as that sounds, it was actually a major compliment, since what could possibly serve as a consolation prize for the most hotly anticipated movie of the year? Needless to say, I heard great things, but I could never have imagined what it was actually like. I'm still wrapping my mind around it.

Between 1970 and 1975, an exceptionally depraved serial killer named Fritz Honka murdered at least four prostitutes in Hamburg's red light district. Today, we tend to think of the archetypal serial killer in terms of ironic contradictions: The public is attracted by Ted Bundy's dashing looks and suave manner, and John Wayne Gayce's dual careers as politician and party clown. Lacking anything so remarkable, we associate psychopathy with Norman Bates' boy-next-door charm, and repeat "It's always the quiet ones" with a smirk whenever a new Jeffrey Dahmer or Dennis Nilsen is exposed to the public. The popular conception of a bloodthirsty maniac is not the fairytale monster of yore, but a wolf in sheep's clothing, whose hygienic appearance and lifestyle belie his twisted desires. In our post-everything world, the ironic surprise has become the rule. In this light, THE GOLDEN GLOVE represents a refreshing return to naked truth.

To say that writer-director Fatih Akin's version of the Fritz Honka story is shocking, repulsive, and utterly degenerated would be a gross understatement. We first meet the killer frantically trying to dispose of a corpse in his filthy flat, wallpapered with porno pinups, strewn with broken toys, and virtually projecting smell lines off of the screen. One's sense of embodiment is oppressive, even claustrophobic, as the petite Honka tries and fails to collapse the full dead weight of a human corpse into a garbage bag, before giving up and dismembering it, with nearly equal difficulty. The scene is appalling, utterly debased, and yet nothing is as shocking as the killer's visage. When he finally turns to look into the camera, it's hard to believe he's even human: the rolling glass eye, the smashed and inflated nose, the tombstone teeth and cratered skin, are almost too extreme to bear. Actually, suffering from a touch of facial blindness, I had to stare intently at Honka's face for nearly half the movie before I could fully convince myself that I was, in fact, looking at an elaborate prosthetic operation used to transform 23 year old boy band candidate Jonas Dassler into the disfigured 35 year old serial murderer.

Though West Germany remained on a steady economic upturn beginning in the 1950s and throughout the 1970s, you wouldn't know it from THE GOLDEN GLOVE. If Honka's outsides match his insides, they are further matched by his stomping grounds in the Reeperbahn, a dirty, violent, booze-soaked repository for the dregs of humanity. Though its denizens may come from different walks of life, one thing is certain: Whoever winds up there, belongs there. Honka was the child of a communist and grew up in a concentration camp, yet he swills vodka side by side with an ex-SS officer, among other societal rejects, in a crumbling dive called The Golden Glove. The scene is an excellent source of hopeless prostitutes at the end of their career, who are Honka's prime victims, as he is too frightful-looking to ensnare an attractive young girl. These pitiful women all display a peculiarly hypnotic willingness to go along with Honka, no matter how sadistic he becomes; this seems to have less to do with money, which rarely comes up, and more to do with their shared awareness that for them, and for Honka too, it's been all over, for a long time.

Not to reduce someone’s performance to their physical appearance, but ???

To call Dassler's portrayal of Honka "sympathetic" would be a bridge too far, but it is undeniably compelling. He supports the startling impact of his facial prostheses with a performance of rare intensity, a full-body transformation into a person in so much pain that a normal life will never become an option. His physical vocabulary reminded me of the stage version of The Elephant Man, in which the lead actor wears no makeup, but conveys John Merrick's deformities using his body alone. Although there is an abundance of makeup in THE GOLDEN GLOVE, Dassler's silhouette and agonized movements would be recognizable from a mile away. In spite of his near-constant screaming rage, the actor manages to craft a rich and convincing persona. During a chapter in which Honka experiments with sobriety, we find a stunning image of him hunched in the corner of his ordinarily chaotic flat, now deathly still, his eyes gazing at nothing as cigarette smoke seeps from his pores, having no idea what to do with himself when he isn't in a rolling alcoholic rampage. The moment is brief but haunting in its contrast to the rest of the film, having everything to do with Dassler's quietly vibrating anxiety.

Performances are roundly excellent here, not that least of which are from Honka's victims. The cast of middle-aged actresses looking their most disastrous is hugely responsible for the film's impact. These are the kinds of performances people call "brave", which is a euphemism for making audiences uncomfortable with an uncompromising presentation of one's own self, unvarnished by any masturbatory solicitation. Among these women is Margarete Tiesel, herself no stranger to difficult cinema: She was the star of 2012's PARADISE: LOVE, a harrowing drama about a woman who copes with her midlife crisis by pursuing sex tourism in Kenya. Her brilliant, instinctive performance as one of Honka's only survivors--though she nearly meets a fate worse than death--makes her the leading lady of a movie that was never meant to have one.

So, what does all this unpleasantness add up to, you might be asking? It's hard to say. THE GOLDEN GLOVE is a film of enormous power, but it can be difficult to explain what the point of it is, in a world where most people feel that the purpose of art is to produce some form of pleasure. This is the challenge faced by difficult movies throughout history, like THE GOLDEN GLOVE's obvious ancestors, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, MANIAC and THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE. Describing unremitting cruelty with relentless realism is not considered a worthy endeavor by many, even if there is real artistry in your execution; some people will even mistake you for advocating and enjoying violence and despair, as we live in a world where huge amount of movie and TV production is devoted to aspirational subjects. (The fact that people won't turn away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, no matter how monotonous and condescending they become, should tell you something) How do you justify to such people, that you want to make or see work that portrays ugliness and evil with as much commitment as other movies seek to portray love, beauty, and family values? Why isn't it enough to say that these things exist, and their existence alone makes them worth contemplation?

A rare, perhaps exclusive “beautiful image” in THE GOLDEN GLOVE, from Fritz Honka’s absurd fantasies.

You may detect that I have attempted to have this frustrating conversation with many people, strangers, enemies, and friends I love and respect. I find that for some, it is simply too hard to divorce themselves from the pleasure principle. I don't say this to demean them; some hold the philosophy that art be reserved for beauty, and others have a more literary feeling that it's ok to show characters in grim circumstances, as long as the ultimate goal is to uplift the human spirit. Even I draw the line somewhere; I appreciate the punk rebellion of Troma movies as a cultural force, but I do not enjoy watching them, because I dislike what I perceive as contempt for the audience and the aestheticization of laziness--making something shitty more or less on purpose. A step or three up from that, you land in Todd Solondz territory, where you find materially gorgeous movies whose explicit statement is that our collective reverence for a quality called "humanity" is based on nothing. I like some of those movies, and sometimes I even like them when I don't like them, because I'm entranced by Solondz's technical proficiency...and maybe, deep down, I'm not completely convinced about "humanity", either. However, I don't fight very hard in arguments about him; I understand the objections. Still, I've been surprised by peers who I think of as bright and tasteful, who absolutely hated movies I thought were unassailable, like OLDBOY and WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. In both cases, the ultimate objection was that they accuse humans of being pretentious and self-deceptive, aspiring to heroism or bemoaning their victimhood while wallowing in their own cowardice and perversity. Ok, I get it...but, not really. Why isn't it ever wholly acceptable to discuss, honestly, what we do not like about ourselves?

The beguiling thing about THE GOLDEN GLOVE is that, although it is instantly horrifying, is it also an impeccable production. The director can't help showing you crime scene photos during the ending credits, and I can't really blame him, when his crew worked so hard to bring us a vision of Fritz Honka's world that approaches virtual reality. But it isn't just slavishly realistic; it is vivid, immersive, an experience of total sensory overload. Not a square inch of this movie has been left to chance, and the product of all this graceful control is totally spellbinding. I started to think to myself that, when you've achieved this level of artifice, what really differentiates a movie like THE GOLDEN GLOVE from something like THE RED SHOES? I mean, aside from their obvious narrative differences. Both films plunge the viewer into a world that is complete beyond imagination, crafted with a rigor and sincerity that is rarely paralleled. And, I will dare to say, both films penetrate to the depths of the human soul. What Fatih Akin finds there is not the same as what Powell and Pressburger found, of course, but I don't think that makes it any less real. Akin's film is adapted from a novel by Heinz Strunk, and apparently, some critics have accused Akin of leaving behind the depth and nuance of the book, to focus instead on all that is gruesome about it. This may be true, on some level; I wouldn't know. For now, I can only insist that on watching THE GOLDEN GLOVE, for all its grotesquerie, I still got the message.

[londonsmostlovely]

A Study in Astrology: Victorian Emma's Birth Chart Reading

Information and Birth Chart provided by the website Astro Seek.

Name: Emma Alice Marguerite Carew

Date of Birth: October 4, 1885

Time of Birth: 05:42 a.m.

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Sun in Libra

Perhaps to make their sign happy, people born under the sign of Libra are usually prudent, balanced and harmonious. In any case, they think before they do something. It is possible to find hot-headed individuals among Libras, but they are very rare exceptions. These people are sincere, honest and decent. They find it very hard to tolerate noisy, rude or abusive behavior and conduct. People born under this sign have strong aesthetic sense and artistic talent; it does not matter what artistic activity they choose to do, they will be great at it. If they do not become active artists, then their good taste will be seen in everything they do. They are skillful, diligent, intelligent and adventurous.

Moon in Cancer

Safety for people with Moon in Cancer is their home, family and related activities such as cooking, gardening and DIY. Other people can be attracted by your home-loving character. Your inborn disposition to educate and protect allows you to be a good parent and a supportive friend. But you must be careful not to look after others too much because they may become overwhelmed by your care or think that you are dependent on them. It is easy for others to notice that you take care of everything. You may be prone to emotional fluctuations; you should learn to forgive and forget in order to avoid depression from thinking too much about things. Your perception of the world can be very subjective; try to create a certain distance without being bitter. Due to your rich emotional manifestation you can create a real sense of belonging in the world.

Ascendant/Rising in Libra

Libra prefers tasks that are well thought out, prepared and based on objectives and correct assessment of the situation. Trying to take into consideration opinions of others can slow the person down and manifest as hesitation, indecision or opportunism. These people usually prefer if somebody makes decisions for them. It is important to create a strong system of values and norms which can be followed, because this enables easier decision-making.

Mercury in Scorpio

People with Mercury in Scorpio do not want reconciliation; they will use their imagination to think about revenge. Water brings emotion and inability to reconcile so people with Mercury in water signs tend to like art, mysticism and psychology. These people speak with emotions. Some people may see their bright and intelligent mind as a threat and become aggressive toward them. When they were younger, their rivals could have been those who should have known more, for example teachers or other authorities, or even older siblings. Their mind sees through people and they can use it to discover things that bother or interest them. These people are likely to work as psychologists, politicians, researchers or detectives.

Venus in Libra

People with Venus in Libra understand and value art and social life. They have a sense of harmony and they perceive life in terms of beauty and justice. This sensitivity comes from their mind, not from their emotions. The nature of their feelings is likely to influence how they want to use their artistic skills and charm. They are aware that beauty is important so they ask themselves whether there is something more to their current relationship or not. If they are looking for a partner who is enchanting, flawless and has all the social virtues, they will attract him with their charm. Over time, after they get to know each other, something much more than just attractiveness and sympathy can develop. At this stage, they will either start looking for somebody else or they will criticize the product content and forget about the packaging.

Mars in Leo

Mars in Leo gives people enterprising, diligent, fearless and independent nature. These people have a well-developed sense of responsibility and they have the ability to hold public office. They are devoted worshippers of their beloved person, and they court them with great passion. They successfully overcome any obstacles in their way and their courtships usually have happy endings. Mars is very happy in fiery signs and likes to show how strong it is. People with Mars in Leo are cheerful and have a sense of honor. These people have a fiery character that needs some form of dramatic, creative or romantic expression.

Jupiter in Aquarius

Jupiter in Aquarius raises the question of how this world should be like. So these people want to perceive life as democratically and openly as possible. They feel that in order to make plans for the future there needs to be some form of consensus of opinion. They have to make the first steps with their belief on their own, only then they can offer it to others. And then, by mixing the beliefs of other people, they will develop a system of belief that suits the goals and purpose of the whole group. Their idea is that if they continue like this step-by-step, all mankind will eventually share a common ideology. They see God as a world religion. Their philosophy is very similar to the philosophy of the New Age - the Age of Aquarius.

Saturn in Gemini

People with Saturn in Gemini have to learn to use their mind correctly and effectively. These people either literally adore using their intelligence and everything has to have a logical explanation, or they are very intuitive and limited by their inability to think logically. Their hypersensitive mentality may have difficulties coping with obstacles and challenges at school and during their search for a permanent job. Nevertheless, the duality of the Gemini persists - not one type can separate from the other or change into the other.

Uranus in Taurus

(Note: Uranus is a slow transpersonal planet and may remain in a single sign for up to many years. The description of Uranus in Taurus is therefore valid for the entire generation of people and is very general. The characteristic of the personality is in the description of Uranus in the 8th house.)

People with Uranus in Taurus may experience great and sudden changes in the area of finance and property. These people usually introduce many new practices in agriculture and real estate. They try to break free from traditional conservatism of this sign and they long for changes in traditional values. They are creative. They are not consistent.

Neptune in Pisces

(Note: Neptune is a slow transpersonal planet and may remain in a single sign for up to many years. The description of Neptune in Pisces is therefore valid for the entire generation of people and is very general. The characteristic of the personality is in the description of Neptune in the 6th house.)

Neptune in Pisces is in its own sign. These people are idealistic and often very religious. They usually have the gift of natural faith. They are sympathetic and charitable. They have a special ability - the mystical power of prayer, but it only works if it is not used intentionally in order to achieve a specific goal. The most effective prayer is one that is sincere, spontaneous and without expectation of any result.

Pluto in Taurus

(Note: Pluto is a slow transpersonal planet and may remain in a single sign for up to many years. The description of Pluto in Taurus is therefore valid for the entire generation of people and is very general. The characteristic of the personality is in the description of Pluto in the 8th house.)

People with Pluto in Taurus are stable, conservative and consistent, but they are also stubborn and almost always convinced that what they do is right. It is a paradox that if Pluto is damaged, both things that these people love, sex and money, can have a detrimental effect on their mental and physical health.

[thezodiaczone]

Scorpio Compatibility

SCORPIO + ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19) Aries' ruler, passionate Mars, also wields minor command over Scorpio (whose main overlord is Pluto). Fierce physical attraction draws your signs together, but it's a game of sexual gunpowder and erotic explosives. Not that either of you is afraid of such things. No sign is as darkly intense as watery Scorpio. When mixed with Aries' concentrated fire-power, you stir up quite the hydroelectric charge. However, this match can only last if Scorpio has evolved from a ground-dwelling, vengeful scorpion into an elevated "eagle" state. Here's the fundamental challenge: Aries takes; withholding Scorpio takes away. When Aries reaches out his grasping hand, Scorpio's first instinct is to jump back, which wounds the sensitive Ram. Aries energy is consuming, which leaves Scorpio weak-kneed but scared. Aries will need to temper the raw desire, or at least mask it to avoid overwhelming Scorpio. Jealous Scorpio will need to stop Google-stalking Aries and hiring private detectives whenever the independent Ram goes out for a beer with friends. One way in which you're alike? You're both hyper-sensitized to abandonment, and may even shun each other in a self-protection paradox: "Go away before you leave me." (This tactic only guarantees another hot reunion tryst.) Selfishness can also be this couple's downfall. Scorpio is the sign that rules other people's resources—his karmic job is to create wealth from another man's pocket. Aries is simply born entitled. In a sense, you both live by the credo "What's mine is mine; what's yours is mine." Who will refill the coffers once you empty them?

SCORPIO + TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20) You're opposite signs who can fall into a real love-hate dynamic, mainly since you both like to run the show. Taurus is the bossy Bull, and Scorpio rules power and control. It's like two mafia kingpins trying to rule the same territory: it works as long as you're loyal, but cross each other and you're getting whacked. Differences can be a turn-on for some signs, but for this pair, they're often a deal breaker. Taurus and Scorpio are both "fixed" signs, gifted at perseverance and holding your ground, terrible at adapting to other people's personalities. This inflexibility can lead to serious power struggles and enmity that burns bright after the relationship ends. If ever a couple needed a prenup, it's you. Better yet, you'll need to be extremely self-aware and conscious of your personal power. If you can avoid arousing the sleeping dragon in each other, there's plenty of rich material here. You both love music, food and sensual delights. You're equally intense about your beliefs and passions, and sex is a lusty, no-holds-barred affair. You'll give each other the attentive listening both of you crave. The Bull's earthy nature can be grounding for watery Scorpio, whose emotions can warp his perspective. Practical Taurus will pull Scorpio out of depressive slumps, and Scorpio will help Taurus look below the surface to see hidden motivations and agendas. You're loyal and protective of each other, so stay off each other's sacred turf and respect your differences.

SCORPIO + GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20) You live on completely different planes, which either turns you off or utterly fascinates you. Both of you are accustomed to reading people like flimsy comic books, then tossing them aside. Here, your X-ray vision fails to penetrate each other's psychic shields. Mutable Gemini is the shape-shifting Twin, home to a traveling cast of personalities. Intense Scorpio is shrouded in mystery and bottomless layers of complexity. Being baffled leaves you without the upper hand, but it also stokes your libido. You're piercingly smart signs who love a good puzzle—this is your romantic Rubik's cube. The challenge sets off sexual dynamite. You tease each other with cat-and-mouse evasions, neither of you making your attraction obvious. This prickles your insecurities, daring you to strive for the other's unbroken gaze. No two signs are as quietly obsessive as yours! There will be frustrating moments, too. You're both prone to depressive spells, and swing from giddiness to unreachable shutdown. Clever mind games edge on cruel or callow, breaking the trust that Scorpio needs. At times, airy Gemini may not be emotional or sensual enough for watery Scorpio; in turn, the Scorpion's emotional and physical passion can be overwhelming to Gemini. However, if you combine your strengths, you'll go far. Gemini is dilettante and a trivia collector who's always got a pocketful of creative ideas. Instinct-driven Scorpio rules details and research—this sign hones in like a laser and masters his chosen field. Whether it's starting a family or running a business, you can be an indefatigable team, with Gemini playing the rowdy ringmaster and Scorpio running the show from behind the scenes.

SCORPIO + CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22) ♥♥♥♥ You're an ideal match, twin Water signs with deeply complementary natures. Highly suspicious and protective of your privacy, neither of you trusts easily. As a result, you intuitively trust each other. The good news is, you've bet on a winning sea-horse. These two signs can mate for life, and the emotional facets of your relationship deepen into an intimacy few couples reach. Romantic and sentimental occasions never go uncelebrated: birthdays, Valentine's Day, the five-month anniversary of the first time you said "I love you." Sex is a sacred, erotic act that can transport you on a one-way trip to Tantra-ville. You feel safe enough together to try anything. The challenge will be breaking the ice, since you both tend to clam up in a red-faced fluster or any icy aloofness around a new love interest. It helps to talk about music, books, films—anything but your feelings. Once you get past the awkward phase, it's smooth sailing. You genuinely enjoy each other's company, and like to do almost everything together. As parents, you're incredibly nurturing and hands-on, and may struggle to cut the cord when your kids reach adolescence. In fact, control is the big challenge for your signs. Jealous and possessive, you know how to avoid your mate's hot buttons—or to push them when you're feeling spiteful. (The Crab pinches and the Scorpion stings; both can wound the relationship fatally.) At times, Cancer's sulking seems childish to Scorpio, and Scorpio's sharp edges can maim the Crab's tender feelings. Fortunately, you know how to win your way back into each other's good graces once the moody spells pass.

SCORPIO + LEO (JULY 23 - AUGUST 22) This combustible combination drips with power plays, a white-hot dynamic you find infuriating and sexy in equal measure. In many ways, you're complete opposites. Secretive Scorpio is a private soul who rules the night. Leo is an exhibitionist ruled by the sun, and his piercing rays expose Scorpio's hidden shadows. Scorpio hates to feel this vulnerable—especially in public—yet, behind closed doors it can be thrilling. You're both passionate and imaginative in bed, with very little you won't try. As business partners and collaborators, you can make a dream team, too. You're both super intense, outdoing most people with your drive and focus. Leo plays the glamorous showstopper, and Scorpio acts as producer behind the scenes. (It worked for Leo Jennifer Lopez and Scorpio Diddy, who collaborated on her breakout album.) At least you don't compete for the spotlight, which can be a saving grace. But you'll struggle for the upper hand, since Scorpio likes to be in control and Leo is the bossy ruler of the jungle. Flirtatious, charismatic Leo can also spark Scorpio's jealous streak. Remember: darkness absorbs light. Leo must be careful not to get swept into Scorpio's powerful undertow and vengeful obsessions.

SCORPIO + VIRGO (AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 22) ♥♥♥♥ Virgo and Scorpio are two of the zodiac's shrewdest signs. Your collective gaze misses nothing, and your conversations can be as hair-splitting as Freudian analysis. You're both insatiable when it comes to understanding the human soul, and examining your own neuroses can keep you busy for weeks. While your obsessive natures would drive other people mad, it only makes you more fascinated by each other. You're like two scientists in the lab of love, researching, analyzing, and measuring data. Moody and introverted, you both have spells where you crave total privacy, and you'll grant each other that space. You unconsciously absorb so much energy from your environments, and you need to clear yourselves on a regular basis. Nature is soothing—Scorpio is a Water sign, and Virgo is Earth—and you may enjoy a healthy or outdoorsy lifestyle. That can mean renting a private chalet on a pristine European lake, or devoting yourselves to raw food, vegetarianism, and yoga. Virgo is the zodiac's Virgin and Scorpio is the sex sign. In bed, Scorpio can be a bit too intense for earthy Virgo. You're both lusty sensualists, but if Scorpio breaks out the dungeon props and dominatrix gear, Virgo draws the line. The Virgin may indulge a fetish with strangers, but he keeps a strict boundary about how far he'll experiment with a partner. No matter. You're good friends and supportive partners who find beauty in the smallest details—the makings of a quality life commitment.

SCORPIO + LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 22) Libra is light and Scorpio rules darkness, but your searing sexual chemistry blazes through borders. As a couple, you're quick to bed and slow to wed. In many ways, the long prenuptial pas de deux is a mutual choice. Romantic Libra loves an extended courtship—long dinners, vacations and lavish gifts. Shrewd, suspicious Scorpio will subject Libra to a battery of character tests, gauging whether Libra can be trusted. Libra is an incurable dilettante whose surface skimming can feel lightweight beside Scorpio's obsessive, detail-focused nature. Because your temperaments are so different, your initial phase can be fraught with misunderstandings. Libra is an outgoing butterfly and an unrepentant flirt, provoking Scorpio's jealousy at every turn. Possessive Scorpio prefers passionate bedside confidentials to paparazzi and parties, but Libra quickly feels smothered without a social scene. To say you'll need compromise is an understatement. Combine your strengths, though, and you can also make a powerful society couple—with Scorpio dominating the world from behind the scenes, and Libra presiding as its lovely, doe-eyed diplomat.

SCORPIO + SCORPIO (OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21) We like this combination, for seldom can any other sign so skillfully navigate your unspoken power dynamics. Talk isn't just cheap between you; it's unnecessary. You understand each other's wiring based on pure primal instinct, much like a dog leaves his scent as a calling card. We forget that human beings are animals, an amnesia that plagues modern civilization. Yet, Scorpios know that the one you love might also become your prey (if you're hungry or threatened), or could attack you by night. Your ruler is Pluto, god of the underworld; learning your mate's shadow side is a prerequisite to trust. Scorpio is a master at subtle cues, emotional intelligence, and feeling your way through each other's dark depths as though reading Braille. When it's time to let the other be the Top, you submit, then artfully ease him down to the mat when it's time to rule again. Power glides into your gullets like oysters, every bit the aphrodisiac. In the bedroom, you sexy, spiritual stinger-tails make a Tantric twosome with a twist. There's a hint of force and a danger to all you do, even in the way you fiercely protect your children and property. The real threat of this relationship is to the outside world, for you make an invincible familia that could send Tony Soprano on the lam.

SCORPIO + SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21) Level with us: Would you really be interested in each other without the element of danger? There's always something that feels a little dirty here—and it's not because you share an aversion to showering (although the musky pheromones might play in…). Your combined willpower—enough to combust a small village—can yoke you together despite your own best interests. The issue is anatomical: Scorpio rules the crotch and Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs. From the waist down, a magnetic field pulls you into insatiable sexual attraction. Above the midsection, it's a love-hate drama as you battle for mental and emotional domination, one-upping and offending each other at every turn. You both love to have the last word, and deep down, you're pretty sure you're smarter than the rest of the population. As friends, this makes you smugly superior comrades, but in love, you tend to unleash your intellectual weapons on each other. Sag's sarcasm and Scorpio's acid-washed retorts will leave you both wounded and estranged. Yet, a good shag seems to erase your short-term memory between attacks. For best results, remain naked at all times, and only discuss problems in the afterglow. Grant each other your own turf and never cross the line of demarcation.

SCORPIO + CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 19) ♥♥♥♥ If you were to sign a pre-nup, Schedule A must clearly designate who will play the "Top" and who will be the "Bottom." After your attorneys haggle over the prone position, you may just call off the engagement. An inability to reach settlement is likely for two uncompromising Alphas such as yourselves. Although your business-savvy signs can make quite the contemporary Napoleon and Josephine, LLC, there are terms that must be negotiated in advance. For one, you'll need to swear off secrecy—and that will be the true test of your relationship. Scorpio and Capricorn are masters of underhanded power plays that could topple this merger fast. Your first job: learn and practice direct communication ("whip me like THIS" or "no, darling, the leather corset, not the PVC"). Master it, and the rest is a cakewalk. You can lash each other to bedposts, tryst on the conference table in your glass-paned office tower, or earn your mile-high wings with nary a flight attendant knowing. The 2.5 kids you produce will have some interesting conception stories, that's for sure. Not that you'll ever tell. A little secrecy with the rest of the world is fine. Just make sure to erase those sex tapes before the housekeeper finds them.

SCORPIO + AQUARIUS (JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 18) Years after their modern-day Mrs. Robinson relationship ricocheted the term "cougar" into cliché-dom, the Scorpio-Aquarius pairing of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher can still baffle the naked eye. Scorpio is an intense, seductive creature with ruthless ambition, eagle instincts and a complicated psyche. Aquarius is a silly prankster and a cold-souled nomad who avoids emotion, then releases it in embarrassing blurts of sloppy sentiment. You're certainly an odd couple, down to your values, style and interests. Then there's the power issue to settle. Scorpio wants ultimate control over everything, while rebel Aquarius chafes at any restraint. While Aquarius is happy to hand rulership of the household to Scorpio, any breach of personal freedom will be an instant deal-breaker. Possessive Scorpio must accept that Aquarius is a social creature with friends from all walks of life, and curb the jealousy. Aquarius will need to cut off a few friends (the ex you met at a strip club, the swingers "who are actually really cool") and adopt a few of Scorpio's interests, like Kaballah for Ashton. So where's the click? Different as you are, you both prefer a mate who's hard to figure out: it staves off boredom. To keep this strong, borrow each other's strengths. Aquarius needs Scorpio's depth, and Scorpio lightens up from Aquarius' outrageous jokes and impersonations.

SCORPIO + PISCES (FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20) ♥♥♥♥ You're both "spiritual beings having a human experience," Finding an equally sensitive, divinely connected soulmate feels like coming home. Scorpio and Pisces are compatible artistes who love music, drama and romance. Like a lighthouse for two ships adrift on the emotional high seas, your relationship is an anchor and a haven. However, it's not immune to the turbulence caused by your secretive, Water sign natures. Emotional withdrawal is a self-protective act you've both honed over the years, but this tactic backfires when used against each other. The trick is learning to catch a bad mood when it starts, then processing the feelings instead of lashing out. Once the righteous anger and wounded egos kick in, you're like two runaway trains waging a war of domination and submission. Scorpio control tussles with Pisces guilt, Scorpio withholding wrestles Pisces evasion, and so on. Yet, you both want the same thing: a partner who inspires absolute, unshakeable trust with a money-back guarantee. What you need to learn is how to give it before you get it. To adapt the saying, be the change you want to see in your partner. It will keep you together for lifetimes.

[logfanjams]

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Published in 2019

Overall Rating: 4 stars

Dark Academia + ghosts + a pretty decent murder mystery that managed to sustain itself for 400+ pages

Some parts were very good but some parts dragged and I didn’t like the last few chapters

TW: sexual assault, rape, gore (if you’re wanting to pick this book up please take a minute to search potential triggers as this book is dark)

General Thoughts:

On the whole I really enjoyed this book, not only because I tend to really like Leigh Bardugo’s writing style (I am a sucker for descriptive prose and she does not disappoint) but I also enjoyed how Bardugo was able to tackle such a detailed plot in a way that didn’t feel overly draggy and clunky. I liked that the murder mystery aspect of the narrative was able to sustain itself over the course of the entire novel (seriously, it’s brought up in the first full chapter and doesn’t resolve itself until the last few pages). That’s not an easy thing, and the way that she was able to keep the focus on both the murder mystery without sacrificing character and introducing the audience to the overall world of the novel was really well done, since she used both to support each other. I also really liked the characters (most of them anyway but I’ll get to that later on), with Dawes being my number one fave, but I also adored Alex and loved when Bardugo really delved into her backstory and how her position with having little power due to her poverty and previous drug addiction affected how she interacted with the people with clear power and influence. I also liked how Alex was aware of these power structures and how they were clearly set against people like herself and Tara and how this, again, affected how the societies and the antagonists saw them

Full Review and Final Thoughts (with spoilers!) under the cut.

Review (Here There Be Spoilers!):

All that being said, I did have some issues with parts of the novel, since it absolutely dragged on for way too long, with the bigger plot twists happening in the last fifty pages and really negating some of the previous story set ups. For example, I hated, HATED, that it was Dean Sandow who was the actual culprit of Tara’s murder instead of someone more inundated within the societies, since it really felt like that was who the primary culprits were, the rich, powerful Ancient Eight who were primarily responsible for the issues Alex was dealing with as Dante as well as Daisy and North’s murders/deaths. I also really hated that, in the end, the Ancient Eight had ZERO to do with the creation of the nexuses and it was all Daisy. It really didn’t connect back to what had been previously established with the societies having no actual oversight through Lethe and them being allowed to get away with whatever they wanted. I also guess I just really wanted Dean Sandow, Dawes, and Alex to be a team since having an actual adult look out for her was something that Alex desperately wanted and I was sad that Sandow, who up until the very end of the book had been a pretty nice dude, wasn’t that. I was also mad that Belbalm/Daisy also wasn’t that, especially since Daisy was a Wheelwalker like Alex and could have helped her out (instead of like TRYING TO EAT HER???). 

In terms of character, they’re all very well done, even the side characters like Trip, Mercy, and Mira (Alex’s mom). Everyone felt distinct and specific and I liked that Bardugo was able to juggle this large cast of characters while not reverting to vague descriptions. Each character was clearly defined and given time to be fleshed out. Dawes really was my favorite character in the whole novel and I am so glad that she and Alex became such good friends by the end of the book, especially when it would have been really easy for Bardugo to make them antagonistic to one another. I also really related to Dawes because, while I don’t remember ever learning what her major is, she feels very English-y and I absolutely was her in grad school. I also liked how Turner became a friend too and I hope that this is carried through to the next book, since I liked that he and Alex came to a good understanding and respect for each other and how they get results and deal with solving Tara’s murder in different ways. Seriously, the scene where they frame the crime on the whiteboard was the funniest scene ever to me and I was howling the whole time. 

 However, it’s really interesting that we learn so much about everyone as a character in the novel, but I felt like Darlington was really the least developed Seriously, the dude had entire chapters devoted to him and his backstory but I really felt that we got more characterization by the characters just talking about him, instead of the actual parts of the book that were dedicated just to him. Also, why was it necessary to have Darlington chapters, and then just drop this halfway through the book? I understand that it was meant to be giving us background for the Houses of the Veil and their specific rituals through the eyes of someone who was familiar with them and show how they contrasted with Alex’s general non-knowledge, but Bardugo dropped that and then just focused on Alex...Why couldn’t we have just done that from the beginning? I get that, apparently, they’re going to get Darlington (or some version of him) back in the sequel, but I still feel like it was a little clunky and didn’t really work out. Heck, I knew more about Hellie as a character, who we got almost no actual backstory about, through Alex’s flashbacks and her just talking about Hellie than I ever got with Darlington, who had multiple chapters devoted to him and a specific narrator in the audiobook. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I really did like this book and enjoyed the narrative that Bardugo gave throughout the book. I also liked the themes of power and class that she discussed and how that affected the way that the characters interacted with one another and perceived themselves and others. While I do wish that Bardugo had touched on some of the racial aspects (Alex being a brown girl + Daisy targeting and harming women of color to fuel her immortality) a bit more, I understand her not drawing attention to it because of the nature of adult novels themselves. I also wish that she hadn’t sequel baited quite so hard with the whole “Let’s go to hell to save Darlington!” but again, it didn’t entirely ruin the book for me. There were also a few issues with just general denseness, as there was a lot of front matter to get through before the plot started up properly, which I felt was done well, but was a little rough to get through.

I do recommend this book if you’re looking for a good adult mystery novel with some strong characterization and description, but be prepared for some parts to drag on a little longer than needed (looking at you last 100 pages). Also, if you are going to read this book, I highly recommend that you look up a list of potential trigger warnings in this book, since there are A LOT, the most recurring being themes of sexual assault, rape, gore, alchohol, and drug use, but there is a very good chance that I have missed others. Leigh Bardugo really wanted to get away from her YA work and it’s clearly represented here, so just make sure that you’re comfortable going into this very wild ride.