#the author keeps using the epithets

[saturntosatoru]

the eyes of the girl i won't forget || gojo satoru x f!reader

summary:

Ah, man, he’s really fucked it up this time, huh?

What, you may ask?

Everything ever worth anything.

warnings: angst!, situationship-to-what-ifs, milf!reader, me cucking Gojo again :/

a/n: hey guys! don’t mind me rambling abt Gojo’s eyes for 2k words—I got wine drunk :(

masterlist

Gojo Satoru: The Honored One. The Strongest. The Great Teacher Gojo. The Strongest Sorcerer of Today.

The list of epithets is endless—every time Gojo hears a new one, he treats himself to the premiere ichigo daifuku from Ginza to celebrate his new burden. He’s indifferent to the titles now—it’s natural after this many years—but the worst one yet, the one that still makes him flinch when announced, is “The Six Eyes”.

The Six Eyes.

Every time Gojo hears those words, a shudder runs down his spine. Not only is it the Elders’ favorite pet name for him—crooned in the sickly-sweet voice of authority—but it reminds him: no matter how he acts, who he tries to be, he’ll never escape his purpose.

The Six Eyes.

Disgusting.

Gojo likes—liked—your eyes though.

When you met oh so many years ago as naïve little first years, he’d first noticed your eyes. Or rather, he noticed how normal—how dull—they were. Until then, first meetings with people included some routine of “eye ogling”, where an average of three slightly invasive comments on his eyes were made.

You didn’t care about his, and that both irked and pleased Gojo Satoru. Irked, because his eyes were so much more interesting to look at than yours, thank you very much. Pleased, because it implied you saw him beyond just his abilities, his use for the world.

It was…sweet.

And later, when you noticed Gojo’s eyes stinging him, irritating him—no one had noticed before, everyone thought he was invincible, but you had seen his pain, his humanity—you surprised him with a pair of sunglasses. A cheap pair of 200-yen sunglasses from the corner store. You—a nobody from a non-sorcerer background; a nobody at the bottom of the totem pole, the hierarchy, of the jujutsu world; a nobody who should’ve revered Gojo as a God—you saw him simply as a teenage boy trying to find his way in the world.

Gojo loved that pair of 200-yen sunglasses. They broke after a month and a half of nonstop use, but he kept them on his bookshelf, dorm room otherwise empty except for a battered poster here and there and the guitar residing in the corner.

Oh, and the bento boxes you made for him. You’d noticed Gojo’s piss-poor attempts at survival—never taught how to cook, because why would the world’s savior be taught how to save himself?—and made it your mission to keep him running.

You were sneaky with it, too; oh, you were good. It started with packing too much food in your lunches, pretending to be annoyed when Gojo would steal some tempura or side dishes from you. Then, you would leave leftovers in your bento—sitting on the table while chatting with the others, appetite sated—and then you would let Gojo finish it off.

After conditioning him like a dog for weeks, you started packing two lunches—one for you and one for him—daily, adorned with matching wraps. And every day, Gojo would look forward to what new delicacy you had prepared; even your repackaged leftovers were appealing.

He’d never tell you, but leftover days were Gojo’s favorite. He’d find you in the dorm kitchenette before class, blearily preparing two boxes, and he’d sneak up behind you, arms wrapping around your waist as a morning greeting. He’d get to stand behind you, tucking you beneath his chin, as you pottered around the kitchen, reheating fish or meat from the night before and making fresh tamagoyaki for breakfast, the extra being cut into slices for lunch. You’d occasionally raise your chopsticks up, higher than your head, for Gojo to snack and judge the seasoning.

Leftover days, Gojo got to pretend you were his and his alone. Leftover days, Gojo got to pretend he was Gojo Satoru, a boy in love, and not Gojo Satoru, the boy with the six eyes.

For how many eyes he’d been burdened with, in hindsight, he truly was blind to what mattered the most. When Suguru defected, Gojo finally experienced surprise—he’d been utterly blindsided. In a sick way, it was the most human Gojo ever felt, and his reactions were of a boy, not a prophetical God.

And as a teenage boy does, he spiraled. Focused on doing enough work for two, because he knew how much Suguru contributed to the world’s balance. Suguru and him were a team, and beyond just missions, they shared burdens, shared successes, and—Gojo had blindly believed—shared dreams.

Mission after mission completed, class after class ditched. Bento box forgotten lunch after lunch, and you—right where Gojo left you.

It wasn’t until graduation—two years after Geto defected—that Gojo had the decency, the audacity, to face you properly.

You weren’t at graduation.

After the initial panic, after the adrenaline pumping through Gojo’s body unlike that in any fight he’d faced before, he learned you’d left for a traditional, non-sorcerer university. You quit. Just like that. Jujutsu Tech would send you your diploma, but you’d already started classes, doing God knows what with God knows who.

(But Gojo was never truly a god, and Gojo didn’t know. He couldn’t find out—you’d blocked his phone number somewhere between him ditching your invitations to catch up and his promotion to Special Grade.)

Really, Gojo was fine with compartmentalizing you—you and the love and the dreams he had, all of which revolved around you. He moved on, driven by his goal of a new jujutsu society. He moved on, training students and defeating curses, ignoring elders and pressures to settle down.

He moved on.

Or so he thought, until Nanami Kento rejoined the jujutsu world. Yes, it was at Gojo’s insistence, but Gojo couldn’t predict—couldn’t see—the way Nanami’s acceptance would derail Gojo’s entire existence.

It started with the bentos.

Every day, at 1 PM sharp, Nanami would open his bento in the communal lounge. He’d start by unpacking his drink, then his utensils, and finally he’d unwrap his lunch. Each day, he’d have a different, well-rounded meal, and each day, Gojo would eye him from across the room while stealing food from Yaga or Ijichi’s still-packed lunch. Sometimes, he’d buy take out.

And Nanami would sit there until 1:30, texting someone, reviewing case files, or simply enjoying his food, all accompanied with an enticing homemade bento.

Gojo would try to pry; he’d ask him if it was delivery, tease him that he probably made his cutesy bentos in the morning while wearing a frilly apron, bully him into sharing some. Each time, Nanami deflected.

And soon it was commonplace, soon it was boring. Gojo looked for new material to tease Nanami with, moving on from the bentos, but it niggled at the back of his mind.

And then it clicks, one unsuspecting morning.

Today of all days, Nanami’s tie is askew. His hair is ruffled, and Gojo can finally (finally!) tease him for being frazzled, for not being as perfect as he normally is.

“Ahh, Nanamin—you know what they say! Not everyone can be as perfect as Gojo-sensei!” Gojo claps his hands, delighting in the immediate exasperation from his colleague.

Ijichi stands in the corner, waiting for Gojo to finally read his mission briefing, but Gojo is more intent on watching Nanami break. Based on what he sees, it’ll be anytime soon now.

“Gojo. Don’t you have other things to do? Didn’t you have an appointment to save the world at 9?” Nanami fixes his tie, collecting himself with every second. Gojo’s window of opportunity is slipping.

Gojo settles deeper into his chair, long left leg swinging over the right. “Oh, Nana-Nana-Nanamin…is that a hickey I see?”

“Uh, Gojo-san, I think—”

“Think later, Ijichi. Or don’t. That’s not what you’re paid for.” Gojo’s eyes snap back to Nanami, watching his ears turn an interesting shade of red. “Oho, it is, isn’t it?”

“So, what was it?” He continues. “Booty call that kept you up late? How scandalous~”

“My personal life is none of your business, Gojo. Just like I don’t ask you about your extracurricular activities, I don’t need to divulge my outside matters with you.” Nanami rifles through his briefcase, searching for something, while blandly responding to Gojo’s inquisition.

“Nanami-san, is everything alright? Is something missing? I can pick it up while out with Gojo-san.”

(“Kiss ass,” Gojo rolls his eyes, to which no one listens.)

Nanami looks up at Ijichi, nodding once. “Yes, that would be nice. Could you please—”

“Daddyyy!” A high-pitched yell bursts into the room, followed by a little boy not older than 4 or 5. He bolts to Nanami, tiny feet pattering on the linoleum floor, gripping his tan pant leg and staring up at his (Gojo assumes, based on context clues) father.

Gojo cannot process what he’s seeing. A peek at Ijichi shows he seems to be taking it in stride. Gojo might not be considered fit for being in public at this rate, genius-level intellect unable to put this two and two together.

“Yuto?” Nanami scoops the boy into his arms with too much familiarity for Gojo’s liking. “What’re you doing here, buddy? Where’s Mama?”

“This place is so cool, Dad! I saw so many stuffed animals and there was a panda, too! And I tried to pet it, but then Mama told me it was rude…” The boy (Yuto?) sniffs. Gojo stares. Nanami is a father.

“Did you say hi to the panda first, Yuto? And did you ask the panda if you could pet him?” Nanami brushes a hand over his son’s forehead, sweeping the hair back while speaking and accepting his son’s lack of direct answers.

“Yuto? Honey, where are you?” A voice, too familiar, too nostalgic for Gojo’s heart, sounds through the room.

Ah, it’s you.

Gojo is the butt of the joke. Shame on him for thinking he’d ever successfully bully Nanami. Life has made Gojo its comedic fodder instead.

Because there you stand, tote bag weighing on your shoulder, eyes focused on Nanami and his—your—son. The smile lighting up your face is subconscious—they are your world, and Gojo is a meteor caught in a brief accidental orbit.

“Yuto! What did I tell you about running off like that?” You’re standing at Nanami’s side now, the three of you looking like the picture-perfect family. Nanami’s free arm wraps around your waist—instinctively, Gojo can tell—and he drapes a kiss to your temple.

“I was meeting, Dad! And you said it was bad if you or Dad weren’t there, but he was here! And, I found him!”

Your eyes narrow playfully at him and you tweak his nose in retaliation. “You little bugger. That’s a good argument—” Yuto giggles. “—did you learn that from Ms Shimizu at Mama’s work?”

“Morning, love,” Nanami interrupts, looking at you as if you’ve hung the stars in the sky. (And you might’ve, Gojo thinks. Because time has done you wonders, and you look better now—healthier, happier, more at peace—than the you of his memories. You’re glowing, enough to rival the moon.) “Not that this isn’t a wonderful start to the day, but what brings you two here?”

“Yuto and I were about to leave for school, but we saw your bento on the counter and decided to make a quick detour.” You pull out a neatly wrapped lunch from your bag, placing it on the table by Nanami’s briefcase. “Meaning we’ve gotta head out now so we’re not too late.”

Nanami’s eyes gleam with gratitude. “Thank you, love. You absolutely didn’t have to—”

“Of course I did! It’s leftover day; that food is not lasting until tomorrow, and I haven’t gotten groceries yet.” You kiss Nanami’s cheek, hoisting Yuto onto your hip. “Say ‘See you!’ to Daddy, Yuto!”

The boy echoes your prompt. Nanami ruffles Yuto’s hair and presses a firm kiss to your lips. Gojo can see the smile curling on your mouth. “We’ll see you at home tonight, Kento.”

“Y/n-san! It was good to see you again,” Ijichi says as you leave, nodding his head in greeting as if this is a normal occurrence. And oh, what a traitor his underclassman is—Gojo can tell this is not a rare sighting on Ijichi’s behalf.

“It was lovely to see you too, Ijichi. Let’s catch up next week over drinks when our schedules align.”

You turn now, acknowledging Gojo at long last, and nod. His eyes—all six of them—savor the moment and drink you in. You’ve controlled your hair, frizz lessened and strands neatly restrained by the sunglasses on your head. Your figure is less gangly and more womanly now, and the innate grace you’ve gained looks good on you. Your outfit is standard—just a work-appropriate blouse tucked into trousers—but it hugs your hips, your waist, in ways Gojo wishes he could. Your jewelry is simple, a watch on one wrist and a wedding band on your ring finger.

And he finally gets a proper look at your son, a glorious glimpse into what could’ve been—what could’ve been if Gojo could be a man and not a forced God. The child has the brightest smile and your eyes.

That’s good.

In Gojo’s dreams, they all have your eyes.

Gojo’s always hated his eyes.

notes:

You work as a paralegal, assisting a team of lawyers led by your boss, Higuruma Hiromi. Shimizu has become a close friend of yours, and the two of you love to gossip about the people in the firm. Whenever Yuto’s daycare is closed and you have to bring him in to work, she buys him snacks from the vending machine when you’re not looking.

Growing up, you weren’t actually that good a cook, but Gojo—Teenage Boy Extraordinaire—would eat anything and everything you prepared, contrary to popular thought. He’d serve as a guinea pig for your weekend recipe experiments, offering suggestions for potential tweaks and improvements.

Yuto is written with the characters for ‘courage’ and ‘person’. Both you and Kento had left the jujutsu world, and it was one of the conversation topics that catalyzed your relationship when you crossed paths post-Jujutsu Tech. Both of you wanted your son to pick his path for himself, but to do so with courage and kindness—the makings of a good person, in your books.

© 2025 saturntosatoru on Tumblr, all rights reserved

[sag-dab-sar]

Hellenic Polytheist Reconstructionists

Am I a reconstructionist? No. And I do think there is a difference between Recon and Revival.

Here is my feeling of difference, some are absolutely going to disagree with this but its my perspective:

"Polytheist Reconstructionism & Revivalism is the worship of a pantheon of Gods heavily influenced by the original religion that worshipped them. It is not a claim of continuity with that religion, or a desire to reinstate the ancient culture & its morals/laws. Reconstructionism attempts to be as close as possible to actual ancient practice without forgoing modern morals. While Revivalism attempts to remain close to the meaning of the ancient practice— allowing for heavy modern adaptations while still fulfilling the ancient practice purpose."

My entire practice has to be modified for my disability, I had dreams of recon but the methods I can't preform.

My zero spoon praxis is all modern:

My method of low spoon / no spoon libations is entirely modern and not at all how the ancient people would do it. Purpose: Doing libations is better than not doing them.

The idea of just invoking them. Saying "Hygeia" before a shower. Saying Theoi's names before a sip or bite to make it an offering. Etc. Purpose: Again literally anything is better than nothing.

Watching TV "with" the Gods (no I don't believe they're sitting next to me or anything). Purpose: keep the Gods in my life and mind, as they were ever present for the ancient people.

Defining "purity" as being clean with the clear ability to focus on the Gods even if in PJs. Definitely not ancient standard. I'd worship if sick if I can get all the symptoms under control (like cough medicine for example), have clean clothes, wash hands and face, focus. I'd worship on a period so long as I was clean and could focus. Etc. Purpose: while it is not the ancient standard of purity, purity is important so I had to have some sort of bench mark (its even more important in Sumerian but thats outside scope of post)

New Festivals (I usually write low spoon versions). I'm trying out some ancient ones but I find them hard to connect to (or at least don't have energy yet to appreciate them), I make my own right now. Purpose: The ancient people really liked festivals

I could go on, point is adapting ancient practices to make an attempt to meet the purpose is my goal. I'm not focused necessarily on using the ancient methods (well not yet I take things as my disability allows)

But without reconstructionists (many of whom are classicists) I would not know:

Miasma vs lyma. And this is important because I had met people who head veiled specifically to protect themselves from miasma because they thought it was that common and bad

Different methods of purity: just washing hands face; barley throwing; fire extinguished in water; few others

How to structure ancient prayers if you want to write them in that way. And how it is interwoven with Kharis.

Literally any ancient Hellenic Festival outside the book by Labrys (and I suppose Kosmos but I don't trust the author)

Debunks of modern Hellenic Polytheist things people are claiming are ancient when they are modern

Anything that requires translation from ancient Greek to explain the concept because either no English language translation exists or more often the English translation leaves out significant valuable information for religious practice.

Explanations of ancient texts and their context

Epithet explanations

Explanations of various Theoi beyond the "God of ___" one finds in website info blurbs

Ancient Greek Calendars

Book resource recommendations and often free access.

Website resources recommendations.

Journal articles & authors recommendations

If I didn't know the ancient standards and methods I would not be able to adapt anything at all and meet the "purpose"

........ literally being able to ask questions from people who have actual knowledge of the ancient religion and are willing to take time out of their day to answer

Reconstructionists do so much damn leg work in Hellenic Polytheism. So much. And so many people seem to refuse to acknowledge that. We take it all but never appreciate their approach. And many reconstructionists have been run off this website for no good reason.

I have seen a grand total of one person claiming to be recon who disparaged non-reconstructionists, and he was a xenophobic douche regardless. Beyond that I haven't had any recon disparage revivalism [edit: as in disparage the fact that it exists or claim its not Hellenic Polytheism]. Correction on information =/= hate. Pointing out something is modern =/= hate. Having different opinions =/= hate.

So to all the Hellenic Polytheist Reconstructionists: Thank you.

-dyslexic not audio proof read-

[starsanddawnbreak]

confession #03

im going to be so for real ive hidden quite a lot from you guys. not because im embarrassed or ashamed but im simply afraid of backlash and getting my practice denounced. so yes, im young. but these are my choices, along with all my mistakes they are all mine so before judging me please understand that im not claiming titles or authority or anything. i want to learn and that is the whole point. Im going under prerequisite training to become a priestess. what does that mean? no, im not in training. thats way way way too early. i coined the term prerequisite training as almost a "taster" of what actual training is. im going to keep training until im 18 or older because i want to take a proper priestx oath when i have at least some responsibilities so i can see how i can work around them. prerequisite training has genuinely been great, my first task was to love everything and i have only completed that today. silly i know right? but im truely learning to look beyond peoples mentals and to listen without judgement and to help people like i always wished i could do. im going to keep going under prerequisite training until i properly feel like i can handle any task, for example, i cant meditate to save my life and i want to handle visualization in meditation and all of that. i want to properly hone my skills in tarot and i want to learn the foundations of priesthood, only then will i move onto training and i plan on keeping myself here for a year at least. now for the fun part! im training to become a priestess of apollo under his Boedromius epithet! sound familiar? yeah! veridian, now asmodeous' vessel used to be under the title and i find that quite funny! anyways thank you for listening! this wont really take the focus of my posting until i do become a priestess!

thanks to @uzmacchiato for the header !!

[johannestevans]

Using Epithets Effectively

For the use of epithets, where you're using something other than a name to refer to the character - the other man, the blond, her elder, the policeman, etc - it's good to think about WHY you want that epithet.

Why would you use an epithet instead of that character's name?

Firstly, does the POV character know that character's name?

If the POV character doesn't know it yet, they're likely to fixate on the most obviously unique or identifiable aspect of that person's character to use as an epithet, and then stick with that epithet.

(I'm going to focus on first- and second-person narration and limited third person, where we're generally either limited to one person's perspective, or we're "head-hopping" between different people's biased and individual perceptions of an outsider. I'll talk about omniscient narration later.)

A uniform or position of authority is often the clearest - the policeman, the nurse, the flight attendant, the postman, the grandmother.

When your epithet focuses on aspects of the physical, for a character that the narrator doesn't know yet, the descriptor chosen might depend on intimacy.

You might start at the most obvious identifiable aspect from afar. Why does that detail stand out to your narrator, and why is that the detail they use to describe them?

The tall woman, the very little boy; the man in red, the woman in the big hat; the guy with the cane; that prick in the hairnet.

When we start to get a little closer - when the camera "zooms in" - our narrator might focus on particular details. Why do those details stand out? Is our narrator attracted to, or enamoured by, or disgusted by, or angry with this person? Do they respect them? Find them strange, off-putting?

We often get "the dark-haired man" or "the blonde" or "the bald bloke" or similar; "the pale man", "the girl with the freckles". Then, we get even closer.

A narrator might notice a character's teeth or fingernails, the details of a tattoo, the dirt or grease on their body or clothes, their scent.

People often focus on a character's eye colour, but how often do you notice a person's eye colour unless you're very up close with them? It's worth considering the setting for this as well - a character's eye colour might really stand out in a very bright environment, but not in a darker one.

They also might notice dark eyes or light eyes, but not the particular colour. They might notice a character's jewellery from afar, but might not notice the particular details of that jewellery until they're much closer. Might see the colour of clothes, but not the fabric or the cut or the value.

The choice of epithet doesn't just tell us about the character being described - normally, we have the character described, and then a detail is picked out of that description that our narrator fixates on. It's that detail they use to earmark them in their head, and thus their narration.

An older man obviously wearing foundation, slim and in expensive clothes, who keeps touching his hair and glancing at himself in the mirror, adjusting his posture, glancing at his nails.

To one narrator he might become "the vain man". To another, "the ageing queen". To another, "the pretty one".

To the first narrator, perhaps there's an element of judgement there. Perhaps they think it's silly or pathetic or embarrassing to see a man wearing make-up and worrying about his appearance. To the second, there could be familiarity - they know gay men like this one, and they see the archetype. To the last, there might be attraction or desire, the narrator noticing the effort that man is going to fuss over his appearance, or there might be an element of envy and desire to emulate that man, wanting to be as pretty as he is, to age as he has.

These are mostly physical aspects - another detail a narrator might focus on, the most identifiable one, might be an extension of the uniform I mentioned before. They might focus on that person's position of authority - the cop, the priest - or personality - the chipper young thing, the miser.

Class or nationality or religion might come into it - the nobleman, the Greek, the Muslim.

We might slide into the realm of insults and slurs - who amongst us hasn't been referred to by a relative stranger as "the Jew" or "the homo"? - or otherwise a tone of disdain or adulation or what ever else.

When we use an epithet to refer to someone we don't know, one thing is ordinarily true - the characteristic we are using is unique enough to distinguish that individual from others nearby or in relation to them, including ourselves. I, a gay guy, won't think of someone as "the gay guy", am I?

What is the epithet for? To distinguish that individual from others.

If the narration is in our own head, we're unlikely to worry about what other people will think of our choice of words, meaning we might be offensive or show our desire obviously in a way we might not to an outside party.

If we're looking at a piece of epistolary, like a diary entry or a letter or a blog post, or a first-person narration where the narrator is considering an audience, their language might be a bit different, more edited. They might use kinder language, or show off with funnier language, etc.

All the above is if the narrator doesn't know the character's name. If we DO know the character's name, why aren't we using it?

The non-diegetic reason might be "I've used her name too many times in a short while but 'she' isn't going to distinguish her from other women in the scene".

And that's a perfectly fine reason to use an epithet from time to time - but we also want a diegetic reason for the epithet. Not just why we're using an epithet at all, but why are we using THAT epithet?

If I'm in bed with my fuckbuddy or lover or whatever, I'm not thinking of him as "the blond".

Presumably, I know that guy. Unless I'm going through a veritable parade of sexual partners of recent, all of whom happen to have every other hair colour imaginable, I'm unlikely to think of him as some fella with blond hair, am I?

In some religions and superstitions one uses an epithet to refer to a deity or demon, or other higher power, in order to avoid somehow drawing its attention by making use of its name. In some cultures or situations, a name might be considered too holy to use, and so you might use a title or epithet.

An epithet, in short, creates distance between the narrator and the so-titled; it might create distance between the described character and their own identity, OR forge connection between the describer and described.

The latter is easy - "the other man", "my fellow doctor", "my sister-in-arms".

In the first and second cases, why might that distance be desirable? "The professor" or "the bitch" or "the submissive" create distance in different ways.

The first might draw attention to authority - "the professor" might represent their university, or their area of study, or the narrator's kink.

"The bitch" is rather different - it might be used for humorous effect, or to indicate disgust or anger with the titled character, showing misogyny, especially if they're the one female character amongst men. "This bitch" or "that bitch" might add to the distaste indicated.

"The submissive" is all about the titled's position in the scene - their identity is in their action, and in their submission to the narrator, or within the narrator's awareness. Again, it might be the narrator's kink - we can add to that kink by using a more targeted piece of language.

In a BDSM scene or a fight between dogs, "the submissive" means different things - or maybe it means the same thing.

In a BDSM scene, you might use an epithet that in-context means "submissive", but carries higher or different connotations. Supplicant. Slave. Subject. Patient. Puppy.

And then, of course, there are epithets that carry elements of possession - "his lover", "his sweetheart", "his nemesis", "his coworker", "his neighbour", "her maid", "her enemy", "her mother", "her darling boy", "the pain in her fucking backside".

These latter can be useful for omniscient narration - depending on if you're head-hopping (as in Pratchett's Discworld) between different characters and a broader, more distanced narrator. In general, it depends on how much personality you like to inject into your omniscient narration.

How much does your omniscient narration / narrator like the characters involved? How much do you want the reader to like them, or distinguish between them? Do you want your narration to feel possessive of your characters, parental toward them, disgusted, superior, inferior? Etc.

A lot of people understandably get irritated when they read a sex scene between two characters and they're suddenly referred to as "the blond/e" and the "brunet/te" instead of by their names, and a lot of that comes from people focusing on what "the camera" would see.

This is the view of these two characters from the outside, the same colour, the same weight, two bodies in a sex scene that might be mistaken for one, or at least, you might not be able to tell at a glance where one body begins and the other ends, but their hair distinguishes them.

But that's NOT all that distinguishes them. Even if they're both white skinny pricks in their 20s with chronic samefame, one has a nicer arse than the other. One has freckles on his chest, or more hair on his body. One is prettier. One is more gangling, less graceful, or stronger, or whatever.

Epithets themselves aren't the enemy, though. People might be amateurish or clumsy about using them, and they're definitely easy to overuse - as with any other narrative or literary device, the best epithets are the ones where you don't even notice them unless you go back and really LOOK.

And honestly, that's just a matter of time, effort, study, and practice, again, as with any other narrative or literary device you might work to use and understand.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

the girl next door 5

Warnings: this fic will include elements, some dark, such as age gap, manipulation, chronic illness, noncon/dubcon, coercion, and other untagged triggers. Please take this into account before proceeding. It is up to curate your online consumption safely.

Summary: A new neighbour moves in and upends your already disarrayed life.

Author’s Note: Please feel free to leave some feedback, reblog, and jump into my asks. I’m always happy to discuss with you and riff on idea. As always, you are cherished and adored! Stay safe, be kind, and treat yourself.

This lewk but silverfox

As your mother waits in her chair, watching the window, dolled up in her nicest skirt, with her hair pressed and her eyes lined, you follow the directions on the containers of the premade grocer meals. Roast the potatoes, veggies too, and heat up the chicken. It’s very easy, even for you.

You set the table as the oven warms up and put out the nice plates you never touch. You fold napkins under the cutlery like you’ve seen on television and in restaurants, not that you ever go anywhere by the drive thru. It looks nice. Sort of.

You hear the recliner creak and your mother get up. The doorbell rings and you jump. You rush into the entry way as your mother looms in the front archway. You look at her and she sends back and expression with deadly venom. You go to the door and steady yourself, slowly turning the latch.

You pull it open and muster a smile which must appear closer to a cringe, “hello, uh, hi.”

“Hello,” Steve smiles, a bouquet of sunflowers in his hands. “How are you?”

“Mm, good,” you mumble.

“Great, I brought you ladies some flowers,” he looks between you and your mother as she steps into the hallway. “Something to brighten up the place.”

“Oh my, thank you, Steve,” your mother rushes forward, her left foot thumping a bit heavier than the other, “that is so sweet of you.”

As she snatches the bouquet, a petal flies loose from her tremor. She brings them to her nose, nearly crushing them into her face as her cheek quivers. She’s overexcited and her symptoms more obvious. You step aside as she beckons in your guest.

“You two look nice,” Steve comments as she stops to remove his shoes. His hair is combed tidy back and he wears an oceanic button-up with khakis. He is indiscernible from any other suburban dweller.

“Thank you,” your mother preens and you echo her softly. “Please, come in. I think dinner’s almost ready.”

She glances at you and you nod, “yes, uh, I’ll... go do that.”

You feel Steve watching you. You shrink down and cross your arm over your middle and back away. You turn and shuffle down to the kitchen. You feel how the skirt and sweater let in the breeze around your thighs and reach to tug the hem.

“Grab a vase for the flowers too, honey.”

You let her words trail after you. Honey. The epithet isn’t dripping in her usual poison. You go and open the stove, letting out the aroma of seasoning. It should be almost there.

You search under the sink and find an old mint green vase. You wash it out and fill it with cool water. You bring it out to the dining room and set it on the table. You can hear your mother and Steve in the next room.

She shoves the flowers at you before you can say a word. You take them as she keeps her attention on your guest.

“How’s the house coming along?” She asks in a singsong, “you’ve been doing so much work, I’m surprised you could make the time for us.”

“Of course. Nice to have a few friendly faces around. Not gonna lie though, I do have fridge full of casseroles already.”

You go back to place the stems in the vase. You linger there, safely away from their conversation. You have nothing to add anyway. You’re best to keep an eye on the food.

“Ugh, really? Let me warn you about this place, those bleach blondes aren’t as chipper as they put on,” your mother sneers as you wait for the gravy to simmer.

You don’t think the people around the neighbourhood are bad. They’re just different. Besides, you can’t blame them for their judgment. You might feel the same if you were like them. If you were pretty and perfect and rich.

You hover by the stove and stop the timer before it can buzz. You take out each pan and transfer the contents to thick porcelain serving dishes. You bring them to the table, one at a time.

“Mom, er, Steve?” You peer into the front room, “dinner is ready.”

“Oh, finally, I’m starving,” your mom sighs.

“Smells good. What are we having?” Steve gestures your mom ahead of him, waiting patiently as she moves stiffly. You can see the struggle in the stitch between the brows as how she stops herself from bracing her hip. She’s embarrassed.

“Roast chicken, potatoes, and grilled broccoli,” you explain, watching awkwardly as he pulls out the chair for your mom.

Your mom sits and Steve tucks the chair in. He surprises you as he rounds the table towards you and slides out another chair. You stare at him and your lips part.

“The gravy,” you squeak.

You quickly retreat to the kitchen. You pour the gravy into the spouted dish and balance it by the handle. You carry it carefully through the door and trip on the slightly crooked divider on the floor. The contents slosh and a splatter lands on your white sweater.

You frown and put the grave dish on the table. Steve lingers as he was. You look down at your sweater and he reaches for one of the spare napkins, holding it out to you. You thank him and sit, letting him push the chair in under you. You dab at your sweater but the brown stains remain.

As he sits, just by your mother, she was sure to sit where she would be next to him, you put the crumpled napkin by your plate. Your mother arches her brow at the front of your sweater. You raise your shoulders and give an apologetic look as you slip the cardigan off. You untangle your arms from the fabric and let it droop to the seat.

Steve smiles at you again. Your face is on fire, your chest too. The dress really doesn’t fit right.

“You made all this?” He asks.

“Heh, she bought it and put it in the oven,” your mom tuts. “She’s not the most gifted cook and... and my hands aren’t steady enough for that anymore.”

“Ah, well, food is food,” he shrugs, “regardless, it looks delicious.” He reaches for the plates of chicken and catches the tongs before the can fall, “may I?”

Your mother’s lips curl and she nods, “by all means.”

He puts a piece on her plate, then his own. He sets it back before he grabs the bowl of potatoes and scoops up a heap besides the marinated breast. Finally, he shovels on the broccoli.

You meekly fill your own plate, though you leave it sparse. Just a piece of chicken, a tiny bit of potatoes, and some broccoli. Your stomach is uneasy. You’re not used to company. You poke around with your fork.

“You know, Holly, I finally got all the furniture where I want it but I don’t know,” Steve begins, cutting into his chicken, “I think it needs something... a woman’s touch, maybe?”

“Mmm,” your mother nods and squints.

“I wouldn’t mind picking your brain. Maybe you have some suggestions. I got all these paintings but not really sure where to put them, you know?”

“Right,” she put a sliced potato in her mouth and chews thoughtfully. She swallows and takes her napkin, shakingly blotting around her coloured lips, “well, suppose I could give you a few tips.”

“Really?” He asks, “that would be amazing.”

“Not a problem at all,” she grins, “I could drop by tomorrow.”

“Yeah, that will be nice,” he agrees.

You sit quietly, keeping your face blank. You won’t mention how your mother complained when you tried to hang some of your drawings just in your same room. She always said art was a waste of time. No, you’ll say nothing. You’re better off that way.

“And uh, you’re welcome too,” Steve offers across the table and your eyes flick up to meet his, “if you want. Don’t want to leave you out.”

You glance at your mother. Her eyes narrow and you gulp, nearly choking on the potatoes. You take a breath and push your shoulders up, “actually, I was planning on... uh, I’m busy.”

You can’t even come up with a lie. Not a solid one. Just busy. Busy being alone. Busy hiding.

“Ah, that’s too bad. Well, how about once I get the barbecue fired up, you both come over for a cookout?”

“Lovely,” your mother chimes. “But tomorrow, I’ll swing by,” she squeezes her fork as it tings against the plate. Her tremor is getting bad. “Be nice to get out.”

[sieveyourtea]

Helloo!!

I really really love your writing and I wanted to ask if you had any tips on writing/how to improve your own writing?

Hello, Anon!

This was such a kind ask--thank you so much! I'm sorry it took me a moment to get back with you; I hope it's worth the wait!

I have two pieces of general advice I'll share (with details below the cut!): 1) Read often! and 2) Be as concrete as you can!

My biggest piece of advice for anyone looking to improve their writing is actually to read! Read fics, read books, read magazines, articles, journals. Read your favorite authors, read people you've never heard of, read people you won't again. Give a new genre a go! Try and read at least twenty minutes a day of something. Reading everyday does a lot of things for you; expanding your vocabulary, learning new ways to describe physical things and feelings, learning new ways to express emotions, seeing examples of story construction, and the list goes on. Reading keeps you fresh and your story growing; it lets you think about things that aren't your latest project and gives you the space to learn how to creatively engage with a community when creating art can be very isolating.

2. The second general piece I would say is tend towards the concrete in your descriptions and words within the knowledge of your character. Saying " a box of red flowers" could to five people conjured up five images: poppies, geraniums, roses, dahlias, and zinnias all are red flowers but only one is the actual red flower in your scene. If your character would instead that its "a flowerbox of red geraniums" then embrace the opportunity to build that concrete scene for a reader.

If a character doesn't know those details, think about what it says about them. Why don't they know? Is it age, experience, interest, they've just moved to an area and seen them for the first time, they're in a flower shop and the simple number of varieties are overwhelming?

Using concrete detail shows the reader not only your scene, but builds your character and world in subtle ways. It can do so much heavy lifting for you without having to tell the reader everything you want them to know about your narrator.

Other advice? I could prattle on about epithets and character design beyond the in media res of your story and structure subtlety and motif building, but honestly, the two things above will go a very long way.

Thank you so much for asking, anon, this was a very kind comment to appear in my box!

[mnz-10]

Forgive me if I’m wrong but I recall in your fic it was mentioned that out of all their overlapping domains Mercury was more focused on commerce while Hermes was more focused on thievery/traveling/messenger stuff (?? Idk cannot remember)

I was wondering what the other differences between the Greek and Romans counterparts

You’re correct! Mercury is primarily associated with commerce—his name derives from merx, meaning merchandise. Some experts say he derives from the Dei Lucrii (personifications of trade and profit). So he keeps all of Hermes’ functions with a special emphasis on financial gain (with a moral ambiguity twist—pragmatism, as Romans do). But also had a civilizing role, since he was depicted as the inventor of all arts and sciences, iirc. Plus, he was very popular and became syncretized with many, many gods. Basically, Mercury is somewhat of a mediator god. So he’s more businesslike.

As for the others:

Jupiter was Zeus’ equivalent as sky-king, and served as the chief deity of the Roman state. He’s the guarantor of Rome’s social contracts, oaths, and victories. He was seen as the virtuous, paternal protector of Rome. Plus, he was more remote from human daily goings. All in all, he’s more solemn, being the epitome of Roman ideals of sovereignty and public virtue. So any affront against Roman authority is seen as impiety against Jupiter. Both him and Zeus share a common Indo-European origin, that’s why they’re so similar (the sky father with the thunderbolt and so on).

Juno had the same roles as Hera (marriage and childbirth, etc). But she had warlike and political aspects unique to her—Juno Regina (Queen) and Juno as protector goddess. She was part of the Capitoline Triad, and was seen as a protector of the whole community (not just women). I think she was said to accompany Roman armies too, at least metaphorically.

Neptune is primarily a god of fresh water, unlike Poseidon, who’s strictly a sea god (rivers and such were more aligned with Oceanus or river-gods than with Poseidon.) Later, Neptune became associated with both fresh water and the sea, all water was under his jurisdiction, but he never had the same prevalence as Poseidon possessed—Jupiter and Mars occupied that role—and his worship was more… specialized (seafarers, during droughts, etc.) Think of him as a stabilizer of the sea, contrasting the stormy waters of Poseidon.

Minerva and Athena are interesting, because Minerva was originally (her Italic origin) a weather goddess who hurled thunderbolts, iirc. Also, she’s part of the Capitoline Triad with both Jupiter and Juno, and she wasn’t considered Jupiter’s daughter exactly. They were considered peers in cult—literature is a different matter altogether. Domain-wise, they cover the same things, but Minerva was more state associated, as Romans do. So think organized guilds, emperor’s military, and so on.

Ares and Mars are very different. Ares is a god of violent war and bloodlust. Mars, in contrast, was a god of war AND agriculture (due to his Italic origins and the priorities of that time), being the most important god after Jupiter. So, basically, Mars was seen as warfare necessary to secure peace (peace-bringer), and honored as pater (father) of the Roman people (due to Romus and Remulus.) One was very esteemed, the other was detested.

Venus was originally worshipped as a nature goddess, iirc. She used to be associated with fertility of crops, springtime, and prosperity. Eventually, she absorbed Aphrodite’s domains (Hellenization), but her role was expanded to encompass maternal and state-related roles. All in all, Venus is more matronly; her eroticism was toned down and she was considered the progenitor of the Roman people—her epithet, Genetrix, emphasizes this. Kinda like a symbol of wifely virtues so to say. She was also invoked for peace and victory. Luck as well iirc.

Apollo has no Italic equivalent, so he was directly imported. He was adopted and not syncretized like the others. Basically, Apollo remained the same—what changed was the context (becoming a symbol of the Roman ideology, etc), but Apollo remained Apollo.

Diana was revered as an Italic deity of the woods and moonlight, and was seen as the protector of the lower classes and the slaves (Artemis was not as relevant to the civic sphere, but was mainly connected with freeborn citizens). The most notable difference between her and Artemis is that Diana is considered a triple goddess (Diana Triformis). So Diana is more moon-aligned and dual-faced than Artemis.

Vulcan was primarily worshipped as a god of fire, particularly destructive fire, as well as a patron of smithcraft, as we know (he wasn’t strongly associated with it in the beginning; it was possible it was partly covered by Minerva: crafts). He was worshipped to avoid harmful fires. So he encompasses all of the aspects of fire, therefore somewhat more… “dangerous”—in need of appeasement to avoid disaster.

Ceres is essentially the same agricultural goddess as Demeter is. But she had state-related roles too, especially as a patron of the plebeian class and their rights. Basically, she oversaw legal proceedings and punishments (she had a temple act as a legal archive). She’s part of the Aventine Triad with Liber and Libera too.

Vesta was responsible for the hearth fire of home and the state, domestic life, and was the guardian of Rome’s eternal flame. She also had a public order called Vestal Virgins: six virgin priestesses who tended to her flame (if it extinguished, it was seen as a terrible omen for the city). Basically, the main difference between her and Hestia was that Vesta embodied the life of the city of Rome. So her role went beyond the oikos (household), becoming symbolic of the Roman state itself.

Finally, Liber (Liber Pater) is the Italic god of wine, viticulture, male fertility, and freedom and plebeian rights. Something worth noting is that Bacchus is an epithet of Dionysus—it was used for the more frenzied aspects of him. In any case, Liber had a female counterpart named Libera, and both were connected to Ceres, as previously stated. So Liber is more rustic and virile, personifying the freedoms of the Roman citizen, which is quite a contrast when compared to Dionysus. A curiosity: the identification between Liber and Dionysus/Bacchus was not seamless, and many thought that Liber wasn’t exactly Dionysus. Another fun fact is that Liber and Libera were thought to be Ceres’ children in some accounts.

Most of the Roman gods—those not adopted—were initially Italic gods that were associated with the Greek gods later. So they existed before Hellenization, but records from that time period are scarce, unfortunately.

Sorry for the rant 😅 But I hope this adequately answered your question!

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

The State Birds Initiative: Connecticut (#5)

Hoo boy, it's been a minute! But hey, here we are again, after taking some extra time to figure stuff out. Welcome to the fifth official poll of the State Birds Initiative! Before the poll, though, one thing real quick. My suggestion is that you read the post below before voting in the poll below. That's especially important if you're lacking any context about the birds being presented as the new (or old) State Bird of the Nutmeg State, Connecticut. This is to be fully informed as to why these are being presented, and to make your choices appropriately. Lastly, some of these birds, you will notice, may go against some of the rules listed in the introduction post. All is explained after the jump where the explanations are, I promise you that. And apologies in advance, the spiel before the actual bird selection is...long. But with that...OK! Here's the poll!

Welcome to the Nutmeg State! A small state, mostly known for being between Boston and New York City, this is one of the foundational states of southern New England, while also having a somewhat...divided identity, we'll say. So, I grew up in CT, for part of my childhood, in both the classic upscale suburbs, and in the middle of the goddamn woods, right on the Connecticut River. For the record, the name "Nutmeg State" is based off of salesmen from the state known for peddling nutmegs. However, there's some speculation that the nutmegs sold were actually made of wood, but that's also probably from people who didn't know that nutmegs were supposed to be grated, and instead assumed they had to be cracked like walnuts. They tried, that failed, and they accused Connecticut Yankees for selling fake nutmeg as a result. So, yeah, a confusing legend at the root of the state's nickname.

You'll notice my use of the word "Yankee" there. Well, despite New York's domination of the term, it should arguably be most associated with Connecticut. "Yankee Doodle" is literally the state song; people from CT were previously and historically referred to as Yankees (which was also an epithet applied to northerners in general, to be fair); and it's actually possible the word was first used by the Dutch in reference to Connecticut settlers, according to multiple theories and historical references. But maybe most prominently, Yankee was used as a demonym for people from CT by one of its most favorite residents: Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain.

Twain is, of course, Connecticut's most famous author, having written some of his most famous works while living with his family in Connecticut in his West Hartford house (which every central Connecticut middle school kid has been to at least once, I guaran-goddamn-tee it). Fun fact, though! Did you know...uh...ah, fuck it. Why keep stalling at this point? Look, as much as I love talking about Mark Twain, he was nothing to do with this post. Fact of the matter is...this was a hard one.

Look, I love Connecticut. It was the first state I remember living in, having moved there when I was a kid from the United States Virgin Islands, which I had been really looking forward to for a bunch of reasons. Admittedly (and unsurprisingly), a lot of that was because I was looking forward to seeing the birds! As a kid, I was also obsessed with birds, and I had never seen the birds in the US mainland before. It was an exciting time for me, and I honestly enjoyed growing up in CT, for the most part. I'd be there for almost 6 years of my life, and I have a lot of fond memories of the state. But, uh...ironically enough...finding State Bird nominees for Connecticut has been HARD AS HELL.

We will, of course, talk in GREAT detail about the American Robin (Turdus migratorius), as it's an important bird for more states than just Connecticut, but I'll give you a spoiler now: this is a boring choice for a State Bird. For any state. Don't get me wrong, I love robins! They're an extremely charismatic and iconic bird, and everybody has seen them at least once in their life if they live in the USA. They're also most likely an early bird (pun slightly intended) for people to encounter on a personal standpoint. Again, we'll get to them, but they're a notable entry in this list. And if one of the states kept the American Robin, I would understand. But, uh...is that state Connecticut?

OK, let's look at the state in the same vein as we have others. I'm sure this won't be the last difficult state to examine in the future of this project, so why not do the same here? Starting with habitat, Connecticut is another state placed within the Northeastern Coastal Zone, with a ton of deciduous forests dominated by oak, chestnut, hemlock, and white pine. There was a lot of clearance during early settlement and beyond, but succession has taken over in recent years to grow the forests back. The state's cut in half by the Connecticut Valley, with large floodplains dominated by maple and cottonwood, with the large Connecticut River right in the center of the valley. Finally, the Berkshires in the northwest corner of the state give us some classic New England flair with sugar maple (Acer saccharum), ash, beech, birch, oak, and hemlock trees on higher-altitude slopes, creating a hilly area that turns beautiful colors in fall. Man, I love Connecticut autumns. And the rest of the year, for that matter.

OK, what are Nutmeggers most known for, culturally and historically? It's a diverse state with a lot of mixed culture, partially as a result of its proximity to New York City. A lot of people tend to joke that Connecticut is just New York City, especially people from elsewhere in New England. And having been to NYC a lot when I was a kid, with a mom who worked there part of the week, and an aunt who lived there all of the week...yeah, fair. But Connecticut has a much more detailed culture than that. It's the home of the cotton giiiAAAAAAH, bad place to start that list. Uh, let's see, it's the home of whaliiiiiiing. Jesus. Uh...home of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe? OK, that's better. It's a major seat of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, leading to it being a production hub for textiles, clocks, typewriters, machining, sewing machines, steam engines, aircraft, and honestly, women's rights to a certain degree. After all, it's the home of the Radium...Girls. Huh. OK, CT's history has some bumps in it, but what state's history doesn't?

As for modern Nutmeggers, they're industrious, generally well-educated, and honestly quite a bit eccentric. I've gone back to the state a few times in the last couple of years, and I forgot how honestly weird people are there. In a good way, not in the fucked-up MAGA sense of the word. It's a state whose people are unafraid to express themselves, from my experience. Probably a result of the diversity in the state, and the diverse perspectives that result. Its political atmosphere is a bit complicated, but overall pretty liberal. Which...doesn't translate super-well into birds at first blush, but hey, we'll see what we get!

OK, with that, let's jump into the selection of the birds for this list. Real talk, if anybody has a suggestion that I hadn't brought up here, send it my way! I will absolutely add another poll if there are entries I think could bear fruit. But, in the meantime, read on if you're interested in the possible choices for the State Bird of Connecticut!

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find an citizen of the United States of America who hasn't seen a robin. This is, by far, one of our most iconic songbirds, and is certainly one of the most common and widespread. For some of us, they're a sign of spring. For others, they used to be a sign of spring, until global warming prompted some individuals to stick around through the winter, shifting their diet to frugivory a bit more and brightening the snow as well. They're prolific breeders with bright blue-green eggs (which are iconic in their own right), and can have up to three broods in a given season! Extremely successful and very common. And that...is a problem, for our purposes.

See, Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin have the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) for their state bird, and none of them actually have a good reason for that choice. In Wisconsin, it was chosen by schoolkids because it was recognizable. That was also the reason for the Michigan Audubon Society to choose it as state bird. And Connecticut? Absolutely no goddamn idea. It's almost certainly for the same reason, but there is no real recorded reason for the choice of the American Robin as a state bird, as far as I can tell. For literally all of those states, it's a pretty bad choice by virtue of not being a good choice, at the very least. But that said...I mean, it's not the worst possible choice for a State Bird. For one state, anyway.

Robins, for the record, were named after a different robin entirely: the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula). Another red-breasted and beloved songbird, the European Robin was an immediate thought when American settlers saw the American Robin, hence why I keep saying "American". The two are so often confused in pop-culture, even Mary Poppins was guilty of it! That GIF above comes from the film, and in case you haven't realized it yet, that's an American Robin in England. Yeah. Wrong bird to use as a model for your animatronic, Disney. That has bothered me since I was a little kid, I swear to GOD. Erroneous film biogeography is one of my biggest pet peeves...but that's a separate conversation.

Back to the American Robin. Personally, I love robins of all species, and even recently did some genomics work with them (DNA extraction is fun). They're a commonly seen species, and a great entry-level bird for kids to get into birdwatching and nature. As an American icon, I genuinely think these guys should get some recognition...but I'm hard-pressed to say Connecticut needs them as a State Bird. We'll see what people think, but there's not a great case for them to get the title. To keep it...like I said, we'll see. Maybe the others won't be deemed as good a fit for the state. For now, let's move on from a popular backyard bird to a MUCH less popular one.

Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)

Here's the eBird pick for Connecticut, and for good reason! The vast majority of the Blue-winged Warbler's (Vermivora cyanoptera) breeding population is in...Wisconsin. Wait, what? Hold on...yeah, actually, Wisconsin, New York, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia all have higher shares of the population that Connecticut, with 5% overall. That's still a lot better than the American Robin's share in CT (0.2%), but still...seems like that eBird article is SEVERELY outdated, or I'm using the database wrong somehow. Either way...huh. Well, let's make an argument for the Blue-winged Warbler, anyway.

Blue-winged Warblers are a species of some conservation concern, making them automatically of interest. They're also extremely interesting to geneticists and ornithologists because of their relationship to other members of Vermivora, especially the Golden-wined Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) and extinct Bachman's Warbler (Vermivora bachmanii), with having documented hybrid offspring with the former that's of interest for various reasons. But outside of that, they of course breed in Connecticut, and represent an interesting bird to look for and find, with a recognizable song and appearance. It's also prized by birdwatchers, and would be a good bird for any aspiring or experienced birdwatchers. It also inhabits shrubland, which is of some conservation interest to CT government and environmental officials. But other than that...not too much else.

Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)

No. Look, I'm just gonna say this now: no. The Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis) not only doesn't breed in the state (and possibly has never bred in the state), but it's pretty much not found there. Like, at all. This is not an easy warbler to get anywhere in its range in the US, but Connecticut isn't included in that distribution. "But lonelywretch," you scream at your computer screen, "why is it called the Connecticut goddamn Warbler if it isn't even from the state?" First of all, not to police your emotions, but stop screaming; way overboard for this situation. Second of all, it's called the Connecticut Warbler because its describer, ornithologist Alexander Wilson, first saw it in a fly-by during migration while in Connecticut. And...yeah, that's it. They do fly through the state very occasionally during migration, but it's definitely not a reliable bird to count on for local birders there. Honestly...bad bird for the state.

Side note here: there's a lot of talk about renaming birds that are named after people, and I agree with that in almost every case. But here's a hot take to elaborate on in another series: location-based names need to be re-examined. Not all of them are bad by any means, but the Connecticut Warbler is a great example of a bird whose name makes NO FUCKING SENSE. Rename this bird, I BEG of you. If anybody has suggestions for a renaming of this bird, throw them in notes for something! Keep in mind, Gray-headed Warbler is taken (by Myiothlypis griseiceps), so come up with somethin' else. Warranted inclusion in the list for its name, but we're gonna move on.

Osprey (Pandion halieetus)

It's at this point in the list where we get into some interesting candidates...and where I had the most trouble. But I'm fairly satisfied with what I've come up with, so let's move forward! This entry's a somewhat controversial pick for a few reasons, but an interesting one for a bunch of reasons. Now, I don't know about you, but I love Osprey (Pandion halieetus) a whole bunch. An iconic raptor, as well as a very unique one, they're a pescivorous bird found throughout the entire continent. And in Europe. And Asia. And Africa, Australia, and South America. Yeah, they're a cosmopolitan species, found in every continent except for Antarctica. That automatically should make them a bit dodgy of a choice for a State Bird, since they can be found in every state (yes, even occasionally Hawaii). So, why Connecticut?

First off, Connecticut has an intimate connection with the shore and rivers, especially the Connecticut River. Seemingly a loose reason, but the Osprey, AKA the river hawk or sea hawk (we'll get to that later) is an iconic riparian raptor, and a common sight in Connecticut. Having grown up on a river in the state, we used to see Osprey all the time, and it was awesome every time. But their commonness in the state is an important story in and of itself. And, if you know anything about Osprey at all, you know where this is headed. And Connecticut is a great example of this story.

The Osprey is one of the most iconic victims of the DDT crisis that hit the country, as well as a symbol of the environmental success story that resulted from its banning. I won't go into the full story if you haven't heard it, but the short of it is that the pesticide DDT was inadvertently ingested by fish-eating raptors, especially the Bald Eagle (Halieetus leucocephalus) and the Osprey, causing the eggs they laid to have weakened, soft shells. This caused a massive decrease in these and other species, nearly driving both into extinction. However, once environmental movements prompted by Rachel Carson and her book Silent Spring advocated for its eventual banning, the populations recovered. And in Connecticut, they've recovered A LOT.

In 1940, somewhere near 1,000 nests were recorded for Osprey between New York City and Boston. By 1970, the number in Connecticut was down...to 8. Jesus Christ, that's a hell of a crash! One of the worst in the country, in fact. However, today in Connecticut, there are 688 active nests in the state. Which, yeah, doesn't seem like the ultimate success compared to previous, but what's interesting is the rate of increase. Because in 2014, according to the Connecticut State Audubon, there were only 210. In ten years, the number of breeding ospreys known was more than tripled. That's incredible. This has quickly made the Osprey a symbol of conservation in the state, because of a massive amount of monitoring increase. There are states with more of a population, but Connecticut has a pretty good argument for having the Osprey. But that said...other states could also claim this species. Florida and Maryland definitely have claims on it for population size alone, not to mention, well...the most iconic state of all when it comes to having ospreys as a symbol. But we'll get to that one WAY later. just keep that in mind before you vote for Connecticut to have the Osprey.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

The Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus OR Astur striatus as of recent taxonomic proposals), on the other hand, is another bird of interest. The smallest hawk in the United States of America, this already seems a fitting choice for one of the smallest states in the country. It's listed as endangered in the state, immediately making it of interesting conservation focus. The reason for this status is likely because of window-strikes, which are common for the species in Connecticut, meaning that there's some public outreach needed to protect it. Protecting the forests they nest in (which are in danger) is one thing, but putting up protective window decals to help the species is another. Definitely a cause for focus.

However, there is one...minor detail that makes this a harder fight for public opinion, as well as a potentially ironic one. This is the first species we've discussed whose diet is basically exclusively birds. If you're in the Northeastern United States, and you've seen a bird get attacked and taken at your birdfeeders, it's almost certainly this guy. Which is cool, and important for the species' survival, but the average person being asked to protect a bird that kills other birds, especially birds like the American Robin, is...a palpable irony. Granted, it genuinely needs protecting, and has monitoring programs in the state, and it is a genuinely interesting raptor! But, this is a slightly harder fight to win because of that noncharismatic factor. But hey, it's a cool bird in genuine trouble in the state, it's a scrappy bird for a small state, and it's an interesting species to highlight!

American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

This is another difficult bird to fight for, but one that needs attention, for God's sake. The American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) is a rapidly disappearing duck species, and not for the reason you think. Let's get to Connecticut representation first. It was the first bird to be used for the Connecticut Migratory Duck Stamp in 1993, the first one issued for the state. It's one of the few states in which it breeds (although it's not the primary state of focus, detracting from its candidacy). And, it's a controlled bird by Fish and Game, meaning hunting of the Black Duck is extremely limited. There is, surprisingly, a point to that statement, but I won't be elaborating here. We'll see how the vote goes, and I'll address it in the Results post.

So, why is this a potential issue? Well, Maine and New York arguably should get this bird instead, as they have a higher population. And the breeding population of this bird is incredibly important to promote, because it's disappearing. Why is it disappearing? Well, some of you may have looked at that picture and asked yourselves: "Wait...isn't that just a female Mallard?" And the answer is, no! But a lot of people think that. A lot of birds think that. Mallards think that. Which means that hybrids between Mallards and Black Ducks are incredibly high. SO high, in fact, the species is being bred and hybridized out of existence! They're so similar to Mallards on a genetic level at this point, that they'll be subsumed if their individual populations aren't preserved. So, yeah, these guys deserve some focus. Do I think they're a great Connecticut symbol? Well, to be fair, the state is regularly assumed to be either greater New York City or greater Massachusetts by outsiders. And it's not; it has its own identity that deserves to be preserved for what it is. So, yeah, maybe a good fit for Connecticut after all.

Also, it's the state in New England with the highest proportion of Black Americans (yes, even more than Massachusetts), so...I dunno, that's also something? Probably not, but as a black dude that grew up in CT, I felt the need to bring that up.

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

OK, sing it with me now!

Yankee Doodle went to town, a-riding on a pony; Stuck a feather in his hat, and called it "macaroni"! Yankee Doodle, give it up! Yankee Doodle Dandy, Mind the music and the step, and with the girls be handy!

Ooh, that last line aged a little rough, but Yankee Doodle! The Connecticut state anthem! Yes, really. Most Americans in the Northeast know this song, but it's got a unique resonance for Nutmeggers, seeing as it was allegedly based on the son of a Connecticut mayor! The state chose it as their song in 1978, and it's been a beloved symbol ever since. But, for the uninitiated (and probably to most school kids like I was), there is one weird word in there that needs a little explanation: macaroni.

Now, this does not, of course, reference the easy cheesy favorite of every child (and college student). No, this is a reference to an old 18th century term for a form of fashion back in the day. It's what the 2000s called "extra", or bourgeious (pronounced "bougie", of course). Basically, it's somebody who dressed WAY over the top in high-designed clothes and accessories to the point of looking...well, extra. Another applicable 2000s term would be "metrosexual", I guess. The macaroni became a satirical character in British culture, and would later become another character known as the "dandy". It's sort of a class-related satire, to be honest. In any case, the macaroni was known for over-the-top fashion, including...wigs.

So, what does literally any of this have to do with the Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)? More than you'd expect, actually. First off, the egret has a pompodour-like crest of feathers that makes it look quite like a stereotypical macaroni, in my opinion. Secondly, it does breed in Connecticut, albeit extremely rarely, sparely, and barely. Its population in the state used to be a lot greater...until people came around and starting hunting it down. Why, you ask?

Let's just go ahead and call that macaroni now, while we're at it. To be clear here, quite a lot of birds were used in millinery back in the day, but the Snowy Egret (and the Great Egret (Ardea alba), for that matter) are special. Those long white feathery plumes were heavily prized as hat decorations, enough so that the species nearly went extinct from hunting them for the hat trade. As a result of that, people began to turn their eye towards conservation of the species, and the protection of birds in general. Two women, Harriet Hemenway and Minna B. Hall, got a group of women together to protect the birds. They rallied the troops, and their organization became fairly popular. Eventually when they sought to name it, they did so after one of the most famous ornithologists in American history at the time: John James Audubon. And from there...well, you can guess.

The Audubon Society is one of the premiere bird conservation organizations in the world, and especially in the United States, and is well-known to the public sector. And it was born right here in...Massachusetts. Oh. Wait, have I jumped the gun on this one? Maybe a little, yeah. But, in my defense, the macaroni is linked to Connecticut through its state anthem, and the Snowy Egret is linked to the macaroni, as mentioned. But, OK, maybe this is a better proposal for Massachusetts, not Connecticut. But, uh...there may be another contender. Kind of.

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

OK, here me out on this one. Look at this picture of a classic macaroni character (on the right, for the record). Does that hairdo not kinda look like the crest of the Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)? Like, just a little bit, at least? I dunno, I can definitely see it. But OK, outside of that, is there another reason for the Tufted Titmouse to be the State Bird of Connecticut? Well, they're extremely common, they've got some charisma to them, and they're definitely found breeding in Connecticut. But...I don't know. I think they're plenty charismatic, but I'm not sure that makes them a great contender.

Still...they should be represented somewhere, right? I mean, the species breeds entirely in the USA, even though it can be found in Canada as well. Plus, other than being very recognizable, they're also an easy bird to find and support with backyard birdfeeding. And, if you want a fun fact about them, they're prone to kleptotrichy. That means, they pluck the fur from mammals to use as insulation in their nests! Yeah! They actually pick the winter coat off of dogs, and use it for their nests! Adorable. But yeah, does this really count for a good State Bird of Connecticut? I doubt it, but I'll let you vote! And I swear to God, it better not be just because of the name that it gets votes.

There you have it. Some complex and controversial choices. I miss any that you think are a valid choice for the state? Do let me know, and I may just issue another poll if this one isn't good enough. We shall see. But, for now, I think it's time to move onto the next state. And lemme tell you, I'm real excited about that one, since...well, I live there! And I have some ideas, lemme tell you. And some people will...disagree with me. For sure. Anyway, see you next time in Boston, kid!

See you soon, and happy birding!

Introduction to the State Birds Initiative

1. Delaware - Poll | Results 2. Pennsylvania - Poll | Results 3. New Jersey - Poll | Results 4. Georgia - Poll | Results 5. Connecticut - Poll | Results 6. Massachusetts - Poll | Results

[tossawary]

When writing both original fiction and fanfiction, it's my personal preference and style to remind people who characters are in the narration when I feel it might be needed. It's especially handy when bringing OCs into a fanfiction. Example: "The person calling out to them was [Character's Name Here], the baker they had met earlier that morning." This quirk of narration often reads to me as the POV character internally reminding themselves who someone is.

Sometimes, a character is quite bad with names or wasn't given one, which is where it's handy to refer to this other character by a fixed epithet. Example: "The person calling out to them was the square-faced man from yesterday, who had given them those bad directions." OR: "The person calling out to them was the mayor's daughter." This reads to me as though the POV character is distinguishing people by a particular feature or remembers them by their relationship to someone else, which is a common way to remember people, until their own name becomes more fixed in your mind.

I also think it's important to keep an epithet / title the same across a scene. Epithets are best used, in my opinion, when that particular feature or quality is actually relevant. It's a little weird for a POV character to suddenly think of their own husband as "the tall man" unless his height is suddenly important in some way, and it might confuse the audience into thinking another person is in the room. If a character doesn't have a name, then "the square-faced man" or "the mayor's daughter" effectively becomes their name, and it's confusing to have a character's name change too much with every other paragraph. (It would be fine to also refer to "the mayor's daughter" as "the girl" or "the young woman" as long as there aren't any other nameless girls speaking in the scene.) Keeping the same title allows it to blend in in the same way that the word "said" does, rather than break up the flow of a scene.

Not every person or character is bad with names and remembering people, of course, or is inclined to give them funny little internal titles. There are people who are very good at names. There are tricks to use to get yourself to memorize names as you're introduced to someone. Narrative styles are going to be different by author and by the current POV character. (Sometimes, you might want the audience to be confused and disoriented!)

In fact, thinking about how different characters think about each other is one of my favorite starting places for crafting a perspective voice. A single character might be referred to in the narration as "His Majesty" by one character, "my husband" by another character, "the king" by a third character, "the usurper" by a fourth character, and "Dad" by a fifth. The name that a character calls someone else by will often say a lot about their relationship and their opinion of that other person. If the prince appears to think of his father as "the king" rather than "Father", that implies something about their relationship.

But back to introducing character names, you as an author, in my experience as a writer and reader, generally can't rely on the audience to easily recall very minor character names unless they're very distinct or the character was introduced in a particularly memorable way. Like, if you introduce a character as the protagonist's best friend, Mary, and immediately start refering to her as Mary because it's followed by a conversation between the protagonist and Mary, that's fair! It's reasonable to expect the audience to just learn Mary's name here! But then if Mary disappears after Chapter 1 and doesn't show up again until Chapter 10, I think it's reasonable to subtly reintroduce her to the audience again. Example: "It was Mary smiling at me from the doorway, and I jumped up to hug my best friend immediately."

Like, there's no one way that you have to refer to characters and introduce them and reintroduce them, of course. Characters have different levels of importance and sometimes we don't really need to know who they are. Sometimes, an author wants an audience to feel grounded, to recognize people, and sometimes they want their audience to feel lost and scared. It's all situational. Style is a thing.

But because it's all situational, this is something I like thinking about and I think it's something worth studying when you're reading original fiction. It's interesting to pay attention to how characters enter and exit scenes in different forms of media, and how the narrator introduces them and how other characters greet them aloud. (Shakespeare comes to mind as a neat thing to look at, to see how theatre does it. Comic books and films and visual media will do it differently to a text-only story.) The audience doesn't have the background that you, the author, carry around in your head all of the time, and you often need to give them a helping hand in keeping your cast of characters straight. Even in fanfiction, without including OCs, not everyone in the audience has the whole canonical cast perfectively memorized, and not every character in any given cast actually knows every other character! It's not just OCs who need introductions, whether those introductions happen subtly or a character enters the story with a bang.

Kind of another side note:

One of my favorite character introductions comes from the book "The Princess Bride", in which Princess Buttercup is kidnapped by three men who are referred to only as "the Spaniard", "the Turk", and "the Sicilian". You don't know their names for quite some time. Buttercup doesn't know these people.

You only learn the Spaniard's name when the Sicilian leaves him at the top of a cliff, tasking him the Spaniard fighting and killing "the Man in Black" who is pursuing their kidnapping. When the Spaniard is about to fight someone to the death, the book pauses to tell you that his name is Inigo Montoya, and then there is an ENTIRE CHAPTER dedicated to Inigo Montoya's long and tragic backstory, in which you learn about his decades-long quest to find the six-fingered man who murdered his father. And then the book abruptly dumps you the audience back out onto that cliff, where Inigo (no longer just "the Spaniard" and no longer just some random kidnapping thug) is about to fight for his life.

I think it's a terribly fun piece of whiplash that suits the comedic style of the book really well. (The book is a little different to the movie and there are things about it that I don't like, the movie gets across a level of a sincerity and love through the acting that the book misses in places, but there are lots of really funny elements to the book that the movie sadly couldn't cover.) The transformation from "the Spaniard" into "Inigo Montoya" is really neat to me.

[audreyscribes]

PJO ROMAN DEMIGOD HEADCANONS: ⚡ JUPITER/JOVE: KING OF THE GODS, GOD OF (DIURNAL) THUNDER AND THE SKY⚡

Author’s Note: Alright, when I was writing the Greek demigods h/cs, I did keep in mind some of them and their Roman counterparts (i.e. Hera demigod), so when that one anon asked about doing Roman demigods, I got curious and this is my attempt. I do understand why there isn’t a lot but I gave it a shot. It’s not going to be the same for the Greek version and it’s not going to be very detailed since Camp Jupiter and New Rome is more limited than the Greeks, and there are some overlaps between the two, so that’s why. Hope you like it and enjoy! ROMAN DEMIGODS H/CS MASTERLIST LINKS: [TUMBLR] // [AO3]

You’re going to be held in high regard since your godly father is Jupiter Jove himself. The King of the gods, chief deity of the Roman state, Central member of the Archaic Triad, Capitoline Triad; guardian of the state with Juno and Minerva, and the Dii Consentes. You’re respected based on the premise that Jupiter is basically head honcho of the Roman state. However, this brings a lot of pressure as people expect you to be a leader and be just like Jupiter, and be the embodiment of Roman values. 

You’re probably either more composed or learn how to be more composed with your emotions and actions; not only reflecting how the Roman gods are more strict, disciplined, responsible, and calm; but because of your environment. You’re the child of Jupiter so they automatically look to you as a figure of leadership which means they’re always watching you.

In terms of power, between Greek and Roman demigods, I have this idea that Greek demigods have more broad and abstract range while Roman demigods have a more limited yet technical use with more accuracy. So compared to a child of Zeus whose powers have lightning and thunder which means general electrokinesis; as a child of Jupiter your powers are more refined, so you can pull off more tricks and technical control. Hey, that means you can fly more in a barrel roll, breaking the sound barrier while the children of Zeus can just generally fly. 

Another power as a child of Jupiter may have is light based powers; based on one of Jupiter’s epithet as Jupiter Lucetius (Of the Light) where he was esteemed as purveyor of the universe. It makes sense if you consider lightning having the word ‘light’ and lightning does produce ‘light’, so unlike a child of Apollo, your light is more lightning in nature then the rays of the sun.

On a more not so serious note, you find yourself saying “By Jove!” more often than not; not only as a sign of exclamation of surprise or emphasis, but also because Jupiter is also called Jove, so you’re basically required to say something like “my god! or “good god”.  Then again, everyone else says that, aside from “by gods” or some variation of it, so you’re constantly on edge or wincing because they’re basically yelling “Your Dad!”

I have a feeling that the people of Rome see the Gods more as figures while the Greek see the gods as representation of their domains. So you’re going to be seen as either Jupiter himself or the representation of Roman values and rites; which makes you being pushed into the head of politics, management, and the such.

Following above, it feels like a very high school drama; where you’re the Prom Monarchy, the popular kid. I mention about the pressure but it also extends to your social life; there’s going to be unspoken and spoken words of who you should be hanging out with, who not to associate with and whatnot. In terms of your love life, like Jason and Reyna being expected to be together romantically, you also have the same treatment. Either it’s someone of your station or above it, in terms of respect to your parentage, and so forth.

In terms of demigods or legacies, you’re often pushed together with a child of Venus, due to Venus being the ancestor of the Roman people through her son Aeneas who survived the fall of Troy and fled to what is now Italy, and Julius Caesar as well. And when there’s news of a child of Hera/Juno? Oh Jove.

If it’s a child of Hera, all of the senate immediately begins to plan a political debate on how you and the child of Hera get together, or should they send a word of decree or plan a war to seize them. If it’s a child of Juno, I’m so sorry but you’re definitely forced to be with them because the two of you are the living representation and figures for the people of Rome, and the two of you existence together is a sign from the gods.

Despite this all, what Cohort you get into will depend on the reference letters and your honours. Just because you’re a child of Jupiter, doesn’t mean you’re exempt from placement. Much like Jason Grace, if you’re not put into the 1st cohort, expect a ton of criticism. Unlike being a child of Zeus, you have less freedom of existing with every aspect of Jupiter and his associations being placed upon you.

If you’re a legacy of Jupiter, which is more likely then not, you’re not that entirely unexempt from the same problems nor benefits then a direct blood of Jupiter. Maybe less so or not, but the pressure is still there. Of course, with being a legacy, your powers and aspects you have with Jupiter become more individualistic and specific, but nonetheless, the powers that you do have are very strong.  

[iliyad]

As a Hellenist, I've recently noticed a trend among various PJO fanfictions which in the big scheme of things isn't a huge deal but something I wanted to set right. And it's to do with Poseidon.

(EDIT: By Hellenist, I am referring to my degree in Classical Studies and Ancient History. I am not referring to Hellenic Polytheism.)

@percabeth4life - ATLOP: Trial By Fire, c. May 2020

@izzymrdb - And I Will Swallow My Pride (In the hopes of a final goodbye), c. August 2020

visiblyuncomfortabl - My Soul Opposes Fate, c. December 2021

@mrthology - Long Ago, That Current Caught Us, c. April 2022

@ditesfavorite - Child Surprise, c. 2022

I couldn’t find any earlier examples, but starting with IzzyMRDB’s fic, several fics make reference to Poseidon possessing a gift of prophecy or, in the case of percabeth4life’s fic, suggest that there was some sort of abundant connection between oracles and the sea. And it’s simply not true.

Poseidon has variously been associated with or considered a god of: the sea (Hom. Il. xv. 184), earthquakes (Hom. Il. xv. 190), and horses (Hom. Il. xxiii. 307), along with being referred to by various epithets connecting him to springs (Κρηνούχος), seaweed (Φύκιος) and bulls (Tαύρειος). He has never, in any primary text, been referred to as having any connection to prophecy himself.

He has, however, been attributed as the father of beings with various connections to prophecy. In some traditions the Greek sea-god Proteus, described as tending Poseidon’s seal flock by Homer (Od. iv. 365), is instead described as a son of Poseidon and king of Egypt (Apollod. ii. 5). Further, the Delphic Sybil Herophile (a prophetess) ordinarily considered the daughter of Zeus and Lamia (Pausanias 10.12.2; which also describes Lamia as a daughter of Poseidon) has been conflated with a sea-nymph daughter of Poseidon and Aphrodite bearing the same name by Scholiast (on Pindar’s Pythian Ode 8.24) which was carried over by Riordan who subsequently conflated Herophile with the Erythraean Sibyl in the Trials of Apollo series.

So, yeah. Obviously, fanfic writers don’t have to stick to historical/mythological accuracy in their works, but something I found equally strange and hilarious while reading these fics was how this particular connection between Poseidon and prophecy kept popping up. I have no idea how it’s happened, but if any of the authors (or others in the fandom) do have an interest in accuracy, keep in mind in the future that there is no direct evidence of Poseidon himself having any connection to prophecy. Even taking Proteus (and arguably Herophile) into account, that’s only one or two children of well over 30 attributed offspring who have been described with any connection to prophecy at all, which statistically doesn’t point to their existence being evidence of their prophetic gift having anything to do with their father.

[godsofhumanity]

I hc that the I place of acting "oh my god" as an expletive, they swear to the primordials; like the Olympians would say something like "Great Khaos!" and the Egyptians something like "What in the name of Atum is going on here?!"

As for whether the primordials can hear them say these things...

IDK but they certainly don't care about much of anything these days

i know you meant this just as a funny "haha" hc, but i am super excited about this because this ask is actually much more loaded than you might expect!!

the word profanity (like saying "oh my God" or "Jesus Christ") can obviously be derived from its adjective/verb form profane which is the act of being irreverent, or treating something sacred without the due respect (usually religiously motivated).

further, pretty much every culture everywhere has demonstrated the use of profane language although it isn't that well-documented since for a very long time in our history, and even really still today, profaning/swearing is not considered appropriate behaviour, so people generally didn't keep record of it.

now, down to the specific use of taking God's name in vain through the use of phrases like "oh my God", it probably developed from either; 1) people attempting to call to God, for example, when you see something shocking you might call to God for strength to cope with that shock, or 2) people trying to undermine the name which they take in vain (purposefully irreverent use). point #2 isn't really relevant to your hc but i just thought i'd list it anyways.

swearing is a term that we use interchangeably with profaning but in its original form, to swear is to make an oath. and i think this is STRONGLY related to point #1 about using God's name in exclamation as a way of calling upon God to witness what you witness.... and when you make an oath, you are promising to do something usually with someone to witness you and hold you accountable... this is more evident when people (well, not really young people) say "by God!". you call God to witness... you swear.

ok so what does that have to do with the ask? in today's society, the spread of Christianity means that pretty much all of us will first say "oh my God" and not really anything else-- how many people say "oh my Quetzalcoatl!"?? BUT.... just because that's the norm today, doesn't mean that it started with Christianity!!! in fact, the use of this type of swearing actually was observed during Ancient times amongst the Greeks and Romans themselves!!!

in this paper (pdf link), it's explained how important oath-making and swearing was to the Ancient Romans/Greeks, and how various gods' names would be invoked during oaths to hold themselves accountable for their promises (and threats). one of zeus' epithets was zeus horkios which means "Zeus of the Oath"-- so this highlights how central it was to Greek culture. ALSO, according to this paper (pdf link), invoking the names of gods was "not viewed by pagans as profane in the way "Jesus Christ!" can be for Christians," which actually gives rise to a lot more regular/diverse expletives. one example given in the same paper is the expression, "Hercules!". this is further recorded by Gellius (roman author, 125 ad - 180 ad), who gives examples of "by Hercules" and "by Castor" (read here). AND, of course, most of us would be familiar with the expression, "by Jove!", which has miraculously survived antiquity, and which ties in again to the calling of the gods via declaring their names to become witness to oaths. there are probably a lot more of these expressions present in plays and poems if you take the time to look.

ANYWAYS. my point is-- your hc is much more real than you might think, and so, i absolutely agree with it (as do many others!!). i have some of Meleager's brothers swear to Hades saying "what in Hades' name is going on?!" when they first see the Calydonian boar hee hee! but yeah. i think it really works :))

[rynrising44]

Some fanfiction tips and tricks:

Hi hello how are you- I've been writing a lot of fanfiction recently (shocker) and wanted to make a little list of helpful tips when it comes to formatting and getting thoughts in order. I still fall prey to many of these errors and see a lot of them out there on AO3, which stifles a good chunk of fics that readers, especially English only speakers, ultimately lose interest in/are unfamiliar with.

NOT HARD AND FAST RULES. Just what I've noticed throughout my process.

English speakers/ writers use quotation marks in their writing. They look like this: "I can't believe you've done this!" she screamed. Using << I can't believe you've done this! >> she screamed, OR 'I can't believe you've done this!' she screamed when writing in English are foreign to most readers. If you're having trouble reaching audiences and are using one of the two formats above, it's probably because of the way your dialogue is written.

NOTE: if you are writing in another language which uses <<+>> or '+' keep using those formats. This only applies if you're writing in one language but keeping the structure of another.

You don't have to say, 'he said,' or 'she said,' after every line of spoken dialogue. Have fun with it and go back and forth! Here is an example in present tense:

"You're about to get sacked after being shot by Russian sleeper agents and stealing a helicopter," he says with bad taste. "How does that make you feel?" "Getting shot? Or getting fired?" Mackey asks. "Getting shot and then getting fired." "Seriously?" "Just... taking the piss, alright?" Mackey doesn't bother replying.

Epithets are not your friend. Do not use them. Get in the heads of your characters! Would the wife of your main character refer to him as 'the taller man' or 'the blonde?' NO! We refer to others by their name, nicknames, and pet phrases (don't overuse the pet names though).

Read books! The best way to learn how to write is to read. This will really help you understand the way sentences flow and how to end/begin sentences.

The quotations go outside the period. "Like this."

Pick a tense and stay with it. Don't go back and forth between 'said, went, replied,' and 'says, goes, replies.' This is a mistake I see people do a lot, especially when first starting out.

When tagging your fics, don't use tags like "Bad at tagging" or "This is garbage I don't know what I'm doing." That is YOUR WORK. Your fic is yours and you should be proud of it. If you don't stand by your creativity and ideas, then why should anyone else?

One shot collections should be in a series. NOT in a multi-chaptered fic. Unless they are complete, in the same universe, and follow a timeline, try to post them individually. That way, if someone likes one but not the other, you aren't screwing yourself over.

Use your summaries wisely. Quotes, action scenes, and eye-catching statements will draw a reader in. (Please don't say something like "Bad at tagging and summaries.")

Write what you want to read. Not what others want to read. If you love writing rare-pair F/F fanfiction with established relationships, DO THAT. (Shameless plug there.) Don't go chasing pairings and tropes that you hate just for views/kudos. The good feelings will not last, and you will pigeonhole yourself into things you don't like. (want proof. Try it out and see what happens.)

Get involved in the fandoms you write for. Comment on other author's works, especially if the fandom is small. Chances are, they will click on your fic, read it, and share it with others. Also, you can yell at one another and keyboard smash all day long.

Give each other shout outs on Tumblr.

The summary section for your fics is NOT where you put things like 'taking requests. give me a request. please comment fic recs.' Save that for Tumblr/ Twitter (rolls eyes, 'X') and Wattpad. AO3 is for stories, not algorithms. If you really feel the need, include it in your profile.

WRITE SOMETHING IN YOUR PROFILE. People love personalization. Also, you can give blanket statements about your rules on gifts, inspirational works, and other things.

Do not overtag your works if those tags do not apply. Writing 50+ tags for a 1k fic is a little head-scratching. Focus on the main ships only and the top relevant categories (and any triggers, oc). If it's a 1k fic, people will honestly just get annoyed at seeing all the space taking up their AO3 pages. (I say this with love. We all remember that one 'Untamed fic.')

Don't like. Don't read. Don't bash. Don't be cruel.

Do. Not. Hate. Fics. Publicly. On. Tiktok. Or I swear to the gods I will hunt you down and skin you alive. Save your scathing reviews for private messages and private DMs on Discord. Fanfiction is free and authors don't owe you anything. (YES! This includes drabbles. And incest. And any/all of the clerical errors I have already discussed above.)

Also, comment on older fics.

Comment on all fics, actually.

Also, read WIPs. If you want fanfiction to continue and you want longer works, support the authors that write those works. Don't be greedy and entitled by closing up your mind. If you want to read complete works only, that's your right. But you don't have to brag about it/ moan about not having anything good in your fandom of choice when you refuse to keep an open mind to like, half of the fics on there. (This is not a statement about my works, btw. I have a little group that comments/I know is aware and interested in some of my stuff. This is more for the general public.)

Kudos aren't limited. No one tracks them. Literally no one cares what you like. If you're worried or embarrassed about something you like that's between you and god only, private bookmark it. But kudos everything you like/re-read because if you don't, the author probably assumes you didn't like their work and that will make them sad.

AI is not art and you should never use it. Not even to help you come up with ideas. You're better than that, okay? And if I see/read an AI work on AO3 I will block you and mute all your works ASAP without a second thought.

There are definitely so many other things that come to mind when thinking about AO3 and writing in general, but I feel like this is a good place to stop. Again, not trying to step on any one's toes. Heaven knows I use purple prose and commas and the words 'and/ gods/ absolutely not' like they're candy. But I'm also aware that I am doing so and being aware of my habits and tendencies make all the difference.

(The writers curse does exist btw apologies in advance, but your life will probably go through changes the instant you press that 'post' button.)

[lexirosewrites]

Do you have any advice for writing romance/smut scenes between characters of the same gender? As a teenager, I was guilty of relying on "the blond" and such but have since learned people hate that with a firey passion. So now I struggle to not use their names every sentence without it sounding clunky, but still making the difference between he's and him's clear and easy to follow. I'm writing an omegaverse steddie fic rn and low-key contemplating gender bending Steve just to get rid of the issue 😭 I used to get around the issue with fade to black but Im trying to branch out and write the fics I want to see in the world. But the sex scenes get too jumbled and hard to follow, and if I was reading a fic like that, I wouldn't finish it, but changing his gender for something like this seems... idk. Pathetic.

I've been writing queer fanfic for over a decade so I just feel kinda silly struggling with this (most things ive written never see the light of day because i never get them polished or cohesive enough to meet my standards 😣). You're one of my favorite authors, and I'm never confused keeping track of characters when you write, so I figure it can't hurt to ask 💕 thanks in advance, and I hope you have a beautiful day 😊

Here, have a picture of my kitties kissing in this trying time:

aw man, this is one of those silly issues where i decided i stopped caring if anyone else wanted to complain about my writing. however, epithets** like “the younger” and “the brunette” or even “the metalhead” are so convenient when you write same gender stories!! as you mentioned, going back and forth with he/him and names is not a lot of variety. truly, as long as it’s not every other sentence, i think people are being dramatic about their hatred of it.

NOW, the beautiful thing that we have that non-omegaverse writers don’t have is referring to characters by their secondary gender! it’s a cheating sort of hack, but you can pry it from my cold dead hands. “the omega” or “the alpha” is a way to switch things up and i don’t think people whine about it as much as other variations of this trick... or at least nobody has ever been a dick about it to me directly! (note: this tip falls on its face when writing non-traditional omegaverse couples like omega/omega or alpha/alpha)

**i almost wrote epitaphs lmaooo

[whencyclopedia]

Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot was one of the original disciples of Jesus of Nazareth (d. c. 30 CE), one of the twelve apostles. For handing Jesus over to the authorities, as described in the gospels, he has become the epitome of the act of betrayal in the Christian tradition, eternally beyond forgiveness. For this reason, few would name a son Judas in the modern era. It was, however, a very popular name in the 1st century CE. 'Judas' was the Greek for the Hebrew name 'Judah' (meaning "God is thanked"), reflecting Judas Maccabeus and his successful Maccabean revolt against Greek rule (167 BCE). The epithet 'Iscariot' remains subject to scholarly debate. It could refer to "being from Kerioth", a village south of Jerusalem, or it could indicate the manner of his death: iskarioutha could mean 'chocking' or 'constriction.'

The story of Judas first appeared in Mark’s gospel (c. 70 CE). We can find no earlier evidence of a story of betrayal or this individual. Matthew, Luke, and John all copied Mark, but with their own editing, traditions, and details. These are not four independent sources for Judas. Where and how Mark received his information remains unknown. Analysis of the gospels is difficult because, like other Jewish sects in the 1st century CE, to validate an argument, the gospels writers turned to the Scriptures, the stories and traditions of Israel. Just as they demonstrated that Jesus and his ministry fulfilled the Scriptures, so too, the same principle was applied to the character and activity of Judas.

Judas the Apostle

Jesus called his disciples, designated as "the twelve". This is symbolic of the restored twelve tribes of Israel when God would establish his kingdom according to the message of Jesus. In the list of the disciples, Judas is last, with the added "Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him" (Mark 3:19). The reader knows from the very beginning what Judas is going to do. Despite this, in Mark, Judas works in tandem with the rest of the disciples throughout the ministry. Jesus sends them out in pairs with "authority over impure spirits" and to anoint people with oil to cure them (6:7). In Mark, Matthew and Luke, we hear nothing specific about Judas until the events in Jerusalem.

The gospel of John (c. 100 CE) related a role for Judas, "keeping the money box", which was a trusted position. This detail is found in the passage when Jesus was at the house of Lazarus, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha:

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair ... But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?" ... He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. (12:1-8)

Continue reading...

[jasper-tarot-reader]

Neopets/Skyrim Tarot: VIII. Strength

Strength is another card where it's pretty hard to imagine them as a person, simply because Strength is an attribute, not an epithet or title. At best, you could say it's an embodied concept. Strength typically speaks of things like overcoming parts of ourself, emotional maturity and fortitude, and being in control of our reactions to things. Very rarely is it about physical strength.

Illusen is an Earth Faerie who left Faerieland (well before it fell from the sky) to live in Meridell. She, along with Jhudora, are some of the most consistent with giving out Faerie Quests to aspiring Neopets from her glade. It's also highly implied, especially on the Three of Swords card in this deck, that she and Jhudora are ex-girlfriends. And as seen by Marina the Healing Fountain Faerie and Seraphina the Omelette Faerie (we have an Omelette Faerie now?), Faeries getting into relationships is not uncommon. It seems like the term "sister" is used between Faeries like the word "friend" is rather than them all somehow sharing parents.

In the card, she is soothing a "Yellow"/default Noil Petpet without letting them hurt themself or others, responding to their anger with calm compassion. Noils are a common sight around Meridell, so there's no surprise about it appearing here with Illusen. Illusen is waiting for this Noil to wear themself out without letting them hurt themself or others, and she'll still be here when they do.

Ultimately, no notes. Great card, great depiction of Strength, great character choice, and they managed to keep the lion symbolism too.

On the other hand...Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm, potential High King of Skyrim, student of the Graybeards and the Way of the Voice...

What the hell are you doing here, man?

Okay, look. This guidebook is absolutely Stormcloak Rebellion-biased, but even with the description of Strength, it doesn't seem...written like the author actually understood the Strength card? Here, I shall quote it thus:

Strength allows us to overcome all obstacles, to rise above any challenge and tackle it head-on. It was by this strength that Ulfric Stormcloak overcame the Empire and saved Skyrim from foreign rule. Have you found the will to follow his example, or will you abuse such power?

But if your Dragonborn sides with the Imperial Legion...this never happens. At the end of the Imperial side of that quest, Ulfric Stormcloak straight up gets killed, whether by your Dragonborn's hand or by General Tullius's (btw, Tullius doesn't appear in this deck at all...) and is replaced as Jarl of Windhelm by Brunwulf Free-Winter.

It gets weirder when you get to the upright and reversed meanings. Upright:

UPRIGHT Rebelling against the Empire was no easy feat, given the might of its armies and vast resources. But Ulfric found the strength to overcome those obstacles, gathering his people and leading them to victory. You, too, have it within you to find the strength to overcome your current challenges and prevail.

Reversed:

REVERSED Sometimes our strength leads to destructive ends. To many, Ulfric's quest for power did not always seem fair or just. Do not allow your own power to become abusive or tyrannical. Know that strength will lead to destruction, have you not the understanding to use it justly.

A little better, but still, it feels like it's particularly focused on literal strength rather than the strength of character that the Strength card typically embodies. This is also another card of a character that is zoomed the hell in on their face, though I will admit that the little bear design is very cute. Still not good symbolism, though - there's no wrestling with the bear for it to embody our inner id and Ulfric to embody our superego, or however you choose to read the card. It's just...surface level. A surface-level understanding of a card based primarily on its name rather than its meaning.

You'll see a lot more of that as we get further into the deck, by the way. I have some things to say about the Death card...