#unfortunately now that ive become more... independent

[tadsweep]

i never said i was complaining. this is nicer.

a puppet is still a puppet, even with new strings.

but thank you, nonetheless.

[harmonia-university]

Some history facts with Prof. Elsie!

Hey! The name's Elsie, and I'm a history professor at Harmonia University! I specialize in human history, but I'm pretty passionate about history in general so I guess the Askblog Council came to me with all these questions from you guys, heh heh!

You probably saw me a while ago anonymously answering a few of these questions. But I think I'm brave enough now to show my face to everyone and be an official member of the Blog! I believe these questions were asked a while ago, but now I have the time to answer them so...well I guess I should address them eh?

What can you tell us about humans?

Well I think I've mentioned before, and it's probably obvious just by looking around, but they're nonexistent here! They did exist at one point, we were all living harmoniously together...until some unfortunate circumstances that led to a big war between humans and Pokemon. From then on, humans began to disappear and then just...completely vanished, without any warning.

Was it ever stated how all the humans disappeared? Is it simply an extinction event or more of a supernatural thing?

That's a pretty big topic in today's history research actually! After the war, although the Pokemon won by a landslide, there were still a good amount of humans left. Although the roles shifted a little bit, as before Pokemon were often companions to humans, almost like a pet...but now we were more independent. Living among them as civilians.

The complete disappearance is truly an enigmatic event that is a big debate among experts nowadays! Some associate it with a giant meteor shower - the biggest one seen in history that wiped out humans, as us Pokemon are quite durable. There's also been recounts of a blinding, soul crushing flashing beam of light that wiped them all out. Either way, life was becoming more unsustainable for humans as things evolved to fit Pokemon-kind more...that probably accelerated things. But from how fast it happened and the fact that the event was very poorly documented...there's more reason to believe that someTHING supernatural caused it.

What are your thoughts on humans as a whole? How do you feel about their unfortunate fate?

My family was always very close with humans. I've only heard great things about them, and all the cool stories of how my family, against all odds, won the biggest battles in international leagues and tournaments, all thanks to a trainer that knew how to make a small, weakling species like ours, very strong! I grew up with a very positive outlook on humans, and it makes me really sad that things ended the way they did. Like I said earlier, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for the humans. That's probably what led me down this path, honestly. Haha!

What's the geography of the world like? How has the geography changed since the human times?

The humans were in the midst of restructuring and renaming the regions in the world. To make them more...friendly sounding I guess. Certain areas also wanted to be their own thing...so that's where regions like Unova and Alola come from.

When the humans were wiped out, this was an unfinished project that Pokemonkind were determined to finish. Physically, the world is the same. But how everything is divided is probably different from what you're used to.

The region that Harmonia University is in - Arboria - although one of the biggest regions in the world, remained in one piece, somehow! Our downstairs neighbour got split into a few parts...Unova and Alola, as Ive mentioned, and some of the desert areas became known as the Orre region.

Another example where things are different...the Freyurr region! This was comprised of 3 different regions before - collectively known as Scandinavia. After the human extinction, this region became one with 3 distinct areas with their own language and culture.

What happened to Pokeball technology? It seems like it could be dangerous, but on the other hand it could be useful - especially for transportation! And it's low cost, low space, I'm surprised I haven't seen any evidence of the technology being converted for modern use.

Pokeballs are pretty much nonexistent nowadays, near impossible to get your hands on as a normal civilian! It was one of the biggest things that the Pokemon back then had a gripe about with the humans. Although not completely inhabitable, living in a Pokeball was very unpleasant - it's basically like being put into a very deep slumber, for who knows how long. Not much room to do anything or move around in there. Plus, many humans caught and collected tons of Pokemon with no rhyme or reason - many of them were left abandoned in Pokeballs and PC’s, never being able to see the light of day.

Other than for research and education purposes, Pokeballs have been banned all around the world ever since Pokemon civiliazation was born. We don’t even use them to capture our own ferals.

I've heard rumors that humans had experimented with themselves to turn into Pokemon before, but I'm assuming it's all just a myth. Was there ever a possibility that some of the humans ended up becoming Pokemon due to their experiments?

Pah, I'm pretty sure that was all a hoax. I'm sure humans have tried, but honestly they didn't make any breakthroughs in that front. I don't think human genetics were wired in a way that would even make that possible. They were able to kind of do it with Pokemon due to there being a particular species with properties that could allow it. But humans to Pokemon...nah that'd be a complete rewrite of everything! Or maybe...a really fun dream.

Do the Galar fossil Pokemon exist? How do fossil Pokemon work, are they revived or have they just always been around?

Yep, they do exist. But there's a bit of a catch...all of the fossil-revived species living today were revived during the human era, or are descendants of those that were. We've had to abolish a lot of those fossil revival labs, as newly found fossils would just come out as feral Pokemon with really nowhere to go. Now there are some such Pokemon in captivity, but it's strictly for ethical research purposes!

Anyways, I think that's all the questions that were left over for me! Hope that was informative. Our history isn't pretty but I think it's still really important to learn about it all. Haha! Well, if any of you still have questions, or just want to come chat with me...I'll be available!

[suchusoid]

The ghastly tale of ghoulian

Ive made posts about villain groups in my rewrite, now its time to see talk about some independant villains, starting with the gentle apparition, ghoulian.

Real name: Louise reginald

Quirk: haunted house

Quirk description: haunted house allows the user to merge into any house or building they come in contact with. Once merged, the user can mold and shape the house and its furniture and applies however they please. They can sprout body parts such and eyes and and arms from the walls. They fan make the furniture come to life and bend in ways thought impossible, or even make the house sprout legs and become mobile. Fire can be quite dangerous to the user for obvious reasons, electricity can stiffen the household and limited its shapeshifting abilities, and should the quirk be forcefully deactivated, the user will emerge from where the first fused and the house will return to normal.

personality: despite her ghostly appearance, and status as a villain, louise is one of the biggest sweethearts you'll ever meet, she cares deeply for her younder brothers and will do anything to protect them untilt their able to find their own place to live once they become adults. Louise is also quite good with kids, letting children take refuge in her lair. The only reason she is considered a villain at all is from illegal quirk usage, and stealing from local businesses to feed herself and her brothers.

Story: louise was born with her two younger (and quirkless) brothers jason and earl in america, but her family was evicted from their home and traveled to japan in hopes of a better life. Unfortunately, both parents had died during a storm out on the beach. Now having to fend for themselves, the kids discovered an abandoned mansion on the coast with secret underground tunnels. Louise used her quirk to possess the house and remolded it to be more suitable. Since then she has used the tunnels to snake their way up and steal from local businesses to feed her and her brothers. This catches the attention of pro hero gang orca and vigilante herpeton to investigate. They decide to team up and male theri way through the ever changing house. Eventually herpeton is able to reason things out with ghoulian, offering to financially support her and her family sot ehy won't have to steal. Gang orca at first wants to arrest ghoulian, but comes to realise that she was only doing this out of desperation and necessity, he decides it wouldnt be fair to lock her up with the maniacs and madmen, and leave her quirkless brothers at the mercy of this soul crushing society. After the secret villains reformation program(SVRP) was established at ua, the reginald sibling took refuge there, with louise becoming the security guard of ua city, using her quirk to keep out intruders. She transformed ua city into a giant monster with her quirk to help stop the maestro and his army of pro heroes during the mva arc.

Welp. Thats one down, two more to go, hope you all liked louise, shes the first villain ive thought up for this rewrite.

[ahopefulbromantic]

Please please please tell me more about Dziady

Okay this took me waaay to long and it will be several far-too-verbose posts (i'm really sorry but that's what you get for asking about my special interest lol). So anyway fasten your seatbelts, my man, cause you're in for a ride, you'll love this one!

1. Cultural/Historical/Political Context

Dziady, or Forefather's Eve, is an ancient (?) Slavic ritual held on October 31st. It was originally Pagan and had to do with summoning with the dead. Since Poland is a Christian country (I'll die on this hill), the very beginning of its existence being its baptism, after Poles became Christians, the Pagan rituals naturally got ✨Christified✨. Dziady, then, as All Hallow's Eve, became about helping souls in purgatory reach Heaven. Seems all fine and good, right? The only problem was, it still was spiritual seances and magic basically, and it wasn't held by a Christian priest but instead by a Guślarz (for some reason translated as "Wizard" in English versions??? lol), who was kinda like a Slavic shaman.

Now for the history, in XVIII and XIX century Poland was partitioned by Russia, Prussia (Germany) and Austria. It meant that formally it didn't exist as a country, it was erased from the maps - but as a nation it continued to live in the hearts of its people for over a hundred years before we regained our independence after WWI. The four part Dziady play was written in XIX century, Polish Romanticism, a time of bards, prophets, dreamers, and revolutionists, and in itself it was an act of defiance to the occupants.

2. Summary (yes the order is weird, no one knows why)

Dziady II

People of the town hold a Dziady ritual. A few spirits come and state their needs - two children who never experienced anything difficult in life get a bitter mustard seed, an evil lord who made poor people die of hunger and now is torn apart by them in the form of wild birds doesn't get anything as he's beyond help for now, and a girl who selfishly rejected every boy who loved her and never made any meaningful human connection (i'm giving the author the benefit of doubt here) gets a reassurance that after two years she will reach Heaven. With Dziady nearly finished, suddenly there comes a weird, spooky spirit who doesn't act like he's supposed to, doesn't obey commands, and follows one of the girls...

Dziady IV

In this one we find out the spirit's name is Gustaw, he's a young poet from the town in unrequited love with the girl he followed, Maryna. Due to being so dead inside and to a suicide attempt (it's a little unclear how it ended?) he's in between being dead and alive and thus can attend Dziady as a spirit. He visits a priest who used to teach him when he was a child to wallow in his woes and whine that all women are evil (he's cringe in this one but we still love him) and to ask the priest not to fight the Dziady tradition. The Church condemned it as a Pagan ritual but Gustaw insists it's one of the things that keep Polish nation together during the occupation.

Dziady I

Another Dziady ritual is held but this time it's Gustaw's turn to be visited and followed by a spirit of a mysterious, spooky girl. Unfortunately, this work was never finished so we don't know who the girl is, what happens next, or even when it all falls in Dziady timeline :(

Dziady III. Poema

Okay this is the longest one and the only one i've seen translated to English so i'll try to be brief and also focus on Gustaw's arc. We have a timeskip, Gustaw is in prison because Russians hate Polish people and want them all dead, gone, and unable to make an(other) uprising. It's in here that Gustaw transforms into Konrad - a new name, a new identity, a whole new self. He talks with his cellmates, they're buddies, they tell each other stories, news from the town, they sing songs. Konrad is hit with ✨bardic inspiration✨, he sings about becoming a vampire and taking revenge, then goes into the (Little) Improvisation about becoming an eagle and battling a black raven - he's in a prophetic trance but faints before he can finish his vision. He's left alone. When he comes around, oh hohoho, he goes into the Great Improvisation!!! It's Hamlet's Soliloquy for Poles, maybe even more than that. In it he achieves the heights of his poetic power, feeling, and love, so he metaphysically flies before the throne of God to plead for his people. He wants to rule over souls like God does to make the world a better place. Not receiving an answer, he starts blaspheming out of desperation. He faints just before speaking the worst offence and is then possessed by the devil and exorcized by the prison priest, Fr. Piotr, a bernardine monk. The demon tells the priest about another prisoner who is heavily tempted and needs his help, Jan Rollison. It's also revealed that it was Mother Mary who saved Konrad from offending God because he'd defended Her in an earlier scene ❤️ Then we have three other visions: a little patriot girl gets a sweet and cutesy one about flowers (it's got a beautiful line about St. John), Fr. Piotr gets a prophetic one in which he sees Poland crucified as the Christ of Nations that will resurrect eventually and by its suffering bless all other nations, along with a hero through which it will come - the mysterious Fourty-and-Four, and lastly the Russian Senator gets a haunting nightmare from demons about his falling out of grace with the Tsar. Then there's the Warsaw Salon and the Ball at Senator's, scenes filled with conversations about politics and revolutions, more stories, and a lot of Russians' hypocrisy. We find out Janek Rollison is tortured and was nearly killed by his tormentors who claimed his defenestration was a suicide attempt. His mother comes with Fr. Piotr to plead for him, but the Senator is cruel and unyielding, even the priest's warnings of divine punishment don't sway him. During the ball one of Senator's evil subordinates/"friends" dies, struck by lightning attracted by silver Russian coins (a Judas reference). Senator is prophecised to die, too. Just then Konrad is lead by two soldiers to be banished, his worst fear becoming reality. Though he doesn't remember Fr. Piotr, his heart recognizes him and so he bids him farewell and gives him a ring to sell and give money for the poor. In exchange he receives a prophecy. The last scene is another Dziady ritual, in which we see spirits of Senator and his subordinate, punished by God. Maryna tries to find Gustaw's spirit again but cannot summon him by his old name. At last she sees him in a wagon, his chest riddled with deep, piercing wounds, with a tiny wound on his forehead.

Epilogue to Part III

Now i don't know this one as well as the others, it's also more of a narrative poem than of a play, but from what i remember it follows a mysterious Pilgrim character on his adventures in foreign lands. To my (and my Polish teacher's hehe) interpretation the pilgrim is Konrad who lost his name and identity after his banishment and now roams the world as a mere no-name pilgrim, unable to create poetry in his language no one understands 💔

3. An English version for you to enjoy!

It's only part III and it's not perfect but i really encourage all of you reading this to give it a go!

[femmefatalevibe]

hello! ive gone through some of your posts and i gotta say, you give pretty solid advice. i hope your own life is also going as smoothly as the advice giving! ❤

i was wondering if i could ask your opinion, as much as you can offer it to a stranger from the internet.... i know its not easy to give meaningful advice on complicated matters to total strangers.

im 29, i have a very good degree and a decent job, i am not more insane or annoying than an average person and i look just fine. i do however have a problem finding a long term partner. ive been working very hard at uni/later as an intern so it didnt leave much time for a rich social life and lot of dating. i also had the misfortune of spending several years in a very unhealthy relationship when i was about 20, young and stupid. several years of determined singleness followed immediatelly after that.

so now that im old and less stupid, ive tried dating apps, ive tried going out for drinks with acquaintances but never more than 2 or 3 times with the same guy. i do have high standards... and im a smart independent woman which im told is not extremely popular with men. anyway.

i recently met a guy 1 year younger than me who works in the same profession but is only just starting, in contrast to me being a bit of a bitter old veteran. ive been kind to him as one is to new people, and hes been slightly smitten with me as a result, if i dare guess so. we went out for drinks a few times, he seems sweet, kind and doesnt harbor any extremist political beliefs (its important to me not to date fascist-sympathisers). thats all very nice but unfortunately he doesnt exactly look very attractive to me. i feel good around him bc he is kind and lovely but i think i have too much edge and that he couldnt handle my darker sides (lots of cynism, LOTS) bc he is sich a sweet summer child. and i also feel that i havent yet lived wildly and slept around and experienced all the instant gratification options life has to offer, definitelly not enough to just drop everything and consider a serious relationship with someone who doesnt feel like ive won the dating lottery (its bc of certain personal problems hes told me of having, and its bc of the looks. im an impossibly visually-oriented person. and shallow.)

so i am very tempted to slowly explore this and the options it could offer (for example a serious relationship) but i also feel like i might be setting myself up for failure and him for a lot of heartbreak. whatever should i do?

until now ive only ever continued dating people i was really attracted to... sometimes despite their dubious political beliefs. so actually this might be the new strategy that would yield positive results, dating someone for their impeccable moral standards and kindness rather than a pronounced jawline. (am i, deep down, really that shallow?)

this got long and tedious, i wont blame you if you chuck it in the bin instead of reading and answering. maybe all i needed was to write it out. might need to use my journal bit more often.

thank you for your time and efforts in any case. take care!💕

Hi love! Thanks for your kind words and support. Firstly, from how you describe yourself, I could totally see us being friends – we seem to have similar beliefs, values, and priorities when it dating comes to dating (no fascists allowed, career-oriented, endless cynicism, and making a pronounced jawline a top criterion of a date night lol).

Here's my take – given the information you so kindly and vulnerably shared with me:

If you're still single, there's no reason to make the prospect of dating (generally or casually dating a specific person) into a black-and-white experience. You can casually date as many people as you would like until you mutually decide to be exclusive with someone. Think of dating as a networking experience: It's a chance to meet and connect with various types of people. They can become (business or pleasure, in this case) partners, friends, acquaintances, or connectors to others who will soon become members of your close inner circle (maybe even a further partner or spouse – who knows!).

You can decide to date different people for different reasons. Sometimes, you just want good conversation and decide later that you're better off as friends. Exploring the emotional intimacy aspect of a relationship with someone of the gender you're attracted to can teach you a lot about yourself and the type of partner you ultimately want to end up with – even if you don't ever kiss, let alone sleep together. Just make sure, in this case, to share that you only have a platonic connection with him before he gets too invested. Being selfish when dating is essential, but never be cruel and lead people on.

Suppose you want to see where this connection goes, without commitment. In that case, you can always indulge in casual sex with others you are physically attracted to and only go on dates with this man in a more casual dating/companionship way.

I don't think it is shallow to not want to date someone you're not physically/sexually attracted to. Unfortunately, in our current society, you wouldn't even need to question this if you were a man. There are plenty of people we really like and are emotionally attracted to in this life but have no sexual feelings towards – we call them friends.

While it could take some time to find a partner with who you're compatible in every major area, consider how much longer this process would take if you settle with men you have no true interest in before you inevitably break up with them because you're unhappy in the relationship? Staying single until your values align and mutually want rip each others' clothes off every time you see each other in the beginning stages of dating is the best strategy – in my opinion at least. It is better to be technically alone than lonely in a committed relationship. You deserve nothing but the best. Never settle for less. Keep your standards high to maintain your most valuable assets: Your happiness, success, and peace of mind.

Hope this helps xx

[phawareglobal]

Kaitlyn Salonga - phaware® interview 424

Canadian pulmonary hypertension patient, Kaitlyn Salonga discusses the impact PH has had on her job, her relationship and her mental wellbeing. 

My name is Kaitlyn Solanga. I'm from Vancouver, BC. I have been a patient of idiopathic PH since December, 2018. For about six months before I was in the hospital, I was having a hard time sleeping through the night. I'd wake up gasping for air. I wasn't sure what was wrong. I thought it was anxiety. At work I started to notice that I couldn't walk as far as I used to be able to without having to catch my breath. It got to the point where I couldn't walk across the street without having to pause. I went to get a puffer refilled once by a tele-doctor. They said, "You don't have asthma. Why are you getting a puffer refilled? You need to go get a chest x-ray." The next day I went to go get a chest x-ray, and I was admitted to the hospital for a month right before Christmas. That was how I spent my holiday season of 2018. It took about seven days for anybody to even say the words pulmonary hypertension. I was bounced around from hospital to hospital, because not every hospital, as I learned, has the same resources for tests and stuff. It just so happened that Vancouver is the lung center. At the time I was in a different city, so I had to get transferred over there and learn a whole new medical system and meet whole new doctors that said, "Okay, all of these other tests came back negative. Turns out you have pulmonary hypertension." For me, I was so far along that just going on oral meds wasn't really an option. It was straight to one of the IV pumps. Our nurse at the time described that to me. The first thing I remember asking is, "Oh, so I don't get to go swimming anymore?" I've tried a couple of things. I have tried like a water skiing jacket. I initially tested that out to see if it could help me wash my hair because that's one of the huge pain points of being on a pump is taking showers, doing the full hair wash because it's no longer hop in the bathroom, a five minute process. It is now, put the dressing on, put the gauze between, tape everything up. If you're really, really careful, you do the Glad Press'n Seal routine over the line and everything like that. I've tried a couple things. None of them have been fully swim-proof, but I'm hopeful. Unfortunately, the pump process was a two-parter for me, because it took them a while to get somebody who can actually do the Hickman line insertion. For the first week or so, I was on a PICC line, which means there is an IV in my arm instead of going straight through my chest. That was pain that I didn't need to experience. Then of course, I remember the worst parts of the procedure where they put my Hickman line in, unfortunately, but that led to actually being able to get on the medicine. Titrating was not fun. It was a lot of headaches and fatigue, but eventually you get a sweet spot where the medicine works for you and you can kind of walk again. You can walk across the street, you can walk to the grocery store, you can lift your groceries. That was a really, really nice point to get to, but it was a lot of work to get there. Originally when I was diagnosed, I was in a very high demand leadership role on a finance team, which was not ready to accommodate any sort of accessibility or time off needs. Once my short-term disability was up with that company, I actually had to leave it because their long-term disability options weren't going to work for me. Then I took a couple years off to just relearn how to become mobile, have time to titrate up more for my meds and stuff like that. Eventually I got to a point where I could work 30 hours a week, so not full-time, but enough to bring in a little bit of income, do it independently, and still be able to balance all of my medical issues at the same time. I was essentially in quarantine about a year longer than everybody else. Because I was diagnosed at the end of 2018, I kind of spent a little bit of time feeling kind of awful because of all the titrating. Then COVID happened. It was extra scary as somebody who was extra vulnerable. I was really careful to stay inside, kind of minimized my interactions with people who were in my life who had traveled or anything like that. It was really isolating and lonely for a while. I had a very good support system of virtual supports that I could reach out to. Because I was diagnosed in December, 2018, I just missed the last PHA Canada conference that was held in Vancouver, my hometown, by about three months. Every single time somebody tells me, "Oh, we had the last conference in Vancouver," I'm like, "I just missed it," so that's too bad but I was not without very good resources and supports. My nurses were very communicative. Everybody says they've got the best team, and I'm like, "No, I've got the best team." They were very quick to give me resources to PHA Canada and set me up with a counselor to kind of just work through all of this offline. It's very interesting being here solo. I recently left my partner of 11 years because they decided that they did not want to financially support a sick person anymore, which is something very harsh to hear. It really opened my eyes to a better version of life that I could be living maybe without somebody who felt that way about me. I am here and I am looking at these people with their husbands and their children and their mothers and their siblings that are all here to support them, and I'm very aware that I am doing a lot on my own. I unfortunately am estranged from some of my family and a lot of my friends are located a little bit further away from me than it is really accessible. I live alone in a studio apartment, but I'm trying to make it work. A lot of the space is dedicated to boxes of syringes and cassettes and everything like that, but it's a space that's mine and it's a new beginning. It's hard. It's definitely not easy. I do feel alone a lot of the time, but I know that I am not without people who I can reach out to if it gets to be at that point. Unfortunately, life doesn't stop for PH. It keeps on going, and it's unfortunately not the worst thing that I'm dealing with or that I have ever dealt with in my life. My body really just goes into fight or flight mode. I know I have to get this done to get through the day. So yeah, I'll mix even if the rest of my life is falling apart and even if I just had to pick up all of my stuff from my ex's house, but there's still tomorrow. Everybody's different. It's no use comparing your experience to someone else's to see at three months they were doing this much and maybe at three months you are still titrating up and still getting rid of these side effects and still going through all of that. There's no use saying, "Oh, my six minute walk test wasn't as good as theirs." Everybody's got their own experience and their own bodies, and eventually you'll find something that works for you that will be your saving grace. A lot of what I struggled with in the beginning was just learning how to get dressed in the morning with a pump and this tubing and where do I insert it? Does it go through the sleeve? Does it go through the collar of the shirt? Of course, it's different for men and women. We have to work with a bra or something like that. Where are you going to wear this giant game boy sized thing? How I perceived myself in the mirror was a very large hurdle that I had to come over, but I was very fortunate recently to work with another differently abled artist, and we actually did a boudoir photo shoot of me and my pump, where I was the feature and not my pump. I even wore my CPAP for it. It was the most really liberating and celebratory experience that I could not be more proud of those photos. My name's Kaitlyn Solanga, and I'm aware that I'm rare.

Learn more about pulmonary hypertension trials at www.phaware.global/clinicaltrials. Follow us on social @phaware Engage for a cure: www.phaware.global/donate #phaware Share your story: info@phaware.com @phacanada 

Listen and View more on the official phaware™ podcast site

[mleprae]

I made Firestar on Crusader kings 3, here’s how it went;

Firestar, king of Thunderclan (Brittany, I renamed it) vowed to make Thunderclan a place for every culture

unfortunately, he had terrible stats and his councellors had awfully bad stats as him as well

he married to sandstorm and since I cant control how many kids he has and the gender i just kinda had to make up some characters as i went

he had 5 kids; leafpool, squirrelflight, shrinelight, lightingfalls and shallowkit (who died at birth)

leafpool was a cynical drunkard, shrinelight was an homosexual athletic steward (with amazing stats i may add) he murdered his own mother later on

but the story gets better on squirrelflight, you see, after firestar made a deal with france for protection (thunderclan was an independent kingdom) he, would automatically be apart of the first crusade of jerusalem

after winning the crusade, the pope requested each nation that participated for a benefactor, each one would get a piece of the holy land

Squirrelflight was Firestar’s benefactor that just HAPPENED to inherit the title of queen of jerusalem

as the queen of jerusalem, she, like her father, vowed to make the holy kingdom a place for all cultures and religions alike (which is absurdily difficult), like her father, she also swore vassalage to the closest empire for protection, as playing as an small independent kingdom is difficult, ESPECIALLY if you are one that holds an holy site like jerusalem

she would have difficulties in bearing children, only having 2 sons and 2 daughters (hollyleaf, lionblaze, jayfeather and sparklepelt) usually, in crusader kings youd have around 7-14 kids

hollyleaf was a humble, compassionate and brave character, her studies focused on adminstration of income and theological texts, during her lifetime, she would furthey stray away from the light of god and become a witch and in retaliation she would get excommunicated but since she was the daughter of the queen, she would not get executed or arrested, despite the people of jerusalem rioting every now and then about having a witch on the royal family

lionblaze would show to be a promising marshal as a kid, but as he grew he became more interessed in diplomatic measures, attending diplomatic college and become the chancellor for his mother

after 50 years of development, jerusalem became a safe haven for all sorts of people, squirrelflight would die at the age of 69 (nice) and the throne would be passed down to jayfeather

well. after countless hours on crusader kings, jayfeather is the most overpowered character ive ever encountered- not played as, encountered,

again, if you dont know about how crusader kings stats works, heres an example;

0-5 points is terrible

5-9 points is poor

9- 10 is average

11 - 14 is good

and anything up is excellent

now heres the thing, its HARD to find characters that are excellent in one stats, its even HARDER to find characters that excellent in two stats, usually you’ll be good at one thing and terrible/poor in the other stats, if youre good at this game or focusing towards a especific build you might excel in one stats and be average at the rest

but not jayfeather

this man has EXCELLENT stats on 4 SKILLS OUT OF 6, which might be the best character ive ever seem in general, and his learning skill is 50. FIFTY (the highest ive seem before? 22.)

jayfeather, since birth was a goddamn genius, he was studying anatomy and medicine when he was 4,by the time he was 16, he was a doctor and a theologist, the moment he became king i just everything BOOSTED to an insane degree, so jayfeather, a man-made god, started his journey

he would stray away from trying to make jerusalem a cultural place, and focused more on its development, being insanely smart, the development of technologies on jerusalem SKYROCKED, even surpassing the byzantine empire

the cities there are so absurdily developed compared to the rest of the world that its laughable, the city of jerusalem is making 20 gold a month, twenty fucking gold. a month (the average city produces 1.5 gold a month)

in the end, jayfeather outlived literally everyone in his family, even the kids, he’s 82 years old now and he’s still thriving and continuing to make heaven on earth like always did and let us hope his heir will follow his steps

[bopinion]

2022 / 38

Aperçu of the Week:

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

(Albert Einstein in 1949)

Bad News of the Week:

"This is not a bluff." were the closing words of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a televised speech on Tuesday that made me sit up and take notice. For that is indeed how it works when one looks at the history of various statements made by this despot in recent years: macabrely, one would almost have to say that this man keeps his word. Unfortunately. A political wind egg who blathers a lot and does little would actually be preferable to me in this case.

What is it about? In essence, a declaration of war. And it's a declaration of war against the West. Just this week, referendums startet in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts on annexation to Russia. The Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions, which are currently also dominated by the Russian military, immediately followed. If you look at the map, you can see a land bridge from Russia across the Donbass to Crimea. This peninsula can also serve as a reference for these questionable referendums and their foreseeable outcome. Because it was the same there in 2014: destabilization by Russian or Russian-backed military forces, referendum for annexation to Russia, from that point on de facto Russian territory. International law may see that as it likes.

And that is precisely the point: from the moment the Kremlin considers Donetsk, for example, to be Russian territory, in its reading Ukrainian defensive measures become an attack. Putin clearly says that Donbass must be "liberated." That it is a matter of "defending Russian territories." And how, "If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people." Certainly! All means! At our disposal!

So I get chills down my spine on that one. Especially when Putin, in the same speech, reminds us of the nuclear potential of his armed forces: "(I) would like to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, separate components and more modern than those of NATO countries." It doesn't help that some political analysts exult that the announced partial mobilization is an expression of growing frustration with the course of the war. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz even speaks of an "act of desperation." After all, we know from any animal documentary that a predator is most dangerous when it is wounded.

By the way: In Poland, the new school year began at the beginning of September. With a new, compulsory school subject: firearms training for all 8th and 9th grade students. This corresponds to the age of 15 and 15 years. Politicians said that this is the right "preparation for a possible defense case".

Good News of the Week:

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is the bully in the European Union's playground. He shuts down the media, dismantles an independent judiciary, imprisons opposition figures, embezzles EU funds - and yet always has a veto as get free card up his sleeve. And he went so far that the EU Parliament for the first time officially revoked a country's status as a democracy. So far, Orban has mostly gotten away with everything. The pocket size dictator has always been able to buck the European mainstream (which is designed for unanimity) and prevent any reform that would have regulated his personal power at home. Until now.

Because now the EU Commission is proposing to prosecute Hungary for violations of principles of the rule of law. There are two aspects to note: on the one hand, it is not a matter of an abstract fine, but of cutting payments from the common pot. After all, this amounts to 7.5 billion euros. On the other hand, because it is "only" the so-called EU rule of law mechanism, only a majority of 15 EU states (out of 27) is needed, which in turn represent at least 65% of the EU population. A feasible goal, which Poland - the willing aide-de-camp in the playground and itself frequently shaking the rule of law - cannot prevent.

According to the EU's anti-corruption agency, between 2015 and 2019, the percentage of irregularities in the use of EU funds was higher in no other member state than in Hungary. And that is enough for the Austrian (of all people!) EU Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn now. By doing so, he is finally demonstrating his ability to act, which is otherwise so readily lost in the sluggish bureaucratic mills of Brussels.

And indeed: Hungary wants to give in and "settle the dispute with the EU." The government has "discussed and approved concessions," according to Orban's chief of staff Gergely Gulyas, and the corresponding laws are now to be passed by parliament in a fast-track procedure and enter into force in November. Just in time before the November 19 deadline to still avert the cuts. This would be a great sign that values are actually being effectively protected in Europe. Money makes the world go around - even in Budapest.

Personal happy moment of the week:

My daily gymnastic exercises in the morning - for mobility and agility due to chronic back problems - are starting to have an effect. I am still far away from being able to reach my toes with my fingers while standing, but today I was happy to have reached an important milestone of a floor exercise: I was able to touch the floor with my right hand while my right knee stays on the floor on the other side of my body and vice versa. That may be hard to comprehend for anyone younger or just less rusty than me, but for me it was a remarkable wow effect.

I couldn't care less...

...that Iran is now staging demonstrations chanting "Our people are awake and hate troublemakers!" or "Death to the U.S. and Israel!" as a counterweight to the "illegal gatherings" following the death of a 22-year-old in police custody. The tragic death of the young woman apparently mobilizes popular resentment against the encroaching regime strongly enough that all attempts to stop the protest, which has already claimed 50 lives, fail. Well done!

As I write this...

...I am listening to John Coltrane. Inspired by the series character Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch, who is passionate about jazz and even has his dog named after him. Coltrane delivers on point: interesting, dense arrangements that conjure up a wonderful atmosphere and stop just before it gets too experimental and discordant for layman's ears. Solid work. Very good.

Post Scriptum:

In the week ending, the General Debate of the 77th UN General Assembly took place in New York City, for the first time since 2019 entirely as a face-to-face events. 150 heads of state stand at the lectern for a week to promote such fine things as climate action, peace and the fight against poverty. But in the energy crisis, they are setting other priorities in their political actions. At least one can rely on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who gave a blazing speech: "Our planet is on fire!" In every sense of those words. "Our world is in great trouble. (...) The rifts are getting deeper. Inequality is growing. The challenges are growing. (...) The most vulnerable (women and children) suffer the most." Unfortunately, this idealistic world president is left only with appeals. And has no factual influence.

[mbti-all-the-things]

Myers-Briggs Types as Songs from my Greek Mythology Album

The album is called From the Kindly Ones, and it tells the stories of figures in the Greek Underworld, from the point of view of the Fury Alecto, who punishes or otherwise knows them. Each one teaches a lesson Alecto feels the figure needs to learn, or features some other opinion the Fury has. 

There are 16 songs, so I figured, why not? Each blurb includes the title, the type, a sample lyric, and some explanation.  There are four sections of the album: Kings, Queens, the Innocent, and the Guilty.

The lyrics are here, and the entire album (a rough acoustic recording) is included here if you want to listen to your type’s song! 

I. KINGS

Dictator - INTJ

It’s no fun when you didn’t want to be the ruler of the world ? But the job is yours, there’s no denying

Hades’ song is about a man in an unwanted position of power, forever set apart with terrible duty and ability from the rest of his kind. But he was granted this broader perspective of the world for better or for worse, and I think the INTJ Mastermind type can relate.

Peaches Before Gold - ENTP

You earned the gold / You made the score / You saw a win and made it yours

Midas’ song cautions against ambition and greed trumping interpersonal relationships. While he gains unimaginable wealth, he becomes unable to show his daughter what he’s won. ENTPs can be prone to falling into a need to “win” above all else.

Down - ISFP

Death is no giant; it’s more of a king / Small like a tyrant, and just as inevitable

Sisyphus’ song details why he is condemned to roll a boulder up a hill forever. He was cunning and creative, and managed to cheat death more than once, for which he was punished. The ISFP’s individualism can sometimes make them believe that rules don’t apply to them.

The Dictator Remix - ENTJ

Lie on the chaise lounge while they lower grapes in front of you / Go on, keep chasing the high like the dictators do

Tantalus’ song is a mirror of Hades,’ showing a man who grasped at power his whole life, trying to cheat the gods, only to hurt those around him and damn himself. The ENTJ can be incredibly focused on success, but needs to understand humility to be truly powerful.

~

II. QUEENS

Friend of Fury - ISTP

You drew a bath of roses and you stood behind the king / You heard it then, the sound of blood when it decides to sing

Clytemnestra’s song depicts a woman taken advantage of her whole life, who finally breaks the chains of society to take revenge on her husband. The ISTP is an independent, practical soul who often thinks against the grain and is willing to take swift action, like this queen.

Upside Down - ESFP

You’re a creature of ego, oh Lady in the Chair / To see Aphrodite’s face beside your own could grant some clarity

Cassiopeia’s song tells the story of a vain queen who boasted of her daughter’s beauty above that of a goddess. While ESFPs can fall into the trap of vanity, they (like this queen) also have strong bonds with others, especially taking pride in their families.

The Queen of All The Ghosts - ESFJ

I was once like you / I was once a martyr, too / You, a sign of spring / Me, a warning of the justice I would bring

Persephone’s song gives a glimpse into the mind of Hades’ wife, and how her internment in the Underworld was more her decision than the myth leads us to believe. Like the Queen of the Dead, the ESFJ often makes quietly strong decisions for their family and for their own needs.

~

III. THE INNOCENT

Good Boy - ISFJ

If they would listen to your words and not the mouths that they escape / I think they’d love you, dear

Cerberus’ song is a sad one, but it’s also full of compassion. The three-headed dog is most often seen as a terrifying figure, but the narrator of this song sees him as an innocent. The ISFJ’s desire to care for others and natural gentleness is on full display here.

Falling From Grace - INFJ

So climb the stairs to heaven while I wait here on the ground / Paying no attention to the bodies raining down

Icarus’ song warns against perfectionism, following the story of a young man who up until now has easily navigated the patterns of life. INFJs are prone to god complexes due to their ability to see beyond the surface of life, but they may come crashing down if they are too reliant on it.

Coins - INTP

‘Cause the ferryman will take it from under your tongue / Doesn’t really matter if you die young 

Charon’s song covers the ferryman’s singular interest in his mission: ferry souls across the Styx and receive payment for it. The INTP can become completely fixated on a certain topic, neglecting all else to puruse what they deem most interesting at the time.

Follow Me, Prelude - ISTJ

One, too bound to his lyre / And one who a liar kept in the ground

Orpheus’ and Eurydice’s songs are preceded by this very short prelude. While it’s the shortest song on the album (sorry, ISTJs!), the practicality of this piece lines up with the ISTJ’s. They are also very to-the-point, and these lines pack a powerful punch, summing up the next story.

Follow Me, Pt. 1 - ENFP

What you wanted was a mystery, even to me / Why do I follow you when I don’t even know where you’re leading me?

Eurydice’s song is the only one on the album from the subject’s point of view, rather than the narrator’s. The story of her open heart and innocent nature mirror the ENFP’s, idealists who may find themselves in the sad position of loving those who cannot love them back.

~

IV. THE GUILTY

Follow Me, Pt. 2 - INFP

Should I listen to men who would tear me apart? / I’m sorry, my love, but your face isn’t worth my heart

Orpheus’ song depicts his devotion to his art and ideals, and how that extends beyond his devotion to Eurydice. The fiercely individual and creative INFP needs to balance their focus on ideals with reality and relationships, which Orpheus has unfortunately failed to do.

Visitor - ESTJ

Hera saw it in your heart (she held it there herself, you know) / And so she knew how it could stain your darkest clothes

Heracles’ song is about the demigod’s disproportionate strength and rage, and how Hera manipulated both to cause his life harm. ESTJs are strong-willed and tough, and need to be careful of allowing their rigid tendencies to break the softer world around them.

Doomed - ESTP

Sitting on the head of your father’s coffin / Sitting on the bed while your mother’s watching

Oedipus’ song tells the story of a man told of his dark fate, who fulfills it in his effort to avoid it. ESTP individuals are bold, which can come at the price of taking opportunistic risks. Like Oedipus, they could end up acting on something with unexpected consequences.

To Cower, To Covet - ENFJ

Theseus, do you think of your friend in the pit? / Pirithous — condemned, while you got away with it

Theseus’ and Pirithous’ song shows the double standard of condemnation when a slight is personal rather than impersonal. The ENFJ is an idealistic leader who may, like Hades with these young men, hold others to a high standard - but who also may be too hard on themselves.

[theongreyjoy]

Let’s talk conspiracy theories.

Credit for chart : Abbie Richards

Let's talk about conspiracy theories. We are hitting a point where, for some god forsaken reason, conspiracy theories are being normalized- in large part due to Trumpism. This radical shift in what is considered normal, acceptable, and not "crazy" to believe really was given a home after the "fake news" concept took off. 

I've unfortunately had a deeper eye into conspiracy than most people in my life. When I was about 17, a few of my hippie friends (on in particular, started going down the road of cults and conspiracy. Think chemtrails, cancer isn't real, new world order and such, but from a left wing perspective.

 I feel like the early 2000s was a pretty strong time for "hippies" and granola types to latch onto these beliefs. Science denial was especially common.  Unfortunately, my friend group at the time became absolutely infested with these beliefs to the point where not believing in my of them turned you into a pariah, and I ended up slowly edging myself away from these people. When I was 24, my now ex, who suffered from a mental illness, started believing in a lot of techno conspiracies revolving around being stalked by the government, the government installing CP on people's computers, surveillance equipment that could stalk you through air waves if anything electronic is on- resulting in some horrifically violent and terrifying episodes. 

This was a very scary time in my life. So it's fair to say that for me, conspiracy has had no political affliction, but has followed me through my life in a way where I have seen the aftermath and horror that it can trigger in a person's life. I've seen people I love sink deeper and deeper into their bubble to the point of absolute darkness and isolation. Ive seen people lose their jobs, get deep into drugs, abandon their loved ones. Ive been abused, in part, as a result of the horror that conspiracy can instill in the life of the believer. Ive also see how easy it is to go down this road when enabled. When I was with my ex, he spoke with absolute confidence and clarity that what he believed was real. I found myself more than a few times wondering, "what if he's right"....and even that doubt- that belief for even a few moments that a conspiracy theory is correct- THATS the beginning. 

When someone you love or trust, someone who has authority in your life begins to share this information, it can easily be presented as legitimate. You don't need to have the same political beliefs as that person. You can be a moderate. You can be completely logical and start to fall down this hole.So now imagine this. The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES starts to tell you "all news except for news approved by me isn't real". and later, "scientists are not being honest". You like and support him and trust him. He's the president after all. So we have hit that cultist point of doubt. Now, no matter what studies are shown by ANY reputable news source, it is not enough. 

The president has now put a bug in the ear of many Americans already ready to trust him that any legitimately sourced news is incorrect, leaving many people committed in full to unverified sources that only produce information that feeds into those conspiracies. How these sources became radicalized is it's own thing. So, we aren't edging towards a reality where conspiracy is normalized, we are already there. Because top sources have already started that little trick of delusion. 

That little seed of doubt I started to feel when my ex boyfriend encouraged me to "see things from his side". And it trickles from Trump to uncle Rob. and uncle rob to his wife. And his wife to her hairdresser and so on. And, as Abbie Richards has said, the more willing you are to accept a conspiracy theory that passes a certain science denial threshold, the more likely you are to start believing ALL of them- and past a certain point, their narratives begin to weave together. Qanon is allowed to exist because deep state conspiracy theories fuel it and give a backing to it's claims. This isn't an excuse of things like Q/the deep state/etc, but I do want to start having discussions about HOW it's normalized so we can work on ways to denormalize it.

 What I am getting at now is, when I see something like Parlor, which is a right wing "Twitter" I want to say "good, leave" but I also have a deep fear about what this means for extreme radicalization of an already very susceptible base, and what it will mean for normalizing conspiracy theories. The right likes to talk about how fact checking is censorship. Some free speech advocates say that sharing conspiracy theories is free speech and needs to be protected on internet platforms, but allowing people to share those concepts WITHOUT fact checking them is socially irresponsible at best.

 I personally have strong feelings about free speech, but I also believe we should be independently fact checking these claims as much as possible, and I hope to see it more on social media platforms. Platforms like Parlor are scary because the echo chamber, already dangerous through facebook and twitter, is about to get a whole lot more powerful.If you know any of these people, try to reach out. Im not sure what can be done at this point, but allowing right wingers to become further radicalized is a danger to all of us. 

In conclusion- I dont know, but it does scare me.

[all-cursed]

Meet my first OC to have a specific fandom they’re attached to!

So I’ve never created an OC specifically for the universe of a show before, they’ve always been fandomless, but I was excited to create one for Wynonna Earp. I’m going to give him a proper page on the muse list as well as give everyone more detailed biographies eventually, but for now, this should work.

DISCLAIMER: to anyone who may have concerns, please know that I myself am Native American (Blackfoot and Cherokee), and did a lot of research while creating this character to make sure I do them justice and create an actual Native character that isn’t just a stereotype. Some parts that might seem stereotypical - such as the name this character chooses to go by - just comes with the modern era the universe is set in and the character’s own reasons. Several of the struggles he faces as well are specifically chosen because I hope to raise awareness in some small ways to the struggles that IPOC face even today. None of it is meant to be fetishising or stereotypical - some of it just exists in that space as an unfortunate reality.

Alright! Here we go.

                                                       [    i.    STATS   ]

NAME.  meecha wo’i  " crow "  redwolf .   

AGE.  23 as of 1x01 .

DOB.  nov 29th ,  1993 .

GENDER. gender-indifferent cis male  :   prefers he/him or they/them pronouns .

PREF. pansexual but has a preference for men and nonbinary individuals 

SPECIES.  human ,  witch  ,   skinwalker .

RESIDENCE.  the  ghost  river  triangle  .

OCCUPATION. former cashier ; former lead guitar in an up and coming rock band ; current bartender . 

ETHNICITY. in simple terms: native american. specifically: hopi and creek. some scottish but not by much. 

 [    ii.    INTROSPECTION    ]

POSITIVE TRAITS.   curious ,   adaptable ,  perceptive ,   creative ,   passionate ,   loyal ,   perseverant , open-minded , compassionate .

NEUTRAL TRAITS.  persuasive ,   withdrawn (at first; nervous about other’s intentions) ,   secretive , free-wheeling .

NEGATIVE TRAITS.  temperamental ,   unrestrained ,  spiteful ,   reckless ,   capricious ,   hedonistic .

DISLIKES.  sounds of traffic or loud machinery in general &  the sound of metal on metal &  the smell of cheap perfume/cologne &  hot weather &  dust  &  houseflies &  being told (instead of asked) what to do &  rap music &  wool scarves &  fluorescent lights &  lack of hygiene &  orange flavoured candies/sodas/anything that’s not an actual orange &  deep dark waters he can’t see the contents of &  mistreatment of animals &  having assumptions made about him  &  mathematics &  onions &  football  .

LIKES.  the scent and sound of rain &  physical touch &  candles , lighters , and controlled flames in general &  the smell of cedar , pine , and the forest &  music and playing musical instruments &  italian food &  raving about attractive people with others; intoxication is a bonus &  leather; wearing it and the smell of it &  glasses clinking together &  late night talks &  stargazing &  drawing / sketching &  records and record players &  animals &  'stealing’ and wearing the clothes of people he’s close with &  running &  card games &  dancing and singing & creating something out of nothing &  getting the last word .

HOBBIES. drawing &  singing and playing instruments &  exploring / learning as many places as they can like the back of their hand & people watching  &  drinking and bar hopping &  seeking pleasure and adventure wherever he can find it & collecting random things he enjoys / likes .

WEAKNESSES. he’s standoffish until he knows he can trust a person and can come off rude or aloof  & the inability to let go of most grudges &  his tendency to follow his desires and his heart before logic or his mind  &  impulsivity when emotional .

STRENGTHS. independence and ability to function and thrive alone (even if he would prefer to have company it is not mandatory) &  ability to be resourceful and adapt to new situations quickly &  handles time-sensitive situations well due to his tendency to act quick and think later &  stubbornness to stick to a task and see it through &  quick thinking &  agility and speed of inhuman proportions (thanks to his less than human side) .

HABITS. clicking his teeth together repeatedly when annoyed &  flexing  fingers & playing with his hair in absentminded / lazy moments &  silently staring at someone when he’s done with a conversation until they catch the hint and stop talking  &  if there’s music playing within earshot he always ends up swaying to the beat  &  will often make less than human sounds (growls, etc.) when angry if he doesn’t catch himself .

EDUCATION. average  student  throughout  elementary ,  middle &  high  school .  graduated with an equally average gpa of 3.0 , &  decided against college, choosing to seek education in less typical places .  fed up with his family and much of the treatment of his peers, he began to learn magic from a witch he met on one of his regular trips to wander the ghost river triangle and explore & learnt magic and about the more mystical parts of purgatory - ultimately becoming a skinwalker via the witch’s guidance and training .

[  iii. APPEARANCE  ]

FACECLAIM.  booboo stewart . 

HEIGHT.  5 ' 8 " ,  though when able to he wears combat boots that add a few inches to his height . 

EYES.  a very keen and observant hazel when he’s in human form .   when shifting , eye colour can range from yellow to red to green to blue depending on many factors - location , how far he shifts , etc .  always alert and bright unless intoxicated or in very rough shape emotion-wise . often wishes they were green or grey and has considered wearing contacts to change his eyes (human-wise) to those colours.

EYEBROWS.   defined  arch  but not so much so that it’s dramatic .  not too thin and not too bushy , and naturally neat - he rarely has to tend to them and usually only does so to shave a tiny slit or two through them as a stylistic choice .

HAIR.  long and dark ;  sleek with an ever so slight wave to it .  typically worn either down or in a loose ponytail , occasionally sections are braided .  falls just a few inches above his ribcage .  every so often he’ll dye streaks into his hair but has never dyed his whole head .

SCARS.  many . he has a variety of smaller scars from a rowdy childhood; a few faint ones on his hands and arms from scratches borne of cats and dogs . the typical scars that come from falling off bicycles or off swings ; scraped knees and cuts on chins . his forearms especially are covered in scars he prefers not to speak of .  there’s a scar on his forehead from a fight with his cousin as well as a few long scars on his back .

DRESSING STYLE.  it varies depending upon mood and whatever job he has at the time . especially fond of punk / alternative styles , likes leather , and enjoys the comfort of loose and flowing garments. whatever style he happens to choose at any given time , he wears well and somehow always manages to draw attention - whether from the jewelry he accessorises with (varieties of bracelets and cuffs , rings , pendants with gems , etc.)

LIPS.  naturally  full ,  scar at the right corner of his lip , occasionally  sore or split when he goes through anxious phases and tends to chew at his lips .

SKIN.   smooth , tanned . he doesn’t have much body hair , a fact that doesn’t tend to bother him much. he rarely engages in a skincare routine and much like his eyebrows generally stays neat and well-kempt without much effort . does not wear much makeup but enjoys eyeliner from time to time . if not for his skin tone, the dark circles beneath his eyes would be much more visible .

CHEEKS.  defined cheekbones ,   not easily flushed .  sports the occasional scars due to nervous picking when he was younger.

[  iv. ABILITIES  ]

LANGUAGES SPOKEN. english  [ fluent ] ,  hopi  [ conversational &  spellwork language ] , spanish  [ conversational ] .

THREAT LEVEL.  mediocre  to  high .

WEAPONS.  fairly efficient in his understanding of magic and can easily hold his own with either combative or defensive magic ,  but prefers when possible to rely on his own physical skills ; is proficient in hand to hand combat thanks to the speed , agility , and strength bequeathed upon him by his skinwalker nature . very skilled in knifeplay , whether throwing or up close . has little to no practise with firearms as of 1x01 . 

MAGIC. magic learnt by his mentor was primarily elemental based and neutral in that it could easily be manipulated for defensive or offensive ; he was never extremely proficient and left before he could complete his training so he is still learning his limits and the heights he can reach , and wants to branch out . as for the magical abilities granted by his status as skinwalker - he is able to shapeshift , which saps him of certain levels of energy that depend upon what creature he takes the shape of . he is also granted higher than average speed, agility, and strength because of this which he keeps with him even when not shifting.

 [  v. DETAILS  ]

➣➣ he was born in georgia originally to a loving but struggling mother and father - his mother was hopi and his father was creek, and while both parents had originally lived on their own respective reservations, they had met one another by chance during a trip and fallen in love, eventually deciding to seek out their own home outside of the reservations. his parents loved him but struggled financially; eventually his mother’s sister offered to take him in. as that was the better option rather than the three of them becoming homeless, crow’s parents sent him to live with his aunt in arizona on the rez. while they stayed in touch, his parents needed to stay in georgia, and as such he only would see them on the occasional holiday.

➣➣ while his aunt meant well, his cousins were another story. living with his aunt and uncle would have been fine had it not been for their two children; a son and daughter who constantly bullied him behind their backs for not being pure hopi as they were, often harassing him about being a ‘halfbreed’. a quiet boy at heart to boot, he faced bullying in school as well all the way through high school. his cousins, in tenth grade, snooped in his room and found his journal - which they used to out him as pansexual to the school.

➣➣ the moment he graduated, he spent as much time off the rez as possible, avoiding his cousins. on one of his frequent trips to simply explore nearby cities and towns, he found himself in purgatory. one drunken night led to following a mysterious woman into the woods. as it turned out, she was a witch. intrigued and excited at the idea of learning magic and having a way to defend himself, he quickly took her up on her offer to teach him. after a few months, she let him in on her secret - she was a skinwalker.

➣➣ she talked up how powerful she was because of it, and how no one would ever hurt her again. the more he heard about it, the more he wanted it. still unhealed from the way he was treated growing up and too caught up in the concept of never having to be beneath someone ever again, he agreed to let her hold the ceremony that would make him one as well without thinking of the consequences. when she told him that the final task he needed was to kill a family member... he almost faltered but agreed and went back to the rez. 

➣➣ he almost didn’t do it. it was night when he returned, and he could see his male cousin drinking on the porch. the concept of killing someone - even someone like his cousin who had treated him so poorly - was daunting. he might have changed his mind had his cousin not seen him arriving and was immediately being malicious; using homophobic slurs and accusing crow of having run off with a lover, talking about how disgraceful it was. and it all was a blur from there.

➣➣ bringing back a lock of his cousin’s hair to the witch, she finished the rituals and he became the creature she had promised - powerful but at what cost? still wrought with guilt despite having made the ultimate choice, crow left the forests on the outskirts of purgatory where he had been training and into the ghost river triangle itself, unable to go home after what he did and unable to stomach facing the witch. living out of his truck, he went from odd job to odd job, eventually landing a stable job as a cashier at a grocery store. around this time he chose to begin going by the name crow - both to distance himself from his past, and because if someone were to want to control or destroy him now as a skinwalker, they could do so if they knew his true, personal name. as such, a nickname seemed the safest bet. 

➣➣ fastforward to present day (1x01). after a few years of cashiering and attempting to rent rooms and apartments without success, as well as a stint playing guitar for an up and coming rock band, crow landed a job as a bartender at one of the local bars and instead of attempting to rent rooms or apartments, ended up moving into the trailer park. it was sketchy to say the least, but he couldn’t afford anything fancy and clearly didn’t handle having roommates well. a trailer seemed like the next best thing, outside of living in the woods or in his truck. his tendency to mind his own business and expect that of others meant that he mingled with normal purgatory residents and the revenants equally, pursuing his hedonistic nature as he pleased. which was all well and good, until things began to get... a lot more chaotic due to a curse and an heir he had originally had no knowledge of. 

               [ MORE TO COME THROUGHOUT                                               CHARACTERIZATION DEVELOPMENT ]

[nearly-theyre]

haikyuu: multi-work series fic recs!

hello friends! we are back at it again with another fic rec list ~

find me on twitter and ao3 (where you can see all the fics I didn’t get to put on this rec list!) ~

LET’S BEGIN

FORMAT:

“title” (ratings) by author (a ✰ means the series is HIGHLY recommended!)

link

Works: # Complete: Yes/No

Warnings: will consist of ALL warnings present in the series, although each warning present may not be present in EVERY fic of the series

description / notes of the series OR the summary of the first fic

WARNINGS AND WORKS/COMPLETE ARE AS OF 8/3/2020 !!!! MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS READ WARNINGS/TAGS/SUMMARIES BEFORE READING! 

“cafe backrooms and serendiptuous shenanigans.” (NR) by turnaboutcafe

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1774060

Works: 4 Complete: No

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

in which the haikyuu!! characters work in a university cafe.

in publishing order i. what a bother. / kuroken ii. personal space. / iwaoi iii. cafe latte. / bokuaka iv. wrong order. / kagehina

“Being Human” (T/M/E) by shions_heart

https://archiveofourown.org/series/660140

Works: 7 Complete: No

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings / No Archive Warnings Apply / Graphic Depictions of Violence

Set in an alternate world of magic, witches, and demons, our volleyball sons learn about life, love, and what it means to be human. 

“Sometimes You Just Clique” (G/T) by SoVeryAverageMe

https://archiveofourown.org/series/695778

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

No one expected the spoiled rich kid, popular football captain, arrogant school genius, and uptight class president to become best friends following The Incident™ their junior year. Underneath their differing facades and personal armors, lay a bed of similar insecurities and anxieties. This is the story of how they met and what happened afterwards, because sometimes when you meet the right group of people you just... clique.

“omam verse” (T/M/E) by shions_heart

https://archiveofourown.org/series/403992

Works: 4 Complete: No

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence / Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Though some may believe they're monsters, those closest to them know they're just men learning how to love in this world of magic, demons, and faeries. 

“iwfyitd verse” (G/T/M/E) by shions_heart, knightswatch ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/378352

Works: 7 Complete: Yes

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence / Major Character Death / Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

The story of a band of Super Soldiers trying to save the world, and their loved ones who fight alongside them.

“a park in amsterdam” (M) by Resamille

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1239377

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Summary of the first fic: They come together unexpectedly. They each have memories: a friend once held dear, now gone. The trail has led them here, and maybe, along the way, they remember each other too. 

Or: Over twenty years ago, witch law decreed a split between magic and non-magic worlds. Five humans were the first casualties in the protest. Their five soulmates were left to pick up the pieces.

“Hanamaki Disease: Disturbing the peace of volleyball teams everywhere” (G/T) by Ink_stained_quills

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1604839

Works: 4 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply 

Hanamaki disease: when Hanamaki Takahiro must “eyy” whenever he sees someone crushing. A friend to couples and menace to pining people everywhere (or is he?)

“Seijoh Sweets: Aoba Johsai Artisinal Bakery” (T) by FindingSchmomo

https://archiveofourown.org/series/525493

Works: 3 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Collection of Oneshots taking place in my Aoba Johsai Bakery AU

“Haikyuu at Hogwarts” (G/T) by Killthespare ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/952755

Works: 4 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply / Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Pretty much as the title suggests: a Hogwarts!AU with Haikyuu. It's planned as a seven book series so definitely a longer series. This first few can be read out of order with only minor confusion (about as easily as the first few Harry Potter books can) but there is an overall series plot in addition to the individual plots of each story. As of the fourth book, the previous third story should really be read before the fourth or later books.

So far, the stories in order: 1.) Shouyou Hinata and the Mirror of Erised (complete) 2.) Koushi Sugawara and the Heir of Slytherin (complete) 3.) Yu Nishinoya and the Shrieking Shack (complete) 4.) Tooru Oikawa and the Triwizard Tournament (in progress)

“hq detective AUs” (M) by valiantarmor ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/234750

Works: 3 Complete: Yes

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply / Graphic Depictions of Violence

A series of detective AUs.

“Carving Out A Life” (M/T) by RoseSakura  ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1429972

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence / No Archive Warnings Apply

Zombie Apocalypse AUs - including both longer stories and little one shots

“The Big Bads” (T) by fandom_cat

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612339

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

A collection of chats between different HQ characters! Works can be read separately but what's the fun in that? ;) Oh, and gay: gay everywhere.

Lots of things getting discussed. Mostly light-hearted though, fun was had, jokes were made. Any additional trigger warnings listed before chapters.

“chiaroscuro” (T) by newamsterdam  ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/434134

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply 

chiaroscuro: the interplay of darkness and light.

--

“We’re called guardians,” Kuro says. “Over time, people have had different names for us, but it really all comes back to that. We’re shifters, shaper-changers… the name doesn’t really matter. What does is that we’re supposed to keep the two kinds of magical forces in the world balanced.” He rattles this off with a roll of his eyes, as though it’s something he’s heard many times over.

Kenma thinks back to the curling snake made of shadows, to Sugawara’s words: People who shine brightly attract a lot of darkness.

“Shadows and light,” he says, not quite a question.

Kuro nods approvingly. “Basically, yeah. There’s a bit more to it than that—shadow magic is born of independence, of isolation and loneliness. Light magic is connections, the relationships between people. Most people have a low dose of both, go through their entire lives not realizing there’s magic in the world.”

“But not you,” Kenma prompts.

“Unfortunately.”

“Circle Universe” (T) by sandersonsister (REQUIRES AO3 ACCT)  ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/826590

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings / No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary of the first fic: It was the omega’s that initiated the courtships, the omega’s that decided who was needed in the circle. But it didn’t worry Kenma. Honestly, there was a particular reason it didn't worry him.

That reason was Kuroo.

He always knew the two of them would be together. And he thought that was enough. He was wrong.

“not just good business” (G/T/NR) by ilgaksu 

https://archiveofourown.org/series/307530

Works: 7 Complete: No

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence / Underage / Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings 

Description: credit to hamlet-themouse for their invaluable beta throughout this series so far. 

 Summary of the first fic:  It's been years since Kenma bought that pearly-pink powder and tried it on to go meet Kuroo after his shift, been years since Kuroo wiped his hands on his overalls and looked up and said don't you touch them like that. It's been years since he opened the door to the mob. They are the mob now. They're the ones knocking down the doors.

“Shiratorizawa Family” (G) by someonelikej

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1857982

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Mostly non-related one-shots and short stories portraying the Shiratorizawa team as a family.

“Domestic Cats” (M) by Avogara

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717717

Works: 2 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

A collection of domestic, homey, post-timeskip Kuroken fluff

“‘Til Human Voices Wake Us” (T) by strikinglight

https://archiveofourown.org/series/393289

Works: 2 Complete: Yes

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings / No Archive Warnings Apply

Haikyuu Pacific Rim Diptych, feat. Daisuga and Kuroken as primary victims

“The Heart of Nekoma” (T/M) by shions_heart

https://archiveofourown.org/series/339679

Works: 3 Complete: Yes

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings 

The story of a penniless thief and the magical gem who steals his heart.

“brunch friends” (T/M) by newamsterdam  ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/612757

Works: 3 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary of the first fic: “Iwaizumi’s left his cell phone on the bench, and while Suga keeps his gaze away from Iwaizumi the phone lights up with a new message.

Iwa-chan, it reads, Have a good day today! Good luck! <3 <3 <3 

Suga chokes. It’s hard to imagine anyone calling the scowling and fierce Doctor Iwaizumi “Iwa-chan.” But marriage probably comes with all sorts of liberties.

Mrs. Iwaizumi must be quite the doting wife, Suga thinks. Delivering hand-made bentos and sending along loving messages.”

No one really knows much about the new surgical resident, Doctor Iwaizumi, other than the fact that he's married. Suga's determined to find out more, and make a friend of him in the process

“Among Us” (M) by dgalerab  ✰

https://archiveofourown.org/series/540973

Works: 5 Complete: No

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence / Rape/Non-Con / Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

X-men AU with my favorite volleydorks.

“It’s A Good Life” (G/T) by LisaVanDerMolen

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1615756

Works: 3 Complete: No

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply / Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Summary of the first fic: Kenma opened his eyes again and looked at the door. The dark hallway greeted him, something was wrong. And then he saw it, a small figure peeking at him from behind the door. Big golden eyes like his own greeted him. Kenma felt himself smiling at the sight in front of him, when he heard soft sniffles.

Kenma and Kuroo awaken to their kid crying and comfort him while not knowing what's wrong.

And that’s all for today folks! Hit me up here on tumblr or in my twitter DM’s if you want more recs or want to discuss any of the fics on this list in more depth! I’m happy to help you find the perfect series! 

Show these authors some love - don’t forget to kudos, comment, and message them on their socials to show your appreciation! 

take your meds, drink water, eat some food, get enough sleep, and reach out to someone today! I love you and you got this! 

[rudistroebel-blog]

◊ ♫ ◊— look what the cat dragged in! that’s RUDOLF ‘RUDI’ STROEBEL and HE/HIM are an around 24-year-old CASUAL VISITOR to the store, but they’ve been in the neighborhood for A YEAR AND A HALF. I think they are an APP DEVELOPER and I overheard them listening to DON’T WANNA FIGHT by ALABAMA SHAKES, and, I dunno man, it seemed pretty fitting. Like, call me shallow but I look at them and think of BEN ROSENFIELD and MESSY CURLS, FREQUENT PHONE CALLS HOME, AN EASY GOING SMILE THAT NEVER FADES. (ooc info: bean, she/her, EST, 24)

Name: Rudolf Stroebel

Nicknames: Rudi

DOB: Feb 22, a Pisces.

Age: 24

Gender/Pronouns: Cismale and he/his.

Occupation: App Developer at an unnamed startup, side hustles include working on his own app and odd jobs here and there

Hometown: Milton, Delaware

Jakob and Clara Stroebel (Americanized from the original Ströbel) settled in Delaware in their twenties, leaving behind their birthplace of Hamburg Germany, determined to make their own fortunes. They struggled with the language, the culture, and fought for years to gain respect from the locals in the suburb they chose to inhabit. Jakob built up a reputation as a naturopathic doctor, and Clara taught German after school, and they both strived to raise their young son into someone that mirrored them both internally as well as externally.

While they may have preached the value of hard work, it’s a lesson that Rudi only half heard. He excels in little beyond disappointment. His grades were always lacking, he wasn’t gifted athletically, he had no interest in his father’s work and even though it’s the language spoken at home, his German is clumsy and imperfect. He managed to get through his teen years by sliding by, relying on a quick quip and some natural charisma to ensure he could at least graduate high school on time. People tend to like Rudi, which only enables him further.

He did a year at a local community college before dropping out— he taught himself coding through YouTube videos and computer science classes taught on Windows95 felt like a massive waste of time. The truth is, he told his mother he dropped out by choice, bad attendance and incomplete assignments had him flunking out shortly after the first semester.

Rudi’s success came as a surprise, an idea he’d jokingly come up with while drinking with some friends at a bar was thrown around, and like many things, he never expected anyone to take it seriously at all. As he passed out comfortably in his bed, tucked under the hand made quilt his mother lovingly crafted, he never could’ve seen what the next week would bring.

He put the app together based on the simple idea on a Monday, and was launching the beta by the Saturday, churning it out into an overnight success. The whole thing turned out to be profitable, with thousands of downloads lining their pockets with cash. Within the next few months, he’d accidentally become a whiz kid entropnenur with enough money to move out of his family home and avoid seeking a real career for the foreseeable future.

Flush with cash, the next reasonable move was to move to the big city. He sold the app to a tech giant and got himself an apartment in Manhattan. For the first few months, everything was gravy. He had an interview with Google lined up that he assumed he’d ace, and from there he’d be living the good life until the end of time! Unfortunately, the interview didn’t pan out the way he’d hoped and now without a Plan B and without the skills to live like an adult, Rudi blew through the cash within 6 months of his initial move.

He’s too embarrassed to go back home— his parents have finally started to believe in him and disappointing them again would be killer. Priced out of Manhattan he made several moves over the last year deeper and deeper into Brooklyn. Now he shares a basement apartment with a guy named Jonathon who air dries his socks on the radiator.

Rudi’s making changes! He got a job with a startup, so the pay isn’t great but most of his work can be done at home, leaving him with tons of time to occupy coffee shops and take long walks through the city he loves. He’s also working on actually getting a college degree. He’s secretly studying to retake the SAT so he can get into a decent school. Steve Jobbing it through life apparently works best if you’re actually Steve Jobs.

Used to an easy life, Rudi’s incapable of looking after himself properly, and his new found independence is being treated like an endless kegger. He likes a good time with great friends, and he doesn’t see anything wrong with that. He’s sweet, with his heart in the right place, but with his new found fortune he’s just been granted another faucet to allow him to live a Peter Pan existence. It’s this sort of youthful optimism that keeps him charming. Perhaps it’s not untrue that children become funny when they have nothing else to market themselves as, as his wry words and surprisingly observational comments often remind people around that there is more to Rudi than just being a party animal, even if he himself doesn’t see it.

In general, he’s a good kid. He’s a good friend and helpful— kinda has a Mid-West attitude without being from the Mid-West. Easily taken advantage of and oblivious to a lot of what’s going on around him, but he’s! Good!

H E A D  C A N O N S

I. His vision has never been anywhere close to stellar. From his very early days, Rudi’s been the kid with glasses– something that swapped over to contacts as soon as he was old enough to be trusted putting plastic in his eye. He refuses to wear glasses, though towards the end of long nights he’s almost always seen cranky and irritated in smoky and crowded spaces, rubbing his slowly reddening eyes.

II. He’s been blessed with a wild mess of thick curly hair, of which no one is quite sure whom he got it from, or what to do with. His parents were flaxen haired beauties without a follicle out of place and every family picture features their son with enough wax on his head to look like a shoe shine commercial. These days he’s found it just easier to slap a beanie over his head than to try to tame his wild locks, considering it his signature look.

III. He’s been the victim of several pyramid schemes, some that he still doesn’t know about.

IV. Rudi suffers from what he refers to as ‘the tricky A’s.’ Asthma, allergies, anxiety and a touch of anemia.

[divinationcentral]

so i have a crush on this guy at work. and ive reached out to him before but he said he wasn’t interested because hes focusing on himself rn. we’ve been able to keep things cordial and friendly but im really not sure if i should wait or move on. i did a reading about it to check in on our energy and im not sure how to feel about it. i pulled 4 of cups, the hanged man, judgement, 6 of pentacles, 4 of pentacles, two ace of swords (i used two decks) and ace of pentacles. when i asked for clarity about his struggle i pulled 5 of swords, queen of swords, and the fool. i also pulled temperance and justice. if it were you, how would you interpret this?

Hi there! I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get to your request sooner - I was on the clock! c:  Just given the background that you gave me, this would be my interpretation-- and be aware, it’s incredibly long! LOL. So I’m sorry. <3 BUT... If you want the TLDR version, here it is: You should move on. You will get another opportunity like this again. It may not be with him, but life will always offer you new things (new relationships, new experiences, etc). This person is currently struggling with a decision that he cannot make, and he must make. He must be open, honest, and fair, and unafraid to trust someone again. And he has not been able to, and is therefore reeling from a past situation that left him feeling slightly victimized, it seems. If you are willing to wait, this person will offer themselves again. But as it is presently--you will not get what you wish. He is reevaluating a scenario, and you must be prepared to wait for it some more.  You deserve more, by the way. You deserve better. Move forward. And you will be happy again.  You need to make the choice to move on, however. Ask yourself if you are ready for this? What is it that you are holding onto? What is holding you back?  What limiting beliefs do you have of yourself? Crush them. You are great. Anyone would be lucky to have you. Pick yourself back up again if you are upset. <3 

You will be surprised. You will have an offer for love again.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you want my logic behind it? Be prepared lol... You’re welcome to read it. But I think the first half would suffice. The rest is just for your personal intake.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The good thing is that you pulled the Ace of Swords TWICE. I would easily read that as both people are aware of each other’s sentiments. So, nothing is being hidden. You have the answer you seek. In other words: He knows how you feel, and you know how he feels. There is no hidden motive (if you were wondering). The only question left to answer is what is this Ace of Swords clarifying, right? Did he tell you he was attracted to you as well? Did he beat around the bush? Is the only reason he’s denying this connection BECAUSE he does not have time or energy to pursue a relationship right now? Or is it this one, specifically. In which, I would recommend you just respect that. And respect yourself, likewise. If you wish to move on from the situation—nothing is really holding you back from seeking another connection. And I say that only because it follows the order in which you pulled your cards: 4 of cups = discontentment. Boredom. And usually, to me, disappointment with what one has. If it is an offer of love, it means you are not appreciating it for what it’s worth (and I’m not referring to you, by the way, just in general). Or not seeing the potential something can bring into your life. That is not to hurt your feelings, by the way. But, in truth, he may simply be too distracted to notice that you are offering something sincere. And for you, that is creating a sense of being placid in your life (which is not bad... it just means nothing is happening, and that could lead to boredom and a sense of feeling stuck... which turns into discontentment, and you could start ignoring the possibilities in your life as you sit and wait). You feel like you can’t get ahead whichever way you try—that is because you’ve hit a wall. A boundary wall, or as I like to call it: the rejection wall, but that has a really negative connotation… he hasn’t rejected you outright, but it is in his own way—because he stated he needed that space, and you needed a clear cut answer, I presume. One he didn’t exactly give to you. There wasn’t a time and place set... just “not right now.”  Which is what is holding you back from asking again, likely. AND it’s stopping you from moving ahead into something different, actually. Which... quite frankly isn’t fair. It should just be a yes or no, in my opinion (unless he did straight up tell you no in his own way and it just hasn’t registered yet). 

You have to ask yourself if you are okay with this. Because it is likely you will continue to wait until you have a new opportunity with him. And it may be that you wish for him to offer it. What can be indicated by The Ace of Swords, however, is victory. So, communicating has and will continue to help your situation. If he said no then, what about now? What about at a later date...  Right now, The Hanged Man tells me that (as a shared energy, again) you are both in suspension (and this is your position in the tarot, presently). You may be waiting on that offer from this person, and this person may be in a period of evaluation themselves. Only until you can both revisit the situation again will it, and can it move forward, and change. Likewise, this person can be waiting to hear from you, actually… but I cannot say that for certain, since I’m not reading his tarot, unfortunately. But because you pulled it as a shared energy: you may take that as you wish. The Judgement always indicates renewal and second chances. You have the option to move ahead, you do, by yourself, into something different.    But you also have the option as well to ask him again. And get the answer that you wish. Regardless, you will start something new. That is The Judgement in a nutshell (with or without this person). It is looking at the past, and then being absolved of it; declared free from guilt, blame, shame, or responsibility—cleared, as if though it were a hindrance being rid of from your life. And that could be this decision that you need to make. Because it’s holding you back, isn’t it? You may be wondering if it’s just you. It isn’t. You just need clarification from the situation again. What you’re wondering is what is the right decision to make. Like I said: The Ace of Swords is communication, and it is what will help set this situation straight. So, in short: you need to communicate this again. If it were up to me, the determination I would make is to just ask him again. Be blunt. Do you like me? Do you find me attractive at all...? It seems creepy, I know, but in truth... You need to know that. Otherwise- it’s just you wanting something from him, and waiting and waiting and waiting (I don’t know if he told you this, however, since I have no clue what your actual situation is). And that puts you in a shitty position, I’m not gonna lie. Don’t become desperate! 

And if he says the same thing... this will only happen when he’s ready. When he’s willing to explore the situation. What is holding you back from moving on? I ask you this now. You can give yourself that answer, actually, and you should be honest with yourself. It will help.  I don’t know how long ago you made your feelings known to this person, but if it wasn’t that long ago, and he hasn’t approached you yet… it is definitely because he is not ready. The Four of Pentacles and the Six of Pentacles would nonetheless indicate a stalemate in the connection, either way. Either one person is too afraid to give, or is too reserved to explain (why or what is happening with their life and their situation and how they feel, strictly out of fear of losing something they have gained—that could be monetary, or that could simply be their independence). And that could easily refer to him, since you’ve already expressed how you felt. But since it is still a shared energy, you as well could be feeling afraid to move forward now that you are not certain what to expect. If you want to grow closer to this person, I recommend you speak clearly, and continue to approach your relationship with the same enthusiasm. But if you no longer see it for what it was worth -- it’s best to stress the positives, and regain a sense of freedom and choice. Understand that you can seek a relationship that is open to receive you, with someone else. That is just the truth. You have that option as well. You are single and free, I presume? No? You always have the option to start again. And this person will obtain that opportunity once they can reclaim their own independence, of whatever it is that is holding them back at this moment. However, because what you’re truly wanting to clarify is whether or not there will be an opportunity for this relationship in the future (like romantic, I would presume)—the simplest answer I can give you is that there will be a chance gifted to you. The Ace of Pentacles indicates new financial beginnings, traditionally. But since this is a relationship reading—I’d say you both have that opportunity whenever it is presented. Meaning he can offer you this at any given point in time, and so can you (a relationship, I mean). But life will also continue to offer you new things anyway (new experiences, chances, opportunities). What you make of it will be your own. And you will have a chance to explore this again. Whether or not it is something you choose to do, because… Aces are effortless, new beginnings. 😉 just saying. If this person is not going to offer you a relationship -- the offer will come from someone else. You must weigh your decision against what you are willing to take. And you can wait for this person to offer you a chance again. I can’t say they will, honestly… because I just don’t have that indication yet. All I see is a person holding back, and someone that is willing to give. And an opportunity only comes when you can offer it again.  Ask yourself: Do you want a closed off individual that isn’t willing to give? Or do you want someone who is open and honest with what they are wanting with you, upfront and direct?  Is that this person? Do you have that knowledge yet? Or should you get to know the situation better.  You will have a chance to start things up again. Depending on how you approach him, and how you approach this reading. What I have said and what you see in the cards will give you that incentive. I’d recommend strictly asking the tarot what advice it could give you moving forward in this situation, if that’s what you wish to do anyway. (Personally—I think you will get a chance to express yourself again. And how you felt).  For his energy: As a person… he is likely learning to balance a situation out in his life. It might not have been fair for him, or whoever else he is currently involved with. It’s teaching him a hard lesson about being honest (honesty). The Fool indicates he needs to approach his situation with optimism. Something he will likely pick back up again, once he realizes that he deserves fairness for himself. And if this is regarding you: it’s that he needs to recognize you are being fair with him, and honest. And so he must be fair with you. If you are The Queen of Swords in his life, you have spoken your truth to him or will soon, and he quite frankly can’t argue with it. I would recommend that you be fair, and try and see his position for what it’s worth. Because otherwise it will create conflicts the more you ask why you can’t be with him. He simply is reeling from a bad experience, it seems. Which I would have to say is separate from you, unless you’ve had a falling out with him. He should be honest with you, however. And you should be fair with him (talk to him, see how he is, ask about his life and what’s going on with it—if he’s willing to share, it will help, it will show that you are interested as to why he’s taking time to focus on himself at this point in his life). —but, most importantly, be fair to yourself. If you do not like what he has to offer you, I would recommend guidance on how to move forward from the situation. But giving him another chance is something you have to choose. And he has to be willing to take. Not clam up again. Otherwise, this situation would require time, and it will possibly be a lot of your time. Until he feels safe to pursue this connection (in general). This situation also needs give and take. With The Six of Pentacles being in your spread—you must offer of yourself in order to receive again. And this person needs to learn to give, and to receive. Give and take is just that. Otherwise, all you receive is what the other person is willing to give, and in this position, only one person is being fair in the spread. It could be that you view the situation like this. And it could simply mean that you are not being as giving as you would think. Sometimes that can happen when we are feeling restricted by someone else’s wishes. See the situation differently. If this were your friend—would you simply lose all interest just because they’re having a hard time? Right? Or would you give them space?  The Six of Pentacles is generous. The Four of Pentacles is the complete opposite of this; it’s feeling like you don’t have enough, and so are restricted, and restrict yourself, both in what you can give and what you can take—because you choose to keep what you have saved instead (this could be your pride, your ego, anything really—it’s like saying “you are saving face”). If The Four of Pentacles is your energy, I recommend that you view yourself differently. You are very sweet and kind I presume. 😊 And are probably very loving (I would hope lol). And have a lot to offer him (and any person really). You really do. If you move ahead with something or someone else—he really can’t blame you if he just sat on this offer time and time again. And you should view yourself as someone that is willing to give and take, and express that openly. Even if he just said no to a relationship—does not mean you can’t pick things back up again at a later date. OR it doesn’t mean that if you are currently just being cordial with each other—that it’s a bad thing. You are still in each other’s presence. It all depends on what you expect to gain from this. Hope this helps.

If you want -- let me know if you’d like me to pull you some romance cards from my sexy deck~ lol I call it that, but it’s the Tarot of Sexual Magic ~ It offers healing messages for love, romance, and sex… I like to think it’s a fun way to approach relationships.

[cookinguptales]

I've a small query (if it doesn't float your boat, no worries!) I was interested in how you got into learning languages, what led you to it? I've become curious since learning a new language as an adult has only increased my awe of multilingual folk (additionally, I vaguely remember a post about a request in exchange for a donation to charity, and wondered if there were any you'd like a donation to)

First of all, good luck with the language learning! It’s not easy as an adult, but I do think it’s worth it, both in terms of cultural fluency and brain elasticity.

My answer to the language thing is actually extremely complicated, so I’ll be putting it under the cut. I’ll put the charity stuff above the cut so more people can see it.

— I’d just like to warn you, though, before I start, that I have been locked in this house for over a month with no respite and I HAVE A LOT OF WORDS AND FEELINGS IN ME SO THIS POST HAS SO MANY OF BOTH OF THOSE THINGS!!

anyway

There are so many charities that I want to donate to now that it honestly makes my head spin. Every time I look at a site like GoFundMe it kind of makes me want to cry. So a lot of donations I’ve made have been to like local businesses, restaurants, etc. who will close down without help. (Also a lot of local native groups, who are disproportionately suffering right now.) I’ve also been donating to various food banks — Philabundance, a Philly-centric charity that deals with food insecurity in general, is a good one. That was a regular of mine even before the outbreak. I’ve also donated to a lot of the local services in the small town where I’m in now, though you’ll need to PM me if you want the name of that. (It’s… very small.) 

Off Their Plate is another great charity that’s been working with small restaurants (who can’t open for business) to get food to first responders. They’re partnered with World Central Kitchen, which is another fantastic charity that helps out during disasters. Plus well-known ones like Feeding America, No Kid Hungry (important while school is out and kids aren’t getting breakfast/lunch there), Direct Relief, etc.

(I uhhh may have overstrained my charity budget the past couple months. It’s odd how that adds to stress and relieves it at the same time.)

I tend to avoid religious charities, especially Salvation Army, because they’re occasionally discriminatory in how they distribute resources and we no longer have laws & oversight to make sure they don’t do shady shit. So I just avoid them in general now. I also avoid the American Red Cross because they’ve been known to misuse funds. Research is key!

I also worry about some of my regular charities, like Immigration Equality & Rainbow Railroad (helps LGBTQ people in dangerous countries immigrate to less dangerous ones), the Native American Rights Fund, various local abortion funds, RAICES (provides legal services to immigrants & refugees), the ACLU, Dysautonomia International, the Rainforest Action Network, etc… A lot of them are getting fewer donations than they’re used to because we’re in the middle of such life-shattering events.

If you are really interested in making a donation (please, please, please do) those are all good options. I also fully recommend looking up needy organizations, services, people, etc. in your own area. I try to donate to a healthy mixture of national/international organizations, local needs, and temporary issues du jour. (Disaster relief, bail funds for protesters, fighting new discriminatory laws, etc.) I would genuinely appreciate any donations, especially if you find a cause near and dear to your heart that I would never even hear about. Anything along these same lines, y’know? If you have anything you’d like me to do in return, just hmu.

I constantly stress about who to donate to — there are so many good organizations and so few dollars to give them — but at a certain point, every dollar to a cause you believe in counts. Every dollar you donate helps to make the world a little bit better for at least one person. That’s what I have to tell myself to calm myself down, haha. So even the smallest donation you make to any of these groups would mean a lot to me.

Anyway, onto the language stuff:

For me personally, I grew up bilingual. Deafness runs in my family, so I learned sign language from a very young age. Note: I say “sign language” rather than ASL. I learned sign language kind of organically, which ended up making a mess later in life. My parents mostly taught me, but so did my daycare (at a deaf school) and so did my babysitters and so did other family members, etc. The point is, not all of them used the same sign language. There was a wide mixture of ASL, SEE, and home signs and my current signing style is… problematic. lmao. My family all understands it (hey, they taught it to me) and I can have conversations with American sign language users, but I know they can’t love my signing lmao. I’ve considered sitting down and taking a legit ASL class for years, but there are so many classes I want to take… I don’t know.

After that, it largely became a case of taking languages whenever they were made available to me. I’ve always liked them. We moved around a lot when I was a preteen so I went to a lot of different schools. (4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade were all different schools.) It was rough at home and hard to make friends so I guess I threw myself into academics a lot. My sixth grade school was an odd one; it was a 6-8 grade school and you were supposed to take a crash course in three different languages in sixth grade so you could choose one and take it in 7th and 8th grade. I ended up taking Spanish, French, and German that year. I liked French best! But then we moved so it was kind of moot. (And I hated German, sorry Germans. My mouth doesn’t like the noises. It didn’t help that my teacher was weirdly sympathetic to Nazi-era Germany…? But I guess that’s another post.)

When we moved to Florida, you had to have special permission to take language classes in 7th grade. (FL doesn’t have great academics.) But since I’d already had some Spanish in NC, they let me take it! And then I moved schools again. This new school, my 8th grade school, I’d be in until I graduated 12th grade years later — but the employee turnover at that school was almost comedically bad?  I took Spanish for like a year and a half there and had three different teachers. So at this point I’d had 5 different Spanish teachers, all from different countries (where they spoke slightly different Spanish!), all reteaching the same ideas over and over again because they didn’t know where the last teacher had left off. In the end, my last Spanish teacher sent me to the school library with some textbooks because he felt like I was very good at languages and he couldn’t adequately teach me in the environment he’d been thrown into. (My high school was very terrible. So he was right.)

SO I SWITCHED TO FRENCH. I took French for 3-4 years in high school (can’t remember when I started) but the same shit started happening. By the last year, my French teacher had the French I, II, III, and IV students IN THE SAME CLASS and she just put the advanced students in small groups and had us do independent study. Sigh… Around this same time, I started three other languages. At this point, I was getting kind of accustomed to self-study so I applied for a Latin class in the Florida Virtual School and took a year of that. I also spent a summer studying at the University of Chicago when I was 16-17 and learned Middle Egyptian then. (Yes, I was an ancient cultures nerd even back then.)

The Japanese has always been an odd case. Like I said, my 8-12 education was fairly terrible. They had this thing where they used a computer program to teach kids math and the teacher kind of taught along? When I transferred to the school in the middle of 8th grade, the teacher didn’t know what to do with me so he just plopped me in front of a computer and told me to do as much as I could. They started me in… Pre-Algebra, I think? Which I’d already taken in sixth grade. So I ended up getting through Pre-Algebra, Geometry, Algebra, and Algebra II, which… wasn’t in the teacher’s plans. I’d kind of finished several years of math in like a quarter. And then they didn’t have any more classes. So he just told me to like. Sit quietly and amuse myself for the last few months of school?? (Terrible, terrible school.) So I went to the library and found a book about Japanese and started teaching myself that. I really, really liked Japanese! Like it’s a language that just clicks really well with the way my brain works, I think. It’s very logical, I like the syllabary, etc. And I think growing up signing helped me with pictographic languages like Middle Egyptian and Japanese. My brain easily connects visual symbols with concepts.

When I went to college, the plan was honestly to learn more Egyptian and start translating, and I kept taking French to help me read old research in various ancient study fields. I ended up transferring out of the NELC major, though, due to some ethical problems… I guess that’s another post. Several years into my RELS/FOLK degree I went to my parents like. Look. I love learning this stuff but none of it’s useful. Remember how much I loved Japanese? Can I go back to learning that? I could translate that and that’s a legit skill. So I applied to a program through my school and studied in Japan for a while and ended up really doubling down on that language. Weird how I came back to it years later, but I guess it was always the one I loved best.

I have a mind that’s very pattern-based, so I guess I’ve always loved learning languages and the patterns behind them. (This may be why languages with a lot of rule exceptions, like French, irritate me.) They’re like puzzles that I’ve always enjoyed teasing out. Unfortunately, the way my education bounced around meant that I never got a good grounding in most of those languages, so I’ve largely lost them. I can still read French fairly well and my Japanese is good… My Spanish is like. Enough to get me around in the southern US. My German is abysmal. I remember very little Latin & Middle Egyptian. (It’s been over 10 years, I guess.)

So I guess what I feel the need to say to you is that if you don’t use it, you will lose it. I did well in all my language classes. They’ve always been fairly easy for me. Like. Straight As, no problem. I don’t say this to brag. I say it so you know that even for someone like me, whose brain is fairly well-wired for languages, it’s very, very difficult to retain languages when you’re not using them. If you’re not used to taking languages or you started late in life, it’s even harder. So even on the days you don’t want to practice! You gotta practice! Ganbare! Bon chance!

[tikkisaram]

Poetic Patriarchy in Ireland — Part I: Poetry Against Women

It is no secret that poetry offers a plethora of positive effects, be they as extreme as bringing someone out of depression or as simple as putting a smile on their face. Poetry has done a world of good for me and I would not be devoting so much of my spare time to it if it did not. However, we must acknowledge the fact that on multiple occasions in the past, poetry has shaped our world in a decidedly negative way. This can be seen clearly in the history of Ireland and the rights of women there. This blessay will cover how poetry led to the oppression of Irish women and will additionally give an overview of the female poets in Irish history. It will thus answer the oft-asked question, namely — why is the vast majority of Ireland’s internationally-renowned poets male? In my research I have not been able to find an essay exploring this question; I am thus honored to be the first.

During Celtic times, Irish women had more or less equal rights with men. There were many famous female role models for young girls and boys to look up to; these included the legendary queen Méabh and pagan goddesses such as Mórrígan. Unfortunately, the poems that would have been told during this time period were never written down, so we do not know how women were portrayed in them. It is probable that they would have been portrayed positively, considering the equality of gender roles present in that society.

Literacy reached Ireland in the fifth century and came alongside Christianity. While Christianity is often critiqued for its portrayal of women, Christian women in Ireland then were just as strong as their male counterparts. St. Brigid of Kildare is one of the most important women in Irish history; she was a nun — a profession usually associated with conservative tradition. Yet the teachings of the bible didn’t restrict her from being strong and independent. In fact, St. Brigid was close friends with one of Ireland’s first poets - Dubthach maccu Lugair. Dubthach and the other poets of the time were overwhelmingly not sexist. One of the most notable works of early Irish poetry is the prosimetrum by Táin Bó Cuailnge. The first recensions in this beautifully written collection are in celebration of Queen Méabh; she is treated as an equal — if not a superior — to her husband. Other strong female characters follow her, including the sovereignty goddess Macha, the villainous Morrígan, and Gráinne, who shows great power in her taking control of her own sexuality. These are only some of the most notable women to feature in these poems; were I to list them all, it would take all day!

In those days, composing poetry was one of the most lucrative professions in Ireland. This was due to the many kings across Ireland employing personal poets, known as ollams. These ollams were required to have hundreds of original poetic stories ready upon request for the king. What a shame that so many of these doubtlessly great pieces of work have been lost forever! These poems celebrated Irish royals, Biblical figures and figures from Celtic Mythology, including the strong women from each of these sources. My favourite piece is the poetic narrative An Banshenchas, written in 1147 by Gilla Mo Dutu Úa Caiside. This is the ultimate piece of feminist writing from the bardic period of poetry; it celebrates many notable women, from what the author considered to be the beginning of time with God’s Eve up to 1030 with Gormlaith ingen Murchada, a queen who stood as a symbol between the relationship of the native people of Ireland and the Viking settlers. This is not a celebration of one type of woman — we see so many different personalities and characterisations, from the somewhat passive Miriam to the perseverant and powerful Étaín. There is truly a woman in this collection for anyone to relate to, which is a testament to the feminist nature of a poem written 990 years ago in supposedly sexist times!

The most prestigious position a poet could get in this period of time would be Ollamh Érenn, or the Chief Ollam of Ireland. They would sit next to the high king of the country and be commended by all. Out of all of the documented ones, a single woman held the title — Uallach ingen Muinecháin. Since she was the first famous Irish female poet, one would think that her work would be taught to all, yet none of it survives. Were it not for her obituary in the Annals of Innisfallen, this trailblazer would have been forgotten entirely.

But ollams were not the only type of poets around; they were in fact only one subset of the poetry grouping known as filid. The type of filid that is best known today is a bard. Bards were actually the lowest position a poet could take, but the word has become synonymous with poet in the context of Ancient Ireland. Ancient Irish poetry is commonly referred to as bardic poetry, even by many scholars, despite the term's inaccuracy. It is often stated that it is unknown if any of these bards were female (Walker, 1786). However, the previously mentioned Muinech and Sadhbh Ó Mailchonaire are two factual exceptions. As with Muinech, Ó Mailchonaire’s works has been lost and the most famous record of her is her obituary. (Unknown, 1447) There are also some other potential candidates as ancient Irish poets, although once again these women’s works do not survive to this day. Agnes Carkill was a poet who performed for King James IV of Scotland in 1512 and there is speculation that she hailed from the Antrim family, Mac Fhergail, which would have been her maiden name (Bourke, 2002). Walker who spent years researching bards, speculates that the Caoine was written by a woman; most scholars agree with this opinion. The Caoine is a weeping lament, which was performed by women at funerals; its practice has spread from Ireland as far as Libya and Egypt. It is best known today for being the origin of the banshee myth. Women were also associated with the poetic form amhráin, which is a poem that’s sung, a practice which became prominent in the 16th century. It is also possible that many of the anonymous poems were written by women, especially since many of these poems feature distict feminist undertones, such as the spectacular St. Brigid’s Prayer which has since been translated by Brendan Kennelly.

It is also worth mentioning fictional female poets who appeared in ancient Irish stories. One of the characters who appears in Acallam na Senórach, the longest surviving work of medieval Irish literature, is Créide. She is described as a fine poet who invites males to a hostel in order to judge their poems. Créide is one of the first fictional poetry critics, but unfortunately she is not celebrated to the extent that she deserves to be. The Daughter of úa Dulsaine appears in a story by Cormac mac Cuilennáin (who died in 908), where she is one of the most popular poets in Ireland and travels around the country and abroad to show off her poetic prowess. Some suggest that this account is based off a true story and mac Cuilennáin just added the fantasy elements (Nicholson, 2016).

Another feminist fact about Ancient Irish poetry is that what we know today was as alliteration was named after women. It was referred to as “brichtu ban, brechtaib ban”, which roughly translates as “charms of women”. (Stifter, 2016) This technique is found in almost all surviving bardic poetry from its inception to its end. I do find it odd that such a prevalent term was named after women’s ability to speak in an enchanting manner, and yet that this very same society supposedly would not let these women write their hypnotic words down.

Compared to other countries Ireland has quite a lot of surviving poetry, but it’s only a small selection of what was written at the time. Many recorded works of poetry were destroyed in 686 AD after the Saxons raided Ireland, and again in 798 AD when the Vikings settled. Their cultures were more sexist than that of the Celts and their prejudice might be another reason why there are so few works that are credited to a woman from this period. The Saxons and Vikings were not completely able to destroy Celtic culture and bardic poetry, however, despite their best efforts; the bardic tradition managed to continue for hundreds of years after their arrival.

Poetry in Ireland began to shift during its Tudor conquest between 1529 and 1603. Queen Elizabeth brought the first English poets over to Ireland as she was claiming land, one of the most famous examples being Sir Walter Raleigh. This sexist poet’s writings did not have much influence on the Emerald Isle; in fact, in Éirinn he is most notable for the assumption that he planted the first potato in Ireland, even though this is pure speculation and it is far more likely this was done by a Spanish man or woman. (McNeill, 1949)

After England conquered the country in 1601 and Hugh O’Neill surrendered, bardic schools began to shut down. One of Ireland’s most infamous literary controversies — the Contention of the Bards — occurred during this time period. The bards attacked each other through verse, and it brought the end to their influence on the country. Bards were now just known as poets and it was becoming rare for poetry to be one's full-time occupation. Since there were no more kings, poets had to adapt and find patronage from the English settlers. Most of these settlers wanted their poems in English, not Irish, and thus a shift in language began to occur. Many refused to take part in it as it interfered with their Catholic beliefs; those wealthy enough migrated to Catholic countries in continental Europe to study poetry in college. Unfortunately, no one would fund these poor Catholic writers, so almost all of their work has been lost. As Protestant England was an extremely sexist society (even when it was ruled by a queen, ironically), women were discouraged from becoming poets as well.

The harsh Penal Laws put in place in Ireland by England forbade the teaching of the Irish language and poetry to Catholics. To circumvent this people pretended (often unsuccessfully) to be Protestant, or else taught children in secret 'hedge schools'. Hedge schools kept the tradition of Irish poetry alive, but if people were caught teaching in them or being secret poets they were arrested and punished. In Cork in 1584, 71 men an 1 woman were arrested. She was named Mary-ny-Dononoghue and dubbed by the presentation to the jury as “she-barde” and “rhymer”.

Before we get into the bleak sexism, I’d like to bring up two notable female poets who existed in the 17th and 18th centuries: Mary Monck and Charlotte Brooke. Both women come from wealthy backgrounds and married rich men, so they were able to avoid punishment as a result. Monck was multilingual and spoke English, Latin, Italian and Spanish. Many of her works can be found in the 1775 collection Poems by Eminent Ladies, which is definitely worth a read. Unfortunately for some reason in this collection Monck is miscredited as Mrs. Monk! Brooke was homeschooled by her father, who was also a writer. She was interested in the Irish language and became bilingual through hours of study. She not only wrote poems, but translated them too; yet despite being just as talented as her male counterparts, if not more, she was never accorded the same respect as them. Her poetry is rich in storytelling and employs a multitude of techniques, including an effective application of the most obvious ones: rhyme, repetition and rhythm. Monck is also very skilled in her writing; we will discuss possible reasons for why they have been forgotten by history later.

We see the first signs of widespread sexist poems in Ireland during this time frame. Epithalamia made their way to Eirinn in the writings of Dáibhí Ó Bruadair. While epithalamia in theory do not have to be sexist, almost all of the ones written during these times treated the women as inferior to men. There is also the establishment of poetry circles that would only allow male members; the most notable of these was Seán Ó Tuama’s and Andrias MacRait’s Maigue Poets. (Joyce, 1961)

Aodhagán Ó Rathaille’s aisling was invented in this time period and it constitutes one of the most uncomfortable forms of poetry I have ever witnessed. Aislings are set in dreams where women appear to the poet; often the woman appearing in such a dream is an anthropomorphic depiction of Ireland. This poetic brought the Mother Ireland concept into popular culture. Filmmaker Pat Murphy summed up it best when describing Mother Ireland in an excellent 1991 documentary about that subject: “[Mother Ireland] is not a positive image, the associations I have with it are not positive ones, I actually think it’s a wrong thing to do – to call a country after a woman – because it gets into those kind of areas where a country is to be won, or penetrated, or ploughed. And it means that women aren’t seen for themselves”. (Crilly, 1991)

Unfortunately, the concept of Mother Ireland did not stop at one poem; it was featured in several of Ó Rathaille’s aislings, as well as aislings written by other men. The concept transcends the aisling form and poets such as Thomas Moore began writing poems about Mother Ireland. The most notable of his poems about this oppressive concept is The Origin of the Harp, which inspired an equally sexist painting by Daniel Maclise in the 19th century. Even Roisin Dubh, which was an innocent poem about a man being in love with a woman, was weaponised by Owen Roe Mac Ward and turned into a poem about Mother Ireland. It has been widely sung by masses since the 18th century, unknowingly (or not) oppressing millions of women.

Well Tikki Troops, that was a lot to take in for part one, was it not? I decided split this blessay into parts because I did not want to overwhelm you all! The next blessay will cover 19th century poetry up today; despite covering a much shorter period, there are more poems that exist in its time frame. How will Irishwomen combat this Mother Ireland archetype — or will they at all? How will the most famous Irish poets, including Becket, Joyce, Heaney, Wilde and Yeats fit into this narrative? You’ll find out next time! But be patient with me as I try to perfect part two. :^)

Bibliography

Bourke, A. (2002) The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing. NYU Press.

Cahill, S. E. (1983) ‘Reexamining the acquisition of sex roles: A social interactionist approach’, Sex Roles, 9(1), pp. 1–15. doi: 10.1007/BF00303105.

Collins, G. and Wickham, J. (2004) ‘Inclusion or Exploitation? Irish Women Enter the Labour Force’, Gender, Work & Organization, 11(1), pp. 26–46. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-0432.2004.00219.x.

Conroy, A. and Dickinson, T. (2018) ‘Male adolescent suicidality: a literature review’, Mental Health Practice, 21(8), pp. 50–55. doi: 10.7748/mhp.2018.e1293.

Crilly, A. (1991) Mother Ireland [Documentary Film]. Aired on Channel 4, U.K.

Hanlon, N. (2015) ‘The Role of Men in Gender Equality_Eire Report’. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2011.5369.

History of the Potato (no date). Available at: https://www.potato.ie/history-of-the-potato/ (Accessed: 20 March 2020).

Joyce, M. (1961) ‘The Poets of Maigue’. The Capuchin Article.

McNeill, W. H. (1949) ‘The Introduction of the Potato into Ireland’, The Journal of Modern History, 21(3), pp. 218–222.

Meaney, G. (1991) Gerardine Meaney Sex and nation : Women in Irish Culture and Politics. ARTIC PRESS.

Morrison, T. G., Speakman, C. and Ryan, T. A. (2009) ‘Irish university students’ support for the human rights of lesbian women and gay men’, Journal of Homosexuality, 56(3), pp. 387–400. doi: 10.1080/00918360902728871.

Nicholson, T. (2016) A Biography of Story, A Brief History of Humanity. Troubador Publishing Ltd.

Owens, R. C. O. (1984) Smashing Times: The Irish women’s suffrage movement 1889-1922. ARTIC PRESS.

Patterson, R. A. (2015) ‘Women of Ireland: Change Toward Social and Political Equalityin the 21st Century Irish Republic’. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20151008154655/https://martindale.cc.lehigh.edu/sites/martindale.cc.lehigh.edu/files/Patterson.pdf (Accessed: 9 December 2019).

Stifter, D. (2016) ‘Metrical systems of Celtic traditions’, North-Western European Language Evolution 1983 & University Press of Southern Denmark, p. 58.

‘The Present Duty of Irishwomen: The Contribution of Irish Women as documented in the Archival Record’ (2016). Irish Archives Source.

Unknown (1447) ‘Annála Connacht’. Walker, J. (1786) Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards. Dublin: Printed for author, by L. White.