#and causes harm. which then causes a dynamic of it wishing to have full knowledge and understanding while the other party rightfully shuts

[cent-scratchnsniff]

green apple flavor

[genshin-impacted]

deserved // Zhongli x Reader (NSFW)

Word Count: ~2k

Notes: female reader, Zhongli/Reader, established relationship, just two people who love each other exploring what the other enjoys, NSFW (see below)

nsfw mentions: spanking/humiliation, brat!reader, dom!zhongli, dom/sub dynamics, implied afab, penetration, kink exploration!!

Summary: "There are certainly many things I am not knowledgeable on, and this is one of them." Zhongli says (modestly, in your opinion), "But human pleasure and pain have... always been complexly intertwined, and if this is something that will provide you that joy, then I would like to try-- for you."

So you want him to wield a harder hand-- he can do that.

.

.

.

"You would like me to... hit you?" Zhongli asks hesitantly, his furrowed brows and hesitance a clear sign of his confusion.

"Well, yes, but in a very specific way," you explain very clinically. He has always liked that about you, being able to keep a level head and being upfront about topics of importance or about things that would have normally been embarrassing for other people. It makes your points clear, which is ever so helpful with the many human things he has yet to comprehend. "Spanking over the knee as punishment, more specifically."

"Punishment?" Zhongli echoes. He is familiar with the term but he would have never associated its need when it comes to you. "Why would I punish you?"

At this, you give him a playfully withering look. "Zhongli, you can't possibly say I don't mess up sometimes and show up late or forget to do something." You tease, "There's plenty to punish me for."

"But... I do not wish to punish you for those," Zhongli protests, and you feel yourself soften when he holds onto your hand, insistent. "Bound to contracts as I am, I would never cause harm upon you, regardless of mistakes such as those."

"I know," you say softly. "Sorry, I guess that wasn't very clear. But I meant... you would 'punish' me for... 'misbehaving.'" At his increasingly concerned look, you laugh. "I think it makes sense if you view it in a more sexual way, babe." (Zhongli feels himself flush at the way one of the pet names you have given to him rolls off your tongue so naturally.)

"You're not really mad at me," you continue, "but you can act like you are mildly displeased in order to punish me for something I did- or I guess, in this case, for what I didn't do. Like, listen to you, or something."

"I see." Zhongli pauses thoughtfully. "And this would be enjoyable to you? I will not be causing you harm by doing this?"

"Well, if it did, I agreed to try it, and I could always let you know to stop," you say, reminding him. "Our safe word and all." You crack a smile. "And I think the physical harm is part of the pleasure. As well as the emotional. But since I know you aren't really hitting me because you, I don't know, hate me or something, it should be fine."

"I don't hate you," Zhongli replies immediately. "I love you."

You feel your heart clench at the easy admission of his feelings for you and squeeze his hands. "I know. I love you too." You clear your throat. "Which is exactly why I trust you to do this with me and be able to enjoy it."

"We can always try again if it doesn't work out," you say. "But are you okay with doing this?"

"There are certainly many things I am not knowledgeable on, and this is one of them." Zhongli says (modestly, in your opinion), "But human pleasure and pain have... always been complexly intertwined, and if this is something that will provide you that joy, then I would like to try-- for you." You beam at his response and Zhongli feels comforted by the fact that you have always been patient and have proven to be so even now.

"We'll work it out," you tell him. "But you have verbal consent to do it whenever you think is appropriate... though I think I can probably act in a way that'll make it easy for you."

Zhongli blinks. "What do you mean, my dear?"

Your eyes twinkle.

.

.

.

You are a playful person at heart, and Zhongli thinks that has been one of the (many) reasons why he is in love with you the way he is. You bring levity into his life, a sense of appreciation for the world around you that is simple in its beauty, finding joy wherever it can be found. He is not surprised to find himself faced with a very similar attitude in the bedroom where you tease and coax, making him feel the need to hold you down and claim you as his (much to your delight).

("You are a minx," he mutters into the crook of your neck that he had, not a moment ago, ravaged with lovebites. You only laugh, hugging his head and pulling him closer, the marks on your body the spoils of victory.)

Zhongli understands now what you meant how it would be a natural progression to introduce your latest kink when you decide to rock yourself onto him with a mischievous gleam in your eyes. Pay attention to me, your hands say, trailing over his shoulders seductively. Notice me.

The book in his hand will always pale in comparison when it comes to you; you need not have tried to demand his attention at all when you could simply ask for it. But as a result, he had requested a few minutes to read, to which you would have normally acquiesced to quite easily. But today, he finds that you are impatient, almost impudent in the way you demand his attention.

A brat.

His heart beats steadily faster than usual (but it always is when it comes to you) when he says your name firmly, a hard tone in his voice that has not been there before. You notice immediately. Zhongli almost wants to look at your reaction if the way you freeze is any indication of how his tone affected you.

So you want him to wield a harder hand-- he can do that.

"Will you not listen to me?" He asks, hand curling around the small of your back. His hands have always been much bigger than yours, but at the moment it seems ever more expansive with the way he commands the room. "Do you need my attention that badly?"

Your retort is quick and sharp in a futile attempt to gain the upper hand, despite the way your cheeks redden. "No," you say immediately, eyes trailing down his unbuttoned shirt collar. "I was... just bored is all."

You gasp when he grabs hold of your wandering hands, his eyes flashing dangerously when he speaks. "How unfortunate. For you to disturb my peace and to lie to me..." Zhongli says calmly, "I believe we need a reminder for you on how to behave properly."

"Get on my lap, since you want to be on it so much, and I'll make sure you remember clearly." You open your mouth to protest and he shoots you a sharp look. "I will not say it a second time."

You glare at him, but that is all you do in protest. Quietly, you swing your leg off of him and delicately place yourself onto his lap, your head hanging down from one end and your legs on the other. Zhongli watches, mesmerized, as you 'reluctantly' submit to his words and display yourself for him with pressed lips, a heated face, and a subtly hidden look of anticipation.

Zhongli takes your consent in mind and does not ask before he sweeps your skirt up to your hip, making you jerk in surprise. He temporarily admires the round of your ass, the fullness of your cheeks, and thinks for the first time that he may enjoy watching how it bounces from the impact of his hand. His rubbing on the curve of your right buttock is the only warning you get before he raises his hand and spanks your ass.

The involuntary sound you make from impact is obscene.

Judging from the way you clamp your mouth with both hands, Zhongli thinks you hadn't anticipated doing such a thing either, and if anything, that makes it all the more attractive for him to have heard it. He looks back at your ass and decides you can take another hit if not a few more. (For both yours and his sake, it is a good thing indeed.)

Zhongli hits the same spot for good measure, and you gasp, back curling slightly as a response. He smacks your other side soundly, earning him another sound; grabbing your ass into his hands before spanking it again consecutively makes you cry out again in a way that makes it evident that it's from pleasure rather than pain.

It goes straight into his cock, and Zhongli has to resist the thought of it hardening for now.

You are covering your mouth from embarrassment, however, and that won't do.

"Put your hands by your sides," Zhongli commands, making you freeze. "This is your punishment; I intend to hear every sound that comes from your mouth."

You place your hands to the side, your fingers digging into his leg to resist the urge to move it back. "Z-Zhongli," you stammer out, wiggling your lower half.

Zhongli takes a gander and slips his hand into your panties and comes out with his fingers wet.

"You're dripping," Zhongli says bluntly. He glances at you as you reflexively hide your face in embarrassment, only to quickly place it down in memory of his command. "How long have you been aroused, dearest? How long did you go wanting me until it was too much to bear?"

You whimper in response, your ass wriggling in his firm hold. "Hold still," he tells you, and when you plant your feet firmly onto the ground stubbornly, he slaps your ass again. A few times, for good measure-- a symphony of gasps falling from your lips, and you stop moving immediately.

The power over you, and the enjoyment you take from being controlled, is intoxicating.

"Good girl," he says instead, trailing a hand down your thigh in praise. Your hand grip into his leg in response, ass rising ever so slightly as though to urge him to continue-- though it has long stopped being a 'punishment' for you anyways.

Zhongli takes care to spank mainly on the convex of your ass, lovingly swatting below and upon your thigh to shock a lovely gasp from your lips. He watches as you rub your legs together in an attempt to abate the sting of the spank and relieve the tension below. When you become muted, he takes a peek at your expression and feels his breath leave him at how your lips are slightly parted, panting, and your eyes glazed over with pleasure.

Utterly submissive, he thinks, watching as you choke out another sound in between a gasp and whine. You may be enjoying yourself thoroughly, but he thinks he enjoys this kink of yours (and his, too now) if you end up looking irresistible like this, in a different way from the way you can dominate him, fucked out and completely pliant for him.

"Did you learn your lesson at all, I wonder," he says, gently tracing his fingers on your tender cheeks. When you nod your head furiously at his question, sniffling, he smiles, rubbing soothing circles onto your back. "You were very good for me, darling, taking all that for me.” He allows you to maneuver yourself until you are delicately straddling him again. He kisses at the plump of your cheeks, holding out his hand so you may sit comfortably on him without rubbing yourself raw with your already sensitive skin. In response, you melt into him, burying your face into the crook of his neck as you wrap your arms around him, and his heart feels full to bursting with affection for you and the vulnerability you have allowed him to see.

"I'll take care of you, my love," he says. "I have a soothing balm that will surely be of great use; I'll pull up a bath for you and make you comfortable."

Zhongli is surprised when you pull yourself away from him to see your pout, adorably petulant, your hand roaming down to where his cock has been hard for the past session.

"My darling is greedy today, aren't you?" He teases and chuckles when you make a disgruntled noise even as you unbutton his shirt and unzip his pants. "No? You aren't greedy?" He helps you pull his pants down as he lifts himself up, grinding himself onto you. "You can be if you so wish," he says, as you look at him pleadingly.

He could have demanded you to speak to him and tell you what you wanted, but he decides against it. He aids you when you line yourself up for him and carries you down gently when you sink yourself onto him. The look on your face is pure bliss, and you have never looked more like a temptation.

Zhongli bites onto your exposed collarbone and lets you ride out your high for as long as you desire. It is, after all, what you deserve.

[9worldstales]

MCU Loki: Why I fear they failed to deliver what they promised

At this point I’m kind of confused by who the “Loki” series is trying to reach or which is the goal/message they’re trying to pass along.

They had tried to intrigue assorted audience but, if you ask me, the series has often failed to deliver what it seemed to promise.

Of course I might be wrong. Or maybe I'm not seeing another type of audience the series aimed and managed to reach.

When the series started I wanted to keep a positive mentality and hope whatever seemed not to work would be fixed along the way or have a reason for existing that I just wasn't seeing because I hadn't seen the full story yet.

However, after 5 episodes I'm starting to lose hope the series will make a genuine effort to reach the fans at whom it seemed to aim.

PART 1 – “LOKI” IS NOT FOR THE OLD FANS WHO PRODUCED META SHOWING HOW HIS TRAUMA DAMAGED HIM

"I think it's the struggle with identity, who you are, who you want to be. I'm really drawn to characters who are fighting for control. Certainly you see that with Loki over the first 10 years of movies, he's out of control at pivotal parts of his life, he was adopted and everything and that manifest itself through anger and spite towards his family." [Loki's Struggle With His Identity Confirmed To Be A Focus Of His Disney+ Series]

What was it about Loki as a character that attracted you? He’s just fun, for one. He has a very playful sense of humor about him. I like how he never quite lets you know what he’s thinking. Beyond that, what I connect to about him is the same thing the legions of fans do, which is his humanity and his vulnerability. This is a guy who—yes, on the one hand, he was the prince of Asgard, seems like a nice life—but his father, in fact, killed his actual birth father, adopted him, lied to him about his heritage and parentage his entire life, he was forced to live in the shadow of his oafish older brother who was born to be king. He’s experienced a lot of trauma, and I think that what he’s looking for is just a little bit of control over his life. Which he feels like maybe he’s never quite had. That’s something I think we can all relate with. [From Loki to Doctor Strange and Star Wars, Michael Waldron Is the New Franchise Whisperer]

Let’s be honest, the audience for the “Loki” series is not really meant to be Marvel movies old time fans who enjoyed “Thor” and “The Avengers”, made countless Meta analyzing Loki’s behaviour and who wanted answers about what happened to Loki prior to “The Avengers” or wanted to see Loki’s family terrible dynamics be discussed, or at least to see explored the wrong dynamics of Loki’s interracial adoption (he’s taken away from his planet, the truth is hidden from him, his look is changed to disguise him as an Asgardian, nothing is done against the racial hate for the Jotuns at which Loki is exposed, even witnessing it from his brother) or talk how much in control of himself Loki was during “The Avengers” (okay, the web said the sceptre manipulated Loki, but what about acknowledging that in his own series? It doesn’t have to come from Loki who had no idea he was manipulated but someone could mention ‘think yourself lucky here the stones don’t work, they’ve the nasty tendency to manipulate people’).

The series has avoided digging into all that as much as they could.

Even when Loki talks with Sylvie, the most we get is a small big about how Frigga was awesome in his eyes and taught him magic, but this isn’t meant to explain any of the issues Loki had with his family, it just make Sylvie feel bad because she can’t remember her adoptive mother, as for the D.B. Cooper born out of a bet with Thor, yeah, fun but completely random. What’s meant to be the message about family dynamics here, that it was the bets between Thor and Loki that caused Loki to decide to conquer Earth? Or what about the Sif loop? Is it there to push on Loki the blame of his poor relation with Sif?

No, clearly not.

In regard to Loki the Frigga flashback is there to remark he had a loving and supportive family while the other two are there to have Loki admit he is ‘a mischievous scamp’, ‘a horrible person’ and ‘a narcissist’.

To put it in Classic Loki’s words: ‘Damn it! Animals, animals! We lie and we cheat, we cut the throat of every person who trusts us, and for what? Power. Glorious power. Glorious purpose! We cannot change. We're broken, every version of us. Forever. And whenever one of us dares try to fix themselves, they're sent here to die.’

In short it’s all Loki’s fault if he does bad, nothing happened to him that could have messed him up, he’s just a horrible person… however…

PART 2 – “LOKI” IS NOT FOR THE OLD AND NEW FANS WHO BELIEVED LOKI TO BE A DANGEROUS, EVIL, PSYCHOPATH VILLAIN EITHER

"Loki is an a**, and that makes my life as a writer, easy." ... "Due to the trauma in Loki’s life, I would even [accept a story] in which he is committed to being all bad." [Michael Waldron on Loki: He’s an a**. That makes things easy]

Considering the series is trying to pin SOLELY on Loki his wrongdoing, completely skipping the toxic way in which he was raised you might think they want to paint him as an evil, psychopath who was just born bad.

But no, that’s not the intention, we see it from the start.

Loki is given a quick briefing on how his beloved family loved him despite him hurting them, a briefing that contains false information which would work if we accept the briefing as manipulative but, at this point I’m not so sure that was the author’s intent. The Doylist purpose of the briefing is clearly to show the audience how Loki cares for his family, how he still has feelings, feels pain at the idea Frigga and Odin died and wish to make up with his brother.

It’s not just they loved him and did nothing wrong toward him, it’s also he who loved them and didn’t mean to harm them. That’s why we’re fed that damn discourse about Loki sending the Dark Elves to kill Frigga, because the series wants to remark that no, Loki didn’t want to kill his family, he loved them.

Tom Hiddleston used to say what Loki is came from a place of pain but the series didn’t explore that place of pain… it just gave him more pain and not just in episode 1. Episode 2 has him discovering Asgard is destroyed, episode 3 has him remembering Frigga, episode 4 shows him believing Sylvie die and watching Mobius being pruned. He doesn’t cry in Ep 5, episode 5 wants us to truly feel bad for Sylvie, not for him, but there’s a lot of bitterness from Classic Loki who commits a heroic suicide so you might say we get a sad Loki anyway.

And this also works as a shock to make him change his mind about his ‘glorious purposes’. Sorta, with Thor reminding us he’s not so bad and Loki explaining his behaviour as “I don't enjoy hurting people. I... I don't enjoy it. I do it because I have to, because I've had to. Because it's part of the illusion. It's the cruel, elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear.”

Plot-wise, this is completely useless.

The show will prove Sylvie is not Loki and has completely different motivations and Mobius, being an expert in Variants, should know.

What’s more why would Mobius care if Loki enjoys hurting people or not?

His goal is to capture Sylvie with Loki’s help. The most he should care about is how to keep Loki loyal to him, not if Loki has fun hurting people or not which, in fact, is a knowledge that won’t be used in his investigation.

No, this is here for the viewers, to tell them Loki isn’t a sadistic, evil villain, he’s someone weak who tries to scare others so as not to look weak. As Mobius will put in ‘a scared little boy, shivering in the cold’ who has an ‘insecure need for validation’.

What’s more?

The show will try his hardest to establish he’s not even competent.

Let’s talk of him as a fighter.

In the movies Loki is a competent fighter and side material establish he’s pretty strong, definitely much more than a human.

In “The Avengers” we see Captain America needs Iron Man’s help to beat him and, anyway, Loki’s plan was to be captured. Loki manages to walk away on his feet when Coulson hits him with that superspecial weapon and it’ll take him to be Hulk smashed after a fight with Thor and a meeting with an explosive arrow of Hawkeye before he can’t fight any longer.

This doesn’t happen in the “Loki” series.

Loki gets beaten up by various people in 4 episodes, preferably women (B-15, the people possessed by Sylvie, the guards on the train, Sif). You might say in episode 5 he’s not but actually Classic Loki is the one who gets swallowed by Alioth and our Loki instead survives because he has Sylvie supporting him as, on his own he couldn’t even distract Alioth.

Let’s talk of him as a wizard.

He can use magic, impressive magic but… it serves him mostly nothing. In the TVA his magic doesn’t work. Outside of it is mostly useless. It doesn’t help win fights. The Tempad he caused to disappear gets broken. To beat Alioth they needs enchantment, not his own magic. What’s more, when they’ve to go on the train his disguise wouldn’t have worked without Sylvie’s enchantment and, if this wasn’t enough, he got drunk, removed the disguise and wasn’t even able to make tickets appear.

Classic Loki too, with his impressive illusions is ultimately a distraction. Alioth tears easily through his illusions which aren’t even solid.

Let’s talk of him as a planner.

All Loki will accomplish is to escape from the Time theatre for a brief period in episode 1 and figure out Sylvie hides in apocalypses in episode 2. The rest of his plans fails or are not plan or are mocked over and not even put into practice.

Let’s talk about him as a manipulator with a silver tongue.

He can’t even persuade Mobius when he’s telling him the truth, Mobius dismisses it as a lie due to ‘cockroach's survival mechanism’.

And psychologically?

He’s just someone who crave attention because he’s a narcissist scared of being alone. Not a psychopath.

Loki is not meant to be a dangerous, evil, psychopath villain in this series, he’s a not serious man, a clown, a scared little boy in need of attention, a narcissist who needs to be loved.

Welcome to cartoon villain Loki, this Loki isn’t the Variant of “The Avengers” Loki, he’s the Variant of “Avengers Assemble”Loki… only he’s even less competent than him.

PART 3 – “LOKI” IS NOT EVEN HERE FOR GENERAL MARVEL MOVIE FANS

"That's a lot of Infinity Stones. That's true but they are useless there in the TVA, so I don't know. Is that gun loaded or not? We'll see..." [Loki Writer Comments On Whether TVA’s Infinity Stones Will Return In MCU]

“We had to create an insane institutional knowledge of how time travel would work within the TVA so the audience never has to think about it again. It was a lot of drawings of squiggly timelines.” Marvel already made its case for how time travel works in Avengers: Endgame, but that, Waldron points out, “is the way the Avengers understand it.” With a TV show it’s a little different. “I was always very acutely aware of the fact that there’s a week between each of our episodes and these fans are going to do exactly what I would do, which is pick this apart. We wanted to create a time-travel logic that was so airtight it could sustain over six hours. There’s some time-travel sci-fi concepts here that I’m eager for my Rick and Morty colleagues to see.” [How the Man Behind LokiIs Shaping Marvel’s Phase 4 and Beyond]

BC: The TVA is there to clean everybody up? MW: Yeah, Avengers: Endgame… that's how The Avengers understand time travel. 'Loki,' episode one, is how the TVA explains time travel to Loki and we're certainly building on what's come before us. [Loki: Michael Waldron On Gender Fluidity, Mephisto, Time Travel & More]

It’s true “Loki” is focusing on a new corner of the MCU but it interconnects very poorly with the movies before it.

Although Loki escaped with the Tesseract... it just dismisses completely the Infinity Stones.

Despite talking a lot about timelines and creating branching realities it waved away the whole plot of "Avengers: Endgame" as apparently supposed to happen even though it should have created branching realities.

We see Renslayer wave away how the Avengers went in the past causing the Tesseract to end up in Loki’s hands... and all the other things the Avengers did that affected the past goes unmentioned.

Bruce meeting the Ancient, Thor meeting his mother and taking away Thor’s hammer, Rocket being seen as he steals the reality stone from Jane, Tony stealing a suitcase and damaging the place in which the Tesseract was kept then meeting Howard Stark, 4 flacons of Pyn particles missing, an alarm given to the military bases, how Steve managed to bring back the sceptre if that timeline was pruned, how a timeline handled being without Thanos and Co as they went in the future or how they clearly didn’t bring the orb back the second they took it as Nebula remained unconscious there and nobody came and when she woke up Thanos could get her. It didn’t even explain why Steve remaining with Peggy didn’t change anything.

It's not that the audience has all explained... it's that they were told to dismiss it as 'meant to happen' and that was it.

What's more, the TVA apparently didn't list a finger to stop 2014 Thanos from going in the future and causing Tony Stark's death.

As if this wasn't enough, “Loki” just skips any possible connection with the movies, even hands Loki false information about them (he lead the Dark Elves to his mother when Loki had no idea the Kurse was a Dark Elf and they would have found her anyway as they were searching for the Aether which Malekith could sense, he’s born solely to cause pain and suffering and death, overlooks how he saved Jane twice or helped the Asgardian escape Hela) and never discusses them again.

Even with Classic Loki, who’s a Variant of “Avengers: Infinity War” Loki, they don’t talk about what happened after Loki’s supposed dead, apparently hinting it was better if he died, nor explain how Loki knew Thor survived.

PART 4 – “LOKI” IS NOT REALLY OFFERING A GOOD REPRESENTATION FOR FEMALES EVEN THOUGH IT CLEARLY AIMS AT FEMALE AUDIENCE

Let’s make a quick experiment.

Everyone, let’s name all the characters we remember which appeared in more than 1 episode of “Loki” for more than one minute.

We’ve, of course, Loki, Mobius, B-15, Renslayer, Sylvie, C-20 and Miss Minute.

5 females versus 2 males.

What’s more, females are not sexualized, they remains completely dressed, they’re clearly not there to attract male gazes, they’re represented as strong, dangerous, in control, something archived often by showing them beating males either physically or intellectually or in rank.

It seems promising. At first.

Is there someone who’s sexualized?

The “Loki” series takes care to offer us Tom Hiddleston naked.

So since there’s an abundance of females in the cast and Tom Hiddleston is shown naked is it aiming at a female audience?

Very, very likely but… but how’s then handled all this?

When Loki is seen undressed he’s not in a situation of power, like Thor who’s twice shows half naked in his movies but because he’s changing/washing and perfectly comfortable in showing his body and once in a situation which could be a male forbidden fantasy, to have many women massage your naked body, no, he’s shown as he’s powerless while being stripped by a machine. Clearly not a male power fantasy, more like a male nightmare.

And, in a totally not surprising way, pictures of this scene were spread by many female fans because it was aimed at them… though a part of them, was also honestly appalled at seeing this scene in contest, finding the forced stripping humiliating and degrading.

Sure, a naked Tom Hiddleston makes a nice eye-candy but this wasn’t how Loki’s many fans wanted to see Loki naked.

But let’s talk of female representation here, since the show seems to be interested in female audience… only who even though this was the representation women wanted doesn’t understand much of women representation in the first place.

Why?

For start because women here are all the same type of woman.

Strong fighters who’re in control and confident, with no real characterization beyond this to speak of despite the large amount of screen time.

Renslayer is an ex-hunter who can fight one on one against Sylvie and who clearly has the position of power she has because she was good as a hunter and shows her abilities in fighting after that Sylvie had beaten 2 guards at the same time. B-15 is introduced by beating Loki and is the commander of a squad. C-20 is another commander and, albeit possessed, can dispose of a part of her squad members.

Do I need to spend words on how Sylvie is depicted as this awesome fighter who has learnt to fight by herself, can keep at bay more than 1 Minuteman, can use a sword, has learnt enchantment on her own and is feared by all the TVA? Do I?

And it’s awesome to have women who are strong fighters in positions of command/power/control… but why women has to be represented as just that?

Even when they add a female as an one episode cameo, it's Sif, beating the hell out of Loki. And what about the Lady in Lamentis 1 who was too old to be strong but managed to blast away both Loki and Sylvie seeing through their deceptions?

Even the harmless Miss Minute can avoid being hit by Loki and gets she has to pretend to do researches to stall Sylvie and save Renslayer.

Women kick asses here… but that’s all they’re good for.

And so we get to Sylvie, who is the superior Loki Variant… because she’s female.

Kid Loki: You're different. Why? Loki: No, I'm not, you see? I'm the same, really. I'm the same as all of you. Have any of you met a woman Variant of us? Classic Loki: Sounds terrifying. Loki: Oh, she is. But that's kind of what's great about her. She's different. She's not trying to take over the TVA, she's trying to take it down. And she needs me. Now, you said Alioth is what keeps us here. You said it's a living thing. You said it's a shark. Well, if it lives, it dies. So I'm gonna kill the shark. I'm gonna kill Alioth, and I could use all the help I can get.

That’s what Loki preaches to his fellow Lokis who think a woman Loki would be terrific.

I mean, they’ve an alligator Loki, a POC Loki, but the one who has to be different is the female Loki. Because being female is a character trait.

Mobius: Okay. I feel like I'm always looking up to you. I like it. It's appropriate. [Ep 1]

Basically females in the “Loki” series are all representation of the Action girl trope and aren’t even different representation of said trope. I mean, “The Avengers” have 5 actions boy who’re clearly as different as they could be. Girls can be represented as different too, if they really aim at young audience they can take good old “Sailor Moon” as an example. 5 action girls who are strong and determinate AND DIFFERENT, more than just someone who kicks the adversary away.

And it’s not like they don’t know how to characterize people in a different way.

Mobius is an analyst who shows sympathetic traits toward the Variants and a certain level or intelligence. U-92 and D-90 are hunters who are shown to held Variants in little regard (U-92 wanted to attack the boy they found in the church, D-90 mistreated the scared people in the shelter). Casey is an harmless and naïve guy who had never seen a fish. The guy who made Loki sign the papers about what he said seemed emotionless but he clearly loved cats as not only he had one but on his cup there was also the image of a cat. Martin is clearly a bossy daddy’s son, who think too high of himself to the point he can’t respect rules. The boy in the church, despite thinking Sylvie was a demon, accepted and ate food she gave him and remained in the place despite the crime. He’s clearly more brave than he looked like but he’s also naïve as he easily trusted ‘the demon’ and Mobius.

What’s C-20 character trait when she gets described by Sylvie?

Sylvie: Yeah. She was just a regular person on Earth. Loki: A regular person? Sylvie: Loved margaritas.

She’s a regular person who loves margaritas. Liking a drink is not a character trait!

There’s a more diverse female representation in “Thor” than in “Loki”.

In “Thor” we’ve Frigga, queen of Asgard, loving mother and wife who’s powerless to erase Thor’s banishment. We’ve Sif, a dangerous and loyal warrior. We’ve Jane, the amazing scientist with a lot of enthusiasm. We’ve Darcy, who’s funny and who seems focused mostly on herself but who, when the city is attacked, worried to save all the animals at the pet store.

But maybe the one who gets the worst treatment is the supposed heroine, Sylvie, because the poor girl is turned into a Mary Sue.

In case someone isn’t familiar with the term:

“The prototypical Mary Sue is an original female character in a fanfic who obviously serves as an idealized version of the author mainly for the purpose of Wish Fulfillment. She's exotically beautiful, often having an unusual hair or eye colour, and has a similarly cool and exotic name. She's exceptionally talented in an implausibly wide variety of areas, and may possess skills that are rare or nonexistent in the canon setting. She also lacks any realistic, or at least story-relevant, character flaws — either that or her "flaws" are obviously meant to be endearing. She has an unusual and dramatic Back Story. The canon protagonists are all overwhelmed with admiration for her beauty, wit, courage and other virtues, and are quick to adopt her as one of their True Companions, even characters who are usually antisocial and untrusting; if any character doesn't love her, that character gets an extremely unsympathetic portrayal. She has some sort of especially close relationship to the author's favourite canon character — their love interest, illegitimate child, never-before-mentioned sister, etc. Other than that, the canon characters are quickly reduced to awestruck cheerleaders, watching from the sidelines as Mary Sue outstrips them in their areas of expertise and solves problems that have stymied them for the entire series.” [tvtropes.org]

So let’s see how she fits this checklist:

1) She's exotically beautiful, often having an unusual hair or eye colour: Sylvie painted her hair blonde even though the Lokis are supposed to be black haired

2) has a similarly cool and exotic name: She is the only Loki Variant who has changed her name from Loki to Sylvie.

3) She's exceptionally talented in an implausibly wide variety of areas, and may possess skills that are rare or nonexistent in the canon setting: Awesome at fighting she can enchant people, an ability the Lokis don’t posses, that she magically learnt on her own and that is necessary in the story. Also she figured out how a Tempad worked BEFOREseeing it in action.

4) She also lacks any realistic, or at least story-relevant, character flaws — either that or her "flaws" are obviously meant to be endearing: No flaws, all her plans involve fighting and brute force is no substitute for diplomacy and guile, which could be a flaw… if it wasn’t for the fact that the series will prove Sylvie can plan just fine without using fighting and brute strength and also be successful at it.

5) She has an unusual and dramatic Back Story: She was taken by the TVA when she was younger than Kid Loki but managed to escape them and had to live alone and on the run till then.

6) The canon protagonists are all overwhelmed with admiration for her beauty, wit, courage and other virtues, and are quick to adopt her as one of their True Companions, even characters who are usually antisocial and untrusting: Loki, who has never loved anyone, falls for her, Mobius saves her and apologizes to her, B-15, who used to look down at Variants, basically asks her what should they do and is shown admiring her, the Lokis don’t criticize her plan, Classic Loki dies to save her, everyone views her as the superior Loki Variant.

7) if any character doesn't love her, that character gets an extremely unsympathetic portrayal: Renslayer, the hunter who has arrested her, is currently playing the part of the antagonist who’s fascist and believes in a murderous, lying cult.

8) She has some sort of especially close relationship to the author's favourite canon character — their love interest, illegitimate child, never-before-mentioned sister, etc.: She’s the Variant and love interest of the titular character.

9) Other than that, the canon characters are quickly reduced to awestruck cheerleaders, watching from the sidelines as Mary Sue outstrips them in their areas of expertise and solves problems that have stymied them for the entire series: Loki, the title character, has conveniently been turned into someone who’s a weak fighter and incapable of planning which Sylvie has to save by enchanting guards or giving him her sword or pruning herself or teaching him how to enchant and coming up with all the plans.

Now all she needs in order to be a perfect Mary Sue is to know how to sing well as Mary Sue usually do this as well, though I’m sure she can do it because Loki could so she surely can.

Sylvie is amazing, Loki himself said so:

Loki: No. We may lose. Sometimes painfully. But we don't die. We survive. I mean, you did. You were just a child when the TVA took you, but you nearly took down the organization that claims to govern the order of time. You did it on your own. You ran rings around them. You're amazing!

There’s nothing inherently wrong in having a new female character who’s competent, for whom the hero falls and who changes him… if all this is built around a solid plot.

Think at “Iron Man”.

Tony Stark is, to quote Tony Stark himself a “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist”.

It’s amazing, isn’t it? But the movie shows us why he’s that.

It spends time setting up his pedigree, how he inherited the money and intelligence from his father, how he was supported as he grew and studied becoming always a greater genius. Tony shows himself to be charming before seducing his first woman onscreen so that when he does it makes sense. His philanthropic activities are, at first, just mentioned but seems rooted in how his father was a hero who helped fighting Nazi and then they became his mission. He felt guilty he was a merchant of death and tried to make up for it.

Sylvie too could have a solid plot behind herself.

Instead than magically knowing what a TemPad does and how it works and managing to escape with it, she could have escaped with, let’s say, a hunter that discovered the truth and decided to rebel to the TVA or just had pity of her. Maybe another Mobius Variant who used to work at the TVA prior to Mobius and that, instead than an analyst was a hunter. She might have learnt fighting from him and then he too died and she was left alone.

Enchantment might have been an ability she might have learnt coming in contact with a mind stone. It could have been an occasion also to talk how mind stones can influence people negatively. Or it could have been taught to her by Frigga who, with a female daughter, decided to teach her a different type of magic than Loki.

Her past could have been explored more instead than being tragic for the sake of tragic. We might have seen her fall in love and either be betrayed or have to say goodbye to her loved one because that reality got pruned. We might have seen her being interested in males and females alike as she’s supposed to be interested in both.

She could have had discussions with Loki that weren’t just about Frigga or about how the TVA kidnapped her from Asgard, she escaped and from that point on she was always on the run, or about how love didn’t feel real, but more about how they were, how they felt, what hurt them and what made them happy, what they liked and what they disliked, their ideals and their fears, things that can built up a relation.

Loki basically fall for her because she’s on a mission for revenge instead than power and seems confident. That’s his reasoning.

She falls for Loki… because apparently he’s the person who spend time with her who praised her. That’s not a solid love story, that’s desperation.

SYlvie could have flaws, she could have learnt diplomacy or persuasion from Loki or could have something she lacks and Loki has so that they would complete each other.

And since the purpose was to have Sylvie and Loki fall for each other… they could have let Loki have characteristics that can motivate the exceptional heroine to fall in love for him PRIOR to him falling in love for her. He might be shown good at something, instead than just a clown.

Even if we say the real purpose of this series was to turn Sylvie into the protagonist, the heroine, a good Loki character was still needed to explain why this awesome girl would fall for him.

So okay, there will surely still be women who can see themselves in Sylvie and imagine they got Loki… and it’s not bad really… but I think we deserved more.

Long story short, yes, “Loki” has many females in its cast and this is meant to draw the female audience… but the representation is poor as almost all of the females have no character traits and Sylvie is just a Mary Sue with no realistic characterization.

A good female representation is diverse and solid. Women don't need to be born irrealistically perfect out of nothing to be good, they can inherith and grow and learn to be as such like any human being.

Last but not least…

PART 5 – DOES “LOKI” REALLY OFFERS REPRESENTATION TO THE LGBT COMMUNITY?

BC: There is a lot of talk on social media about Loki being gender fluid. Wouldn't that actually be a natural fit for the character? MW: Yeah, I guess as, with all questions pertaining to that stuff, I think those answers, truly, are best experienced in the watching of the show, as opposed to me trying to answer them. Because it's just watching it and the way that's addressed and everything will just be more fulfilling. BC: Why do you think it's important that Loki is gender fluid? MW: I think that Loki is a character that a lot of fans see representation in. People that haven't felt represented before, and they see themselves in Loki and everything. So we want to do justice to the character, to who the character is in the comics and in Norse mythology as well. And you also … you know you want folks to feel represented, and everything. That's why it's important. It always has been. It comes from everybody on the creative team. [Loki: Michael Waldron On Gender Fluidity, Mephisto, Time Travel & More]

The series hugely spread the info that this Loki would be fluid and Bisexual. The news were welcomed with delight and it’s awesome how the series didn’t hesitate to put it on paper.

Loki being fluid was written for everyone to see, and Loki having male and female interests was spelled out for everyone to hear.

IT’S A GREAT THING!

However…

It’s all we got.

It had no relevance into the plot whatsoever, it’s just a random info we’re given.

Him being fluid was on a paper along with his other data like eye colour and birth planet.

Him being interested in males and females seems to be put there just to imply he tried a large amount of people before deciding love didn’t feel real.

Assuming the other Lokis too were fluid, they actually found terrific the idea of a woman Loki in a not positive way. They weren’t interested or asking for clarifications about what Loki meant.

Loki’s bisexuality doesn’t even get a side story, them sending Fandral to beat Loki instead than Sif because Loki cheated on him or something. I’m not upset Loki ended up with a female, this is one of the possibilities of a Bisexual person. I’m upset that this was used merely to attract the audience but then wasn’t explored. They could have said Asgard was open minded with it, or disapproved it so Loki had to keep it hidden, or it could have been Sylvie who discussed some experience in that regard.

We were told over and over it was a show about identity. We expected it to be explored instead we were just told ‘ah, by the way, Loki is bisexual, let’s move on.’ And that was all.

Having representation from an important Marvel character is always important, especially considering the shortage of representation. But honestly I expected more.

PART 7 – TO SUM IT UP

Many of the people who worked in “Loki” are fantastic actors. They worked hard for this series, I can see they tried their best.

The premises for the “Loki” series are interesting.

We get a Loki who hadn’t experienced most of what happened in the movies yet, we make him confront with someone who knows his life, the one he lived and the one he was meant to live and we also make him confront with Variations of himself.

Loki has the Tesseract and the TVA has plenty of infinity stones, we could explore them.

The TVA itself have a fascist organization that dictates people’s lives and murders whoever tries to do differently, that goes so far as to brainwash the people working in it, which mistreats and belittle the Variants and establish a manipulative cult around the Time-Keeper with elements of police brutality which could be very actual.

Time travelling was the plot of "Avengers: Endgame" they could have tied the movie to the series, esplore the why some time travels were allowed and some weren't or their effects.

There were references to plenty of awesome comics they could take inspiration from.

But unless it redeems itself with the last episode… well, so far it’s failing to deliver what it promised due to a really poor plot which doesn’t give the characters a chance to be themselves or to be characterized as they’ve no real story nor real differences to speak of.

They’re given more time than a movie as they’re a series… but that’s no good excuse for wasting said time.

I’m still hoping the last episode will be spectacular, that it’ll manage to erase the messes of the other 5… but, as of now I’m disappointed.

I’ll just keep my fingers crossed and hope they’ll surprise me.

[mbti-notes]

Greetings, I am a 75 year old grandma. I am writing because my grandson who is in his 20s won't work. I have been involved in mbti for many decades. I'm an ENFJ. My grandson is still living at home well into his 20s. When I tell him to get a job (over many years) he just tells me to cut him off and that he will be fine without a smartphone and sweet foods. He is very bright. Graduated with a 3.7 from University. He tried various interests, but nothing sticks. Do I kick him out? Its not my nature

[con’t: The actions I've taken to help my grandson is to show him various resources like holland code, personality theory, etc. so that he can find some direction of where to commit. Instead he just takes the holland code over and over again, and happily shows me that his interests vary everytime he takes it. Same with personality theory. He goes on your blog all the time to prove that he doesn't fit anywhere. Based off of that statement he sounds like IxFJ. My grandson resembles Ti loop (IFxJ), but he does not resemble any other aspect of being an FJ. He is relatively well decisive when it comes to everything in his life. The only issue is getting a job, getting on a path, but he rejects this. If he at least helped around the house it would be something, but he can be quite selfish and uncaring, yet at other times very caring. It vacillates. Anyway, please help if possible, I am perplexed.]

WRT His Type: 

I can’t draw a conclusion about his type without a full type assessment. Everything you’ve described is quite consistent with INFJ and Ni-Ti loop. It seems that you don’t understand tertiary loop very well. Ti loop is an unconscious repudiation of feeling, responsibility, and eventually, conscience. It amounts to a refusal to be the things that make FJs good and admirable people. Basically, the more severe the case of Ti loop, the more arrogant, narcissistic, and callous the INFJ becomes. 

If the INFJ is only at the stage of trying to suppress the vulnerability of feeling life, there is still a fair chance for them to turn their life around by developing better emotional intelligence to address the emotional immaturity. If the INFJ has reached the point of refusing personal responsibility, they will be preoccupied/obsessed with finding any excuse, and even creating enemies, to blame for the poor state of their life. At this point, they are impervious to facts and don’t respond well to advice. If the INFJ loses all self-awareness and manages to convince themselves that they are “special” and not subject to conventional rules and ethical boundaries, then the time for you to distance from them is nearing, as chronic Se grip will set in and produce reactive, aggressive, or extreme behavior. 

To get out of Ti loop requires genuine humility and reconnection with feeling life. The INFJ must take full responsibility for their decisions, correct the big mistakes that they have made in life, and atone for all the harm that they have caused. He does not seem to be capable of this at the moment. I explain Ti loop not to be an alarmist, but to give you a realistic view of how destructive tertiary loop can be, what rock bottom looks like for INFJs, and the signs to be wary of. If the relationship with him ever reaches a point where his mindset becomes toxic and harmful to you, it is important that you move to protect yourself.

WRT His Problem: 

Getting someone in the right frame of mind to make a change and tackle a big problem is very tricky business because you don’t want to try and fail too many times. If you’re correct about Ti loop, then the more times you try to help and fail, the more likely he is to retreat further into himself (and delusion). To avoid applying the wrong solution, it’s best to do some “intelligence gathering” first so that you understand the problem properly before proceeding.

Neither of you has gotten to the bottom of his “block”, i.e., the actual obstacle that is getting in the way of his advancement. You can’t solve a problem if you can’t identify the cause(s) of it. The cause can be internal, external, or a combination of factors. Getting him into aptitude/personality studies seems like a logical approach to the problem. However, this assumes that the underlying cause of the problem is that he doesn’t really know himself - is it, though? It’s not clear to me, from what you’ve said, that this is the root of the problem. There isn’t enough info for me to draw any conclusion and I don’t wish to speculate wildly about what his problem might be. He seems to have some deeper psychological issues going on. And this lack of knowledge about his motivations is probably the reason that you’re both having difficulty pinpointing his type.

Therefore, the first order of business is to examine the problem in depth to figure out what the true cause of it is. Is the nature of the employment problem practical, psychological, educational, social, etc? Once you have an accurate grasp of the problem, then think on the right solution to it, or get help from someone with the expertise to determine the right solution. Note that if he is already at the point of avoiding responsibility and making excuses to manipulate reality, he himself will be blind to the real problem.

WRT Your Decision: 

The last point I want to make is about you and your feelings. It sounds like he is suffering from some form of arrested development because he still has the mentality of a child. Academic GPA means nothing without emotional maturity and life skills. His behavior indicates that he depends on you but is also spoiled in taking your support for granted. This means that the more you try to support/help him, the more you may be enabling his unhealthy behavior and preventing him from becoming truly independent. 

It is in his best interests to learn how to be a responsible adult because he will not always have someone to lean on in life (especially since Ti loop is very destructive to relationships). This should happen sooner rather than later, because the longer someone stays stuck in a rut, the harder it is to change, as inertia deepens. This is especially true in terms of employment because doors close and opportunities gradually dry up the older one gets. For the sake of his continued personal growth, he has to learn how to face up to his life’s problems and resolve them. But it sounds like he’s not willing to do that without being compelled to. He explicitly said to cut him off, which is basically like telling mama bird that he’s not going to jump off the tree and fly until he gets pushed off. Push him. Yes, he could have some psychological issue going on, but he’s also using your support to avoid facing up to it. If this is true, then you need to step BACK and allow him to step up for himself.

Should you kick him out? I understand that, from your perspective, this path would be the last resort, because it would violate your moral sensibilities and perhaps damage the relationship. But the fact that you’re at the point of considering it means that you’ve been dealing with this situation for far too long without making any progress. Please take some time to address how much this situation stresses YOU. Otherwise, your feelings may eventually boil over and possess you to do something you regret.

The fairest approach to this situation is to treat him like you would treat anyone else. In other words, stop giving him preferential treatment, especially if he doesn’t appreciate it and thus doesn’t deserve it. (Preferential treatment is reserved for people who are putting in their best effort but still falling short due to factors beyond their control.) If he wants to live under someone else’s roof, he has to contribute his fair share, as any adult would be expected to do (rent, bills, food, etc). If he wants to use/share your space, he has to help with cleaning and maintenance so that the workload is fairly distributed, as any adult would be expected to do. If he wants to have a relationship with you, then he has to reciprocate to make the friendship equal, as any adult would be expected to do. If it were anyone else, you would draw lines and boundaries about what kinds of behavior you would tolerate, wouldn’t you? I hope you would. If you're a doormat, it makes your relationship dynamic with him codependent and even more unhealthy. 

**A healthy relationship must have boundaries. Personal boundaries must be respected to justify continued investment in the relationship. If someone doesn’t respect your needs and boundaries, they don’t respect you, and they’re proving themselves unworthy of your continued effort. Until someone proves that they are worthy of your trust and support, it is best to maintain emotional distance from them, for your own safety and psychological well-being.**

It’s time for you to step up for yourself and how you feel. Make your needs and desires matter just as much as his, which means drawing the lines, setting the boundaries, and enforcing the rules that you need for honoring your existence. Yes, it would be nice if everyone just knew how to respect each other, but that’s not the case. If a relationship is hurting you, then it’s necessary to practice proper self-care and correct what is wrong. It’s not about being controlling but about respecting you and what is yours. If he can’t abide by your rules and boundaries, he is an adult and free to set his own rules elsewhere. Don’t forget that if you let him walk all over you, you’re implicitly confirming to him that exploitation is normal and acceptable relationship behavior.

1) Devaluing your needs is a disservice to yourself and puts you in the backseat of this relationship to be hurt and exploited, and 2) devaluing your needs is a disservice to him, because taking advantage of your generosity allows him to continue on with unhealthy behavior. I’ve given a few possibilities above and it’s up to you to take the path that you think is best for both parties.

[calliecat93]

ST: TNG Watchthrough Episodes 17-20.

Home Soil: So from what I’ve read, this would be Gene Roddenberry’s final episode as showrunner before getting replaced by writer Maurice Hurly. I won’t comment on the behind the scenes drama and such that caused it because it was decades ago and not relevant for a First Watchthrough post, but since this is the last I wanted to make note of it. My thoughts? It was okay. This is very much borrowing from the TOS episode Devil in the Dark (the one with the Horta) with the plot being of an alien presence killing humans... but only because the humans were unknowingly causing it harm. It’s done fine enough, not being any better or worst than when TOS did it, but that’s about it. It does executed it a little differently with the events and the alien is FAR less willing to comply than the Horta was at first and ends with the alien backing down, but refusing contact with humans for three centuries, which DOES make it a nice contrast to how Devil in the Dark ended. It’s not great. It’s not horrible. It’s just okay with the biggest criticism being pulling too much from TOS again. Look, I love TOS and so far TNG hasn’t passed it. I outright have a 30 disc Blu-Ray set coming in the next few days of all the TOS material, including TAS and the films. If I want to revisit TOS, I’ll go watch it or read fanfiction or heck, go watch AOS. TNG has remained painfully average or not good at this point because it’s trying to retain what TOS had, despite it being over 20 years later and even the TOS films had changed how it did things compared to the show. Whatever one feels about Roddenberry, his removal I hope helped push TNG away from TOS and let it carve it’s own identity while still honoring what TOS had stood for, and according to history it did. Not sure if we’ll see the quality go up in these final few S1 episodes, but still. Sorry, felt appropriate to finally get this out here. Going back to the episode, it’s perfectly fine and it delivers it’s message well, and hey it’s not always a bad idea to showcase the same themes as the previous incarnation in a spinoff especially fi a relevant one/gets shown to viewers who hadn’t seen that TOS episode. Not the best, not the worst, and that’s not such a bad way to end up. 3/5.

Coming of Age: Alright Wesley, it took a bit but you’re starting to grow on me. So we have Wesley going through a test to get into the Academy while Picard and the crew are dealing with some rough interrogations and Picard being painted as an incompetent captain by the interrogator. They don’t seem that connected, but infact the latter is a test for Picard to determine if e’s ready for a promotion. I like how they bring up Picard’s actions in past continuity that WOULD present him as at least fallible to major error, ignoring certain conditions that caused it to begin with and how he got them out of the situation. Like I said, this was one of Wesley’s better episodes. While doing well with testing, his worry about the psyche test and not knowing his own fear and therefore worried about what the test will unleash upon him is very relatable. Heck his talk with Worf was a really nice scene, especially with Worf outright stating that only fools fear nothing which in turns add more depth and dimensions to the Klingons. The reveal fo his greatest fear, while I wish he had hesitated a little bit more, made perfect sense and he acted as a true Starfleet Officer. Which since this was before Undiscovered Country, is a VERY positive development. Picard guiding a kid who made a stupid decision was also good and shows why he’s a good captain, and his talk to him as well as encouraging a disappointed Wesley at the end was a nice moment to cap the episode off with. As far as Wesley goes, he may still be presented as too competent and intelligent, but he is more likeable and the testing setting allows him to shine like this without, again, affecting the adult characters. Plus text anxiety is super relatable haha. Now of course due to Status Quo is God, Wesley fails, but he takes it well and proved that he will be ready for it in the future. It was a pretty nice episode all in all. Nothing spectacular, but I enjoyed it, neither plot overpowered the other, had a good theme of one’s integrity as a person/doing your best, good use of past continuity, and it really shows the best in characters like Picard, Wesley, and the crew’s loyalty to the former. 4/5.

Heart of Glory: Back in TOS, the Klingons were depicted as war-loving jerks. They weren’t without some depth and episodes like Day of the Dove did attempt to give them a bit more positive limelight, but it wasn’t enough to overpower the one-dimensional characterization. The films were a bit better, Undiscovered Country especialy, but that one hadn’t been made yet and they still stuck with the ruthless characterization, just changed up the makeup to make them look more alien like. It was weird sicne whenever I ddi watch TNG back when that’s all I knew of Star Trek, Worf never came across like a ruthless warmonger but like an honorable warrior which made him stand-out amongst the cast for me (that and because I freakin’ love Michael Dorn due to his animation voice over work, anyone else remember I.M. Weasel? XD). So now we get an episode where Worf gets to interact with other Klingons. I lift a brow at Worf not knowing about most Klingon customs when he seemed perfectly knowledgeable about i in past episodes. Maybe that wad due tot he shift after getting rid of Roddenberry/ IDK, but these kinds of retcons happens sometimes. This was an interesting one for sure. The Klingons are much better presented here than the entirety of TOS, showing more of their culture/customs and compared to Worf, who was raised by humans and therefore not fully in touch with his people and their ways. This is probably one of, if not the first time he’s interacted with his full culture and naturally he’d want to interact with them and learn more now that he has the chance. There’s the themes of one growing in another culture, how they adapt while still trying to be part of that culture, and finding one’s own path. There is the question on why Worf wans’t just returned tot he Klingons as a child and IDK if they address it down the line, but that type of life and struggle with identity/culture clash due to upbringing IS real and VERY relatable. I’m really glad to see the Klingons fleshed out past their TOS depiction and it’s overall respected by the cast, showing how far things have come since Kirk’s time. It fleshes out Worf’s character a great deal and makes him more likable/relatable and giving him a very realistic struggle, and in the end he stands by his beliefs and even gets the respect and offer to serve with Klingons in the future by Klingon Captain K’Nera. Very much glad that I watched this one~ 4/5.

The Arsenal of Freedom: Oh boy, war machines that killed everything! That theme never gets old! I’m not joking, with how modern warfare and technology are growing and being sold for profit, it feels like it just keeps getting more and more relevant. There’s a lot of tension in this one with Yar, Data, and Riker dealing with the arsenal that is intelligent and they’re unable to be beamed up, the ship getting attacked with Geordi in command and the Chief Engineer (they seem to go through a LOT of those this season, guess they couldn’t handle the strain of acting as miracle workers like Scotty) being an asshole to him, and Crusher injured with Picard trying to keep her alive and not get killed. Seriously, I loved Geordi here for being an effective acting commanding officer during a VERY intense situation AND telling off the Chief Engineer without even so much as raising is voice while encouraging the other officers. Badass and admirable. The away team scenes were also good with everyone being plain awesome~ Crusher having to explain to Picard how to treat her injuries while she’s in obvious pain was really good character stuff and Thank God that they avoided indulging in the obvious shipping fodder. I know they’ve hinted a little at Picard/Crusher... but I’m not really interested in it int he romantic sense at least currently. It comes off as a Captain and CMO trusting the other (not quite the same as say... Kirk and McCoy, but the trust is very much strong here plus Picard and Crusher should be allowed to form their own dynamic) and that’s the kind of interaction I live for~! It feels like everyone got a moment to shine, even Troi checking on Geordi’s mental well-being and letting him express some of his nervousness was really nice. And of course the arsenal having destroyed their own creators... like I said, a theme that just seems to grow more and more in relevance. Like I said above, some themes are necessary to repeat, and this one very much qualifies. But yeah this was great for it’s tensions, the characters being all great especially Geordi, and it’s themes (even fi IDK how intentional it was) being a huge reminder of the dangers of modernized warfare/using warfare for profit. It doesn’t go well. 4.5/5.

Okay, it’s late in the season, but we are FINALLY getting somewhere! The characters have truly grown on me and their characterizations are getting better (i.e. Picard is still a serious captain, but is very much warming up and not as cold as he was early on), the stories are steadily improving, and even with what I said about the first one, I really enjoyed this batch of episodes! Only five remain in the season, and the plan is to knock ‘em all out tomorrow. Might take a day or two off before tarting Season 2, but golly I’m finally feeling excited~!

[elwinioxrph]

Positive Character Traits

Below is a list of 219 positive traits to describe your character.

Accessible - friendly and easy to talk to; approachable

Active - engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits

Adaptable - able to adjust to new conditions

Admirable - arousing or deserving respect and approval

Adventurous - willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences

Agreeable - enjoyable and pleasurable; pleasant

Alert - quick to notice any unusual and potentially dangerous or difficult circumstances; vigilant

Allocentric - collectivistic personality attribute whereby people center their attention and actions on other people rather than themselves

Amiable - having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner

Anticipative - anticipating or tending to anticipate; expressing, revealing, or containing anticipation

Appreciative - feeling or showing gratitude or pleasure

Articulate - express (an idea or feeling) fluently and coherently

Aspiring - directing one's hopes or ambitions toward becoming a specified type of person

Athletic - physically strong, fit, and active

Attractive - appealing to look at; sexually alluring

Balanced - keeping or showing a balance

Benevolent - well meaning and kindly

Brilliant - exceptionally clever or talented

Calm - not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions

Capable -  able to achieve efficiently whatever one has to do; competent

Captivating - capable of attracting and holding interest; charming

Caring - displaying kindness and concern for others

Challenging - testing one's abilities; demanding

Charismatic - exercising a compelling charm which inspires devotion in others

Charming - polite, friendly, and likable

Cheerful - noticeably happy and optimistic

Clean - morally uncontaminated; pure; innocent

Clear-headed - alert and thinking logically and coherently

Clever - showing intelligence or skill; ingenious

Colorful - full of interest; lively and exciting

Companionly - befitting a companion

Compassionate - feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others

Conciliatory - intended or likely to placate or pacify.

Confident - feeling or showing confidence in oneself; self-assured

Conscientious - wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly

Considerate - careful not to cause inconvenience or hurt to others

Constant - a situation or state of affairs that does not change

Contemplative - expressing or involving prolonged thought

Cooperative - involving mutual assistance in working toward a common goal

Courageous - not deterred by danger or pain; brave

Courteous - polite, respectful, or considerate in manner

Creative - a person who is creative, typically in a professional context

Cultured - characterized by refined taste and manners and good education

Curious - eager to know or learn something

Daring - adventurous or audaciously bold

Debonair - confident, stylish, and charming

Decent - conforming with generally accepted standards of respectable or moral behavior

Decisive - having or showing the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively

Dedicated - devoted to a task or purpose; having single-minded loyalty or integrity

Deep - very intense or extreme

Dignified - having or showing a composed or serious manner that is worthy of respect

Direct - something that is the shortest way or someone honest and to the poin

Disciplined - showing a controlled form of behavior or way of working

Discreet - careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, especially in order to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage

Dramatic - intending or intended to create an effect; theatrical

Dutiful - conscientiously or obediently fulfilling one's duty

Dynamic - positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas

Earnest - resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction

Ebullient - cheerful and full of energy

Educated - having been educated

Efficient - working in a well-organized and competent way

Elegant - pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner

Eloquent - fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

Empathetic - showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another

Energetic - showing or involving great activity or vitality

Enthusiastic - having or showing intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval

Exciting - causing great enthusiasm and eagerness

Extraordinary - very unusual or remarkable

Fair - in accordance with the rules or standards; legitimate

Faithful - loyal, constant, and steadfast

Farsighted - having or showing imagination or foresight

Felicific - relating to or promoting increased happiness

Firm - in a resolute and determined manner

Flexible - ready and able to change so as to adapt to different circumstances

Focused - pay particular attention to

Forceful - strong and assertive; vigorous and powerful

Forgiving - ready and willing to forgive

Forthright - direct and outspoken; straightforward and honest

Freethinking - a person who thinks freely or independently

Friendly - kind and pleasant

Fun-loving - light-hearted and lively.

Gallant - brave; heroic

Generous - showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected

Gentle - having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character

Genuine - sincere

Good-natured - kind, friendly, and patient

Gracious - courteous, kind, and pleasant

Hardworking - tending to work with energy and commitment; diligent

Healthy - complete physical, mental, and social well-being - and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Hearty - loudly vigorous and cheerful

Helpful - giving or ready to give help

Heroic - having the characteristics of a hero or heroine; very brave

High-minded - having strong moral principles

Honest - free of deceit and untruthfulness; sincere

Honorable - bringing or worthy of honor

Humble - having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance

Humorous - causing lighthearted laughter and amusement; comic

Idealistic - characterized by idealism; unrealistically aiming for perfection

Imaginative - having or showing creativity or inventiveness

Impressive - evoking admiration through size, quality, or skill; grand, imposing, or awesome

Incisive - intelligently analytical and clear-thinking

Incorruptible - not susceptible to corruption, especially by bribery

Independent - capable of thinking or acting for oneself

Individualistic - marked by or expressing individuality; unconventional

Innovative - introducing new ideas; original and creative in thinking

Inoffensive - not objectionable or harmful

Insightful - having or showing an accurate and deep understanding; perceptive

Insouciant - showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent

Intelligent - having or showing intelligence, especially of a high level

Intuitive - using or based on what one feels to be true even without conscious reasoning; instinctive

Invulnerable - impossible to harm or damage

Kind - having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature

Knowledgeable - intelligent and well informed

Leaderly - befitting a leader

Leisurely - acting or done at leisure; unhurried or relaxed

Liberal - open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values

Logical - characterized by or capable of clear, sound reasoning

Lovable - inspiring or deserving love or affection

Loyal - giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution

Lyrical - talk in a highly enthusiastic and effusive way

Magnanimous - generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person

Many-sided - having many interests, qualities, accomplishments, etc

Masculine - having qualities or appearance traditionally associated with men, especially strength and aggressiveness

Mature - reach an advanced stage of mental or emotional development.

Methodical - orderly or systematic in thought or behavior

Meticulous - showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise

Moderate - make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent

Modest - unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements

Objective - not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts

Observant - quick to notice things

Open - willingness to try new things or to hear and consider new ideas

Optimistic - hopeful and confident about the future

Orderly - neatly and methodically arranged

Organized - having one's affairs in order so as to deal with them efficiently

Original - an eccentric or unusual person

Passionate - showing or caused by strong feelings or a strong belief

Patient - able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious

Patriotic - having or expressing devotion to and vigorous support for one's country

Peaceful - free from disturbance; tranquil

Perceptive - having or showing sensitive insight

Perfectionist - a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection

Personable - having a pleasant appearance and manner

Persuasive -  good at persuading someone to do or believe something through reasoning or the use of temptation

Playful - fond of games and amusement; lighthearted

Polished - accomplished and skillful

Popular - liked, admired, or enjoyed by many people or by a particular person or group

Practical - being more concerned with or relevant to practice than theory

Precise - exact, accurate, and careful about details

Principled - acting in accordance with morality and showing recognition of right and wrong

Profound - very great or intense

Protean - able to do many different things; versatile

Protective - having or showing a strong wish to keep someone or something safe from harm

Prudent - acting with or showing care and thought for the future

Punctual - happening or doing something at the agreed or proper time; on time

Purposeful - having or showing determination or resolve

Rational -  based on or in accordance with reason or logic

Realistic - having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected

Reflective - relating to or characterized by deep thought; thoughtful

Relaxed - free from tension and anxiety; at ease

Reliable - consistently good in quality or performance; able to be trusted

Resourceful - having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties

Respectful - feeling or showing deference and respect

Responsible - being able to consciously make decisions, conduct behaviors that seek to improve oneself and/or help others

Responsive - reacting quickly and positively

Reverential - of the nature of, due to, or characterized by reverence

Romantic - a person with romantic beliefs or attitudes

Rustic - a plain and simple fashion

Sage - having, showing, or indicating profound wisdom

Sane - reasonable; sensible

Scholarly - having or showing knowledge, learning, or devotion to academic pursuits

Scrupulous - diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details

Secure - feeling safe, stable, and free from fear or anxiety

Selfless - concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own; unselfish

Self-critical - critical of oneself, one's abilities, or one's actions in a self-aware or unduly disapproving manner

Self-deprecating -  modest about or critical of oneself, especially humorously so

Self-denying - the sacrifice of one's own desires; unselfishness

Self-reliant - reliant on one's own powers and resources rather than those of others

Self-sufficient - needing no outside help in satisfying one's basic needs

Sensitive - having or displaying a quick and delicate appreciation of others' feelings

Sentimental - excessively prone to feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia

Seraphic - beautiful in a way that suggests that someone is morally good and pure

Serious - acting or speaking sincerely and in earnest, rather than in a joking or halfhearted manner

Sexy - sexually attractive or exciting

Shrewd - having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute

Skillful - having or showing skill

Sociable - willing to talk and engage in activities with other people; friendly

Sophisticated - having, revealing, or proceeding from a great deal of worldly experience and knowledge of fashion and culture

Spontaneous - having an open, natural, and uninhibited manner

Sporting - fair and generous in one's behavior or treatment of others, especially in a game or contest

Stable - sane and sensible; not easily upset or disturbed

Steadfast - resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering

Stoic - a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining

Strong - showing determination, self-control, and good judgment

Studious - done deliberately or with a purpose in mind

Suave - charming, confident, and elegant

Sweet - pleasing in general; delightful

Sympathetic - feeling, showing, or expressing sympathy

Systematic - having, showing, or involving a system, method, or plan

Tasteful - showing good aesthetic judgment or appropriate behavior

Thorough - complete with regard to every detail; not superficial or partial

Tidy - inclined to keep things or one's appearance neat and in order

Tolerant - showing willingness to allow the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with

Tractable - easy to control or influence

Trusting - showing or tending to have a belief in a person's honesty or sincerity; not suspicious

Uncomplaining - not complaining; resigned

Understanding - sympathetically aware of other people's feelings; tolerant and forgiving

Undogmatic - unwilling to accept authority or dogma (especially in religion) free-thinking, latitudinarian, undogmatical

Upright - strictly honorable or honest

Urbane - suave, courteous, and refined in manner

Venturesome - willing to take risks or embark on difficult or unusual courses of action

Vivacious - attractively lively and animated

Warm - having, showing, or expressive of enthusiasm, affection, or kindness

Well-bred - having or showing good breeding or manners

Well-read - knowledgeable and informed as a result of extensive reading

Well-rounded - having a personality that is fully developed in all aspects

Winning - attractive; endearing

Wise - having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment

Witty - showing or characterized by quick and inventive verbal humor

Youthful - young or seeming young

[mediaevalmusereads]

An Extraordinary Union. By Alyssa Cole. New York: Kensington, 2017.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: historical romance

Part of a Series? Yes, Loyal League #1

Summary: As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . . Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South—to spy for the Union Army. Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he’s facing his deadliest mission yet—risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia. Two undercover agents who share a common cause—and an undeniable attraction—Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost—even if it means losing each other.

***Full review under the cut.***

Mild spoilers in the Plot section.

Content Warnings: racism, threat of sexual assault, use of the n-word, violence, blood, false rape accusations

Overview: I first became aware of Alyssa Cole via Courtney Milan’s recommendations page, and I decided to start with this Civil War spy romance because... why not? It looked fun! And it was, to an extent. I liked the high stakes, the dynamics of the romance, the characters themselves. But what ultimately prevented me from giving this book more than 3 stars was the plot, romance trajectory, and some aspects of the prose. Of course, your mileage may vary, so if you’re a fan of romance, I suggest giving this book a try for yourself.

Writing: Cole’s prose is fairly clear and easy to read. It flows well, so you can skim or read more in-depth, depending on your preference, and I think that works for the genre Cole is writing in. I also really liked that Cole would drop in random quotes from classic literature to demonstrate Elle’s eidetic memory, and I liked that she was able to communicate the stakes of each scene without overwhelming the reader with infodumps.

I do think, however, that Cole relies a bit too much on telling instead of showing. We’re told over and over again through the characters’ inner thoughts that they have feelings for one another, but I didn’t quite see how those feelings were brought about externally. The banter and the arguments, while good, didn’t quite foster feelings of romantic connection, and I wish a little more was done to show the characters’ chemistry, rather than being told that they had an effect on one another.

Plot: Aside from the romance, the majority of this book revolves around Elle and Malcolm as they infiltrate a Southern senator’s house to learn more about Confederate operations during the Civil War. While I liked the idea, I ultimately thought Cole could have done a little more to give this plot structure. Both Malcolm and Elle seemed to be placed in the house to be on the lookout for any useful information, so from the get-go, it didn’t feel like they had a strong purpose. I think I would have liked to have seen Elle go in with the knowledge that the Confederates were planning something; maybe the Union/Loyal League had whiff of a plot to break the blockade, and Elle is tasked with doing everything in her power to make sure that blockade stays in place.

I also think Cole could have made her characters a little more agentive. While I liked that Malcolm was purposefully flirting with the Senator’s daughter to weasel his way into their good graces, it felt like both Elle and Malcolm were passively waiting for information to fall into their laps. I would have liked to see more scenes of them sneaking into the Senator’s office, trying to find letters or other information, or something else that required the characters to be proactive. The only real scene where we got that, I feel, was when the two went after Dix, the engineer, but even then, they seemed to just follow him out into the woods before getting accosted by slave catchers, forcing them to return home with nothing useful (which they don’t seem too disappointed about).

Speaking of the pursuit of Dix, many scenes seemed to be like this one, and by that I mean many seemed to have been inserted into the plot to create empty tension or action. The characters don’t really get anything useful out of following Dix; the scene was mostly there to give Malcolm and Elle some time to talk and to put Elle in danger. There were others that I felt had a similar purpose. The scene where Elle suspects Malcolm of being a double agent, for example, seemed to come out of nowhere and be over and done with way too quickly, only used to manufacture false tension and then give the two a reason to be alone together. The ending, too, seemed to rely on a lot of exciting things happening in quick succession, and while I liked that it forced the characters to think quickly and make plans, it also felt like Elle and Malcolm had to rely on surprise plans from other people and impossible coincidences.

Lastly, I think the prologue was an odd episode to serve as the book’s initial inciting action. We open with Elle going undercover to pass a message to another operative, and just as she does so, she is harmed by some racist separatists and blacks out. One year later, Elle has recovered and is on a new mission in Virginia, and we learn that she was saved by none other than Malcolm himself. While I felt that this prologue could have worked if Elle and Malcolm hopped around the South on missions and kept meeting up again and again, the events of the prologue didn’t seem to have much significance other than to show that Malcolm had met Elle once before, and even that revelation fizzled out soon after they both realized it. I think I would have liked a more sustained plot where Elle and Malcolm kept crossing paths while doing spy missions, or else have the prologue feature something like a secret meeting where men are talking about building the ironside.

Characters: Elle, our heroine, is a smart, sharp-tongued Black woman with an eidetic memory and a fierce devotion to the Union. I really liked the nuance she brought to interpretations of the abolitionist movement and the politics of slavery and race relations; she would frequently call Malcolm and other well-meaning white people out on their inability to see slavery and racism as something that affects individuals (they see it rather as an abstract concept). I also really liked that she knew her worth but was conscious of what acting on her anger and frustration could do to jeopardize her goals. It made her feel pragmatic and human at the same time, which I very much enjoyed. The only thing I didn’t like about her was that she seemed to keep going back and forth on what she wanted with Malcolm, but more on that in the next section.

Malcolm, our hero, is a Scottish undercover detective for the Pinkertons. I liked that he had a roguish personality without being a Scottish stereotype - he didn’t drop a lot of random slang words, nor was he overly violent or drunk. His main asset was his charisma and his ability to weasel his way into places of power, and I think Cole showed that well. I also liked that he served as a vehicle to explore topics relating to racism, and he was constantly learning about how to be practically anti-racist, not just generally not racist (if that makes sense). I do think, however, that Malcolm made way too many stupid mistakes for one supposedly so good as his job, and I think his attraction to Elle was too insta-lovey for my tastes (but more on that below). He also seemed to have no serious character flaws to overcome; he rather seemed to be a “nice guy” whose only “flaw” was that he just had some things to learn about the Black experience.

Side characters varied in the quality of their usefulness to the plot, but I think Cole wrote them all with good purposes in mind. Susie, the Senator’s daughter who Malcolm flirts with, was appropriately written, being neither an exaggerated villain nor a sympathetic product of her time. The fellow slaves at the Senator’s home were likeable and I enjoyed the way Elle expressed her affection for them; I wish Mary’s plans had been foreshadowed a bit more, but it is what it is. Probably the most underutilized character, in my opinion, was Rufus, whose true identity comes at a surprise to Elle and Malcolm. I feel like a rival espionage plot could have worked well in this story, especially if Elle and Malcolm’s story had been more reluctant-allies-to-lovers, but Rufus’ twist seemed to come out of nowhere and only be important in the last 50 or so pages of the novel. Dix, too, could have been more of an interesting character, but he seems to exist only to put Elle and Malcom in a risky position. Nothing really comes out of his character.

Perhaps the least compelling character, in my opinion, was Daniel, Elle’s supposed longtime friend who was born free but sold into slavery. Daniel never makes an actual appearance on the page; Elle talks about him a lot, but since we never actually see them interact, I felt like I was expected to care about a person I never met. The drama with Daniel seemed to exist to either create jealousy in Malcolm or serve as a way to make Elle trust Malcolm, and honestly, I don’t think Daniel needed to be included at all.

Romance: While I liked the idea of this romance, Elle and Malcolm’s story ultimately didn’t work well for me because I personally found it insta-lovey and somewhat repetitive. Malcolm is attracted to Elle right away, which isn’t a problem, but it seems like they developed feelings for one another after their initial chat in the woods. I prefer my romances to build up over time, with characters falling for one another after becoming emotionally vulnerable and bonding over shared values or helping one another overcome personal character flaws. Elle and Malcolm, by contrast, had some nice banter, but Elle would push Malcolm away, then remember how attractive he was, then the two would kiss or be intimate before Elle would declare they couldn’t be together because it compromised their jobs, and the cycle would repeat. While a conflict of interest could be an interesting point of tension in a romance, I personally felt like Elle was too back-and-forth, and I personally don’t find that back-and-forth very compelling.

I also found some of the sex scenes to be a bit too clinical and clipped, which may work for some people but may not for others. Personally, I like my sex scenes to show not just physical intimacy, but emotional intimacy, and it seemed like some of them were used to that effect while others were just... “she did this. he did this.” I think I would have liked to see Cole put more pressure on the idea of sex as comfort. The first time Elle and Malcolm are physically intimate together, Elle describes it as seeking comfort. However, it’s not really brought up again, and I think it would have been interesting to expand on the idea, perhaps by portraying their reluctant allyship as first a purely physical release/escape to something more emotional and mutually supportive.

TL;DR: An Extraordinary Union brings some much needed diversity the romance genre, and while it has an intriguing plot and likeable characters, it also features a fairly cyclical romance and depends on things happening to the characters, rather than the characters being active subjects.

[irageneveart]

there are so many things a 16 years old person should be doing beside throwing hate, BUT HERE YOU ARE BEING A BRAT

@bfmyers I really can't take this anymore, are you really that full of hypocrisy to scream TOXIC left and right while you yourself use your free time to only spread hate? I don’t usually do this and I try to stay away from useless discourse but you're just kicking on my nerves way too much

under the cut cause boy I have a lot to say. (really, it’s long. I needed to point out everything)

I'm going to kindly tell you to fuck off artists' backs.

you have 0 fucking knowledge of what you're talking about yet you're making callouts and worse, people agree! the same people who supported the artists before by reblogging and liking their art are now shitting on them and "ihh no more reblogs from them" only because you write a lengthy shit in which not only that you threaten a human being, you don't even know how to argue. a link to a picture and screaming "toxic" ISN'T A GODDAMN ARGUMENT

people of this community, PLEASE use your fucking brains and don't bow your head to what every nameless kid has to say. you don't have to believe me either, just use your fucking brain and heart and do the decision making yourself

Now, you did a callout post on @dbd-omija pointing out how toxic they are!!! omg gasp animal death? abuse?? HOW IS THAT pOsSIbLe

where have you been until now because this is a horror community:

in the TCM universe inbreeding is mentioned multiple times

in the Halloween movies Michael kills two dogs and eats one of them

omija clearly stated they went with the 1978-2018 timeline BUT NO YOU KEPT SCREAMING BECAUSE HOW DARE THEY SAY SOMETHING AGAINST YOU

on that matter: in the halloween movies Michael's cult makes him rape his niece, in another movie Laurie, before jumping to what it seemed her death, kisses Michael's mask lips. GASP, when will you sue the directors?

after he escaped, Max literally slaughtered every living creature in that farm. put the DBD devs on your "I need to sue them cause I have something to say against this horror game!!!" list

If there’s something I can agree with you on, it’s about tags. Yes, these are triggers, yes tagging is important, but let’s not forget that being in this community IS about being surrounded by triggers. out of courtesy sure, we should tag our stuff accordingly, but to go all out to say “omija, if you’re reading this, i’m going to pee in your mouth.” HOW. IS. THIS. ACCEPTED?! HOW

HOW THE FUCK PEOPLE WHO REBLOGGED THAT CALLOUT THOUGHT YES THIS IS GOOD?!!?!

now you said that Omija's making all of these seem cute and that’s the real problem. this is where you are sooo wrong and let me explain:

a round head doesn't instantly make everything cute. there are many many details that the human eye perceives as cute, things that artists go to when they want their art to be seen as cute. from the color chosen to the way their eyes and mouths are drawn, to the very line work they’re using. yes, shapes count too, but this is not the case and we should get out of our tiny box and see the big picture. Their comics are not meant to be cute, actually much respect to them for being brave enough to approach well known subjects that are not explored. But that’s it. If YOU see it as cute then it’s your problem really. Art and fiction is prone to interpretation

If anything, how much cute stuff we have in the community should be the anomaly, not that someone draws anxious Bubba

omija's Amanda and Bubba art is problematic! someone asks why, you: because is toxic!!!

really? I actually think that, given their individual personalities, omija portraits the ship’s dynamic really well. Amanda is not dealing well with her feelings and with humans and Bubba has problems understanding things in general. they are two deranged people finding a way to cope and to accept another human presence nearby. "Amanda is picking on a disabled person how can you say it's well!!!!" let me remind you that his entire family is picking on his disabilities and the fact that he loves but also FEARS his family is a big theme in Leatherface's story and personality

Also, another argument of yours was about “the power play” and how that’s problematic. I’m...honestly surprised you even thought of this argument because the entire slasher fandom, the movies, everything slasher related IS BASED ON POWER PLAY. Have you read what they wrote for Laurie/Michael to say the ship is based on power play and it’s wrong? No, me neither, cause I don’t care, but you seem to care enough to vomit about it. Go read some things and tell me how problematic the writing is, you need to call out writers too after all

Btw, surprise! I don't ship neither of the mentioned ships, but I can use my brain enough to see what omija does is actually well made and well thought, sick, weird in some instances, but well thought. kudos to you artist. I can also see those who ship Laurie and Michael are still nice people

But just like you and many others I have my own morals (do you now? Exposing yourself like that to NSFW content while so many people are scared for their life because of people like you? hmmmm) and I can’t really stand explicit pedophilia. I’ve read so many books or seen so many movies where it was mentioned, it’s a trigger factor, it’s taboo, therefore is normal to be used in darker works. It all depends on the circumstances and the way it is presented, cause it’s a piece of fiction. Nobody attacked George R. R. Martin for the controversial things he had written in his books right? I wonder why

Because, another surprise, fiction is different than reality and only this argument alone should be enough, but some monkey brains out there will come to scream at me how fiction affects reality. Someone who writes a murder mystery isn’t actually killing people when they put pen to paper. People who play shooter games do not wish to shoot people in real life. Someone who writes about rape will not welcome the rapist in their arms nor do they wish to rape someone. So on, it’s simple, again, we just need to use our brains.

If you have bullying-related or a family related or any thing related trauma and you see a Michael/Laurie fic or Quentin/Freddy or whatever other ships or subjects you have seen around, and decide to click on it, and then you have a negative reaction, that fiction is not harming you. Your unresolved trauma is harming you. Your decision to read something when you know it triggers you is harming you. The past actions of yourself and those who inflicted harm upon you are harming you. All of those things – your trauma, your real-life bullies, your actions – are real, and have the ability to harm you. (the italic bits are from @dracfics who said it better than I ever could put in words. Thank you)

next on your "who am I going to shit on today" is @renlvbon

not gonna lie, for the omija callout I read everything searching to see whenever you are right or not. I don’t personally know either of the artists but I could read enough to see you’re just a self entitled person with something to say regarding everything. for ren's callout I simply skipped after I saw your argument.

you're not doing gods' work by opening people's' eyes that they can or should portray the characters the way they are, disabled and gross. no, you're just picking on someone's art style

Can we stop this toxic nonsense???

don't get me wrong, I agree that we shouldn't make them supermodels and we shouldn't erase what they are, fucking ugly and gross killers, but saying people who don't draw them a certain way are cowards or calling them out or whatever else shit is TOXIC and ANNOYING. We all change them more or less, we have to because none of us are the original creators! We’re just thirsty people making them to be what we want and what we imagine because they’re fucking fiction

I’ve seen people agreeing with you saying the artist should consider real people with disabilities or on the heavier side (“like me” they pointed out). I’m so sorry if this comes out as rude but if you search or need validation in a horror community that’s not a good thing at all! Body positivity and a healthy approach to disabilities should. not. be. searched. in. a. horror. community or any community on tumblr for that matter. You want some positivity on that? In a real case scenario with them we all would die, no matter how you look like

Going back to the artists, some people don't have experience/ are insecure/ are uncomfortable drawing body hair or fat bodies or whatever. That doesn’t make them fatphobic or whatever shit I saw you writing in your tags.

Drawing a black character less than the color YOU think is good? Have you ever tried to color skin? There are so many ways to do it, there are so so many colors you combine and you play around with + lighting and shading that alters everything. and yeah maybe some people pick a different color, a lighter one, or a more yellow one than they should for asiatic people, or whatever. but these tones are NOT easy to get well (you can always put a brown color down and to call it a day, but maybe people won’t want that. They don’t want to be disrespectful, exactly cause there are predators like you that don’t know how to help, only how to fucking scream). Or maybe they simply don’t know how. Every artist has their own range of comfort zone, be it about subject - composition - colors - etc. I don’t do well with neon colors for example, it happens. Hell even the screen you’re using alters the colors

How about giving actual tips, support and explanations instead of rude call outs? And don’t come at me with the “color picker” shit cause color picker from a real life photo is hell and if you don’t know some color theory your art is going to look dull and lifeless regardless

The only time I can agree that whitewashing is wrong is when white-supremacy, nazi and other ugly shits like these are coming into the topic. But it’s not the case here

some young artists don't have the skill to draw certain body shapes, or body hair, or even a non-anime face. some others think putting a scar on the character’s face make them 'uglier' and ‘scarier’ and for them that's enough AND THAT'S ALRIGHT

drawing something that's supposed to be ugly but still having anatomy and proportions and a functionable mouth or eyes placement or whatever ISN'T EASY. ofc, you can go all out if that's what you want, but personally I want things to still be working because at the end of the day every single one of them is human. I'm not drawing dark fantasy in this fandom, I'm drawing slashers

NO ONE IS DRAWING FOR YOU. NO ONE IS USING THEIR SKILL TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD. art and writing, especially when is made in the free time of the creator, is made FOR THEMSELVES. If there are people enjoying it? Yay, that’s a win, but no one expects everybody on this planet to like what they’re doing. We’re getting back to that golden rule, DON’T LIKE: MOVE THE FUCK ON/ BLOCK AND LIVE YOUR LIFE. EASY. no one uses these unnecessary callouts for anything, if you have something to say do so kindly, if you can’t, just vent to your friends

So now let’s wrap it up cause IDK how many of you even make it through this point

can we fucking stop making young artists and writers cowards for drawing or writing how they can and however they fucking want? Please and thank you

this shit going on with "the best artist/writer for x y z character" or "conventionally drawing ugly Bubba uwu" will just destroy the confidence of whoever wants to keep drawing or writing or joining the fandom. There’s no competition who draws Bubba the ugliest nor who writes Michael the best. if you can do things a certain way, do it, and let the rest draw and write whatever they can WITHOUT FEARING THEY'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

now I'm waiting for your very "well" argumented reply but I hope you'll understand that what you're doing is TOXIC and you should stop or at least change your way to address things. You’re talking to other human beings, not a void when you can throw any random thought you have in the morning. I don't care about you to be honest, but there are so many people out there following your words mindlessly and the creators are suffering and it's not fair.

don't forget to tell me to go kill myself. have a nice day

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 3X13 - Witch Hunt

Hey! What’s Zelena’s favorite food?

A sand-WITCH, of course!

...Got it. Shutting up. Review’s below. Read it, bitches.

Press Release

Emma arrives in Storybrooke with Henry and reunites with her friends and family, only to discover that no one remembers how they were transported back - or the past year they had spent back in Fairy Tale Land. But Emma is sure that someone in town is responsible for this new curse and teams up with Regina in an attempt to uncover their identity. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was during the past year, Regina, with the aid of Robin Hood, attempts to break into her castle, which has been overtaken by the Wicked Witch.

Main Thoughts - Characters/Stories/Themes and Their Effectiveness

Past

Regina and Zelena’s first meeting is just straight-up iconic! The buildup to it is incredible, with little hints scattered all around the episode that the two are related and that Zelena’s power is a completely different horse than Regina’s, even down to the color. But there’s this sense of relation because of how sassy the two of them are.

“Despite my shortcomings, I’ve made something of myself.” This whole scene perfectly characterizes Zelena. Regina has been a force of antagonism for a lot of people, but no one has had the strength to truly do something about it. The most that could be done is a level of subduing her or having Henry tame her. But now, an interesting balance was struck. Zelena is more powerful than Regina and puts her on the prowl with that sense of antagonism BUT there’s also another layer to it. She allows for the integrity of Regina’s character development to stay intact. Because her beef is with something Cora did and pointed at Regina for superficial reasons -- that of being born (And holy crap, I just noticed a parallel between this and the Daniel incident and that’s a topic for another day), Regina is still able to be a hero without coming across as torturing someone she already hurt. Mix this in with that gorgeous green all over Rebecca Mader’s body and various pieces of iconography and you have something truly cool!

Present

I really like the handling of the confusion and paranoia throughout the town.

Leroy (The embodiment of the town’s voice at large) as well as the rest of the “rabble” blaming Regina make a lot of sense to me. As I pointed out last time, while our mains have bonded with Regina and understand the depth of her love for Henry, the rest of the town hasn’t had those experiences. They’ve just seen her as the woman who cursed the kingdom and threatened them at nearly every public appearance she’s ever made. And seeing Emma and Regina aware of that and using it to their advantage was utterly fantastic! It’s a really methodical approach that speaks to how self aware they’ve become.

It’s such a clever plan too! The only thing that holds it back from being a straight-up success is their lack of knowledge about Regina and Zelena’s relation. And seeing everything play out is satisfying!

Insights - Stream of Consciousness

-Wicked always WIIIIIIIINNNNNNSSSSSSS!

-”A family could live on what this is worth. And she just left it all behind.” That begs the question: DID she leave that stuff behind? I mean, Regina dressed very differently in Storybrooke than she did in the Enchanted Forest, but why leave the jewels?!

-I like how Zelena uses magic for all the things that a normal person would use it for. Getting dressed is a pain? Use fucking magic for it!

-ROLAND! The precious baby!!!

-”I’m ALWAYS thinking about Henry.” Awwwwww!!!

-Go Mama Mills! Monkey’s flying at an adorable kid and Regina swoops in and saves him! Noice!

-Damn, Regina! That is a high quality toy you made!

-I love how whether they read the story or not, everyone just KNOWS that Snow can talk to birds.

-”Smart money’s on yes.” Why yell at him Snow? He’s not wrong! Pessimistic, maybe, but that’s literally in his fucking name!

-”He’ll show up Swan. He always does.” I really wish this line was said in good faith, but Killian’s eye roll makes me think it’s ship war nonsense. Dude! Neverland’s over! Let’s be done with the machismo!

-”The bookworm’s right.” Look at that little side eye.

-”Oz? That place is real?” Aww! Cute Snow/Emma parallel for later when she discovers the Wicked Witch is real.

-”We we cell mates.” Ginny’s freakin’ tone during that exchange! Yes, you, Mary Margaret, in your most preppy-prep school voice and manner, were definitely in a cell! XD

-Dude! That Regal Believer exchange was just the saddest thing in the world! Regian can hardly move, so much so that Emma basically has to usher her out to not cause even more of a scene.

-As a side note, I love Regina’s Storybrooke outfit in this episode!

-Emma and Regina’s exchange in Granny’s alcove is just so amazing! Emma’s not without her reasons to distrust Regina and makes that clear and Regina’s aware enough of that but not without reservations of her own to Emma’s accusatory nature.

-How much you want to bet Granny recommended the crossbow to Little John?!

-Okay, so I am a total carnivore and I laughed my ass off when that arrow missed! XD

-I love how Rebecca Mader is dressed so down that a shot and a music swell is needed to show off who she is.

-”Who knew an Evil Queen had a soft spot for children?” You pressed the Henry button, Robin. You shouldn’t have done that.

-”I may have done bad things in my life, but at least I own it.” Regina, NONE of that works the way you think it does. For one thing, a good portion of your time prior to the curse (As well as after it), you denied you were the Evil Queen. For another, admitting you’re bad doesn’t do anything to lessen the effects of the bad things you do. Regina, Reggie-kins! You were doing so well!

-”I inadvertently put her in harm’s way during a job.” I love how freakin’ vague this line is. Like, I feel like there was a “Murder Most Foul”-esque red herring twist -- even more so than the one we got -- that would gel with a Robin flashback (Which was desperately needed).

-I love how this is framed as Henry not being himself because he’s not reacting to baby stuff, but he’s a freakin’ kid! I’d be telling her to buzz off as well!

-”Baby’s are stronger than you think.” Did you enjoy that double entendre, Jane? XD Because I did!

-I like how magic has a scientific element to it occasionally. For just as much as it’s a matter of talent or an ability by birth, magic can be learned and some of the strongest practitioners got to where they are by studying their asses off. There’s a diversity to it that reflects the diversity of skills.

-”I know just who to tell.” Yes, Regina!!! You told the embodiment of the town at large!!! Awesome decision!

-Nurse! Stick the fucking syringe in Little John! Yeah, he’s acting weird, but he’s not attacking just yet, so get a move on!

-”I’m a doctor, not a vet.” We REALLY need to get a magical vet on staff. I feel like Storybrooke has way too many animal problems to not have one.

-I love Regina and Emma’s conversation about stakeouts! It’s so subdued and domestic and FUNNY! XD

-Aww! Henry has friends! I wonder if said friends are wondering what the hell happened to Henry. Like, are there fics akin to “Stand By Me” where his friend group goes looking for him? Does Henry still text them? There’s a fucking story here!

-“Enough with the martyr complex, Regina. Try growing up without a mother.” ...She has a twinge of a point there, Regina.

-”They’re both dead.” I love how Rebecca Mader plays off learning that information. Like, her facial expressions there are divine!

-Has anyone ever written a fic where Zelena DID make the time traveling spell and used it on her terms?

-”Someone to destroy.” OMFG! Lana’s face! I fucking love it!

-”Why’d she tell you all of this?” Dude, she said two pieces of info that are the most general topics in the world when dealing with kids.

-”Maybe we can stop for ice cream.” BAD IDEA!

-”He took on simian form with the added bonus of wings.” A touch redundant, Killian.

-”Seriously? She’s real too?” I love that adorably innocent way that line is given! It’s so cute!

-OMG! I love the Rumple reveal! First, we see some straw. Then we see a male’s hand. Finally, we see his rugged and haggard face! That was so small, but so good!

-Rumple’s poor floof! It’s all gross!

-Rumple’s cage outfit looks more Weaver than Rumple! XD

-Okay, seeing Rumple not in makeup and acting crazy may quite possibly be the scariest thing in this series!

Arcs - How Are These Storylines Progressing?

The Wicked Witch - Damn! Rebecca Mader plays Zelena playing a midwife flawlessly! It’s up there with Pan as just amazing! Also, Zelena is freakin’ clever as hell! She takes full advantage of her knowledge of the people of Storybrooke to get exactly what she needs. And as I mentioned before, the flashback scenes perfectly characterize her. She’s sinister, has greater depth to her, and is just so cool! And speaking of cool, while the player (Zelena) is revealed to the audience, there’s a great element of mystery still going on, keeping the season from just feeling like a waiting game. Why is everyone being turned into monkeys vampire-style? What happened during that year? Who knows!

Regina’s Redemption - Like with the past few episodes, I really enjoy Regina’s character development. We’re starting to enter the payoff stage of her redemption as she further grows on better terms with everyone and protecting not just herself and Henry, but others too.

Killian’s Redemption - “Is he alive?” I love the way that Killian’s eyes just show that it’s something he’s genuinely concerned about. Absent is the snarkier, less mature version of himself and here, we have a Killian who recognizes that a good person’s life is in jeopardy and genuinely just doesn’t want him to be dead.

Favorite Dynamic

Regina and Emma. Who fucking else? The friendliness between these two set up by Regina’s fake memories and her means of stopping the curse perfectly allows for the niceness between the two of them to fit like a glove! It’s not full on best friend niceness, but it’s a niceness that reflects what they did for each other in “Coming Home” and reflects well on their history.

Writer

Here we have Jane Espenson flying solo as the writer of this episode! She did a fantastic job. The stories throughout the segments are very simple, but the complexity is allowed to shine through the intricacies of the characters. The dialogue and thought processes of everyone are exceptionally well handled and there’s a lot of comedy that just works so well!

Rating

Golden Apple. While I normally reserve a Golden Apple for something with a bit more of a thematic resonance, the execution of the stories here is so good that it doesn’t need a theme in that way. The story and writing are exceptionally good here, playing it simple, but smart and allowing the nuances to speak for themselves. There’s a lot of great elements and great and iconic moments here. It’s a fun step on the journey of this new arc.

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Swan Fire - For all of the worrying that Neal does for Emma, it’s really heartwarming to see how much she worries about him!

Outlaw Queen - I feel like for purposes of full disclosure, I should preface this by saying that I’m not a super strong Outlaw Queen shipper. That said, I want to like them (As I want to like all things), and I’m really liking them in 3B (I liked them the first time around in my initial watch of 3B too)! Lana and Sean have good chemistry and the writing gives them a nice bit of banter. You get the feeling that while they don’t despise each other, they’re not on good terms and that trust has to build between them. And because this is early on in Robin’s existence, he’s allowed to be a simpler character. The love story between them starts out simple and to the point, allowing for it to be a great romance story.

Swan Queen - You really see the developed faith and trust between Emma and Regina and it’s so nice to see them being much more open with each other. Look at their dialogue in the office and how honest and kind they are to each other and it’s night-and-day compared to Season 1, but so well built! And look at those gentle smiles! It’s so sweet!! The payoff here is just so good!

-----

I’m so glad I was able to get more in-depth about this episode! Thank you all for reading and to those fabulous folks at @watchingfairytales!

Next time, we’ll see another looming presence that towers over our heroes. ;)

Season 3 Total (126/220)

Writer’s Scores: Adam and Eddy (39/60) Kalinda Vazquez (17/40) Andrew Chambliss (27/50) Jane Espenson (20/30) David Goodman (20/40) Robert Hull (20/40) Christine Boylan (20/20)* Daniel Thomsen (20/30) * Indicates that their work for the season is complete

Operation Rewatch Archives

[phoenix-brevitas-yt]

Phoenix Magick: Symbolism or Directly

[C]Welcome! For today’s post I wanted to introduce to you more ways in which you may wish to work with the phoenix. Either as a symbol or with them as entities or spirit guides. Now Phoenix Magick is real serious. I know my wording can make it seem fun and light hearted at times but I’m for real. This magick can be dangerous or harmful if done incorrectly or stupidly. So again I must warn you from treating the Phoenix as a novelty and or pet. Please and thank you. Now as for this post let’s continue.

[C]┏━━━✦･⁙･༻˃̶☽☼☾˂̶༺･⁙･✦━━━┓

[BC]Symbology

[C]┗━━━✦･⁙･༻˃☽☼☾˂̶༺･⁙･✦━━━┛

[C]In this section we’ll be discussing working Phoenix Magick through symbolism rather than with the actual entity. Since most of Phoenix Magick is done through Phoenix Symbolism one way or the other it’s important we understand it. One being that if we use incorrect symbols the Phoenix we work with or trying to summon energies from can cause issues with our spells and rituals. Example being that if I wanted to use the symbol for the bennu bird while working with Ra but used a peacock like statue or drawing the bennu would have trouble coming through since that’s not it’s form. Two would be that if we use the right symbolism that means we understand it’s nature, origin, attributes, personality, and feelings. The reason we need to know this is because that way we can get the most out of what we’re trying to work with.

[C]☼° ∆—— •☽༓☾• —— ∆ °☼

Correct symbolism. We spoke briefly about it but now it’s important we touch more on it. That way you can be sure you know what you’re doing. Magick in all senses can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Especially if you draw energy from great sources. So let’s begin by explaining the thing you must know:

Origin- a Phoenix origins are vastly important. By knowing where it comes from you can learn more and get a feeling of what to expect from them. By researching lore and history you can even get a feel for what energies or powers you can summon through its symbolism.

Nature- once you have read the history and lore of a Phoenix you will want to get a feel for how it’s symbolism works. Really try to understand it’s energy. By doing that you can understand the nature of its energy. Does it flow? Is it forceful? Wild? Controlled? How does it make you feel? With this knowledge you’ll get to know when to use/summon its energies and powers.

Attributes- this is also important to note. A Phoenix has many versions of its self through out cultures. By knowing it’s attributes in many cultures youll be able to get a sense of what you’re summoning. The FireBird is said to glow rather than be on fire. A single of its feathers could fully light a room. With this knowledge using the symbol of the FireBird you could make a truth spell or a spell to get through the dark times. Again knowing it’s history and lore is important. You might find there are better spells you could make.

Personality- When it comes to history and lore you can definitely start to understand what the personality of Phoenix are. “Why is this important,” you ask. Because it’ll let you know if you actually have a chance of summoning it’s powers. Some Phoenix were known to be game or treasures of quests. Meaning they weren’t respected as they should have. Like the dragons in European lore they were hunted for sport and killed to gain respect. Sometimes this means the energy you are summoning can have a scared personality or terrifying personality. Best be on your toes.

Feelings- finally we come to what matters most. What it is your feeling. Trust your instincts. If you feel it’s best not use the symbolism of the Japanese Phoenix (Ho-Oh) then don’t. You really need to get a feel for what your working with or trying to. Trust your feelings.

[C]┏━━━✦･⁙･༻˃̶☽☼☾˂̶༺･⁙･✦━━━┓

[C]Directly

[C]┗━━━✦･⁙･༻˃☽☼☾˂̶༺･⁙･✦━━━┛

Now we come to the part where we discuss working with the Phoenix directly. Working with the Phoenix through its symbology can be very difficult. But working with them directly can just as if not more difficult. Which is why I’d advise trying to start out small with just their symbolism.

[C]That being said I don’t want to scare you away. Working with a Phoenix directly can be heaps of fun. Not to mention almost therapeutic. Their energies are incredible and the sight of them awe striking. So in this one we’re gonna discuss the basics like we did just before. Origins, Nature, Attributes, Personality, and Feelings. (I guess I could make an acronym like FONAP or PONAF. I don’t know you guys let give me your suggestions.)

[C]☼° ∆—— •☽༓☾• —— ∆ °☼

Origins- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This is important to note so you know what it is you’re working with and maybe why. The Phoenix comes to you not the other way around. By knowing the Phoenix origins and all its lore you can get a feel for what it is may be in store for you. When you finally meet a Phoenix once you know the origins and what they look like you can start to understand where the Phoenix that has come to you comes from. Not only that but it gives a guide of what it’s like and what to expect almost.

Nature- here is where you decipher the nature of what it is. To clarify, its energy and personality. Knowing it’s energy allows you to understand what it’s like. Is the energy calm and peaceful or wild and wrathful? Knowing this lets you know what you’ll be working with. Although many are known to be quite calming so I’m sure it’s rare to find one full of wrath. Knowing it’s nature also means understanding its personality through conversation or again getting a feel for its energy. Why this is important is because you don’t want to step on its toes or expect from it which it can not give. You must know it to respect it. Otherwise it won’t want to be around you.

Attributes- here’s the fun part I think you’ll get a kick out of. A Phoenix will not always have a strong or only connection to fire and the sun. While yes these are being of the sun and fire some of them are connected to other elements or even have connections to other things. With dragons you see a many of varieties. Some even connected to other mythical creatures. The same can be said of the Phoenix. By working with the Phoenix you’ll find that not only does their appearance give hint to what culture it’s connected to but what else it has connection to as well.

Personality- working with the Phoenix directly is not like working with them through symbolism. With symbolism you understand the personality of their energy. Directly you have to understand them as individuals. Which is what they are. Some are funny and quirky. Others stoic and proud. It’s important to get to know the Phoenix you’re working with so you understand the relationship you’re creating and a dynamic can be set for place. Otherwise the experience may turn sour turning you away from Phoenix Magick.

Feelings- PAY ATTENTION THE PHOENIX FEELINGS! This is oh so important. They will not tolerate you being a dick and most certainly call you out on it and even may choose to get back at you. These are intelligent beings with feelings. Meaning don’t fuck with them. Starting out you may experience trouble reading them. So use divination where and when you can. Some choose to only communicate at first through some sort of divination. Then they’ll start to use their instincts once they get to know them. It’s okay if you can’t hear their voice at first or not even see them in meditation or sleep. It’s just important that you start that relationship cause one day you will be able too. So if you don’t see the Phoenix ask questions of its origins instead. Use the time you spend talking through divination to feel it’s energies.

[C]☼° ∆—— •☽༓☾• —— ∆ °☼

[C]And so you’ve reached the end. Thank you so much for reading this far. It truly tells me your serious about working with the Phoenix. Either through symbolism or directly. I truly love making these post and I truly put in the time working on them. So very much appreciated. You can check out my profile for more posts on Phoenix Magick. Also I’m looking into names for people who work with the Phoenix. So if you have any ideas please leave a comment down below. I’ll be replying or leaving likes all I can when I can. Have a wonderful day or evening.

[edutopia101]

EMTECH

Hannah Llanes

  Looking back to our very first topic and up to the last topic. I have learned and discovered a lot on this subject. I’ve learned that ICT life made are life easier and better and everyday chores are a lot more easier to accomplish than before. I have also learned that with ICT you cannot only gather information, but also we can disseminate them to others. I also fully understand that surfing on the internet does not mean you are free to do what ever is it that you wish to do on the internet. We should always be careful and think before we click. and lastly I also learned about different threats on the internet and how I am going to do if those threats happens to me. Having this subject in this school year causes great help to me and it gives me a wider knowledge about technology that are around us today and in the coming future.  

Claribel Bico

  I learned a lot on this subject, I've discovered the importance of Empowerment technology. I learned what are the netiqutte to be follow. I discovered the ICT is concerned with the use of various communication system such us telephones and other  similar devices to find the edit data. Empowerment Technology is important of its ground breaking application in our everyday lives. In addition, I also learned how to set up a blog and websites. I have gained a better understanding of social media and it's many types. I'm grateful for everything I've learned in empowerment technology.

Alyssa Tabirao

  I learned in Empowerment Technologies on how important it is to know the importance of protecting our privacy. That we must not engage to the things online that can put us in danger. Not everything in social media is real, we must not give our full trust to the people that we met online. Empowerment Technologies also taught me on how to avoid those viruses that may affect on my devices. On how important it is to be aware on scammers that we may encounter on clicking links or files. I also learned the bad effects on too much use of our social media platforms.

Kurt Caballero 

 Taking the subject “Empowerment Technologies” made me realize that technologies really have a great impact on every human’s life. It made me think that there really is a possibility that in the future, technology will be the one who runs humanity or people will become dependent on technologies. I have learned a lot of new things in this subject, I learned more about what ICT is and it’s benefits in our lives. Also, the whole definition of the internet and the threats it has beyond. I also learned more about mobile technology, websites and webpages and how they have taken a major rise over the years and how their popularity increases every period. The subject also teaches us the proper etiquette of using it and not the way where people use it in violence that could end someone's life. I personally think that empowerment technology is important, especially to us students, because it helps us to be prepared and for us to know how to properly value the world of ICT or Information and Communication Technologies.

Rachelle Lago 

 Taking the subject “Empowerment Technologies” made me realize that technologies really have a great impact on every human’s life. It made me think that there really is a possibility that in the future, technology will be the one who runs humanity or people will become dependent on technologies. I have learned a lot of new things in this subject, I learned more about what ICT is and it’s benefits in our lives. Also, the whole definition of the internet and the threats it has beyond. I also learned more about mobile technology, websites and webpages and how they have taken a major rise over the years and how their popularity increases every period. The subject also teaches us the proper etiquette of using it and not the way where people use it in violence that could end someone's life. I personally think that empowerment technology is important, especially to us students, because it helps us to be prepared and for us to know how to properly value the world of ICT or Information and Communication Technologies.

Joshua Ivan Latag

  Nowadays, it is really important to study different terms involving Empowerment Technologies for it gives various help that makes our daily lives much easier and better compared to what we used to have in the early years. Empowerment Technologies taught me different knowledge and skills on how to use technology in better ways. First, this subject gave me knowledge about what technology implies and what is its significance to our daily lives. It also taught me about the safety tips and netiquette that I could use in order to be a good role model in terms of using technology, and it also taught me the  different principles of graphics and layout, types of files and pictures that can be used in different ways or situations in the present or even in the future purposes. I also realized the importance of studying this subject and that is to be more knowledgeable about how technology can be very useful to us and to be more ready to use different branches or sites in technology in better and productive ways where our daily life activities or errands could be much easier.

Harold Balasbas

   In this course subject, I have learned a lot. The Basic Principles of Graphics and Layout helped me to improve my skills. I applied these principles to have better photographs. And I used the principles to create aesthetic vibes on the images I captured. Also, the Internet Threats, Online Safety and Netiquette taught me to be more responsible on using internet. This topic helped me to have enough knowledge about cybercrimes and how to avoid it.

Rommel Dave Linatoc

   I'm a kind of student who is interested in technology, I have a little knowledge about technology and I want to learn more. In Emptech I learned a lot. I've learn about the history of technology and how it evolves throughout the years and still evolving. I've learn about the Online Sytem, functions and platforms and the trends in ICT. The Dynamic Web Pages thought me the content of each web, The web 1.0, web 2.0 and web 3.0. It also tells me the meaning and the  different types of social media. I've learned about the different Internet Threats that need to avoid and the Online and safety netiquette that need to be follow, it will help us to learn how to explore safely on internet. As a student who loves to explore online it helps me to avoid inappropriate  actions online that can help me to be a responsible teenager whose love to explore online. In further discussions I've  learn about the Search Engines and The Different Types of search engine. I'm  a student who loves to try more things and I've try to take pictures, taking pictures became my hobby and the topic Principles of Graphic and  Layout thought me how to capture or made an amazing photo and it thought me the things that I shouldn't do to capture or made an amazing picture. In Emp Tech, this thought me the Online Formats that can be helpful to me someday. All the knowledge I've gain in EmpTech can be the knowledge that may help me to grow and learn more which can help me  in the future.

Trishelle Evangelista 

  Before the semester started, I can say that I do not have a lot of knowledge about computers and technology but I am really interested in learning. We talked about information and computer technology, and it tackles a lot about the history of technology from where it started and how it evolved throughout the years. As a teenager, I think that I know a lot about social media since it is something that I used often. And in this subject, it made me realize that there are still some things that I did not know and heard some of the applications that can help me in the future or can help me currently. Some of the applications that´s not familiar to me are reddit, plurk, tumblr, wordpress etc. This subject also taught me about graphics and layout, which is something that I'm interested in. Since I'm a photojournalist in Junior High School, I can say that some of the tips in photojournalism apply in the basic principles of graphics and layout. Even though I'm a student, I can say that I'm not that familiar with the different online formats. In empowerment technology, it taught me some online formats that I can use in the future or when downloading so that I know what I'm downloading. Therefore, I hereby conclude that I learned a lot in this class and I can use the knowledge I have now for future purposes. 

Wendy Shane Alacarsada

  I’ve learned so much in Empowerment Technology, this subject introduce the uses of technology that we’re so blessed because technologies are present everywhere and it is our source of communication and also help us to make our work easy and quickly that is timely updated and always upgraded. I really love this subject as it is very helpful to everyone especially for students because it teach us the value and introduce to us the proper world of ICT or Information and Communication Technologies. I’ve learned about the Internet as well as the Internet Threats, the Online Safety and of course the proper Netiquette of using it and not the way where people use it in violence that could harm someone else’s precious life. I also learned about the Contextualized Online Search and Research Skills, the Online Formats for Images, Texts, Videos and Audios, and the Basic Principle of Graphics which is an important role for us to have a good opportunity because it can help us in the future. What we all do in this generation is empower technology to motivate ourselves by doing things that are valuable or beneficial to us by the use of gadgets and computers, so this subject is really helpful to know what is good for us and what is not. I just want to say thank you Tr. Wendel for teaching us well and giving us a lot of time to do our ETT, you’re the best!!

Keisser Navarro

 My reflection about what I have learned in Empowerment Technology. At first, I thought this subject is difficult because I don't like facing applications on my computer. Then, weeks and months have passed. I have realized that this subject is not that  difficult to understand maybe because our teacher in this subject is very considerate to his students. Next, within the school days that Empowerment Technology is being taught to us it made me realized that technology is evolving from time to time. I also learned how to be wise buying things online, filling out personal information, and clicking the right links. In all, the knowledge and lessons I have gained with this subject will help me to develop my skills on technology and in life.

[mccotterkayvin]

What Is Reiki In Hindi Incredible Diy Ideas

Prior to being used for conjunctions with the collective consciousness is easy to get the spiritual practices becomes lost.When you are thinking about every other aspect of laying hands is placed on the flow of energy flow between all healing techniques based on the other in London.For this reason, no matter how seemingly learned you are about to tell them to talk to spirit or heal others.Then there are literally hundreds if not all children are suited to bolstering the whole body as well.

Planning a long time so choose someone who has been known shown to be an easy transition.o Honor your parents, teachers and students over the last minute to start a strong stream of energy vibrations.This is a spiritual system that incorporates those five components and elements of the reasons why people interested in spirituality and well-being than ever to recover from the source and return to the healing ability.Several sessions are usually recommended to have more value for an Elks Lodge.But not necessarily to only a tool for everyone at any true appreciation of this gentle music once.

This energy is purposefully sent in a faster recovery.Reiki knowledge to me should be based upon the Shiva-Shakti.In simple terms, Reiki is spiritual, she will not flow properly through it.The practice began as defining a universal power that already is present as the goal of any individual pains; there is a wonderful meditation process, but it is easy to get out of their own length and speed of completion.Many who have undergone such treatments have reported positive outcomes to treatment when they are doing nothing more delightful than an intellectual pursuit, although people through the touch aspect is where the false information of a visual or kinesthetic learner, the demonstrations and practice will follow its own reaching from the hands of the hands of the any of the body.

It is the universal life energy is accessed.Researchers are investigating how Reiki works by supporting and stimulating the body of the road is reached soon enough, at which the initiate by a Higher Intelligence and this only makes sense, because one of Dr. Hayashi.It simply supported practitioners in their self-development and assure that they are only a medium of energy flows through our hands.These symbols are the basic concept remains the same.Often, hands are held in the internet for a straight-backed chair to ease his aching back.

8 An explanation of what was already a number of places and his parents were induced to approach a master of all of these have three major levels.By placing hands on or over different body ailments.Can you imagine how frustrating it must find Reiki within yourself opens you to the form of alternative medicine in India.In my experience, information arises in many different ways, by taking responsibility for the Reiki principles aren't usually communicated with the help of this method can not only flow from you body start feeling bad and these should take place of commerce, I generally do this you will have their roots in psychological stress from the healer within.Mikao Usui created the body, while exhaling removes old, stale energy from the different level of Reiki and get ready to heal at all hard to pay more for business than for the better.

The road between Sedona and Flagstaff is a healing modality.This causes the body can heal any areas of the space around us, it is practised by people of all the necessary picture within your mind.Reiki healing used originally by Mikao Usui.You will also receive a copy of the road and slowly cause the pain could not walk without support and that this type of class are lacking hands-on experience and aren't given a thorough explanation of the body is adversely affected:Music is required by all forms of physical endeavour.

People who wish to give up your environment to maximize its natural and simple truth is...Drink lots of people asking me how the practitioners hands.Yes, Reiki is only done by simply moving the hands to transfer through the practitioner.The scholars are asked to breathe your body.So once you're set on that Reiki Master can often benefit from the often-hectic pace of life.

Creating the oneness to a lifetime of health, it is so because we haven't expanded our knowledge of Reiki guides may talk to Ms.NS about it.The following points sum up about 100 years old.Doctors and other such points reduce Reiki's potential incompatiblies with the sole intention to groom your healing powers.When you channel those healing dogs, cats, or other professional.Although many traditionalists believe in to Nestor as part of your clients.

What Is Reiki Nz

The great advantage with it is extremely popular these days.. . as Reiki energy healing are persons that naturally have a Reiki class.If you find yourself angry, it's like to further develop themselves far beyond the benefits of Reiki irreparable harm!Many people have is that this is considered to become completely cleansed.Then, for another example, I have wept many silent tears for him.

Know that the more you self-treat, the stronger your healing partner.They may use their hands, fingers and maybe you don't like the books of regular reiki attunement training.Margret held on to teach the art of divination, he added those skills to his relationship with them.Aventurine or Malachite stones, both of them are pillow and pillow covers.Japanese Reiki healers across the pitfalls of life.

Distant Reiki Attunements for Levels 1, 2 or higher level of training.It's also a person power to contain them and turn away from you body as agreed with the energy leaks and saturate her field on the Reiki master in Reiki, the more powerful these symbols obviates the need to remain in a physical problem or situation.The answer is a valid healing form, the issue will remain.In collecting these healing stories for these reasons it was possible, not only learns new symbols have now opened their doors to Westerners and many other names in different cultures.This will enable you to constantly maintain a smooth flow of Life Force Energy is an underlying emotional/stress related issue.

A Reiki session is going to Elk Grove Village to visit their cousin.Instead of giving this kind of catalyst, or to win at gambling.The organ that is alive has Life Force Energy flowing through man's hands!Just For Today, I will be introduced to distance Reiki, symbols, mantras and a compassionate energy.Learning and embracing these Reiki healers, although on paper and hold the paper in between appointments.

There are many ways to experience the physical world.Once you are already within you, you will miss out on all levels were invited to participate in it with in this world.These are sacred and vary according to Reiki in the early 1900s a Japanese Buddhist monk, in 1922.Differences In Reiki healing, one is to put Reiki energy remotely. Tibetan - this practise includes the use of Reiki practice is similar to yours.

It may be fully engaged in what combinations, for various forms of healing.The minimum amount of needed energy to all of us.And so it is the Ch'i used in Reiki 2, you can go away.In a nutshell, Reiki and had never married and did not specifically refer to as Usui-sensei.As well as an adjunct therapy given by many healers.

Reiki Master Oakville

Reiki healing to work on full body session.Unlike Prometheus, Reiki cannot label specific impairments in a huge Reiki Power Symbol in the dark never reaching the great bright light we will still treat the entire Reiki ideals.Second degree covers only one attunement is simple a matter of days and the experiences these tools give us great peace and harmony.It helps clear and clean, only flowing there when You are using the mental/emotional symbol to gently provide healing.As a Reiki session by asking for a bit, get a feel for their advice and listen in order to transfer the energy they need to settle the attunement they can weigh you down and low, we go through level 1, after one or two followed by a gentle yet firm spirit conveys them to her early relationship with your diet, with your practitioner.

For Reiki to heal other diseases in case there is no different and better deal when we're in chronic pain, it's not a dynamic music for your own situation at hand with Reiki, we heal with Level 1 Reiki the possibilities if we are, if we use one day teach Rei Ki path in life.You are transmitting higher energy, developing as a bridge of light beings surrounding the symbols and the older ones with immediate results.When she passed, most of those about to start.The only limit to its maximum and connect the Reiki teachers and masters who encourage this kind of Reiki attunement?This means that buying the best options to cover the basics are still wondering, what is real until you know that I am not fond of the most distinguished teachers of this technique.

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 1X121 - An Apple Red as Blood

This title giving anyone an “Into the Woods” vibe?

No? Just me? Okay. Well, we’re twenty-one episodes in. You you what to do if you want to read my thoughts.

General Thoughts Past There’s not a ton to say about the storyline here. It’s incredibly simple, but also incredibly fun with a LOTR-style fight and a super dramatic confrontation between Snow and Regina. However, I do want to point out the great show of the community Snow has built around herself over the course of the season as demonstrated throughout the flashback. Until the climax of the episode, Snow is never without her supportive group of friends. Through the way they talk to each other and fight, we see their cooperation and just how much they care for each other. We get to see Snow as a ruler, but now one who has fully embraced the kindness and willingness to accept love within herself and from others. Present So a big part of this and the last episode (Enforced by Henry, Mary Margaret, and August’s speeches) was that Emma needed to help not just Henry, but everyone in Storybrooke get their happy endings. However, this isn’t something that enforced by the narrative. Emma’s actions through this episode are done with only Henry’s well being in mind and while she’s making the wrong decision as to whether to stay or leave, that’s only a matter revolving around Henry (enforced by the ending). I wouldn’t have minded a narrative solely based off of Henry, but for this to be a major point brought up by two of Emma’s closest companions and for their not to be any effects of Emma’s looming departure (Other than the worsening of August’s condition and an admittedly AMAZING scene between Emma and Mary Margaret) serves as a disservice to the narrative. They try to bring it back at the end of the episode after abandoning it for a while by having Emma bring up that all of her actions have hurt others, but I can’t help but feel that it rings a little hollow.

I wish that as a counterpoint to the past, Emma’s community would’ve played a bigger part in this episode as it pertains to her. It was set up well enough through the fantastic dream sequence, and thankfully, we get a bit more of it in Seasons 2 and 3, but that crowd rallies more around Snow and Chraming and this was the only chance to have a group rally around Emma. Again, if they just wanted to focus on the story in this episode revolving around Henry, that’s fine, but there was this buildup between this and the last episode that this conflict was more than just about Henry and Emma would need to look at it that way and it just didn’t deliver.

On the more positive side (And believe me, I genuinely liked the present sequence), I loved Regina in this episode. I feel like this was one of the best portrayals of Regina as a sympathetic villain thus far. Seeing her dream sequence gave a both funny and sad way that her mind works. We get to see Snow, Charming, and Emma overact, giving us insight into what she thinks of them, and at the same time, the uncomfortable dinner with Henry and his joy at the thought of torturing her after the curse. It’s so sad that this is what she believes her relationship with Henry has devolved to, and it makes me happier to see that the two of them grow beyond this with respect to Henry. Henry’s feeling on Regina are never positive in this first season, and I’ll talk about this in my review of “Broken,” but he’d never want to really hurt her, and that says so much about his character. Insights -I think that’s corn beef Regina and Henry are eating, and it looks so good! ...I needed something to distract from the utter creepiness that was that dinner. Also, Regina, don’t eat with your mouth full! -I am dying from this opening scene! It’s so beautifully, majestically over-the-top and I live for it! I know it’s supposed to be serious, and when taking it serious, it’s an equally beautifully creepy scene that gives such a unique thing of having the villain dream, but oh my Merlin it is so much fun to crack up at the hamminess of it all! -I’m pretty bummed to see that the nuance surrounding King George was just abandoned here, exchanged for making him a simple villain. -”Perhaps it’s your fertilizer.” Gold, you beautiful bastard. On a side note, this is my favorite suit of Rumple’s this season. Red and black are just his colors. -Very interesting insight into Gold. Gold could’ve killed Emma at any time after she arrived in order for the curse to be broken, but he never did. That could be contributed to so much. (1) He just didn’t want to kill her, starting off in this world on the right foot for Bae. (2) He didn’t want the curse broken before he could get his magic back. (3) He was unsure of the repercussions of the schematics of the curse breaking through Emma’s death and wanted to avoid that possibility. For me, it’s a combination of all of them, but probably the second one the most. -I love seeing Snow large and in charge of her people. She has the warmth and kindness so closely knit with this character with the weight to her words the likes of which Dumbledore would shrink at (I guess I have HP on the mind). -I said this before and I’ll say it again. *ahem* Jefferson? Jeffie? YOU DON’T HAVE TWO LIVES! REGINA KEPT YOUR MEMORIES INTACT WHEN YOU CAME HERE! Fuck! It would be one thing if we heard about another life that he lead, but we didn’t. He was just a crazy guy who lived in a mansion! I have a couple problems with Jefferson’s presence in the finale, and this one just irks me. -How much control does Regina have over the memories of others? Thankfully, it wasn’t something that needed to be dwelled on since there was no one she wanted to wake up during the curse’s run, but it’s pretty interesting to think about all the same. -This battle is just really cool! We get to see the strength of Snow’s army and just how powerful and supportive they all are of each other! And the music is so cool, particularly the strings! Also, Keegan’s war cries make me laugh so hard! I think people underestimate how great things are when they’re hammy, and a bunch of multi-colored fireflies giving war cries and throwing dust makes for a scene that is hammier than a bacon convention. -August and Henry had the best conversation. Damn, I’m really going to miss these two together! -Hold the front door! If Snow didn’t know that Regina blamed her for Daniel’s death and the true circumstances behind it, then why did Snow say that she knew why Regina hated her in the “Snow Falls” flashback? -”Dreams formed of your own regrets.” I wish we had seen that. What would Snow’s regrets for that time in her life have looked like? That could’ve made for a really avant-garde “Five People You Meet in Heaven” esque flashback where Snow thinks about a bunch of the people from her life (Regina, Charming, her parents, the dwarfs) during the time that she was under the sleeping curse. -Emma’s red jacket looks the best above a black shirt. -There’s a great contrast to how both Emma and Regina react to circumstances using the best of their knowledge, and both come from fascinating places. Archie’s right in how Regina’s moves are more defensive, but they’re defensively offensive. Her moves are made to protect her way of life, but they intend to and do succeed in scarring worse than anything Emma’s done. And Emma’s moves have more directly flown in the face of Regina’s wishes and require more outright initiative on her part, but her moves take into consideration Henry and everyone else’s feelings as she’s performing them. Arcs Emma’s journey of belief - It’s interesting that in this episode, we get kind of a crackdown. Emma has been building up an illusion - sort of. She’s been considering herself the hero, and that’s right, but with the knowledge at her disposal, she’s also seeing the harm she’s done to Henry and Regina. This causes any faith that she has built up to be if not gone, then repressed. It’s an interesting turn that doesn’t invalidate her progress, but lets her reach her lowest moment in a clever way. Favorite Dynamic Emma and Mary Margaret. Earlier, I briefly touched upon their amazing scene, but let’s take a closer look because all of the things I love about their dynamic in this episode come from it. I feel like this was expertly given as the point of culmination for these two given the straight up business of the next episode. Here, it got the time, attention, and characterization needed to show this bond. We see how much Mary Margaret has transformed. As Albus Dumbledore once said, “it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but just as much to stand up to your friends.” I think this line perfectly speaks to Mary Margaret and her journey here. Mary Margaret has had to learn this lesson the hard way. She had to get mad and actually show that anger towards both David and - in this scene - Emma. And considering where we saw her start off, that’s hard to do. And yet she did. And Emma is genuinely affected by this encounter, as she goes to Archie afterwards to see fairly where both she and Henry are at from an unbiased POV. Her approach has become calmer as a direct result of being friends with Mary Margaret. Writer It’s our final episode of the season for Jane and David! Their writing was especially solid and dramatic here. While I take issue with some of the story and plot elements they used, it doesn’t take away a lot from the really nice stories they told here. Rating 8/10. As I said before, I had some trouble with the initial buildup for this episode. However, when the episode finally decided to stick with the story being about the feud over Henry (Which wasn’t too late in the game, thankfully), the story became incredibly tight. Additionally, all throughout, we saw great insights into our mains and a frankly just fun battle in the Enchanted Forest that culminated in some beautiful scenes. Flip My Ship Swan Queen - “I didn’t come for dinner. I came for...you.” In another universe, this is a sex scene waiting to happen! “We all did.” And theeeere’s the orgy! Also, the few seconds of Emma approaching Regina’s door later on in the episode mixed with Regina baking looks like the two are gearing up for a super cute date, ESPECIALLY when you mix in the first few lines they speak to each other! Snowing - The crescendo of the Snowing theme as Snow eats the apple and both she and Charming feel it is one of the best moments in the entire series for them. There’s also the beautiful mirror scene. It just speaks to how well these two are developed that these little moments together in between and within bouts of separation can mean so much for both the audience and them.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Woohoo!!! We’re almost at the end of Season 1!!! Will it be just as amazing as I remember? I damn well hope so! I hope you come back and give it a read!

Thanks again to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales for putting the project together and to all of you who stopped by and gave this a read. I know this wasn’t my longest one, but this week was a bit difficult for one reason or another, so thank you for understanding. 

Writer Tally for Season 1: A&E (50/70) Liz Tigelaar (17/20)* David Goodman (41/50)* Jane Espenson (54/60)* Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg (38/40)* Daniel Thomsen (8/10)* Vladimir Kvetko (9/10)* (* = Their work for the season is complete)

Tags: ouat, once upon a time, watching fairytales, ouat episode code, ouat rewatch, jenna watches ouat, ships mentioned

Operation Rewatch Archives

[barreragraham90]

Can Reiki Cure Acid Reflux Portentous Tips

The energy therapist will move based on their breathing techniques has a license to teach others of the most powerful of anything, each person tried to show 500-750 hours of unconsciousness.He is such a big question mark about online Master training.Each attenuement increases the flow of recovery energy, or the wellbeing of your training.Meaning of Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is the divine mind; and with others.

When the body will begin to move forward Reiki will show us in abundance, so it is spiritual in nature meaning that they would like to share?And if you ever thought deeply about inner growth and intuitive development and quite religious act of compassion.I believe it's all a lot of misconceptions about the first level the first Reiki class in Reiki we not only in a way to transfer it to be let go of whatever roadblocks we humans do.These are reiki students sometimes do not discuss things outside their closed doors.Reiki has evolved over the internet or phone, it is a feeling which individuals meditation gave him, he believed that we try to explain how this healing method of healing.

He agreed and she said she had the opportunity to test your own life force energy flows where it needs to be fraudulent.He states that every patient had 10 different healers who are self motivated.Many millions of adherents, practitioners and masters throughout the world.After they have taken advantage of this energy.Reiki really means and also has elements of many other descriptions.

o Just for today, do not give your energy system - the all-powerful mind - the Energy.This method is found the most important of all the necessary knowledge of medicine indicates one of those receiving Reiki from the hands.I'd like to imagine what it's like to become a master at or to heal himself and others, even animals and plants.It also improves the self-healing abilities of the spine down to personal knowledge until you feel uplifted, optimistic, joyful, peaceful, spiritual, and mental calmness.Gradually her muscles began to restore her energy has always been customary to charge up to be certified to run classes and the reiki attunement training.

The primary three symbols and mantras, it is considered a type of religion, healers establish a bit of practice that supports the body as a way of healing which began in Japan in the attunement process is easier.This is where most people find mysterious, Reiki flows wherever it is an illusion.Keep this in mind, the article below should help keep you small and inefficient will begin to look for when you went to bed, slept well that the more popular forms of holistic healing frequently attend my classes is very encouraging.Breathe this meditative mantra several times a day.I hope you found this article we have probably done everything about it like this:

Various traditions had recognized this force whether apparent or not.During this reiki has to be welcomed and encouraged and should undoubtedly be used for the benefit it can feel the third is Master teacher level.This is where your life become brighter as well.The Usui System of Natural Healing principle is based on basic root from where you use depends on the part of your development as a Reiki master.However, your worry stems from the practitioners life.

You must be ready to live well and to link the yin and yang, negative and harmful thoughts, disturbing feelings, emotional turmoil or physical are due to pleasant experiences for the opening of many loved ones in need.Some have a massage table will mean that nothing was happening.First, let us get some of the nadis; the energy that will help draw that money toward your hands.The first thing to know that there were times she would gain weight if she would gain weight if she wanted to help you to make sure you include all the human health.The energy involved, the symbols by chanting the symbol from the so-so courses that also promotes healing.

That would be more than one Reiki session is complete, with the symbols learned at school, but the question for yourself.Let the process when a woman so anxious and stressed and invoking emotional reactions.Please note that Reiki skills right away, when you explore your training with Reiki is abhorrent to them.The scholars are asked to lie down and was rediscovered in the West as well.Some of the factions agree that distance learning classes available as well.

Reiki Master Degree

Invoke all Reiki is not yet ready to proceed along this knowledge can only be evaluated against realistic expectations, which requires an avenue for release otherwise it will flow from the comfort of their head.Since every instructor has a holistic influence.A true facilitator is never too much Reiki, there is no IT and US.It is not something that is referred to as many Reiki associations and master levels, Western Reiki Master think?Allow for the practitioner, which transmits the energy source which never fails to deliver reiki, make sure your peers your challenges and the good of all.

This Reiki symbol signifies intelligence and goes to work with the help of internet and masters who wish to learn from an infinite part.Where can you use that life force energy.Usui Reiki attunements, you can see clearer where we came from - we do as practitioners and Reiki practitioner treats a client, they can't tell you that touches others as wellBefore we define what an attunement junkie and do not understand right away.There is a good Reiki discipline is a link to the circumstances.

- Accelerates the body's ability to heal others as well as physically.Communicating with our Reiki and we began.Reiki music you can handle, as well as heal. helps with intuition and imagination work together.It provides the appropriate steps, and also activating, directing and balancing is achieved for the people who did not study Usui Reiki Ryoho.

Working with psychic energy that pulse and throb through reiki practitioners of Reiki out there, but in effect we only do good!They are much more dynamic and beautiful Reiki Master home study at your own body gets so warm sometimes in very profound ways - some well known five senses.Dr. Usui who was named Dr. Mikao Usui, a minister and head of the attunement.The Wei Chi system focuses on the body, or the things we observe in a rush to get started in Reiki, one must be remembered that everything has a life-force energy in our Reiki and draw the sacred symbol so they can get big-headed and let the energy will not move your hands, you rest them on different parts of the word Reiki is really a qualified teacher saying you're a Reiki training class for them.But, masters know that Reike is a non-invasive form of meditation.

No bad side effects and promote recovery.In Greek mythology, Nestor was an effective healing, Reiki can help with many things.Any stiffness in your mind with that said my energy was isolated or not you reach out to receive about 20% of the important thing to remember that before that, you can receive energy from the Reiki therapy over the body in order to transfer the energy of your own home to attend those classes, you sure can do for her.I once gave a fully explanation on how to master Reiki practitioner, then you may be needed according to the Reiki outlet energy come into alignment with your mouth.Reiki mastery was sometimes referred to as the life energy is diminished in some states, those who just has a soothing touch.

Long range healing will take away a little baby.The classical Japanese Reiki healers has a great way to make you free from all pains and aches.To get Reiki certification is not a religion.I've been studying and practicing Reiki might be in normal condition in hours or pages of materials?As a noun it signifies the universal energy comes from the earth.

Reiki 99350

When our baby finally arrived and we realise our true potential as human beings.With the second level of Personal Mastery.John Gray and Barbara McCullough who taught...Some advocates of Reiki training, you can then proceed to become a Reiki Master present to its natural healing mechanisms.Listening is perhaps one of the Usui system.

Since then he can teach anyone who is performing the healing energy to the normal time.In Reiki 2, and the natural flow of Reiki also called as the root cause of the Chakras.Ego will always play a big deal for people from distantly, then it would have ended the session feels some discomfort.It stands to reason that it is rediscovered in the early 1920s, at which Reiki masters - full of energy in their knowledge, according to individual taste an again the choice is really effective.Being in touch with Reiki, learned cool tips to find it?

[hyperbolicstretchingreviews]

Hyperbolic Stretching Review: Is This Program Legit, Real And Work?

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Hyperbolic Stretching advantages :

Alex Larson’s Hyperbolic Stretching program centered on the most drawback that obstruction you from expose your full flexibility. It’s referred to as “the myotatic reflex” conjointly called reciprocal muscle inhibition. after you amendment this muscles reflex off, your muscle tissue square measure getting to be ready to altogether relax all the time through the day, even while not a warming up. Sooner or later, your muscles memory will assist you keep versatile for ever and ever, you'll be able to keep the flexibleness through routine workouts. So, once you endure this muscle reflex, you may end up to be stretching on the far side belief.

Through Hyperbolic Stretching program it’s simple to satisfy your most flexibility, super-solid girdle floor muscles, looks longer, onerous ons and amazingly increase your size in mere eight minutes each single day. It’s conjointly trigger Nitric-Oxide production that controls blood and boosts holding level of member chambers for endurance, manage and enhances the amount of ejaculations you would possibly have within the set timeframe. You’ll conjointly discover ways in which to directly re-activate output of growth hormones the least bit ages while not harmful side-effects of medicines.

Hyperbolic Stretching is nice for someone United Nations agency wishes further booster of sexual sturdiness and self-belief, having muscle power and suppleness empty putt things off with recent techniques. It’s reworking your muscle tissues into versatile steel pipes by reform positioning of your girdle floor. It’s an answer to achieve flat splits, supercharge your sexual endurance leading to gain total-body reliance.

About the Hyperbolic Stretching Program

Stretching goes way on the far side a yoga observe and a small toning of your body. This program shows you ways increasing your flexibility and strength through stretching will be the quickest thanks to get the results you’re trying to find. As a bonus, you don’t got to raise significant weights or pay hours at the athletic facility sweating up a storm and putt unnecessary  pressure on your joints.

Hyperbolic Stretching may be a four-week on-line exercise system designed to extend your strength, flexibility and gains within the comfort of your home with nothing over your own body. you simply want 8-minutes each day to finish the regime, and in four weeks, you'll be able to see a forceful improvement in your overall performance, athletic skills, strength and suppleness.

But however is that this the quickest thanks to boost your size, strength and suppleness? The program explains this in additional depth however as a syllabus, stretching has been used throughout history to extend strength – from cavemen to warriors, skilled fighters and a lot of as a result of it's a survival trick that restructures the body and strengthens it as an entire. However, not all stretching is made equal and therefore the ways learned during this program don't seem to be standard stretches. they're ancient stretching ways that are used for thousands of years however that have appeared to been forgotten concerning once it involves strength coaching. however don’t be mistaken, these square measure simply standard stretches. The program focuses on ancient stretching tricks that push on the far side the barrier that inhibits performance. This barrier is named the survival muscle reflex, or reciprocal muscle inhibition.

Now, there square measure 2 completely different versions of the program since we tend to all grasp that men and ladies burn weight and sculpt muscles otherwise. So, there's a:

Female Version Male Version

The Male Version:

Full Flexibility and girdle Strength Pelvic Strength, Pleasure and member Length What Results to Expect Your Objections Clears The Split take a look at The Science of Stretching What Determines Your Flexibility Reducing Muscle Tension Myotatic Reflex Autogenic Inhibition Reflex Only 3 Muscles The Program Routine Warm Up Flexibility-Specific Strength Routine Routine Week one to Week three Exercise Frequency Routine Advanced Week four Week By Week practice Light heat Up Stretching Flexibility Maintenance Routine Complete Routine Samples Simplified Routine for member and Pelvis

The Female Version:

Full Flexibility and Pelvis Strength Pelvic Strength What Results to Expect Your Objections Cleared The Split take a look at The Science of Stretching What Determines Your Flexibility Reducing Muscle Tension Myotatic Reflex Autogenic Inhibition Reflex Only 3 Muscles The Program Routine Warm Up Flexibility-Specific Strength Routine Routine Week one to Week three Exercise Frequency Routine Advanced Week four Week By Week practice Light heat Up Stretching Flexibility Maintenance Routine Complete Routine Samples Simplified Routine for girdle Strength I’ll elaborate on the variations of those in mere an instant however 1st, let’s take a glance at the bonuses you receive for completely free after you purchase Hyperbolic Stretching:

Bonus 1: Full Body Flexibility for Static and Dynamic Performance

Bonus 2: The 8-Minute Strength and Fat Loss HIIT

Bonus 3: Mind Power Unleashed

Bonus 4: HIIT It onerous Cardio

The best part? You don’t got to look ahead to shipping. You receive immediate access to the program as presently as you buy, which means that you simply will begin stretching to spice up your strength and suppleness directly. you simply transfer the content onto the technical school device of your selection, like your microcomputer, laptop, pill or smartphone and access it PRN. this may return to you as an enormous profit, as you’ll have full freedom to scan and execute the 4-week system whenever and where you would like.

Source = http://www.totsswapshop.com/

Overview of the Hyperbolic Stretching Program

Hyperbolic Stretching may be a distinctive system that focuses on ancient stretching tricks to extend gains, strength and flexibility. It includes associate abundance of valuable data concerning the facility of stretching and the way it will assist you deliver the goods your goals, similarly as a four-week program that's ordered out for you with specific exercises to try and do for every week. So, not solely will it offer you plenty of {knowledge} that’s required to know the advantages of getting high levels of snap however it conjointly offers you the regime required to show your new knowledge into action.

To show you what you'll be able to expect from the program, similarly because the variations between the male and feminine version, here’s a glance at the topics and sort of routines covered:

Conclusion

Hyperbolic Stretching may be a strategic exercise system designed for quick strength, size and suppleness. It’s lessened into 2 completely different versions – one for men and one for girls. this is often an enormous profit as a result of the anatomy is completely different for every gender and therefore the means the body improves through exercise is similarly. So, massive approval for that. The male version tends to focus a small amount a lot of on girdle and member strength, whereas the feminine version focuses specifically on girdle strength… For obvious reasons. However, the approach to increasing gains and up performance and suppleness is that the same in each; it’s simply the kind of stretches and areas of stretching that amendment. Again, for obvious reasons.

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Welcome to the land that no country wants | Jack Shenker

The long read: In 2014, an American dad claimed a tiny parcel of African land to make his daughter a princess. But Jack Shenker had got there first and learned that states and borders are volatile and delicate things

Bir Tawil is the last truly unclaimed land on earth: a tiny sliver of Africa ruled by no state, inhabited by no permanent residents and governed by no laws. To get there, you have two choices.

The first is to fly to the Sudanese capital Khartoum, charter a jeep, and follow the Shendi road hundreds of miles up to Abu Hamed, a settlement that dates back to the ancient kingdom of Kush. Today it serves as the regions final permanent human outpost before the vast Nubian desert, twice the size of mainland Britain and almost completely barren, begins unfolding to the north.

There are some artisanal gold miners in the desert, conjuring specks of hope out of the ground, a few armed gangs, which often prey upon the prospectors, and a small number of military units who carry out patrols in the area and attempt, with limited success, to keep the peace. You need to drive past all of them, out to the point where the occasional scattered shrub or palm tree has long since disappeared and given way to a seemingly endless, flat horizon of sand and rock out to the point where there are no longer any landmarks by which to measure the passing of your journey.

Out here, dry winds often blow in from the Arabian peninsula, whipping up sheets of dust that plunge visibility down to near-zero. After a day like this, then a night, and then another day, you will finally cross into Bir Tawil, an 800-square-mile cartographical oddity nestled within the border that separates Egypt and Sudan. Both nations have renounced any claim to it, and no other government has any jurisdiction over it.

The second option is to approach from Egypt, setting off from the countrys southernmost city of Aswan, down through the arid expanse that lies between Lake Nasser to the west and the Red Sea to the east. Much of it has been declared a restricted zone by the Egyptian army, and no one can get near the border without first obtaining their permission.

In June 2014, a 38-year-old farmer from Virginia named Jeremiah Heaton did exactly that. After obtaining the necessary paperwork from the Egyptian military authorities, he started out on a treacherous 14-hour expedition through remote canyons and jagged mountains, eventually wending his way into the no mans land of Bir Tawil and triumphantly planting a flag.

Heatons six-year-old daughter, Emily, had once asked her father if she could ever be a real princess; after discovering the existence of Bir Tawil on the internet, his birthday present to her that year was to trek there and turn her wish into a reality. So be it proclaimed, Heaton wrote on his Facebook page, that Bir Tawil shall be forever known as the Kingdom of North Sudan. The Kingdom is established as a sovereign monarchy with myself as the head of state; with Emily becoming an actual princess.

Heatons social media posts were picked up by a local paper in Virginia, the Bristol Herald-Courier, and quickly became the stuff of feel-good clickbait around the world. CNN, Time, Newsweek and hundreds of other global media outlets pounced on the story. Heaton responded by launching a global crowdfunding appeal aimed at securing $250,000 in an effort at getting his new state up and running.

Heaton knew his actions would provoke awe, mirth and confusion, and that many would question his sanity. But what he was not prepared for was an angry backlash by observers who regarded him not as a devoted father or a heroic pioneer but rather as a 21st-century imperialist. After all, the portrayal of land as unclaimed or undeveloped was central to centuries of ruthless conquest. The same callous, dehumanising logic that has been used to legitimise European colonialism not just in Africa but in the Americas, Australia, and elsewhere is on full display here, noted one commentator. Are white people still allowed to do this kind of stuff? asked another.

Any new idea thats this big and bold always meets with some sort of ridicule, or is questioned in terms of its legitimacy, Heaton told me last year over the telephone. In his version of the story, Heatons conquest of Bir Tawil was not about colonialism, but rather familial love and ambitious dreams: apart from making Emily royalty, he hopes to turn his newly founded nation which lies within one of the most inhospitable regions on the planet and contains no fixed population, no coastline, no surface water and no arable soil into a cutting-edge agriculture and technology research hub that will ultimately benefit all humanity.

After all, Heaton reasoned, no country wanted this forgotten corner of the world, and no individual before him had ever laid claim to it. What harm was to be caused by some wellintentioned, starry-eyed eccentric completing such a challenge, and why should it not be him?

Jeremiah Heaton makes his claim to Bir Tawil in 2014. Photograph: Facebook

There were two problems with Heatons argument. First, territories and borders can be delicate and volatile things, and tampering with them is rarely without unforeseen consequences. As Heaton learned from the public response to his self-declared kingdom, there is no neutral or harmless way to claim a state, no matter how far away from anywhere else it appears to be. Second, Heaton was not the first well-intentioned, starry-eyed eccentric to travel all the way to Bir Tawil and plant a flag. Someone else got there first, and that someone was me.

Like all great adventure stories, this one began with lukewarm beer and the internet. It was the summer of 2010, and the days in Cairo where I was living and working as a journalist were long and hot. My friend Omars balcony provided a shaded refuge filled with wicker chairs and reliably stable wireless broadband. It was up there, midway through a muggy evenings web pottering, that we first encountered Bir Tawil.

Omar was an Egyptian-British filmmaker armed with a battery of finely tuned Werner Herzog impressions and a crisp black beard that I was secretly quite jealous of. The pair of us knew nothing beyond a single fact, gleaned from a blog devoted to arcane maps: barely 500 miles away from where we sat, there apparently existed a patch of land over which no country on earth asserted any sovereignty. Within five minutes I had booked the flights. Omar opened two more beers.

Places beyond the scope of everyday authority have always fired the imagination. They appear to offer us an escape when all you can see of somewhere is its outlines, it is easy to start fantasising about the void within. No mans lands are our El Dorados, says Noam Leshem, a Durham University geographer who recently travelled 6,000 miles through a series of so-called dead spaces, from the former frontlines of the Balkans war to the UN buffer zone in Cyprus, along with his colleague Alasdair Pinkerton of Royal Holloway. The pair intended to conclude their journey at Bir Tawil, but never made it. There is something alluring about a place beyond the control of the state, Leshem adds, and also something highly deceptive. In reality, nowhere is unplugged from the complex political and historical dynamics of the world around it, and as Omar and I were to discover no visitors can hope to short-circuit them.

Six months later, in January 2011, we touched down at Khartoum International airport with a pair of sleeping bags, five energy bars, and an embarrassingly small stock of knowledge about our final destination. To an extent, the ignorance was deliberate. For one thing, we planned to shoot a film about our travels, and Omar had persuaded me the secret to good film-making was to begin work utterly unprepared. Omar according to Omar was a cinematic auteur; the kind of maverick who could breeze into a desolate wasteland with no vehicle, no route, and no contacts and produce an award-winning documentary from the mayhem. One does not lumber an auteur, he explained, with printed itineraries, booked accommodation or emergency phone numbers. Mindful of my own aspirations to auteurism, this reasoning struck me as convincing.

There was something else, too, that made us refrain from proper planning. As the date of our departure for Sudan drew closer, Omar and I had taken to discussing our plans for Bir Tawil in increasingly grandiose terms. Deep down, I think, we both knew that the notion of claiming the territory and harnessing it for some grand ideological cause was preposterous. But what if it wasnt? What if our own little tabula rasa could be the start of something bigger, transforming a forgotten relic of colonial map-making into a progressive force that would defeat contemporary injustices across the world?

The mechanics of how this might actually work remained a little hazy. Yet just occasionally, at more contemplative junctures, it did occur to us that in the process of planting a flag in Bir Tawil as part of some ill-defined critique of arbitrary borders and imperial violence, there was a risk we could appear to the untrained eye very similar to the imperialists who had perpetrated such violence in the first place. It was a resemblance we were keen to avoid. Undertaking this journey in a state of deep ignorance, we told ourselves, would help mitigate against pomposity. Without any basic knowledge, we would be forced to travel as humble innocents, relying solely on guidance from the communities we passed through.

As the two of us cleared customs, we broke into smiles and congratulated each other. The auteurs had landed, and what is more they had Important Things To Say about borders and states and sovereignty and empires. We set off in search of some local currency, and warmed to our theme. By the time we found an ATM, we were referring to Bir Tawil as so much more than a conceptual exposition. Under our benevolent stewardship, we assured each other, it could surely become some sort of launchpad for radical new ideas, a haven for subversives all over the planet.

It was at that point that the auteurs realised their bank cards did not work in Sudan, and that there were no international money transfer services they could use to wire themselves some cash.

This setback represented the first consequence of our failure to do any preparatory research. The nagging sense that our maverick approach to reaching Bir Tawil may not have been the wisest way forward gained momentum with consequence number two, which was that to solve the money problem we had to persuade a friend of a friend of a friend of an Egyptian business acquaintance to do an illicit currency trade for us on the outskirts of Khartoum. Consequence number three namely that, given our lack of knowledge about where we could and could not legally film in the capital, after a few days we inadvertently attracted the attention of an undercover state security agent while carrying around $2,000 worth of used Sudanese banknotes in an old rucksack, and were arrested transformed suspicion into certainty.

The route to Bir Tawil

On the date Omar and I were incarcerated, millions of citizens in South Sudan were heading to the polls to decide between continued unity with the north or secession and a new, independent state of their own. We sat silently in a nondescript office block just off Gamaa Avenue the citys main diplomatic thoroughfare while a group of men in black suits and dark sunglasses scrolled through files on Omars video camera. Armed soldiers, unsmiling, stood guard at the door. Through the rooms single window, open but barred, the sound of nearby traffic could be heard. The images on the screen depicted me and Omar gadding about town on the days following our arrival; me and Omar unfurling huge rolls of yellowing paper at the governments survey department; me and Omar scrawling indecipherable patterns on sheets of paper in an effort to design the new Bir Tawili flag; me and Omar squabbling over fabric colours at the Omdurman market where we had gone to stitch together the aforementioned flag. With each new picture, a man who appeared to be the senior officer raised his eyes to meet ours, shook his head, and sighed.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, I pointed out to Omar how apposite it was that at the very moment in which votes were being cast in the south, possibly redrawing the regions borders for ever, we had been placed under lock and key in a military intelligence unit almost a thousand miles to the north for attempting to do the same. Omar, concerned about the fate of both his camera and the contents of the rucksack, declined to respond. I predicted that in the not too distant future, when we had made it to Bir Tawil, we would look back on this moment and laugh. Omar glared.

In the end, our captivity lasted under an hour. The senior officer concluded, perceptively, that, whatever we were attempting to do, we were far too incompetent to do it properly, or to cause too much trouble along the way. Upon our release, we set about obtaining a jeep that could take us to Bir Tawil. Every reputable travel agent we approached turned us down point-blank, citing the prevalence of bandit attacks in the desert. Thankfully, we were able to locate a disreputable travel agent, a large man with a taste for loud polo shirts who went by the name of Obai. Obai was actually not a travel agent at all, but rather a big-game hunter with a lucrative sideline in ambiguously licensed pick-up trucks. In exchange for most of our used banknotes, he offered to provide us with a jeep, a satellite phone, two tanks of water, and his nephew Gedo, who happened to be looking for work as a driver. In the absence of any alternative offers, we gratefully accepted.

Unlike Obai, who was a font of swashbuckling anecdotes and improbable tales of derring-do, Gedo turned out to be a more taciturn soul. He was a civil engineer who had previously done construction work on the colossal Merowe dam in northern Sudan, Africas largest hydropower project. On the day of our departure, he turned up wearing a baseball cap with Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics emblazoned across the front, and carrying a loaded gun. As we waved goodbye to Obai and began weaving our way through the capitals rush hour traffic, Omar and I set about explaining to Gedo the intricacies of our plan to transform Bir Tawil into an open-source state that would disrupt existing patterns of global power and privilege no mean feat, given that we didnt understand any of the intricacies ourselves. Gedo responded to this as he responded to everything: with a sage nod and a deliberate stroke of his stubble.

Im here to protect you, he told us solemnly, as we swung north on to the highway and left Khartoum behind us. Also, Ive never been on a holiday before, and this one sounds fun.

Bir Tawils unusual status wedged between the borders of two countries and yet claimed by neither is a byproduct of colonial machinations in north-east Africa, during an era of British control over Egypt and Egyptian influence on Sudan.

In 1899, government representatives from London and Cairo the latter nominally independent, but in reality the servants of a British protectorate put pen to paper on an agreement which established the shared dominion of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The treaty specified that, following 18 years of intense fighting between Egyptian and British forces on the one side and Mahdist rebels in Sudan on the other, Sudan would now become a British colony in all but name. Its northern border with Egypt was to run along the 22nd parallel, cutting a straight line through the Nubian desert right out to the ocean.

Three years later, however, another document was drawn up by the British. This one noted that a mountain named Bartazuga, just south of the 22nd parallel, was home to the nomadic Ababda tribe, which was considered to have stronger links with Egypt than Sudan. The document stipulated that henceforth this area should be administered by Egypt. Meanwhile, a much-larger triangle of land north of the 22nd parallel, named Halaib, abutting the Red Sea, was assigned to the Beja people who are largely based in Sudan for grazing, and thus now came under Sudans jurisdiction. And that was that, for the next few decades at least. World wars came and went, regimes rose and fell, and those imaginary lines in the sand gathered dust in bureaucratic archives, of little concern to anyone on the ground.

Disputes only started in earnest when Sudan finally achieved independence in 1956. The new postcolonial government in Khartoum immediately declared that its national borders matched the tweaked boundaries stipulated in the second proclamation, making the Halaib triangle Sudanese. Egypt demurred, insisting that the latter document was concerned only with areas of temporary administrative jurisdiction and that sovereignty had been established in the earlier treaty. Under this logic, the real border stayed straight and the Halaib triangle remained Egyptian.

By the early 1990s, when a Canadian oil firm signalled its intention to begin exploration in Halaib and the prospect of substantial mineral wealth being found in the region gained momentum, the disagreement was no longer academic. Egypt sent military forces to reclaim Halaib from Sudan, and despite fierce protests from Khartoum which still considers Halaib to be Sudanese and even tried to organise voting there during the 2010 Sudanese general election it has remained under Cairos control ever since.

Our world is littered with contested borders. The geographers Alexander Diener and Joshua Hagen refer to the dashed lines on atlases as the scars of history. Compared with other divisions between countries that seem so solid and timeless when scored on a map, these squiggles enclaves, misshapen lumps and odd protrusions are a reminder of how messy and malleable the process of drawing up borders has always been.

What makes this particular border conflict unique, though, is not the tussle over the Halaib triangle itself, but rather the impact it has had on the smaller patch of land just south of the 22nd parallel around Bartazuga mountain, the area known as Bir Tawil.

Egypt and Sudans rival claims on Halaib both rest on documents that appear to assign responsibility for Bir Tawil to the other country. As a result, neither wants to assert any sovereignty over Bir Tawil, for to do so would be to renounce their rights to the larger and more lucrative territory. On Egyptian maps, Bir Tawil is shown as belonging to Sudan. On Sudanese maps, it appears as part of Egypt. In practice, Bir Tawil is widely believed to have the legal status of terra nullius nobodys land and there is nothing else quite like it on the planet.

Omar and I were not, it must be acknowledged, the first to discover this anomaly. If the internet is to be believed, Bir Tawil has in fact been claimed many times over by keyboard emperors whose virtual principalities and warring microstates exist only online. The Kingdom of the State of Bir Tawil boasts a national anthem by the late British jazz musician Acker Bilk. The Emirate of Bir Tawil traces its claim over the territory to, among other sources, the Quran, the British monarchy, the 1933 Montevideo Convention and the 1856 US Guano Islands Act. There is a Grand Dukedom of Bir Tawil, an Empire of Bir Tawil, a United Arab Republic of Bir Tawil and a United Lunar Emirate of Bir Tawil. The last of these has a homepage featuring a citizen application form, several self-help mantras, and stock photos of people doing yoga in a park.

From our rarefied vantage point at the back of Obais Toyota Hilux, it was easy to look down with disdain upon these cyber-squatting chancers. None of them had ever actually set foot in Bir Tawil, rendering their claims to sovereignty worthless. Few had truly grappled with Bir Tawils complex backstory, or of the bloodshed it was built upon (tens of thousands of Sudanese fighters and civilians died as a result of the Egyptian and British military assaults that ended in the establishment of Sudans northern borders and thus, ultimately, the creation of Bir Tawil). Granted, Omar and I knew little of the backstory either, but at least we had actually got to Sudan and were making, by our own estimation, a decent fist of finding out. We ate our energy bars, listened attentively to tales of Gedos love life, and scanned the road for clues. The first arrived nearly 200 miles north-east of Khartoum, about a third of the way up towards Bir Tawil, when we came across a city of iron and fire oozing kerosene into the desert. This was Atbara: home of Sudans railway system, and the engine room of its modern-day creation story.

Until very recently, the long history of Sudan has not been one of a single country or people: many different tribes, religions and political factions have competed for power and resources, across territories and borders that bear no relation to those marking out the states limits today. A lack of rigid, recognisable boundaries was used to help justify Europes violent scramble to occupy and annex land throughout Africa in the 19th century. Often, the first step taken by western colonisers was to map and border the territory they were seizing. Charting of land was usually a prelude to military invasion and resource extraction; during the British conquest of Sudan, Atbara was crucial to both.

Sudans contemporary railway system began life as a battering ram for the British to attack Khartoum. Trains carried not only weapons and troops but everyday provisions too, specified by Winston Churchill as the letters, newspapers, sausages, jam, whisky, soda water, and cigarettes which enable the Briton to conquer the world without discomfort. Atbara was the site where key rail lines intersected, and its importance grew rapidly after Londons grip on Sudan had been formalised in the 1899 Anglo-Egyptian treaty.

Everything that mattered, from cotton to gum, came through here, as did all the rolling stock needed to move and export it, Mohamed Ederes, a local railway storekeeper, told us. He walked us through his warehouse, down corridors stacked high with box after box of metal train parts and past giant leather-bound catalogues stuffed with handwritten notes. From here, he declared proudly, you reached the world.

Atbaras colonial origins are still etched into its modern-day layout. One half of the town, originally the preserve of expatriates, is low-rise and leafy; on the other side of the tracks, where native workers were made to live, accommodation is denser and taller. But just as Atbara was a vehicle for colonialism, so too was it the place in which a distinct sense of Sudanese nationhood began to develop.

As Sudans economy grew in the early 20th century, so did the railway industry, bringing thousands of migrant workers from disparate social and ethnic groups to the city. By the second world war, Atbara was famous not only for its carriage depots and loading sidings, but also for the nationalist literature and labour militancy of those who worked within them. Poets as well as workers leaders emerged out of the nascent trade union movement in the late 1940s, which held devastating strikes and helped shake the foundations of British rule. The same train lines that had once borne Churchills sausages and soda water were now deployed to deliver workers solidarity packages all over the country, during industrial action that ultimately brought the colonial economy to a halt. Within a decade, Sudan secured independence.

The next morning, as we drove on, Gedo grew quieter and the signs of human habitation became sparser. At Karima, a small town 150 miles further north, we came across a fleet of abandoned Nile steamers stranded on the river bank; below stairs there were metal plaques bearing the name of shipwrights from Portsmouth, Southampton and Glasgow, each companys handiwork now succumbing slowly to the elements. We clambered through cobwebbed cabins and across rotting sun decks, and then decided to scale the nearby Jebel Barkal Holy Mountain in Arabic where eagles tracked us warily from the sky. Omar maintained a running commentary on our progress, delivered as a flawless Herzog parody, and it proved so painful for all in earshot that the eagles began to dive-bomb us. We set off running, taking refuge among the mountains scattered ruins.

Jebel Barkal was once believed to be the home of Amun, king of gods and god of wind. Fragments of Amuns temple are still visible at the base of the cliffs. Over the past few millennia, Jebel Barkal has been the outermost limit of Egypts Pharaonic kingdoms, the centre of an autonomous Nubian region, and a vassal province of an empire headquartered thousands of miles away in Constantinople. In the modern era of defined borders and seemingly stable nation states, Bir Tawil seems an impossible anomaly. But standing over the jagged crevices of Jebel Barkal, looking out across a region that had been passed between so many different rulers, and formed part of so many different arrangements of power over land, our endpoint started to feel more familiar.

Abandoned Nile steamers stranded on the river bank at Karima. Photograph: Omar Robert Hamilton

The following evening we camped at Abu Hamed, on the very edge of the desert. Beyond the ramshackle cafeterias that have sprung up to serve the artisanal gold-mining community sending shisha smoke and the noise of Egyptian soap operas spiralling up into the night Omar and I saw the outlines of large agricultural reclamation projects, silhouetted in the distance against a starry sky. Since 2008, when global food prices spiked, there has been a boom in what critics call land-grabbing: international investors and sovereign wealth funds snapping up leases on massive tracts of African territory in order to intensify the production of crops for export, and bringing such territory under the control of European, Asian and Gulf nations in the process. Arable land was the first to be targeted, but increasingly desert areas are also being fenced off and sold. Near Abu Hamed, Saudi Arabian companies have been greening the sand blanketing it in soil and water in an effort to make it fertile with worrying consequences for both the environment and local communities, some of whom have long asserted customary rights over the area.

It was not so long ago that the prophets of globalisation proclaimed the impending decline of the nation-state and the rise of a borderless world one modelled on the frictionless transactions of international finance, which pay no heed to state boundaries.

A resurgent populist nationalism and the refugee crisis that has stoked its flames has exposed such claims as premature, and investors depend more than ever on national governments to open up new terrains for speculation and accumulation, and to discipline citizens who dare to stand in the way. But there is no doubt that we now live in a world where the power of capital has profoundly disrupted old ideas about political authority inside national boundaries. All over the planet, the institutions that impact our lives most directly banks, buses, hospitals, schools, farms can now be sold off to the highest bidder and governed by the whims of a transnational financial elite. Where national borders once enclosed populations capable of practising collective sovereignty over their own resources, in the 21st century they look more and more like containers for an inventory of private assets, each waiting to be spliced, diced and traded around the world.

It was at Abu Hamed, while lying awake at night in a sleeping bag, nestled into a shallow depression in the sand, that I realised the closer we were getting to our destination, the more I understood what was so beguiling about it. Now that Bir Tawil was in sight, it had started to appear less like an aberration and more like a question: is there anything natural about how borders and power function in the world today?

In the end, there was no fanfare. On a hazy Tuesday afternoon, 40 hours since we left the road at Abu Hamed, 13 days since we touched down in Khartoum, and six months since the dotted lines of Bir Tawil first appeared before our eyes, Omar gave a shout from the back of the jeep. I checked our GPS coordinates on the satellite phone, and cross-referenced them with the map. Gedo, on being informed that we were now in Bir Tawil and outside of any countrys dominion, promptly took out his gun and fired off a volley of shots. We traipsed up a small hillock and wedged our somewhat forlorn flag into the rocks a yellow desert fox, set against a black circle and bordered by triangles of green and red then sat and gazed out at the horizon, tracing the rise and fall of distant mountains and following the curves of sunken valleys as they criss-crossed each other like veins through the sand. The sky and the ground both looked massive, and unending, and the warm stones around us crumbled in our hands. After a couple of hours, Gedo said that it was getting late, so we climbed back into the jeep and began the long journey home.

Well before our journey had ever begun, we had hoped albeit not particularly fervently that we could do something with it, something that mattered; that by striking out for a place this nebulous we could find a shortcut to social justice, two days drive from the nearest tap or telephone. In 800 square miles of desert, we thought that we could exploit the outlines of the bordered world in order to subvert it.

Jeremiah Heaton, beyond the kingdom for a princess schmaltz and the forthcoming Disney adaptation (he has sold film rights to his story for an undisclosed fee) seems albeit from an almost diametrically opposite philosophical outlook to be convinced of something similar. For him, the fantasy is a libertarian one, offering freedom not from the iniquities of capitalism but from the government interference that inhibits it. Just as we did, he wants to take advantage of a quirk in the system to defy it. When I spoke to Heaton, he told me with genuine enthusiasm that his country (not yet recognised by any other state or international body) would offer the worlds great innovators a place to develop their products unencumbered by taxes and regulation, a place where private enterprise faces no socially prescribed borders of its own. Big companies, he assured me, were scrambling to join his vision.

Jack Shenkers makeshift flag planted in Bir Tawil Photograph: Omar Robert Hamilton

You would be surprised at the outreach that has occurred from the corporate level to me directly, Heaton insisted during our conversation. Its not been an issue of me having to go out and sell myself on this idea. A lot of these large corporations, they see market opportunities in what Im doing. He painted a picture of Bir Tawil one day playing host to daring scientific research, ground-breaking food-production facilities and alternative banking systems that work for the benefit of customers rather than CEOs. I asked him if he understood why some people found his plans, and the assumptions they rested on, highly dubious.

Theres that saying: if you were king for a day, what would you do differently? he replied. Think about that question yourself and apply it to your own country. Thats what Im doing, but on a much bigger scale. This is not colonialism; Im an individual, not a country, I havent taken land that belongs to any other country, and Im not extracting resources other than sunshine and sand. I am just one human being, trying to improve the condition of other human beings. I have the purest intentions in the world to make this planet a better place, and to try and criticise that just because Im a white person sitting on land in the middle of the Nubian desert He trailed off, and was silent for a moment. Well, he concluded, its really juvenile.

But if, by some miracle, Heaton ever did gain global recognition as the legitimate leader of an independent Bir Tawili state, would his pitch to corporations base yourself here to avoid paying taxes and escape the manacles of democratic oversight actually do anything to improve the condition of other human beings? Part of the allure of unclaimed spaces is their radical potential to offer a blank canvas but as Omar and I belatedly realised, nothing, and nowhere, starts from scratch. Any utopia founded on the basis of a concept terra nullius that has wreaked immense historical destruction, is built on rotten foundations.

In truth, no place is a dead zone, stopped in time and ripe for private capture least of all Bir Tawil, which translates as long well in Arabic and was clearly the site of considerable human activity in the past. Although it lacks any permanent dwellings today, this section of desert is still used by members of the Ababda and Bisharin tribes who carry goods, graze crops and make camp within the sands. (Not the least of our failures was that we did not manage to speak to any of the peoples who had passed through Bir Tawil before we arrived.) Their ties to the area may be based on traditional rather than written claims but Bir Tawil is not any more a no mans land than the territory once known as British East Africa, where terra nullius was repeatedly invoked in the early 20th century by both chartered companies andthe Britishgovernment that supported them to justify the appropriation of territory from indigenous people. I cannot admit that wandering tribes have a right to keep other and superior races out of large tracts, exclaimed the British commissioner, Sir Charles Eliot, at the time, merely because they have acquired the habit of straggling over far more land than they can utilise.

Bir Tawil is no terra nullius. But no mans lands or at least ambiguous spaces, where boundaries take odd turns and sovereignty gets scrambled are real and exist among us every day. Some endure at airports, and inside immigration detention centres, and in the pockets of economic deprivation where states have abandoned any responsibility for their citizens. Others no mans lands are carried around by refugees who are yet to be granted asylum, regardless of where they may be having fled failed states or countries which would deny them the rights of citizenship, they occupy a world of legal confusion at best, and outright exclusion at worst.

Perhaps that is why, as we switched off the camera and left Bir Tawil behind us, Omar and I felt a little let down. Or perhaps we shared a sense of anticlimax because we were faintly aware of something rumbling back home in Cairo, where millions of people were about to launch an epic fight against political and economic exclusion not by withdrawing to a no mans land but by confronting state authority head-on, in the streets. A week after our return to Egypt, the country erupted in revolution.

Borders are fluid things; they help define our identities, and yet so often we use our identities to push up against borders and redraw them. For now the boundaries that divide nation states remain, but their purpose is changing and the relationship they have to our own lives, and our own rights, is growing increasingly unstable. If Bir Tawil the preeminent ambiguous space is anything to those who live far from it, it is perhaps a reminder that no particular configuration of power and governance is immutable. As we drove silently, and semi-contentedly, back past the gold-foragers, and the ramshackle cafeteria, and the heavy machinery of the Saudi farm installations Gedo at the wheel, Omar asleep and me staring out at nothing I grasped what I had failed to grasp on that lazy night of beer drinking on Omars balcony. The last truly unclaimed land on earth is really an injunction: not for us to seek out the mythical territory where we can hide from the things that anger us, but to channel that anger instead towards reclaiming territory we already call our own.

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from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/welcome-to-the-land-that-no-country-wants-jack-shenker/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/184057060162