#e: western energy

[nyxofdemons]

can we finally talk about the stolitz hands motif please please

[ryllen]

do u know that even the size of the different size of vegetables at another country amazed me because from where i came from they are all smaller and scrawnier

[delicatetigermaker]

In The Evening

[karasukarei]

Wind Breaker Special Stage Event - Tonpuu-machi Halloween Matsuri Afternoon Show Special Reading Drama (part 1)

I originally didn't plan to translate this event because it's not exactly publicly available, but some of the stuff in the drama is just COMEDY GOLD and it seems that there are people who are interested in seeing the script, so here it is! Do note that for some of Nirei's lines when he's describing the outfits, I didn't really manage to translate the full thing because my 日本語 is not 上手 enough to keep up with him ;-;

You can check out the rest of my translations here!

*PA announcement starting tune*

💙Umemiya💙(over the PA system): Ah ah, A I U E O, I U E O, A U E O A I! (t/n: This is just him testing the mic) To everyone in Tonpu-machi Shopping Street, this is Fuurin High School’s 3rd year Umemiya! Thanks for taking part in Tonpu-machi Shopping Street’s Halloween celebrations today! This year, us Boufuurin will be here to hype things up, so make sure you have lots of fun! Alright everyone, HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Yosh, alright Hiiragi, time for us to get changed too~

Hiiragi: You idiot, it’s still on!

💙Umemiya💙: (very apologetically but not really) oops my bad ^^;

*PA announcement ending tune*

*The sound of wind chimes ringing*

Suo: As usual, Umemiya-san is so full of energy today!

Sakura: That guy is as noisy as ever.

Nirei: Let’s try our best today too, and have fun at the party! (t/n: Just a note that Chiba Shoya was the MC for the whole event, and he STILL had so much energy doing this segment ;-; what a ray of sunshine)

Suo: Nirei-kun, you look like you’re having lots of fun!

Nirei: Yes! I love Halloween! It’s just so fun!

Sakura: Speaking of, what are we doing today?

Nirei: What we’re doing? “The shopping street’s Halloween Party is being hosted by Boufuurin this year, so you guys should help out too,” that’s what Umemiya-san told us!

Sakura: Halloween, huh?

Suo: Sakura-kun, you do know what Halloween is, right?

Sakura: *splutters and blushes* Don’t take me for an idiot! It’s the day you eat pumpkins right?!

Suo: That’s the winter solstice! (t/n: Winter solstice = 冬至 = “toji”)

Sakura: T,To-Toji, who’s that?! (t/n: if you watch JJK, you will understand why this joke goes so hard on so many levels 😩)

Nirei: No, that’s not a person’s name…

Sakura: Huh?!

Nirei: Halloween is a fun event where you eat candy and dress up!

Suo: Its original meaning is as a harvest festival, or the western equivalent of Obon (t/n: Obon is the period of time in August when people visit their ancestors’ graves to pay respects to them), it had several different meanings!

Sakura: Hmmm…

Nirei: Oh, Sakura-san, do you know what is “trick or treat”?

Sakura: Trick or… treat? What’s that?

Nirei: It’s a phrase that’s associated with Halloween!

Suo: If you don’t give me candy… I’m gonna prank you.

Sakura: Eeek! D, d, d, don’t whisper into my ear!!!

Nirei: *laughs at Sakura* Anyway, when someone tells you “trick or treat”, you give candy to them so that you won’t get pranked.

Sakura: *Gasp* Extortion??

Nirei: Why are you going down such a violent route…!

Hiiragi: Oi, Sakura, Nirei, Suo.

Suo: Hiiragi-san, thank you for the hard work.

Nirei: Wowowowowwhawahaahahwhawha!!!

Sakura: You, what’s up with your outfit?!

Hiiragi: What do you mean “what’s up”? This is my halloween costume.

Suo: That’s… the grim reaper, right?

Hiiragi: Yup. You know it well, huh?

Nirei: C-

Sakura: Huh?

Nirei: COOOOOOOL!!! 

Sakura: *sounds of shock and surprise*

Nirei: A coordinated outfit all in black, it’s perfect for the calm and collected Hiiragi-san! With the hood (???? I couldn’t catch everything cos he was speaking so fast x_x), he looks all ready to start reaping souls! It’s a sure kill!!!! (t/n: sorry about this part I am not good with compound sentences ;-;)

Hiiragi: Nirei? What’s up?

Nirei: TO BE ABLE TO SEE TAMONSHUU’S HIIRAGI, DRESSED LIKE THIS, I AM OVERJOYED. (t/n: yes Nirei is shouting REALLY LOUDLY)

Hiiragi: (very hesitantly) Y, yes, t-thanks a lot. Thanks to you the mood is a bit lighter now.

Suo: Your face seems rather gloomy, did something happen?

Hiiragi: *sigh* Just now, I wanted to give out some candy to a kid, and when they saw me they started crying. (sounds of gastric ulcers forming) That’s all…

💙Umemiya💙: Oi Hiiragi, don’t look so down!

Nirei: OHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Sakura: Umemiya and… Sugishita…

Sugishita: That’s Umemiya-SAN, HUUUH?

💙Umemiya💙: Now now, don’t fight ^_^

Suo: Umemiya-san is a pirate right?

💙Umemiya💙: Yup! How is it? Does it fit me?

Nirei: It doesn’t just more than fit you! That hat is proof that you’re the captain, no, admiral! (he mentions something about Boufuurin as a pirate party???) It’s the most fitting costume for the head of Boufuurin! THERE’S NOTHING ELSE THAT’S MORE FITTING FOR UMEMIYA-SAN!!! (t/n: Nirei please slow down and use simpler sentences 僕の日本語は上手じゃない;-;)

💙Umemiya💙: Hehehe, if you praise me like that I’m gonna get embarrassed!

Sugishita: Oi!

Nirei: Eeek! I’m sorry I got carried away…

Sugishita: You understood it well. (t/n: AS EXPECTED OF UMEMIYA’S BIGGEST SIMP. ALSO THE AUDIENCE LAUGHING HERE IS SUPER LOUD LMAO)

Nirei: Eh?

Hiiragi: Ohh, Sugishita praised Nirei.

Suo: That’s great, Nirei-kun!

Nirei: A ha ha ha ha ha… (very robotically)

Sakura: Speaking of, is what you’re wearing your costume?

Sugishita: Huuuuuuh?

Suo: Sugishita-kun is… a ghost?

💙Umemiya💙: Oh! You’ve got it right, Suo! Sugishita is wearing the sheet ghost that I produced! (t/n: please go back to gardening Umemiya this is not your forte)

Sakura: Sheet ghost… Isn’t that just a piece of cloth? *snickering very loudly*

Sugishita: Huh?!

💙Umemiya💙: Eh? Look carefully! It has a face!

Nirei: Yes, you can definitely see something that looks like eyes there!

Sugishita: What’s strange?!

Nirei: Eek!! Nothing is strange at all! The costume created by Umemiya-san is amazing I’m sorryyyyyyy.

💙Umemiya💙: Come on Sugishita! Play nice! (t/n: he’s whispering this part like he’s speaking to his pet dog www) Oh, for the rest of you guys, we’ve prepared costumes too, so don’t worry!

Sakura: Huh?!

Nirei: Is it ok if we dress up too?

💙Umemiya💙: Of course! There’s costumes and sweets and delicious food, that’s what Halloween is about!

Hiiragi: The last one isn’t part of it though. (t/n: this might be a mistranslation, do feel free to let me know if this is wrong)

Sakura: Why do I need to dress up too?! I’m not doing it!! (t/n: you are so going to do it)

[reasonsforhope]

I'm worried about electronic waste, e-waste recycling, and such loss of resources.

That's real. For what it's worth, I think it's something we're going to get a LOT better at. The raw materials - and even partially depleted materials that can be downcycled - are too valuable to be left forever.

Tip for anyone worried about e-waste or looking to be more environmentally conscious: Whenever I have something electronic that dies (this includes batteries, power cords, string lights, and vapes), I stick it in an out-of-the-way drawer, and then once every year or two, I bring it all to either an e-waste recycling place or an e-waste disposal place (which, my understanding is most e-waste disposal places do a lot of materials reclamation as well, though if I'm wrong someone please correct me). I just look online to find a place.

Sometimes it's a bit of a drive, but it's so worth it. I encourage others to do the same!

Anyway, here's some headlines about e-waste to hopefully lift your spirits:

^That's Western Australia, not Washington state.

[book-of-forbidden-knowledge]

Some Basic Occult Terms You Should Know

If you're a newbie occultist, you might feel a bit thrown off by all of the arcane terminology and magibabble that your books will start throwing at you. Here's a list of all the most important and/or most misued terms, and what they're supposed to mean. (If you're a fantasy writer and you want some authentic occult terms to use for your magic system, this might be useful for you, too!) I have a list of occult fields and divination methods here, so I'll leave them off this list.

Altar: Your working space for ritual. It's called an altar because magic is (usually) an inherently spiritual endeavor — you are communing with grand cosmic forces, of one kind or another. A basic altar consists of your magical tools, candles (for vibes), and images or statues of whatever spirits you're working with. (Spelled altar with an "a," not alter with an "e." An alter is a headmate or a personality in a DID system.)

Athame: A ritual knife, specifically one used in Wicca. It's mostly used for directing energy, rather than for cutting things. (Sometimes, a knife or sickle that is used for cutting things is called a boline.)

Apotropaic: Referring to protection magic. An apotropaic charm is a spell meant to keep bad stuff away. Amulets are apotropaic talismans.

Astral: The spirit world. The astral plane is the literal or figurative "above" in "As above, so below." "Astral" can refer to ethereal or spiritual beings or "energy." Sometimes magic is called "Astral Light," like the Force in Star Wars. Astral projection is traveling through the astral plane during meditation, by sending one's spirit or astral body away from one's physical body.

Besom: A witch's broom, specifically a traditional broom made of twigs tied around a pole. It's just an old term for a broom. (Witchcraft likes to make use of Old and Middle English words.)

Baneful: Describes any kind of spell designed to harm or inhibit another person. Also called malefic (as opposed to benefic) magic.

Banishing: A spell that is designed to force unwanted vibes out of a space. Usually performed at the beginning and end of a ritual, so you can begin with a "blank slate." It's like hitting the magical reset button. Also good for managing negative emotions. The best-known banishing in Western occultism is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. A banishing can also be a type of baneful working that forces a person's influence out of your life.

Binding: A spell that is designed to prevent a person or entity from acting. A binding spell can prevent a person from harming themself or others, or prevent a spirit from misbehaving.

Charm: A generic term for a spell, especially one represented by a physical object or phrase. A lot of charms are inscriptions or symbols written on paper and kept on one's person.

Conjuring: A spell or ritual that summons a spirit. Invocation and evocation are both types of conjuration.

Correspondences: Magical properties of things existing in nature, e.g. colors, crystals, plants, animals, elements, planets. They were once called occult virtues, and were a staple of Renaissance magic. They're like the building blocks of a spell or ritual, and they can be used as tools to align natural forces with the magician's intent.

Curse: A baneful enchantment, a spell designed to cause harm to another person. There's lots of different types of curses, and lots of reasons to cast one. Sometimes the word hex is used interchangeably.

Demonolatry: The practice of worshipping demons, as opposed to demonology, which is the study of demons or any magical working involving demons. Some magicians prefer to bind and command demons rather than worshipping them, but demonolators treat demons the way pagan witches typically treat gods.

Divination: Acquiring information by magical means. There's thousands of different methods. Some of the more popular ones are cartomancy, reading cards, cleromancy, casting objects like stones or dice, and scrying, staring into a blank object like a mirror or a crystal ball. Astrology is a kind of divination, too.

Ego Death: A particular type of mystical experience, in which one becomes "submerged" in the infinitely vast presence of God or the Universe, and briefly loses one's sense of self. It can be traumatic the first time one experiences it, which is why it's compared to or symbolized by death. Subsequent times are usually much more peaceful and enlightening. A prerequisite for most mystical traditions.

Egregore: An entity created and sustained by a group of people, a collective thoughtform.

Elements: Much of Western esotericism is based around the four classical elements, Earth (🜃), Air (🜁), Fire (🜂), and Water (🜄). They're better understood as the four states of matter: solids (🜃), liquids (🜄), gasses (🜁), and plasma (🜂). Each one is understood as a spiritual force, with its own correspondences and areas of life that it governs. Much of Western magic involves harnessing their influence.

Enchanting: Imbuing an object or place with magic. The magic of the enchantment will last much longer than the duration of the ritual.

Evocation: Calling a spirit to appear before you within a ritual space, a more correct word for summoning. Ideally, a successful evocation will cause the spirit to manifest before you in some way (though you might need a scrying mirror in order to see it).

Familiar: A personal spirit that aids a witch or other magic practitioner. Distinct from a servitor in that it is an external entity that helps the witch of its own accord, not one that the witch themself has created. Traditionally shaped like an animal, but not always. (Lately, the term has become popular as a word for a witch's pet or animal companion. Lots of people use the word "familiar" to refer to pets that aid with magical workings. Traditionally, though, familiars are spirits, not actual animals.)

Fetch: A witch's astral body (or servitor) sent forth to do their bidding.

Glamour: A type of enchantment or illusion spell that changes the appearance of something. In real life, glamour spells won't literally change the physical appearance of a thing, but they will change people's reactions to a thing, e.g. casting a glamour on yourself can cause other people to perceive you as being more attractive.

Grimoire: A book of magic (as opposed to a book about magic). There are lots of mysterious magic books that circulated in Europe in the Middle Ages and early modern period. These books are full of spells, rituals, and weird symbols meant to conjure spirits, gain secret knowledge, and control other people. Modern grimoires are books of practical spells and rituals for experienced practitioners, as opposed to theory or how-to guides. Most occultists also keep a personal grimoire to record their own spells and rituals and their results. (In Wicca, a personal grimoire is called a "Book of Shadows.")

Incantation: Magic words, especially spoken (as opposed to written) spells.

Invocation: Calling a spirit to give you some of its power, either by lending its attention or influence to your magical working, or by physically possessing your body and mind. The latter type of invocation can be partial, meaning you share your body/mind with the spirit, or total, in which the spirit possesses you completely. Don't attempt total invocation alone! Total invocation needs a group ritual, so that other people can tell you what you do and say while possessed, and keep you safe. (Besides, partial invocation is intense enough as it is.)

Left-Hand Path: In Western occultism, the Left-Hand Path is an umbrella term for traditions that take an iconoclastic or self-interested approach to magic. LHPers tend to resent dogma, question taboos, and place emphasis on one's personal power or divinity over unification with the Divine or service to others.

Magic: It's impossible to properly define "magic," with all of its nuances, in a list like this. So I'll give the short version: One famous definition is Aleister Crowley's, "causing change in accordance with Will." This is a pretty broad definition that includes anything done with intention. A more academic definition of magic is "heterodox ritual behavior." Personally, I prefer "harnessing spiritual or supernatural forces to cause desired change in one's life."

Mysticism: The practice of facilitating direct interaction with the Divine, i.e. meeting God face-to-face, in order to acquire spiritual knowledge. Mysticism is taxing and comes with a real risk of insanity, so, it requires a lot of diligent study and mental discipline for most people.

Necromancy: Originally, necromancy referred to a type of divination, which involved calling the spirit of a dead person to ask it questions. (The "Speak With Dead" spell in D&D is a great example of traditional necromancy.) Lately, though, "necromancy" has come to refer to any kind of magic involving the dead. (Be respectful! Dead people are still people.)

Patron Deity: A god or goddess that takes a personal interest in you and your spiritual development. You can't force a god to take interest in you, so you may or may not have a patron deity. If you don't have one, don't worry, you can still do magical work with gods! See this post for the rundown. (Btw, the feminine of "patron" is patroness, not "matron." "Matron" means something different.)

Pentacle: A type of circular talisman inscribed with a sigil representing a spirit or planet, used to evoke its influence. Typically worn as a pendant. Also refers to a pentagram (five-pointed star) in a circle.

Poppet: A doll made of clay or cloth used to represent a person in a spell. In pop culture, poppets ("voodoo dolls") are best known as cursing tools, by being pricked with pins or otherwise harmed in order to harm the person. But there are lots of potential uses for poppets beyond that! For example, they can also be used as healing tools by being stuffed with herbs, or taken care of like a sick person. A type of sympathetic magic.

Projection: Pushing one's own magical power or intention out of one's body, using one's wand or dominant hand. Astral projection is pushing one's spirit out of one's body. A projection is also a type of illusion that creates the appearance of something that isn't there (as opposed to a glamour, which disguises something that is there).

Right-Hand Path: In Western occultism, the Right-Hand Path is an umbrella term for traditions that adopt a formalized structure, and/or place emphasis on mystical union with God and achieving enlightenment. The RHP tends to be more community-focused, as opposed to the LHP's radical individualism. RHPers also care about order, and working according to established traditions.

Servitor: An entity created by the magician. Usually, servitors are "programmed" to perform specific tasks, like magical robots. A servitor created by a group of people is an egregore. A servitor with its own personality and agency is sometimes called a tulpa, but this word is appropriated from Tibetan Buddhism, so I tend not to use it. (My personal spirit insists that he is not a tulpa. Also "tulpamancy" drives me up the wall — "-mancy" means divination, people!)

Sigil: An abstract symbol or glyph meant to represent the desire or intention of the magician. Can also be a generic term for magic symbols or seals in grimoires. Sigils have ancient roots, but the practice of turning one's desire or intention into an unreadable symbol is a modern one. Sigil magic streamlines the process of casting a spell, making it simple, but more difficult, because you have fewer tools and gimmicks to do the heavy lifting for you. (Technically, a sigil does not have to be a symbol — it can be a mantra or incantation, a song, a series of dance steps, etc. as long as it abstractly represents the desire.)

Sympathetic Magic: Magic that affects a target by acting upon a symbol of the target, like using a poppet to represent a person, or using a rose to represent the influence of the planet Venus. Anything you do to the symbol, you do to the target. The magical connection between the symbol and the target is called a "sympathetic link." Correspondences are often used as material representations of immaterial things, like luck or love or protection. By acting upon the material object, you affect the immaterial thing.

Talisman: A spell in the form of an object. There's lots of different kinds of talismans: magic words or sigils written on paper, enchanted jewelry, pentacles, natural objects with their own magical properties (like crystals or feathers), packets of herbs and other ingredients, etc. An amulet is an apotropaic talisman. A talisman has to be the spell itself, so, magical tools are (mostly) not talismans.

Theurgy: Deity work. Magic or mysticism involving the invocation of deities, or the practice of casting spells with the aid of a god or goddess. Mystical theurgy attempts to acquire knowledge of the universe by contemplating the Divine, eventually reaching unification with it.

Thoughtform: A thought or idea that is projected out into the universe so that it will manifest physically. The more coherent the thoughtform, and the more willpower behind it, the easier it will be for it to manifest. Thoughtforms are based on the idea that thoughts alone have some degree of existence, even agency. Everything man-made began as an idea in someone's head...

Trance: An altered state of consciousness. Most kinds of magic require one to be able to enter a trance state at will. There are lots of methods of entering a trance state, in broadly two categories: inhibitory trance, which creates an altered state of consciousness by physically restricting the body or mind, and excitatory trance, which creates an altered state of consciousness by overstimulating it.

Unverified Personal Gnosis: The divine messages or insights that a mystic receives during ritual or trance. They're unverified because they don't really hold water for anyone but the mystic themself. (It is not a good idea to go around insisting that your revelations are the infallible word of God and everyone should listen to you.) Shared Personal Gnosis is when multiple mystics have similar experiences or revelations. Verified Personal Gnosis is when your experiences or revelations are attested in historical sources.

Ward: A type of apotropaic spell that protects an area, like a kind of spiritual shield.

[grey-sorcery]

[Title]: Taglocks: How to Target a Person or Place

Related to Taglocks

Threshold Theory Binding Basics Introduction to Gnosis Energy Work Fundamentals Anchors Energetic Constructs Spell Logs Path of Least Resistance Blood Magic Spellcasting Basics

Introduction

A taglock stands as a fundamental element of spellcasting, bridging the material world with the energies, places, and people practitioners seek to influence. A taglock is, at its core, a tangible object that establishes a direct link to a specific target. This object serves as a conduit through which energy can be directed, manipulated, or harnessed in various spellwork and ritualistic practices. 

The term "taglock" itself is derived from the concept of 'tagging' or marking something with a specific identifier, and 'lock,' which implies securing or anchoring a connection. Thus, a taglock effectively anchors the essence or energy of a person, place, or thing to the practitioner’s ritualistic focus. This tangible item could be something inherently connected to the target, such as a personal belonging or a biological sample, thereby ensuring that the magical workings are precise and targeted.

History

The use of objects to establish a connection with a person, place, or entity is a practice that can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The principles underlying taglocks are fundamentally tied to the broader concepts of sympathetic magic and animism, both of which have been integral to human spirituality and ritualistic practices for millennia.

Ancient Civilizations

Mesopotamia and Egypt: In ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures, magic was an integral part of daily life and religious practice. Objects such as amulets, talismans, and personal artifacts were often used to protect, heal, or curse individuals. These items were believed to carry the essence or influence of the person or deity they were associated with. For instance, in ancient Egypt, hair, nails, or pieces of clothing were sometimes used in magical rituals to exert influence over an individual, embodying the early concept of taglocks.

Greece and Rome: The Greco-Roman world also embraced the use of personal items in magic. The Greek Magical Papyri, a collection of ancient magical texts, includes numerous spells that call for the use of personal objects such as hair, nails, and garments. These items were believed to create a sympathetic link to the target, enabling the practitioner to influence them from a distance. This practice reflects the underlying principle of sympathetic magic, where "like affects like," a foundational concept for the use of taglocks.

Medieval and Renaissance Europe

Folk Magic and Witchcraft: In medieval Europe, the use of personal items in folk magic and witchcraft was widespread. Cunning folk, wise women, and witches often employed objects belonging to their clients or targets in their spells and rituals. These objects served as conduits for magical influence, much like modern taglocks. For example, poppets (dolls representing individuals) were frequently stuffed with hair, nails, or clothing scraps from the person they were intended to influence.

Grimoires and Magical Texts: The grimoires and magical texts of the Renaissance period also provide evidence of the use of personal items in magic. The "Key of Solomon," a well-known grimoire, includes instructions for using personal items in rituals to bind or influence others. The "Malleus Maleficarum," a notorious witch-hunting manual, documents the belief in and fear of witches using such items to cast spells.

Indigenous and Non-Western Cultures

African Diasporic Traditions: In various traditional religions and spiritual practices, the use of personal items for magical purposes is common. For example, in Vodou and Hoodoo, personal items such as hair, clothing, and personal effects are used in rituals and spellwork to create a link to the target. These items, often referred to as "personal concerns," function similarly to taglocks by establishing a direct connection between the practitioner and the individual they wish to influence.

Asian Traditions: In Asian cultures, particularly in traditional Chinese and Japanese practices, the use of personal items in magic and healing is also prevalent. In Chinese folk religion and Taoist magic, personal items are used in rituals to heal or protect individuals. Similarly, in Shinto practices in Japan, personal items can be used in purification and protective rituals.

Modern Revival and Adaptation

Contemporary Witchcraft: The modern revival of witchcraft, particularly since the mid-20th century, has seen a resurgence in the use of taglocks. Contemporary practitioners draw on historical and cross-cultural practices, adapting the use of personal items to fit modern magical frameworks. Books on witchcraft and magic frequently discuss the use of taglocks, emphasizing their importance in creating a tangible link to the target.

Neo-Pagan & Occultist Movements: Neo-Pagan movements, such as various forms of Wicca, have incorporated the concept of taglocks into their practices. These movements often emphasize the importance of personal connection and the use of physical objects to ground and direct magical energy. While these practices have evolved, they continue to reflect the ancient principles of sympathetic magic and the use of personal items to establish a magical connection.

How do Taglocks Work?

Energetic Connection and Sympathetic Magic

In the practice of traditional witchcraft, the efficacy of a taglock lies in its ability to establish a connection between the anchored spell and the target. This connection is primarily rooted in the principles of sympathetic magic, a foundational concept that posits that objects can influence one another through their inherent similarities or direct associations; as well as energetic entanglement, the process through which identical energetic compounds can interact without direct spatial contact. 

Sympathetic magic operates on the premise that a taglock, due to its intimate connection with the target, acts as a proxy or representative. The energy directed towards the taglock is believed to transfer seamlessly to the target, facilitating the intended transformation or influence. This is often articulated through the maxim "like effects like," underscoring the principle that items connected by similarity or direct contact can impact each other even when physically separated.

The energetic link established through a taglock is akin to an invisible thread that connects the practitioner’s will to the target. This thread is not a physical entity but an energetic conduit through which influence flows. The strength and clarity of this connection depend on the nature of the taglock and the amount of genetic material it carries. For instance, a strand of hair or a piece of clothing with trace amounts of skin cells creates a more potent connection than a mere photograph or written name. This is due to the energetic compounds that are unique to each person’s genetic sequence and their higher probability to be energetically entangled. While a sympathetic connection works well in most situations, having an energetic connection is significantly more reliable.

Incorporating Taglocks into Spellwork

Anchoring is a necessary step in the utilization of taglocks, involving the establishment of a lasting connection between the taglock and the target within a spell. This process entails affixing the taglock firmly to the desired magical outcome, thereby ensuring that the energy directed through the taglock manifests effectively in the target’s life. Anchoring is not merely about physical attachment but the energetic binding of the taglock to the spell's energetic design.

To anchor a taglock, the practitioner must first select a taglock that has a strong and clear connection to the target. The effectiveness of anchoring is directly proportional to the relevance and potency of the chosen taglock. The next step involves ritually preparing the taglock. This can include cleansing the taglock to remove any extraneous energies, thereby ensuring that it is a pure conduit for the spell’s purpose. Common methods of cleansing include using elements like water, fire, or salt, each method tailored to the nature of the taglock and the spell.

Once cleansed, the practitioner imbues the taglock with the desired energy through a ritual. This may involve chanting, the use of symbols, or the invocation of natural forces to charge the taglock. The ritual acts as a ceremonial binding, infusing the taglock with the energy necessary to enact the spell’s purpose. During this process, the practitioner focuses intensely on the connection between the taglock and the target, reinforcing the energetic link.

Finally, the taglock is integrated into the spell structure. This can be achieved by pulling an energetic conduit from the taglock and into the spell’s anchor. This way, a solid circuit can be established. The key is to position the taglock in a manner that aligns with the natural flow of energy, ensuring that the spell’s influence is directed towards the target with minimal resistance. Just placing a taglock into a jar with other elements has a chance of establishing its own energetic connection, however it is not very likely. 

Unbinding Taglocks

Energetic Dismantling

The most effective method of unbinding a taglock is energetic dismantling, which requires the careful and deliberate dismantling of the energetic connections that have been established during its use. Energetic dismantling is a method that involves consciously deconstructing the energic structures and pathways that link the taglock to its target. This process ensures that the influences exerted through the taglock are effectively neutralized, preventing any residual effects from lingering.

The practitioner utilizes their energetic awareness in order to visually and mentally map out the energetic connections emanating from the taglock. This step is crucial, as it allows for a clear understanding of how the energy has been structured and directed. Once these connections are identified, the practitioner then introduces energetic compounds that are of the opposite frequencies of the energetic connections. This will cause the energetic connections to cancel out and become inert.

After all the connections have been severed, the practitioner proceeds to cleanse the taglock to remove any residual energy. This can be done using elements such as water, salt, or incense, depending on the nature of the taglock and the preferences of the practitioner. The cleansing process ensures that the taglock is fully neutralized, rendering it inert and free from any remaining influence.

Anchor Destruction

Anchor destruction is a more direct and often physical approach to unbinding taglocks. This method involves the literal destruction of the taglock itself, effectively dismantling the anchor that connects it to the target. Anchor destruction is particularly effective when the taglock is a physical object that can be easily manipulated or disposed of.

The first step in anchor destruction is to identify the nature of the taglock and choose an appropriate method of destruction. For physical objects, this could involve burning, breaking, or burying the taglock. Each method carries its own symbolic significance and energetic impact. For instance, burning a taglock in a fire ritual symbolizes purification and transformation, reducing the object to ashes and dispersing its energy into the air. Breaking the taglock into pieces represents a forceful severing of the connection, while burying it in the earth signifies grounding and neutralization.

During the destruction, the practitioner may recite incantations or prayers to reinforce the unbinding process, so long as they do not cause the practitioner to break their state of gnosis. This could serve to solidify the practitioner's will and direct the energy towards severing the connection. As before, cleansing is also recommended afterwards.

Cord Cutting (Not candle divination)

Cord cutting is a technique used to sever the energetic cords or ties that bind the taglock to its target. These cords represent the strings of fate, or channels through which energy flows, maintaining the connection established by the taglock. Cord cutting is a powerful method for releasing these ties, allowing both the practitioner and the target to move forward unencumbered.

To perform a cord-cutting ritual, the practitioner begins by grounding and centering themselves, creating a stable foundation for the work ahead. The taglock is then placed before the practitioner, and a clear intention to sever the energetic cords is set. This intention is crucial, as it directs the focus and power of the ritual.

A common tool for cord cutting is a ritual knife or athame, though other tools such as scissors or even one’s hands can be used depending on the practitioner’s preference. The practitioner then uses their awareness to feel for the energetic cords extending from the taglock and uses the tool to cut through these cords. Each cut is made with deliberate precision.

During the process, the practitioner may also employ visualization techniques to enhance the effectiveness of the ritual. This could involve imagining the cords dissolving into light, evaporating like mist, or being absorbed back into the earth. These visualizations help to solidify the disconnection on both an energetic and psychological level so long as one is aware that visualization in and of itself is not a spell nor energy work.

After the cords have been cut, the practitioner performs a cleansing ritual to purify the space and themselves. This ensures that any residual energy from the cords is fully cleared away, preventing any unintended consequences or lingering attachments. The taglock, now devoid of its energetic ties, can be safely disposed of or repurposed as desired.

Cord cutting not only releases the target from the influence of the taglock but also frees the practitioner from the energetic investment in the spell. This liberation allows for a fresh start, unburdened by the previous connections, and opens the way for new magical endeavors.

Taglock Alternatives

Taglock alternatives are useful in situations where obtaining a physical item linked to the target is impractical or impossible, such as when working at a distance or in covert operations. Methods like visualizations, sigils, memories, elemental representations, and astrological correspondences may still establish a sympathetic link to the target. However, these alternatives often lack the direct energetic connection that taglocks provide, making them less efficient. The inherent uncertainty and reduced potency of these methods can lead to weaker or less reliable spell outcomes, requiring greater effort and near flawless spell design from the practitioner to achieve the desired effects.

Sigils and Symbols: Creating a unique symbol or sigil that represents the target can be a powerful tool. This symbol can be charged with energy and intent to direct the spell's effect.

Visualization Techniques: Instead of using a physical object, practitioners can employ detailed mental images of the target. This involves deeply focusing on the target’s attributes and characteristics during the spellcasting process.

Memories of an individual or location: Using specific memories that encapsulate the essence or identity of the target can serve as a focal point. Repeatedly recalling or chanting the target’s name or a descriptive phrase can help direct the spell.

Elemental Representations: Associating the target with a particular element (earth, air, fire, water) and using that element in the spell can establish a connection. For example, water could be used to represent a person with a flowing, adaptable nature.

Astrological Correspondences: Using the astrological sign, planetary influence, or birth chart of the target can provide a non-physical link. Aligning the spell with specific astrological times or planetary hours that correspond to the target can enhance the connection.

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[misfitwashere]

June 23, 2025 

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUN 24

READ IN APP

In a timeline of Trump’s decision to drop 12 of the reportedly 20 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs the U.S. military possessed on Iran, New York Times reporters confirmed what Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo judged from the beginning: Trump wanted in on the optics of what seemed to be Israel’s successful strikes against Iran.

Andrew Perez and Asawin Suebsaeng of Rolling Stone reported conversations with administration officials who confirmed there was no new intelligence to suggest Iran was on the brink of producing nuclear weapons.

Mark Mazzetti, Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, Eric Schmitt, and Helene Cooper reported yesterday in the New York Times that Trump had warned Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu against striking Iran but changed his mind after seeing how Israel’s military action was “playing” on television. The reporters write: “The president was closely monitoring Fox News, which was airing wall-to-wall praise of Israel’s military operation and featuring guests urging Mr. Trump to get more involved.”

Trump began to hint he had been part of the operation, and military advisors began to draw up plans for a strike. According to the reporters, by June 17—three days after his military parade had fizzled and more than 5 million Americans had turned out to protest his administration—Trump had decided to bomb Iran.

Rather than keeping the mission quiet, Trump issued increasingly aggressive social media posts appearing to hint at a strike. David E. Sanger of the New York Times cited reports from Israeli intelligence saying that Iranian officials had removed 400 kilograms (about 880 pounds) of enriched uranium from the Fordo enrichment plant to another nuclear complex, although at least some equipment and records would likely have remained there.

Republicans have talked about bombing Iran to stop its nuclear aspirations since the early 2000s, but the relationship between the U.S. and Iran relating to nuclear technology actually reaches back to 1953. In that year, under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the United Kingdom supported a coup against the elected Iranian prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, after he called for the nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, in which British interests controlled a majority stake.

In his place, the former leader of the country, Mohammad Reza Shah, retook power. In 1954, Iran accepted a 25-year agreement that gave western oil companies 50% ownership of Iran’s oil production.

At the same time, President Eisenhower proposed trying to defang international fears of nuclear war by shifting nuclear technologies toward civilian uses, including energy. On December 8, 1953, he spoke before the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York City on how atomic energy could be used for peaceful ends. The initiative, known as “Atoms for Peace,”

provided reactors, nuclear fuel, and training for scientists for countries that promised they would use the technology only for peaceful civilian purposes.

In 1967 the U.S. supplied a nuclear reactor and highly enriched uranium to Iran, and trained Iranian scientists in the United States. In 1974, according to Ariana Rowberry of the Brookings Institution, the shah announced he intended to build 20 new reactors in the next 20 years.

Then, in 1979, the Islamic revolution in Iran forced out the shah and put Islamic leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in power. In 1980, after the U.S. admitted the shah into the country for cancer treatments, Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy, taking 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. The U.S. cut diplomatic ties with Iran, imposed sanctions, froze Iranian assets in the U.S., and ended the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Iran.

Iran turned to Pakistan, China, and Russia to expand its nuclear program. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran increased until Republican politicians talked about bombing the sites of Iran’s nuclear program. Famously, Arizona senator John McCain joked about bombing Iran in 2007 when he was running for the Republican presidential nomination, singing “Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” to the tune of the Beach Boys’ classic song “Barbara Ann.”

McCain lost the 2008 election to Democratic president Barack Obama, and in 2013 at the beginning of his second term, Obama began high-level talks to cap Iran’s enrichment of uranium that could be used for weapons. In 2015, forty-seven Republican senators, led by then freshman senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, tried to blow up the talks, sending an open letter to Iranian officials to put them on notice that “the next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time.”

This was an astonishing breach of the longstanding U.S. tradition of presenting a united front in foreign negotiations. Nonetheless, in 2015 the U.S., Iran, China, Russia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the European Union signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that limited Iran’s enriched uranium in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

At about the same time, negotiators settled an unrelated case between the U.S. and Iran at The Hague, involving the return of American prisoners to the U.S. and Iranian assets frozen in the U.S. to Iran. Since Iran was cut off from international finance systems at the time, the U.S. returned some of those assets in 2016 as Swiss francs, euros, and other currencies. Donald Trump, who was then running for the presidency, insisted that the Obama administration had sent “pallets of cash” to Iran as part of a deal to free the prisoners. “Iran was in big trouble, they had sanctions, they were dying, we took off the sanctions and made this horrible deal and now they’re a power,” Trump told reporters.

Then, in 2016, voters put Trump in the White House. Although the nuclear deal appeared to be working, Trump left it in 2018, calling it a “horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made.” Without the U.S. the agreement broke down. Iran resumed its program for enriching uranium.

A week and a half ago, on June 12, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched strikes against Iran, and on June 21, Trump ordered strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear sites, claiming that after 40 years of Iranian hostility, “Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.”

In fact, the effect of the strikes is not at all clear, although Trump insisted yet again this afternoon that “[o]bliteration is an accurate term!... Bullseye!!!”

Trump’s strikes on Iran underscore how Republican leaders see governance. They seemed to see the careful negotiations under Obama and the international inspections that certified Iran’s adherence to the JCPOA as signs of weakness, preferring simply to use American military might to impose U.S. will. Trump has combined that dominance ideology with his enthusiasm for performances that play well on television.

This afternoon, Iran responded to the U.S. strikes with its own missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar, after warning of the upcoming attack to enable Qatar to intercept the missiles.

Trump posted on social media: “Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered. There have been 14 missiles fired—13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”

Ten minutes later, he posted: “CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!”

Republican dominance politics began in the 1950s as a way to prevent the federal government from protecting Black and Brown civil rights. Since then, it has reinforced the idea of asserting power through violence. And it has always reinforced the power of white men over women and racial and gender minorities.

Today the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump administration's request to allow it to deport migrants to places other than their country of origin, often to countries plagued by violence. The administration has claimed this power as part of its campaign to scare immigrants from coming to the U.S. by demonstrating that they could end up in a third country with no recourse. The court majority did not explain its reasoning; the three liberal justices—Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor—dissented sharply.

“In…earlier rulings, the court cleared the way for the government to treat as many as a million migrants as removable who previously weren’t,” legal analyst Steve Vladeck told Angélica Franganilla Díaz and John Fritze of CNN. “And today’s ruling allows the government to remove those individuals and others to any country that will take them—without providing any additional process beyond an initial removal hearing, and without regard to the treatment they may face in those countries.”

—

[galene-gothic]

୭ৎ ࣪ PAID TAROT READINGS ִֶָ ࣪ ⊹

♡🗒️ : Hello, I hope my blog found you in good health, welcome to galene's paid readings, please scroll down to see if I'm able to offer what you're looking for <3

information

i) i accept payments through paypal, western union and moneygram

ii) payment is supposed to be made before i start your reading

iii) your reading will be returned within three months

iv) NOTE: if using paypal, it would be much appreciated if you added 3 € transaction fees on readings below 50 € and 5 € fees on readings above 50 €

v) one in depth spread with necessary clarifiers will be drawn for readings that are not listed in extreme detail and the ones that are listed in extreme detail will have multiple spreads drawn for them with necessary clarifiers to get to the depth of things

vi) readings will be sent through e-mail

- FUTURE SPOUSE SECTION -

𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒓𝒆: 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 for 45 €

in this reading, we will look into your sexual nature, desires and needs, and that of your ideal person. be it - your future spouse, current romantic partner, next romantic partner or a love interest of any sort. then we will look into your first and best time with them if it does take place. we will also look at their fantasies of you and will look into the tiniest details such as how they’ll act when they’re turned on but unable to have you for whatever reason. furthermore we will dive into all the ways that you’ll drive them wild in bed and all the ways that you’ll bring paradise to them through the pleasure that they’ll experience with, and through you. we will then look into their turn ons in regard to you. this reading will look into all their desires in regard to you - the good, bad, dirty and sweet. this reading is ideal for those of you who want to understand your own and your person’s sexual nature, and needs and see how you’ll connect in that manner, how your personal passions will aline and merge together in the bedroom.

𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒆𝒕 for 55 €

in this tarot reading, we will embark on an in-depth exploration of both you and your future spouse’s character and personality, delving into the intricacies of your respective psychological makeups, temperaments and inner worlds. we will then examine the admirable strengths and inevitable shortcomings each of you brings into the connection - the proverbial pros and cons. then we will also get into the emotional texture of what it truly means to be close to either of you. this reading will illuminate the unique energies and offerings that you will reserve solely for one another - those intangible, sacred parts of yourselves that no one else will ever be granted access to. we will also uncover the specific traits, quirks and qualities you will each find irresistibly attractive, compelling and deeply cherish in the other, creating a bond that is not only romantic but profoundly intimate and singular in its design.

𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒖𝒓 for 150 €

in this deeply moving and evocative tarot reading, the seeker's future spouse will be unveiled to them in all their resplendent glory. the reading shall span across three sections, beginning with the physical appearance of the partner then progressing into more profound layers of the individual. this section will include their physical appearance, the details of your first meeting, initial impression of each other, personality traits, values and principles, emotional maturity, love language, communication style, family background, relationship with parents, baggage from their past, friendship circle, hobbies and interests, travel preferences, conflict resolution style and children/parenting views. in this section, we will also take a look at the physical affection & chemistry between the both of you, and their daily lifestyle and habits, health and fitness, personal goals and dreams. how they’ll support you, their expression of jealousy and possessiveness, shared life vision, timing of meeting and marriage, challenges in the relationship, and divine and spiritual lessons. the second section delves further into the psyche and soul of your future spouse. this section includes their subconscious patterns, hidden talents, healing journey, soul purpose, shadow side, attachment style, inner child wounds, dreams and fears, role in your soul evolution, and level of emotional intelligence. in the third section, the relationship dynamics and the profound milestones shared together shall be explored. we will dive into the relationship evolution over time, first major milestone, public vs private relationship, love story theme, core strength of the relationship, tests and trials, emotional safe space, love rituals, conflict patterns and the ways in which they’ll surprise you. section four, conversely, delves into the spiritual union of your souls, delving into the marital contract, joint mission and how the two of you shall navigate aging together. we will look into your marriage contract energy, joint mission or legacy, home and domestic life, financial partnership, spiritual growth together, how you handle aging together, anniversary celebrations, power couple potential and how the world sees your marriage.

𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆 for 50 €

an extremely in-depth future spouse reading which includes their appearance, style, personality, mental well-being, interests and hobbies, shadow aspects, energy, love languages, trope, background, meeting them for the first time, first impressions. here, we'll also take a look at why you'll fall in love with them and the other way around, followed by your individual journeys to each other. we'll take a really deep dive into the spiritual aspect of your connection, how you'll connect on a soul level, why the both of you will meet and end up together. then finally to conclude the reading, we'll look at your marriage through the years and general messages about you as a couple!

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒚 for 35 €

an extremely in-depth future spouse reading which includes their appearance, style, character, personality, mental well-being, interests and hobbies, shadow aspects, energy, love languages, trope, background, meeting them for the first time, first impressions and general messages about you as a couple!

𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒆'𝒔 𝒐𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 for 49 €

all the sections from 'the soul alchemy' package, some messages from the universe regarding your love life, advice that can help you attract love into your life, a walk through your first love/heartbreak, messages from your ideal person and a peek at why people fall in love with you + who crushes on you!

𝒄𝒐𝒆𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒔 for 45 €

in this profound tarot spread, we will embark on a poetic journey through the stages of your connection with your future spouse. to start, we will unveil the sweet aspects of your bond - the moments that will bring you ease and comfort, like a delightful dessert that melts on your palate. then, we will navigate the challenging aspects - the parts that may bring a hint of bitterness or sourness, like a tart that tests your resolve. we will then pinpoint the taste bud - the particular aspect of your connection that will capture your attention, the flavor that will linger on your tongue, the particular aspects of your connection that you will be most keenly aware of, the element that will be most prominent in your mind and heart. to conclude, we will focus our attention on the digestive aspect of your connection with your future spouse - the part that, although not immediately apparent, will have a lasting impact over time. this element may unfold gradually, taking its time to reveal its significance, similar to how a complex dish affects your system in ways that might not be immediately obvious. it will be an aspect of your connection that will require patience and keen observation to recognize its influence and importance.

𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏 for 80 €

in this enthralling journey into the mysteries of your romantic destiny, we will embark upon a journey to discover the most delightful and pleasurable aspects of your connection with your future spouse. through the artful interpretation of the cards, we shall delve deep into the emotional, spiritual and physical dimensions of your bond. from the attraction and physical affection, to the shared life vision and mutual support, we will explore it all, unveiling the most joyous and satisfying elements of your love story. first we will look into the emotional aspect of your coupling. we will look into how you two bring out the best in each other emotionally, what the most comforting aspect of your emotional connection is, how you express love and care without words, we will then take it up a few notches and look at what shared emotions will make your bond feel unbreakable, how you’ll handle emotional ups and downs together, how your emotional connection enhances the way you both grow and what emotional triggers create deeper intimacy between you. then, we will delve into how you make each other feel understood and validated, in what ways do you both nurture each other’s emotional needs and what makes you feel the safest emotionally in the relationship. then moving onto the physical aspect of the connection, we take a look into how physical touch expresses your love for each other in the relationship, what the most pleasurable way you two physically connect is, what about each other sparks a deep, passionate desire and how you make each other feel sexy and desirable. we’ll also read into what physical gestures you both enjoy the most (hugs, kisses, cuddles), things will heat up a bit as we look into how you make intimacy feel sacred and loving, and what your favorite way to spend quiet, intimate moments together will be, we will also delve into how physical chemistry ignites your emotional connection and how you find joy, and pleasure in simple physical closeness. we’ll then look into how you both bring humour, playfulness and fun into the relationship, and what inside jokes will make you both laugh uncontrollably. we’ll that a look at what your favorite way to share light-hearted moments together is, how humour helps you navigate challenges in the relationship, what funny quirks will you love about each other and how laughter will help you bond deeply. this section will look into what moments together make you both feel carefree and playful, how you encourage each other to not take life too seriously, how you both find joy in the mundane parts of life, so on and so forth. then we will look at the beauty of the connection itself. how it is a pleasure to simply just be with each other. this includes. how you make each other feel deeply cared for, what ways will you provide emotional support in times of need, how will you both inspire and encourage each other to be better versions of yourselves, and in what ways will you both help each other achieve your personal goals. how will you show your appreciation for one another in subtle ways? what gestures will make you both feel truly supported and seen? how do you help each other through stressful or difficult moments? what mutual support system do you create in your relationship? how do you both create a safe space for each other to be vulnerable? simply just how you both make each other feel respected and valued in every moment, and experience pleasure in the connection and all of it.

𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 for 75 €

in this tarot reading, we will delve into the rich tapestry of your domestic life with your future spouse, painting a vivid picture of the shared home and heart you will create together. we shall begin by uncovering the emotional dynamics that breathe life into your partnership. how do you both express your emotions within the sanctuary of your home? we will explore the balance of emotional support and understanding, highlighting moments of harmony as well as potential areas where conflicts may arise. from there, we will step into the rhythm of your daily life, examining the dance of shared duties and responsibilities. how will the two of you divide the tasks that keep your household thriving? we will look at the routines that shape your days, seeing how they strengthen the bond between you, while also noting any compatibility or contrasts in lifestyle preferences. next, we will turn to the finer details of your communication. how do you navigate everyday matters together? we will explore how you approach disagreements, your capacity to resolve conflicts and the transparency that threads through your relationship. this reading will also include how you both manage financial matters and how love and intimacy bloom in the quiet, and loud moments of daily life. how do you preserve passion and affection over time, cherishing the sweet exchanges of meaningful words and tender gestures? we will then venture into your family dynamics: your interaction with extended family, boundaries with in-laws and the possibility of children, exploring parenting styles if applicable. what sort of home will you craft together? we will look at its atmosphere, aesthetic and how each of you contributes to creating a sanctuary of safety and joy. we will end with the traditions you may build, the depth of your soul connection, and the joy you find in shared and solitary moments. together, we’ll uncover how you relax, unwind, and keep the spark of fun and love alive in your shared life.

𝒍𝒂 𝒗𝒊𝒆 𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆 for 35 €

in this tarot reading, we shall delve into the tapestry of love yet to unfold. together, we will explore the enchanting qualities that make your future spouse so captivating in your eyes - their energy that will draw you near initially and the traits or even just their mere essence that will begin fascinating you in the early stages and will continue fascinating you years into your union. we will unveil the traits you will cherish most deeply about them, the ones that will make your heart race with admiration. then, we shall turn the mirror gently toward you, revealing the radiance of your current most alluring attributes and the charm that will captivate your future spouse, looking at what they’ll find to be irresistible about you. this journey will offer a glimpse into the magnetic dance of your connection - a celebration of love, beauty, mutual attraction, and admiration.

𝒆𝒕𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 for 35 €

in this tarot reading, I'll predict the things that your future spouse will do in order to win your heart, the thoughts and feelings that'll flood through their mind when they'll look at you and the other way around, and also into how you'll view each other. we'll look at their life story to figure out why they will be the way that they are when you'll meet them. we'll also take a look at how they'll describe you to their friends and family. we'll look into why they'll admire you and why they'll choose you. how they'll act in front of you vs in front of others.

𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒍'𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓 for 40 €

in this exploration of the arcane, we shall embark upon an illuminating journey of destiny, as we unveil your future spouse's perception of your allure. further, we shall venture into the uncharted territories of your intimate connection, encompassing the inaugural union of your bodies, the peculiarities of your partner's sexual proclivities, and the myriad methods by which they shall leave you consumed with desire. now, allow the occult to unveil the seductive secrets of your impending relationship

𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒔𝒆𝒆 for 34 €

as we venture further into the depths of your future marital life, let us turn our attention to the matter of your newfound family. through the wisdom of the tarot cards, we will uncover the initial impression that your in-laws will have of you. we shall delve into the nature of the bond you will forge with them, exploring the dynamic and connection that will develop between you and your spouse's family. moreover, we will investigate any potential warnings or precautions you should be aware of as you transition into your new family. additionally, we will gain insight into the way you will seamlessly blend and find your place within this unfamiliar familial landscape

- THE SELF SECTION -

𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒋𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒆 & 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂 for 45 € (new)

inspired by jennie’s song ‘like jennie’ and ‘mantra’. we will take a look at what moulds your it girl essence, what makes you uniquely you because you truly are the special edition and what it is about you that people try to copy but fail. we will also take a look at what people from the past miss about you. then, we will move onto who’s obsessed with you and what about you are people obsessing over. then, we will take a look into your irreplaceable essence and what about you do people wish they had for themselves. if there is anyone who envies you and hates you at the moment, we will look into all the nitty gritty details about what they envy about you and help you identify who they are. we will also break down any past hate and negative treatment that you may have received, and help you turn it into your own special strength. then we will look into your values and truth that you may already be in alignment with and if you aren’t, we will pull cards to help you turn your natural personality traits into your own mantra. if you already are in alignment, we will only add onto that to help you lead a better life. then we will take a look at what about you is so magnetic and irresistible that even people who’s sexual and romantic orientation you don’t fit into want to be with you. i’ll give you rules to live by in order to continue maintaining yourself as the best of the best and not everything is going to be pretty. we will also look at what you need to change about yourself and work on in order to help yourself in the long run. we will look into past matters that used to trigger you but don’t have any effect on you anymore. to end the reading, we will look into your triggers and how to work on, and through them to be the best version of yourself. we will look into how you’re channelling your best version already and what the outcome of working through said issues is going to lead to for you in the future i.e. who will you have become and what kind of life will you be actively leading. this will give you a deeper understanding of yourself by looking at the internal qualities that assemble you together as the it girl. furthermore, we will be looking at the external effects of your existence. this is exactly the ego boost and self work reading that you want, and need.

𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒂'𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 for 47 €

most of our lives are spent by trying to understand ourselves, realizing that we aren't as evolved as we thought we were, self loath, pity and misunderstandings are a very common theme when it comes to ourselves. by purchasing this option, you will receive messages from both your inner child and future self, guidance on your path and some advice for self love, why people feel grateful to have you in their lives, the way you touch their hearts and alter their lives, a small reading that brings out your inner magic and information on how to become your best version and traits that you need to face and should work on.

𝒋’𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒆 for 80 €

this reading is a deeper version of the ‘larissa’s tears’. we will proceed to look into your current path and energy, looking at where you stand, the unseen forces around you, the blocks and doubts you’re carrying, your greatest strength right now, and the next best step forward. we will then look at what you’re still learning how to love about yourself and a wound that you’ve been carrying silently. we will then look at the qualities in you that others admire but you undervalue and receive guidance as to how you can show yourself more compassion. we will delve into what you need to release in order to heal deeper and what your heart needs right now. even the messages that you’ll receive from your inner child is going to be in depth, we will look at what they want you to remember, a gift that you had then that still lives within you, how they felt growing up that needs validation now and how you can reconnect with them. in regard to your future self, we are going to look at what they want you to know about the journey, what they’re proud you’ve overcome, a secret they hold about your fulfilment and what they want you to keep believing in. we will then proceed to look at how you can stay aligned to your soul’s path and what will unfold if you follow this guidance. then we’ll proceed to look into the presence that you radiate. we will look into the energy that people feel when you enter the room, the first impression that you tend to leave behind, the deeper impression that lingers after they truly get to know you, a quality in you that makes others feel emotionally safe, how your presence lifts heavy hearts and the kind of space that you hold for others. we will then move onto what the gratitude that they feel towards you, in this part, we will look into what people admire most deeply about you, a time that you changed someone’s perspective without trying, a way you helped someone believe in themselves again, how you remind others of what kindness and love feels like, a subtle gift you give that people remember forever and what people wish they could thank you for. we will look into how you touch their hearts, how your words affect them, how your silence comforts them, how you handle others’ vulnerabilities with grace and the emotional impact that you tend to leave behind. we will then look at how you touched someone soul to soul unknowingly. then we’ll delve into how you alter their lives, starting with a lesson that people learn through knowing you. in this section, we will look at how you help others become better versions of themselves and what you inspire in them long after you’re gone. we will end this section by tapping into the legacy that you’re building for yourself. to conclude this reading, we will delve into what makes your soul unforgettable through and through.

𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒆 𝒍'𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒆 for 34 €

this in-depth tarot reading delves into the depths of your being, peering into the shadows and unearthing the hidden layers that make up your dark side. we will unearth the triggers that prompt you to flip into a state of power and fear, and explore the reasons why others may be intimidated by you. together, we will uncover the secret behind your formidable power - a truth that you carefully keep hidden. we will also unveil the ambitions that fuel your decisions and actions and shed light on the legacy you are destined to leave behind.

𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒏 for 35 €

this tarot reading will aim to unveil the deepest calling of your soul, that which is etched into the very fabric of your being. we will explore how you are currently responding to this calling and delve into any obstacles or blocks preventing you from fully embracing it. in this illuminating process, we will also discuss strategies and tools to overcome these barriers and discover how you can honour your soul’s purpose in the present moment. lastly, we will tap into the wisdom of your spirit guides and the cosmos, drawing on their loving guidance and messages to offer you clarity and encouragement

𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆 for 35 €

this tarot reading is going to flatter you a great deal! let us take a look at the type of beauty you possess and what features stand out the most to others. we shall delve into the types of compliments people make about you when you're not around and how your beauty affects your life. additionally, we shall take a look at who is crushing on you at present and the reasons why. we shall also assess what makes you so irresistible and captivating, so prepare for a bit of self-praise and fawning in this reading!

𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒅𝒆 𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒆 for 50 €

this tarot reading will delve deep into what remains mysterious and unknown about you to others and even to yourself. we shall explore what secrets are kept from you and what you should keep hidden from others. we shall also take a glimpse at the shadow, the darker side of your character and psyche that remains hidden and repressed. this will be a dark and mysterious spread, revealing the hidden facets of your being and exposing those shadows we'd rather not confront. we shall also peel away the layers of the past and explore the hidden admiration of those who dislike you without reason or explanation. we will start by looking into what is hidden from you by first looking at what you repress, a strength or talent that you can’t discovered yet, a fear disguised as logic, an inner wound shaping your choices, a hidden emotional pattern and a truth about yourself you’re afraid to know. then we will move onto what others hide from you, in this section we will look into what someone close knows but won’t say, what your enemies secretly think of you, what you’re blind to in social environments and a truth that someone is actively keeping from you. then we will look at what you should keep hidden i.e. a truth that you should protect and what to guard to keep your power. we will also look at what others envy about you. then, onto your shadow self, we will look into your most repressed traits, how your shadow shows up in relationships be it platonic, familial or romantic, how it affects your goals and decisions, the consequences of ignoring it and how to work with it rather than against it. then to conclude your reading, we will look at how others perceive your darkness and how your mysterious side affects how others treat you. what do you say? will you embark on this journey with me?

𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒂 for 50 €

a phenomenon cannot be put into words, it just is, it just happens. delving into the essence of your magnetic allure, we shall explore the inherent qualities that effortlessly draw others toward you. we will discover the environments where you flourish and thrive the most, examining the unique beauty that emanates from your very being, belonging solely to you. by simply being you, how do you enrich and beautify the world around you? through the revelations of the tarot, we will unravel the captivating qualities that set you apart and make you an awe inspiring phenomenon for those who cross your path because you cannot be put into words, you just happened, you just are. the only thing that can’t be denied is your breathtaking and once in a lifetime existence but i’ll do my best to channel your divinity. by channelling your simple existence into words that will likely still fail to deliver your glory. we will look into your irreplaceable essence, the core frequency that you emanate, the energetic signature that people feel from your presence, what sets you apart from every other soul, the beauty that exists in your silence, the message that your aura sends before you even speak, the soul element within you that feels otherworldly and what you unknowingly teach others by simply just existing. we will dive deep into your allure, by looking at your natural magnetism i.e. what others always feel but can’t name, the kind of eyes others see you through when they’re captivated, the first thing people subconsciously associate with you, the impact of your presence and how you leave people different after encountering you. furthermore, we will perceive your beauty as perceived through the soul, the aesthetic or style that you naturally embody, the unique trait only people who truly know you can appreciate, your most underrated gifts and your light in the dark places. we will look at the magic that others may try to replicate but never can. we will also tap into where you thrive and radiate the most, looking at the physical environments where your energy flourishes, the emotional environments where you feel the most free, the social settings where you shine the brightest, the kind of people who amplify your soul, the inner state that unlocks your highest power and the divine space in which your essence meets its full potential. then, we will look at your effect on the world, what beauty do you add to the collective, the hearts that you unknowingly heal, how your presence shifts a space without trying, how the world changes because you are in it and what people carry from you long after you’re gone. to conclude the reading, we will look at the mystery that you are that no one will ever be able to name and your once-in-a-lifetime energy, this section includes what others find unfathomable about you, the part of you that even you don’t fully understand, a piece of you that is sacred and untouchable, the karmic or divine role that your existence fulfills, what you bring into the world by simply just being, the version of love that you inspire in others, the traits that you naturally carry that are difficult to find in this world that fuels your divinity, the blessing people receive from simply just knowing you, the type of awe that you awaken in quiet hearts, the emotional truth that you represent and the soul legacy that you’re here to leave behind - the phenomenon that you are.

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 for 29 €

let's take a look together at what others think of you, ranging from your family to the most distant classmate/the stranger who saw you at the departmental store for like a minute! we'll dive into the fantasies that others have of you and the assumptions they make, we will also take a glance at the general impression you leave on people and even what some wish they could tell you yet keep for themselves.

- YEARLY PREDICTIONS -

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒕 for 70 €

it is only natural to have curiosity for the year that is going to greet us and as we embark on this tarot reading together, we will take a look at what is awaiting you in the next twelve months. purchasing this option will help shed light on the mysterious and unknowable future. let me take out the tarot deck and lay out some cards for you and see what the mysterious future holds for you. we will also get advice for you which will make you think deeply about the previous year and life so far in general which will in turn help you set the tone for the year !! what you should focus on, what you’ve accumulated and learned over the course of your lifetime, how this year will add onto that and what attitudes you should try to maintain will all be looked into deeply.

- CONNECTIONS SECTION -

𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 for 29 €

in this tarot reading, we shall take a look at your friendships throughout this lifetime. let me shuffle the tarot deck and cast the cards, and we'll get started. in this reading, the general theme of your friendships will be revealed as well as the most significant friends you have had, have currently and will have, what you look for in relationships and the next significant friend who will enter your life. we’ll also explore the kind of people who you usually become close friends with, what kind of friends you’re truly compatible with, what makes you a good friend and who has a friend crush on you. let’s begin, shall we?

𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒓 for 45 €

do you have someone that you’re really interested in at this time. this specific person tarot reading! is exactly what you need ! we will dive deep into who the person you're inquiring about really is, what they think about you and how they feel, why did you meet them, why do you feel connected to them, what you can learn from them, and where the connection is most likely to end up. we will also take a look at what goes through their mind when they see you and the fragrance that you’ll leave in their life, regardless of whether the connection is bound to last or not.

𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒆𝒕𝒉 for 36 €

this reading looks into the connection between you and anyone from the past. this is a tarot reading that will look at your connection to any past person in turn returning you to the past, bringing up a lot of nostalgia and possibly even some tears along the way. we are going to take a look at the way the connection had originally been, how the dynamic between you both was and how things had gone down from both of your viewpoints as well as that of the divine. we are going to get deep into how they felt initially, how they feel towards you now, how they remember you, what their regrets are and how to find closure. we will look into why you met and shared this connection with them and give you the much needed clarity on this situation.

𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 for 34 €

this tarot reading is all about understanding your relationship with your parents and diving deep into the bond that you share as well as the various aspects of your past, present, and future. let us begin by delving into the emotions that arose in your parents during your conception, pregnancy, and early life. we shall explore how they felt towards you during different stages of your childhood, how you felt towards them at different stages and what values they have instilled within you. we are also going to get advice that will help you heal any childhood issues. let us embark on this emotionally charged journey together and find out what lessons and wisdom lie beneath the surface.

[storkmuffin]

hello! i’m sure you’ve read this a million times already but i’m so glad to find your blog and read your metas (< binging at ~2am). i wonder if you’ve watched the yunhwa content with xiumin from exo and if so, whether you have any thoughts on it? honestly i would love anything you can share about the yunho-seonghwa dynamic and perhaps their supposed incompatibility <333 thank you so much in advance!!

(said yunhwa content, in case you haven’t seen and would like to give it a look: https://youtu.be/gcTvrWJ7KZQ?si=nWJE-Q81q4I1ati2)

I did indeed watch this when it first came out, and then your ask came a little while ago and it's been on my to do list forever! I bet you thought I was not going to answer.

I did not know about there being a Seonghwa - Yunho incompatibility thesis?! Is this a longstanding theory in Atiny fandom? Is this a Twitter/X originating thought?? I've only ever seen Yunho really like Seonghwa, and Seonghwa generally (as the 'mom') gets along with everyone.

Since I will have to await your answers (you're under no obligation to send me any by the way), in the meantime I'm just going to go on my merry way going off about this particular content.

1. On rewatch, I'm surprised that there's a Seonghwa-Yunho incompatibility (??) question because they seem too compatible, in a bad way. Does that make sense? They're so samesies here - they're both too proper, they're both more than a little uneasy with or overawed by Xiumin, they both try to improve the flagging energy of the content under Xiumin's poor hosting skills by overreacting. They're both too sincere and kind to Xiumin, when I think what Xiumin needs is a Wooyoung type to aggravate him. (More on how much I think Xiumin sucks as a host later).

2. What Seongwha and Yunho talk about also reveals true compatibility rather than any incompatibility:

a) They both like eating Western food/ new food, and are not picky about eating. I'm sure you've seen this type of person before - a person who has to have their native/ local food no matter where they are, and gets upset at having to dine on unfamiliar cuisine? We have a lot of those in Korea, because our food is so particular. Apparently neither Seonghwa nor Yunho have this problem.

b) They really like filming weird dance challenges together, because they both use dance to express an inner weirdness that they otherwise don't really let out except under very controlled circumstances.

c) They both don't really like drinking (unlike Jongho) nor do either of them understand the romance of being an Enjoyer of Liquor (unlike San and his gleaming cabinet of expensive bottles).

d) They're both ENFJ (which means something to Koreans, even if it's horoscopes for white collar people). Not unrelated, they agree with each other on answers to the questions asked by 'viewers' whereas Xiumin disagrees with them constantly. (Please send the student to the Ateez concert. Talk to the friend about wanting your money back etc).

e) They both are a little bit weird about food. This is 20-20 hindsight, but they were both on their way to the wafer thin physiques they have right now, in July 2025, for the world tour. They both sort of admit to being on a diet -kinda - by saying they used to have a reputation each for being big eaters but can't eat as much as before due to mysteriously occurring 'limitations. But then Yunho inhales the soba like he's never seen food before, whereas Seonghwa eats exactly two bites and stops altogether, so I guess that's something of an incompatibility.

f) They don't interrupt each other's schtick, and one smoothly takes over the role of 'main talker' from the other without any awkward cueing. They read each other really well.

3. Yunho and Seonghwa may be deliberately avoiding clashing because it would be Mutually Assured Destruction if a conflict ever arose.

a) Both their appearances are extremely deceiving, for one thing, and surely game recognizes game?? Seonghwa is very elegantly turned out, with his androgynous mystique and elongated body lines, but he gets a kick out of wearing grills and presses his forehead into Hongjoong's to make maximum eye contact, when Hongjoong can't cope at all whatsoever, and did it over and over and over, during Matz performances. And of course he's the Lego Dungeon Dom who broke San's neck and Hongjoong's spirit. Yunho with his pretty choirboy face composed entirely of ovals and everything about him being so creamy and pink, looks so gentle and sweet, but he can never ever let anyone win against him in anything, ever, and in earlier years only had to widen his eyes a bit for Mingi to look terrified and beg, Don't get mad!!! in a screechy panic.

b) They both like forcing people to do things, and aren't gentle about it, not really. They smile really pretty while they're forcing people to do things, but they really are forcing them. Which is why they love to drag San kicking and screaming into their weird dance challenges, when he often looks like he wants to throw up right before the San Professionalism kicks in.

I would posit actually that Seonghwa and Yunho both know if they ever really fought, it would be like those mountain goats that can lock horns too hard during mating season as they compete for dominance, and then find that they can't disengage and jointly starve to death. it's better to cede non essential territory to the other one, and get along.

Ok, and now for my rant about how much I didn't like this content.

Xiumin lovers stop reading right now.

.

Stop I mean it. This post is not nice to Xiumin.

.

.

I am warning you one last time.

.

Here goes:

What the fuck was the point of this show?? Does Xiumin know??

I didn't understand how this Xiumin person had ever been an idol. He seemed so incredibly stiff and boring, and also like he was underprepared. He is just NOT FUN. He goes completely silent when he has to make the food, for example, which then forces Yunho to try to fill the dead air acting as interviewer. And even in this Xiumin is a poor responder - his answers are dead ends, and he keeps breaking even Yunho's indomitable spirit in trying to keep things smoothly positive. I grant you that Yunho never stops smiling, but he closes his eyes in despair and his chin drops to his chest more than once. This was the opposite of Daesung, who to me is a bigger star (because I had heard of him), who made it clear that the point of his Ateez episode was a) to make Ateez seem interesting and b) for him (Daesung) to seem really funny and zany. Daesung had clear goals and achieved them.

Xiumin's editors (the people who put in the footnotes) should be paid A LOT because she/they were doing SO MUCH heavy lifting to make the content even halfway watchable. I even looked up EXO's most famous music videos at the halfway point because I got so frustrated, and I couldn't really identify Xiumin (the only face I could tell who it was was Kai). This goes back to my theory that all people who make the cutline to be Idols of a certain generation look the same, the way that the ballerinas in the corps de ballet of the Paris Opera Ballet really all do look the same despite different heights and ethnicities, simply because of build and training, so unless they are your special guys/girls, they're just a bunch of samey same roses in a field.

In any case, Xiumin was so useless as a host that basically Yunho and Seonghwa took turns interviewing their host, and then going on long monologues in order to fill the dead air in the absence of any meaningful response from Xiumin. Who is boring as fuck.

Not everyone who can hold the center stage as an Idol can actually host a talk show. Xiumin needs to find another retirement plan, fast.

[nyxofdemons]

honestly one thing i'm surprised and a little bummed we didn't get is any acknowledgement of western energy. i really felt like while blitz was asking "is this because i've been skipping sleeping together" or "am i not fucking you good enough" i hoped we'd get some kind of reference about him not visiting stolas in the hospital, or not rescuing him even though blitz knew striker had him, especially bc they went to the trouble of including stolas' arm bandages in the beginning of the episode. idk. i so hope this comes up eventually bc i feel like it has so much potential

[xhxhxhx]

I'm trying to write these earlier in the day.

I used to put off writing until I finished the smaller, more tractable tasks I set for myself. But by the time I finished the little things, I had no energy for writing.

Now, though, I find I don't have the energy for the little things if I start writing too late in the day. If I start writing late enough, I don't have the energy to exercise.

It's 10:15 a.m. Let's see if I can't finish this with energy to spare.

I.

I write to you from San Francisco, a small town on the Pacific Coast of California, servicing a patchwork of commuter suburbs around what we call the "San Francisco Bay Area."

Back in the 1950s, they called the City "Baghdad by the Bay," after its profound ethnic and religious divides, low-intensity urban warfare, and decrepit public infrastructure.

It's awful. Even here in the Green Zone.

II.

Americans like to say that San Francisco has a "Mediterranean" climate. And it's true that it has a Köppen climate classification of Csb, which we call a "warm-summer Mediterranean climate."

Köppen is a three-tier classification scheme. It designates climates by three-letter labels, with each letter dividing the world into finer and finer categories.

The first Köppen letter divides the world into five parts, each designated by the first five letters of the alphabet: tropical A; arid B; temperate C; cold D; and polar E.

Four of the five letters separate the world into mutually-exclusive categories by mean temperatures in the hottest and coldest months, making for a neat algorithm.

If it's above 10ºC in the coldest month, it's tropical A, else:

If it's above 0ºC in the coldest month, it's temperate C, else:

If it's above 10ºC in the hottest month, it's cold D, else:

If it's below 10ºC in the hottest month, it's polar E.

Arid B is an irregularity. It's based on a precipitation threshold, not mean monthly temperatures. It's also hard to characterize in a single phrase, since it varies with the seasonality of the precipitation. It's higher if the precipitation comes in warm months.

But never mind that. It's not arid in San Francisco. That's part of the problem.

In San Francisco's Csb, C stands for temperate, s for dry summer, and b for warm summer.

Temperate means it averages above 10ºC in the hottest month and between 0ºC and 18ºC in its coldest; dry summer means it gets less than 40 mm of precipitation in its driest month; and warm summer means it averages below 22ºC in the hottest month, but above 10ºC for more than four months each year.

Now, is that Mediterranean? It's not obvious to me that it is. Let's go to the map.

III.

Here's beautiful California, in all its climatic variation, courtesy of our friends at the Köppen-Geiger Explorer:

Let's start in the Los Angeles basin, along the borderlands between the yellow and sienna towards the bottom of the map.

Los Angeles divides into three primary climate regions, which provide a useful key to the California experience.

The coast of western Los Angeles, from Santa Monica down to Palos Verdes, and continuing along the coast of Orange County to the south, is a cold, semi-arid steppe, or Bsk.

It's a climate it shares with Colorado Springs, the Texas panhandle, and a swathe of the Eurasian steppe lands, from Crimea to Volgograd to Inner Mongolia.

South and central Los Angeles, south of the 10, but extending northeast to a frontier in Culver City, Mid-Wilshire, and Koreatown, and south through Anaheim and Garden Grove to Irvine, is a hot, semi-arid steppe, or Bsh.

It's a climate it shares with Gaza, the West Bank of the Jordan, Mosul, the Zagros foothills of Khuzestan, Amritsar, and the northern, or Turkish, part of Cyprus.

North of that, extending from downtown across the mountains into the San Fernando Valley, and east across the river to El Monte, Pomona, and Rancho Cucamonga, is the last part of Los Angeles, the hot-summer Mediterranean, or Csa.

This climate, the climate of Glendale and Pasadena, of Burbank and Sherman Oaks, of Van Nuys, Encino, and Calabasas, is what I think of as the actual Mediterranean climate.

Because it's the climate of the actual Mediterranean.

It's a climate it shares with Athens and Rome, Syracuse and Tunis, Jerusalem and Jaffa, Florence and Naples, but not, significantly, a climate it shares with San Francisco.

Because it's too warm for the city by the Bay.

IV.

Now let's look north, to the Golden Gate.

Here you can see that the Bay Area is, as you might have guessed, a homogeneous and indistinct stain on the map of California.

Does it have semiarid steppe lands? No. Does it have hot summers? No. From the South Bay to the Valley, from the West Side to the East Side, everyone has the same climate, and nobody's very happy.

San Francisco shares a climate with Oakland which shares a climate with Mountain View which shares a climate with Sausalito which shares a climate with San Jose which shares a climate with Berkeley and Richmond. It's a climate that stretches, like an open sore, down to Santa Cruz and Monterey.

It's all the same fucking climate.

It's called, as you may recall, the warm-summer Mediterranean climate, or Csb. Not hot summer. Not the summer of Glendale or Pasadena. No. A warm summer.

How warm is a warm summer? Is that a Mediterranean kind of summer? Is that the kind of summer you get in the south of France or the Greek islands? Well, no.

You know who else has a warm summer?

Fucking Galicia, that's who. The Parnassus Mountains. Mount fucking Lebanon.

You know who else has this fucking climate?

The Pacific fucking Northwest. Because it's cold and wet there. Just like San Francisco.

VI.

San Francisco: It's cold and damp!

I fucking hate it.

[bt-tarot]

🦇 M A S T E R L I S T I🦇

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Kpop readings

Ateez

Yunho's rumors

San and Wooyoung dynamic

How does San (Ateez) feel about his current schedule (2025/03/03)

Ateez opinions on aegyo (based on tarot)

Ateez opinions on their agency

Ateez marriage or meeting their fs timing

Would they like a taller, same height or shorter partner?

Blackpink

Lisa's performance in the Oscar's

Lisa’s thoughts on her album release

Lisa's thoughts on her Oscar's performance

Rosé and Lisa’s dynamic

Raye and Doja's thoughts about Lisa's performance

Lisa and Mingyu's dynamic

BTS

How does Namjoon see Blackpink’s Rosé

How does Namjoon see IU

How Namjoon is when he's in love

How would Namjoon and his future spouse show love to each other

How Jin sees Moonbyul

How does Yoongi see IU

Yoongi's bond with Jungkook's future spouse (2025/03/04)

Yoongi as a boyfriend

Yoongi day activity💜 (2025/03/08-2025/03/09)

Will Yoongi be less independent in relationships?

Hobi's dynamic with his fs

¿Qué pensó Hobi de los conciertos en México?

Taehyung's future projects (2025/03/05)

Taehyung's take on the mhj issue

Taehyung's unreleased song

What the future spouse of Taehyung needs to know (2025/03/02)

How does Jungkook see Twice's Sana

How does Jungkook feels about romantic relationships (2025/03/03)

How Jungkook acts when he has a crush

Will Jk's future spouse be famous before they meet?

Jungkook as a husband

Jk + Leo girl

How will Army react when BTS reveal their relationships

BTS' love life

Enhypen

Heeseung as a boyfriend

Heeseung's ideal type

How Heeseung acts around his crush and pursues them

Jay's current love life (2025/03/01)

Jay as a boyfriend

Jay's ideal type

Jake's current love life (2025/03/15)

Sunghoon as a boyfriend

Sunghoon as a best friend

Does Sunghoon has a female best friend currently? (2025/04/9)

Sunghoon's ideal type

How Sunghoon acts in front of his crush and how he pursues them

Sunghoon's current love life (2025/03/06)

Sunoo's ideal type

Ni-Ki as a boyfriend

Ni-Ki's ideal type

Ni-Ki's future spouse

How Ni-Ki acts around his crush and how he pursues them

Enhypen and Kiss of Life dynamic

Friendship dynamic between Jay and Le Sserafim Yunjin (based on tarot)

Enhypen's thoughts on women's traditional beauty standards

Pros and cons of dating Enhypen

Clarification of Heesung's cons

How Enhypen's manager sees the members

Who in Enhypen would get back with his ex?

Possibility of Enhypen in latam with the current tour

(G)I-DLE

Current energy career reading

GOT7

Jackson Wang as a boyfriend and husband

Jackson's current love life

NCT

Jeno's ideal type (2025/03/03)

Jeno as a boyfriend

Jisung's ideal type

Wayv Hendery's ideal type

RIIZE

Wonbin as a boyfriend

Seunghan's solo career

Seventeen

Vernon and his FS

Stray Kids, Twice, TXT

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In the making (queue)

Will we have another music megastar in the future?

G-idle as a group

Vernon + Gemini woman

Jeonghan + virgo girl

Mingyu + virgo girl

Ateez Jongho current energy

How does Ateez Seonghwa approaches his crush

Taehyung's love story with his fs

How BTS members will feel about Taehyung's fs

Jk and his fs dynamic

Bangchan's red and green flags

Bangchan + Cancer woman

Bangchan + Gemini woman

Han Jisung as a boyfriend

Enhypen's love life (3/7)

Jungwon as a boyfriend

ENHYPEN's ideal types (5/7)

How ENHYPEN act around their crush and pursue them (3/7)

Mina and Momo's dynamic

Jeongyeon's career

Blackpink's current opinions on the western industry

NCT dream career reading (2025)

Pros and cons of dating TXT

How will BTS's fs feel after meeting the members

Jisung + Capricorn girl

Bangchan + Leo woman

Lee Know + Leo woman

Lisa's current energy

Itzy in 2025

Bangchan's future spouse

Hyunjin + Felix dynamics

Cha Eunwoo and his fs

Lee Know + Aries girl

Red and green flags of NCT 127

Enhypen's 02z dynamics

sunghoon and jungwon dynamics

Pros and cons of dating skz

Skz on the enlistment

How skz act around their crushes

Felix on LV

What kind of subjects Vernon likes to study

Jayb as a boyfriend

TXT current love life

What would Vernon like the most about his fs

Jeonghan's fs

Red Velvet's feelings about their career

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Last update 2025/07/20.♠

[magickgarlick]

article by R' Isaac Choua, summarized underneath - I found it interesting but I am asking for help fact checking!!

ok, here's a 15- point summary

1. 1979 Revolution's Promise: Millions of Iranians took to the streets seeking democracy, justice, and an end to monarchy—not clerical rule.

2. Hijacking the Revolution: Ayatollah Khomeini co-opted the revolution, transforming it from a democratic uprising into a theocratic regime under Velayat-e Faqih—rule by unelected clerics.

3. Palestine as Strategic Symbol: Though not central to the revolution, Khomeini used the Palestinian cause to legitimize Iran’s leadership in the Muslim world and bypass sectarian divides.

4. Reframing Shiʿa Identity: Khomeini recast the Battle of Karbala as a universal struggle between oppressed and oppressor, making every land “Karbala” and every day “ʿAshura.” --> can someone READ THE ARTIFLE and Fact-Check this please? I'm NOT an expert and I don't understand what any of this means

5. From Shiʿism to Pan-Islamism: He universalized Shiʿa martyrdom to claim pan-Islamic leadership, repositioning Iran as the revolutionary voice of the broader Muslim Umma.

6. Collapse of Pan-Arabism: After Arab nationalism failed to liberate Palestine, Iran filled the void by adopting revolutionary Islamic rhetoric centered on resistance and justice.

7. Ideological Fusion: Khomeini blended Qurʾanic themes of oppression with Marxist language, creating an “Islamo-Marxist populism” to appeal broadly across classes and ideologies.

8. Institutionalizing the Shift: He declared Jerusalem Day in 1979 and reframed Palestinian suffering as a reenactment of Karbala, casting Israel as a modern-day Yazid (tyrant).

9. Political Repression: By the early 1980s, secular and leftist revolutionaries were purged, imprisoned, or executed. Their visions of democracy were crushed by authoritarian theocracy.

10. A False Choice: In March 1979, a manipulated referendum replaced monarchy with an “Islamic Republic,” but without clarity, debate, or alternatives—99% voted “yes.”

11. Creation of Parallel Power Structures: The constitution created powerful, unelected institutions (e.g., Guardian Council, Revolutionary Guard) ensuring clerical dominance.

12. Exporting the Revolution: Khomeini saw Iran’s revolution as the start of a global “ideological war,” aiming to awaken Muslims worldwide and confront Western and Sunni powers alike.

13. Performative Resistance Today: The article draws parallels with modern protest culture, arguing that slogans and symbols are again being co-opted and emptied of meaning.

14. Commodification of Outrage: Protest is often professionalized and monetized, with causes serving as tools for performative identity rather than genuine transformation.

15. The Cycle Repeats: The piece warns that student energy, idealism, and revolutionary language are again being manipulated—echoing 1979—and urges critical vigilance before history repeats.

[bleucaesura]

Non-Spoiler background observations! Cuz I wanna get these out before others pick them off lol

(Well. One spoiler - but it’s at the end - so you have plenty of time to jump ship).

First Up: Milk Carton

Loo Loo Land employee ain’t missing guys. He dead. D-E-D. Dead ☠️

Squished by Blitzø and (presumably) burnt to a crisp in the fire.🔥 So he gone!

***

NEXT: Movie Poster

COMING THIS SUMMER

We Said Eat The Rich

THEY AGREED

BILLIONAIRES BEWARE

An Orca Documentary

I Googled “whales flipping boats” (to provide context in case anyone doesn’t get it) and was NOT disappointed 🤣 🐋 Humpback bro looking like Western Energy shark attacking Moxxie during the Pain Games 😂

The movie poster is a fantastic little detail. I applaud the set designers.

***

NEXT: Cloaca plug

Blitzø doesn’t know what it is. But I doooooo!

It’s the creeper Santuh! When Blitzø tosses the plug away you can hear it make the same surprised “OOO!” noise the Santuh does in the CHERUBS episode when he’s ‘unmasked’ 🤣

***

LAST: Glove/Crystal

When Stolas joins the crystal to Blitzø’s glove (left hand btw - LIKE A FUCKING ENGAGEMENT RING 🥺🥹😭☠️) Asmodeus’s sigil flashes. That is all.

Side note: I FUCKING KNEW THATS WHERE THE CRYSTAL WOULD GO!! I should have said something lol But in my head (before I even SAW the damn crystal in Just Look My Way) my little AuDHD brain was like “where would be the most logical place for Blitzø to have it on his person 🤔” either his brooch or his glove. But the brooch means too much to him to mess with soooo GLOVE. And I was riiiiight! So I’m praising myself. *pats self on back* Good job me! 😊

***

One last thing:

Anyone else getting a Darkwing Duck vibe? 🤣

Alright! That’s all I’ve got (for now) Enjoy!

[mariacallous]

On a sunny April afternoon in 2006, thousands of people flocked to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for a rally with celebrities, Olympic athletes, and rising political stars. Their cause: garner international support to halt a genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region.

“If we care, the world will care. If we act, then the world will follow,” Barack Obama, then the junior Illinois senator, told the crowd, speaking alongside future House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. That same week, then-Sen. Joe Biden introduced a bill in Congress calling on NATO to intervene to halt the genocide in Sudan. “We need to take action on both a military and diplomatic front to end the conflict,” he said.

Flash-forward 18 years, and the prospect of genocide again looms in Sudan amid an explosive new civil war. But this time, there are no rallies, no A-list celebrities, no calls for outside military intervention. Few world leaders pay anything more than lip service to condemning the atrocities.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced some 9 million since the conflict began in April 2023. The United States accused both sides of committing war crimes and atrocities and concluded that the RSF and its allied militias have committed ethnic cleansing.

Western officials and aid workers working on Sudan say they are vexed, and horrified, by the lack of international attention and resources the conflict is receiving—particularly compared to the global response to the conflict in 2006, which was the progenitor of the current conflagration.

If this trend continues and there is no forceful international crisis response, they warn, Sudan will likely collapse into a failed state and could face full-fledged genocide once again.

“You can’t help but watch the level of focus on crises like Gaza and Ukraine and wonder what just 5 percent of that energy could have done in a context like Sudan and how many thousands, tens of thousands of lives it could’ve saved,” said Alan Boswell, an expert on the region at the International Crisis Group.

The top general of the SAF, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the head of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagalo, jointly seized power from a transitional government in a coup in 2021. Tensions between the rival sides escalated and finally erupted into war in April 2023.

In the 13 months since, the RSF has entrenched its positions around the national capital of Khartoum, forcing the SAF to relocate its headquarters to the coastal city of Port Sudan. The RSF has made steady gains in seizing control of Darfur and advancing southward and eastward against SAF forces. The SAF still controls territories around Khartoum and up the Nile River, a vital strategic route to Egypt; along the Red Sea coast; and the eastern borders with Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The conflict has also expanded into a full-fledged regional proxy war. Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as Riyadh’s arch regional rival Iran, back the SAF, while the United Arab Emirates is reportedly funneling arms and military supplies to the RSF. The RSF also reportedly receives support from Chad and from Russia through its affiliated mercenary groups.

The focal point of the conflict now is on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and the center of fighting. The RSF has taken control of vast swaths of western and southern Sudan in its war against the SAF. El Fasher is the last SAF stronghold in Darfur, occupying a strategically important position for trade routes from neighboring Libya and Chad.

The RSF recently began its advance on El Fasher where an estimated 2 million to 2.8 million civilians have sought to take refuge from the fighting. (Precise figures are hard to come by.)

“The risk of genocide exists in Sudan. It is real, and it is growing every single day,” Alice Nderitu, the U.N. special advisor on the prevention of genocide, warned in a U.N. Security Council meeting last week.

A lengthy report from Human Rights Watch documented how the RSF and allied militias committed widespread atrocities, including mass rape, child murder, and massacres of civilians when it captured the Sudanese city of El Geneina last year. U.S. and U.N. officials and human rights experts warn that the same will likely happen if the RSF takes control of El Fasher, but on a much wider scale. The United States and aid groups have accused the SAF of blocking vital food aid from entering the country and RSF forces of looting humanitarian stocks, exacerbating the crisis and pushing regions of the country closer to famine.

“The potential fatality generation here is off the charts,” said Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale’s School of Public Health who runs a research project that monitors the conflict in Sudan. “What will happen when the RSF takes El Fasher? Exactly what is happening in every other place they control.”

“There is Hiroshima- and Nagasaki-level casualty potential,” he added, referring to the U.S. atomic bombs dropped on Japan in World War II that killed up to 225,000 people.

Aid organizations and officials who work on Sudan have long decried the relative inattention the conflict in Sudan gets compared to Ukraine or the war in Gaza. Some 20 million people—or 10 times the population of Gaza—are at risk of famine in various regions of Sudan. “Very few people who don’t work on Sudan know that Darfur is on the brink of famine,” Boswell said. “Obviously, everyone knows about the risk of famine in Gaza.”

U.S. President Joe Biden’s own social media posts about Gaza versus Sudan provide another, albeit imperfect, window into the attention each conflict receives. Biden tweeted about Israel or Gaza at least 107 times in the six months since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks that started the Israel-Hamas war. Since the war in Sudan began over a year ago, he has tweeted about Sudan four times—three of which were about the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum right after fighting broke out.

Aid groups are strained for resources to tackle the humanitarian crisis caused by the war. In February, Doctors Without Borders warned that in one refugee camp alone in North Darfur, one child was dying every two hours of malnutrition. In April, on the conflict’s first anniversary, aid groups said the international humanitarian response plan to aid the Sudanese was only 6 percent funded. At a donor conference that month in Paris, countries pledged $2 billion more—though that is still only about half of what aid groups estimate the country needs.

Biden appointed a special envoy for Sudan in February—Tom Perriello, a former U.S. representative from Virginia and State Department veteran. Most experts have cheered Perriello’s new push to hold cease-fire talks in the months since and engage U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill to bring more levers of U.S. power and financing to bear on Sudan, but they also fear his efforts may be too little, too late for the civilians trapped in El Fasher.

“It will be very hard to deescalate the situation, though everyone should try. But there is an aura of inevitability that this is all going to blow up,” Boswell said. “The degree of mobilization from all sides is hard to walk down.”

Diplomatic and aid officials working on Sudan have some theories on why the atrocities in Darfur and across the country are receiving such little attention now compared to the 2000s, but none gives a full answer.

In 2006, the United States was still reaching the heights of its post-9/11 “war on terror” campaign. Sudan, under former dictator Omar al-Bashir, had given safe haven to Osama bin Laden as he built up al Qaeda’s global terror network, and “bashing Bashir and his genocide in Darfur couched nicely with [counterterrorism] priorities” of the U.S. government at the time, said Nicole Widdersheim, a former senior National Security Council official now with Human Rights Watch.

The memories of failed and successful international interventions to halt genocide—Rwanda in 1994 and the Balkans later that decade, respectively—were still relatively fresh in the minds of policymakers. The costly Western campaigns in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya that later exposed the shortcomings and blowback of military interventions were still underway.

It also preceded the current era of great-power competition, where Washington is intensely focused on countering Russia and China. Sudan also competes with the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine for international attention and humanitarian resources. Others suggested racism built into Western foreign policy played a part. “It’s seen as yet ‘another war in Africa like all the others,’” said one official dryly. Not one single factor can explain it all, experts concluded.

“Gaza is taking up the always limited American public interest and activism on a foreign crisis, but to be fair, there was nearly no public activism or engagement on the Sudan war before” the Israel-Hamas war, Widdersheim said.

Experts say the relative inattention Sudan has gotten from the top echelons of the White House and other Western powers that could have influence in pressuring the warring sides in Sudan to sit for peace talks has led to the current protracted state of the war.

Biden hosted Kenyan President William Ruto for a state visit this week, where the two called on “the warring parties in Sudan to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access and immediately commit to a ceasefire” toward the end of a lengthy joint statement but did not elaborate further. U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield have also been outspoken about urging an end to the conflict in Sudan.

Successive cease-fire talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over the past year, brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia, failed to clinch any lasting deal. Those talks were led on the U.S. side not by a top White House official or Secretary of State Antony Blinken, but by the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Molly Phee.

Behind-the-scenes efforts by some members of Congress in December 2023 to appoint a special presidential envoy on Sudan—one who would report directly to the White House, rather than an envoy reporting to the assistant secretary of state—were unsuccessful, multiple officials and congressional aides said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration dynamics. Perriello was appointed two months later.

Perriello in mid-April said that cease-fire talks would resume in Jeddah “within the next three weeks,” but so far those talks have yet to materialize. Several current and former officials familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak candidly, said the talks in Jeddah could resume in June, by which point the RSF could have already captured El Fasher from the mostly cutoff SAF forces.

“The need to start formal peace talks in Jeddah is absolutely urgent, and the United States is working exhaustively with partners to make that happen,” said a State Department spokesperson. “But we are not waiting for formal talks to begin—rather, we have accelerated our diplomatic engagements to align international efforts to end this war, mitigate the humanitarian crisis, and prevent future atrocities.”

Cease-fire talks have worked in limited ways in the past, such as when the United States got both sides to briefly stop fighting in Khartoum so it could evacuate its embassy in April 2023. “When the right leverage is put on the table at the right time to get the RSF and SAF to stop fighting, it can be done,” said Kholood Khair, a Sudanese policy analyst and founding director of Confluence Advisory, a Sudan-focused think tank. “The international community has just chosen not to deploy that same leverage this time around.”

Khair added that the Jeddah talks format has failed before, and it will likely fail again. “The concern is that because of the laziness and complicity of the international community at this point, you don’t have any diplomats who are looking for a new way of doing things. Jeddah in many ways is blocking the start of any new diplomatic efforts or other good ideas that could be effective.”

“Diplomats are fixated on Jeddah now, simply because it’s already there,” Khair said.

As Perriello engaged in frenetic diplomacy, he has also publicly marveled at how little attention the scale of the conflict and death in Sudan is receiving on the international stage.

“One of the things that to me captures just how invisible and horrific this war is, is that we don’t have a credible death count,” Perriello said during a congressional hearing in front of the 21-member Senate Foreign Relations Committee this month. “We literally don’t know how many people have died—possibly to a factor of 10 or 15. The number was earlier 15,000 to 30,000. Some think it’s at 150,000,” he said. During the course of Perriello’s hearing, senators cycled out of the room due to scheduling conflicts, often leaving only one senator in the room and 20 empty seats.