bortbytingen - Tumblr blog

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FYI, you're not less queer for enjoying heterosexual romance or shipping a heterosexual couple. Or you know, anything else heterosexual. Enjoying hetero media doesn't make you less queer.

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Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon BD Bonus

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"someone who allows you to rest" is the relationship dynamic of all time

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The most popular browsers in different countries in 2012 and 2022.

by @theworldmaps_

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I miss the pre-New 52 Tim and Jason dynamic so much. It was basically Jason beating the fuck out of Tim well being all "nothing personal kid I just hate everything about you, your existence and the fact you're breathing right now" and Tim spitting up blood going "what if your mother was a whore, kill yourself" and Jason just deciding right then and there that this kid is his favourite person. Then it just turned into a Tom and Jerry hunt across the city where Jason keeps hitting Tim with the "join me, be my robin" and Tim kicks him in the balls.

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you know i have never heard a convincing arguement as to why AO3 should not moderate the content that is posted to their website and i think a lot of the arguement against moderation on AO3 boils down to, terminally online people thinks community moderation is the same as government censorship and personally sending the cops to someone’s house to arrest them irl/

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A fantasy/soft sci-fi story that features a race of creatures who are apparently - for no really sensible reason - all male. And upon encountering humans for the first time, one of them discovers that women exist. And this is an epiphany, and the most splendid news in the entire world as he knows it. Holy shit, women. It takes him some time before he stops making sure that every human he encounters is aware that women exist, it would be a pity if they wouldn't. They do, all of them do, and some of the ones that he addresses are women, who apparently come in a far wider range of appearances than he had previously been aware of. This, too, is amazing.

Neglecting whatever duties he was supposed to be performing while among humans, he focuses mainly on learning more about women. This leads to learning about human romantic relationships, which leads to discovering polyamorous relationships, and the LGBT community. All of which are splendid discoveries.

Eventually, after having not heard anything of their duty-neglecting emissary for months, the people receive one letter that basically goes "I am ceasing my mission and relinquishing my position in order to make a home here. Do not try to seek me, I am currently living in a household of seven women including myself, and I will fight you if you try to remove me. Farewell."

And these people, relieved to finally get a confirmation that they can get someone else on the task, just look at this letter like "what the fuck is a woman."

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there is a huge difference between criticizing an institution and criticizing individual behavior. i can criticize the makeup industry without criticizing the 14 year old girl who uses concealer because she’s self-conscious about her acne; i can criticize the plastic surgery industry without vilifying the woman who decided to get a nose job after two decades of pointed comments and bullying. it is intellectually dishonest to respond to an institutional criticism as if it were a personal attack; on the flip side, it is cruel and unnecessary to leverage personal attacks in the name of institutional criticism

if i see one (1) more person respond to a perfectly reasonable beauty-industry-critical sentiment with “but i personally enjoy eyeshadow. why are you attacking people who like eyeshadow :(” or “exactly, all women who wear makeup are miserable and brainwashed” i am going to climb a tree and bite the top of it

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After seeing screenshots from LXC and LQR having tea and tags wondering what room that is, if it's the Hanshi (aka LXC house/room), but it's not, it's a room/building called song feng shui yue, I went into a bit of an obsession to find out what that building might be. If it's possible that it's LQR's place of living. I found this post, which is great (some really amazing drawings there, guys), but what 'annoys' me a little is that they call it Hanshi/Yashi but never mentions the name song feng shui yue, even though it's right there, even in their drawings. Yashi is on another sign, but there's never any sign that says Hanshi, so it doesn't seem like it's actually LXC's place of living. The place does have a bed though, so I think it might maybe be where LQR sleeps.

(TL;DR at the bottom.)

Let's dive into this now. Starting with the name of the place:

松風水月 - sōng fēng shuǐ yuè (it's read right to left)

松 - loose; to loosen; to relax; floss (dry, fluffy food product made from shredded, seasoned meat or fish, used as a topping or filling); pine; 風 - wind; news; style; custom; manner; 水 - water; river; liquid; beverage; additional charges or income; (of clothes) classifier for number of washes 月 - moon; month; monthly

This might come from a poem or similar, since that seems to be a Gusu Lan thing. I'm not Chinese and I couldn't find anything with these words or signs in them when I searched.

Edit: I've now found stuff and it is indeed from a poem/verse written by Emperor Taizong of Tang. This also means the characters are meant to be read as one on one and not together as the dictionary told me, aka be read as feng + shui, not feng shui (which I did find a little weird, but I rather trust a Chinese dictionary than my very low knowledge of Chinese, especially since I know that feng shui is more than just how to place your furnitures).

"As clear as the pine breeze, as bright and clear as the moon in the water. It means a noble character."

It also seem to be a part of the Yashi, since it says Yashi ( 雅室 ) (once again read right to left) by the door that leads to the walkway/courtyard where song feng shui yue is, as seen in ep 6. (I think it's possible Yashi is the collective name of several buildings/rooms belonging to the main Lan family.)

Now to analyse what can be seen in different episodes, mainly ep. 7.

Firstly, the building seems to be the entrance/reception hall with the "high seat" at the end and then a room to the right and one to the left.

To the right is where we see Qiren and Xichen having tea at least twice (and I think Xichen sees Guangyao there too later on). This part of the building is seen from several angles and quite well. Nothing is really hidden here and seems to be a table for 2-3 people.

The room to the left is not seen much at all. As far as I've found, it's best seen when Jin Guangshan is there and we can see if behind him. There you can see a bed and a guqin. I'm quite certain that's not Wangji's guqin, it could possibly be Xichen's, but it could also be Qiren's. In any case, it's there and so is the bed, so someone sleeps there regularly and my bet is that it's Lan Qiren. Because if this truly was the Hanshi, why doesn't the sign in the front says that instead of song feng shui yue?

Another reason I believe this might be Qiren's living area is because we get to see Xichen talk to Wen Chao, but that is not in this building. It might seem like it, but unless they've changed interior and moved around furniture etc, it's a different place. I believe Xichen talks to Wen Chao in the Hanshi aka his home (especially considering the bamboo you can see behind him, even if it's just a bamboo motif + there's a bed in the background too).

This is where Xichen sees Wen Chao:

Not the same as song feng shui yue:

TL;DR: song feng shui yue where we see LQR & LXC have tea and LQR meet with JFM & JGS is possibly LQR's place of living and seems to be a part of the Yashi. Hanshi seems to be elsewhere (although could still be a part of Yashi).

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A (probably rambling) Lan Qiren Appreciation Post

Ok, let me start by saying I'm fully aware that he isn't a "perfect" person. He is a human and comes with human flaws, however, I often find that he gets reduced to nothing but rules and anger, which in my opinion isn't fair. Many seem to forget all the things he has gone through and accomplished, seeing only a strict man obsessed with rules and filled with anger, a hindrance for his nephew and his husband. It's true that he is strict and does like the rules, just as he often appears angry too, but that's not all he is.

(Chapters the "facts" come from are ch. 64, 68, 79, 111 and 117.)

Anyway, let's start from the beginning. We all know Lan Qiren is the younger brother of Qingheng-jun (QHJ), the previous Lan sect leader. It's fair to assume that QHJ was trained and moulded to become a sect leader from childhood, becoming a renowned cultivator with an impressive reputation from an early age, so I bet everyone assumed he'd be a great sect leader, one who would fulfil his duty well. Then, at twenty, he suddenly announces his marriage and goes into seclusion, pretty much throwing all the responsibilities of a sect leader on his younger brother, Lan Qiren, overnight. At this time, LQR is at the oldest nineteen (though I hc him as 18), but since we don't know the actual age gap between QHJ and LQR, we can't know for sure how old he is. However, he is a teen that suddenly finds himself being a sect leader in everything but name. Not only that, he pretty much lost his brother too, since QHJ went into seclusion and unless he visited him there (if it was even allowed), he wouldn't see him.

Like this isn't enough, he becomes an uncle twice within a few years (here too, we don't know the exact age gap between LXC and LWJ, as well as how long after the marriage LXC was born). Although the babies are raised by others at first, they are handed over to LQR "once old enough to be taught and raised", so LQR was their de facto parental figure. And suddenly LQR has a sect to run and two sect heirs to raise and he himself is most likely still under 25. He also wasn't trained for this the same way QHJ was, but the Gusu Lan Sect still flourishes. Yes, it was most likely already doing well before him, but he continued that and also ended up becoming a renowned teacher. On top of that he raised two boys into becoming two of the cultivation world's most renowned members, and let's be honest, both LXC and LWJ are good people. If LQR was such a horrible parental figure, then I doubt both of them would've turned out as well as they do. I'm not saying he's doing everything perfectly (no parents or parental figures ever do), but he did well.

Yes, he was strict with them and the reason was how their mother's crime had caused QHJ to throw away his life (as well as abandoning his duty) and LQR feared his nephews might do the same thing unless he was strict with them. In other words, he didn't want them to do something impulsive that would then ruin their chance of happiness (and maybe because it might also lead them to lose the ability to be with their family, like for QHJ). It might not be the best way to show care, but for a Lan who saw his accomplished brother throw away everything for a woman that didn't return his love, it makes sense. He also wouldn't be the only uncle who shows affection through irritation and scolding, would he? (Yes, Jiang Wanyin, I'm looking at you.)

Another thing that's good to keep in mind is that we often get to see LQR from WWX's point of view, unless someone is speaking about LQR, and WWX is chaos, so obviously anything strict will appear stricter. I don't say that's necessarily the truth, but it might be good to keep in mind.

Let's continue to a less than happy part, LWJ hiding WWX. Firstly, it was LXC who fetched LQR and the elders out of worry, but LQR too was worried, albeit showing it as frustration. I don't think corporal punishment is okay, however in this world, it is and LWJ did severely injure 33 elders of his clan, in the view of that, the punishment does make sense. It also makes sense that LQR is the one sentencing the punishment, since it's only him or LXC who can do it and I believe that LQR doesn't want LXC to have to punish his own brother. I do not see this as LQR not caring about his nephew, as I know many do. I fully believe that whipping LWJ did emotionally hurt LQR, but rules are rules.

Time for WWX's return. As we all know, LQR falls into a coma after trying to play Evocation for NMJ's arm and LXC later states to WWX after they return from the Cultivation Conference that LQR has just woken up. I read somewhere that it was about a month between Evocation and the Cultivation Conference, meaning that LQR has been in a coma for 3-4 weeks. No matter your golden core, that got to take a toll on you, which seems to be true as he is the one leading the Lans during the second siege of the Burial Mounds and he "stood before the crowd, looking considerably more aged. There were even streaks of white in his hair." Yes, this might be due to the stress of finding out that one of his nephews is with the returned WWX and the other nephew is gone (in the claws of JGY), plus the fact that Lan Juniors have been kidnapped. However, if this were the case, he would've aged a lot during the Sunshot Campaign and the First Siege of the Burial Mounds. I firmly believe it's the resentful energy that put him into a coma that took its toll on him. Anyway, no matter why, here he is, maybe a week or so after waking up after a nearly month long coma, leading a group of Lan cultivators. And no, it's not just to fetch LWJ, because he shows care for those under his command:

"Lan Qiren hadn’t wanted to go in, at first. He would rather have remained outside and fought until the bitter end. However, he was not waging this battle alone—there were many Lan and Jin Clan cultivators under his command, and they were not the main force in the fight. He did not want to treat the lives of those disciples with such disregard. If there was a thread of hope for survival, he was compelled to seize it."

As stated later, LQR is not a reckless man. He will do what the rules say is right and what will benefit the most people, even if he disagrees on a personal level (in this case wanting to fight, but knowing others might die if he does, since they would remain as well). He is also not so proud and petty that he won't let WWX speak his mind, instead he remains silent and listens. Many others would not.

He then again, despite probably not being in full strength since the coma and definitely not from all the fighting he's already done and without spiritual power, charges in with killing force to protect people when Su She breaks the barrier into the cave and the fierce corpses attack a again. Though this clearly comes with a prise as he afterwards coughs up a lot of blood and needs to mediate to regulate his breathing (and since LWJ is willing to give him spiritual energy, I have a feeling it's a tad worse than he wants to tell, but since his core is still sealed off, LWJ giving him qi would not help anyway, as LQR states himself).

Now to the aftermath of Guanyin Temple. He asks LXC what's the matter with him and LXC says he doesn't want to talk about it. LQR could press him, he probably could force him to tell him, but he doesn't. Yes he is angry, but the novel also declares that "both were now sources of worry" and it is after also saying that "neither of these two previously flawless pupils would heed him anymore", but I don't think it's just about smudged reputation or control that has him worried. I do believe he is genuinely worried that LXC and LWJ have thrown away their lives. The way he speaks and the way he's irritated with the situation shows signs of someone who acts with anger when stressed (similar to JC). I'm not saying this is the best way to react, but it is a part of our fight or flight reaction. We also can't forget that he did see his brother throw away his life due to an impulse decision and breaking the rules, a life that seems to have been generally happy before that.

And to end it all, after the family banquet:

"Wei Wuxian stroked his chin. If that was the case, they couldn’t blame Lan Qiren for punishing them like this. The man loathed wickedness in all forms. In fact, to be copying texts while doing handstands…they were getting off pretty light."

This is the juniors getting punished for going night-hunting with Wen Ning and if WWX thinks they're getting off pretty lightly, then they most likely are. To me this shows that although LQR adds rules and follows them, he does know there is a degree to them. He knows Wen Ning wouldn't hurt the juniors and that he isn't really evil or bad, but the rules state they shouldn't spend time with him, so he has to punish them, so he does so in a way that clearly is a punishment, but also not as harsh as it technically should be.

This became a long post. All in all, Lan Qiren is more than anger and strictness. He does not lack compassion, he does care about his nephews and I think people forget everything he has gone through and accomplished and that he deserves some more love and recognition (and not to only being the butt of the joke).

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When Lan Wangji had sobered up, his chest bore the same wound that Wei Wuxian had gained inside the Cave of the Xuanwu of Slaughter. Lan Qiren had looked very sad and very angry, but in the end, he had not reprimanded him further. Reprimands, punishments—there had been enough of those. He had sighed and stopped fighting Lan Wangji’s decision to keep Wen Yuan. Lan Wangji had bowed, assigned himself punishment of his own accord, and silently kneeled for one day and one night inside the Cloud Recesses.

~ MDZS: vol. 5, p. 44. (ch. 111)

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There was a highly respected and reputable elder named Lan Qiren in the Lan Clan of Gusu. Among the distinguished clans, he was publicly recognized to have three major traits: pedantry, pertinacity, and proficiency in producing peerless pupils from his strict instruction. The first two items kept many at a respectful distance—indeed, even made some secretly abhor him—but the latter item made many others stop at nothing to finagle their children into his classes.

~ MDZS, vol 1: ch. 4, p. 43

Ah, yes, we secretly dislike this man, but let's use him to make our kids better.

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没有规矩不成方圆。 家训乃我蓝氏立身之本。 希望你能够切记于心。

"Méi yǒu guī ju bù chéng fāng yuán. Jiā xùn nǎi wǒ lán shì lì shēn zhī běn. Xī wàng nǐ néng gòu qiè jì yú xīn."

"Without rules nothing can be done. The family motto is the foundation of our clan. I hope you will take it to heart."

Alt: "There's no order without rules. Disciplines are the foundation of our clan. I hope you won't forget that."

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Consider: you are talking to a friend who is a cisgender woman, and she says or does something which you think either gender dysphoria or a desired gender euphoria.