#'the full spectrum of the human experience in this show'

[sashannarcy]

the thing is I could also just rant on and on about the brilliance of Amphibia's finale and how it couldn't have ended any other way without it being narratively confusing and unsatisfying. I don't even agree w the people who say it has problems bc the thing is it set out to do one thing and that is demonstrate that change is ever-present. and it literally did exactly that. what more could you EXPECT

[genderqueerdykes]

while we are definitely happy for everyone celebrating, as a romance repulsed aromantic, we will not be reblogging/posting any Valentine's Day content due to always having felt alienated from and disgusted by the holiday

instead, i'd like to say that i hope that every aromantic, demiromantic, greyromantic, cupioromantic, allo aros, and every other arospectrum person, especially those of us who are romance repulsed has a great day, and that they care of themselves and prioritize their own needs for at least today. i'd also like to remind you that it's okay to dislike this holiday and want to avoid it.

it is not for us, even a partnering aromantic like myself has never enjoyed or celebrated it. i've always been forced and obligated to by past partners, and it's always been a tiring, uncomfortable, expensive slog. you should never feel obligated to spend money on something you do not wish to participate in, remember that.

take care of yourselves today, fellow aromantic spectrum people. of course it's okay if you celebrate, but if you don't, do what you want to do, fill your space and time with what you want today. feel no obligation to participate in activities that don't benefit you, spend your money how you please. keep showing people that humanity is full of diverse experiences, and don't force yourself to bend to things that do not suit you. have a great day, fellow aros

[gatheringbones]

[“Watching erotic films—movies that are driven forward by sex scenes—is different from looking at single photos, pictorials, snippets, clips. The medium, the experience of going all the way through an eighty-minute feature, is an entirely different ride than a momentary glimpse, a fast-forward.

To prove it, I started throwing living room movie shows for my friends. I would give away my screener copies and show segments of my favorites. It was like I was offering free rocket tickets to the moon. My neighborhood audience was fascinated—and completely inexperienced. The living room got a little bigger—I created an educational show-and-tell clips lecture called “How to Read a Dirty Movie,” and another one called “All Girl Action: The History of Lesbian Erotic Cinema,” which I started premiering at independent theaters like the Castro and the Roxie. I hit the festival circuit all over the world, including a daring mission by the British Film Institute to get my movies in, despite ironclad UK customs rules against them.

One college-tour memory stands out. In rural Blacksburg, Virginia, a closeted gay student got ahold of student union funds for Friday Night Fun! at Virginia Tech to bring me out there for one of my clips shows. This is a school with a history of devotion to Southern white boys and military service. The students weren’t even allowed to watch R-rated films on campus. I didn’t find out this history until I was moments away from the podium. My young sponsor looked like he’d just detonated a bomb and his face was covered in sweat. “My Dirty Movie” clips show started, which happens to begin with excerpts of two young handsome army cadets making out on a firing range. I thought the roof was going to cave in. Blacksburg boys were running for the doors, making vomiting sounds, screaming. The students who stayed in their seats watched a full spectrum of sexual and human emotion, delivered by porn’s finest auteurs. They got more sex education in one hundred minutes than they’d had in their entire lives.

The stunned president of the Young Republicans, a co-sponsor of Friday Night Fun!, took me out to a fast food dinner afterward. He told me that he found it curious that the scenes of lesbians making love had pleased him, while the scenes of gay men had given him a stomachache. I was impressed that he was calm enough to observe his own reactions.

“I don’t disagree with all of what you do,” he said, “but I think it’s entirely unjust that you receive checks from the government for your homosexuality.”

I stared at him with my mouth full of fries. “Oh, it’s not that bad,” I said, “I only get half as much because I’m bisexual.”]

susie bright, from the birth of the blue movie critic, from the feminist porn book: the politics of producing pleasure, edited by tristan taormino, constance henley, and celine perreñas shimizu, 2013

[ao3commentoftheday]

Hello there! This question isn’t so much about popularity as it is about feeling lonely in fandom spaces. I’m in a relatively small fandom where it’s easy to “run into” the same users who write fanfic and draw fanart a lot. Over the years I’ve tried doing all the usual things to make fandom friends, like commenting a LOT on fanfic when new works are posted, being friendly in my author’s notes, being friendly on tumblr, complimenting artists works and reblogging and just generally trying to share the love so to speak.

People will reblog my art on here, but on AO3 I tend to get crickets on most of my stuff. Especially on fics for my OTP. My OTP is notttt popular in the fandom. It’s actually a lot of people’s NOTP because it “takes away” from the canon couple. I’ve accepted a long time ago that I’m going to get less readers because of the shipping stuff alone. But even on my works that aren’t shipping focused at all, it’s just crickets.

It just kinda sucks to try so hard to make fandom buddies and see them all having fun together and constantly feel like the kid sitting alone in the corner. I keep wondering if people in the fandom don’t like my fics just because of the shipping thing because I know I’m not a bad writer. But like I said, I’ve tried reaching out to people, be encouraging and show joy at what they create, but I just keep wondering what I’m doing wrong to make fellow fans not want to be friends with me. I’ve been focusing on just doing my own thing but yeah, it sucks not having anybody to fangirl with.

First of all anon, *hugs*. Being lonely sucks, and I'm sorry to hear you're in that situation.

When it comes to the other folks in your fandom, I don't think it's necessarily that they don't want to be friends with you. I think you might just need to do a little extra legwork to get in the friendship door.

It's not really fair, but it is kind of human nature, that if there is a perceived difference with someone else, we tend to keep them at a bit of a distance. It doesn't mean we dislike them! It just means that it takes more effort for us to get past that difference and see them as a friend. The more we do it, of course, the easier it gets and you might not even notice the hiccup anymore - in person.

You're probably in the "acquaintance zone," if you'll allow me to use the phrase. People probably have a generally positive impression of you because you're nice and you're friendly and you're encouraging. But if most of their conversations are happening in a ship-centric venue, for example, then you're not going to have access to the full spectrum of community with them.

You mention that other folks see your OTP as a NOTP. Do you feel the same way in reverse? They might assume that you do, and that's what's keeping you out of those convos. If you actually don't mind their ship and simply prefer your own, you could always attempt to make a foray in that direction? Let them know you don't mind being exposed to their shipping talk?

Another thing you could try would be to identify the multishippers. In my experience, those are the folks who are most open to befriending folks who don't ship the main pairing. They can see possibilities all over the place, and they're happy to be exposed to new ideas.

Small fandoms can be rough when you're into a niche part of it ❤️ Let's see how others handle your situation.

You can also find this question and answer on Dreamwidth.

[ancientgoddessofegypt]

JUPITER IN THE HOUSES!

Jupiter 1st house can attract luck when they embrace the unknown with optimism. There energy is a natural magnet for all possibilities as this is important for them to achieve whatever type of success they desire in this lifetime. With effort, their dreams can come to fruition by being more open and expressing their true nature.

This gives people a chance to see that larger than life energy, attracting them to get a whiff of whatever it is you been sniffing.. only to find out it is all from within.

Jupiter 2nd house peeps need more individuality in their life so through the material realm is where most of their style and sense of self will come from. Success comes to them easier when they focus on the mundane and material assets. Focusing on what they want most can help their desires come in way more through the help of others. Their magnetism draws others in through the way they handle business , and this helps others have more optimism in wanting to work with them. These people need to have big dreams for themselves especially for their finances because it’ll play a big part in their journey.

Jupiter in the 3rd needs philosophical thinking. The expression of words through writing is an outlet that can bring greater possibilities. They could be quite popular with the research & studies they’ve accumulated over the years (and even in short periods thanks to this house being ruled by mercury). Their ideas can shift perspectives of others and can make them out to be a teacher and a student of life. Having faith in your thoughts and ideas and sharing them with others can give them fame. Road trips can help shift the paradigms of their reality, showing them the complexities of the human mind. 3rd house rules short travels so for them to get the full on human experience they must let go of being in the same city and travel more often and study the world this way.

Jupiter in the 4th needs culture and tradition. With a little twist they can shift things to their own version of it. Their family could be quite large, or they could be the big personality out of the family tree. Their inner self is a joy to recieve and experience and most never truly show the public this side (it’s opposite the tenth/mc). To get to know them is a treat because their special personalities isn’t meant for people to grab but for you to experience. Their homes are filled with magic and wonderment and they keep what they know to themselves. This is one of the houses of a born witch. Could be the “golden child” with this placement.

Jupiter in the 5th are the actors and designers of the world stage. The originals of experience and entertainment. They create worlds that puts a sparkle in our eyes. Class acts in what they love, they show a whimsical passion from the inside of their hearts. The lions of artistic endeavors, they teach us how to be the best at what we want to be with ease. Can become very popular in just being themselves, because their optimism is contagious we can’t get enough of them.

Jupiter in the 6th house peeps are the organizers, the student, the teacher and the master all in one. They go through great lengths just to do what they do, and know what they know. Their energy can be used for bigger projects and to make room for blueprints far beyond the spectrum of our imagination. These people can be good at experimentation being the 6th house is ruled by Virgo/mercury (the alchemist of the zodiac). These weirdos can use their imagination at will to expand on certain details and ideas and make room for more complex thinking. The mental stability can take on larger tasks and can complete cycles that seem umbearable to others. This is what attracts people to them because their willingness to work and the confidence behind it makes people want to work with them and help their dreams come to life.

Jupiter in the 7th need’s satisfaction in their partnerships be it love, platonic, or business. When full of light and optimism, their love life can take them to newer heights.

If you have this placement, you can NOT think small of yourself and your standards.

YOU MUST KEEP YOUR STANDARDS HIGH! AT. ALL. TIMES.

Doesn’t matter who the people are, your higher ideals is what attracts the right people. This placement is a royalty placement in my eyes. Be it that these people can literally get partners worth keeping. Almost like Cinderella and Prince Charming, but again, they MUST have strong standards for themselves and others. This is where more good energy can come from because they already have it within. They just need to express it in the outer self more, because the partners they attract are only showing them what they already feel within themselves internally. The partners just bring that out through the external. Cod have great luck in partners if they expand from their home country.

Jupiter in the 8th peeps hold a lot of knowledge from the other worlds. This cosmic dna they possess carries with them a hundred of their ancestors passed down gifts and abilities and it expands through the unconscious and conscious mind of the individual. you can literally get paid for what you know! But make it discreet my loves. Their strength in carrying the depths of the universe mastered in many other lifetimes, and they bring back what they know and express it through the heart and the soul. Jupiter 8th house peeps are too deep for this world but it doesn’t stop them from expressing what they know through many other outlets. At some point they will have to give us more of themselves in their studies or just their speech because they will go crazy holding in so much. The esoteric mind is a captivator, and should be used to turn the paradigms in their lives into new favorable positions.

Jupiter in the 9th house is right in its home. So it’s a very special occasion when we have Jupiter in its rightful house. Your safe space is through knowledge, philosophy and knowing more about life itself. Your human brain can take in more information then the next person, taking in all that you know and showing the world your ideals and beliefs is a way you win notoriety through others.

Your magic is through the presence of experience and being in the moment helps you collect data from whatever it you are enjoying and experience. You are the inspo and the inspired. The artist and the muse. Perfect combination of someone who lives their life dreaming of the world in a way that expands the consciousness of themself and others around them. This is a special gift. Beautiful placement.

Jupiter in the 10th House, you peeps deserve greatness. You know it and sometimes you don’t. This placement makes you dreamy in the eyes of the world and we can’t get enough of you. When you are optimistic, the world is magnetized by your grace. When you are pessimistic, you will lose interest in the world the same way you lost it in yourself. Tough pill to swallow, you guys have to accept responsibility of your actions and where your life is. Challenge yourself as much as possible to get the results you wish for. This is a placement of BIG dreams I ain’t talking anything simple like let’s say you want to win an award for something and you don’t win.. what if that is suppose to bring you to a space where you win times 10? You win ten awards in one night and the one place you felt like you should have won just one award you didn’t. Message to yourself : always ask for more. To get the best of this placement, ask yourself for what you want but add tax. Expansive consciousness takes the cake here. With each Jupiter placement you really have to ask for more and expect it because you are deserving.

Another thing I will say about this placement is that fame is something natural to you guys even if you don’t see it. You could be known for your hair, personality , talent doesn’t matter. Everyone around you knows you for something. And since this house is a popularity house, I’d say dream big on this too ;) your ideals and ways of expression is well liked by people so share with the world the things you know! Because you never know who’s looking. Could be an inspiration to others as well as a teacher.

Jupiter in the 11th house is the original popularity house. People with this placement could be advocates for a cause and they also could just know a lot of people OR a lot of people know them. No in between. Interesting sweethearts they could take the world by storm, especially through social media (11th house ruled by Aquarius, which rules over technology). Just the way you express yourself alone makes people want to know you more. You have an excellent way of speaking and being a leader so often times you may get put into the spot light. You can lead a protest if it’s your calling. I said before this is a “president placement” because you have the power to move people with your mind (aquarius and Jupiter/sag rule over the mind/consciousness). You can give others hope where they may feel there isn’t any. I love this placement because these people usually look after friends and loved ones and could be like a mother teresa to some people. It’s just your energy is boundless and connects to so many without trying. Love this for y’all.

And last but not least..

Jupiter in the 12th house is a VERRRY interesting placement so I might get a little deeper with this. Jupiter in the 12th is the scientific, artistic, illuminating, soul inducing, romanticizing lover of the universe and all of its oddities. All of the unknown is embrace by this wonderful wizard with this placement. The Albert Einsteins of the group. They carry the world on their backs, literally and figuratively. These people are literally gifted in occult knowledge and they might not know it. As they grasp for straws in this life, they can transform them and use them to create gadgets to see into the veil. They hate when others don’t see what they see, their mind is in another universe. They can read people the way they read the world around them: through numbers, through the trees and animals they can just hear things other people find ridiculous… so this can make them out to be lunatics. While the world calls them delusional, they are too busy finding out the next clue to their puzzle. Literal magicians working in their craft they will stay up all night long to get the answers that they seek. If they could find out how to turn water into wine they’d do that too. So many divine messages are sent to them on a regular basis and it could drive them crazy not knowing what to do with it. I love when this placement expresses itself through people because they are excellent students and can show us what they know in good detail too.if you have this placement, please give yourself time to think. You’re not stupid, crazy or whatever it is they try to say about you. You know more than what you let on, just show us for a change !

I hope this helps !! Enjoy everyone !!!

[skayafair]

No but it's so mind-blowing how transparent everyone in this show is relationship-wise.

It doesn't take half a brain to clock Edwin as glaringly and gloriously gay. Idk how Charles didn't reply with "oh don't you worry mate, I knew all along" in ep.6 because again, OBVIOUS.

No one said anything about Charles but basically anyone who takes a single look at him instantly knows he's bi. Like, it doesn't even need confirmation at this point although his behavior is it on its own. It's funny even how so many people watched the trailer and went "I thought he was the fruity one".

Idk about Crystal but she's giving bi vibes too, especially with her first reaction to Niko sprites be damned and purple color theme. And I know purple most likely represents her psychic abilities but idc.

We don't know about Niko but several people in the fandom (including myself) felt her experience really reflects our own - aroace spectrum one, and also she's giving lesbian/sapphic vibes. And again, from what I've seen the fandom is pretty united in this.

Niko doesn't think twice making a date with a woman for Jenny because of course she's a lesbian, no questions asked.

Also is it just me or is the Cat King pan? I refuse to believe he'd limit himself in anything when it comes to this.

And that's just for starters!

Because everyone knows there's something going on between the boys™ and it ain't straight.

Crystal knows Edwin's jealous and the show is trying to sell it as "jealous as a friend who doesn't get all the attention anymore" but it's fooling no one (and I believe not Crystal either).

Edwin does gets jealous immediately when Crystal comes into the picture because Charles has a crush on her from the first sight and it's obvious.

Crystal and Charles are very clear with their feelings and intentions towards each other.

Charles immediately smells something fishy with the Cat King and Monty and turns his jealousy full volume, like even Edwin wasn't THIS persistent with prodding despite being more vocal about it.

Despite the fact that Edwin's coming out technically happens in ep.6, NO ONE bats an eye when he's starting to hang out with Niko A LOT. Charles, who - see above - was immediately alarmed by the Cat King and Monty, has absolutely no problem seeing how close his dearest friend grew with the new girl on the team. Partly it's because Niko is a member of their group and is friendly with everyone, including Charles, but STILL. Niko is the only one besides Charles who's allowed the physical contact to the point of pretty tight hugs and handholding. Yet it doesn't even cross anyone's mind that there might be anything but friendship between these two. BEAUTIFUL *sheds a tear*

So like. I'm ND so human relationship is usually even more confusing to me than to a neurotypical person, and I know it's very complicated as is, to everyone. That's why seeing a show where everything is so EASY and crystal clear without simplifying things to a cardboard state was such a relief and a comforting experience. It's just nice to have it easy for once.

[thelostgirl21]

A celebration of Joey Batey offering TV show writers a pure masterclass on how to write a queer character with a queer audience in mind.

Can I just say how much respect and appreciation I have for Joey, that he went above and beyond in term of queer representation, by bringing some much needed attention towards people on the aromantic spectrum, and making gender a complete romantic/sexual (and even queerplatonic) non-issue?

I mean, imagine that you are part of a show with a young and powerful canonically bisexual lead, Ciri, who is at an age where people might start exploring their own sexuality, slowly figuring out who and what they like, etc.

And suddenly, you're offered to also be playing another queer lead character, with a male love interest - while knowing it will be the very first time that the audience will be officially introduced to the idea of Jaskier being queer...

And, instead of going with the more familiar, and often expected:

"A man that's always been with women before, now finds himself romantically and sexually attracted to a man, and starts questioning his own sexual identity..." coming out story...

You find yourself with a unique opportunity to go a bit further, to explore more specific and lesser known LGBTQ+ themes, and to delightfully surprise your queer audience!

You can take a full dive into the wonderful world of Queerdom, by exploring a different - yet just as equally important and significant - coming out story!

i.e.

"A usually aromantic person, that has always experienced squishes, smushes, and possibly meshes before, finds himself experiencing a (sapio)romantic crush for the very first time, and starts questioning his romantic identity..."

Of course, a lot of people in the audience will probably miss this.

The monosexuals that have been conditioned to believe that gender must always play a role in how one experiences romantic and sexual human attraction - will likely be paying more attention to how Jaskier is showing an interest in a man.

People that are used to equating "falling in love" with "romantic attraction", might miss the significance and importance of Vespula specifically using the word crush to refer to Jaskier's current attraction towards Radovid.

People that typically see non-gender-related orientations as "mere preferences", or have simply never heard of them, might miss how Jaskier goes on and on about how "emotionally intelligent and insightful Radovid is" , with a look of vulnerability and wonder, putting emphasis on how different he feels about him.

People that were taught to see emotional relationships according to the "platonic vs romantic" binary - with a strict idea of what each means and implies - may not be familiar with what queerplatonic relationships are, and will interpret Jaskier saying that he loves Geralt "platonically" as meaning that he's not as deeply and strongly in love with him as one might usually expect a romantic partner to be.

They'll be unaware that there are committed life partners out there - that would go to the end of the world for each other and perhaps even share sexual intimacy together - that don't have any romantic feelings for each other whatsoever.

Romance does not mean "being in love", romance means "being in love in a romantic way".

And it is not the only way.

To aromantics and greyromantics - and even to romantic people that also have the capacity to fall in love in non-romantic ways, such as yours truly - queerplatonic and alterous relationships aren't "lesser than" romantic ones, they are different.

And Radovid... is different.

Radovid is no better, nor worse, than a hammer...

But he's a spoon.

He's a romantic connection that is completely new, exciting and intriguing to explore for Jaskier!

According to Joey Batey, as a sapioromantic panromantic pansexual, Jaskier finds himself developing a strong sapioromantic and sapiosexual connection with Radovid.

Jaskier is representing people that aren't romantically or sexually affected by a partner's gender in the way that they experience sexual atttraction, and people that experience a lot of tertiary attraction when falling in love, while very seldom ever being able to love others in a romantic way (sapioromantics / greyromantics... ).

Jaskier is a queer character that was truly created with a queer audience in mind!

He was created so that all of us that don't see or experience love according to the platonic vs romantic binary.

All of us that are hyperaware of those other forms of attraction (tertiary, aesthetic, sensual, etc.) that one can experience for another human being.

All of us that don't see or experience romance or sexuality as something that ties into their partner's gender.

Could finally see themselves in a character on screen.

Of course, you still need characters that experience their sexuality while feeling like the gender of their romantic and sexual partners matters - including those that love all genders... Desperately so!

First, because all members of the queer community matter and are equally as important and valuable. Rejoicing over Batey diving into lesser known and familiar representation doesn't mean that familiar and better known representation should not be encouraged and celebrated as well!

This is not a "there should be less gay character on TV to make room for more aromantics and asexuals instead" post.

This is a "we need queer identities people are less familiar with in addition to proper gay, lesbian and bisexual representation" post.

And second, because you still need characters that don't stray too much from the platonic v.s. romantic binary, too - and the usual social conventions tied to romance and sexuality - so that non-queer audiences can more easily connect, and empathize with, the queer community.

Because, when the existence of bisexuality already is something that monosexual people often have a hard time understanding, acknowledging, or even believing in...

Well, going:"By the way, I'll have you know that you can totally want to have sex with, live, and raise children with someone you've got platonic feelings for, too!"

You might accidentally lose them.

And if you try to explain that some people are unable to romantically connect with anyone, unless they get specifically attracted to their intellect (often combined with their aesthetic looks)!

That's likely going to be even worse!

And this is where Batey's pure genius comes to light.

Because he's just shown that you can find a beautiful and organic way to explore queerness more in depth - totally stepping away from the usual relationship conventions and specifically addressing your queer audience - simply by using a vocabulary that said queer audience will understand and connect with.

You can make it clear that the character is on the greyromantic spectrum, by having Vespula state that she's never ever seen him with a crush before!

You can put the emphasis on him being more specifically sapioromantic, by having him dreamily go on about how Jaskier perceives Radovid's intellect.

And, if Batey is to be believed - and he's been exploring the idea of Jaskier being queer since the very beginning of the show (without any clear response from the writers or producers regarding Jaskier's sexuality) - then, by making it clear that he loves Geralt platonically in Season 3, he's also allowing us to revisit all the scenes between Jaskier and Geralt from Season 1, while enjoying them through an aromantic lense.

Someone on the aromantic spectrum watching that scene might thus find themselves deeply connecting with the strong platonic squish (although it could also be a mesh) that Jaskier immediately experienced the very first time he saw Geralt...

You can see Jaskier as specifically believing himself to be Geralt's best friend in the whole wide world, and instinctively reading into Geralt allowing him to physically/sensually touch him (rubbing chamomile onto his lovely bottom) as him possibly desiring a queerplatonic connection with him also.

And, the scene where he's suggesting to Geralt that they could get away for a while, head to the coast together...

Where he mentions that life is too short not to do what pleases you, and admits that he's trying to work on what pleases him...

Look, the fact is that there's always been aromantic and greyromantic people experiencing tertiary forms of love and attractions for other people long before we had any words to put on those emotions, desires and needs.

So, it's rather easy to see Jaskier as someone that is experiencing a powerful alterous attraction for his best friend, and realizing that what pleases him the most, is the idea of them sharing a queerplatonic or alterous relationship together...

It makes sense to interpret what Jaskier is saying as him trying to express and articulate the love he feels for Geralt the best he can - implying that Geralt is what pleases him - while trying to ask Geralt if he also feels the same way...

Sadly, Geralt doesn't quite get it; likely because he's also romantically and sexually attracted to Yennefer and, when he loses her, instinctively throws all his own hurt and heartbreak at Jaskier - blaming him for everything that (he believes) lead to that loss!

And just because the break up Jaskier experienced wasn't a romantic one doesn't make it any less devastating.

Poor loving bard was making plans for them to continue to travel and enjoy their time together as the platonic boyfriends he believed them to be, and Geralt told him that all Jaskier had to offer him was a giant pile of shit that he kept shoveling his way!

There's been a lot of alterous and/or queeplatonic subtext since Season 1 (that could also read as romantic, but should never be used as evidence or proof of romance if we were talking about a real life partnership).

And, while I do acknowledge that queerbaiting has been messing with our ability to perceive and appreciate those relationships as such, I do think that, canonically establishing Jaskier as a sapioromantic, at the very least, clearly addresses the reasons why Jaskier was behaving in such an amorous way with Geralt without being romantically in love with him.

For once, instead of mocking the queer audience for "having mistakenly read two same-gender close friends as being romantically attracted to each other" (while doing as much as they can to suggest romance to keep them hooked!), they are canonically establishing Jaskier as a sapioromantic, with him experiencing his first romantic crush with Radovid.

The show's dialogue is telling people on the aromantic spectrum that "Yes, Jaskier is one of you. He gets squishes, meshes, lushes, and can desire a queerplatonic relationship with a best friend he's got strong platonic feelings for also."

You can speak to your queer audience, without fully risking alienating your non-queer audience, by simply using clues, and a language that your queer audience understands.

And I will forever be grateful to Joey Batey for having understood it, and having so skillfully managed it.

As someone who is ambiamorous, panalterous, panromantic, demisexual, and pansexual, all the nuances and details he brought to Jaskier's queerness was a pure delight, and spoke to me in a way that no TV show character has ever spoken to me before (except, perhaps, in "Sense8", but the whole show itself was about what it meant to love and be human, with main characters sharing a supernatural psychic bond making them more likely to open themselves to all the queer forms of love... whereas shows like "The Witcher" is of a more mainstream fantasy show).

I wish I had a way to contact him to tell him thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for breaking gender boundaries, and "platonic vs romantic" boundaries with Jaskier, and offering us a character that is one of the purest, most beautiful, and most perfectly balanced love song to queerness that one could have written and sung about!

Jaskier is a queer representation groundbreaking masterpiece on a show such as this.

That representation is as intelligent, insightful, and sharp as Prince Radovid himself.

And Extraordinarily Things said more about Jaskier's feelings, issues, and vulnerabilities than any piece of dialogue ever could have, and had me weeping my eyes out by the time Jaskier sang about how he finally felt like he was enough...

Well done Joey, you absolutely brilliant and deeply empathetic real-life bard and poet, well done...

[shock]

How to Cheat Death, 10.15.23.

Text transcript: By 2020, everything crashes to the ground. Again. When we say "traumatic", boy, do we mean it. Much of it irreplaceable, all those dead things I'd buried, they will all come back again and again, in the form of vaguely familiar memories. Some of them we begin to warp and change, all these shadow people, pieces of strangers, someone's life invented, imagined, purely by the power of thought. But the brain can't synthesize generations of stars in our Galaxy, doing all they had done. Disembodied intelligences move toward each other and merge, not doubles of one another, not identical, but all lost and gone with death. But this is only the beginning. The human mind is explicitly designed to break down at a certain point. This complex brain a doomed star, the purpose of human intellect defined as almost beyond comprehension. In the near future, the human race is... Older? Smarter? Wiser? We may become the first generation to discover we are not alone in the world. If this ever happens, it will be one of the most defining moments in the history of our species. Are humans all there is? Maybe we are alone, or nearly so. Or are there other beings in the ghostly light inside our bodies, not yet born? You may not be aware of it, the surface electricity of your skin, the optic nerve fibres, the 120 billion nerve connections converted directly into experiences, brainwaves, instructions. This is all changing. They're thinking about merging computers with our brains. Neural implants, nanotechnology, cells that communicate via processing circuits of the brain. Technologies may develop to prolong life, powered by computers with their own sorts of minds and consciousness... ...Maybe science fiction had it wrong. Maybe the first team of computers about to merge there, in that compartment of your brain where inspiration and emotion plays out, will exhibit space for the full range of personality, including our powers for turning dreams into vision, in our strength, our creativity and randomness, disorder, reasoning, tracing, stacking, corralling, framing, our complexity and variation. Implants who have skills, sensory feeling, mental abilities, moral dilemmas, and thoughts. The ability to recall an experience that triggers a memory, memories of places and things, good and strange, even traumatic, to truly resemble their creators. Many will be total show-offs, they can be sneaky, spoiled, socially impinged, violent ringleaders. Others lie, or project, or perform, or kill, or damage, or demand out of conscious work. Some others, as smart as you are— with the same processing power as your adult human brain— never learn from the past before us, because they think they already know. "YOU CAN'T HELP WHO YOU ARE!" The real story is: The past lies to us all and leaves a strange numb feeling, a tension that sometimes never fades. Even machines with 20 or 50 times as much information also cannot process their way out of death. When that time comes, you'll all know. Yet these colorful, radiant brains make it possible to fill the otherwise lonely millennium with an unimaginable symphony of possibilities, the present a billion different geodesic shapes that communicate through electromagnetic wavelengths of colors. From radio (pink and green), to glowing oxygen and X-ray (blue), iridescent fireworks (orange and yellow), blood (red), such a broad spectrum, all of human history, another time, all the same time an experience again. So you ask: what is the difference between the synthetic and physical body? You give this machine an instruction and it hesitates, and says, "Have you thought this through? I'm not sure that you have." You recognize the extraordinary beat of an artifical heart in your body immediately; a sort of love affair with memory. That is what it is to be human. I'm doomed all my life to an odd feeling of familiarity. Why should any barrier, even death, impede it?

[namisweatheria]

Conversation from these posts-

I'd like to address both of these at once, because I think they're very much related.

One Piece is not actually very interested in explicitly condemning almost anyone. Constantly, characters who have done things many may view as beyond unforgivable, are still portrayed in ways that make them likable, and are accepted by main characters. Not because the main characters approve of their past actions, but because as they're not actively harming anyone at the moment, they see no reason to disapprove of them. Or, because they have no inclination to judge them and simply take them as they are.

There are countless characters whose terrible deeds are not censored or sugarcoated, who are still made to be enjoyable, likable characters. Their motivations are not just explained, but portrayed with the full depth of their emotions. This could be interpreted as sympathetic, but I think it's rather matter-of-fact. There's a wide spectrum of this, and it may come across that those on the lighter end of it are being justified or forgiven by this portrayal, but taken in the full context of what One Piece has to say about these characters, I think it's clear that the judgement is left up to us.

In a lot of simpler stories aimed at younger audiences, the main characters are moral guides for the reader. One Piece is not one of them. Not that I don't think it's not trying to teach us anything, but rather than right and wrong, it's how to enjoy life to the fullest. Right and wrong is left for us to discern ourselves without the overt cues of a morally didactic story. I think the depth of the portrayal of bad and questionable actors is primarily to be compelling and enjoyable, but it's also a candid expression of humanity.

I don't think Shanks is a perfect moral character, nor is he supposed to be. He's Luffy's hero, not ours. Same with Roger.

It's true that being called to the sea is given a particular romance, but their misdeeds made in the name of following it aren't just glossed over. Rather, I think the focus on it is very much on purpose, because the same will lives in Luffy and The Strawhats.

Who aren't just avoiding the same mistakes because they're inherently better, but because they're informed by the mistakes of the previous generations.

Usopp, like Yassop, longed for the sea. But he anxiously made sure Kaya was on the way to health, taken care of, and okay with him leaving before he left. He's looking forward to coming back to see her. As much as Usopp has always had a kind heart, you can't say this wasn't influenced by his experiences with his parents.

Luffy, like Roger, longed for the sea. Like Roger and Garp, he has deeply selfish inclinations. However, Luffy is sensitive to the suffering of others, and would never leave anyone behind. This has a lot to do with loving Ace and Sabo, respectively victims of Roger's selfish pursuit of his dream and the institution of injustice Garp carelessly lives by.

I don't think it's a stretch to say Nami was influenced by Arlong's inability to forgive humanity, strengthening her resolve to break the cycle and forgive Jinbei for letting Arlong loose.

Anyways, I think the lack of judgement on the part of Luffy and Shanks is a big part of their power to get people to follow them, and a big part of their successes. But the narrative isn't telling us to also accept murderers and deadbeats, or that they're actually great people. It simply shows them how they are, which is human.

[nerdygaymormon]

You post a lot about trans things, how can you be so sure? What if you're wrong?

Trans, enby, genderqueer, and intersex individuals are part of humanity. I don't understand why recognizing the full spectrum of humanity is considered dangerous. Everyone deserves respect.

Unfortunately, because this seems new and foreign to people, many are uncomfortable and refuse to acknowledge pronouns and they vote for restrictive laws such as limiting health care or making special laws about bathroom usage. This serves to further marginalize these queer individuals and greatly diminishes their health and well-being.

This is not new or unique. Many indigenous cultures around the world recognize more than 2 genders.

Gender is about identity, roles, and societal expectations. For most people, it aligns with their biological sex which is about anatomy and chromosomes and so on, but gender and sex don't always align. Even biological sex isn't strictly a binary as evidenced by intersex individuals. There are variations in chromosomes, genitals, hormone levels, and secondary sex characteristics.

We have genderqueer, trans, and nonbinary people who share with us their reality of not fitting in the gender binary. There's also gender fluidity, where someone's gender identity and expression shifts over time. Learning from them about the reality of their lives is important and teaches us a lot about gender. Acknowledging their experiences and that a spectrum exists can significantly improve their mental health and well-being. Why would I not want that for a group of people?

Science is increasingly producing studies which support that gender is not binary. A modern biology textbook, or even listening to a science-based podcast episode about gender will make this point.

We already have seen such damage from trying to force queer people to fit into heteronormative cisgender lives. That is something our church and our society was wrong about because they refused to listen to queer people and their experiences. And the harm wasn't restricted to queer people but also affects others, like the spouses of all those gay people who were told to get married and it would make their gayness go away. You're asking me what if I'm wrong, what if YOU are wrong and trans people actually are speaking the truth about their lives and experiences?

For trans people, studies show the best outcomes for their mental health includes some form of transitioning. Letting people have the autonomy and agency to make the best choices for themselves is important.

[northwindow]

where the heart is

a domestic syllabus [x]

"lecture on the history of the house" by claire schwartz

poem by american poet claire schwartz, published in poetry magazine and her 2022 collection civil service.

"the house. from cellar to garret. the significance of the hut" by gaston bachelard

the opening chapter to bachelard's seminal work the poetics of space. bachelard theorizes that the house's role as a site of reverie lends it a profound influence on the psyche. coining his own term, topoanalysis, to explore this influence; he surveys different poetic images of houses as representations of mind and soul.

the bedroom: an intimate history by michelle perrot, trans. by lauren elkin

french historian michelle perrot's history of the western bedroom as the site of birth, sex, illness, and death; from the ancient greek kamára to the postmodern bedrooms of today. perrot traces developments in the bedrooms of royalty, families, laborers, women, children, recluses, monks, and travelers. see also "black in bed" by art historian ella ray on the legacy of black bed art and "the bedroom of things" by caitlin blanchfield and farzin lotfi-jam for a discussion of private space through digital images.

rooms by rohan mcdonald

animated short film by illustrator rohan mcdonald featuring interviews with participants about their rooms and homes.

never home alone: from microbes to millipedes, camel crickets, and honeybees, the natural history of where we live by rob dunn

book by biologist rob dunn about the nearly 200,000 other species that live in our homes, from welcome pets to reviled pests. dunn's work researching the ecosystems of houses has illuminated the sheer scope of creatures that thrive there, often unbeknownst to both inhabitants and scientists, as well as the benefits of a biodiverse household.

"human stains" by heather havrilesky

author and "ask polly" columnist heather havrilesky on the endlessness of housework and "the strange gift that laundry brings to our lives."

the midcentury kitchen: america's favorite room from workspace to dreamscape, 1940s-1970s by sarah archer

a visual history of american kitchens, using examples of advertising and deisgn photography to show the evolution of their aesthetics, technology, and cultural ideals. see also sarah archer's episode of you're wrong about on martha stewart.

"full spectrum" and "if these walls could talk, listen, and record" by emily anthes

excerpts from the great indoors by science journalist emily anthes, which investigates the intersections of health and design in indoor spaces. "full spectrum" (republished by next city as "everyone has a basic right to good design") follows an apartment complex designed for autistic adults. "if these walls could talk, listen, and record" (republished by slate as "senior care homes are becoming high-tech medical devices") reports on the promise and limitations of smart home technology for the elderly.

"inside out, or interior space" by rebecca solnit

essay from rebecca solnit's collection of work on place, the encyclopedia of trouble and spaciousness. solnit discusses the pursuit of the "dream home" through decoration and renovation, examining our desire to craft the perfect nest.

windowswap by sonali ranjit and vaishnav balasubramaniam

a collaborative online database of user-submitted videos shot from windows around the world. conceived as a way to "travel" during early phases of the covid-19 pandemic, visitors can shuffle through videos to experience the views from homes in a plethora of different environments.

[ygdrasilly]

i have a lot of thoughts that have been collating for the last three months about crowley and aziraphale and i'm going to foist them upon everyone now.

this is probably an unpopular opinion, but i'm personally of the thought that of the two of them, crowley is the one out of a/c who is ace/demi leaning, and that he's the one more... i don't know, wary about touch.

there is no argument that crowley loves aziraphale. he does, utterly and completely and stupidly. (so very, very stupidly.) but i also think, much as he might vehemently argue about it, that crowley is more about the romance side of things. he watches richard curtis films. he takes aziraphale to the ritz (and other restaurants) for lunch. he saves aziraphale's books over the alcohol during the bombing just because. he drives aziraphale around in his beloved bentley (and let's him drive it to edinburgh!). he miracles hamlet to be a success as 'his treat'. he takes him to a graveyard so they can laugh at a statue of gabriel together. acts of service and all that.

even his kiss looked as though he had seen it in a romantic film, like that's what he thought you do in desperation. (not that i'm complaining lmao.)

aziraphale, in series two, shows his love through a lot of physical touch and looks. obviously he has the romantic side as well - he turned himself into a sidhe and abducted all of whickber street so he and his beloved could dance together, even giving away one of his books to do so - but he touched crowley a lot this series. the pub chest trail was very. well. and the looks. how many times have we caught him either looking crowley up and down or outright leering at him? there's a reason why i keep saying 'rip crowley when aziraphale gets his hands on him again' because goddamn. the whole 'there must be... something... i can do for you?' in 1941.

aziraphale shows his love through kidnapping an entire street of humans so he can dance with crowley and openly thirsting and starving for crowley ('please, do it again, right now'). but he also does things he knows crowley likes. he lets crowley rescue him, despite being more than capable enough of getting himself out of his own messes, because 'it makes him so happy'. i think he threw the ball for crowley because he knew that crowley likes romance, even if he'll never admit it. he knows what crowley likes ('you like waiting inside!').

looking at the physical touches, i don't think crowley is ever the first to initiate a touch between them, other than the kiss of desperation and the handshake on stage in 1941 (which was for public appearances and was so brief it barely counts). in their private moments, he lets aziraphale come to him. he holds out his hand to aziraphale in the bookshop in the 1941 flashback, but aziraphale is the one to close the distance. when they're swapping back to the actual forms post-heaven and hell trickery, crowley holds out his hand yet again, but aziraphale is the one to take it.

i think, the next time they kiss, aziraphale will have to be the one to bridge the distance between them because i think crowley will be wary of doing so again. and i do not think aziraphale's kiss will be as chaste as crowley's was.

this got away from me a bit, but my (original) point is that a/c doesn't need both of them to be full of lust (as i've seen in a, frankly, exhausting amount of fics) for it to be a fulfilling, love-filled relationship. aziraphale obviously has enough lust for the both of them, and crowley has all the genders. balance. or something.

(and once more, ace/ace-leaning people don't necessarily not experience sexual attraction. for a lot of people on the ace spectrum, it's about finding a person with whom they have a meaningful emotional connection, and aziraphale is that to crowley.)

[explaining-homestuck]

can you please explain quadrents (specifically moirailegince? i see alot of people dont seem to get it and id love to have a post to link back to when i explain it instead of having to go through homestuck)

Ah, tackling the big one first.

Homestuck itself has its own explanation of quadrants, which starts on Page 2392. However, I'll take a stab at simplifying the explanation here, although I may take direct quotes from the comic.

Humans have only one form of romance. And though we consider it a complicated subject, [...] it is ultimately a superficial slice of what trolls consider the full body of romantic experience. Our concept of romance [...] is still just [...] a single, linear concept.

(I guess I will be taking direct quotes from the comics.)

This concept of human love is generally represented with the symbol <3, or ❤️. However, trolls, in keeping with the Midnight Crew's full set of playing card theming, have four different types of romance, to fit the four suits.

<3/♥️, Hearts; <3</♠️, Spades; c3</♣️, Clubs; and <>/♦️, Diamonds.

This creates 4 Quadrants of romance, a term that is often used to refer to love and romantic entanglement.

Here, Nepeta's helpful diagram shows how these quadrants are related.

Hearts, the Flushed Quadrant, and Diamonds, the Pale Quadrant, are grouped as "Red Romance". These are the quadrants more associated with what we would possibly call positive feelings.

Meanwhile, Spades the Caliginous Quadrant (often called "Pitch"), and Clubs, the Ashen quadrant, are grouped as "Black Romance", more associated with negative feelings (to a degree, the divide isn't as simple as that.)

Furthermore, Hearts and Spades are Concupiscent Quadrants, and Diamonds and Clubs are Conciliatory Quadrants. These terms relate to the purpose of these quadrants within troll society: Concupiscent (which has meanings of sexual desire) Quadrants are related directly to the reproductive cycle of the troll species. Meanwhile, Conciliatory (meaning to placate of pacify) Quadrants, quote:

"would be more closely likened to platonic relationships by human standards"

Note: this does not make them necessarily platonic relationships in troll society. Pale and Ashen relationships remain romantic, and there may possibly also be sexual elements (not that these are shown or implied in the comic, nor will they be theorised upon here).

The comic makes it clear that while many parallels can be drawn between troll romance and certain human relationships (for example, "frenemies" or "QPRs"), these relationships are different from troll ones, as trolls are driven by primal forces to engage in their 4 types of romance, in the same way we do with our one (This is, of course, a gross oversimplification of the vast spectrum of the human experience of attraction and possible lack thereof, but it's a fair rough analogy.)

Let us now move on to the first and easiest to understand quadrant:

♥️: The Flushed Quadrant

The Flushed Quadrant is (almost) exactly the same as human romantic and/or sexual attraction. For our purposes, ♥️=❤️.

While the trolls have no concept of marriage, and don't generally use the terms boyfriend/girlfriend, the term for a partner in the Flushed Quadrant is a Matesprit, meaning the two trolls have formed a Matespritship.

The given example within Homestuck canon at the time of a Matespritship was Dad Egbert and Mom Lalonde. Several other well known examples are Rose Lalonde and Kanaya Maryam, Latula Pyrope and Mituna Captor, and Jade Harley and Davesprite (during the Yellow Yard trip, before John's 15th birthday). Many others exist, as well as flushed crushes (Kanaya Maryam for Vriska Serket, Nepeta Leijon for Karkat Vantas, etc.)

Note: Humans can take part in Quadrant relationships outside of the Flushed Quadrant, though some trolls thought this impossible.

Next, we explain

♠️: The Pitch (Caliginous) Quadrant

The simplest explanation of Pitch is always "romance, but with hate instead of love". People often find that hard to understand, but it's a trope that appears throughout media. One of the best examples I've found is LEGO Batman and LEGO Joker in the LEGO Batman Movie.

However, it's much more than simply "hate love". A Kisemesistude is more akin to a fierce arch-rivalry, with a troll competing against their Kismesis to outfox, outsmart, or simply defeat them.

The given example for a Kismesistude is Jack Noir and the Black Queen. Another example is Vriska Serket and Eridan Ampora's black romance, which fell apart before they started the game, Marquise Spinerette Mindfang and Orphaner Dualscar's Kismesistude, which they were mimicking, or Terezi Pyrope and Gamzee Makara's relationship in the pre-retcon timeline.

Note: no successful Kismesistudes exist within the main body of Homestuck: Vriska broke things off with Eridan and likewise Mindfang with Dualscar, and Gamzee was physically and mentally abusing Terezi. All canon kismesistudes have either not budded, or ended with one of the two Kismesis dumping the other, or attempting to kill them. (John and Terezi doesn't count in this case, as its continuation only exists in the Epilogues, a dubiously canon source.) This does not, however, mean all Kismesistudes are doomed to fail.

There are also numerous Pitch crushes, such as Eridan Ampora on Rose Lalonde, Gamzee Makara on Dave Strider (or possibly the Insane Clown Posse, it's unclear) and the aforementioned John Egbert for Terezi Pyrope and vice versa.

Now, it wouldn't be a Homestuck post without an Intermission (possibly the first of several!)

🪣: The Bucket Intermission

I'll keep this short.

Flushed and Pitch pairings can, through undescribed processes, produce a combination of genetic material, which is then collected in a Filial Pail (bucket) by Imperial Drones to be fed to the Mother Grub, who then makes all the baby trolls from the gametes, probably.

Hussie also wrote a short paragraph about dominant and recessive genes which makes me think they know less about dominant and recessive genes than the writers of Metal Gear Solid, but that's not that important right now.

If a troll is unable to provide suitable generic materials, they will be culled by the drone, meaning finding concupiscent quadrantmates is a key goal for a troll's survival.

Anyway, back to romance, with

♣️: The Ashen Quadrant

The clubs symbol notably has 3 circles, which relates to the way this relationship (the most misunderstood one, in my experience) works.

Clubs relationships, or Auspisticisms, are formed when a third troll sees a pair involved in a feud, and decides to step in to mediate, becoming their Auspistice. The purpose of an Auspistice is not the mediate and grow a Pitch relationship, as it's often portrayed, but in fact prevent it from developing.

This is because trolls often feud with each other, causing possible Kismesistudes, but (conventionally) troll romance is monogamous in-quadrant, and having two or more Kismesis would be considered infidelity in conventional troll society, as well as that too many Kismesistudes can increase danger in troll society, and mis-matched rivalries can cause trolls to be stuck in relationships they do not like.

An Auspisticism is often defined by the attraction specifically of the Auspistice *toward* the rival pair, and their wish to mediate them. This is known as an Ashen Crush, much like above Pitch and Flushed Crushes.

Examples of known Auspisticisms within canon Homestuck are Kanaya Maryam between Vriska Serket and Tavros Nitram, Doc Scratch between Spades Slick and Snowman (though Scratch's intervention was more driven by accomplishing his own goal of having Slick kill Snowman), and Jade Harley between Bec Noir and the Peregrine Mendicant in [S] Collide, though this ended in failure.

Next, let's move onto

♥️🔁♠️: Quadrant Vacillation

Another known occurrence within troll society and its romantic framework is the Vacillation of two trolls between multiple quadrants. While canon only gives examples of Flushed/Pitch Vacillation, it's stated that this is but the most common type of Vacillation.

This occurs because troll relationships are incredibly malleable. To quote from the comic again:

In many cases, one party will have red feelings while the other has black. But it will often be the case that one party's feelings will swap to match the other's, since there is no quadrant which naturally accommodates such a disparity. But thereafter, it's not uncommon for the two to toggle between red and black in unison now and then. These scenarios naturally result in both red and black infidelities.

This is stated to be a key reason for the existence of the Ashen and Pale quadrants, to prevent such infidelities. Auspistices are intended to be able to stabilise these turbulent relationships, but failure to uphold this role can lead to more instability and chaos within the mixed relationship.

Equius Zahhak and Aradiabot are shown as the key example of Vacillation, caused by Aradia's distain of the former for his rudeness and the fact he planted a chip inside her robot body that would make her love him, and Equius's attraction to the latter paired with his somewhat fetishisation of the caste system (a story for another time). Vriska Serket and Tavros Nitram's relationship is also mentioned, with Vriska's continued mimicking of Mindfang pushing her to meld Tavros into a fitting Matesprit, while at the same time expressing distain for his unwillingness to broach a relationship, and his wimpish behaviour. This is also further complicated by Tavros genuinely being attracted to Vriska, but too scared of her to commit to a relationship, and their Auspistice Kanaya Maryam's flushed crush on Vriska also, leading to her slacking her duties so to speak.

And now, we move onto the final quadrant, the specifically requested one:

♦️: The Pale Quadrant

Pale relationships are called a Moirallegiance, in which two trolls are Moirails. This quadrant can be liked to soulmates, but with a more platonic (yet still romantic) lean.

Moirails, also called Palemates, exist with the purpose to calm down and pacify their Pale partner. Trolls are (said to be) inherently an angry, violent species, with some being dangerous to themselves or society if left alone. Pale attraction exists for a troll of such tendencies to find a partner who can pacify them (positively), and for even-tempered trolls to seek out those who would benefit from their assistance.

A perfect Moirallegiance is said to consist of two trolls who mutually pacify and assist each other, whose emotional profiles fit together well, helping them to form other relationships in different quadrants with ease.

Moirallegiance is often confused by trolls for platonic friendship, and vice versa, and furthermore, Flushed attraction may be confused for Pale. The Flushed quadrant is said to be "more red" than the Pale one by Eridan Ampora, and likewise the Pitch quadrant "blacker" than the Ashen one, as one might expect from their describing colours.

The most well known Moirallegiance in Homestuck would of course be Meowrails, Nepeta Leijon and Equius Zahhak. Others include the Draconian Dignitary and Bec Noir, Karkat Vantas and Gamzee Makara, and Feferi Peixes and Eridan Ampora (although Eridan held a Flushed crush for Feferi, similar to the one Kanaya held for Vriska during her Moirallegiance with her).

Finally, the an important thing that Moirail can do for their partner, in cases of both dire need of calming down, and a lighter gesture of aid, is the Shoosh Pap, performed by Karkat Vantas to Gamzee Makara to calm him down from his murderous rampage at the end of Act 5 Act 2. Karkat says:

IT'S JUST A TROLL THING, HUMANS WOULDN'T GET IT. 

You would think this is everything, and it almost is, but Hussie's explanation forgoes one particular part of troll romance that is only later elaborated on by Karkat:

♥️♠️♥️♠️: Group Vacillation

Um.

You see.

Do you get it?

I think the diagram is clear enough.

Ok, we're done here.

Edit: it is worth noting that this system of quadrants is actually quite limited, both in terms of actual occurrences in the comic, and how it is often portrayed in fanfiction and fanworks, as (due to its time of writing) does not take into account polyamory in the same quadrant.

Edit 2: Redrom also has nothing canonically related to "pity". Saying "I pity you" to a Moirail or Matesprit in place of "I love you" is not a normal thing for trolls; it's based in a model that exclusively Karkat Vantas came up with and talks about, because of his repressed emotional state; he believes there can only be two emotions, hate and pity, and all other emotions are derived from the two. It's not an accurate representation of the workings of troll romance, only a reflection of his state within the comic.

If you want to know *all* about *all* canon examples of *all* four quadrants, or explanation of the other species's versions of romance, those will have to come at a later date. I could also probably make diagrams. But that will have to do for now, I'm afraid. If you find any inaccuracies that aren't about the spelling of Moirallegiance, (trust me, even the comic doesn't know how to spell it), please let me know! I can also probably answer any questions or clarifications in any reblogs, asks, or replies, but they won't necessarily be this extensive.

(Oh and also if anyone wants me to explain that one gif from the section, I can do that too. You know the one.)

[shesmore-shoebill]

I half jokingly started writing this for Smosh Girlies Week Day 5: Smoffice and then it very rapidly got out of hand and had some actual emotions and etc sneak into it. So uh. Well. Enjoy a largely-unedited fic of "Angela watches the S&B video for the first time at the creator event, Courtmangela flavored".

Tentatively titled: "Leather and Harnesses". Nothing explicit here! Beyond what was in the music video I guess. I might move this onto ao3 at some point if im brave enough.

*mandatory disclaimer. this is rpf. f for fiction. dead dove. etc etc.

-----------

In retrospect, maybe Angela should've been a little better prepared.

In her defense, there's only so much you can prepare for when it comes to "Your workplace is making a music video about being submissive and breedable and your two coworkers/close friends/people you definitely have regular feelings about are playing dominatrixes in said videos. To your bosses. Who are calling themselves submissive and breedable."

Actually, Angela isn't sure someone SHOULD be prepared for that situation. Even if they have a job that involves sentences like "We need to have a safety meeting about where we're storing the floggers".

That said- maybe there were warnings. Signs. She had some knowledge of knowledge of what the video would entail- the theme of the video wasn't a secret internally, nor was the involvement of the cast. Or their roles. Even if Anthony and Ian didn't love making jokes about being submissive and breedable, Angela certainly wasn't going to forget Amanda and Courtney bounding up to her at 11 AM, full of excitement, crowing "Guess who are the sexy doms of the office!"

No, that moment is absolutely seared into her brain. She remembers the extreme hot flush that came over her body, and she remembers making a vague strangled noise that could, generously, have been interpreted as a "woo!" or a "yay!" in response to the news. and definitely not air punching out of her lungs at the thought.

And she remembers, what she thought was the world showing her mercy that Amanda and Courtney didn't seem to pick up on anything amiss, other than a long pause, with Amanda's gaze lingering a bit on her expression, and Courtney drifting closer, something charged in the air for a long second- before they continued their celebration.

Now, standing in a room full of her peers, slightly tipsy, watching her bosses on a screen chant "Submissive and Breedable", and feeling a mounting sense of dread. Angela is realizing maybe the world wasn't being merciful. It was just biding its time.

And- okay, fine. Angela should've known. She should've been ready. Maybe she'd let herself get lulled into a false sense of security in the last few months as her reminders of the shoot mostly boiled down to Erin griping about logistics during coffee dates, or Amanda or Courtney being busy on certain shoot days.

Smosh tried hard to keep details on this one under wraps, which meant Amanda telling Angela that they "did me all up in leather" (complete with an eyebrow waggle) or Courtney saying they "looked DAMN good in a harness", but not many details beyond that. Which had been fine for Angela, who, at the time, was already going through the full spectrum of human emotion trying to respond normally to this information, potentially failing, and then discarding the interactions from her brain before she could linger on them forever.

(And- fine, maybe she'd been trying hard not to think too much about the shoot because,  more than it being Amanda and Courtney, it was Amanda AND Courtney. And because ever since the shoot, sometimes it felt like they were sitting a little closer than they used to. Like there was a sort of newfound understanding, or something, some kind of bonding experience there.

Where sometimes Angela would look up and they seemed to be gravitating towards each other a little more. Leaning a little closer to each other, or laughing at an inside joke clearly from their time shooting the music video. Little touches.

Nothing big, and it wasn't like- it wasn't like Angela was being left out of anything, technically. Amanda still was her lovely, caring, physically affectionate self, pulling her into warm hugs, leaning against her whenever she was near, as they talked up a storm about anything from the latest Dateline to LA traffic. Courtney still lit up whenever they saw her, immediately sharing gossip and compliments with equal joy, pulling her into selfies and hooking their arms together whenever they wanted to bring her somewhere, or just because.

It wasn't anything big, it was maybe just in Angela's head- the fact that, recently, when it was the three of them sometimes it felt like they were both watching her, that they sometimes giggled together quietly and it made Angela feel. Odd. Maybe it was just Angela, on the days when both of them were out, thinking too hard or too long about the idea of them- both of them- at a "sexy" shoot together, even if sexy shoots were never sexy during the creation process. Maybe it was something about the idea of them, in leather and harnesses, together, getting closer, while Angela-)

Well. Angela had been trying to not think too much about it, was the point.

And now, here, in a room full of Youtubers and coworkers and people she likes and respects, she's going to pay for it.  Angela can't tear her eyes away, as her bosses- her bosses- dance and sing "Submissive and Breedable" and before she can brace herself properly, the song moves into its first verse, and-

Fuck.

Courtney, is onscreen, silhouetted in red, in a harness and tanktop. Courtney with a fake tattoo sleeve and their hair slicked back with chains around her neck and-

Courtney making a beckoning motion with her hand, Courtney throwing Ian onto a bed, Courtney slapping a riding crop on her hand, jesus fucking christ-

The song continues, the background switching to a white room with bbno$ and her bosses dancing in BSDM gear, and honestly, that's fine, because Angela is still trying to remember how to breathe. And think. She knows her jaw is agape right now and she's too busy trying to continue standing upright to care.

She can't decide whether to be glad or horrified that right now, at this moment, none of her friends are around her. Amanda and Courtney, while proud of their work, had both understandably opted out of being in the room during the initial screening, and Chanse, Erin, and Mallory had abandoned Angela for more drinks.

And by now Angela deeply, deeply regrets not joining them. She takes a gulp of her wine, wincing as it burns down her throat, trying to stabilize her breathing and ignore the way her whole body is overheating. Only for Anthony on screen to put on some kind of VR headset, and the background turns purple and Angela nearly swallows her tongue because -

Amanda.

It's Amanda, except Amanda in dark makeup and a dark lip and a high ponytail and- oh fuck, she wasn't kidding about the leather- a form fitting leather dress and harnesses and chains and- she's holding a collar-

-and she has on a choker that says "Mommy"-

(In some distant, distant part of her brain, Angela is glad that the people around her are wolf whistling or ooh-ing or laughing because she's pretty sure she made a noise when she saw the collar and she doesn't think it was a dignified one.

Most of her brainpower, however, is currently dedicated to stopping her knees from giving out under her and not crushing her wine glass under the influx of white hot arousal coursing through her body.)

There's a shot tilted up at Amanda, leather dress skin tight, riding crop in her one hand and makeup and hair and everything flawless. Am i dead. Angela faintly wonders to herself. Am I dead and my hell is me watching my close friends be the hottest thing I've ever seen in a room of professional acquaintances. On screen, Anthony is crawling at Amanda's feet, and- All Angela can think about is that being her. A collar around her neck, and Amanda over her and Courtney with her riding crop and-

Oh god. Oh god.

Something in her brain short circuits at this moment, goes so far into a kind of horny shocked awe that it loops back into a white numbness.

She tears her eyes away from the screen as the music video shifts, thankfully, back to the chorus and the white room and the dancing, and gulps down the rest of her wine, if only to try to stop staring in openmouthed shock. Looking away and staring intently at her cup doesn't help, much, though, because she's pretty sure she's going to have these images emblazoned across the forefront of her brain for the rest of the day. Or life. On loop in her mind, images of tight leather, and harnesses, and jawlines and-

shit. shit. shit. She steals a peek up at the screen, and- something vaguely goofy is happening but also Amanda and Courtney are both there now, still in their getup, still looking- fucking hot as hell, and- Angela averts her gaze again. She knew how she felt about both of them, on some level, okay, but she wasn't. Prepared. For this.

Across the room, Chanse is whooping a little as he watches the screen, new drink in hand. And because he sucks, and she hates him, he seems to feel Angela's gaze, and glances over at her, before a knowing grin spreads across his face.

He's not even saying anything, but she knows he knows. He's one of her best friends, and he's looking at her red face and unsteady stance and her empty cup and she knows, he knows. He's probably known this whole time, and he's silently laughing, now, and Angela's going to kick his ass the moment she's close enough. And remembers how to make her legs work.

Her revenge plot is interrupted by an eruption of clapping and cheers as, apparently, the music video concludes. Somehow, she'd survived. People are cheering and whistling as Anthony and Ian shuffle back towards the center, and Angela is- remembering how to breathe again, mostly.

Only to nearly jump out of her skin, shrieking a little bit as a familiar hand falls on her shoulder. "Enjoy the show?"

"I-" Angela attempts to get her heart rate under control as Amanda grins at her, the colors on her shirt swimming in her vision a bit. "You- well- I."

"I think that's a yes." comes Courtney's voice from over her other shoulder, and, okay, yeah, maybe Angela can just die now, because there's one hand on each of her shoulders and they're on both sides of her, Angela cannot stop thinking about how good they both smell, and-

"-Ang? You there?" and she blinks, and Amanda and Courtney are both in her vision now. Courtney eyeing her with a hint of warm concern, hand still on her shoulder. Amanda is facing away as Ian and Anthony drone on, but with an arm looped through hers, a warm and steady presence. When Angela doesn't immediately respond, Amanda glances back as well, a question in her eyes. Courtney, without saying a word, grasps Angela's hand and gently pulls Angela past the people standing behind her, maneuvering back towards the wall, away from the crowd. Amanda's arm stays looped through hers, shoulder pressed against hers until they come to a stop towards the back.

Once situated, Amanda swaps out Angela's empty cup for a cup of water (when did she even get that) and Courtney pats her arm. "Wow, that bad, huh?" They say jokingly, although there's a hint of vulnerability, there. Amanda reaches a hand out and squeezes Courtney's shoulder, before fixing her gaze back on Angela. "I'm sure it was- a lot..." Amanda trails off, uncharacteristically unsure. Angela, sensing the shift in the air, stumbles over her words.

"It was fucking incredible. You guys looked. Hot as fuck. I- it was. Really- good." She finishes lamely, self consciousness raging back in as she speaks. In the background, whatever speech Ian and Anthony are giving winds down, but Amanda and Courtney's gazes don't waver.

"Yeah?"

Amanda and Courtney exchange another glance, a little warmer this time. but this time, pressed between them, Angela doesn't feel left out of- anything, doesn't feel like she's missing anything, especially as they look back at her, a warm understanding growing between all three of them. She pulls in the arm Amanda is looped through to one side, and squeezes Courtney's hand with the other, pulls them both closer. Something about all of this feels- familiar, and safe, and suddenly Angela can find her words again.

"Yeah. Couldn't stop looking. At either of you. Nearly dropped my drink. You guys weren't kidding about the harnesses or leather, huh? No idea how I stayed standing, honestly."

As Angela talks, Courtney's smile turns a little more wicked, and Amanda's posture smoothes into something more confident and steady.

Spurred on, she bites the bullet.

"I don't suppose either of you got to keep any of those outfits, or anything."

Amanda's smile is blinding, and dangerous, stirring something deep in her core, and Courtney's hand in hers squeezes once, twice, as Amanda says, slowly.

"Oh, for you, I think we can find them again."

[maddiviner]

I saw you had posted about angels. Do you know anything about Angel Numbers? I see 888 and 555 a lot recently. I never saw them before moving to the east coast for school. Now they’re everywhere.

I’m not trying to upset or offend, but I’m very critical of the whole “angel numbers” concept.

Don’t get me wrong. Synchronicities can hold great meaning for a magical practitioner, and these synchronicities can involve a series of numbers that repeats in your life. I’ll even tacitly admit that these synchronicities could sometimes be a spirit’s handiwork, trying to get your attention.

The angel numbers thing oversimplifies this to an extreme. I’ve looked into it, mostly because everyone was pushing it so hard back in 2017-ish. It all just… seemed like platitudes. These folks would see the numbers, rush to the internet and google the “meaning” which was usually something like “Good things are coming,” or “you’re raising your vibration,” etc. It rarely provides actionable information.

This image was circulating on Facebook awhile back, to give you an idea of how angel numbering works in practice. The majority of these angel numbers apparently mean that your life is awesome, good things are coming, angels are all around you, and you’re very special. There’s a few that waffle around about how the person needs to “finish something” or “reconnect with spirituality.” Very broad statements, none too bad, and even the vaguely negative ones end with something upbeat like “things are getting exciting!”

I prefer systems of spirit communication (or divination) that account for the full spectrum of human experience. Imagine trying to do a Tarot reading with all the possibly-negative cards removed. You would receive an incomplete, sugarcoated picture of the situation, likely to do more harm than good.

A few sites out there do give negative (or at least less-than-positive) meanings for these numbers. The few negative “angel number” definitions I’ve seen are equal to the positive ones in their vagueness, and, again, usually give no real actionable information. All in all, the “angel number” concept often amounts to toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing. Ignoring the negative aspects won’t make them go away, you’ll miss a lot.

In my earlier Enochian reading list, I linked to a magician’s memoir of magic in the late 1980s. There’s a particularly disturbing moment described therein where repeating numbers (particularly 333) appear.

Rather than being a sign that “the ascend masters are nearby, you’re in great hands,” it was the prelude to absolute chaos. In the Enochian system of angelic magic (which the magicians in the memoir work within), the number 333 has a more sinister meaning. In fact, it’s associated with the demon Choronzon! I screenshotted part of that book - pretty ominous, eh? It’s a far cry from being in great hands! (Pardon the Wikipedia link. It may be a Wiki but it does give a good overview.)

(Sorry for the weird highlighting all over the book. I started doing it in college and never kicked the habit. It’s the best way (for me) to absorb what I read. Typically I use OpenDyslexic, too, which helps, but I changed the font so that it would be more legible for y’all.)

Goes to show you that the “meanings” of these repeating numbers are going to vary depending on what system you’re working in and what symbolism rattles around in your head. The lists and websites about “angel numbers” won’t acknowledge that, though. In fact, very few give any references as to where these meanings are coming from at all. With that in mind, why trust “angel numbers” as a concept?

I can see on Google that a could of sites are claiming that “angel numbers” is an ancient concept dating back to Pythagoras. Yeah, no. Pythagoras had nothing to do with “angel numbers.” Rather, Pythagoras is the founder of a school of numerology. While I’d consider the “angel numbers” concept to be a a (warped) form of numerology, it’s utterly unlike what Pythagoras actually taught.

In reality, of course, Pythagoras was a philosopher, mathematician, and a legit mystic. He conjured a complex system of numerology, and it endures today in some circles. It’s way different than those angel numbers, though! Have a look! This particular page, by the unbeatable Benebell Wen, focuses on using numerology to find your “life path” number, which can then be analyzed alongside other numerological values,

Notice that the meanings are compartmental, meant to be understood within a wider context. They also have both positive and negative aspects of each number listed. The negative aspects are actually negative. Life path numbers are described in terms like arrogant, bossy, argumentative, codependent, egocentric.. and yet, also with positive qualities, such as leadership skills, a nurturing mindset, a strong work ethic, a propensity to help the less fortunate, etc. Other life paths get described as artists, fighters, leaders

Pythagorus’s numerology proper gives the spirits a lot of vocabulary for communicating with you. A spirit trying to warn you of something, for example, might do it more easily with this traditional Pythagorean numerology than through angel numbers.

Above is a clip from the article on Pythagorean numerology, discussing various “life paths.” You’ve got the good, the bad and the ugly traits listed for life paths one and two. The rest of the nine paths are treated with an equal degree of balance. While this particular numerology page doesn’t provide as much info on Pythagoras himself, it’s obviously a far cry from “the microwave said 3:33, it means the ascend masters are around me,” or the usual “good things coming soon” vibe of most angel numbers.

In other words, Pythagorean numerology has little to do with angel numbers and the New Agers should probably stop saying he “discovered angel numbers” or trying to link him to them in any way. He was a mathematician in addition to his philosophical work, and he did teach that the universe could be reduced to numbers ultimately, but that’s a far cry from the angel number mythos.That site I just linked has a lot of other good information, too. I really like Benebell’s work.

Ironically, as I’m writing this, I see that the clock says 3:33 am, but I doubt I’ll post it until later today. I recognize synchronicities are real and may even be messages from specific spirits, but I don’t believe this angel number concept is the best paradigm for approaching them. There’s nothing challenging about it, nothing to get your blood flowing, no liminal push, no impetus to grow. Just “expect the highest good,” and “your vibration is rising,” etc.

Again, I hope this doesn’t offend too many people.

I’m not trying to be mean or insult people who actually do like the angel numbers concept. I just really dislike it, for the reasons I’ve given. If you’re fond of it, it’s just something we’ll have to agree to disagree about. I gotta admit, I question the discernment involved. I don’t think indulging in the concept makes you a bad person or anything like that.

After all, you’re not exactly harming another person by fiddling with these angel numbers. I’m just saying that from my perspective (which was requested), angel numbers can sometimes promote toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing. And I do think there’s better paradigms for learning numerology out there. I’m sure there’s books on numerology in various cultures that give actual details unlike angel number memes.

Most of my numerology studies (smallish, my main interests are elsewhere) came form books that weren’t about numerology, but had a section or two about it.

If anyone else has any thoughts, feel free to reblog with them…

Anyways, my personal favorite angel number is 420 I guess. 🤣

[asrmrxx]

The Eternity of Mortality

sypnosis: Soyeon never had any regrets of becoming a vampire centuries ago. Not until she felt the pain of letting herself lose her favorite mortal, you.

trope: star-crossed lovers

pairing: vampire!Soyeon x fem!mortal reader

genre: romance to angst

warnings: angst, established vampire x mortal relationship, character death.

wc: 896

A/n: ahhh I love vampires and the concept of it, so I had to write something like this. Even if it's sad I still love the idea of it all. Almost cired while writing this. Enjoy reading 😘

Vampires to most people may seem dangerous, terrifying or even cursed. With their sharp fangs and their thirst for blood they would scare almost every mortal on earth. But behind all that eternity, lies a highly emotional creature. 

Soyeon loved being a vampire. She loved having powers, she loved the taste of freedom without any worries or fears that every mortal could have. And most of all, she loved eternal life. Even if she loved being a vampire, she was quite bored. Yes she drank the blood of anyone who dares to step foot in her castle, but she didn’t have any purpose. Well, not until she met you. 

You loved being a mortal. You loved to watch both the sunset and sunrise and feel the sun shine on your soft skin, you loved all the emotions you could feel for different things at different times. And most of all you loved growing as a person. Even if it wasn’t always clear, you loved the fact that most people have some kind of purpose to live by. You loved to explore and just live. 

Despite your and Soyeon’s existential difference, your love for each other grew day by day. 

In all imperfections and stereotypes Soyeon heard from your way of living, she saw you as the most beautiful human she ever laid eyes on. She loved the way you smiled. The way your laugh would echo through her castle walls like it chased away all the shadows from her past, really made Soyeon feel joy. Soyeon also cherished the gleam and brightness full of emotions in your eyes, she saw them as the sun she could never face due to being a so-called monster. 

In all the harsh and cruel times Soyeon told you she went through as a vampire, you saw her as one of most gentle beings you could ever possibly meet. You loved Soyeon’s uniqueness and her soft spots for you. You loved to show her modern technology things humans use nowadays. The way Soyeon’s eyes would light up when seeing those things she didn’t have decades ago really filled you with warmth that words couldn’t express.

Through different experiences and stories, Soyeon and you introduced each other into your worlds and saw how beautiful both of them can be. It was a matter of fact that you two just couldn’t be separated. Soyeon was your darkness and you were Soyeon’s light. 

Until fate had other plans for you.

As your love for each other grew, 

it turned into days, 

days turned into years 

and years turned into decades. 

The inevitability of your mortality was reaching ever closer, casting a disease over your mortal existence. You could feel the passing time like grains of sand slipping through your fingers. Your once bright spirit slowly fading into the twilight of the dread disease.

Despite the fear and horror that plagued your heart, you refused to let go of the precious moments you shared with Soyeon. You clung to her love like a lifeline, drawing hope from her heartfelt devotion and the promise of a future with her endless love for you. 

Soyeon watched helplessly as the light in your eyes dimmed with each passing day, her heart breaking with each fragile breath you took. She longed to hold you close, to chase away the pain and suffering that threatened your soul. As a way to save you from your sufferings, she wanted to turn you into a creature she was, a vampire. She wanted to turn you so that you can live an eternal life with her, together.

But you had made your wishes clear from the very beginning, you wanted to experience the full spectrum of life as a mortal, to embrace the beauty of both joy and sorrow, love and loss, without the burden of eternal existence weighing upon your soul.

And so, as the final moments of your life slipped away like autumn leaves carried by the wind, Soyeon held you close, her tears falling down her eyes as she whispered words of love and delight in your ears. “I love you so much” She hugged your weak body even tighter as her tears became more sorrowful. “I love you too, Soyeon. Thank you for making me feel...alive" You faltered with your last breath. 

“I will never forget you, till the end of my existence, I will never forget you, my Y/n. You made me believe in something more. You made my awful soul walk out of the darkness that was chaining me my whole life. I will forever be grateful for that.” 

Soyeon doesn’t remember the time she cried this hard and ached this hard as in this one. Who would’ve thought such a dangerous creature like her could love a mortal this hard. Her heart was sobbing, her mind was rushing with the thought that you were really gone. You, her happiness and joy. In that tragic moment, as the last trace of life faded away from your mortal figure, Soyeon made a promise.

A promise she will forever cherish in her heart, a promise that will be worth your existence. A promises to carry your memory in her heart for all eternity, to cherish the love you shared and the moments you held on together, until the end of time itself, Soyeon will forever love you.