#(feel free to take this template and run wild)

[gaypiratesdotcom]

being a mean gay is a spectrum

[agentromanoffsir]

neocities guide - why you should build your own html website

do you miss the charm of the 90s/00s web where sites had actual personality instead of the same minimalistic theme? are you feeling drained by social media and the constant corporate monopoly of your data and time? do you want to be excited about the internet again? try neocities!!

what is neocities?

neocities is a free hosting website that lets you build your own html website from scratch, with total creative control. in their own words: "we are tired of living in an online world where people are isolated from each other on boring, generic social networks that don't let us truly express ourselves. it's time we took back our personalities from these sterilized, lifeless, monetized, data mined, monitored addiction machines and let our creativity flourish again."

why should I make my own website?

web3 has been overtaken by capitalism & conformity. websites that once were meant to be fun online social spaces now exist solely to steal your data and sell you things. it sucks!! building a personal site is a great way to express yourself and take control of your online experience.

what would I even put on a website?

the best part about making your own site is that you can do literally whatever the hell you want! focus on a specific subject or make it a wild collection of all your interests. share your art! make a shrine for one of your interests! post a picture of every bird you see when you step outside! make a collection of your favorite blinkies! the world is your oyster !! here are some cool example sites to inspire you: recently updated neocities sites | it can be fun to just look through these and browse people's content! space bar | local interstellar dive bar creature feature | halloween & monsters big gulp supreme peanutbuttaz | personal site dragodiluna linwood | personal site patho grove | personal site

getting started: neocities/html guide

sound interesting? here are some guides to help you get started, especially if you aren't familiar with html/css sadgrl.online webmastery | a fantastic resource for getting started with html & web revival. also has a layout builder that you can use to start with in case starting from scratch is too intimidating web design in 4 minutes | good for learning coding basics w3schools | html tutorials templaterr | demo & html for basic web elements eggramen test pages | css page templates to get started with sadgrl background tiles | bg tiles rivendell background tiles | more free bg tiles

fun stuff to add to your site

want your site to be cool? here's some fun stuff that i've found blinkies-cafe | fantastic blinkie maker! (run by @transbro & @graphics-cafe) gificities | internet archive of 90s/00s web gifs internet bumper stickers | web bumper stickers momg | gif gallery 99 gif shop | 3d gifs 123 guestbook | add a guestbook for people to leave messages cbox | add a live chat box moon phases | track the phases of the moon gifypet | a little clickable page pet adopt a shroom | mushroom page pet tamaNOTchi | virtual pet crossword puzzle | daily crossword imood | track your mood neko | cute cat that chases your mouse pollcode | custom poll maker website hit counter | track how many visitors you have

web revival manifestos & communities

also, there's actually a pretty cool community of people out there who want to bring joy back to the web! melonland project | web project/community celebrating individual & joyful online experiences. Also has an online forum melonland intro to web revival | what is web revival? melonking manifesto | status cafe | share your current status nightfall city | online community onio.cafe | leave a message and enjoy the ambiance sadgrl internet manifesto | yesterweb internet manifesto | sadly defunct, still a great resource reclaiming online social spaces | great manifesto on cultivating your online experience

in conclusion

i want everyone to make a neocities site because it's fun af and i love seeing everyone's weird personal sites that they made outside of the control of capitalism :) say hi to me on neocities

[genericpuff]

All the cool kids use ComicFury 😘

Hey y'all! If you love independent comic sites and have a few extra dollars in your pocket, please consider supporting ComicFury, the owner Kyo has been running it for nearly twenty years and it's one of the only comic hosting platforms left that's entirely independent and reminiscent of the 'old school' days that I know y'all feel nostalgic over.

(kyo's sense of humor is truly unmatched lmao)

Here are some of the other great features it offers:

Message board forums! It's a gift from the mid-2000's era gods!

Entirely free-to-use HTML and CSS editing! You can use the provided templates, or go wild and customize the site entirely to your liking! There's also a built-in site editor for people like me who want more control over their site design but don't have the patience to learn HTML/CSS ;0

In-depth site analytics that allow you to track and moderate comments, monitor your comic's performance per week, and let you see how many visitors you get. You can also set up Google Analytics on your site if you want that extra touch of data, without any bullshit from the platform. Shit, the site doesn't come with ads, but you can run ads on your site. The site owners don't ask questions, they don't take a cut. Pair your site with ComicAd and you'll be as cool as a crocodile alligator !

RSS feeds! They're like Youtube subscriptions for millennials and Gen X'ers!

NSFW comics are allowed, let the "female presenting nipples" run free! (just tag and content rate them properly!)

Tagging. Tagging. Remember that? The basic feature that every comic site has except for the alleged "#1 webcomic site"? The independent comic site that still looks the same as it did 10 years ago has that. Which you'd assume isn't that big a deal, but isn't it weird that Webtoons doesn't?

Blog posts. 'Nuff said.

AI-made comics are strictly prohibited. This also means you don't have to worry about the site owners sneaking in AI comics or installing AI scrapers (cough cough)

Did I mention that the hosting includes actual hosting? Meaning for only the cost of the domain you can change your URL to whatever site name you want. No extra cost for hosting because it's just a URL redirect. No stupid "pro plan" or "gold tier" subscription necessary, every feature of the site is free to use for all. If this were a sponsored Pornhub ad, this is the part where I'd say "no credit card, no bullshit".

Don't believe me? Alright, look at my creator backend (feat stats on my old ass 2014 comic, I ain't got anything to hide LOL)

TRANSCRIPTS! CHAPTER ORGANIZATION! MASS PAGE UPLOADING! MULTIPLE CREATOR SUPPORT! FULL HTML AND CSS SUPPORT! SIMPLIFIED EDITORS! ACTUAL STATISTICS THAT GIVE YOU WEEKLY BREAKDOWNS! THE POWER OF CHOICE!!

So yeah! You have zero reasons to not use and support ComicFury! It being "smaller" than Webtoons shouldn't stop you! Regain your independence, support smaller platforms, and maybe you'll even find that 'tight-knit community' that we all miss from the days of old! They're out there, you just gotta be willing to use them! ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡

[2soulscollide]

HOW TO START WRITING ORIGINAL FICTION AFTER BEING A FANFIC WRITER

hello hello, it's me again!

i've been a fanfic writer for a long time! i started writing on wattpad when i was about 12 years old and continued writing there for a few years, switching from one fandom to another. but deep down, i really wanted to start writing my own novel, with everything created by me. at first, it was quite challenging, and i had to do lots of research, like everyone else. but eventually, i figured it out, and now i love writing original fiction!

if you're a long-time fanfic writer who's ready to dip their toes into the world of original fiction, you're in the right place. while it can be quite intimidating to move away from the familiar worlds and characters you love, writing original fiction can be an incredibly rewarding experience. here are a few tips to get you started:

start with what you know just because you're writing original fiction doesn't mean you have to start from scratch. draw inspiration from your favorite genres, characters, and settings to create something new and unique.

create your own characters this is your chance to explore new personalities and relationships that won't ever come to life unless you decide to! take the time to really develop your characters and give them distinct voices and motivations. [check this out: build a character (masterpost)]

focus on world-building unlike fanfic, where the world and its rules are already established, in original fiction, you have to build everything from the ground up. take the time to create a rich, detailed world that your readers can get lost in.

embrace the freedom fanfic can be restrictive, as you're bound by the expectations of the fandom. with original fiction, you have the freedom to tell any story you want. take advantage of that freedom and let your imagination run wild. [check this out: free Notion template for writers]

don't be afraid to make mistakes writing original fiction is a learning process, and you're bound to make mistakes along the way. embrace those mistakes as learning opportunities and keep pushing forward. [check this out: useful resources & tips for writers]

i hope this was useful! if you have any questions, feel free to dm me or send an anon message! <3 have a nice day

related posts:

how to start writing original fiction

character development : a collection of resources

[twstedstoryshop]

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, come join us in a night time spectacular event! All illuminated in dazzling arrays of lights. The Electric Twilight has come to the Sage Isles!"

Hello everyone!!! It's Shopkeep! Sorry for the wait on this as some things took priority at the start of July, so I couldn't get around to this sooner but here it is. An open event starting from 7/13 to 8/31! This for all writers and artists to partake in to socialize, stretch your creative muscles, and have a chance to win some fun prizes!

Interested in joining? Then keep reading below the cut!

It's the middle of summer, the days are longer, and the cool of the night is a welcomed respite from the heat. Yet in the midst of the haze, a special night comes to Sage Isle. A night time celebration where the island is illuminated by twinkling lights. People take to the streets dressed in vibrant outfits that light up the night, partying even as the moon hangs high in the sky.

It's a yearly event that comes every summer to the isle. A celebration of summer joys and for students, a chance to cut loose and have a wild night to party on summer break.

How To Join

🎇Feel free to use your own twst OCs or canon characters from the game to illustrate or write about

🎇Draw/write the characters partaking in the Electric Twilight event in any way! How are they having fun at the celebration? Are they all dressed up in a light-up outfit? Are they dancing the night away? Eating lots of summer foods at the vendors? Have fun and let your imagination run wild.

🎇Make sure to tag me @ twstedstoryshop so that I can see all your wonderful works and to count your entries for the prize raffle!

🎇Unsure of ideas or themes? This event was very much inspired by the Disney parades of Paint the Night and Electrical Parade. Think the joys of night time illuminations from fireworks, strings of lights along a porch, summer raves, or even watching fireflies in your backyard.

🎇Take a look at this post for an example drawing and some templates artists may use for this event

Rules

🎇Each person is allowed two entries for a chance to win prizes. Can either be writing or art. Extra works will not counted beyond your two chances.

🎇All works must be original and done by the person. No plagiarizing off other works.

🎇All works must be appropriate to be viewed. No NSFW pieces.

🎇You must tag @ twstedstoryshop in order for me to see your works and count it for the raffle.

🎇It is highly encouraged to please interact with others who are partaking in this event! Comment and share! Spread the encouragement and what you love seeing in other people's works!

🎇If there are other questions or things you are unsure about, please feel free to send an ask!

Prizes

🎇1st Place: Fullbody illustration of 1 character of the winner's choice, a 1k word drabble, and a set of headcanons for 3 characters

🎇2nd Place: 500-800 word drabble and set of headcanons for 3 characters

🎇3rd Place: Set of headcanons for 3 characters

[olivedoesmagic]

Journal 72: Let’s Charm a SHIMEJI?

Journal 72: Let’s Charm a SHIMEJI?

What is shiemji and should we be doing this professor Olive?

A shimeji is a desktop buddy. A small interactive chibi you can buy or download for free, usually based on popular characters that moves and interacts with your computer (and one day phone) screen. But currently as of writing theirs no such thing as licensed shimeji, that will change in the future not rn tho. In order to enchant shimeji first you must find an artist. Then a base shimeji. The shimeji base kind of matters, for my work I always use Sans, but usually because it is the only one to sort of work on my computer. Use the base as a sort of “template” to the shimeji you are creating. The frame and file names, the size and everything of the sort.

Example by artist v0idless, on deviantart. Of Sans the Skeleton from undertale. -fair use-

Then once you get the art, (you can also charm it with programed intent while sketching) you rename the files to match the shimeji it’s based on, and then bam shimeji! As you name each file, focus on something about the character you are charming. Thoughts, feelings, actions, motivations, how it will think and feel, and then program those thoughts as you name it “slide 1” “slide 2” “climb” and whatever else. 

This has to be an original shimeji, you can’t do this with one that already exists at least not without consequences we’ll get to that-. Then as soon as the shimejis are named, go into the base code and set up what you’d prefer. Then test play it. Now you have a thoughtful shimeji. A shimeji that is alive. This method works best with ocs or characters based off you and your friends, or even egregores or characters based off of or made to be spirits you created to serve you. Then you just….talk to it. Look at the little thing moving around your screen -

(protected by fair use Shimeji is sans by artist v0idless on Deviantart, and is also the only one to work on my computer thus my base for others.

https://www.deviantart.com/v0idless/art/Sans-Shimeji-721252214  And talk to it! It’s like talking to any other spirit no matter the form it takes. Then you have a enchanted little spirit running around your screen. This can then be used for communications (such as when someone or something you want ain’t available), or spirit or spell work.

[It is inherently technopaganry if you know that- with a pop culture image of an angel is an angel mask]

You could even make your familiar into a shiemji. Now if you do this with other peoples characters, or a premade shimeji that does not belong to you, or you are needlessly cruel to shimeji (lets say you make one based off your enemy who is enslaved via this option) there are systems in place that both I and other occultists have installed in order to verify and protect the shimeji. I will not tell you what they are so that you may not undo them. This is an important system for something known as “The Game” I’m working with, thus I am protective of my little desktop buddies.

My friends and I use this system, to talk to our makeup, Masks we wear as pop culture deities (its a long story im not touching here) and we download and commune with each other this way. Oh and if theirs a public shimeji of you? You remember and know everything that that little sprite does. It’s kind of…how you say COOL? There will one day be an olive brimstone shiemji btw. I promise!

So yeah just noting that for the diary. Go buck wild.

Shimeji: a tiny animated sprite via an app called java, that interacts and engages with your desktop screen, moving things around, sitting and climbing across it, usually based on a popular character.

Olive Brimstone

2:56 PM

7/21/2022

[eternaldreamsblog]

CANVA; A beginners guide

Are you new to the world of design and feeling overwhelmed by complicated software? Fear not! Canva is here to revolutionize your approach to graphic design, offering a user-friendly platform that empowers beginners to create stunning visuals with ease. Let’s dive into how Canva can be your ultimate ally on your design journey:

Sign Up and Explore: The first step on your Canva journey is signing up for an account. It’s quick, easy, and free! Once you’re in, take some time to explore the platform. Familiarize yourself with the layout, tools, and features Canva has to offer. You can sign up and start your Canva journey with the link given bellow , Its absolutely free and easy to sign in:

Choose Your Canvas: Canva offers a wide range of preset canvas sizes for various purposes such as social media posts, presentations, posters, and more. Select the canvas size that best suits your project or customize it according to your specific dimensions.

Explore Templates: Templates are your best friends in Canva, especially as a beginner. They provide a starting point for your design and eliminate the need to create everything from scratch. Browse through Canva’s extensive library of templates and choose one that catches your eye.

Customize with Ease: Once you’ve selected a template, it’s time to make it your own! Canva’s drag-and-drop interface makes customization a breeze. Simply click on elements within the template to edit text, images, colours, and more. Experiment with different fonts, backgrounds, and layouts until you’re satisfied with the result.

Add Visual Elements: Spice up your design with Canva’s vast library of visual elements including photos, illustrations, icons, and shapes. Use the search feature to find the perfect images or browse through curated collections for inspiration. Drag and drop these elements onto your canvas and resize or reposition them as needed.

Utilize Tools and Effects: Canva offers a range of tools and effects to enhance your designs further. From filters and photo editing tools to transparency and alignment options, explore the various features Canva has to offer and get creative with your designs.

Stay Organized with Layers: As you add more elements to your design, it’s essential to stay organized. Canva’s layering system allows you to arrange elements in the order you want them to appear. Simply drag elements up or down in the layers panel to adjust their stacking order.

Save and Share Your Work: Once your design is complete, it’s time to save and share it with the world! Canva offers various options for saving your designs including downloading them as image files or PDFs. You can also share your designs directly from Canva or collaborate with others in real-time.

Learn and Grow: Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn as you go. Canva offers plenty of resources to help you improve your design skills, including tutorials, articles, and design courses. Take advantage of these resources to hone your craft and unleash your creativity.

Have Fun! : Most importantly, have fun with Canva! Don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild and explore new possibilities. With Canva, the only limit is your creativity.

In conclusion, Canva is the ultimate tool for beginners looking to dip their toes into the world of graphic design. With its intuitive interface, vast library of templates and assets, and powerful editing tools, Canva empowers users to create professional-looking designs without any prior experience. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for Canva today and unleash your inner designer!

[strengthandconditioning]

Embark on Thrilling Escapes: Embrace the World of Outdoor Adventure Activities

Unleash Your Inner Explorer: The Essence of Outdoor Adventure Activities

Imagine a world where your heart races with excitement, where the great outdoors becomes your playground of adrenaline-pumping experiences. Outdoor Adventure Activities offer you the key to unlocking the thrill of nature, inviting you to step outside your comfort zone, challenge your limits, and create memories that last a lifetime. It's a journey of embracing the wild, connecting with nature, and discovering the untamed beauty of the world.

1. Conquer the Heights: Scaling New Peaks

Picture yourself standing atop majestic mountains, soaking in panoramic views that take your breath away. Outdoor Adventure Activities encompass mountain climbing, trekking, and rock climbing, pushing you to conquer new heights and savor the sweet taste of achievement.

2. Navigate the Waters: Ride the Waves

What if you could ride the waves of rivers, lakes, and oceans? Outdoor Adventure Activities introduce you to water sports like kayaking, surfing, and paddleboarding, allowing you to harness the power of water and experience the thrill of aquatic adventures.

3. Tread the Trails: Hike and Bike Through Nature

Imagine traversing lush trails and rugged terrains, immersing yourself in the beauty of forests, deserts, and valleys. Outdoor Adventure Activities offer hiking, biking, and trail running experiences that connect you intimately with nature and keep your spirit alive.

4. Airborne Dreams: Soar in the Skies

What if you could defy gravity and take to the skies? Outdoor Adventure Activities include paragliding, skydiving, and zip-lining, allowing you to experience the world from a bird's-eye view and feel the rush of the wind against your skin.

5. Unleash Your Inner Daredevil: Extreme Sports

Imagine pushing the boundaries of what you thought was possible. Outdoor Adventure Activities embrace extreme sports like bungee jumping, base jumping, and white-water rafting, fueling your passion for heart-pounding experiences that challenge your courage.

6. Embrace the Call of the Wild: Explore Outdoor Adventure

Are you ready to embark on a journey of adrenaline, nature's beauty, and unforgettable moments? Dive into our curated resources, a treasure trove of Outdoor Adventure Activities insights, tips, and inspiration. Experience the joy of pushing your limits, connecting with nature, and writing your own adventure story.

Reference: Wikipedia - Adventure Tourism

"Visit our website to access free tools and templates that can supercharge your Health."

[coloringpgh]

Adorable Cute Dog Coloring Pages for Animal Lovers

Whether you're a child or an adult, these delightful coloring pages featuring adorable dogs will surely bring joy to your day. Get ready to unleash your imagination as we delve into the benefits of coloring for children, provide tips on finding and using cute dog coloring pages, and inspire you with ideas to make your coloring experience positively amazing.

The Allure of Cute Dog Coloring Pages

There's something undeniably captivating about dogs. Their playful nature, loyalty, and unconditional love make them cherished companions for many people worldwide. When it comes to coloring pages, dogs have an extraordinary appeal. They evoke feelings of happiness, warmth, and comfort, making them an ideal subject for coloring. Whether a naughty puppy, a regal Labrador, or a fluffy Pomeranian, these cute dog coloring pages bring a smile and spark our creativity.

Benefits of Coloring for Children

Coloring is not just a fun pastime; it also offers a range of benefits, especially for children. Engaging in coloring activities helps children develop and refine essential skills while having a blast. Here are some of the advantages coloring provides:

Cognitive and Developmental Growth: Coloring enhances cognitive abilities such as focus, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills. It also encourages hand-eye coordination and improves fine motor skills as children learn to grip and control coloring tools.

Expression and Creativity: Coloring allows children to express their creativity and imagination. It provides an outlet for their thoughts and emotions, nurturing their self-expression and artistic abilities.

Learning Opportunity: Cute dog coloring pages can be a fantastic educational tool. Children can learn about different dog breeds, colors, and patterns while engaging in fun activities.

Finding and Using Cute Dog Coloring Pages

Now that we understand the allure of cute dog coloring pages and the benefits they offer to children let's explore how to find and use these delightful coloring pages:

Online Resources: Numerous websites offer free printable dog coloring pages. Search for "cute dog coloring pages" online and find a treasure trove of options. Make sure to choose reputable websites that provide high-quality coloring pages.

Coloring Books: Visit local bookstores or browse online marketplaces to find coloring books for dogs or animals. These books often feature a variety of cute dog coloring pages that you can enjoy at your convenience.

DIY Coloring Pages: Consider creating cute dog coloring pages if you feel artistic. You can sketch your favorite dog breeds or use online templates to design unique coloring pages tailored to your preferences.

Inspiring Ideas for Coloring Dog Pages

Coloring dog pages is an opportunity to let your creativity soar. Here are some inspiring ideas to make your dog coloring experience even more delightful:

Experiment with Colors: Be bold and explore different color combinations. You can stick to realistic colors or let your imagination run wild with vibrant and unconventional hues.

Backgrounds and Accessories: Take your coloring to the next level by creating experiences or adding accessories to your dog coloring pages. Imagine your furry friend in a park, on a beach, or even in outer space! Let your imagination guide you.

Collaborative Coloring: Coloring can be a wonderful bonding activity. Invite friends or family members to join in and have fun coloring together. You can exchange tips, share ideas, and celebrate your finished creations.

Conclusion

Coco Coloring Pages: Cute Dog Coloring Pages to Brighten Your Day is your gateway to a world of cuteness, creativity, and relaxation. Children can benefit from cognitive development, self-expression, and learning opportunities by engaging in this fun activity. Whether you find printable coloring pages online, use coloring books, or create your own, the enchanting allure of cute dog coloring pages will undoubtedly bring joy to your life. So, grab your coloring tools and let the adorable world of dogs brighten your day, one stroke at a time.

[creationsgreys]

About us examples

About us examples full#

About us examples code#

About us examples free#

We recommend keeping your Our Story section to fewer than 300 words. Let your creativity run wild! Break it up into sections. Or for a fun twist, you can write your version of your love story first, and share it with your partner so that they can write a funny response. But if you and your partner have a lot to say, you might want to each write your own first-person spin on your love story to feature on your wedding website-especially if your versions of events differ! Just make sure that your and your partner's write-ups are of similar length and style. Typically, Our Story sections are written in the third person. Skip the inside jokes and keep things G-rated-remember, everyone on your guest list (including Grandma) may be reading this! Consider writing individual stories.

About us examples free#

Feel free to inject some humor throughout, but don't do it at anyone's expense. Your Our Story section should sound conversational and not like a school paper. Add some personality-but keep it appropriate. And obviously, avoid including identifying details like addresses, phone numbers, etc. Whoever isn't writing the Our Story section should review it before it's set live. Or maybe you'd prefer that you don't talk about the time your partner took you to the ER after a bad bout of food poisoning. For example, your partner might not be comfortable sharing the story of the first time they said "I love you". We probably don't have to list them here-just be sure to discuss what you'll include on your wedding website before hitting publish. Some details of your relationship should remain private. The proposal story is of particular importance-now whenever someone asks you to share the details of that big moment, you can simply direct them to your wedding website! Avoid sharing too many details. You can then include some favorite memories from your relationship (trips, moving in together, etc.), as well as your favorite things to do together and what you love about each other, finishing with your proposal story. We recommend kicking off your love story with the story of how you and your future spouse met and your first date. While of course your nuptials are all about toasting your coupledom, you each have unique qualities that should be celebrated, as well! Tell your story chronologically.

About us examples full#

Be sure to include your full names, hometowns, and current city of residence, as well as where you attended school, occupation, and hobbies. Introduce yourselves.īefore you jump into the details of your relationship, share a bit of information about you and your partner as individuals for those wedding guests who might not know you well. While it's totally okay (and encouraged!) to inject some personality and humor into your About Us story, avoid using too many inside jokes. Not everyone who reads your Our Story or About Us section is your best friend or closest family member, so write it as if you're telling your love story to someone you just met. Write for the wedding guests who may not know you well. Take a trip down memory lane by writing your love story for your Our Story website section-but don't let writer's block get in your way. How to Write Your Wedding Website "Our Story" We're here to share some wedding website Our Story examples and advice to help you write your own before the big day. The hardest part of writing your wedding website's Our Story is getting started. Some wedding website builders automatically include this section in their main template, while others require you to add it as part of your customization. From your how-we-met tale to the first date to your proposal, you'll take your loved ones through every important milestone of your relationship. This can be as simple as including some engagement photos of you and your future spouse or as involved as writing bios of all of your wedding party members.Īnother way to show your creativity is to include an About Us or Our Story section on your wedding website-basically telling your love story to your guests. By adding some creative personal touches, you can make your beautiful wedding website totally unique and fun place for guests to visit throughout the pre-wedding period.

About us examples code#

Your wedding website isn't just a place for your wedding registry, dress code information, and a countdown to your big day.

[anderson-residence]

Relationships + tags

Relationships, info, and tags. A WIP that is subject to change as I get feeling for new tags and relationships grow and develop.

Templates:

General:

 ‣ { My Muse Name & Your Muse Name } — ↳ Text

Ship:

[ My Muse Name / Your Muse Name ] — ↳ Text

To be tagged:

‣ { My Muse Name & Your Muse Name} — ↳ To Be Tagged

Character Names:

Char. Name

Friends Muses:

@lavishbylaw

Motherly figure to Lana

Char. Genevieve

‣ { Lana & Gen } — ↳ Running wild and free

@wynterlanding

Landon is the adoptive father to Lana.

Char. Landon

Char. Lance

‣ { Lana & Landon } — ↳ Hush little child dry your eyes

@itsagraywcrld

Eloise is an adoptive mother to Lana. Cody is Lana’s big brother figure.

Char. Eloise

Char. Cody

‣ { Lana & Eloise } — ↳ My arms will hold you keep you safe & warm

‣ { Lana & Cody } — ↳ Wandering child of the earth do you know how much you’re worth?

@wynterlanding + @itsagraywcrld

‣ { Lana & Landon & Eloise & Cody } — ↳ If these walls could talk from the floor to the ceiling they’d be singing

‣ { Lana & Landon & Eloise } — ↳ This child will be folded into their embrace and healed with their love

‣ { Lana & Landon & Cody } — ↳ Like flowers in the cracks down by the rail road tracks wild but in a row

@creation-is-chaos

How to even describe Corvus and Lana’s relationship. Corvus would kill for her and won’t hurt her and she wants to make him flower crowns. Yeah. That.

Char. Corvus

‣ { Lana & Corvus } — ↳  Little one you just need to behave

‣ { Sarah & Corvus } — ↳  I am anything but weak the thunder trembles when I speak

‣ { Lana & Sarah & Corvus } — ↳ Hands of our children not yet covered in this blood

@ruthlessnessisyourdesire

Mayson’s biological father.

Char. Sixty

Char. Caleb

‣ { Ava & Mayson & Caleb } — ↳ You look just like dad but your moms eyes the same

‣ { Ava & Caleb } — ↳ Headstrong taking on the world alone

‣ { Mayson & Caleb } — ↳ The reluctant father & eager son

‣ { Mayson & Sixty } — ↳ All I can think about is how now I can’t live without you

‣ { Hank & Sixty } — ↳ May death do use part

@wxnted

Lana’s biological mother.

Char. Lily

‣ { Lana & Lily } — ↳ I'm holding on until light turns darkness into dawn

‣ { Sarah & Lily } — ↳ You’re not perfect in the eyes of the mirror

@sacrificedforthecause

Father to Mayson and Lana. Husband to Niles.

Char. Simon

‣ { Mayson & Simon } — ↳ Oh these little hands hands they don’t know what hurt is

‣ { Lana & Simon } — ↳ Let your fears go be brave

[ Niles / Simon ] — ↳ We ran far from their sins

‣ { Lana & Mayson & Simon } — ↳ Time is but a loom in this nursery room

‣ { Lana & Mayson & Niles & Simon } — ↳ We tried repairing all the damage that the did

@replicantdeviancy

Parent to Cole. Partner to Hank.

Char. Connor

[ Hank / Connor ] — ↳ We had nothing but we had it all

‣ { Cole & Connor } — ↳ He’s mine I love him unconditionally

@anthologyoflucas

Ilia is Carter’s adopted daughter. Jax is Hank’s foster then adopted son. Talia is an older sister figure to Taylor.

Char. Ilia

Char. Jax

Char. Talia

‣ { Carter & Ilia } — ↳  The hardest part is over

‣ { Cole & Ilia } — ↳ Always stay humble and kind

‣ { Mayson & Ilia } — ↳ Our faces whipped with summer air

‣ { Hank & Ilia } — ↳ You are in my keeping

‣ { Connor & Ilia } — ↳  Caged child you were destined for more

‣ { Mayson & Jax } — ↳ If everything went smoothly then we’d never be prepared

‣ { Hank & Jax } — ↳ You’re my family now

‣ { Taylor & Talia } — ↳  If you ever see me go I hope you’ll always know you’re mine

@facxted

Draga is the wife to Connor and friend to the rest of the Andersons. Molly is a friend to all the Andersons.

Char. Draga

Char. Molly

[ Connor / Draga ]  — ↳ Our love is worth the fight

‣ { Carter & Draga } — ↳ I fell in love in the back of a cop car

@artofdeviancy

Mayson’s uncle

Char. Connor

‣ { Mayson & Connor } — ↳ I long for reassurance in your eyes

@frigid-vitality

Pending

Char. Saint

‣ { Lana & Saint } — ↳ This little heart sees the good in everybody

My Muses Relationships with Each Other:

Relationships depend on verse, but by default the relationships are:

Mayson and Cole are brothers with Hank as a dad.

Mayson and Cole are friends with Lana.

Lana lives with Sarah as her guardian.

Connor and Carter are twins. Niles is their younger brother. They were raised by Hank and Molly Anderson after being orphaned at ages 9 and 7.

Neilos and Ava are brother and sister, raise by their foster mother Elizabeth. Cousins to Connor, Carter and Niles.

[thepropertylovers]

Fall Foliage at the Farm

Two out of three kids have been sick this week, so we’ve been cooped up inside for what feels like forever. Yesterday, though, since they were feeling much better (and no more fever!), I loaded them up and we drove out to the farm to see PJ and get some fresh air.

But when we got there, I wasn’t prepared for how beautiful the farm looked in all its autumn glory. The colors of the mountain hit me like a ton a bricks and all I could do was yell at the kids for them to look how gorgeous it was 😂. Okay I didn’t yell, but every time we see beautiful colors of the sky or of leaves, I always point it out and ask them to tell me what colors they see. Yesterday, there were a lot of oranges, greens, yellows, browns and some reds. All the colors of our favorite season.

These photos don’t do it justice (I always find it so hard to capture what something really looks like through a picture). It was overwhelming, in a sense. We walked the property and checked out the pond, as there’s still a little bit of water in it from all the rain we’ve been having lately. We’re thinking it might take an entire year’s worth of rain to get filled up, so we’re hoping for next summer.

PJ also showed me the fence that goes around our entire farm (!) and it’s thisclose to being finished!! It feels so…real to have a fence to keep our animals safe and let them roam free. The fence being added is one of those things that no one but me and PJ would find makes a big difference, visually or otherwise, but we are so damn excited about it and what it means for the overall future of the farm.

Yesterday was one of those days where, when we were out there, we kept asking ourselves (and each other) why we don’t just sell everything and move to the farm already. It’s so beautiful there, so peaceful, such a magical place the children would have to grow up. Surrounded by nature with endless opportunities to run and get dirty and explore and let their imaginations run wild. We get those thoughts quite often while we’re there. Who knows?

Lastly, in other news, tomorrow we’ll be debuting a brand new look for PJandThomas.com!! We’ve had the same template and general layout since starting this blog back in the summer of 2017 (how has it already been four years?), so I’m excited for a different look. I’ve been working on the new site design for the last few months and I think it’s finally ready to go live. I hope you like it as much as I do.

[darkarfs]

my favorite WWE matches of 1997

Though I officially started watching wrestling in 1995 (my family famously first bought SummerSlam that year, which would be my first wrestling show ever, because it was $25.00. 1995 was a bad year for wrestling), I became a regular watcher of both WWE and WCW Raw and Nitro, and was able to buy my own PPVs, around summer of 1996, when Hogan turned. The first show I bought with my own money was In Your House: Buried Alive, though I kept up with weekly TV. And, for better or worse, I've been a fan ever since.

1997 was a REAL rollercoaster year for wrestling. The NWO was becoming a bloated mess in no time at all, Bret Hart was riding high, while he and Shawn Michaels publicly hated one another, a young Rocky Maivia was slowly transforming into the most charismatic wrestler of maybe all time, a young Steve Austin has broken his neck and can only work 5 minute matches but is somehow the most OVER wrestler in the company, and by the end of the year, the Screwjob happens, Bret's in WCW, Shawn's on handfuls of SOMAs (yet main-eventing). In a lot of ways, I'm grateful, because I side-stepped all of Hogan's WWF and WCW run. But it was a tornado of a year for a business always on precarious footing, as it ever has been.

And it gave us some CRACKING matches! - The 1997 Royal Rumble I love me a Rumble, and it's REALLY hard (but not impossible) to find a bad one (1993, 1995, 1999). And I personally love one with a storyline that runs throughout, and in this case, it's the ultimate heeling of Stone Cold Steve Austin. He visibly dominates the match until he hears Bret Hart's music, and then goes into panic mode. And it furthers the characterization of Bret's hand-spun narrative as being rightfully pissed that he's being taken advantage of by the roster, screwed by the company, and booed by the fans. Fun bonus: this is also the only Rumble appearance of lucha legend Mil Mascaras, who was so full of old-school carny spirit he famously refused to let anyone else eliminate him, so he eliminated himself, pissed Vince off, and was not spoken of again on WWE TV until the 2012 Hall of Fame ceremony, where he was inducted by his huge prick nephew, Alberto del Rio. - Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, WrestleMania 13 This match is considered legendary, and for good reason. The greatest technical wrestler in the company vs. the best brawler, months of build, the world's most iconic (and off-the-cuff) blade-job (so much so that the visual of Austin bleeding in the Sharpshooter going "DAAAHHHH!" became the cover for his first VHS) and the wrestling world's most exquisite double-turn. It's fun, it's thrilling, it feels at once timeless and modern. Fun fact: there's a fun version of this match you can watch with just Austin doing commentary over it, and it's entertaining as hell. A true classic, and one of the greatest 'Mania matches of all time. - Ken Shamrock vs. Vader, No Holds Barred match, In Your House: a Cold Day In Hell Vader, famously, while a big teddy bear and a for-all-accounts lovely guy outside of the ring, had a reputation of being a bit "snug" with other wrestlers. Meaning he hit a little too hard, had little self-control, and took liberties with people, especially rookies and younger guys. It's supposedly why Shawn Michaels didn't want to work a world title program with him from summer to fall of 1996, because he was "too rough." But what never occurred to Vader is that trying that with a guy who's had 2 matches but has almost 5 years of MMA experience might not be the smartest or most prudent idea. Shamrock gives Vader as much as Vader gives him in this match, and there are moments where you can tell the guys are going into business for themselves. There's a moment where Shamrock is clubbing Vader with punches, and you can hear Vader, as he's turtling up and putting his arms up to block, yell "SLOW DOWN!" and then he rolls out of the ring to catch a breather. Vader, by the end of this match, is bleeding through his mask, a product of a broken nose, which is why I assume he gives Shamrock the stiffest short-arm clothesline I've ever seen. It's brutal, it's stupid, it weaves in and out of the script SO many times like a drunk man trying to stand up straight on a canoe, and I'm fascinated by each and every instance. - Owen Hart vs. the British Bulldog, European Championship Tournament Finals, Monday Night Raw, March 3rd Somehow, a workrate classic is stuck on a rinky-dink episode of Raw from Berlin, Germany. Smith and Hart blended some of their acquired WWE-style of work with classic junior heavyweight wrestling, complete with intricate reversals and fast-paced offense that was unlike either man's designed ethos of the time. Hart's shift toward his underhanded instincts as the match wore on provided enough story to balance the beautiful grappling from two men with impressive resumes. You can feel that these two knew one another, grew up together, and most importantly, wrestled together. An honest-to-God sleeper hit, but everyone who knows this match calls it a classic. - Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, King of the Ring It's a concept that would be beaten into the ground in short order: Tag Team Champions that hate each other's guts. John Cena, seriously, has only been tag champions with people he's feuding with. That's

not even a joke. Austin and Michaels won the belts out of mutual dislike for the Hart Foundation, and then were programmed together for a wild match at the King of the Ring, one without a winner. Early on, the two actually pieced together a tremendous wrestling match full of nifty counters (prior to Austin changing his style after August for obvious reasons), before it degenerated into chaos after both men assaulted referees in the heat of the moment. Granted, neither man could really lose this one, so the screwy finish did serve its purpose. Until that point, it's a different type of incredible Austin match. You're never so happy to see a double-DQ finish. - Owen Hart & the British Bulldog vs. Shawn Michaels & Stone Cold Steve Austin, Monday Night Raw, May 26th And now we have a match set! The previous 4 participants in a brilliant and brutal tag team match. The Tag Team championship switch marked Austin's first piece of recognized gold in WWE, in a match on free television no less. That's not to insult the match any, as it was a pay-per-view quality fracas that barely slowed down. It is a mere 14 minutes long WITH entrances, but it moves at a clip, and everyone has their working boots on. It was a harbinger of days to come for this new period in WWE's history, and the crowd ate it up.

- Taka Michinoku vs. the Great Sasuke, In Your House: Canadian Stampede What happened here? Just when you think WCW had the cruiserweights cornered, WWE pulls this shit...and then kind of ignores it for a few months. But not before importing two of Michinoku Pro's finest to have a TakeOver-length exhibition. At first, the crowd in Calgary wasn't sure what to make of the undersized performers, but it wouldn't take long to win them over. From Michinoku's hands-free springboard dive to Sasuke's beautiful Thunder Fire Powerbomb, the expansive crowd was positively hooked on the daredevils with each passing minute. Although Sasuke wouldn't be long for the company, and Michinoku's run as Light Heavyweight Champion faded as 1998 wore on, the display at Canadian Stampede was a wondrous experience. This wouldn't have looked out of place in a Chikara King of Trios tournament. - The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, Brian Pillman, the British Bulldog) vs. Team Austin (Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Legion of Doom, Ken Shamrock and Goldust), In Your House: Canadian Stampede I would have put this match on the list for the entrances and the finish alone. The crowd is at fever static for the entire match, seriously at the level of Punk/Cena at MITB 2011. And even though the Harts are the heels, they're in Calgary, and they get rock-star level ovations for merely existing. Everyone plays it mad and delighted, and you can tell they're all having a ball. Especially Pillman, who is just magically unhinged, a template for a young Dean Ambrose during their feud with the Wyatt Family. It is a magical, unreal main event, one of the best B-ppv main events maybe of all time. Well...other than MAYBE... - Shawn Michaels vs. the Undertaker, Hell in a Cell, In Your House: Badd Blood The very first Hell in a Cell match may very well double as the greatest of its kind. What stands out to me (other than how the match ends) is just how GREAT Michaels' selling is. When he's running away, he's constantly looking around for an exit, like a scared rat. When he finally gets caught and struck, he sells almost to the level he did for Hogan at SummerSlam 2005. But while he was doing that to make Hogan's offense look stupid, he's doing it here to make Taker's offense and anger look legit, and it somehow WORKS. But as fabulous as the match and the psychology is, it somehow takes a backseat to the debut of the Undertaker's monstrous little brother Kane, finally confronting his older brother in perhaps the greatest character debut in WWE history. - Mankind vs. Kane, Survivor Series I dunno what it is about this match that does it for me. Mankind's emotional lead-up to the match, where he's sad that Uncle Paul (Bearer) left him. Maybe the fact that Kane sells like Michael Myers, not so much that he's in pain, but as if he's never been hit in the face with a steel chair, a DDT or a piledriver. Maybe it's because Mick takes more horrific bumps than he needs to to make sure Kane looks like a legit monster. Maybe it's the broken Virtua Boy lighting. But it's genuinely unlike any other Mankind, Kane or ANY match I've seen before or since. It's a perfect somehow sympathetic serial killer vs. bigger, scarier serial killer that feels nothing story in a wrestling match. I didn't even know you could DO that.

[prairiedust]

More Last Holiday Musings...

I want to poke at that interdimensional geoscope a little more, because upon reading it over again, I think I splashed it up a little fast and there are a couple of points I’d like to be clearer about. I meant to queue this up to post last night but also want it to be up before Gimme Shelter so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

This is more blue curtains lit crit with a dash of folklore and an honorable mention for post-structuralism. And we’re talking about Supernatural after all, so this is sort of... well, it’s about endings.

Last Holiday was not a typical “filler” or even a typical MOTW episode. It felt extremely insular, possibly more so than any other episode I can think at any other point in the series. As opposed to the usual crowd of “locals,” a spate of victims, and a couple of red herring suspects, the only other people in this ep besides the Winchesters (including Jack) and Mrs. Butters were the two vampires and Cuthbert Sinclair. There was no “case” as in a usual MOTW-- there was no Chuck Struggle, either, and the lack of mytharc was strange against the lack of “filler” schema. That lack of “MOTW investigation” marked this episode also as being about “curiosity”-- the Winchesters all-too-quickly took Mrs. Butters for granted-- Dean even dismissed her as a “Magic Roomba” and that seemed to settle the matter. Furthermore, the moment that Dean spotted Mrs. B in his room, the stage was set for Antics ™ when she held up his goofy Scooby boxers, and indeed a zaniness, an almost manic energy drove the action forward at a breakneck pace. [Spoiler alert, we do get “investigation” in the next episode, 15x15 Gimme Shelter, as stills and the preview show that Castiel and Jack will be teaming up together, in yet another shake-up of the usual “MOTW” template, almost like we can expect the other side of a coin when Sam and Dean switch places with Cas...] These features set Last Holiday apart as not so much “filler” as “between,” as in there was struggle before, and there will be struggle after, but for a while there was cake. (Contrast this to the usual “peril of the threshold” that usually shrouds liminality if you’d like.)

At the end of Last Holiday, however, we finally get to find out what that old blue telescope really is, and with that name we get confirmation that there are no more alternate universes-- Chuck has burned them all. Viewers are left to come to the conclusion that in retrospect the telescope-thing could have changed the course of season 13 completely. The reveal is played off as darkly funny, but it’s also kind of a gut-wrenching moment, too. All the heartbreak of the last two and a half years, reviewed now through the lens of “if only.” If only they’d known about Mrs. Butters from the time they found the bunker, “none of this would have happened”… they’d have had monster radar, they’d have had the geoscope, they would have had supernatural help of a completely different level.

The temptation to read Last Holiday as a Chuck-free episode is strong, but fraught-- the threat of Chuck’s involvement has been established by a pattern this season (well the pattern is woven throughout the whole series really but Dabb has deliberately structured these last three seasons with an exponentially increasing frequency.) I feel like we’ve been conditioned this season in particular to hold ourselves in a perpetual flinch, to be afraid of what we’ll learn “in retrospect.” That geoscope was really_good_subtext, and it is entirely possible, even encouraged, at this point in the plot to take information we’ve learned from the naming of the object, examine our own conditioned response to this episode, and apply both things to the structure of the season so far and make a prediction as to what might happen in the main plot. That’s what I mean about subtext getting loud. We’ve been given the green-light to make a prediction about The Struggle and march forward with it, and see if we will be correct by extrapolating the pattern, or if that expectation will be subverted (the twist is set up to run either way, so either outcome is satisfying.) It is Melville-esque architecture of the highest degree;I could write another thousand words just about that. So I have a prediction that I’m hanging on to, because of what we’ve learned from the geoscope, and what kinds of clues were hung up in Last Holiday, and I’m super excited to either have my hunch confirmed or be frightfully and delightedly surprised. I mean, where the fuck did Jeremy Adams even come from? He’s like our own Mrs. Butters, showing up in the last quarter to run a couple game-changing balls into the end zone, it’s bonkers. I mean, I know writing mysteries is hard and requires still AND cunning, but damn, son.

But anyway, back to the geoscope… 

I’m perplexed, from a very “lit crit” perspective, but this is where I’m at and why I referenced blue curtains-- if you shine too bright a light on subtext, does it evaporate-- like looking through an interdimensional geoscope and not seeing anything-- or is “subtext” sometimes not some ephemeral fever-dream that we as viewers conjure up through our experiential interlocution with the text but something a writer has steeped into the narrative as part of their craft? Or when you’re talking about an evolving iteration of writers, is it possible that one picks up a thread that another wove in for something else, repurposing or amplifying it? And, when perhaps is something deliberately instilled in the text in order to become “text” at just the right time? In Moby Dick, [spoiler alert lol] Quequeg’s coffin-- formerly one of many symbolic vehicles used to foreshadow the doom of the Pequod-- is repurposed as a life buoy and becomes the actual object that saves Ishmael’s life, transforming it from a portent of disaster to a symbol of salvation and then to one of Ishmael’s guilt for surviving Ahab’s madness-- the guilt that had been made text by the very opening line of the book, “Call me Ishmael.” In retrospect, the connotations of wandering, exile and salvation behind the name that the narrator gives himself become crystal clear. The problem that the post-structuralist model of “reading” as simultaneously “creating the text” has manufactured is that the idea that “subtext” can often be discounted as something dreamed up wholecloth by the reader, and thus inferior, imaginary, even delusional (and I use that last word knowing what a loaded term that is in the spn fandom, but this is not about a ship, even) where once it was considered to be a valid and measurable part of the text itself, like that dang coffin. It was the basement, the underpinnings, the catacombs below the opera house sure, but it helped to hold up the structure. And for some reason, putting subtext into a piece of media has become passe, or cringe? Anyway, not to be bitter on main but it didn’t used to be this way, at least not in the heady early days of postmodernism. So that green light? Critical hit against blue curtains. And while yes, some readings are going to be better supported than others, and the wild variety of checklists in this fandom mean that some conclusions have been drawn which can’t pan out, if you’re paying attention to the structure, the subtexts, the alchemical/psychoanalytical/postmodern themata, the ending will be very satisfying. 

So. What was once speculated to be a symbol for emotional lows or turning points (among other things) in the bunker was textually hit with a bright green light, then Dean got curious about it in text, and we were told-- in text-- that oh it’s just a fancy spyglass, and now that the other worlds are gone, it has no purpose…. that’s what I mean about the geoscope now being “pure”-- it wasn’t clear whether the telescope ever had any function, subtetxtual or not, and now that it’s certain what it’s “function” was, it’s now freed up as a “symbol”-- unless like in Moby Dick it’s new “purpose” is revealed later, but right now it’s caught in this liminal place of not-quite-clue and not-quite-metaphor... 

However, and I didn’t put this in my first post because I was trying to be fast and not a wet blanket, but I felt like finally naming the geoscope was an ending. 

This is literally Singer, Dabb, and Co tidying up the house before locking it behind them.

I think when Dean said he didn’t see anything through the “telescope thing,” that we’re to understand that maybe this was the last hurrah of the cute, zany, campy “subtext” or even “metatext” if you’d rather that so many of us have been parsing and which has gotten so weird and bright since season 12/13. I think I said in one of the folklore posts that writing about some of the things I write about feels like making daisy chains in the endzone during the big game. Which is fun, that’s how I personally got through having to be in AYSO soccer for four years, by looking for four leafed clovers and eating orange quarters. And we got a wood nymph in this episode, textually even, so I could easily check the “folklore” box on this one. But the sheer euphoria of Last Holiday and all the sparkles it brought into the story aren’t meant to last. When you look back on fifteen years of text, a lot of it is bleak, miserable stuff. That’s not to say that episodes like Yellow Fever and Hunteri Heroici and Fan Fiction et al shouldn’t be celebrated. But I think from here on out, things are going to be less “golly gee, three birthdays!” and more “There she blows! --there she blows! A hump like a snowhill!”

This episode was a gift in many ways, not just for the sense of glee it transmitted-- it also did so much work and there are things I want to yell about in the way language was hit, the red versus green lighting, the way the backwards holidays worked, the projector as a metaphor for Mrs. B projecting her regrets and fears onto Jack, the amount of food that was created and consumed, how that smoothie was also an echo of “fairy food” or an underworld pact if you squint-- but the stakes are so high now. We haven’t been shown the next valley-- there was no final scene of Chuck rubbing his hands together like the villain from a melodrama, for example-- but the last image we got was Jack blowing out a candle. After the candle is blown out, the cake is dismantled and consumed. Once the story is over, all the themes that are so hard to grapple in a text like a television show can be gathered up and analyzed. (IS that all, though? After all, Dean made his own cake later, which, like, echoes of the “oh two cakes” comic lol...)

Since I really never want to leave anything I toss out on this blog on a last note of doom and gloom, however, I do want to say that I too understand what that last image meant. It meant, as Sam said, make a wish. Think of the future, think of free will, and hope for something wonderful to happen. (or do like me and wonder what the hell Jack wished for with dread and anticipation ha ha ha.)

[besybil]

A LESSON ON SERVITORS

chaoscommentary

Introduction

In the Chaos Magick ladder which I briefly described in a previous article we have Servitors as the next evolution of our high magick.

Just to remind you we go from:

Sigils -> Servitors -> Egregores -> God forms.

Servitors are much more difficult to put into application than sigils. They require more time and energy as well.

The good news (for some) is that Servitors can still be created in private.

Egregores and Godforms are almost impossible to create without some sort of extra participation or fellowship with other people (however I have some clever methods to use which will be described when I get to those subjects.) Regardless, before I jump into how to create a servitor, I need to clearly define WHAT a servitor IS.

What is a Servitor?

As servitor is a thought form of your own creation. One of the most popular occurrences (back in the day) was the creation of imaginary friends by children.

The power and purpose of your servitor will be entirely dependent on you and your desire to develop it. For young children, to have a non judgmental companion to walk beside them as they learn to socially cope with other people is a common mission for some servitors. Another way to think of Servitors is as “Familiars.”

Now this comes with a bit of a warning, without proper attention your servitor may gain independence and a life of its own (Thus evolving into an Egregore.) I am all about responsibility and making your magick do exactly what it was intended to do, so I will give you some tips on how to keep a leash on your familiar.

Why would I want a Servitor?

Like I said in a previous article, sigils are typically where the buck stops for most Chaotes. They are powerful, work as intended and are very accurate. You could technically stop right there and have everything you will ever need for working with magick. However, magick is more of a walk for some and an exploration of endless possibilities for others. Servitor creation is the next step into some deep waters and a step out into the wild frontier of Magick. This is where the pedal hits the metal; this is where the wild adventure begins. For many adult occultists, this is also a return to childhood which can be a very scary place for some.

That being said; familiars and their purpose are left to your imagination. A companion (friend), a bodyguard, and yes even lovers are all applications for Servitor work. However let me come with a warning, the more you feed a servitor the stronger and more independent it can become. As such I advise highly against creating servitors for sexual gratification. You may end up giving birth to a hag or a succubus (a result of uncontrolled mutation), which in the end will make your life miserable. It would be better to create a wing(wo)man to help bolster your confidence to gain a physical mate. My point ultimately is, just like sigils, there is no limit on what a servitor can do, look like or become. The only limit is your imagination. If a sigils is a magickal computer program, Servitors are magickal robots, just shy of becoming Magickal AI.

Servitors are astral constructs.  Servitors can cause physical change.

Practical use for servitors include:

An assistant in solo magickal work.

A protector for your house.

An assistant for keeping your workspace clean.

To name just a few.

Okay I get it! How do I MAKE one?

First rule: Temper your enthusiasm with caution. Respect the ritual you are about to perform.

Second Rule: We do not create accidents; make sure you truly want to create a servitor. These are not toys, they are very real beings created from your energies, they are in short, your children. Be a responsible parent.

Third Rule: Always, always, always, set up rules and restrictions to keep your servitors exactly that. Without rules, a servitor has the potential to become an Egregore and no longer under your control.

Optional but highly recommended: When I create servitors I get into the habit of breaking down ones I no longer use and incorporate them into the newer, upgraded models. I had a bad experience with leaving “junk servitors” unattended only to have them haunting my dreams and bumping into me in the middle of the night. If you are down with a servitor, release the energy and let it be free. This act prevents the buildup of malice and negative energies from neglected thought forms. Keep your workspace clean, in the astral and in the physical.

Now that we have that established let me begin.

As always with Chaos Magick, there is no right or wrong way to do this. What I offer you is what has worked for me. Tweak it for your purposes. (For me) It always helps to have a template to start with, but YOUR magickal walk is exactly that, yours not mine; you are the final Judge on what you are willing and able to commit to such a practice.

Step 1: State the purpose of your Servitor

Create a sigil or series of sigils which will define the purpose of your servitor. “Protect my home,” “Keep my house clean,” so on and so forth. Make as many sigils as you need. This is the easy part, feel free to find my article on sigil making in this blog.

Step 2: Create a body for your Servitor

You have two options here.

Option A:

You can bind them to a fetish like is a doll, figurine or even a drawing of your own design. I am a naturally arts and crafts kind of person so this is my preferred method.

Option B:

However if for whatever reason I don’t not have the time or money to create a physical representation of my servitor, I use meditation and create the servitor in my mind and in astral space.

Regardless, the process requires the same amount of energy, effort and IMAGINATION. You must visualize the servitor. How tall is it? Does it have limbs? Can it speak? It can take hours to create a body for your  servitor, but you need to define as many of its functions and characteristics as possible. Its body needs to be a vivid as possible. Some of my servitors have looked like Lovecraftian horrors, while one of my longtime companions is a very cute four foot tall blonde elf girl who speaks in wind chimes.

Step 3: Bind your sigils in the body of the servitor, and put in its safety protocols.

Binding your sigils can be as simple as drawing them inside your picture, carving them into your doll, or imagining the sigils being put in place of where its “heart” or “battery” may be. The point is to make sure your sigils are part of your servitor. Once this occurs, and you are convinced the two have become one, a safety should be put into place. As I said before, without a leash or restrain, your servitor has cart-blanche to run amok and out of your control. You have again, to options here: A command word or a counter sigil. The command word can be: “Stop!” “Sit!” “Go away!” It is best to keep it simple; although I know a few people who used poetry for particularly devious machines to make sure not everyone can shut them down. That is the key to command words however, anyone can use them. A servitor must be compelled once a person speaks a word or command phrase to abide by its programming.

Safety Method A: Command Words

Creating a command word is as simple as touching your servitor (if you used a fetish, this is easier) and speaking plainly to them “When I say <x> you will do <y>” (X and Y are your phrase and its action.) Repeat this as many times as you need to remember or until you feel you servitor is ready to comply. You can put as many command words on your servitor as you want, just be careful not to use the same word to do multiple things, or that they words are counterproductive to its mission. You could confuse the crap out of it.

Safety Method B: Counter Sigils

The second method, counter sigils, are kind of a fire and forget method. It lets a servitor know where it  is or isn’t allowed to be. This requires you to name your servitor and upon naming it, creating a sigil of its name. You must decide if this sigil is a ward or a summoning upon its creation. You do not need to commit much thought to this nor does it change the method of how the sigil is created, the intent is good enough. “This sigil means you are welcome to work in this place,” or “This sigil prevents you from going into this place,” Is good enough of a declaration for this method to work. I have seen people bind servitors in boxes with this method and let them out when needed, while others have put the symbols on doors and the like to let servitors know where they should go.

Step 4: BRING YOUR CREATION TO LIFE!!!!!

The ritual can be as elaborate or mundane as you want. However I will tell you, the more elaborate the more powerful your servitor will be in the long run. I have used a simple hand flick gesture (like turning on a light) to activate some, they only lasted a few days before the broke down. My longtime companion servitor had entire weeks of music and food dedicated to her and if she didn’t have any safety protocols in place, probably would have become an Egregore by now. Still, perform a ritual that lets the servitor know it is born. Throw it a birthday party, show it around the house, get silly, get childish. There is no right or wrong way to invite this new entity into your home, just know, the more gnosis you feed it, the better.

Step 4:

Regular maintenance of your servitor is a must. Your servitor must be in your mind from time to time. If you forget about it, it loses energy and dies. While, just thinking about it is okay, offerings or rewards are much more potent. For my lesser servitors I give them a drop of life force when they have done well. For my companion, I have treated her to donuts and milk. The key is to understand the relationship between you and your servitor. Unless you set them free, they cannot live without you. If you forget them, they will die. Woe to the chaote who creates a servitor with no restrictions and then neglects them, you may create a vengeful spirit to infest your house. So reward you servitor when they have done their duties and let them know you still care about them.

Dismantling your Servitors:

I include this part because all good occultists know the value of banishment. Some servitors outlive their usefulness and thus need to be released back into the cosmos. This is not a cruel thing to do, as a matter of fact; actively releasing your unused servitors is very humane. It is cruel to leave a bound servitor unattended to die an agonizing death of forgetfulness and neglect.

Dismantling is simple. Take the abject or thought of you servitor and tell it “You are free” or “I set you free” Imagine all of the bindings and words leaving and falling apart into harmless light. If you have a fetish, set it ablaze or destroy it in some gentle way. Make sure that the object can no longer physically house the servitor. IT is a very good practice to tell it, that it has performed well and it is time for it to move on. If the servitor doesn’t seem to want to leave then you may have to perform this a few time. My companion didn’t want to leave me when I tried to banish her the first three times, she was so fiercely loyal that I gave her a second birthday and still keep her to this day.

That is servitor making in a nutshell.

I am sure many of you have questions or will want me to elaborate. So feel free to ask questions if you need help. This is a basic outline, I am vague for a reason to encourage you to go out there and find what works for you. Just be safe and Chaos Magick responsibly.

~M.A. Hargrove © 2014

[emilycollins00]

A3 actors! Art in bloom

Type: One shot

Pairing: Miyoshi Kazunari x Reader

Theme: Passion / Art / Clash

Contrary to what many people and even classmates of yours thought, being an art student was not something you should chose to do lightly.

Sure, it seemed enjoyable, cute even. But no one ever talked about how many hours you would spend with a single portrait, drafting about abstract concepts or trying to discern at two in the morning whether a sculpture should turn more sideways or look at the ground to create a deeper perspective. 

Art was wild.

But you loved it and, why not admit it, you took it pretty seriously. Maybe a tiny bit more than most people.

That’s why you had always liked how Kazunari Miyoshi, although being the loud person he was, frequently went on and on with you discussing ideas when there was some debate in class. That brain of his was something else. His works and usual approach when mixing modern and traditional Japanese culture fascinated you. It really did.

But that had been changing lately, and it angered you.

Up until this year you hadn't really cared about it. Everyone had their right to live however they wanted after all.

However, without being able to tell when it began, you started casually observing him. You watched him talk to your other classmates as soon as the lecture, frowned as he concentrated on the draft they had one hour and a half to finish or taking selfies and live videos of the works you all were demanded to do. You even discovered yourself staring and how the sun caressed his profile first hour in the morning.

He had a nice profile.

By that point, something inside you was getting frustrated. He participated in class and attended to the lectures, but at the same time…? you felt he was starting prioritising social media over art, or looking for people for one of his popular mixers, like so many of your other classmates, who had most likely entered this major without much thought, did.

You would understand if he would have a part-time job, but the thought of him being able to do so much more and deciding to stop midway left you speechless.

You wished for him to take more things seriously. 

“Miyoshi, were you able to clean all the supplies from last class?" you called him out between the break. Everyone in class traded places to carry the main boxes with brushes, paints and whatever main source they had to work with each week "Our teacher told me to take some clay from there. I'm planning to use them for my final project, but I can't seem to find the key in the secretary office”

The university student lifted his head from his mobile and tipped on his chin, trying to remember "Supplies from...? Oh man, THAT is why I had them in my working space!” He palped his jeans looking for it “My bad, I was totes in a hurry and just closed as soon as we were done!” 

You contained an exasperated groan “Why would you get the key unless it was to clean the practice room?” 

Kazunari laughed nervously under your intimidating glare “True, true! It's just that I was talking with some friends over the phone and they were in a hurry so…” he showed you the key taking it out of his pocket, maybe to show that at least he hadn’t lost it “Do you need them now? I could go clean for you” 

The vein you had tried so hard to maintain calm popped altogether. Not wanting to keep talking, you rapidly grabbed the key from his hand and headed to take the supplies. God grief how you hated that carefree attitude. 

                                         ……………………..…….

“No prob, dude! Next time just hit me up with a DM and I’ll come running to your uni here! In exchange, I’ll need your help to finish the flyers so…” 

Recognizing the flashy voice, you slowly looked behind, witnessing the blond with another person. Was he meeting with people to play around here too? 

You couldn’t believe it. You all had your final projects deadlines almost spitting in your faces! That’s why you had to come to this other university to ask for permission to use a kiln for your final, as you didn’t have lectures prepared today and your university didn’t have any. Didn’t look like it was Kazunari’s case. 

“Uh? No way, Y/N-pyon!” he waved at you with both hands, confirming it was you indeed, as he got closer “Looking fleek today too! What are you doing here in Yosei?” the person walking next to him whispered something “They’re a friend from my major Tsuzuroon, I told you about them, dude!” 

You mentally scoffed. Without returning his greet and turning on your heels, you headed for the teacher’s office.

 “You said friend but…” Tsuzuru squinted his eyes, watching you leave “…It doesn't look like they like you very much” 

“No worries! Nowadays they are always like that. But their works are so lit! Y/N-pyon is the ultimate remix of you, Ten-ten and Yukki!” 

“That’s… not a good thing, Miyoshi-san”

                            …………………………………………

“Y/N-pyon, about-”

“Miyoshi, sorry. I am on my way to Yosei University to finish my work and unlike your usual approach of work to play, I actually don’t have time to waste”

“Uh? My works are…”

“Are what? I’ve been seeing you doing half-assed things all over the semester. This last week you didn’t even come at the afternoon lectures” you were pretty sure this was just you venting at this point “You’re amazing Miyoshi, I honestly think that, so why? If… If you only put more of yourself into it, your art would be even more unbelievable!”

He went quiet, a rare sight.

“Art it’s not something you just do for laughs; I thought you were one of the few people here that felt the same and-” the phone in your bag started ringing. Head  teacher. Inhaling deeply, you answered it “Yes?”

“Y/N-san? I am so sorry. Could you come to Josey university?” 

Losing the eye contact you had been maintaining with the blond boy, your heart sank as you heard the words ‘kiln’ and ‘malfunction’. “…Please tell me my final project is ok” 

                                       ……………………………….

You stood in silence, looking at the mess when you heard a knock at the door.

“I know I shouldn’t have followed and am expecting you throw me out the door but…” you didn’t move an inch so Kazunari took that as a free pass.

Just as the teacher told you, the electricity in the small building had had an issue and there had been a combustion, meaning, the sculpture you had kept here while working for weeks was now cracked and in shreds. You sniffed, brushing away the tears that were trying to come out from your eyes. All your hard work. All the time spent, had been for nothing.

“The Kiln is burnt. I don’t have anything good to save” you felt emotionally exhausted “Damn, I should have used air dry clay since the beginning… or not tried to sculpt anything” your vision became blurry again “I don’t know why do I make everything more difficult that it is”

Kazunari contemplated the situation, studying the seemingly full cracked sculpture from afar.

“Teach probably told you she would wait for you to turn on the work, right?” He saw you vaguely nodding you head “You got this!” he put his hand on your shoulder, you barely glancing at him “Look, If you still wanna use this base I’ll go ask for some moisturize and clean water to mix. Then I will maintain the upper part as you work down there, not bad idea right?”

You stared at him, finally grasping that he had come all the way here and was now trying to help “Why are you here? I… was being a busybody telling you how to work in our major” you had realized you had crossed the line back then.

Kazunari laughed, shaking his head “You were not saying anything that was a lie though, I don't want to admit it, but it’s true I've been a mess for a while”

“I guess parties require a lot of work” you bite your tongue hard. He was being a decent person trying to help and you couldn’t stop for two seconds to pick on him? You wanted to punch yourself.

“Mmm? Ah, our theatre troupe is almost opening for performance and the next troupe is on practices so flyers and scripts are running at full gas”

You stopped looking at your sculpture. What did he just say about a theatre?

“…What?”

“You’ve never come, Y/N-pyon? Mankai company is the best theatre in Veludo way! You totes should come, I’ll even send you the tickets for our new performance!” before you knew it, he had already DM you what you imagined was all the background information.

The moment you unlocked it, you almost dropped the phone. The photos and drawings of the posters were amazing, and you just knew who it had done “You… never said you had a job”

Kazunari considered what you pointed out. Mankai had managed to recover from what they needed to pay but they still didn't have enough founds “I’ve never thought about our acts as a job thought”

Your mind was a mess. Being an actor and doing publicity didn’t count for him as he studied? No wonder he usually left early! Now you felt even worst. You had behaved like a… “Uh, are these original templates?” you browsed over the performances’ posters, each one more astonishing than the other “This is… wow and this one?” 

He blinked, noticing how the tone of your voice was now more soothing. You had somewhat calm down. He would high-key enjoy hearing you talk to him like that more often “Hey, enough about me. We have work to do”

You agreed, putting away your phone “You’re right but again I… I am sorry, Miyoshi. And thanks, for staying” 

“No prob, Y/N-pyon!” 

“Would you tell me what I could do so you stopped calling me that?” 

“Eeeeeeh why? I think it fits! It's super-duper cute, like you!” 

Thump!

No. You told yourself.

Coming back to your senses you told yourself the warm you felt in your cheeks was due to summer starting earlier. It definitely wasn’t because of Kazunari smile directed at you, helped you or how the sun reflected on his perfect profile as you both started working on your work. 

Art was wild… but it was also an evocative of feelings.

_________________________________________________________

This one has been a difficult one! I wanted Reader to kind of clash with his mindset

Hope you guys enjoy it. Have a wonderful day! 💕