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[aryawartapackers-blog]

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[shadowkoo]

Just Dance It Off

→ Summary: You're over the moon when you land the female lead in the end-of-semester show. It feels like your hard work has finally paid off, everything is going great. Well, until you learn who your partner is…

↠ jimin x f.reader | 9.5k words | 18+ ↠ genre: smut, angst, fluff, ballet dancers au, enemies to lovers, performing arts college au

→ Warnings: explicit and unprotected sex, jealousy, masturbation, alcohol consumption, underage drinking, use of fake ID, mild exhibitionism, creampie, hair pulling, angry sex, nipple play, degradation, dirty talk, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, multiple smut scenes, heavy teasing & banter, edging, orgasm denial, light choking

→ Author Note: This is a rewrite of an old 2019 fic of mine, so I hope you enjoy the newest version! If you’d like to read this on ao3 instead it’s been crossposted here! Also a biiiiiiig thank you so Sarah @caelesjjk for beta editing this for me. Go show her some love if you aren't already following her! As always, all likes, reblogs, and comments are appreciated <3

“Oh, no,” you hear one of the dancers behind you whisper to another, “Look who’s walking in.”

Your curiosity gets the best of you as you casually stretch, your eyes betraying you by glancing over your shoulder toward the door, dying to see who they’re talking about. You recognize him almost immediately and the whispers continue to grow about the slender male who is walking across the room to set his stuff down.

Park Jimin.

Of course, he would be auditioning for this show. It’s his final semester, and you really should have seen this coming. Especially since you knew he was bound to get whatever position he was auditioning for. That’s a given.

Park Jimin always gets whatever he wants in life; whether that be a specific role in a performance, who his performance partners are both on the stage…and in the bedroom, that sort of thing. He’s the most pretentious person you’ve ever met, seeing as he acts like he is God’s gift to the dance world, and you’re already dreading any interaction you’ll have with him.

Rumor has it that his daddy, former dancer and sponsor, paid his way into Juilliard, but as much as you hate to admit it, he (unfortunately) happens to be very talented and you doubt the school didn’t already have something lined up for him, regardless of who his family is. Unlike you, who was on the waitlist for two months and had to take out a loan worth more than your life to attend this school.

Your eyes meet his and Jimin does a once-over before moving onto the people to your left. What a prick.

“Y/N!” a voice yells from the entryway. Your familiar, freckled, redheaded best friend is quickly prancing towards you.

“I’m so happy to see you here,” Catalina squeals before hugging you tightly. “What part are you auditioning for? Please tell me it’s lead. God, I miss you. It sucks that we don’t have any classes together this semester. How are you?”

You hug your petite friend back, “I miss you too! Please tell me that you’re not also auditioning for lead, I don’t want to be judged against you. Your pirouettes are perfect compared to my lousy ones.”

Her laugh echoes through the room. “Apparently you didn’t hear about my recent tumble,” she jokes, bumping her shoulder into yours. “I’ll gladly be in the background after my solo-gone-wrong.”

“Alright, everyone!” One of the male judges calls out, walking past the lineup of dancers to collect everyone’s entry form. “We’ll start with the routine you were required to memorize as a group, and then it will be individual evaluations after. Make sure your numbers are secured and let’s line up outside the door.”

After taking your place and getting into position with the rest of the packed room, you wait for the cue to begin. The routine is short and simple, and years of practice have made some of the required moves second nature.

Before you know it, the judges are escorting people out the door for the individual sessions.

You're about twentieth in line, right behind Cat. That makes you a bit nervous because, even though she’s not auditioning for the lead role, her impressive skills might land her a more prominent part than the one she’s aiming for.

Everyone else is quietly chatting in line while you do your best to relax, working through your routine in your mind. This is one of your pre-audition rituals. It always helps with easing your nerves.

By the time you finish running through a couple of full-outs in your head, you’re second in line. You wish Cat good luck as she’s ushered into the dance studio. Her five minutes go by almost too quickly, but she exits with a happy smile.

“Hey, good luck! Kill it, okay?”

You nod, quickly following after the woman who calls your name next.

“Miss Y/N, it says here that you’re auditioning for the female lead. As a sophomore?” Mr. Jenson, one of your dance professors and judge, questions. You prepared for this. It’s very uncommon for an underclassman to try out for such a prestigious role.

“Yes, sir. That’s correct.” You hold your head high.

“Well, I have to say I’m quite impressed with your confidence. Whenever you’re ready.”

You wait for the familiar beginning notes of Tchaikovsky’s Waltz Of The Flowers to play before flying effortlessly through your well-practiced routine. You’re banking on the emotional state of your dancing along with the technical moves you’ve included to impress the judges, and based on their faces when you finish, you figure you did just that. You can’t help but grin widely as you watch the four of them scribble furiously onto the sheets of paper. That’s a really good sign.

“I have to say, I was a little thrown off in the beginning by your song choice since it’s so, hmm, how do I say this, so amateur. But I was very surprised by what you chose to express and the level at which you dance,” the first judge says.

“Yes, the lines you created with your body were very exquisite,” another praises.

You nodded, taking in their advice and criticism.

“Thank you, Miss Y/N, you may exit.” Mr. Jenson says with a smile.

As soon as you step out the door and exhale, you feel a sense of relief. The excitement of your successful audition courses through you, filling you with good energy.

You find Cat stretching in the warm-up room next door.

“Oh my god, you got it. Didn’t you?” She squeals the second she sees your face.

“I don’t know…” You have a pretty good idea based on their responses and comments but aren’t positive.

“Oh, please,” she rolls her eyes, “That’s your ’I just nailed my audition’ face. You totally got it.”

“I hope so. God, wouldn’t that be so insane? When was the last time an underclassman got the lead?”

Someone behind you scoffs; you look over your shoulder and see that it’s Jimin. Your eyes narrow at him, but Cat turns you back before you go off on him. “Not worth it, the rest of us seniors think it’s great that you’re trying for a top spot. How about we go get a drink from the vending machine while we wait?”

You nod before grabbing your warm-up bag and follow her out. “I can’t believe him. He’s so stuck up,” You grumble once you’re far enough away that no one but Cat can hear you.

“He’s always like that, just be thankful that you don’t share any classes with him.”

You’ve heard that Jimin is usually the center of attention in class, whether it’s his choice or not, so you can’t imagine being stuck in one with him. It sounds like it would be impossible to get good feedback if the teachers only care about him.

After you both buy the drinks that you want, you head back. The line is smaller but it will still be at least a half-hour until everyone has had their turn. You sigh impatiently and head back into the warm-up room.

Deciding to sit along the mirrored wall, you rummage through your bag to find a pair of headphones and put your favorite playlist on shuffle while you wait. Even though it feels like half the day goes by while you’re sitting there waiting, it’s really only been about an hour.

Everyone’s attention lands on Madam Jamie, one of the contemporary dance professors, when she asks everyone to re-enter the audition room.

“Okay,” she starts once everyone gets in line, “Those whose numbers I am about to call, please step forward. Dancers eleven, one fifty-three, one forty-seven, seventeen, thirty-eight, twenty-two, and one ten.”

Cat gives you a concerned look as she steps forward without you.

“Seventy-two, fifteen, sixty-eight, thirty, thirty-four, eighty-two, one twenty-one–” you step forward and sigh in relief once she spoke your number. Tuning out the rest of the numbers called, you smile at Cat as she reaches for your hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

“Everyone else, I’m sorry to inform you that you have not been selected. Thank you for your time,” She finishes, resting her clipboard against her chest.

Those who didn’t make the cut are escorted out as Mr. Jenson stands up to make an announcement.

“I have everyone’s part listed here,” He shakes the paper in his hand. “It’ll be left on this table for you all to look over. However, I want to first congratulate you all. We are excited to have this much talent for the semester’s exhibition show. We have some great things planned and cannot wait to get started with you all. Please take note of our rehearsal schedule. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Eight to noon. Most of you should not have conflicting schedules as all dance classes are held in the afternoon anyway, although if you do have a problem just stay after and we can work it out. Madam Jamie and I will see you back here Monday morning. Dismissed.”

You and Cat both wait until more people clear out of the room before you have the guts to read the paper.

Catalina Wilde - Corps de ballet

Your eyes wander across the page as you search for your name.

Y/N - Lead Female Soloist

Turning towards each other, you squeal “Oh my god,” at the same time.

“I can’t believe it. We both got what we wanted,” you excitedly rush out.

“I know, this never happens. Oh, I’m so excited!” She reaches for your hand and squeezes it again, picking up the paper with her other hand.

“Oh, no.” She turns the paper towards you, “Look who your partner is.”

Park Jimin - Lead Male Soloist

You huff, “Of course, I’m not surprised.” You turn your head and search the mostly-empty room for him. You have a feeling he’s still here, it’s like you can sense his presence.

“Cat! You coming?” the group of dancers near the door asks.

“Shoot, I’ve got to head to my next session. I’ll see you later, okay?” Cat says, giving you a quick hug as she runs out the door.

Leaving just you and Jimin.

Deciding to let go of your prejudice against Jimin, you figure the best move would be to congratulate him on getting the part he auditioned for.

He watches blankly from the mirrored wall as you walk towards him.

Once in front of him, you stick your hand out. “Hey congrats, I’m looking forward to–” you begin before he rudely cuts you off by holding up his hand.

“Yeah, whatever,” he sneers, “We need to take this extremely seriously so I expect you to be at our rehearsals an hour early so we can get in extra time,” he looks you over again, “From what I can tell you’re gonna need it.”

“Also,” apparently he isn’t finished, “I expect that you’ll be taking care of your diet from here on out since I’m going to be lifting you and I don’t want my arms to give out, or worse, snap.”

“Well, you can always go to the gym and work on that yourself,” you say defensively. What a jerk.

“So can you, sweetheart.”

“Uh, wow. Okay…” Here you are trying to congratulate him and here he is treating you like dirt. “Guess the rumors are true,” you mutter as you shift your duffel strap further up your shoulder, turning to leave.

“Excuse me?” Well, shit. He wasn’t supposed to hear that part. You look him in the eyes without showing any regret for your previous statement.

His eyes narrow at you, clearly not liking your RBF, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Sorry.” However, you aren’t.

“You know,” he remarks, “I don’t care about what you’ve heard about me or what you think about me. I care if you’re going to be too immature for this role and if that’s the case I’ll have no trouble replacing you.” He follows you out the audition room.

Oh boy, you’re pissed now. You turn around and get right in his face.

“What the fuck? In case you haven’t noticed, you aren’t in charge here. Just because you’re a senior and I’m a sophomore doesn’t make you any better than me,” you bark while shoving a finger in his chest.

“Secondly, I don’t need to believe the rumors because you’ve just proven them to be true. You’re an ass to all of your partners to the point that they don’t want to dance with you so you can,” you lift up your hands to finger quote this next part, “Pick who you think is good enough.”

You scoff, “Well, here’s a fun fact dickwad. I’m not going anywhere. The judges chose me and I fully intend on dancing as the female lead in the show. So get the fuck over yourself ‘cause you’re about to be seeing a lot of me in these next few months. Got it?“

"Fine,” he huffs, pushing past you.

“Fine!” you snap, turning away from him and heading towards your next class. Now that you're thoroughly annoyed and not in the mood for your next class, which happens to be a two-hour lecture on the history of interpretive dance, you sigh and get moving before you’re late.

The first two weeks of ‘rehearsals’ are spent training, just at a higher level than you’re used to. However, you hide it well. You’ve been making sure to keep up with the upperclassmen because you know that you are, unfortunately, replaceable if Madam Jamie or Mr. Jenson deems it necessary.

It doesn’t matter that your thighs feel like they are on fire, or that your calves might be ripping at every bend and arch you make. You’re going to complete the one hundred pliés just like everyone else without a single complaint.

Jimin must have taken your last conversation to heart, or he’s exceptionally good at masking his feelings if your words bothered him, because he’s been an excellent partner all week. Although, you know you aren’t going to grow a typical relationship with him as you did with all of the other partners you have had over the years. You’ve been friends, good friends, even, with your previous partners, something you know is never going to happen with Jimin.

He doesn’t do small talk. He really doesn’t have much to say at all other than pointing out when you are making a mistake. No good comments, nor praise–not that you’re expecting any–but it would have been nice to hear him say that he is impressed with how well you’re keeping up with him.

It’s Friday of the second week, which means that it’s the last day of the training period aka hell week, thankfully. You’re dying to get started on learning the actual program. You aren’t looking forward to Jimin’s request of showing up an hour earlier than everyone else this next week, but even though you hate to admit it, the extra time will end up benefiting you.

Today also happens to be the day the choreographer is coming in. You’ve heard the whispers throughout the school this week, everyone trying to guess who it’s going to be.

And after seeing who Madam Jamie walks into the studio with, you’re so happy to see that they were all wrong.

“O-oh my–ohmygod,” you bumble and did a double-take. It couldn’t be, could it?

The brown curls hung gorgeously on the tall man’s head and you internally drool at how much better looking he is in person. He’s so tan, so fit, so delicious–

“Can you concentrate?” Jimin grumbles in annoyance, pulling you out of your slightly inappropriate thoughts. You’re doing partner stretches, which does require some level of focus, but not enough that you have to look away from the literal Italian God who stood a mere six feet away. “What’s your deal anyway? We’re supposed to be preparing our muscles for the toughest training session yet and you’re over there stuttering like a fool.”

You scoff at him and lower your voice, “Don’t you know who that is?”

Jimin rolls his eyes. “Does it look like I care?” He mutters, pushing the backside of your thigh towards your torso.

“You can’t be serious,” you exasperate. “That’s Luca Black! You know, one of the most famous choreographers in the dance world right now. I can’t believe you don’t see how big of a deal this is.”

“The only thing I care about right now is making sure your hamstrings are loose so you don’t kick me in the face when we’re dancing.”

Now there’s an idea…

“Alright, everyone! Front and center please,” Mr. Jenson announces as he walks in the door, right on time as usual.

“Dancers, I would like you to meet Mr. Black, your choreographer. I expect you all to treat him with the same level of respect that you give me and Madam Jamie.”

“Oh please,” Mr. Black says, stepping forward, “You can all call me Luca.” His smile hits the heart of every girl in the class, and even a few of the guys. “I am looking forward to working with you all to make this performance one to remember. Can we get into a lineup to start?”

Everyone moves into the typical sequence based on each person’s position of where they belong. Which meant that you and Jimin were dead center with Luca’s eyes right on you.

You swallow slowly when he walks towards the two of you. “You must be Y/N. Mr. Jenson has told me quite a lot about you. I have to say, I am most excited to work with a dancer like you.”

Jimin is perplexed that Luca went straight to you. If anything, he’s the better dancer here and he doesn’t quite understand why a sophomore is getting so much attention. He’s nearly sick to his stomach listening to the nauseating conversation that you two are having.

“It’s an honor to have you working with us Mr. Black,” you say in awe as you shake his hand.

“Luca,” he corrects before lifting your hand to kiss it, “And the pleasure is most definitely all mine.”

“Sorry,” you pant, rushing through the door. “I know I’m a couple of minutes late. I couldn’t find parking. Why is it so freaking busy? It’s barely seven.”

“Don’t let it happen again,” Jimin says ignoring your question. You bite your tongue and get straight into your morning stretches.

“What do you want to work on today?” you ask, knowing what he is going to say after you’re warmed up. For the past three weeks, you and Jimin have been dedicating extra time to perfecting scene two's Pas De Deux.

It’s the only section of this scene where you’re both completely alone on stage and Jimin is dead-set on making it nothing less than perfect. He reasons that just because you are the only two people on stage doesn’t mean that the audience’s attention is a given, you need to earn it.

Which is a very on-brand thing for Jimin to say.

“Do you really need to ask?” He snickers with a playful smile plastered to his face.

“Nevermind then,” you banter back, joining him as he finishes stretching.

You’ve surprisingly gotten pretty comfortable with Jimin after spending more time with him. Dancing with him is mostly fun, besides when he calls you out on your mistakes…repeatedly. But even then, you know he tries to mean well. You both have to be the best or the other will end up looking like a fool–which (you assume) neither of you want to happen.

Knowing that you’re almost halfway through the semester is a little terrifying. All the dancers have been making great progress and everything is coming together seamlessly, but you can’t help but feel the nervousness set in.

You take a deep breath and clear your thoughts, getting nervous right now will do you no good. Thankfully, when you start dancing your mind settles and you’re able to concentrate on your performance. 

Well, that is, until Jimin drops you during the lift. You might have understood the mistake if he hadn’t done it three times prior.

“Get up.” He holds his hand out for you, pulling you to your feet. “We need to get this number down, you know how important it is.”

“I’m aware of that,” you hiss. “But it would be nice if you weren’t letting me fall every two seconds.” You rub your aching side and stretch to see if that helps ease the pain.

“Just dance it off, you’ll be fine.” Jimin walks over to his stuff along the wall, before bending down to grab his water bottle.

You scowl. “Stop being ridiculous and hold me properly. I don’t have teeth anywhere down there,” you say motioning to the space between your legs. “You can put your hand where it belongs without worry, you know.”

Jimin blushes as soon as he hears your words, he turns away quickly before you notice. Yes, it’s technically his fault that you keep falling. It isn’t intentional, but he can’t help it. Especially when he can feel the warmth of your center from where his hand is resting when he goes in for the lift.

The thought of other parts of him being this close to your heat is driving him crazy and yeah, he may have faltered, which yeah, may have caused you to crash down once…twice. Okay, maybe three times. Or four?

It doesn’t matter. He’s so hyper-focused on why he’s thinking about you like this at all. You’re attractive, he already knew that. But this new-found thought of wanting to take you hard and fast, right here in the studio is something else. It comes from deep within, and he can’t decide if he wants to squash the idea completely or let it lead to something wild.

Jimin shakes his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts just long enough for you to both get through these next ten minutes before the rest of the crew arrives for rehearsal. “Alright, let’s go again.”

You get into position, Jimin falling behind you. You try to hold still but his breath tickles your neck while you wait for the music cue.

The motions are practically natural to you at this point, and you take a deep breath, preparing yourself in case you fall again.

You rapidly suck in air when you feel Jimin’s fingers press deep into your inner thigh this time as he lifts you. They are incredibly close, much closer than they were last time.

You won’t ever admit to it, but your mind is overflowing with dirty thoughts of Jimin’s fingers somewhere else. Particularly somewhere that would have you writhing within seconds.

Those thoughts are distracting, and you’re late for your cue to jump down. And somehow instead of jumping, your body twists around in a weird way as your head dives down toward the ground below you. Tensing, you brace for the impact that doesn’t come.

Unexpectedly, Jimin manages to catch you before any damage happens, and he quickly pulls you up, as if you were never upside down to begin with. His arms are wrapped right below your butt, causing your head to be directly above his. How on earth it got there, you have no idea.

But you aren’t questioning it. Adrenaline runs wild through your body, and you cling to him as if your life depends on it. Your arms are wrapped tightly around his neck, scared that you still might fall somehow.

Your faces are only a few inches apart in this position, which allows you to see how soft and smooth Jimin’s lips look. You slowly lick yours as he lowers you down to the ground, keeping the same amount of distance, or lack thereof, between you two. The realization that it would be so easy to kiss him right now has set in and you swear Jimin has the same mad thoughts; especially when he’s gripping your hips this tightly.

What you both don’t realize is that outside of the main doors, the rest of the dancers are watching with wide eyes and shocked faces. If it weren't for the unmistakable red hair you see in the mirror's reflection, who knows what might have happened? You don’t think about it, instead, you pull away and play it off before heading toward your bag to grab a drink.

“Morning everyone! What are we all waiting for?” Luca says from behind the dancers, “Let’s go in and get warmed up.”

He opens the door and sees you and Jimin at opposite ends of the room, each taking big gulps from your water bottles. Interesting…

Cat walks in and sets her stuff down next to Jimin’s and silently watches him. His face is flushed but she can’t tell if it was because of the intense moment you two just shared, or from the strain of the lifting sequence. She was the first to notice the look you two shared before the crowd outside the door, and she has a weird feeling about it.

Last she knew you were still fighting with Jimin during your pre-practices, although she’s very aware of the saying ’there’s a fine line between love and hate’. Cat makes a mental note to ask you about this morning’s situation later.

The first half of practice is weird, to say the least. Jimin is treating you like nothing happened. And while technically nothing happened, something almost did and you don’t know how you felt about the something.

Needless to say, you aren’t on top of your dance game today. It’s hard to concentrate with your head filled with empty-answered questions and even more confusion.

“Okay, everyone,” Luca echoes, stealing every dancer’s attention, “Let’s take five. When we reconvene we’ll do a recap of Scenes One through Three with no breaks. If we can get it down we’ll move onto the beginning of Scene Four today.”

You and Jimin happily turn in opposite directions, grateful for some space.

“Y/N, can you stay back? There’s something I want to go over with you,” Luca calls out, stopping you from heading in the direction of Cat and some of the other girls.

Oh no. That’s never a good sign.

“Don’t worry, you’re not doing anything wrong,” he says after seeing your smile falter. “I just see a little room for improvement with the last sequence before the song changes in scene three.”

He gestures for you to get into position in front of him, which you do without hesitation.

Luca moves closer to you and rests a hand on your lower back, “Tighten here and stretch.” He shows you how to position your body to make it look more elegant and elongated. “See how much longer you look now?” His eyes meet yours in the mirror. “Hold yourself like this through the rest of the dance. Trust me when I say you’ll notice a difference. So will everyone else.”

A blush creeps up your neck when his hand slides across your hip before he steps away from you, “Thank you for the tip.”

His eyes burn into yours, and you feel the heat growing in your lower stomach. “Anytime, Y/N.” His lips turned into a small smile, which you returned.

Jimin stalks silently as Luca touches you, his anger bubbling deep down inside him. Fuck, he doesn’t exactly want you, but he definitely doesn’t want anyone else to have you either. And he sure as hell doesn’t want Luca touching you like that or giving you those looks; looks that have disguised intentions with ulterior motives behind them.

He wants to tell Luca where to go and how to get there, but he knows better. Not only would it be unprofessional as hell, but Jimin would probably be screwed out of a lot of future events if he tells one of the best choreographers to fuck off.

He forces himself to look away and takes another deep breath, calming down a little before part two of rehearsals starts.

The second half of rehearsals ends sooner than expected, and Jimin storms off before you even have the chance to talk to him about this morning. You sigh, your eyes trailing his fast exit.

“Y/N! I’m heading to the vending machine for a granola bar, want to come with me?” Cat asks. You’re sure that her question has a hidden agenda too, but you go along with it anyway since you’re starving and need to eat something small before your next class.

“Sure, just give me a second to switch out of my pointe shoes.” You don’t like to wear yours for walking since they’re new and still stiff.

“So,” Catalina begins, watching you put the money into the machine. “What was that this morning? And don’t you dare try to say it was just dancing, because I’ve seen 'just dancing’ with Jimin and that was not at all what I saw earlier.”

You groan internally, not wanting to deal with her interrogation. Cat isn’t the type to judge you if you told her that you would’ve fucked Jimin right then if it wasn’t for the fact that you noticed her (and the rest of the dancers). But you don’t want to admit it to yourself.

Saying it and thinking it are two very different things, and you aren’t sure you can come to terms with saying that you want to fuck Jimin. Hell, you have no idea if you will feel the same way in an hour. So you choose to keep it to yourself for now.

“Did something happen between you two?” she asks bluntly.

“No, nothing happened between us.”

“And is that a good or bad thing?” she questions next.

“Good,” you huff, “I think…”

It’s been another busy few weeks, and things have been going great…until today. To be honest, this is probably the worst dance day you’ve had in years.

“I’m sorry guys, let’s start from the top,” you apologize again for messing up. The scene you’re going over today isn’t complicated by any means, it’s only a transition scene. But your head is elsewhere which, in turn, makes you mess up every couple of seconds.

You're not getting many approving looks from the room. Luca is a little worried, Madam Jamie has pursed lips, and the dancers are severely annoyed with you.

“No, Miss Y/N.  Stop before you hurt yourself.” Mr. Jenson lets out a frustrated sigh. “Kyra, would you stand in for Y/N and show her how it’s properly done?”

You’re embarrassed that it’s gotten to this point. What is with you? You’ve done this sequence perfectly with Jimin this past week, hundreds of times at least. Now with the extra dancers on the floor, you seem to be forgetting it all.

Taking soft, shallow breaths is the only thing keeping you from crying in front of everyone. But they wouldn’t notice. All eyes are glued to Kyra, a senior who had also auditioned for the same role as you, as she dances with Jimin.

They dance beautifully, you can’t deny it, even if you want to. You can’t help but wonder if she would’ve been the better choice for the female lead.

“Thank you, Kyra. Everyone back into position now.”

Kyra walks past you and smirks. You know she’s thinking the same thing that you are. She probably also thinks that she’s capable of sweeping in and stealing your position. Like hell if you’re going to let that happen.

Even so, it’s not your decision to make and you know if you keep screwing this up it’s more than likely to happen.

“Hey, are you okay? What’s your deal?” Jimin whispers once he lines up with you again. The last thing you need is for him to make you feel worse for fucking up.

“I don’t know, it’s not a good day for me,” you whisper back as your eyes fill with tears. You’re completely exhausted, defeated, and disappointed.

“Just dance it off, we all get days like this. Follow my lead, okay? I promise I won’t let you mess up again.”

You nod, blinking back your tears. This is a different side of Jimin than you’re used to. He’s caring and knows exactly what to say to make you feel better.

After shaking off the earlier mishaps, you get yourself together and push through practice, making sure that the first official run-through of the program is a total success. It makes you feel a hell of a lot better than two hours earlier. You can tell that the rest of the group is just as ecstatic as you and Jimin are.

“That was great, Y/N!” he says, pulling you into a comforting hug. “See, all you needed was a little reassurance.”

You’re slightly sad when he pulls back, the warmth of his body is no longer felt. “Thank you for today. I would’ve completely fallen apart without you.”

“Hey don’t worry about it, make sure you get some rest this weekend. See you Monday!” He smiles softly and waves bye. Who knew Jimin had more to him than what everyone else saw?

“Hey, Y/N!”

You turn your head and see Madison, one of the upperclassmen who’s also in the show, walking toward you.

“What are you doing tonight? Some of the girls and I are planning on going out to celebrate our first successful run-through of the show. We’re wondering if you’d like to come?” She leans in a little closer, “We have a fake you can use to get into our favorite club, Wander. We’d love for you to let loose with us.”

Usually, you would turn down any interaction that involves alcohol, especially since you’re underage, but you don’t want to disappoint your potential new friends. Plus it does sound like a lot of fun, and after the practice you just had, you deserve to let loose and relax.

“Yeah, totally! I’d love to come.” Madison smiles and you both trade numbers.

“Okay cool, I’ll text you my address later. We’re gonna get ready at mine before we head out. See you later!” She gives you a quick hug before heading out the door.

You’re secretly excited to hang out with the older girls since you don’t have many other friends in your year. Especially not now with all your free time taken up by rehearsals.

Jimin stands outside the dance studio’s side door, slyly eavesdropping. He makes a mental note to accidentally run into you later. He isn’t sure what’s gotten into him, but he doesn’t want to go without seeing you for two days.

You intrigue him, and after your almost-kiss, Jimin wants to know what your lips feel like for real this time, not just what he has been imagining.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asks over the pounding music. You have no idea what to ask for; you obviously don’t drink and ordering something from the bar is a little out of your comfort zone since you don’t know what you’re doing.

Madison catches on and takes over. “Five shots of tequila for our group!” she yells while leaning over the bartop so he can hear her.

Oh boy, you don’t know much but you know enough to feel safe assuming tonight will be wild if you’re starting with shots, of all things.

With about a month left until the show, deciding to let loose with the girls is exactly the kind of break you need. Dancing, drinks, and good friends. Looking around, you’re happy to see that you have all three. It’s all a part of tonight’s plan.

What you don’t plan for, however, is seeing Jimin in the middle of the dance floor with Kyra all over him. After practice today, this is a total slap in the face.

You aren’t sure if the progress you’ve been making with Jimin is just one-sided, or if you had been imagining it this whole time. It feels like you’re both taking two steps forward in the right direction and then something like this will happen, sending you ten steps back.

Your eyes are glued to Kyra’s body as she dances with him, her hips moving at the perfect speed. You can’t help but be jealous of her. Not only is she gorgeous and a great dancer, but she also has a way of demanding everyone’s attention in any room she graces. Although, there’s only one person’s attention you want right now, and from what it looks like, you doubt you’ll be getting his anytime soon.

“Oh my god, is that Luca?” Catalina asks with a surprised tone, pointing towards the opposite end of the bar, “No way, it can’t be.”

“It is,” you laugh nervously before looking away. You’re a little worried that he might remember that you’re under the legal drinking age, only by a year, but still. How embarrassing would it be for him to get you kicked out…

“That’ll be $42,” the bartender drones, pushing the over-spilling shot glasses toward your group and happily taking whichever girls’ fifty-dollar bill in return.

You lift your glass along with the others, “Here’s to letting go and having fun!”

The tequila burns the back of your throat but that doesn’t stop you from hollering, “Let’s go dance!”

You pull Madison and Catalina onto the dance floor, coming to an abrupt stop when your back collides with someone., “Oh my gosh, I am so sor–” You pause and stare at the dark-haired man, “Oh. Hi.”

“Hi ladies, I hope you’re not getting into too much trouble tonight,” Luca jokes with a wide smile displayed across his face. He looks gorgeous dressed in all black, the leather jacket tops off his outfit.

“Oh of course not, Mr. Black,” Catalina giggles playfully, “We’re all good girls here.”

He raises his eyebrow which makes each of you giggle, “I’m not so sure about that. Can I buy you all a drink? Or is that a little weird?”

You look around at the girls; they do the same.

“Uh, sure? Madison finally says, breaking up the awkward silence.

Cat and one of her friends entertain Luca’s conversation while they wait at the bar. You slyly peek over your shoulder while dancing, looking for you-know-who. You can’t find him, but you’re happy to see that Kyra has moved on to her next man of the night.

"Hey,” Luca says, walking towards you with an extra drink in hand. “Here you go. Shhh, it’s our little secret,” he says humorously.

You thank him for the drink, nervously swirling the ice with the slim black straw in your cup.

“I’m happy I ran into you,” he begins, “Can I talk to you for a second, alone?”

“Oh, uh, sure!” You nod to Cat, silently saying that you’ll catch up with her later. He smiles and pulls you aside from your friends.

“What’s up?” You ask tensely while Luca grins, running a hand through his hair.

“I just want to tell you how impressed I’ve been with your progress so far, I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of you at rehearsals.”

Oh my god.

“Really?” You gape.

“Absolutely,” he reaches for your hand, bringing you closer to him before bending down to plant his lips on yours. You freeze as he kisses you gently, entirely unsure of what to do in that situation.

He quickly pulls back after reading your body language, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Luca,” you say curtly, taking a step back, “I appreciate your tips in class and kind comments, but I think we should keep things professional here. You’re the choreographer and I’m a student...”

“Of course, I apologize again. How about I walk you back to your friends and we forget this happened?”

“That would be perfect.” You’re thankful that things don’t seem too awkward, and you only hope things will stay that way when you see each other Monday morning.

Jimin’s fingernails dig into the flesh of his palms as he clenches his fists. Fucking Luca Black. He was heading your way to say hi, but Luca led you in a different direction than the one your friends are heading to. He should have known better, but he follows behind slowly. And what he sees when he finally turns the corner doesn’t sit right with him.

Luca’s hand on your cheek as the two of you kiss. Jimin isn’t exactly sure who initiated it. And even though it’s eating him alive, he doesn’t want to know because it pains him either way.

He watches as Luca pulls away, and takes note of your stunned face. Jimin wants to believe that was because you didn’t enjoy it. He can’t hear what you’re talking about, and he truly wants to believe that Luca is making you uncomfortable based on your reaction to the kiss. But that hopeful thought is squashed as soon as you smile and take Luca’s hand, allowing him to lead you to the dance floor.

Jimin is still trying to process what he just witnessed even though you’re both long gone. He steps out of the shadows and throws his drink at the wall, ignoring the sound of the glass breaking behind him. Grumbling under his breath, Jimin takes the closest exit and slams the club door behind him.

He heads home with the hopes that a cold shower will ease his rage, but the cool water running down his back isn’t doing much for his boiling blood, nor is it getting rid of the image of Luca’s lips on yours. And inevitably, he can’t get you out of his head either which in turn results in him masturbating to those thoughts of you … which is anything but calming.

Jimin closes his eyes and imagines that it’s him kissing you, not Luca, and that he’s the one who has you pushed up against the wall. He can practically hear your soft whimpers, the ones you make when you’re doing partner stretches that always have him close to losing it right there in front of everyone at rehearsals.

But it isn’t him who’s stretching with you. His length quivers in his hand as he speeds up, trying to change his thoughts to you aroused in the club bathroom, his hand sliding underneath your dress and slipping into your panties. Jimin throws his head back at the image of you getting all worked up, but once again, it isn’t him that’s driving you wild. It’s Luca.

After the fifth attempt and still failing to picture himself with you, Jimin gives up. He groans, looking down at his length’s angry red tip that’s aching for release. And there’s only one thing that will give him that. You.

But not an imaginary you. The real you. The real you wanting him just as much as he wants you. He doubts that you ever will, not when you can have Luca instead.

Meaning that Jimin is basically screwed.

Monday is a killer. Jimin has been hateful to you all morning, and you genuinely have no idea why. He seems to be fuming now at the end of rehearsals, compared to the quiet angry vibe he was giving off earlier this morning.

“Hey, great job today Y/n. You’re doing phenomenal. I can’t wait to see this all come to life next week. See you tomorrow!”

“Thanks! Yes, see you tomorrow Luca.” You wave bye while he rushes out of the room, leaving just you and Jimin behind.

Jimin waits until Luca is out of earshot before saying anything. He’s been annoyed all day by your and Luca’s behavior after witnessing the two of you making out in the hallway of Wander.

He’s disgusted, even more so by the afterthoughts of Luca bringing you back to his place and taking advantage of you. Needless to say, he didn’t sleep much this weekend.

“God, you’re such a suck-up,” he criticizes, failing to hold back his evil words. “How special do you think you’re going to feel when the paid help you’re boning doesn’t remember your name the second he moves on to the next school and finds a new student to seduce?”

“Excuse me?”

“You can pretend all you want but I saw you Friday night. With him.”

Oh god…

You shake your head, “Jimin, I can explain–”

“Whatever, waitlist. I don’t want to hear your excuses.” He turns around and internally grimaces, upsetting you isn’t what he was going for. He’s pissed and unfortunately, you’re the only person he can take it out on. It’s a dick move to say things like that, especially since you deserve to be here just as much as everyone else.

Jimin knows he should just let it go, but he can’t help it. It’s been eating him alive all day. He’s pissed that you’re acting like a damn fool because of Luca’s attention. Luca’s eyes hadn’t left your body the entire day.

Fucking perv.

Jimin is more pissed that it’s bothering him so much. He shouldn’t care, he doesn’t–or at least, that’s what he keeps telling himself.

Jimin’s words stung, and you’re shaking out of pure anger. “What the fuck is your problem? I can handle the normal stick-up-your-ass behavior but it’s on a whole new level today. Chill out, okay? It isn’t what you think. Nothing happened after he kissed me. Not that it’s any of your goddamn business, but it actually made me, like, super uncomfortable and he apologized directly after. We both agreed it wasn’t professional, so piss off Jimin. And even if I did decide to take it further with Luca, it wouldn’t concern you. So stay out of it.” You’re near him when you finish, with crossed arms and eyes glaring.

It’s unbelievable Jimin would make such a comment; the last thing you need is for him to start telling people what he saw.

You know you would be harshly reprimanded for using a fake ID to get into a club, but also for accepting a drink from someone who is a teacher, and especially for kissing that same teacher.

Jimin is just as heated as you are. So his intuition was right that night. His anger only grows, wanting to punch Luca over and over again for making you uncomfortable like that. How could Luca not tell that you weren’t actually into him, but rather idolized him for his contributions to the dance world? How dare he use that against you to pull a move like that?

“Fine,” he growls in your face, totally furious at the situation, and furious with himself for caring this much about it–about you. You’re driving him crazy, even now when you’re pissed with him. It turns him on how strong and defensive you always are, and fuck, he wants to do something about it.

“Fine,” you snap back, taking another step forward as your eyes subconsciously lower to his parted mouth.

In a matter of milliseconds, your lips collide and your hands are all over each other’s bodies. He lifts you into his arms and slams your back into the mirrors. It’s a miracle that they don’t shatter from his force.

You gasp at the contact and Jimin takes the opportunity to shove his tongue further into your mouth. Your legs lock around his waist while you continue to explore each other’s mouths and bodies ravenously.

Jimin pulls away and tugs your leotard down your arms, freeing your breasts from the tight compression.

“You’re so fucking annoying, do you know that?” He snarls before leaving a line of rough kisses along your neck and down your chest. You whimper at the sensation and run your fingers through his hair.

“You’re so fucking loud, do you always have to say so much?” You moan in response.

Jimin is starved for your taste and can’t wait any longer. His hands travel down your side while his lips close over one of your soft peaks, sucking it in between his teeth.

You mewl, crashing your head back against the glass from the sheer amount of pleasure.

Jimin abruptly pulls away and brings his face back in front of yours. “What? Do you have something to say?” he asks with fire in his eyes. But with his lips replaced by his fingers, twisting and tugging, you’re helplessly tongue-tied.

He moves one hand lower and another soft moan escapes your lips, his middle finger dancing dangerously above your panties before dipping into your slickened folds.

Jimin knows exactly where and how to touch you, causing your head to spin. He feels himself hardening watching your face contort in pleasure, and nearly coming in his pants when you slowly lick your bottom lip, pulling it in between your teeth and letting out a long moan in the process.

“Mmm, Jimin,” you cry, feeling yourself getting closer and closer to the edge. Jimin notices this and instantly pulls away. You don’t get to come that easily. Even though it makes him super fucking excited to see what his touch does to you. God, this is so much better than what he imagined.

You whimper at the loss of his touch, “What the fuck?”

“Turn around,” he demands, his eyes flooding with lust and a dash of something dark. He undresses you rather quickly, leaving your tights and leotard wrapped around your legs.

You decide you aren’t going to let him have all the fun, sneaking a hand back behind you. Jimin grits his teeth in pleasure as your hand slips into his pants. His length twitches in anticipation of feeling you wrapped around him. You pull his member out and lead him between your damp folds, moaning deliciously at the contact.

The scent of your arousal has now filled the room and Jimin can’t hold back any longer. He wants to fulfill his fantasy of taking you hard and fast, right here in front of the mirror. Without a warning he slams himself into you, causing you to lose your breath.

Your back is against him as he relentlessly pounds you from behind. The force of his thrusts are hard and you use your hands as leverage against the mirror to avoid being crushed by him, even though it would certainly be worth it.

Jimin brings a hand up around your neck and holds your head straight so he can watch when you come. You’re close and he knows just what to do.

“Say my name,” he demands, using his other hand to pinch your clit. “Look at me and say the name of the man who’s making you come like you never have before.”

“Jimin, oh my-” The waves of pleasure wash over your entire body, every inch of your skin tingles. You pulsate around him, but he’s not done with you yet.

“That’s damn right.” Jimin twists you around again, lifting you against the reflective glass. He keeps his fast pace, with a fistful of your hair held between his tightening fingers.

“You’re such a fucking slut. Look at you losing it over my cock,” he snarls with a clenched jaw, “I’m gonna fuck you like this until the rest of the class comes in.”

Jimin rams into you with twice the amount of force as before. “I’d make that fucking Italian bastard watch as I take you hard and make you feel this good.” He brings his lips up to your ear and whispers, “He could never,” before harshly biting your ear, sending you completely over the edge for a second time. 

Jimin watches you unfold, your beauty completely mesmerizes him. Your entire body is on fire from oversensitivity while Jimin’s fingers rub your throbbing nub. You watch, completely hypnotized, as he brings his soaked fingers up to his mouth and sucks them clean.

“Oh, don’t think we’re anywhere near done yet,” he smirks devilishly, moving his thumb back to your clit and rubbing in crude circles. Your eyes squeeze shut at the sensation, and you can’t catch your breath. It’s too much.

Jimin hisses when your fingernails dig into his shoulders. “Fuck, Y/N. You’re so tight right now.” It isn’t long after those words leave his lips that he’s shuddering inside of you, his release shooting into the depths of your heat.

Your insides coil as you reach the peak of your third and final orgasm. Jimin holds your legs steady as you come hard over his cock, and swallows your moans with his mouth.

He slowly retreats out of you and presses his flushed cheek against yours. You can feel his heartbeat thumping out of control while you both catch your breath.

After a moment, he draws back and lowers you to the ground. You both chuckle at the state of your appearance. “I think I have a towel in my bag, one sec.” He says while tucking himself back into his pants as you readjust your hair, trying to make the whole ’i just had sex’ look a little less obvious.

You’re still breathing heavily when he returns to wipe you clean.

“Mmm,” you hum in total satisfaction, and still a little out of it - if you had to be honest. “I should piss you off more often.”

He gives you a look, “Hurry up and get dressed before anyone sees you.”

You’re the one to smirk this time, “I thought you wanted people to see me?”

“Haha, very funny.”

“Hurry up, you’re taking too long,” you whine while Jimin attempts to undo his stage pants as fast as he can.

“I’m trying,” he mutters, silently praying when his zipper finally works, “There we go.”

He lines himself up to you and pushes into your center.

You bite your lip to avoid making any noises as he stretches you out. The two of you are in the small storage closet behind the stage; there’s only about an hour or two until the opening night show starts.

Jimin thought you had to be joking at first when you whispered how badly you needed him after you both were dressed and ready to warm up with the rest of the dancers. But much to his delight, you weren’t kidding.

Hopefully, they won’t notice your absence. Who are you kidding, they probably know that you two are fucking. Plus, it’s kind of obvious when both lead roles go 'missing’ at the same time.

At first, he was torn between following you into the tight space–wanting to be in another tight space–and doing what he normally would call the right thing, which was preparing for tonight. But after seeing the look on your face, Jimin was quick to follow you into the closet.

“Shhh, you need to stay quiet,” Jimin grunts quietly with a hand over your mouth, silencing your moans.

You grip his shoulders as he quickens his pace, bringing you both over the edge.

“Holy fuck,” he quietly whines, the sensation of your inner walls clenching his length is addicting. It isn’t long after your sweet release that he’s quivering. He pulls out, knowing you can’t dance with his release filling you. He shudders one last time, his come shoots out and onto the wooden floor below.

You giggle, “Good thing we’re in a place that can clean that up.” you say referencing his load.

He rolls his eyes at your joke and leans in to give you a quick kiss, “You think you’re so funny, don’t you?”

“Yes, typically.”

You flatten out your costume and zip each other up, leaving the closet one at a time. You first of course, since you needed to touch up your makeup now. Leaving Jimin behind to clean up his mess.

About fifteen minutes later you meet Jimin backstage to practice, stretch, and chat along with everyone else. The jitters are bouncing off of everyone and you can’t stand still from excitement, a little nervousness too. But mostly excitement.

“Jimin, are you feeling okay? You look a little stiff and tired if I must say…” Madam Jamie mentions after watching him practice a few scenes.

“Nothing to worry about Madam, had a tiring warm-up is all. Not to worry though, I am more than ready for tonight.”

Madam Jamie reminds him how important rest and lots of water are when practicing hard before moving along to the next student.

“Hmmm, what is it that you usually tell me?” You begin, giving him a coy look, “Oh right. 'Just dance it off.’ That should fix your issue, correct?” You look down at his crotch, and back up at him with a twinkle in your eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he says, daring you to go on.

“After our vigorous warmup, I’m sure you do. But we’re going on stage soon. So suck it up, sweetie.”

He can’t wait to make you regret that statement when he teases you later tonight. He had big plans to celebrate. And knowing you, you would love them.

©shadowkoo 2024. All rights reserved.

[yuveenti-blog]

Astrology Observations: ☀️🏡 Sun In Houses ☀️🏡

Disclaimer: When exploring your sun's placement in the houses, you can utilize the Placidus System, but I personally find a stronger connection with the whole sign system. Choose the method that resonates with you the most. This marks the beginning of my house system series, starting with the sun. Following this, I will cover the moon, mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and finally Neptune and Pluto.

Sun in 1st House: When your sun is positioned in the first house, the sign it occupies becomes particularly potent, amplifying its traits significantly. For example, an Aries sun will radiate Aries characteristics more intensely, exhibiting greater assertiveness and energy than usual. Similarly, a Taurus may display heightened stubbornness, while a Cancer could become even more defensive. This placement not only enhances the qualities of your sun sign but also influences your entire astrological chart, creating a dynamic interplay with your rising sign. If your rising sign competes with your sun, it can lead to a powerful yet potentially conflicting personality. For instance, an Aquarius sun in the first house may express more eccentricity and humanitarian traits than typical, while also appearing more detached and logical. This strong emphasis on your sun sign can create a dominant aspect of your identity, leading to feelings of empowerment or confusion as these energies interact. Ultimately, individuals with this placement often feel a strong urge to take action, with their emotional responses or ambitions driving their behavior.

Sun in 2nd House: When your sun is positioned in the second house, your personality tends to be more outwardly expressed. The qualities associated with the sign in this house become visible to others rather than remaining internal. For example, an Aries in this position will actively pursue their ambitions, showcasing their creativity through their career or hobbies. A Leo sun will radiate confidence, often dressing well and leading a vibrant lifestyle, while a Capricorn will demonstrate their ambition and discipline through tangible successes. A Pisces may express their artistic side, whether as a musician or an artist, and could also explore psychic abilities. A Libra, on the other hand, will likely be social, engaging in friendships, mediating conflicts, and advocating for social causes, illustrating how the second house brings these traits into the material world.

Sun in 3rd House: When your sun is positioned in the third house, your sun sign takes on a more intellectual and cerebral nature. This indicates that your experiences and perceptions are filtered through your mind. For example, an Aries in the third house may become more contemplative, often reflecting on their actions rather than acting impulsively. They might prefer to brainstorm and discuss their ideas rather than execute them, leading to a more cautious approach. Similarly, a Taurus may find themselves overthinking their aspirations, focusing on education rather than direct action. A Cancer, instead of intuitively processing emotions, may intellectualize their feelings, adopting a more analytical mindset. This mental activity can lead earth signs to overthink, while water signs may analyze their emotions. Fire signs might feel constrained by their thoughts, delaying action, and air signs could struggle to connect emotionally due to their excessive rationality.

Sun in 4th House: When your sun sign occupies the fourth house, your personality tends to prioritize security across various aspects of life, influenced by the specific sign. You may experience a strong urge to protect what you have, leading to a cautious approach towards risks, as you constantly evaluate how they might threaten your need for stability. For water signs, this can result in a reserved and shy demeanor, preferring the comfort of familiar relationships and hesitating to share emotions unless trust is firmly established. Fire signs may feel pressured to concentrate on a single idea rather than pursuing multiple spontaneous ventures, seeking stability through focused efforts. Earth signs often emphasize external success, ensuring their family's well-being and creating a balanced life free from struggle. Air signs might find it easier to communicate and express themselves within a close-knit circle, feeling more playful and creative in those familiar settings. Ultimately, for those with the sun in the fourth house, the overarching theme is the pursuit of security.

Sun in 5th House: When your sun sign is positioned in the fifth house, pleasure becomes a central theme in your life, driving your pursuits and experiences. For instance, an Aries in this house tends to embody a playful, almost childlike spirit, prioritizing fun over goal achievement, though their inherent ambition remains intact. In contrast, a Capricorn here may adopt a lighter approach, focusing more on enjoying life and celebrating successes rather than adhering strictly to their serious nature. Fire signs in the fifth house radiate energy and are often the life of the party, constantly seeking entertainment and enjoyment. Earth signs emphasize physical pleasures and the luxuries of life, while water signs are engaging and connect deeply with others, lighting up any room they enter. Air signs, on the other hand, are social and humorous, often thriving in comedic or internet-based environments.

Sun in 6th House: When your sun sign occupies the sixth house, your attention often shifts towards lifestyle choices and aesthetics. You tend to be an aesthetic individual, concentrating on curating a lifestyle that aligns with a specific aesthetic vision. These individuals typically seek a focused approach, avoiding scattered energy, and prefer to channel their efforts into a particular style or ideal life. They require a well-structured lifestyle rather than a spontaneous one, as they thrive on planning and order. For Aries, this can lead to a more concentrated energy, while Taurus may become meticulous about their appearance and health. Leos might aspire to be motivational speakers, embodying confidence, whereas Virgos seek an orderly existence. Capricorns focus on ambition and success, and Aquarians often engage in activism, making their sign's traits central to their lifestyle, ultimately emphasizing aesthetics and personal expression.

Sun in 7th House: When your sun sign is positioned in the seventh house, the sign that occupies this house significantly influences how your personality is perceived in social interactions. For example, if you are an Aries, you may not recognize your assertive or bold traits until others highlight them during interactions, as the seventh house can obscure your self-perception. This house reveals aspects of your personality through relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners, prompting a desire for self-discovery. A Taurus might find that their dedication shines through in their relationships, while a Gemini may express their creativity and intellect more vividly in conversations. Essentially, this house acts as a mirror, reflecting your traits back to you through your interactions, making it possible for you to see qualities in yourself that you might not initially acknowledge.

Sun in 8th House: When your sun sign occupies the eighth house, you possess an intrinsic drive to uncover the truth, resembling a detective who shuns superficiality. You resonate deeply with the essence of things, often feeling uncomfortable in shallow settings. For fire signs, this translates into heightened intuition and perceptiveness, leading you to engage deeply with others about your insights. Earth signs may find themselves drawn to strong spiritual beliefs, undergoing significant transformations throughout life. Air signs often emerge as deep thinkers and free spirits, perpetually seeking more knowledge and understanding. Water signs, too, exhibit profound intuition and introspection, diving deeply into subjects and accumulating extensive knowledge. Having your sun in this house enhances your conversational abilities, as you offer unique perspectives shaped by your explorations. However, you may also grapple with darker themes, including heartbreak and trauma, regardless of whether your sign is Leo or Capricorn.

Sun in 9th House: When the sun is positioned in the ninth house, individuals often adopt a belief-driven perspective on life, influenced by the sign residing in this house. Those with their sun here may have deeply entrenched belief systems, whether they are steadfast like a Taurus or more fluid like a Gemini. For instance, a Scorpio sun in the ninth house might exhibit a strong adherence to their beliefs, guiding their life choices, or they could be more open-minded and less secretive than typical Scorpios. This placement can lead to a strong need for a belief system or purpose, with signs like Aries and Leo feeling particularly driven to fulfill their life’s purpose. Additionally, these individuals may have a constant thirst for knowledge, seeking to deepen their understanding of their beliefs.

Sun in 10th House: When your sun occupies the tenth house, it illuminates your life, making it highly visible to others. You tend to stand out in social settings, often exuding a strong energy that captivates those around you. The sign in this house amplifies your public persona; for example, if you are an Aries, your assertive traits may attract job opportunities that require action and independence. Regardless of your other astrological placements, the energy of your sun sign in the 10th house will be the most noticeable aspect of your character. A Cancer sun, for instance, will radiate nurturing and emotional qualities, while a Leo sun may lead to fame and popularity due to its charismatic nature. Similarly, a Capricorn sun will command respect, and a Virgo sun will be recognized for its organization and discipline. Ultimately, having your sun in this position often drives you to showcase the strengths associated with your sign.

Sun in 11th House: When your sun is positioned in the eleventh house, it amplifies a collective energy within your sign. This means that your traits are more likely to shine when you are with friends or in larger groups, while they may be subdued when you are alone or in one-on-one situations. For instance, an Aries might not display their typical assertiveness when by themselves, but in a group setting, their energetic nature emerges. Similarly, a Libra's need for balance may only surface when they engage in community service, revealing their mediative qualities. Essentially, the energy of your sun is most vibrant in social contexts, making you more approachable and friendly, regardless of your sun sign. This influence encourages connections within various communities rather than personal relationships, suggesting that a Leo might thrive online or a Scorpio could find fulfillment in occult groups, highlighting the distinction between collective experiences and personal interactions.

Sun in 12th House: When the sun is positioned in the twelfth house, individuals often find themselves drawn to spirituality, with the specific sign in this placement influencing their spiritual journey. The twelfth house represents ascension, and those with this placement may struggle due to a profound inner drive to explore their true selves on a deeper level. Many people with this placement feel isolated and burdened by heavy energy, which can lead to confusion about pursuing their desires, as seen in a twelfth house Taurus, who yearns for success and luxury but lacks clarity on how to achieve it. The key to overcoming these struggles lies in self-discovery, allowing them to harness their energy effectively. Water signs in the twelfth house face particular challenges due to the emotional turbulence they experience, making it feel like they are swimming against a strong current. In contrast, Earth signs provide grounding, helping to establish control amidst the elusive nature of the twelfth house. Air signs may grapple with mental health issues due to the vast, often misunderstood mental landscape they navigate, leading to confusion and breakdowns. Fire signs, on the other hand, may experience a clash between their desire for action and the constraints of the twelfth house, creating tension in their pursuit of freedom.

[sc0moftheanimatiomindustry]

Kyle Carrozza is a prime example of the present day issue of people being too distracted by fictional media and drawings to notice abusers amongst them. Kyle directed ire towards one of his victims' art, Got others to lash out for him, and positioned himself as the victim in it all

naturally the core issue here is abusive workplaces and abusive industry networks. However, it wasn't retained to JUST the industry. Kyle gladly encouraged the public shaming and harassment of said victim, which went on for at least 4 years to RUIN their name and credibility

This online environment allowed Kyle Carrozza to completely decimate his victim's credibility and name. They didn't want them to be able to ever have another job again, every randos go to response was: "Isn't _ a pedophile?" because of art they made.

And that's not even counting the fact that Kyle and others literally made social media accounts with his victim's FULL NAME going “[full name] is a pedophile", reposting their supposed 'pedophilic' 'criminal' artwork for the world to see, and using the victim's favorite type of bird as account icons to mock them

That's not "setting a boundary" like his friends (mainly Jane Amber and Tony Goldmark) liked and like to imply, that was targeted defamation, abuse, and harassment with intent to harm.

Kyle weaponized the current media discourse in film, art and fandom circles which is: "What you draw is what you want in real life, and what you draw can reveal criminal intent" and ran with it. His target was people who warned about his predatory behavior, he couldn't have that

Behind the scenes he'd like tweets from other figures actively harassing and defaming his target, keeping his hands clean of it all while others went out as attack dogs on his behalf. All the while he possessed 600+ instances of CSAM and had a YEARS long history of grooming

Allowing the focus to center on media contents alone gives potential future victims a false sense of security that’s allowing actual groomers free reign. It prioritizes taking a Good vs Evil approach instead of paying attention to what predatory BEHAVIOR actually entails in real life

Instead of people evaluating what each individual person is doing (how they treat them and how they treat others behind closed doors) people take the approach of 'Oh you're on the Good side! You're Safe!' Instead prioritizing room to attack people innocent of any actual crimes

You can't tell who is safe based on what media they consume or put out, just like being a bible thumper doesn't indicate one's morality. You need to pay attention to their actions and TEACH people red flags and warning signs they can apply to ANY person/situation for safety

[multidimensionalguidance]

What’s coming towards you? PAC

Choose a picture intuitively or the one that you like the most for a tarot message of what might be heading your way soon!

What I’ll cover in these readings:

• What people and/or situations might be heading your way

• Advice/suggestions on how to deal with it

Enjoy!

Pile 1: ace of pentacles, six of wands, and judgement

Major revelations, self-evaluation, and awakenings are heading straight your way. You will be showered with energies that will allow you to have a re-birth, as if your mood has been restored, and the weather is no longer dark clouds all around you. You will be receiving opportunities that will allow your finances or savings to start improving. It might come in the form of a new job, business or investment. At first you might start small or slowly, but surely once your confident and positiveness picks up, you will start getting the taste of victory and success. As small as the opportunity might seem at first, it will allow you to pick up pace and enter a period of complete transformation. You will have meaningful changes that will have you looking back within 6 months and thinking "How did this even happen?". Well, truth is that your own efforts will take you there.

If you've been feeling in a rut financially, just know that those money manifestations or rituals you might have been doing are definitely working. Do not overlook the protentional of this upcoming opportunity, as it might not initially seem like a big deal, but you will definitely reap rewards, recognition, and confidence in yourself. It doesn't matter if it doesn't allow you to achieve long time financial security, the importance lies in how your energy will be transformed afterwards. There's times where all we need is a little push to remind ourselves how deserving of good things and capable of positive transformations we are. Trust yourself and know that the changes that will occuring around you are only pushing you towards the right path. Just remember to stay grounded and not get too cocky or arrogant, as this could cause you more trouble than anything.

Pile 2: the star, ace of cups, and the hierophant

Get ready to receive waves of creativity and inspiration your way. There will be an energy of hope, healing, and serenity in your life coming soon. You will find yourself opening up to the possibilities of new romance, celebrations, and socializing. There will be a contagious feeling of joy and happiness that you will find hard avoiding and/or sharing with others. All of this will lead you towards experiencing relationships that could be set in a strong foundation, or if you're in a relationship there's a good possibility for further commitment to occur. You might also feel interested towards traditional healing methods, and if you do pursue it, there will be an increase in your spirituality and creativity as well. Allow yourself to have genuine faith in the universe and your own abilities to connect with your own intuition. You have plenty of emotional intelligence too, so trust in that no matter the situation, you will be able to handle it in the best way possible. An Aquarius or Taurus with some water in the mix (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) might be wanting to make a serious romantic proposal, so keep an eye on that as well.

The Fool jumped out as well, so I allowed it as an extra card for your reading. This card makes an even bigger emphasis on how you'll be giddy and ready to take that leap of faith that will open doors to obtaining more freedom, adventure, and traveling. The only caution is to make sure you look down before taking that leap, as the fool within its innocence might not consider or plan well enough before making a decision. Stay grounded to avoid idealizing any situation and acting in a somewhat careless manner, specially with all the abundance of joy you'll be feeling. Lay your plans out or share your ideas with someone who is perhaps older and you can trust. If not, then an individual with some good amount of spiritual knowledge to guide you a bit or give the green light. All and all, you will be experiencing good times!

Pile 3: the empress, queen of wands, and page of wands

This reading is giving "I know I'm that b*tch and so does everyone else too!". You will be receiving a really strong and abundant feminine energy your way. Megan Thee Stallion is calling, she wants you to give her the "summer queen" crown back! As soon as I saw this layout I could just tell that soon you'll be feeling unstoppable and fierce. As if there's nothing that you can't manifest and everything just seems to go your way. There will be an increase in your beauty, creativity, and sensuality. Anyone and anything that crosses your path will feel a strong, passionate, sexy, confident, and a bit of a chaotic energy coming from you. All of this could easily lead you to engaging into certain smexy activities, so be extra careful in the upcoming weeks/months if you're not looking forward to a surprise 9 months later. If you are, then fertility will be high and your desires to experience motherhood will be very likely. You will be attracting potential suitors, and all of that could get your mind clouded as to who/where you should be pouring all that energy into. Good news will surely come your way, and you will take on them with a lot of optimism as well. Avoid rushing into anything without getting a good word of advice from someone who's very grounded, because like I said before, you will not only want to burst through doors, but take down the whole wall as well.

You could also meet someone with a lot fire sign energy (Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius) that is definitely younger than you, be it romantic partner or friend. They might be the one carrying all the characteristics mentioned above as well, and end up encouraging you to take on it as well. Expect to have a lot of wild fun with them that will surely leave positive memories, again, just be careful not to do TOO much. Anything and everything in excess is not good, yes, even baddies need to have limits. This will be a very good time to direct all this vibrant feminine energy (regardless of gender) towards creative pursuits because it will make you stand out, attract even more abundance, and good news. If these past months were bleak, then the upcoming weeks/months will make you forget all together of any negative experiences previously encountered.

Pile 4: five of cups, the lovers, and five of pentacles

There's definitely a situation that will be causing you to experience some heavy feelings in the upcoming weeks/months. This could be something you expect or perhaps not at all. A breakup or disconnection from a romantic relationship (official or not) will definitely occur, and I know, this is not what you or anyone would like to read or hear, but if you've been looking for any sort of confirmation then this is the one. It could also be a breakup with a very close friend as well, since the lovers is not just romance, but close partnerships in general. They might have Gemini, Scorpio, or Taurus placements. When situations like these occur, it is normal to experience a big emotional unload. Feelings of sadness, grief, loss, guilt, anger, remorse, and being left out are 100% normal. This is part of the normal human experience, as not everything can be rainbows and sunshine. You need to allow yourself to process all of these emotions with no shame or blame, even if all you might want to do is avoiding them. Ensure that you stick close to your support system and don't feel embarrassed to pour your heart out with them, just trust that this will make the load feel a bit less heavy. Avoid complete isolation, even if this is the only thing you'll want to do. Some battles you must face alone at times, and some others with the help of others. The turmoil will be emotional and financial, hence why you have to ensure that those close to you can step in to aid you.

From experience, I can tell you it is never easy to let go of someone who you bonded really closely to, but clutching tightly into broken pieces will only create more cuts and add further to the pain. You are not your emotions, but the individual who experiences them. Respect the timing that it will take you to overcome this situation, so don't try to speed up or slow down the process. Trust that everything the universe takes from you in the present moment is truly for the best, even if it doesn't make sense to you right now. Both the five of cups and five of pentacles depict a light at the end of the tunnel that we might not be focusing on. Emotionally you'll be feeling low, and this will make you unaware of the doors that are opening right in front of you or all the other good things that are still occuring around you. Financially, you'll be experiencing difficulties but it will only be temporary for help might be right around the corner. You are worthy of joy and good things, even when you're on your lowest. Do not engage into negative self talk or destructive habits (excessive drinking, etc) as this will only harm you further. Feel your feelings and then objectively think of the role you had during the relationship as well. Its not about looking where to put all the blame, but knowing exactly what burdens you should definitely not carry with you.

If for whatever reason this is not about your close relationships, then it might just be a big decision that occurs and leaves you feeling the way I mentioned above. Remember, these cards (five of cups and pentacles) are minor cards, which means that the pain and hardship are temporary. Like Kelly Clarkson said, what doesn't kill makes you stronger! You got this.

DM FOR PERSONAL READINGS 🌸

[sensualnoiree]

✨virgo full moon & the rising signs ✨

The Full Moon on February 24, at around 6 am Central Time, occurs at about five degrees of Virgo, opposite a cluster of planets in Pisces. This opposition highlights a significant tension between Virgo's analytical, detail-oriented nature and Pisces' dreamy, intuitive qualities. This dynamic will be particularly strong on Friday night into Saturday and will carry over into Sunday, as the Moon remains in Virgo.

Aries Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 6th house of health, work, and daily routines.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 12th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Focus on organizing your daily routines and prioritizing your health. Pay attention to any subconscious patterns or habits that may be affecting your well-being. Use this time to find balance between your need for spiritual renewal and your practical responsibilities.

Taurus Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 5th house of creativity, romance, and self-expression.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 11th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Channel your analytical skills into creative projects or hobbies. Pay attention to your romantic relationships and explore how you can bring more practicality and attention to detail into your expression of love. Focus on balancing your personal desires with your social responsibilities.

Gemini Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 4th house of home, family, and emotional foundations.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 10th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Reflect on your emotional needs and how they relate to your sense of security and belonging. Consider any necessary adjustments you can make within your home environment to support your well-being. Balance your career ambitions with your need for emotional fulfillment and family connections.

Cancer Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 3rd house of communication, learning, and community.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 9th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Focus on clear and practical communication with those around you. Pay attention to any misunderstandings that may arise and strive for clarity in your interactions. Use this time to expand your knowledge and explore new ways of thinking. Balance your intellectual pursuits with your spiritual beliefs.

Leo Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 2nd house of finances, values, and self-worth.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 8th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Evaluate your financial situation and consider any necessary adjustments to your budget or spending habits. Reflect on your values and how they influence your sense of self-worth. Use this time to deepen your understanding of shared resources and investments. Balance your material desires with your need for emotional security.

Virgo Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 1st house of self-image, identity, and personal goals.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 7th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Focus on self-improvement and self-care during this time. Reflect on your personal goals and how they align with your sense of identity. Pay attention to any tensions in your relationships and strive for understanding and compromise. Balance your individual needs with your commitments to others.

Libra Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 12th house of spirituality, subconscious, and hidden strengths.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 6th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Take time for introspection and explore your subconscious patterns and beliefs. Pay attention to your dreams and intuition during this time. Consider any hidden strengths or talents you may possess and how you can bring them to light. Balance your need for solitude and spiritual growth with your responsibilities to others.

Scorpio Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 11th house of friendships, social networks, and aspirations.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 5th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Focus on your friendships and social connections, and consider how they contribute to your personal growth. Reflect on your long-term goals and aspirations and take practical steps towards achieving them. Balance your desire for intimacy and transformation with your need for social involvement and networking.

Sagittarius Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 10th house of career, public image, and reputation.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 4th house.

Utilizing the Energy: Evaluate your career path and consider any necessary adjustments to align with your long-term goals. Pay attention to your public image and how it reflects your true self. Use this time to balance your professional responsibilities with your personal life and emotional needs.

Capricorn Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 9th house of higher education, travel, and belief systems.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 3rd house.

Utilizing the Energy: Focus on expanding your knowledge and exploring new opportunities for growth. Consider any philosophical or spiritual beliefs that may be influencing your worldview. Use this time to plan for future travels or educational pursuits. Balance your need for intellectual stimulation with your practical responsibilities.

Aquarius Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 8th house of transformation, shared resources, and intimacy.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 2nd house.

Utilizing the Energy: Reflect on your deepest desires and emotional connections with others. Consider any transformations you may need to undergo to achieve greater intimacy and emotional fulfillment. Use this time to reassess your financial situation and shared resources. Balance your need for independence with your desire for deeper connections.

Pisces Rising:

Full Moon in Virgo falls in the 7th house of partnerships, relationships, and contracts.

Aspects: Opposition to Pisces planets in the 1st house.

Utilizing the Energy: Focus on your relationships and consider how you can improve communication and understanding with your partner(s). Reflect on any contracts or agreements you may be involved in and ensure they are fair and balanced. Use this time to strengthen your connections with others while maintaining your sense of self. follow for more astro insights like this and support me over on instagram @sensualnoire or yt @quenysefields

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: The Five-Factor Model of Personality

Culture is transmitted to people through language, as well as through social norms which establish acceptable and unacceptable behaviors which are then rewarded or punished (Henrich, 2016; Triandis & Suh, 2002).

With an increased understanding of cultural learning, psychologists have become interested in the role of culture in understanding personality.

The 5 Personality Traits According to this Model

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE

Refers to a person's imagination, feelings, actions, ideas

LOW score: More likely to be practical, conventional, prefer routine

HIGH score: More likely to be curious, have a wide range of interests, be independent

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Competence, self-discipline, thoughtfulness, goal-driven

LOW: Impulsive, careless, disorganized

HIGH: Hardworking, dependable, organized

EXTROVERSION

Sociability, assertiveness, emotional expression

LOW: Quiet, reserved, withdrawn

HIGH: Outgoing, warm, seeks adventure

AGREEABLENESS

Cooperative, trustworthy, good-natured

LOW: Critical, uncooperative, suspicious

HIGH: Helpful, trusting, empathetic

NEUROTICISM

Tendency toward unstable emotions

LOW: Calm, even-tempered, secure

HIGH: Anxious, unhappy, prone to negative emotions

Applicability

The idea that personality can be described and explained by five traits (OCEAN) has important implications, as does the fact that most personality tests were constructed and initially tested in Western countries.

Western ideas about personality may not apply to other cultures (Benet-Martinez & Oishi, 2008).

2 Main Cultural Approaches for Researching Personality

Etic traits - considered universal constructs that are evident across cultures and represent a biological bases of human personality. If the Big Five are universal then they should appear across all cultures (McCrae and Allik, 2002).

Emic traits - constructs unique to each culture and are determined by local customs, thoughts, beliefs, and characteristics. If personality traits are unique to individual cultures then different traits should appear in different cultures.

Using an Etic Framework

Cross cultural research of personality uses an etic framework and researchers must ensure equivalence of the personality test through validation testing.

The instrument must include equivalence in meaning, as well as demonstrate validity and reliability (Matsumoto & Luang, 2013).

Example: The phrase feeling blue is used to describe sadness in Westernized cultures but does not translate to other languages.

Differences in personality across cultures could be due to real cultural differences, but they could also be consequences of poor translations, biased sampling, or differences in response styles across cultures (Schmitt, Allik, McCrae, & Benet-Martínez, 2007).

Personality Test/Measure Used: The NEO-PI

Most of the cross-cultural research on the Five-Factor Model (FFM) and Big Five (OCEAN) has been done using the NEO-PI (and its subsequent revisions; i.e., it is an assessment tool developed to measure the 5 dimensions of personality according to the FFM) which has demonstrated equivalence, reliability and validity across several cross-cultural studies (Costa & McCrae, 1987; McCrae, Costa & Martin, 2005).

Research using the NEO-PI found support for the entire Five-Factor Model in Chinese, Dutch, Italian, Hungarian, German, Australian, South African, Canadian, Finnish, Polish, Portuguese, Israeli, Korean, Japanese, and Filipino samples, in addition to other samples (McCrae, Costa, Del Pilar, Rolland, & Parker, 1998).

NOTE

Personality tests rely on self-report which is susceptible to response bias like socially desirability responding.

To evaluate this possibility, McCrae and colleagues (2005) recruited students from 50 cultural groups and modified the NEO-PI to be in the third person (i.e., he, she, his, her):

The research participants were asked to complete the form on someone else that they knew very well (McCrae et al., 2005).

The same 5 factors emerged in this study.

These results provided empirical support for the FFM and for the use of self-report instruments when conducting cross-cultural personality research.

There was no reason for the students to respond in a desirable way because they were answering questions about someone else.

Sources: 1 2

[stardust-falling]

Having more thoughts about Shen Jiu because of course I am.

I don’t think he has the capacity for empathy or genuine selflessness.

He spent the entirety of his formative years deep in survival mode, and because of that, he evaluates people solely based off of how they might threaten or ensure his safety and/or comfort. As far as individual people themselves with their own perspectives… honestly I don’t think he even thinks of that.

Maybe a controversial opinion, but I don’t think even YQY is exempt.

Shen Jiu doesn’t have a moral code. When every day is spent on surviving, a moral code is a luxury.

And really, he just never got out of that mode. See, the thing is, once you’ve had enough adverse experiences it only takes a little bit to trigger you back into that mindset. Shen Jiu was used to being scolded and then beaten or abused, so for him, even a simple chiding is a precursor to abuse— even if he DOES recognize that nothing more will happen, his body and mental patterns will still go into that preparation time.

So of course he never left survival mode, because even if nothing is actively happening, your mind will keep reinforcing those patterns.

For someone with a normal upbringing, as far as I can tell, empathy is something you learn and develop from those around you. Many seem to think it’s something innate and natural and if you don’t have it then there’s something wrong with you from birth. I think Shen Jiu falls into exactly this category of thought— and so he doesn’t even consider that he could try to learn and develop it as a skill he can perform, even if it doesn’t come naturally.

Of course, would he even try? He hasn’t been given any incentive. Any time he has tried to do something good, he ends up getting hurt (saving Yue Qi leading to being taken by QJL) or misinterpreted and admonished (the well ghost incident, keep in mind my earlier point about scoldings perpetuating the same patterns).

So he stays in that same vicious cycle, perpetually in survival mode and unable to escape, even in a relatively secure position (see: his paranoia).

Now, this is all relevant to the discussions of SJ’s feminism, misogyny, and/or lack thereof. I feel like a lot of discussions aren’t really getting the full picture.

SJ sees people, no matter who they are, as solely how they can affect him. Just because this isn’t exclusive to women, or because if comes from a reasonable place, does that really mean it doesn’t play into misogyny?

Let’s take another angle.

I think his abuse of LBH and other talented disciples also is rooted, deep down, in this same issue. He’s not just hurting LBH only to hurt him, his aim is specifically to stunt his cultivation. There’s jealousy at play there of course, but there’s a bit more layers to it too— SJ doesn’t think he’s capable of goodness. So reasonably, he’ll be a bad teacher. He already knows what happens when someone becomes more powerful than their oppressor. LBH may be a child now, but a part of SJ whether he acknowledges it or not sees him as a future threat that needs to be treated as such.

It’s rooted in fear— because everything is with SJ.

So does that mean it’s not actually abuse?

No. The behaviors he shows are still abusive, the reasoning just gives a lens for understanding.

Now, with his views on women— I mentioned in the tags of my original post that I don’t think he views women as people. This is based in that earlier idea of how he interprets others based off their risk and benefit to him. For women specifically, though, there’s another layer.

Shen Jiu grew up in a society where women are inherently lesser— and he grew up in an extreme version of this. He saw women being treated as property firsthand(both as slaves, as well as QJL’s views on his sister). Your worldview is shaped by the world that you view during those early years. Whether he agreed or not, SJ would still take on the patterns of his environment. This, though, is just the same as general societal misogyny and ingrained bias. I don’t think he’s any different than anyone else in this way.

But where SJ’s particular flavor comes in is that to him, women are a source of comfort. For various reasons— positive past experiences, less threatening (or at least don’t carry the dangers men do). He craves comfort— needs it really, because he doesn’t get it and his cortisol levels are always so high they’re poisoning his body. Women are the best source of that comfort for him.

It’s not that he likes them— at least, not any more than someone would like drinking water, or a coat in the winter. They’re fulfilling a survival need for him.

That is what the objectification is where SJ is concerned.

So… is it misogyny?

I’d say yes, in a way it still is. It’s not violent, and it doesn’t come from some inherent sense of “superiority as a man” but at the core of it all, he’s still not viewing women as people, and he has no interest in changing the status quo, because it benefits him to be able to go purchase comfort at a pleasure house, even if it’s not what people usually do there. The picture is bigger than just misogyny, but the traits taken as themselves are misogynistic nonetheless.

I could go into his specific relationships with women and how that informs his character, but this post is already long enough. We know that he mentally divides people by sex, and that distinction has a lot of weight in his judgment of them. Even if it comes from a place of trauma, even if it comes from a general worldview that applies to everyone, he still views women as a commodity— so on some level, and from an outside perspective, he is misogynistic.

In the end, though, it still all comes from him being stuck in survival mode. His lack of empathy, his viewing others as risks and benefits— these things themselves aren’t moral failings— it’s just a consequence of his environment. He’s a bad person because he won’t confront this, develop a moral code, and act on it, not because he doesn’t experience empathy.

But in his circumstance, there’s not really a chance for him to choose to be good. Because he’s still trying to survive, and goodness is a luxury he doesn’t realize he can afford now.

He’s scum, but pitiful, you know?

[mariacallous]

At the 2023 Defcon hacker conference in Las Vegas, prominent AI tech companies partnered with algorithmic integrity and transparency groups to sic thousands of attendees on generative AI platforms and find weaknesses in these critical systems. This “red-teaming” exercise, which also had support from the US government, took a step in opening these increasingly influential yet opaque systems to scrutiny. Now, the ethical AI and algorithmic assessment nonprofit Humane Intelligence is taking this model one step further. On Wednesday, the group announced a call for participation with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, inviting any US resident to participate in the qualifying round of a nationwide red-teaming effort to evaluate AI office productivity software.

The qualifier will take place online and is open to both developers and anyone in the general public as part of NIST's AI challenges, known as Assessing Risks and Impacts of AI, or ARIA. Participants who pass through the qualifying round will take part in an in-person red-teaming event at the end of October at the Conference on Applied Machine Learning in Information Security (CAMLIS) in Virginia. The goal is to expand capabilities for conducting rigorous testing of the security, resilience, and ethics of generative AI technologies.

“The average person utilizing one of these models doesn’t really have the ability to determine whether or not the model is fit for purpose,” says Theo Skeadas, chief of staff at Humane Intelligence. “So we want to democratize the ability to conduct evaluations and make sure everyone using these models can assess for themselves whether or not the model is meeting their needs.”

The final event at CAMLIS will split the participants into a red team trying to attack the AI systems and a blue team working on defense. Participants will use the AI 600-1 profile, part of NIST's AI risk management framework, as a rubric for measuring whether the red team is able to produce outcomes that violate the systems' expected behavior.

“NIST's ARIA is drawing on structured user feedback to understand real-world applications of AI models,” says Humane Intelligence founder Rumman Chowdhury, who is also a contractor in NIST's Office of Emerging Technologies and a member of the US Department of Homeland Security AI safety and security board. “The ARIA team is mostly experts on sociotechnical test and evaluation, and [is] using that background as a way of evolving the field toward rigorous scientific evaluation of generative AI.”

Chowdhury and Skeadas say the NIST partnership is just one of a series of AI red team collaborations that Humane Intelligence will announce in the coming weeks with US government agencies, international governments, and NGOs. The effort aims to make it much more common for the companies and organizations that develop what are now black-box algorithms to offer transparency and accountability through mechanisms like “bias bounty challenges,” where individuals can be rewarded for finding problems and inequities in AI models.

“The community should be broader than programmers,” Skeadas says. “Policymakers, journalists, civil society, and nontechnical people should all be involved in the process of testing and evaluating of these systems. And we need to make sure that less represented groups like individuals who speak minority languages or are from nonmajority cultures and perspectives are able to participate in this process.”

[13lunarstar]

Anuradha

The seventeenth nakshatra (17 out of 27)

Degrees: 3° 20' to 16 °40' Scorpio zodiac

The ruler of the Nakshatra: Saturn (sanks. Shani), governing discipline, structure, and perseverance

Deity: Mitra, the god of friendship and partnership, who represents cooperation, harmony, and compassion.

Nakshatra's guna: tamas (Tamas is associated with inertia, darkness, and materialism. In this case Anuradha has tamas guna primarily due to its ruler Saturn which has a malefic nature)

Anuradha keywords: resilience, growth, purity, cooperation, friendship, loyalty, discipline, determination, organizational skills, leadership, harmony, charisma, ambition, emotional security, empathy, assertiveness, strategy, wisdom, romance, responsibility, transformation, spirituality.

Symbol: The lotus flower signifies purity, resilience, and growth amidst challenges. The archway or triumphal gateway symbolizes success and achievement.

Career options: roles in management, politics, social work, business consultancy, human resources, education, healthcare, law, finance, technology, and logistics are particularly suitable.

Lagna (Asc) in Anuradha: is characterized by a resilient, determined, and disciplined nature. These individuals excel in strategic planning and coordination, often thriving in leadership roles due to their charisma and influential capabilities. With empathy and compassion as natural traits, they are supportive friends and partners. Their strategic and tactical thinking enables them to devise effective plans and adapt to changes. With an interest in mystical and spiritual pursuits, they seek profound self-understanding. Ambitious and goal-oriented, they tend to set high standards and are driven to succeed. Loyalty and trustworthiness define their character, making them reliable and dependable in all relationships. NOTE: In order to understand how strong and harmonious ASC is, we need to evaluate the strength and position of Saturn as the ruler of this nakshatra, as well as any planetary aspects to it and the first house in general (if there are any planets).

Sun in Anuradha: makes the individuals bestowing strong leadership skills. They have a natural ability to lead and inspire others, often earning respect from peers, and taking charge in difficult situations. Like the lotus flower symbol of Anuradha, these individuals can thrive in challenging conditions, displaying resilience and strength. The influence of Saturn, the ruling planet of Anuradha, instils a sense of discipline and responsibility. These individuals are methodical and diligent in their approach to work and life. Anuradha Sun natives seek balance and harmony in their relationships and surroundings. They value cooperation and strive to maintain peaceful interactions. This placement often brings a deep interest in spiritual and philosophical matters. These individuals seek deeper meaning and understanding in life. They are introspective and reflective, often engaging in self-analysis and personal growth.

Moon in Anuradha: suggests individuals who possess a deep emotional intensity and a strong desire for meaningful connections. They are empathetic and compassionate, often nurturing and supporting those around them. These individuals may have a magnetic presence and an intuitive understanding of human emotions, making them skilled at fostering harmony and cooperation in their relationships. Moon in Anuradha natives are also resilient and determined, able to navigate through life's challenges with grace and strength. However, they may experience periods of emotional upheaval or inner turmoil, as the Moon's influence can intensify feelings and sensitivities. It's essential for them to cultivate emotional balance and self-awareness, allowing them to harness their emotional depth for personal growth and spiritual development.

Mercury in Anuradha: signifies individuals with a strategic and diplomatic communication style. They possess analytical prowess and persuasive charm, enabling them to navigate complex situations with finesse and tact. These individuals excel in negotiation and problem-solving, often finding creative solutions to challenges. Mercury's influence here also enhances their intellectual curiosity and interest in uncovering hidden truths and mysteries. They may have a keen eye for detail and a sharp analytical mind, making them adept at research and analysis. However, they may need to guard against tendencies towards manipulation or deceit, as Mercury in Anuradha can amplify communication challenges related to trust and honesty. Altogether, these individuals are resourceful, adaptable, and intellectually curious, leveraging their communication skills to achieve their goals and foster harmonious relationships.

Mars in Anuradha: indicates individuals with a determined and resilient approach to achieving their goals. They possess intense drive and ambition, coupled with a strategic mindset, enabling them to overcome obstacles and succeed in their endeavors. Mars here imparts strong leadership qualities, as well as a competitive spirit, making them formidable in competitive environments. However, they may need to temper their assertiveness with diplomacy, as Anuradha's influence encourages cooperation and harmony. These individuals may also exhibit a passionate and intense nature in their relationships, seeking deep connections and loyalty from their partners. Overall, Mars in Anuradha natives are dynamic and resourceful people who thrive when channelling their energy into focused and purposeful action.

Venus in Anuradha: indicates romantic at heart individuals. They express affectionate gestures towards their loved ones. They possess social fineness and charm, making them well-liked and admired in social circles. They have a knack for creating a pleasant atmosphere wherever they go. With a desire for harmony, they often act as peacemakers in conflicts, using their diplomatic skills to reconcile differences and promote understanding. They value loyalty and commitment in relationships, striving to maintain long-term bonds built on trust and mutual respect. Beneath their charming exterior, they possess emotional depth and sensitivity, allowing them to connect deeply with others on an emotional level.

Jupiter in Anuradha: imbues individuals with a deep sense of wisdom, morality, altruism and spiritual insight. They possess a philosophical outlook on life and a profound understanding of ethical principles. Jupiter's influence here enhances their capacity for generosity, compassion, and benevolence, prompting them to seek opportunities to uplift and support others. These individuals may have a natural inclination towards higher learning, philosophy, or spirituality, and they often excel in teaching, counselling, or guiding others. Jupiter in Anuradha encourages them to expand their horizons through cultural experiences, travel, or intellectual pursuits, fostering a broader perspective on life. Their positive and optimistic nature inspires confidence and trust in others, making them effective leaders and mentors.

Saturn in Anuradha: bestows individuals with a disciplined and determined approach to achieving their goals. They possess a strong sense of responsibility and a commitment to hard work, often enduring challenges with patience and perseverance. Saturn's influence here fosters a deep sense of introspection and self-discipline, prompting them to seek self-improvement and personal growth. These individuals may face trials and obstacles in their path, but they emerge stronger and more resilient as a result. Saturn in Anuradha encourages them to build stable and enduring foundations in their lives, emphasizing the importance of integrity, honesty, and reliability. While they may face delays and setbacks, their steadfast determination ultimately leads to success and fulfilment, especially in endeavours that require long-term planning and strategic thinking.

Rahu in Anuradha: brings an intense and transformative energy to individuals' lives. These individuals may experience a strong desire for power, recognition, and material success, often pursuing their ambitions with relentless determination. Rahu's influence here can lead to a fascination with the occult, mysteries, and hidden knowledge, driving them to explore unconventional paths and delve into esoteric subjects. However, they may also face challenges related to secrecy, manipulation, and deception, as Rahu tends to amplify desires and obsessions. It's essential for them to channel this energy constructively, avoiding shortcuts or unethical means to achieve their goals. With self-awareness and discipline, they can harness Rahu's energy in productive ways, leading to profound personal growth and transformation. Ultimately, Rahu in Anuradha encourages individuals to confront their deepest desires and fears, facilitating spiritual evolution and self-realization.

Ketu in Anuradha: signifies individuals with a deep sense of introspection and spiritual insight. They possess a natural inclination towards inner exploration and self-discovery, seeking to uncover hidden truths and transcend worldly attachments. Ketu's influence here encourages them to detach from material desires and embrace simplicity and inner peace. These individuals may have a profound understanding and acceptance of metaphysical concepts and esoteric knowledge, often drawn to spiritual practices or mystical pursuits. However, they may also experience periods of isolation or existential questioning, as Ketu prompts them to detach from conventional societal norms and expectations. They need to cultivate patience and acceptance, trusting in the process of spiritual evolution and surrendering to the guidance of their inner wisdom.

[hero-israel]

During Nuremberg Trial testimony, the prosecutor pressed Einsatzgruppen commander Otto Ohlendorf: “You were going out to shoot down defenseless people. Now, didn’t the question of the morality of that enter your mind?” Ohlendorf referred to the Allied bombings of Germany as a context:

I am not in a position to isolate this occurrence from the occurrences of 1943, 1944, and 1945 where with my own hands I took children and women out of the burning asphalt myself, and with my own hands I took big blocks of stone from the stomachs of pregnant women; and with my own eyes I saw 60,000 people die within 24 hours.

A judge immediately pointed out that his own killing spree preceded those bombings. But this would become known as the “Dresden defense,” to which Ohlendorf resorted still another time, in this exchange:

Ohlendorf: I have seen very many children killed in this war through air attacks, for the security of other nations, and orders were carried out to bomb, no matter whether many children were killed or not. Q: Now, I think we are getting somewhere, Mr. Ohlendorf. You saw German children killed by Allied bombers and that is what you are referring to? Ohlendorf: Yes, I have seen it. Q: Do you attempt to draw a moral comparison between the bomber who drops bombs hoping that it will not kill children and yourself who shot children deliberately? Is that a fair moral comparison ? Ohlendorf: I cannot imagine that those planes which systematically covered a city that was a fortified city, square meter for square meter, with incendiaries and explosive bombs and again with phosphorus bombs, and this done from block to block, and then as I have seen it in Dresden likewise the squares where the civilian population had fled to—that these men could possibly hope not to kill any civilian population, and no children.

Ohlendorf thought this defense so powerful that he invoked it yet another time:

The fact that individual men killed civilians face to face is looked upon as terrible and is pictured as specially gruesome because the order was clearly given to kill these people; but I cannot morally evaluate a deed any better, a deed which makes it possible, by pushing a button, to kill a much larger number of civilians, men, women, and children.

(The chief prosecutor, an American, called this particular iteration “exactly what a fanatical pseudo-intellectual SS-man might well believe.”)

At Nuremberg, this sort of tu quoque defense (“I shouldn’t be punished because they did it too”) wasn’t admissible. Still, in the verdict of the Einsatzgruppen Trial, the judges chose to refute it. “It was submitted,” the judges wrote, “that the defendants must be exonerated from the charge of killing civilian populations since every Allied nation brought about the death of noncombatants through the instrumentality of bombing.” The judges would have none of it:

A city is bombed for tactical purposes… it inevitably happens that nonmilitary persons are killed. This is an incident, a grave incident to be sure, but an unavoidable corollary of battle action. The civilians are not individualized. The bomb falls, it is aimed at the railroad yards, houses along the tracks are hit and many of their occupants killed. But that is entirely different, both in fact and in law, from an armed force marching up to these same railroad tracks, entering those houses abutting thereon, dragging out the men, women and children and shooting them.

The tribunal sentenced Ohlendorf to death. He was hanged in June 1951.

“In the last analysis”

Nuremberg enforced a fundamental distinction. All civilian lives are equal, but not so all ways of taking them. The deliberate and purposeful killing of civilians is a crime; not so the taking of civilian lives that is undesired, unintended, but unavoidable. The errors made by a bomber squadron cannot be deducted from the murders committed by a death squad. It’s a difference compounded many times over when those civilian men, women, and children are subjected to torture, rape, and mutilation before their murder. To borrow Khalidi’s phrase, “in the last analysis,” this distinction is what separates modern civilization from its predecessors.

More disturbing is the thought that it separates the contemporary West from its peers. Otto Ohlendorf and the regime he served did all they could to conceal their deeds from Western eyes. Nazi Germany still operated in a West founded on Enlightenment values. So massive a violation of a shared patrimony needed to be hidden from view.

In contrast, Hamas initially sought to publicize its deeds, assuming they would win applause, admiration, or at least tacit acceptance in the Arab and Muslim worlds. Here they succeeded beyond their expectations. The many millions who don’t share the West’s patrimony, and who know next to nothing about the Holocaust or Nuremberg, do see things as Khalidi says they see them. (So, too, does a sliver of alienated opinion in the West, where such views are cultivated and celebrated.)

Finally, and still more disturbing, is the fact that Ohlendorf’s defense has been revived to frame the massacre of Jews. 

[basshole-astard]

[AMERICAN POLITICS]

i know everyone is worried about KOSA being a censorship bill, and that's fair. but do you know what really, REALLY concerns me about this bill? the fact they want to install age verification systems at the device/operating system level

(transcript with highlights below cut)

this will almost definitely track your data - note how it doesn't say how much, just that it's going to have to collect some, and that's worrying. to me. best case scenario we need to give our devices our government ID. worst case scenario it's tracking app usage and browser history and who knows what else. they don't say! how convenient.

but, based on Sec. 6(d)(5) "consider indicia or inferences of age of users, in addition to any self-declared information about the age of individuals." and Sec. 10(a)(1)(D) "using indicia or inferences of age of users for assessing use of the covered platform by minors", nevermind Sec. 9(b)(4)'s own admission that some data will be collected, that's.... that's data tracking.

and i know websites already do this, but i feel like a government mandated software for age verification that will track this data is a step too far.....

read the text of the bill here, if you want. genuinely the amount of legaleze is - as far as i can tell - only going to PROBABLY cause censorship, not GUARANTEE it.

but you know what KOSA does guarantee? stated plainly and clearly in their intents of what this bill will do? data tracking.

so if you're contacting your senators about opposing this bill, please consider not only voicing your concerns about censorship, but also about the privacy violations. thank you.

contact your senators here

highlighted text in image bolded

SEC. 9. Age verification study and report.

(a) Study.—The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and the Secretary of Commerce, shall conduct a study evaluating the most technologically feasible methods and options for developing systems to verify age at the device or operating system level.

(b) Contents.—Such study shall consider —

(1) the benefits of creating a device or operating system level age verification system;

(2) what information may need to be collected to create this type of age verification system;

(3) the accuracy of such systems and their impact or steps to improve accessibility, including for individuals with disabilities;

(4) how such a system or systems could verify age while mitigating risks to user privacy and data security and safeguarding minors' personal data, emphasizing minimizing the amount of data collected and processed by covered platforms and age verification providers for such a system; and

(5) the technical feasibility, including the need for potential hardware and software changes, including for devices currently in commerce and owned by consumers.

(c) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the agencies described in subsection (a) shall submit a report containing the results of the study conducted under such subsection to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.

[flightrising]

Summary: Emergency Maintenance

At approximately 14:00 Server Time on Friday, March 31 the engineering team was alerted to an individual probing for XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) weaknesses by pasting HTML script tags in various text fields on the site, some player-facing and some only visible to staff. Out of an abundance of caution we put the site into maintenance so we could evaluate the situation.

During the maintenance period, we reviewed the attacker's activity, focusing in particular on what fields the attacker typed script tags into. Then, we reviewed what pages (player-facing and staff-facing) display the contents of those text fields, whether those pages are properly escaping the text in question to prevent XSS vulnerabilities, and whether anyone viewed those pages while they potentially contained text content from this attacker.

Because it is part of our development practices to evaluate all new and revamped/refactored features for XSS vulnerabilities, we could not find issues in player-facing areas such as Forums, Private messages, Clan Info, or Dragon Biographies, or our primary staff-facing tools. We did identify and correct issues in some of our rarely used staff-facing tools that were not used while this attacker was active. Additionally, we identified some extremely old code that had potential issues and corrected them, but these areas are not areas where content entered by the attacker could have been viewed by another player or staff.

While XSS has a broad scope, one of the major concerns in any XSS attack is the potential that session cookies—tokens stored in your browser that "prove" that you are a particular logged-in user—could be stolen by an attacker, allowing them to essentially be "logged in" as you without knowing your password. Our session cookies are all set to use the "HttpOnly" flag which means that scripts categorically cannot access them. Barring vulnerabilities in browsers themselves, we do not believe session cookies were immediately at risk. Nonetheless, we revoked all outstanding staff and volunteer moderator sessions early on in our investigation as a safety measure.

Again, while we do not believe player sessions were at risk for the above reasons, if you wish to revoke all outstanding sessions for your account, including those for browsers/devices other than the one you are currently interacting with the site with, you can change your password either via Account Settings or the Forgot Passwordfeature.

In addition to reviewing our existing code, we also looked into ways to detect and block this sort of behavior proactively. We have made some initial changes in that area and we are going to continue to improve our security posture by adding additional layers of protection, detection and alerting. Please bear with us as some of these changes may introduce minor bugs while we fine-tune things.

In summary, at present we believe this individual was at the stage of probing for vulnerabilities, and we used the maintenance period to review and strengthen our protections against this sort of attack. We do not have reason to believe the attacker accomplished anything of major concern at this point.

If you believe you have found a vulnerability of any kind anywhere on Flight Rising, please disclose it to us privately using Contact Us right away.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

[gothhabiba]

[November 10, 2023. An exerpt:]

Gathering at the Port

The Port of Tacoma and the nearby ICE detention center are located in an industrial area that also houses a police academy. They are only accessible through narrow choke points; in the past, police have taken advantage of these to target and harass protesters. The preceding action at the Port of Oakland took place in a more urban terrain; as protesters prepared for the ship to dock in Tacoma, concerns grew about the various possibilities for repression. Veterans of the Port Militarization Resistance and other logistically-minded individuals compiled lists of considerations to take into account when carrying out an action at this particular port.

Other anarchists remained at a distance, standing by to do jail support and advising the participants on security precautions. Others set up at the nearby casino, investigating and squashing rumors in the growing signal groups and helping to link people to the information or communication loops they needed. Whether autonomously or in conversation with the organizers, all of them did their best to contribute to the unfolding action.

The demonstration successfully accomplished what some had thought might be impossible, preventing the ILWU workers from loading the military shipment. Unexpectedly, this was not enough. Even seasoned longshoremen were surprised that the military could be brought in to act as scabs by loading the ship.

Could we have focused instead on blocking the equipment from reaching the port in the first place? According to publicly available shift screens, the cargo that was eventually loaded onto the ship had already arrived at the port before the action’s originally planned 2:30 pm start time on November 5. Considering that Sunday afternoon was arguably the earliest that anyone could mobilize a mass action on such short notice, it is not surprising that the idea of blocking the cargo was abandoned in favor of blocking the ILWU workers. Of course, if the information that military supplies were entering the port had circulated earlier, something else might have been possible.

The organizers chose the approach of blocking the workers in spite of the tension it was bound to cause with the ILWU Local 23. Our contacts in the ILWU describe the Local 23 president as a Zionist; most workers in Local 23 were supposedly against the action, despite respecting the picket. The president allegedly went so far as to suggest bringing in ILWU workers on boats, a plan that the military apparently rejected.

There were rumors that a flotilla of kayaks was organizing to impede the Orlando’s departure the following morning. In the end, a canoe piloted by members of the Puyallup, Nisqually, and other Coast Salish peoples and accompanied by a few kayakers blocked the ship’s path for a short time on November 6, but nothing materialized for November 7.

This intervention is an important reminder of the ethical and strategic necessity of working with Indigenous groups who know the land and water and preserve a living memory of struggle against colonial violence that includes repeatedly outmaneuvering the United States military.

The ship departed, but one Stryker Armored Personnel Carrier that was scheduled for work according the ILWU shift screens was not loaded, presumably due to the picket. Given the military work-crew’s inexperience in loading shipping containers, it’s unclear how much of the shipment was completely loaded in the time allotted for the ship, as ports hold to a strict schedule in order not to disrupt capital’s global supply chains.

Evaluation

The main organizers received feedback in the course of the protest and adapted their strategy as the situation changed, shifting their communication to articulate what they were trying to do and explaining their choices rather than simply appealing to their authority as an organization or as Palestinians. Nonetheless, some participants have expressed displeasure about how things unfolded. It was difficult to get comprehensive information about what was going on, and this hindered people from making their own decisions and acting autonomously. Some anarchists who were on the ground report that the vessel was still being loaded when the organizers called off the event; others question the choice not to reveal the fact that the military was loading the equipment while the demonstration still had numbers and momentum.

It is hard to determine to what extent organizers intentionally withheld information. We believe that it is important to offer constructive feedback and principled criticism while resisting the temptation to make assumptions about others’ intentions (or, at worst, to engage in snitch-jacketing, which can undermine efforts to respond to actual infiltration and security breaches in the movement and often contributes to misdiagnosing the problems in play).

Cooperating with the authorities—especially at the expense of other radicals—is always unacceptable. This is a staple of events dominated by authoritarian organizations. Fortunately, nothing of this kind appears to have occurred during the blockade on November 6. Those on either side of this debate should be careful to resist knee-jerk reactions and to avoid projecting bad intentions onto imagined all-white “adventurists” or repressive “peace police.”

In that spirit, we will spell out our concern. The organizers simultaneously announced that the weapons had been loaded onto the ship, and at the same time, declared victory. This fosters room for suspicion that the original intention had been to “block the boat” symbolically without actually hampering the weapons shipment, in order to create the impression of achieving a “movement win” without any substantive impact. Such empty victories can deflate movements and momentum, sowing distrust in the hundreds of people who showed up on short notice with the intention of stopping weapons from reaching Israel. It might be better to acknowledge failure, admitting that despite our best efforts, the authorities succeeded in their goal, and affirming that we have to step up our efforts if we want to save lives in Gaza. We need organizers to be honest with us so we know what we are up against.

It’s important to highlight that ultimately it was the military that loaded the ship, not the ILWU. This move was unprecedented, just like the military spying on demonstrators during the Port Militarization Resistance. But it should not have been unexpected. From now on, we should bear in mind that the military is prepared to intervene directly in the logistics of capitalism.

This also highlights a weakness in the strategy of blocking a ship by means of a picket line and blockading the streets around the terminal. To have actually stopped the ship, a much more disruptive action would have been called for, potentially including storming the terminal itself and risking police violence and arrests. This isn’t to say that storming the port would have been practical, nor to argue that there is never any reason to blockade the terminal in the way that we did. Rather, the point is that the mechanics of war-capitalism are more pervasive and adaptable than the strategies that people employed to block it in Oakland and Tacoma. Any form of escalation will require more militancy and risk tolerance.

At the same time, we should be honest about our capabilities, our limits, and the challenges we face. Although many people were prepared to engage in a picket, storming a secured facility involves different considerations and material preparation, and demands a cool-headed assessment of benefits versus consequences. We should not simply blame the organizers for the fact that it did not happen. A powerful enough movement cannot be held back, not even by its leaders.

Considering that the United States military outmaneuvered the picket strategy—and in view of the grave stakes of what is occurring Palestine—”Why not storm the port?” might be a good starting point for future strategizing. Yet from this point forward, the port is only going to become more and more secure. Another approach would be to pan back from the port, looking for points of intervention outside it. In this regard, the rail blockade in Olympia in 2017 might offer a promising example.

Likewise, while we should explore ways to resolve differences when we have to work together, we can also look for ways to share information and coordinate while organizing autonomously. We might not be able to reach consensus about what strategy to use, but we can explore where we agree and diverge, acquire and circulate intelligence, and try many different strategies at once.

[sensualnoiree]

astro notes: profection houses

In astrology, profection houses are a technique used to determine the primary theme or focus for a particular year of a person's life. The profection houses system assigns each year of a person's life to a specific house in their natal chart. The technique involves advancing the natal Ascendant by one sign for each year, starting from the sign of the individual's natal Ascendant.

For example, I am a sagittarius rising and will be 30 next year. My profection house will be the 7th house in gemini. Currently it is the 6th house and for the past year I have been extremely focused on my health, my work environments, my fur babies, and finances. As I shift and prepare for 30, I see myself really stepping into positions and roles where I will be meeting new people, creating new relationships, and growing in the relationship I am already in with my partner. We got some big plans and I can feel them nearing fruition 🤸🏿‍♀️ I cannot wait to be 30 flirty & thriving ✨

For the houses:

1st House Profection Year: This year emphasizes self-image, personal goals, and how others perceive you. It's a time for personal growth, self-discovery, and initiating new beginnings.

2nd House Profection Year: Financial matters, material possessions, and self-worth take precedence during this period. It's a time to focus on resources, investments, and building stability.

3rd House Profection Year: Communication, learning, and short trips become significant. Relationships with siblings, neighbors, and acquiring new skills are highlighted.

4th House Profection Year: Family, home life, and emotional security take center stage. This period is about roots, heritage, and creating a sense of inner stability.

5th House Profection Year: Creativity, self-expression, romance, and children are prominent themes. It's a time for joy, pursuing hobbies, and taking calculated risks.

6th House Profection Year: Health, work, routines, and service to others become focal points. Organizing, improving efficiency, and focusing on well-being are key.

7th House Profection Year: Partnerships, relationships, and collaborations are highlighted. It's a time for evaluating existing relationships and forming new alliances.

8th House Profection Year: Transformation, shared resources, and deeper emotional bonds take precedence. This period involves facing deeper psychological aspects and inheritance matters.

9th House Profection Year: Higher learning, travel, philosophy, and expanding horizons become important. It's a time for spiritual growth, education, and broadening perspectives.

10th House Profection Year: Career, public image, and ambitions are in focus. This period involves striving for recognition, taking on responsibilities, and professional advancement.

11th House Profection Year: Friends, groups, social causes, and aspirations take precedence. Networking, building connections, and contributing to the community are emphasized.

12th House Profection Year: Inner reflection, spiritual growth, solitude, and hidden matters come to the forefront. It's a time for retreat, introspection, and dealing with subconscious patterns.

for more insight follow me here! 🤸🏿‍♀️

If you'd like to work with me click here! 🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️

[tikay21]

🐺Dominic St. Clair

applicant for Yasmines Desire BC by @aniraklova

age: 35

character: mysterious, calculating, aloof

Dominic St. Clair, known in the gambling scene as "The Count," is a legend in the world of poker. He possesses a sharp mind and his approach to poker is deeply analytical. He constantly evaluates probabilities and reads his opponents with precision. Dominic's reputation precedes him and make him a feared opponent at any poker table simply by his presence.

Even in the most intense situations, "The Count" remains calm and focused, without letting his emotions take over. Although he's not afraid to take calculated risks, each of his moves is carefully planned and executed to maximize his chances of success.

His skills regularly crash the cash registers of casinos, making him an unwelcome guest and his life not entirely safe; there are said to have been attempts to eliminate him. Dominic is one of the wealthiest men around, and evidently, he has the means to keep certain individuals at bay. Unobtrusively, security always surrounds him.

Although he is a wealthy man, it is unclear whether "The Count" has acquired his wealth solely through poker or if there are other secret sources of his fortune. He is a master at shielding his private life and concealing his true self from the world.

Beyond his unpredictable appearances in casinos, Dominic lives secluded from the public eye. Whether he has friends or family is unknown. Speculations and rumors about his past and living circumstances are widespread, but he doesn't let anyone peek into his cards.

What prompts Dominic to suddenly step into the public eye and sign up for a Bachelorette show, stirring up rumors? Is he looking to redefine his image or bring a touch of normality into his life? Does he feel lonely in his reclusive lifestyle and yearn for human connection or a romantic relationship? Could he be seeking an authentic relationship untainted by his wealth or reputation as a gambling genius?

Might this show, of all things, offer him a chance to meet someone who appreciates him for his true self, beyond his secrets and his reputation? Dominic isn't the type to follow conventional paths; he's unpredictable, so let the games begin ...

Dominic St. Clair - Sim made by me @tikay21 more info under the cut > likes / dislikes

Likes

colors: black - white

music: classical - new age - metal - world - soul

characteristics: hard working - homebody - cerebral

conversation: stories - intimacy - deception - interests

fashion: preppy - polished - hipster - rocker

activities: fitness - research - violin - piano - climbing - cooking - riding - skiing - snowboarding - writing - wellness

deco: industrial - island - vintage - contemporary - modern

Dislikes

colors: yellow

characteristics: egoistical - pesssimistic - argumentative - ambitionsless

conversation: silly - potty humor - smalltalk - gossip

fashion: boho

activities: comedy - mischief - video gaming

deco: cosmolux - cute - shabby

privat DL if chosen

I had the idea for this character a long time ago as a call for a challenge theme (make an arrogant sim) and even created a sim for it, but I never actually played it out. Here, the character concept gets a new face, and I'm curious about what's to come - or what's not.

thanks @ all creators, posemaker and builders

(even those I can`t makeout here)

builds - Casino by EA ID: ameliejo111

Villa by EA ID: marmeladart

CC by @kijiko-sims @pralinesims @magic-bot @wistfulpoltergeist @sclub-privee @creamlattedream @nesurii @luumia @simdulgencemods @northernsiberiawinds @johnnysimmer @micklayne @darte77 @beto-ae0 @birba32 @pictureamoebae @christopher067 @jius-sims @mercisims @lorisims

poses by @helgatisha - @katverse - lostsouls

Sim by @tikay21

thanks for your support by doing this @xshinx86