#Old Dominion University

[athleticperfection1]

Old Dominion Volleyball

[sarahlee333]

Living life a second time around. Changing careers after 17+ years in medical field. Aspiring funeral director. Family is everything. Dog mom, ❤️ dachshunds. Beach lover. Music lover. Atlanta Braves. Indianapolis Colts. Old Dominion University.

[miss-mollys-ballet-blog]

FOOTBALL IS BACK BABYYYY!!!

[jdcuneganbooks]

This is from 2006, when I graduated from Old Dominion University. Proudest moment of my life.

This past week, I started my new job: Senior Copywriter and Content Strategist at... Old Dominion University.

I'm back home. And I could not be happier.

[srftoy]

Big crowd for the ODU JMU game tonight at the Ted - felt like old times...

[seps456project]

Taking trips in Fashion Merchandising

The Fashion Merchandising program is an outstanding program that introduces students to the fashion industry in more than one area. The important areas that are focused on in this program are product development, promoting merchandise, production, and buying materials from suppliers. There’s a wide range of merchandise that merchandisers work with such as accessories, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes, and apparel for both women and men being the most common to work with. Students that earn a degree in Fashion Merchandising go off in the career field as wholesale or retail workers for a textile manufacturing company.

Along with the Fashion Merchandising Program classes, the university gives students the opportunity to take Fashion Marketing trips. Two of the main trips for this program are Las Vegas and New York City which are huge cities for fashion. These trips give students insight into how fashion products and services are marketed to consumers by watching buyers in action, watching, and listening to presentations as well as learning about fashion trend forecasting. Getting hands-on experience in the real world can also lead to better career opportunities once graduated.

Along with weeklong marketing trips the university also offers study abroad opportunities that can be anywhere from a weeklong to a whole semester. These study abroad trips are just as great as your regular marketing trips but allow you to push boundaries in a global aspect. As a student, you choose to study abroad through a faculty-led program or an affiliated program. By studying fashion merchandising abroad, you will be able to explore real-life examples of creativity inside and outside the classroom, visit different cities and galleries they have, and go to many different fashion events. These trips will not only challenge you but empower you to step into the fashion industry.

Attached is a picture of the Las Vegas MAGIC trade show. Attached to the photo is a link. Click the link attached to learn more about the post-pandemic 2022 MAGIC trade show!

[rhodeislandbaseballexperience]

North Kingstown, Old Dominion University's Henry Hersum - A Baseball Journey Back To The Mound

North Kingstown, Old Dominion University’s Henry Hersum – A Baseball Journey Back To The Mound

Henry Hersum is a Rhode Island baseball player I have followed and written about for a few years now. Henry played for Wickford Little League with my oldest son and I have stayed in contact with the Hersum family over the years via email and social media. He actually used to umpire my Junior Little League games as well (and did a very good job calling balls and strikes). The tall right handed…

[hypewinter]

3 HC/AU Prompt Game (3)

1). Baby Ancient Danny!

2). Liminal Batman

3). Ghost Adoption Instincts

:)

Due to his overwhelming affinity and power, Danny becomes the ancient of space. Ordinarily, this would be a momentous occasion that would call for a lot of fan fair and celebration. After all, a new ancient being born is a really big deal. Doesn't happen too often. And when it does, everyone feels it. From the most powerful of ghosts to even the slightest of liminals. If you're even a smidgen touched by death, you're gonna realize something powerful has just awakened.

But there is no celebration this time. Why? You see, not for the first time, Danny's halfa status throws a little wrench in things. When one becomes an ancient, everything gets reset for them. It's basically like a new birth. You get a new form, new core, new haunt (etc) but you still retain key aspects of your old self. Like the general age appearance and memories. But this doesn't happen with Danny. Whatever power is involved with turning a ghost into an ancient can't really get a feel on Danny considering he's not a full ghost. So when this "new birth" happens for Danny, well he gets new everything. He's basically a new ghost. A new baby ghost. A new baby ghost with dominion over space. Yeah things are about to get fun.

It doesn't take very long for Clockwork to lose sight of his new godling ward. And by lose sight, I mean lose sight. No matter how many timelines he flips through. He. Can't. Find. Him. Why can't he find him? Where did he go?? Why is this happening!? Ahhhhhhh!!

Meanwhile, Danny is vibing as he stares up at the Wayne family. The Wayne family of the DC universe. The universe famous for its convoluted and twisted timeline. The universe that's gonna take CW a while to work through (good luck buddy).

Now remember how I said that all liminals recognize when a new ancient is born? Well that's not the only ghost sense they have. You see there are two reactions to the baby currently sitting on the table depending on when someone died or at least had a brush with death compared to Danny's death. The first is, "Very powerful. Must respect. Must garner favor. Must not show weakness." This sentiment is held by all those who had their tastes of death after Danny. This includes Damian, Cass, and Tim. Then there's the other side. The ones who tasted death prior to Danny. When they look at this baby the reaction is, "Baby? Why baby alone? Must protect baby. Must take baby under my wing and keep it safe until baby can be on its own." This feeling is strong with Jason, Bruce and even Dick. There's only one problem. There is one baby but three dad candidates. Let the adoption wars begin!

[ravenclawerised]

Rewatching DS9 again and I am just so interested at how an average Bajoran would view Kira by the end of the series. How an average Cardassian would? We know that a lot of what she does is known to the Bajoran people. Shakaar mentions Furel and Lupaza bragging about her whenever they get news of the station. But lets actually take a look at this:

She is the highest ranking Bajoran on DS9 outranked only by the Emissary

Most times Sisko did anything in the capacity as the Emissary, Kira was one step behind and to the right

She was with Kai Opaka, the most widely loved and respected Bajoran, when she made her journey through the Celestial Temple and “answered the call of the prophets”

She was highly respected (and loved) by Vedek Bareil who was hugely popular on Bajor (he could very well have been Kai if he hadn’t taken the blame for Kai Opaka’s actions during the Occupation)

She and Kai Winn had a well known feud and after Kai Winn’s fall from grace at the end of the show, Kira must come out pretty great to everyone else

She is the one who found and saved the great Bajoran hero, Li Nalas, from a Cardassian work camp and then within a week saved Bajor from a civil war that had been encouraged by Cardassians.

Between her saving Li Nalas and his fellow prisoners AND finding the Ravinok and saving the Bajorans (and Cardassians and Ziyal) from the Breen mines, was she the person Bajorans turned to when searching for their lost love ones? Was she a symbol to those who kept looking for their loved ones because Kira Nerys found those thought to be lost?

She prevented ANOTHER Bajoran Civil War and helped elect Shakaar as the First Minister of Bajor. Again being associated with a widely loved and respected member of Bajoran society.

Kira was in charge of DS9 during Dominion Occupation and started up the station’s resistance cell

She was permitted to use the Orb of Time, one of Bajor’s most sacred objects

She was the chosen by a Prophet to be their vessel during the Reckoning with the Pah-Wraith...and the KAI was on the same station. But it was KIRA who was chosen

She plays chicken with a Romulan fleet...and wins!

She was a key figure in the Dominion War. She started as a resistance fighter who was assigned to a falling apart, unimportant old Cardassain station and becomes the Colonel of the single most important port in the Alpha Quadrant. She is the right hand of the Emissary. She is widely respected by many beloved figures in Bajoran society.

And this list is just the most public things that have happened to her. This doesn’t even take into account any of the stories about her that involve her dealing with whatever BS the Star Trek universe decides to throw at the characters that week. Klingons beam in and fight? Gets stabbed and keeps fighting. Emissary is transported to 2024? Kira is on the team that pulls him out.

By the end of season seven, do politicians on Bajor hold their breath or breathe a sigh of relief if Kira gets involved? Do Vedeks seek her out to ask her about being possessed by a prophet? About her experiences with the Orbs? About Kai Opaka’s last words? Do families still grieving those missing from the Occupation petition her to look for the lost?

And how about the Cardassians?

The Cardassian government would probably never publicly admit to any time she foiled their plans, but Tekeny Ghemor tells her that she has her own section in the Cardassian Central Archives and is a public figure on Cardassia

Would the Cardassians in the Breen mine whisper their thanks among their family that Kira Nerys found them?

Tekeny Ghemor, someone who was respected enough to be considered as the face for the Cardassian resistance against the Dominion controlled Cardassian puppet government, publicly considered her his daughter/family by asking her to participate in the Shri-tal ritual and give her all of his secrets prior to his death (something highly valued in Cardassian society)

She was a part of Damar’s resistance. She helped them fight the Dominion and was with Damar when he died for Cardassia. In the story of how Damar was martyred for Cardassia’s freedom from the Dominion, Kira Nerys, a Bajoran, is heavily featured.

In all Bajoran/Cardassian relations, do Cardassians seek to involve Kira as a woman of her word who will treat in good faith or do they cross their fingers and hope she is nowhere near their business?

Can you tell I think about Kira Nerys a lot?

[antimony-medusa]

MCYT on Ao3 — January '24

The state of MCYT on Ao3, just for fun. Yes I do this every month, I like numbers. This time the period we're covering will include many holiday exchanges, so I'm excited to see if that's represented!

The Cube SMP (8 works)

Slamacow Minecraft Animations (Web Series) (10 works)

iDots SMP (23 works)

30 Day SMP | Free Trial SMP (27 works)

Legacy SMP (28 works)

Cogchamp SMP (29 works)

Content SMP (30 works)

Epic SMP (32 works)

Art of Survival SMP (36 works)

Dominion SMP (38 works)

Shady Oaks SMP (49 works)

X Life SMP (51 works)

100 Hours Hardcore SMP (54 works)

IvoryCello's Prison Escapes (Web Series) (56 works)

Bear SMP (60 works)

SadSMP (66 works)

My Inner Demons - Aphmau (Web Series) (67 works)

Mer SMP (82 works)

Area Unknown SMP (89 works)

Kaboodle SMP (91 works)

Tortillaland SMP (115 works)

House Builder Gang SMP | HBG SMP (135 works)

New Life SMP (169 works)

Slimecicle Cinematic Universe (Web Series) (174 works)

WitchCraft SMP (182 works)

Pirates SMP (213 works)

Rats SMP (234 works)

SMPLive (295 works)

SMPEarth (304 works)

Mianite (Web Series) (379 works)

Outsiders SMP (393 works)

Afterlife SMP (395 works)

MindCrack RPF (504 works)

MyStreet - Aphmau (Web Series) (543 works)

Evolution SMP (693 works)

Minecraft: Story Mode (Video Game) (824 works)

Karmaland SMP (842 works)

Fable SMP (1,012 works)

Lifesteal SMP (1,546 works)

Origins SMP (1575 works)

The Yogscast (3,215 works)

Empires SMP (6,408 works)

QSMP | Quackity SMP (7,375 works)

3rd Life | Last Life SMP Series (10,336 works)

Hermitcraft SMP (20,093 works)

Dream SMP (85,051 works)

Minecraft (Video Game) (110,119 works)

Video Blogging RPF (279,422 works)

Some notes:

No new tags that I saw this month, though as always I could have missed something! As you can see, we already have quite the assortment of canonized tags.

Fics are still primarily in english, but we have three exceptions with significant spanish fics. Karmaland (740 of 842 are in spanish, from 731 last month), Tortillaland (110 of 115 are in spanish, the same as last month), and QSMP (752 of 7,375 are in spanish, from 668 last month.)

QSMP also shows 39 fics in French, up from 30 last month, and 405 in Brasilian Portugese, up from 375 last month. While I did not check every language this month, I checked on the languages I knew had a fic in QSMP and we see 1 fic in ASL (probably a misclick as it appears to be in english), 1 fic in Bahasa Malaysia, 1 fic in German, 1 fic in Esperanto, 1 fic in Filipino, 5 works in European Portugese, 5 fics in Русский (Russian), 1 fic in Suomi (Finnish), 1 fic in Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), and 3 fics in 中文-普通话 國語 (Mandarin Chinese, I believe), all the same as last month. New is two fics in Polski (Polish), one fic in Svenska (Swedish), and one fic in Dansk (Danish).

In the small and micro fandoms (under 200 fics), some of the most active small fandoms have grown out of this category so we only saw small amounts of growth. The standout fandoms all saw an increase of 6 works, and that was a tie between Content SMP, New Life SMP, and Witchcraft SMP. Note that Content SMP was coming up from only 24 works, so 6 new works is an increase of 25% of the fandom, truly impressive.

In the midsize fandoms (200-1000), Fable SMP has broken that 1000-fic mark and can no longer qualify for our standout fandom! Instead, our most active fandom was Evolution SMP, with 33 new works, followed by Mystreet with 20 fics and Minecraft: Story Mode with 24 fics. Mystreet and Story Mode are both new fandoms so it's unclear whether that's people retagging old work or true new fics.

For the post-canon big fandoms: Empires went up by 178 works, singificantly more than last month's 117, but not beating the previous month's 240, and Dream SMP's increase of 918 beat the previous month's 767, but is still only the second time I've seen this fandom fall under a thousand works plus a month. Hermitcraft is between seasons right now, but still experienced that holiday exchange boost, as its increase of 784 beat both last month's 574 and the previous month's 651. For active fandoms, traffic series posted a staggering 831 fics, which is its highest ever number, beating April 2023's 671 fics. QSMP saw 865 fics, which is part of a three month decline (894 last month, 913 the month before), but still posting numbers that are only exceeded by DSMP.

Overall, the number of fics posted under Video Blogging-RPF (the umbrella fandom that contains all MCYT) is 4,223 fics, a significant increase from last month's 3,489, and the previous month's 4,035, but still exceeded by October's record 4,702. Notably, it's higher than the summer numbers and almost exactly the same as the number we saw last January, 4,235 new works.

Detailed breakdown under the cut

The Cube SMP (8 works, 8 last month, 0-fic increase)

Slamacow Minecraft Animations (Web Series) (10 works, 10 last month, 0-fic increase)

iDots SMP (23 works, 22 last month, 1-fic increase)

30 Day SMP | Free Trial SMP (27 works, 27 last month, 0-fic increase)

Legacy SMP (28 works, 28 last month, 0-fic increase)

Cogchamp SMP (29 works, 29 last month, 0-fic increase)

Content SMP (30 works, 24 last month, 6-fic increase)

Epic SMP (32 works, 32 last month, 0-fic increase)

Art of Survival SMP (36 works, 36 last month, 0-fic increase)

Dominion SMP (38 works, 33 last month, 5-fic increase)

Shady Oaks SMP (49 works, 47 last month, 2-fic increase)

X Life SMP (51 works, 50 last month, 1-fic increase)

100 Hours Hardcore SMP (54 works, 54 last month, 0-fic increase)

IvoryCello's Prison Escapes (Web Series) (56 works, 54 last month, 2-fic increase)

Bear SMP (60 works, 59 last month, 1-fic increase)

SadSMP (66 works, 66 last month, 0-fic increase)

My Inner Demons - Aphmau (Web Series) (67 works, 64 last month, 3-fic increase)

Mer SMP (82 works, 80 last month, 2-fic increase)

Area Unknown SMP (89 works, 87 last month, 2-fic increase)

Kaboodle SMP (91 works, 87 last month, 4-fic increase)

Tortillaland SMP (115 works, 115 last month, 0-fic increase)

House Builder Gang SMP | HBG SMP (135 works, 134 last month, 1-fic increase)

New Life SMP (169 works, 163 last month, 6-fic increase)

Slimecicle Cinematic Universe (Web Series) (174 works, 169 last month, 5-fic increase)

WitchCraft SMP (182 works, 176 last month, 6-fic increase)

Pirates SMP (213 works, 195 last month, 18-fic increase)

Rats SMP (234 works, 229 last month, 5-fic increase)

SMPLive (295 works, 286 last month, 9-fic increase)

SMPEarth (304 works, 289 last month, 15-fic increase)

Mianite (Web Series) (379 works, 373 last month, 6-fic increase)

Outsiders SMP (393 works, 374 last month, 19-fic increase)

Afterlife SMP (395 works, 390 last month, 5-fic increase)

MindCrack RPF (504 works, 503 last month, 1-fic increase)

MyStreet - Aphmau (Web Series) (543 works, 523 last month, 20-fic increase)

Evolution SMP (693 works, 660 last month, 33-fic increase)

Minecraft: Story Mode (Video Game) (824 works, 800 last month, 24-fic increase)

Karmaland SMP (842 works, 824 last month, 18-fic increase)

Fable SMP (1,012 works, 945 last month, 67-fic increase)

Lifesteal SMP (1,546 works, 1,461 last month, 85-fic increase)

Origins SMP (1,575 works, 1,541 last month, 34-fic increase)

The Yogscast (3,215 works, 3,213 last month, 2-fic increase)

Empires SMP (6,408 works, 6,230 last month, 178-fic increase)

QSMP | Quackity SMP (7,375 works, 6,510 last month, 865-fic increase)

3rd Life | Last Life SMP Series (10,336 works, 9,505 last month, 831-fic increase)

Hermitcraft SMP (20,093 works, 19,309 last month, 784-fic increase)

Dream SMP (85,051 works, 918-fic increase)

Minecraft (Video Game) (110,119 works, 438-fic increase)

Video Blogging RPF (279,422 works, 4223-fic increase)

[stirringwinds]

Your thoughts on Alfreds similarity to Arthur, their dynamic and their father-son relationshio is incredible and so very enjoyable! The way Arthur sees Alfred; his hyperindependent son who rejects his fathers ideas and uplifts his own ambitions, not understanding that while his own ambition and view of the world is not completely identical to his fathers, it's a mirror image in scale and vigour. It is the same old tale of the prince beheading the king, taking the crown and vowing to never become his father, only to come full circle and have his enemies tell him "you're just like him."

Alfred may be the "black sheep" of the family, but not even Arthur can hide his favoritism for the lad. His firstborn is more like him than anyone of his children, and that bears pride, yet fear as well.

Im just trying to say that if you had a million fans, I am one of them, if you had one fan, its me, if you had zero fans im dead. <3

thank you so much! (: in return, i have to say how much i love your art, especially of the pacific siblings + the old man. you bring them to life really beautifully.

and yes! i just love the excellent contradictions that come out when digging into arthur and alfred as a father-and-son dynamic. i enjoy putting a twist on the usual tropes of the 'black sheep' and 'golden boy/crown prince', where it's often two different siblings. here, out of the 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿 siblings, alfred is the black sheep and the crown prince. he is the estranged eldest brother who seemingly does whatever the hell he wants. he overshadows them all even in his absence. like, for Jack and Zee especially, it's not a flattering picture of Alfred they get from Arthur. Ungrateful wretch, fool of a lad, hotheaded and arrogant, a flash in the pan...etc etc. but even quite young, before WWI or WWII, they realise that Alfred is the only one of them Arthur truly sees as anything close to an equal. that contrast is sharpened by how Arthur treats Matt—who was the 'older brother' they actually knew: the otherwise competent shocktroop of empire and first dominion shouldering various responsibilities. to defy Arthur is to earn his enmity, but also the only way to earn his respect.

like most other nations who become empires—Arthur doesn't truly believe in heirs: the sun never sets on the british empire, no? and when you are an eldritch being given life by the power of human ideas, immortality is a possibility they can't help aspiring to, no matter how much history is littered with the rise and fall of nations once arrogant enough to believe themselves invincible. and Arthur, at the height of British power, allows himself to believe that. for all his shrewdness and study of history, he's not immune to being seduced by that possibility. why shouldn't his empire be different? driven by the power of industrial civilisation that Rome could never dream of. Arthur never wanted Alfred to be his heir because he would never relinquish power willingly (just as the British Empire did not give itself up until the combined weight of world war two, anti-colonial movements and bankruptcy broke its back), but with his defiance, Alfred is the only kind of heir he would respect.

It is the same old tale of the prince beheading the king, taking the crown and vowing to never become his father, only to come full circle and have his enemies tell him "you're just like him."

indeed! i always see a real Titanomachy theme between Arthur and Alfred for that reason; the British and American empires certainly loved to perceive themselves as heirs to classical antiquity after all. the Greek story of the war between the younger generation of Olympian gods and Titans to determine who would have dominion over the universe. Zeus, with his siblings, overthrows his father Cronus— in a manner of speaking, that is what happens with WWII. Alfred is both Arthur's deliverance (lend lease, d-day...) and the one who usurps him: America replacing Britain's prime role in the Pacific, reshaping and redefining alliances with Australia, New Zealand and Canada. in the eyes of many of the Old World nations, Alfred is his father's heir. to end off, here's a short snippet from a WIP i'm working on set during the American Civil War:

Arthur laughs. “Do I make you do anything anymore, Alfred? Didn't you throw away my name almost a century ago? Did you not loudly announce yourself as a maritime power? That huge uproar you created in the Far East? Bragging to me how you’d done what I failed, dragging another Old World nation out of isolation to rejoin the international community on the threat of war and glories of foreign commerce?” Alfred opens his mouth—to say something self-righteous and hypocritical, Arthur is certain—but then he lifts his chin coolly. “As opposed to the actual war you started in China? If anything, with the Treaty of Kanagawa, I proved how one could secure foreign trading interests with both firmness but far more civilisation. You and I," Alfred sneers, “are not the same.” “An unequal treaty is an unequal treaty— that I will not deny even if I will not give up its benefits. This world is not for soft men or women, and the old warlord that Yao is—he knows that well.” Arthur smiles sharply. “Do you hate the fact that when the other Old World nations look at you, they see my blood running in your veins?"

Arthur imo, is definitely that father who plays favourites. Alfred is his greatest disappointment but also the one he loves the most—in the dysfunctional way that a man who is an empire comes closest to loving the son who mirrors him the most in his pitiless ambition and cunning. Alfred sees himself as a genuine idealist, as someone struggling to be free of his father and all his bad traits, but when Alfred rises to power, Arthur believes he's the only one who truly understands him the most. It's almost the possessive element of 'I gave you life, I named you and made you what you are, and no matter how much you scorn my name, my influence will define you forever.' Father and son, king and crown prince, regicide and patricide—but also creator and his creation made in his image.

[queerprayers]

Today is (for many of us) the feast of Christ the King, and I wanted to take a moment to honor that. I was baptized on this feast, and I've always been drawn to it. Originally instituted by the pope in 1925 as a response to growing nationalism and secularism, making it the newest element of the liturgical year, most Lutherans and other liturgical Protestants also honor this day.

I have differing opinions on secular rule/the separation of church and state (and evangelism, for that matter) than the founders of this feast did, but I can appreciate the yearning for more world leaders/political groups/religious groups to recognize our true callings as human beings--to each other, to Love. And I love the concept of combating nationalism with allegiance to a higher power!

"King" has a lot of political implications, and mostly negative associations for anyone like me, so I wanted to point out how the original encyclical describes this title of Jesus's, by quoting Cyril of Alexandria: "Christ," he says, "has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but his by essence and by nature." Today is the reason I'm not a monarchist--there is no earthly ruler that has my allegiance. There is no earthly rule established without force. My allegiance is to Christ, the ruler of the only valid kingdom; to God's house, the only state without lines on a map; to Love which is the universe, the only empire that includes people by embracing them rather than conquering them.

We can only understand so much of who God is. We separate out God's roles; we can only focus on one tiny piece of the universe at once. (This is why we have holidays--to honor pieces of our religion in human time.) The king we are called to serve is only called "king" because that's one of the closest words we have in our language to describe what we're talking about--the old-fashioned meaning of king, one born for the role and called to die for the role. A romanticized meaning perhaps, one that has never been true in any society, one that has caused so much harm, but nonetheless one used throughout centuries to get across one of the ways we approach God--along with "father" and "friend" and "bridegroom" and "creator."

We pray for God's kingdom to come because that's an idea we can understand--we can logically process that a new kingdom coming, a new empire conquering, means everything changes, the rules are turned upside down. We hold this language while acknowledging there is so much more to it. If you can't stomach using these words, if they are filled with violence for you, I encourage you to sit with that truth, consider what it would be like to take earthly ideas and fill them with Love, and also acknowledge you do not have to use this language. We try to hold God with our words and fail over and over. We come to God from our culture and language and time and we squint at the universe. We see in a mirror dimly, for now.

As we encounter earthly nationalism and imperialism and colonialism and warmongering, as we see people claim that their nation-state is chosen by God, we honor power turning on its head today. We see Jesus revealing what kingship, what ruling, what power is when Love is the center of the universe. Jesus, who had more power than any human, fed the hungry, hung out with the oppressed and misunderstood, threatened the powerful without violence, was killed by earthly empire, and conquered death with life.

May we, as members of God's kingdom, under Jesus's rule--by choosing this as our practice--serve the only king who has ever deserved our allegiance. We work to bring our communities and religious groups and, yes, our nation-states, closer to the image God has set for us, but ultimately we know we are creating and navigating human-made borders between things that will one day be one.

You already know what God has asked of you. It's not a democracy but neither is it a monarchy, really--it's something else. Something you have to opt in to, but don't really get a choice in. Something you can run from but never escape. Something that once you see clearly, you'll never be satisfied without. You are technically free to abandon the work, but you would be abandoning the only thing that will make us whole. Call your government representative. Go to a protest. Give money to the person by the side of the road. Read a book. Hug your lover. Feed the birds. Denounce your country in favor of your community and every single human being. You are a citizen of the universe, which is God, which is love. Christ the King, the reign of Christ, means what rules us is Life.

(We look down the road to Advent--to new year, rebirth, apocalypse. "Apocalypse" meaning unveiling, revelation, disclosure. We see in a mirror dimly, and then--thy kingdom come--we see face to face. All at once, awfully, blindingly, daylight after years of darkness. Christ the King says, what if New Year's Eve was a surrender to time and power? What if before you even remembered Christmas exists, you were confronted with the reality of your calling? This is the feast of victory to our God. Alleluia!)

[el-lionne]

The Truth About Lilith From Hazbin Hotel (Historically)

So, I recently binged Hazbin Hotel and LOVED IT. I also happen to be a historian who studies ancient religious texts connected to Christianity, so I kind of already knew the truth about Lilith at the start of the show. However, I quickly learned the fandom as a whole were surprised by Lilith's appearance in the last episode and didn't even know the nature of the deal she made with Adam/ God - so I decided to share it here.

Lilith's story can be found in the Alphabet of Ben Sira (8th - 10th century AD). This text is famous for many reasons but mostly because it's the first time Lilith is formally introduced and she is acknowledged as Eve's predecessor (Lilith's existence is suggested prior to this by assorted Babylonian, Greek and Jewish texts, but this is the first time you hear her story. It is assumed the story came from oral tradition so it's unknown how old/ original it actually is).

I attached the relevant passage down below but do feel free to check out the book yourself (it's translated from the original Aramaic - sorry if it sounds odd) Also, slight spoiler warning, as this will explain what Lilith's deal with Adam/ God most likely was, thereby providing the real reason why the exterminations have been happening (if the show is using this as it's inspiration, which I suspect it is given the details in the passage).

"After God created Adam, who was alone, He said, "It is not good for man to be alone." He then created a woman for Adam, from the earth, as He had created Adam himself, and called her Lilith. Adam and Lilith immediately began to fight. She said, "I will not lie below," and he said, "I will not lie beneath you, but only on top. For you are fit only to be in the bottom position, while I am to be the superior one." Lilith responded, "We are equal to each other inasmuch as we were both created from the earth." But they would not listen to one another. When Lilith saw this, she pronounced the Ineffable Name and flew away into the air.

[She essentially ran off cause Adam's a dick. They do this in the show, which is why I immediately assumed they were taking inspiration from this text.]

Adam stood in prayer before his Creator: "Sovereign of the universe!" he said, "the woman you gave me has run away." At once, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent these three angels Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof, to bring her back. Said the Holy One to Adam, "If she agrees to come back, what is made is good. If not, she must permit one hundred of her children to die every day." The angels left God and pursued Lilith, whom they overtook in the midst of the sea, in the mighty waters wherein the Egyptians were destined to drown. They told her God's word, but she did not wish to return. The angels said, "We shall drown you in the sea." "Leave me!' she said. "I was created only to cause sickness to infants. If the infant is male, I have dominion over him for eight days after his birth, and if female, for twenty days." When the angels heard Lilith's words, they insisted she go back. But she swore to them by the name of the living and eternal God: "Whenever I see you or your names or your forms in an amulet, I will have no power over that infant." She also agreed to have one hundred of her children die every day.

[Leaving aside her being a demon who kills kids, and these three angels having more power than her, Lilith essentially agrees to let daily exterminations happen to keep her away from Adam. Is Lucifer involved in any way? It's not clear. In the show it's suggested he was. The show also adapted the deal so that the killing is yearly and not limited to just 100 demons, alongside some other changes. That being said, the principle is the same. Lilith made a deal for her life and now demons die.]

Accordingly, every day one hundred demons perish, and for the same reason, we write the angels' names on the amulets of young children. When Lilith sees their names, she remembers her oath, and the child recovers."

So, using this source material, I theorize that Lilith (and probably Lucifer) made the deal in order to essentially spare her life and keep her away from Adam. And that is why the exterminations happen. However, now Adam is dead, I guess the deal no longer stands and Lilith has to bargain for her life again (hence the ending of episode 8). I've no clue what she was doing hiding up in heaven but I look forward to finding out.

I think it's clear the overpopulation/ fear of rebellion thing is why the angels wanted the deal, but that they needed the king and/ or queen of hell to agree to it. Which would explain them threatening Lilith's life. Or...maybe even Charlie's? Who knows with this show.

Anyway, I hope that was interesting for you guys! All the best!

[srftoy]

Homecoming tailgate…

[wispstalk]

all my skyrim faction characters (so far...)

Top row: Seadnha and Mr. CFG

Middle row: Sanshen-ko and Ransi Ralaal

Bottom row: Gil and Abi

info about them below the cut

Seadnha - thieves' guild

17 years old - displaced child of the Reach

Raised an injured crow while making her way south; by the time she is in Riften she has a small flock trained to bring her things. Mostly other people's things.

Looks small, is small!

Mr. CFG - dark brotherhood

51 years old - fugitive Colovian

Insurgent priest of Talos who fled Cyrodiil for Stormcloak territory

have yet to give him a real name. CFG stands for "completely fucked guy"

Sanshen-ko - dawnguard

38 years old - formerly of Elsweyr's High Savannah

Found a new lease on life as a barber-surgeon traveling with Akhari's caravan

Sees crossbow; covets crossbow

Ransi Ralaal - bards college

20 years old- mixed dunmeri/bosmeri heritage, from Windhelm

Scavenges Dwemer ruins for stuff to build weird homebrew synthesizers

Mysterious patron pays his tuition

Gil - arcane university

63 years old - failson of Dominion diplomats in the Imperial City

Rich layabout packed off to study at the frozen ass-end of the world to reduce familial embarrassment

Friendly, likeable, and death-obsessed

Abi - ms dragonborn herself

31 - raised near Leyawiin by parents from Hammerfell

Journeyman blacksmith on her way to Solitude to work for her second cousin's husband

Women want her, slaughterfish fear her

[somestardeww]

something with stiles x fem!reader ;D

¹reader is alternative (the style, lol) and is a bit provocative too, but in a confident way. ²contains inaccurate descriptions of college dorms, smut under the cut :)

side note: this was supposed to be something short, maybe a pwp lmaooo

Stiles was never a guy with a lot of free time, as he spent half of his time dealing with the supernatural and the other half was divided between his dream college and taking care of his father, who, even though he was much older than him, left your food automatically, without worrying too much about your health.

So moving into college housing freshman year at the age of 18 was a… frighteningly interesting experience. He feared for his father, even though Scott had assured him he would keep an eye on him. He had also forced his friends to talk to him if something supernatural happened in Beacon Hills (he knew that his friends would try to solve everything themselves so as not to bother him, but there was no harm in trying).

For the first few months he was alone in the accommodation, it seems the universe finally smiled on him; the privacy and peace he had to do everything, from studying to doing nothing, was incredible.

Well, until now. The middle of the college year was approaching, and with it some students who transferred from other colleges to their unit, for various reasons. This was apparently the reason why some dorms had one or no people when they were made for doubles.

Stiles was on his way to the principal's office to find out who he would be sharing a room with when he ran into her.

He doesn't know what he gave himself, but there was something about that person in front of him that attracted him in every way. He didn't realize he was staring until he saw you heading towards him, stopping right in front of him. He thought he might faint.

"you can take a photo, beautiful, it will last longer" She said and smiled. The tone wasn't mocking… it was more of an amusing tone, as if it had entertained her. "What is your name?" You speak, and Stiles takes a couple seconds to reason. Damn, after all those years of liking Lídia he really thought he would know how to deal with female people better.

"Ah, my name is Stiles! It's nice to meet you. You transferred, right?"

You introduce yourself and agree, and then ask him for directions "Can you tell me which is dominion 53? I was placed there"

Stiles didn't know if he would jump up and down with excitement or if he would curl up in a fetal position for the next few minutes.

That was his dorm.

"It's my dorm, actually" He says and scratches the back of his head, his hair was growing there. Maybe it was time to shave…

"Then show me the way, sir" You say in a slightly excited way, looking at him.

As you walk and talk through the halls on your way to your own dorm, he can't take his eyes off you. His alternative punk style suited his personality. He also noticed that it was very, very easy to talk to you, as if you had known each other for a while.

When they arrive at the dorm, he notices that you are impressed with the place, looking around for a while and then asking what your room would be. The place was made up of a common room, with a TV, sofa and bookshelf with some books with an armchair nearby and a small kitchen with a fridge, stove and some cupboards, with a table that was full of Stiles' papers, who thought the place very comfortable.

────────────────────────────────

After a few weeks you were already used to living together, and you talked every day like old friends. the table that stiles used in the room slowly started to be used by the two of you, who also began to study frequently together, sometimes spending the night studying some old cold and unsolved FBI case.

One of the only times of the day you weren't together was in your own classes and when you both went to sleep.

And as time went by, Stiles started to hate that last part.

Not that he didn't like sleeping, but, you see, it's not easy to sleep with a painful, throbbing erection between your legs, which starts releasing pre-cum whenever Stiles thinks about you in the privacy of his own room. That was the moment when, outside of classes, he had nowhere to divert the thoughts he had about you.

And he remembered well when you started to disturb his nights: it was when he went to gather the clothes to be washed, since it was his week to do this task, and went to his room. he hadn't found anything out of the ordinary, until the moment he picked up something… wet? He lifts it to see what it was and finds his panties all wet with obvious cum, they were almost dripping with something he assumed was his excitement.

until it got worse lmfao

A few nights after that, he found himself lying in his own bed,

with his limbs spread out while one of his arms covered his own eyes. He was ready to give in to taking a cold shower to try to get rid of that erection that wouldn't go away, because he avoided touching himself too much thinking about you (he would definitely remember this at some random moment of the day and would be embarrassed) when he heard a soft moan. He thought it was something in his own mind with tension, so he ignored it… until he heard it again, louder.

The noises became frequent and then the penny dropped: you were making a fuss. And apparently, I was thinking about him too, if the loud moans that said "Stiles~ oh, fuuucckkk" that you let out were anything to go by.

He stopped in his bed, frozen halfway to standing up as he listened to her sounds, which were getting louder and louder, when his hand automatically went to his own erection, squeezing it tightly as he sighed in relief at the light contact. His hand started moving up and down faster and faster, and he could feel his dick throb every time you moaned louder and he could hear it.

How were you? Was she squeezing her breasts, or was her attention focused solely on her pussy? Was she touching her own clitoris while thinking about his tongue there? He didn't know, but just the possibility that his thoughts were, for the first time, real, he felt his hips rise against his own hands as he tightened his grip on his own cock, increasing the pace almost automatically.

This went on for a few moments, but he wouldn't be able to get there, not with you touching yourself so audibly so close to him. Then he got up and left the room. Without thinking too much, so as not to lose his courage, he went to your door and was surprised by the fact that it was ajar, giving him a partial view of you, wrapped in the blankets with one hand between your legs, obviously touching your own pussy. , while gripping the pillow above you.

He sees your absolutely beautiful breasts move with your heavy breathing and, taking advantage of the exact moment when you moan his name in such an obscene and beautiful way, he responds:

"Yes Princess?" as he leans against the frame of his door, smiling as he becomes deeply distracted by the sight before him.

You look at him in shock, your movements stopping as you stare at him, speechless and analyzing the boy in front of you.

It was no secret to you how attractive Stiles was, and you really didn't know how he didn't have anyone to call hers. From the first moment you were enchanted by him, by how naturally funny he is and how he didn't judge you based on your appearance and style; right now he didn't seem to be judging you… he even seemed horny.

Seeing his expression and how he was behaving you relaxed on the bed, your pussy still pulsing as you gave him a drunken smile, saying "hi Stiles, have you been there for a long time darling?"

"I just arrived, but I've been listening for a while, yes. These walls are very thin, you know" He speaks and you pay attention to him. He turns more towards you as the words leave his mouth, him becoming more comfortable, and gives you the view of his cock forming a tent in the pants he probably wears without underwear.

"I know… why don't you come closer and tell me about it, pretty boy?" You talk and smile, patting the bed in an invitation that wasn't meant to talk about the dorm's infrastructure.

"Gorgeous woman speaks, I obey." He responds, heading towards you.

He gets to the foot of the bed and looks at you, saying "Hi" to which you respond by pulling him on top of you while kissing him.

"Do you realize how much I wanted to do that, baby? Kiss you like that?" You say, wrapping your legs around his hips and caressing Stiles' bare arms.

"I haven't wanted you for as long as I have, I guarantee it" He replies, holding your waist and kissing you on your neck, the trail continuing to your breasts as he feels your legs wrapping around him, smiling at the gesture while squeezing your waist.

"Why don't you show me what else you want to do to me, sti?" You speak finally, looking him in the eyes as he looks back at you, kissing your nipples.

"I would love"