#and beautiful and special and human and basically one of the greatest pieces of art ever made

[idlesuperstar]

current sexual orientation: tweedy, warm, intelligent, wry, ping-pong playing, whisky-drinking, poetry-quoting, motorbike-racing, gloriously red-headed here-on-earth-I-am-your-defending-counsel Doctor Frank Reeves [Roger Livesey: A Matter of Life And Death, Powell & Pressburger, 1946]

[chemicalpink]

☾✧゜Tarot Reading: Who is RM to the members or basically BTS being whipped for Namjoon ☾✧゜

A/N: GODDD now that muster is winding down (and honestly it has brought so many new ideas that i do not have time for but will make an effort to) may I present to you this reading, I didn’t plan on it, it kinda just slapped me in the face one day and I had to do it. So please enjoy!

Disclaimer: This analysis/reading is based on my experience and knowledge of tarot and astrology, it is not meant to be the absolute truth, as BTS are real people, and astrology/ tarot can only capture so much about multidimensional humans that have had past experiences and cultural approaches amongst other things, it does not have to resonate with you since this is in no way related to anyone reading it (unless you are a member of BTS in which case, get out of here lol ) This is just for entertainment purposes.

Disclaimer no.2: remember that tarot as a form of divination only allows us to read current energy and as time advances it becomes less accurate, so it basically reads up to a 6 months period of time.

Methods used: tarot, oracle and astrodice

Jin: so, Namjoon for him is the greatest symbol of a good foundation within the group, Seokjin has very present the hard times that BTS went through and it comes to mind when he thinks about Namjoon in his life, he kinda griefs the fact that he is the oldest and he wishes he had helped Namjoon bear all of it, ultimately, he doesn’t feel pity for him, and Joon is just this immense source of wisdom and strength that he looks up to. This is also confirmed by astrodice, which shows north node libra fifth house, he deeply believes that it was destiny, him crossing paths with Namjoon, to make him a better person and learn from him.

Yoongi: So I’m seeing a theme here, a mix between the broken , the fated and ultimately the stability; for Yoongi, Namjoon is this kid that he has recurrently watched get broken over and over again for his and the other members’ sake, a kid that is able to come up with the most beautiful art pieces out of the fractured parts of his soul, another word coming up is homey, Namjoon feels like home to him, not a perfect one, but a much needed one. With Neptune Aquarius 9th house, Yoongi keeps close to his heart the way that Namjoon was there for him in his darkest moments and helped him through them, reaching a point where he is a source of inspiration.

Hoseok: Namjoon is his answer to wishing upon a star, he represents the opportunity of a lifetime, the reason he is the man he is today, more so, he has an absolute blind fate in him, he trusts him to make career decisions which honestly are life decisions, being around Namjoon, having him in his life is a golden ticket for adventure, he is always waiting to see where their amazing leader will take them next. Neptune Capricorn in the first house also tells us that Namjoon undoubtedly represents an authority figure in his life, but one that is the light of his life path.

Jimin: Now, this man absolutely adores Namjoon. He has come to earn himself a special place in Jimin’s mind as his inner voice of reason, a guardian of his health and over all well being. Namjoon brings the best out of this Libra man, he is a sense of balance, of nurture, of just the purest feelings and concerns that Jimin has a hard time seeing about himself. The dice in Mercury Sagittarius 7th house also tells us that he considers Namjoon his own brother, he also very much admires his mind and perspective on life.

Taehyung: Namjoon is this constant figure in his life, someone to rely on while growing up. It’s actually pretty wholesome, cause what comes up the most is a playful dynamic of Namjoon working his way to get Tae to do stuff, in true leader fashion but he’s always sneaking around. He does however, think very highly of Namjoon, he knows that by being by his side, there’s no actual way that his dreams and ambitions won’t come true. He’s his safe space. South Node Libra 7th house points out that he believes meeting Joon was fate itself.

Jungkook: Listen, we been knew, Namjoon was and will forever be JK’s crush, this dude exploded my deck once again, he goes all over the place with excitement at remembering that Joon is part of his life. Namjoon is this eternal feeling of comfort and feeling his heart swell at knowing that there’s someone in his life taking care of him but also one that he can return the favour; evidently, he has been there for him growing up, and he very much perceives him as this person that he can rely on for everything and anything. Venus Capricorn 6th house confirms that even though he is this authority figure while at work, he is this big softie that he adores.

Himself: So I have no doubt that he is on a process of loving himself, but he constantly feels like he is in a battle with himself, up to this day, he still can’t believe the life he is living, he feels trapped in an illusion, he doesn’t hurt himself over those thoughts, just tends to dwell on them for a bit. Venus Pisces 2nd house, confirms that he is in his way to realise his self worth, to finally see himself like everyone else does.

[twopoppies]

hi, Gina! how are you? I thought a lot if I would send anonymously or not but I decided to because I'm too shy. This message is basically a review of literally making love.

I am going to be completely honest with you, Gina, I was very reluctant to read mainly because I don't like robots, I really don't, specially after watching I, Robot. But there is a big but on this and that's why I'm sending you this. The reason I decided to read literraly making love was because of gathered on wings. I first read gathered on wings and I really enjoyed the way you write so I decided to give a chance.

I am always rambling, so I'm sorry if I'm not following a train of thoughts.

As I was reading I stopped seeing Harry as a robot and started to see him as a human, as the creation of Frankenstein -> I mean, someone who was created the way the creator wanted - so with the specific colors in the eyes or the size of the hand etc - but at the same time they were not created to be perfect; and even if is not a real person, it doesn't mean is a monster, he still has emotions, he still has a world to discover, he still has a lot of things to do and learn. So I started to like the fic I think mainly because you started to describe who was Harry, like his soft skin, his lips, his warmth, how he reacted when he felt jealous and I just stopped seeing him as piece of metal and really started to seem him as a creation of Frankenstein.

What I really enjoyed in the whole fic was to see the maturity been grown up in both, not only in Harry because he doesn't know anything but in Louis as well. I could see a lot of what I am learning in college (psychology) and what my therapist say to me in sections. Example: harry had to googled a lot to learn abour things but he had to learn as well that there is a difference between having information and what you do with that, how do you use in your life, with whom and when. And when I had this thought it just clicked in my head something my therapist said to me last week -> There is idealizantion and there is reality. And I kinda saw this in louis' point of view, like he was imagining what it would happen and it turned out totally different.

I really enjoyed to see the whole narrative being really close to what is in real life, specially some speeches coming from Louis like you need to respect privacy, you need to talk, you just cant act the way you want because you live in a fucking society and you're with someone/something that has feelings, has a life, has they own problems, you just can't live like you own the world. So thank you for emphasizing this part, I think is really important. You wrote your fics in a way that readers can catch some parts and try to do a connection to the real world and their own lifes. I think it's fantastic.

At the end I had I tought that I thought I would never have, specifically coming from someone who doesn't like robots. Maybe louis could do himself just like he did Harry, he could maybe do an android that looks exactly like him and maybe when he died his brain could be put on the android and all his memories will be safe and both of them will live forever. But at the same time I was thinking about it, I started to think that some cycles need an end, that nothing will last forever, everything has phases. I dont know, I'm in limbo. Do you think doing a part 2?

In my head I have a lot more to say, a lot more that I have analysed but I just can't put in words. To finish I just wanted to say thank you for this fic! I had a prejudgment and today I think totally different. And what it gave a spicy in the fic was your drawing! They are beautiful! you totally nailed it! Congratulations on everything!

have a nice night/day Gina!

Oh my goodness. This is such a thoughtful and thought-provoking message. Thank you so, so much for taking the time to message me. I’m so happy that you picked up on so many little things and honestly, I’m really touched that you read it, even though you didn’t expect to like it, and ended up loving it. That truly is the greatest compliment

As for your question about what comes next and a part two, I would love to write more in that ‘verse because I love those characters so much. Right now I don’t think I could do it any justice. But your idea of building a robot Louis is so intriguing. 🤔🤔🤔

The way I imagined the rest of the story is that as Louis grows older, he builds older versions of Harry so they get to experience growing old together; greying hair, achey joints and all. And, at some point, Harry convinces Louis to set his system up so that when Louis ultimately passes away (after they’ve lived a very long and happy life together, thank you), Harry simply powers down for good, and neither one has to live without the other.

I’d love to write it, I just need to figure out a story that’s worth reading. But bless you for being intrigued. It means a lot. And I’m so glad you liked my art, as well!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

Literally Making Love (E, 30K)

Holding up one of the android's eyes to the workshop’s windows, he smiled as the light picked up the gold flecks in the pale green of his irises. Louis had always paid attention to even the tiniest details.

--

All Louis intended to do was rescue someone in need from loneliness. He had no idea it would be himself.

[an-ambivalent]

Yandere! Sasori Headcanons

WARNING:  This post contains yandere themes and mentions of other toxic behaviours that can be triggering and uncomfortable to read. So, read at your own risk. This work is purely fiction. I do not condone this behaviour irl.

Fandom: Naruto

Pairing: Sasori x Reader  

Status: Headcanons, requested. No beta, we die like men.

“True beauty lies in things that last forever, never rotting or fading.”

~Sasori is a devoter; he is devoted to his ideals and he is devoted to his art. The two combine together to form an obsession of this devoter who thinks of you more as a blank canvas he is going to carve his own work on rather than your own person. In the perspective of his brown eyes, you are not an individual who gets to live your life how you want or have the freedom to make your own choices. Instead, Sasori thinks of you as an extension of himself. You are his ongoing work in progress. You are going to be his greatest masterpiece. Nothing less than perfection would be acceptable; he has this idea of how he wants you to be, and he is obsessed in achieving that perfection. Anything you do to set his progress back or hinder it, he will not hesitate to hurt you in order to teach you about the wrongdoings of your behaviour.

~His other puppers, even himself included, are showcased in battle. His opponents have the opportunity to witness the special mastery of each of his puppets and the passion and hardwork he put into refining them to the level they are.

You, you are different.

You are not just merely a mindless puppet he can control for your jutsu skills. You are his ever-lasting work in progress. You are the eternal piece of art he can continuously work on and perfect over and over again, making it better each time. There is no end to your progress. The work he put into you is hours of passion, dedication and hardwork. You are perfect to an extent that only he deserves to look at you and bask in your presence. Sasori does not allow anyone else to see you or interact with you, and vice versa. He only wants you, his best piece for his own eyes and satisfaction so he keeps you isolated.

~As much as he adores you, if you rebel against him, refuse to submit to him, and do not obey him, he will become apathetic towards you. As mentioned before, he will not hesitate to hurt you or use more painful methods to get you under his control. His love for you be damned; no matter how much you cry and beg him to stop, he won’t. Not until he knows he has completely broken you.

~One would assume that hurting you and resulting in any bruises or scars on your skin, or changes in your cognitive and behavioural well-being would hinder his ‘progress’ with you and he would stop once it appeared to have ruined his ‘hard work’ so far. This assumption would be wrong. Everything he does to you -- whether that is giving you his love and affection when you’ve been good, or harsh punishment when you’ve been disobedient, for him, it was all part of his process. For that reason, you are his eternal work in progress, and he loves all the ups and downs that come with it. He’s proud of each moment of what he does.

~Under his captivity, although he can have a bit of a sadistic streak when he punishes you, generally, Sasori invests a lot of time to look after you and make sure you are well taken care of you. He enjoys cleaning you and just dressing you up in different outfits to see which one looks the best on you.

~Initially, Sasori wanted to turn you into a living puppet like himself. However, after he had kept you as his victim as a human, he received the chance to observe the difference between his artwork that was a puppet versus a human. Your sheer cries of terror,  the clear tears that formed at the corner of your eyes, the small whimpers that left your pretty little lips, and the colour marks that painted your skin when he was done with you -- such vivid reactions and responses were so fascinating for him. His puppets never responded like that. They were utterly dead. But you, you were alive. And the way your own body’s immune system would kick in to heal his damage, basically as a conditioned response to his actions, it was much more intriguing to watch than a quiet and still puppet. Whatever he did to you, your body would respond. So in a way, you weren’t just his artwork. You were an ongoing result of his, and your own bodily responses collaboration.

You are so different, so alive, so interesting to work with -- Sasori was the most proud of you.

He was proud of his other works too, but none lived up to the potential that you exhibited. And that's why you were, are, and always will be Sasori’s favourite.

[textalotter]

Gemini Venus 8th House

As the most powerful house of the zodiac, the eighth house represents the ultimate prices we pay in life. The challenge of the eighth house is to "let go", stop fighting for what you want, and learn to truly give with an honest soul. This is why it is about death, shared resources, and sex. Death is the ultimate in "letting go". The best sex is experienced when we give ourselves completely to our mate. To conquer the eighth house is to accept that physical death is inevitable and that other symbolic deaths occur every day. To conquer this house is to accept that we always have to give to the world and others. Fighting these things will always result in greater losses. People with strong eighth houses in their natal charts often experience emotions too deep for words with an understanding of human nature that is commonly explained as psychic.The eighth house is where we experience relationships at their deepest level. Eight-house people are both blessed and cursed. They often experience a great deal of pain because they feel every nuance of human relationships, but they also have a deep understanding of the pain and flaws in others, which allows them to compassionately accept people for whom they are. In reality, to enjoy peace and happiness in the eighth house, a person must be able to let go of any selfish ideas and ways. Freedom from the pain of this house is found by giving freely to others by using the gift of deep eighth-house understanding.

As a reminder, the 8th house is the house of yes, sex, but also merging, secrets, transformation, the occult, and basically all that weird stuff that goes on behind closed doors that you don’t really want others knowing about. Venus here generally protects marriages, legacies, and finances in one’s life. One is said to have a happy marriage and much help from other people’s resources. These people will love communicating or teaching  occult ideas with others. These people may know a lot of others’ secrets or possess forbidden/taboo knowledge. Even with Venus in Gemini, the individual’s love life arena takes on a darker and deeper tone. Power struggles between spouses, violence, monetary problems can occur especially if Venus is afflicted by malefic planets such as mars, pluto, or saturn.

Anxiety is part of the 8th House, but death needs to be understood differently than just literally. Look back at who you were, let's say, 2 years ago. Do you feel like you're the same person? Chances are you "died" many times since then, and especially if you have several planets in the 8th House. It's also sometimes called the house of "transformations" and "regeneration", and it makes more sense if you associate it with its natural ruler, Pluto. The 8th House talks about under going several crises, often psychological but also sometimes external, and letting something inside us die or letting something external die (a relationship, a job, a friendship, losing something material) in order to make space for something new and more aligned with our true needs.

Natives having Venus in eighth House will most likely express their sociability and romanticism through the way they make love, establish friendships or business relationships.Very attractive to the opposite sex, they want someone who’s smart and somehow mysterious to be next to them for life.Hating vulgarity and poverty, these natives will do their best to have lots of money and to succeed. It’s normal for them to surround themselves with high-quality things, so be ready to witness them spend everything they have in one shopping spree. They get easily bored with the everyday issues and need a little bit of drama in order to feel happy.

Because the 8th house rules sex, these individuals will have a magnetic and primal energy about themselves that draws others closer. Because the planet of relationships is in the house of sex, these natives may have numerous sexual partners, especially when it is in the air signs. The 8th house is the house of rebirth and planets placed here must be transformed over and over. With Venus in Gemini in the 8th house, the native may experience many intense, short-lived relationships that encompassed a plethora of emotion. Venus in the 8th house wants commitment and loyalty in relationships, but Venus’ expression in flirtatious Gemini can undo his own efforts. Negatively expressed these people can be sexual charmers and manipulators, abusive or easily abused, shop lifters, or extremely uncompromising. With Gemini being the sign of duality, this aspect is very dual-natured indeed. Their lovers may become frustrated trying to unravel what to expect: the deep-natured lover or the casual flirt.Venus in Gemini in 8th house people take on an almost Scorpionic tone in their love lives. Their love life is dramatic and relationships take on a “fated” and inseparable quality. Venus in Gemini in the 8th house can be the highly desirable and mysterious life of the party that captivates everyone in the room, the sexy librarian, or naughty school girl persona (taboo sexual experiences). Venus in Gemini in the 8th house are here to investigate and study contradictions by attracting opposites through lovers and relationships that drag these natives to their murky and dark subconscious. It is extremely important that these individuals do not partake in power struggles through the form of mind games and control. Venus in Gemini in the 8th house is the temptress, hypnotizing lovers with beautiful words and penetrating eyes that see in to another’s soul. Others be wary, for she could keep you enchanted with mind control while dreaming about greener pastors!

In its highest octave, these natives are highly appreciated for their loyalty in close relationships and mystifying love nature. Masters of sex and flirtation, they could use their prowess to heal others or at least bring their latent subconscious issues to the surface. Obsession can occur from other people that become addicted to such soul-opening experiences or the native can feel obsessed about others as well. Having the job of of transforming and purifying other’s unhealed subconscious through deep sexual energies is exhausting and these natives may end up doing surmountable damage to a person when acting selfishly or immaturely. It is important these natives balance give and take in a relationship and stay loyal and committed to their love ones to avoid marital or financial problems.

When it comes to love, they want things to happen intensely because they really don’t like casual encounters and to just have sex for the fun of it. They don’t dream of something strictly physical and prefer a relationship with as much drama as possible. Everything that has something to do with superficiality or the mundane bores them. Fearful to not appear weak in love, they may struggle to keep their emotions under control. Jealousy and possessiveness are normal for these people, because they’re terrified to not get cheated on or betrayed. They wouldn’t allow themselves to appear weak in love no matter what, being very afraid to be cheated on and very jealous.

Passion makes them feel better, so they’re charming others just to bring out their most fiery attitudes. Everything that’s secret and taboo makes them thrive, wanting to get together with people who have obsessions or are a little bit broken inside.

Individuals having Venus in the 8th House are very generous with their love and passionate, because they feature all the Scorpio’s traits. Everything is deep with them, and their favorite thing to do is discover their lover’s secrets, as it’s impossible for them to live knowing their other half is hiding something. That’s why they go for mysterious and dark people, for those who inspire a little bit of danger and have a ton of sex appeal. As a matter of fact, they’re transmitting a lot of sexual energy themselves, being almost irresistible with their seductive ways and penetrating eyes. Those who are in love with them can see how capable they are of an intense connection and of offering the greatest pleasures in bed. They usually don’t give their heart away immediately, their stubbornness being something others are usually trying to overlook. But they are really able to connect or to make people trust them, whether they reveal their dark side or not.

When feeling like they no longer have any power, they start manipulating others, because being in control makes them feel emotionally secure. If their partner starts to grow apart from them, they become enraged and can no longer be controlled in their plans for revenge. This happens due to the fact that they’re deep and feel things more intensely than others.

They will think of death and create great art out of this. If artists, they will make all kind of morbid pieces that are really appreciated by their admirers. Those who are preoccupied with the occult will always have a special place in their heart.

When out in the world, they are rather reserved, mysterious and somewhat mystical. Venus can get deep into the way they interact with others, making them unconsciously profound and capable of tremendous passion.

The eighth House rules over death, so having Venus here can signify an ending that’s not so painful. They will probably die in a beautiful place, surrounded by all the people they care for the most. It’s the position that suggests an ending in the arms of their life partner. However, if Venus is in bad aspects here, they may have many losses in their lifetime, physical or symbolical, as it can also be that their spouse doesn’t love them the way they used to, which is also a great loss.

Individuals having Venus in the 8th House should be careful not to become manipulative because they can immediately attract people, so the temptation to use others can be very high. The 8th House can generate a storm of feelings and doesn’t allow people to get too comfortable. When Venus is placed here, the natives with this placement will search for an aggressive love that makes them feel nauseated and feeds their soul.

[escapekissed]

Lucky do you have any favorite pieces of media from the psychological horror genre? Feels like its a genre that matches ur interests very well 👉🏽👈🏽

there are a couple that really speak to me!

first is rule of rose, which is a game that is incredibly formative to me. in a time where i was looking for representation as a young gay person and REALLY into looking up wiki pages for horror games, rule of rose showed me the symbolic trauma of puberty and toxic ‘love’ between girl children and the violence of patriarchal figures that i was looking for. it showed such cruelty but also such strength in its main character, and the symbolism? exquisite.... it also just has such a creepy atmosphere and the fact that the game is near impossible to play along with its shitty graphics for the enemies makes it so. peculiar and creepy in a very special way to me.

catherine is another atlus game near and dear to my heart, tho i dont  think i’m ever going to be playing full body for that exact reason. it’s a game basically about eugenics and misogyny, about gods&devils thinking of women as only reproductive objects and the men in their lives that ‘waste their reproductive time’ being tortured and killed for it, taking away a woman’s choice. i always thought it would be so interesting to do trans and lesbian takes on this game, and i have never really? stopped thinking about how this game is so thrilling in its themes of entitlement and stopping people’s freedom to love as they wish. this is also one of the only horror games in which the ‘human element’ actually interests me. so many horror games give u terrible people and i dont give a FUCK ABOUT THEM. but the way this game shows u just snippets of his life as a ‘break’ from the excruciatingly scary (to me, because time limits scare me LOL), stressful as hell puzzles. and u get to figure out the mystery of what is going on in people who would otherwise be boring to you, but in this game are shrouded in just enough mystery that ur actually interested in their boring day-to-day lives. its so satisfying just to drink with ur buds. its like really great gameplay to me tbh. i also just love katherine and catherine and they frusturate me so much and that’s exactly what they’re supposed to do which i LOVE. extremely effective atmosphere setting and worldbuilding, basically.

the lighthouse is my favorite horror movie tbh because it does suspense so well. the movie is literally themed around suspense, the suspense of not getting sexual satisfaction to completion, of being touch starved and lonely and repressed, of being able to hold ur boss but never kiss him, of being fed lobster but it tastes flavorless and bland and u can smell ur boss’s farts the whole time while he prattles on with disturbing sailor’s tales and barks out orders until he’s lulled into his drink. i honestly love this movie. and the acting is brilliant and unhinged

there’s a few indie games i really like that have been either formative to me or i just??? really like their vibe and i can basically tell from them i would like every game in the ‘genre.’

pocket mirror to me is like, this beautiful game about your own inner toxicity and escaping from yourself. i love indie 64-bit games like this, the background art is so beautiful, and while i’ve never played all the way through it because it scares me too much---i love ib and all the games in the ‘ib’ genre LOL.

doki doki literature club i know is a very strange game to like, but i enjoy it for letting the women be actual characters with their own thoughts and feelings. the pychological horror movie ‘i’m thinking of ending things’ is the exact opposite of this game.'i’m thinking of ending things’ is a backwards approach to feminist horror in my opinion. it’s from a male’s perspective of his hallucinations of a girl that once didn’t give him a second glance and his violence towards her in these fantasies. it takes itself painfully seriously. it pretends to deconstruct something that the director helped soldify (the manic pixie dream girl trope) in the public eye. doki doki literature club on the other hand, the passive character who ‘things happen to’ is the man. the active roles all go to the women in the game and what they do to themselves in order to be loved by not just a man, but the player, and in doing so they often become the all-knowing god of their own prison. like tell me that’s not the dopest thing u’ve ever heard of!

twilight zone is a big one for me but 5 episodes in particular have shaped how i view horror forever. ‘to serve man’---where the greatest, scariest thing in the world is not being able to understand the language another person is actually using and for them to manipulate u using ur own, actually wishing u harm as they placate you with your own interpretations. the episode where a rich man’s last will and testament is for his vain, selfish relatives to wear a mask until midnight that reveals symbolically how ugly they are to him. they bicker all night with petty squabbles, and then at midnight he reveals the mask has permeanantly shaped their faces to reveal who they really are and the abuse he suffered under them. the cornfield episode still scares the shit out of me as someone with an entitled younger brother whose entitlement and anger is often enabled by those around us, and i’ve always thought that it was such a good show of like, how patriarchy enables little boy’s violence. the episode ‘all the time in the world’ where an abused man with a shitty life is finally the last man on earth and he can do anything he’d like to do and all he wants to do is read but then he breaks his glasses. and finally! the episode where toys in a box come to life and bemoan their fate as they realize they will be trapped there forever in clothes and identities they do not recognize. these episodes always scare the shit out of me LOL.

besides that i really like. low-budget passion project indie games. the first that comes to mind is ‘the path’ which is about a family of four sisters of various ages all inspired by little red riding hood who stray from the path and are hunted by the woodsman. and then the game that YOU my dear myers! showed me! that haunts me to this day. basically a tape talks to you about the areas of a house and then starts to talk about the house as a living creature. and the living creature is hungry, without you inside it. the living creature is tired of being alone, it’s tired of being abandoned, it’s tired, and it’s eyes are empty with no one in the windows, and it’s mind is blank with no one in the bedroom, and it’s hangry there’s no one in its basement to feast on, to torment as it has been tormented by disuse.

last but not least, i really enjoy the book ‘sharp objects.’ which is not technically a horror novel. but it is about a serial killer, and about women and abuse and it has some of the best writing ever. so i highly recommend it AND the miniseries (watch the miniseries first then read the book bc the miniseries is like. directed better? but the novel is written and characterized better. it’s also very short u can finish it in like a day and a half).

honorable mentions for horror In General (not necessarily psychological horror) are: 1) the birdcage. i honestly consider this movie entirely unsettling. robin williams failing to portray a man that is actually attracted to nathan lane, which could be because they have simply been married so long but also is just awful to me in general bc it makes me feel like even our outwardly gay but still more masc gay men can’t love and be attracted to femme camp gays even when they’re married to them. the fact that both these men that could be so in love, that were so in love at one time, you can at the very least imagine, are told by their only son that they need to go back in the closet to impress some old ass republicans, giving the message that no matter how succesful you are in the gay community, no matter how bright and wonderful a presence you are, no matter how loving you are, no matter how much you love, no matter how interwoven you are in lgbt-ness, the straight people you love most will still try to change you to impress the wold. horrifying.

2) coraline. its children’s horror but that’s still horror baby! i think lately about how much the movie talks about mothers and birth. coraline calls whybie ‘why born’ and i just think about how much she thinks about creating a new life with a new mother, and how going through that small door into a long tube... it’s like crawling into a new womb and being reborn to a new mother that loves you. and that’s horrific from a feminist perspective in and of itself---that your child would feel so unloved and unimportant to you that she would literally... rather die in this life, technically, rather be ‘unborn’ to you and born anew to someone, someone just like you but better, someone just like you but what SHE wants a mother to be, feminine and skirted and smiling. and then there’s the fact that coraline only gives this up when she realizes her other mother basically wants to change her more to suit her liking in ways that would cause her pain, at which point she realizes this whole fantasy is a lie, not real, something meant to entice her and control her and make her ‘perfect’---the same way she wants her mother & father to be ‘perfect’ in a way that causes her to act out and hurt them. it’s psychological horror that’s technically not psychological horror in the best way, something you can really dig your teeth into, something that has so many layers to it. and the animation! gorgeous!

3) finally i have recently watched annihilation. and it kind of changed my life a little bit.... so often we’re used to viewing monsters as either 1) malicious or 2) romantic/sad/sexy. but the monster in this movie is literally a metaphor for cervical cancer. 

to me, the monsters and the corpses and all the beautiful scenery in this movie, in every color u can think of, a muted rainbow of flowers and nature at its best and most bizarre and sprawling. i often say that monsters are beautiful, but tbh, i feel like... somehow i always mean that in a way that is near-fetishitic, somehow self-depcrating way, where i want to consider what other people think is ‘ugly’ is ‘beautiful to me’ because what i am also ugly to other people as a monster to the cishet white patriarchy. there are things i consider beautiful, certainly, purely beautiful. but when i talk about monsters being beautiful, it is in the way the sublime is beautiful. it scares me, it haunts me, i love it, i want to possess it as part of me, a totem to carry in my back pocket to make the strength in my own ugliness stronger.

when i saw the monster in this movie (SPOILERS) i was immediately unnerved at this bad cgi abomination that bloomed from the most beautiul cgi cancer death cosmos imaginable. it scared me and i had to sleep with a light on for 2 days after LOL. but i was also moved by its gentleness. by the fact that the cervical cancer alien, when it tried to hurt you, wasn’t trying to hurt you at all. it was simply copying your movements. in the movie, it says that the creature wants nothing. it was simply copying. it was simply changing. it’s a prism of nature---and it corrupts yes, and it can hurt people and things and turn them into scary but still terribly unique and beautiful things that also kill---but the movie says that it wants nothing. it simply exists. it’s a part of nature, same as us, a part of the same universe and cosmos, despite being alien to us and stange and hurting us sometimes in ways that it doesn’t understand.

i don’t know. if i quite believe the movie when it says that, though. because i think if you copy someone, like a child would, you are trying to understand them. you are trying to understand yourself. you are trying to form yourself in another’s image when you have none, and you are failing at that, and hurting people and creating monsters in the process, but you are trying as best as you can to be whole and beautiful and sane like the lovely creatures you’ve met on this earth, or this body. to be part of something great and beautiful. to be part of another world.

maybe it doesn’t want anything. but do WE want anything as children, when we copy adults? why did the bear and the alligator try to eat our heroes if they were not hungry? did the bear and the alligator not WANT to eat? i think everything wants to live, and everything wants to grow, and if it can learn to live better and grow better it Will learn even if that is not its explicit intention. does the alien have feelings? does nature? do we have to personify things to understand them? no. does personifying things make us understand them less? no, yes, sometimes. we ask animals and nature to copy us, follow us, so that we can understand them better. the relationship in between----from the hurt, from the pain, from the droughts and the food shortages and the hurricanes and the fireworks---forms from our kindness and understanding. that our crops are useful, and the man-made mutation of our crops and the help of the ran and the sun is also useful. that our animals may not love us, but they need us, and we love them for putting their paw on our thighs to be pet, for following us into the bathroom even when we just wanted a moment alone.

regardless of its intentions, the alien, cancer, every creature, every human, they simply want to grow. in copying others---in trying to touch, to change, to understand, and be close---we learn to live in the same body, learn to live in the same world. the togetherness--the new sight the prism brings---it’s beautiful. it is beautiful to copy, however poorly. it is beautiful to try. we all shape others to our own standards---we sometimes forget we too, were made in own own perception of others’ image.

[babymyleopard]

Hey do you have any Madonna recs?

Hi there!

you wanna Madonna recs? you came to the right place!

I really am a big fan of hers, so I’d say everything she has done in 37 years is fantastic and worthy a try. So I’ll put my takes on all her albums under the cut bc I’ll write a lot (sorry), from my ultimate favorite to the least favorite.

Bedtime Stories (1994) this album is so special! It is deep, personal... she is reflecting on her life and career (especially after the Sex Book controversy). Each song represents a part of myself as well, I always say that if someday they make a film of my life, this album would be the soundtrack.

Erotica (1992) what can I say, really? The sound are great, I think we have her best vocals, the aesthetic is really sexy and dark and beautiful. My favorite track is Fever -- a cover from a 1950′s song --, Erotica, Deeper and Deeper, Waiting and Where Life Begins, but the whole thing is a masterpiece.

American Life (2003) the most underrated of her works, even fans don’t get it, but I love. She reflects on the American Dream, of which she herself is a symbol. My favorites are Mother and Father, I’m So Stupid, Nobody Knows Me and Nothing Fails.

Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) if you’re gay and love ABBA and dance music in general, well, you found your dream piece! Everything is gorgeous and shiny and amazing. I love Sorry, Hung Up, Jump and Like it or Not more than my life.

Ray of Light (1998) basically, Madonna invented electronic music. My faves are Drowned World/ Substitute for Love, The Power of Goodbye, Frozen and the title.

Madame X (2019) what a dream. So real, so different, she sings in my language (portuguese) for the first time and I just cannot stress how much it means to me. Faves are I don’t Search I Find, Killers Who Are Partying, God Control, Batuka, Looking for Mercy, I Rise and Crazy.

Music (2000) country girl, party girl, sad girl, you choose. The beat is there, the lyrics are there, this album is so great! I’d pick Gone, Don’t Tell Me and Music.

Hard Candy (2008) many people don’t like this one, I love. It’s fun! I love Miles Away, Candy Shop, Heart Bit, Beat Goes On, Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You and Voices.

Like a Virgin (1984) classic, the image of Madonna most people will think of. Shoo Bee Doo, Angel, Love Don’t Live Here Anymore, Material Girl, Dress You Up, the title track... everything is great.

Like a Prayer (1989) Iconic. J. D. Considine said that it was the closest that pop music came to art on his review. My faves are Keep it Together, Cherish and the title (but this album has the only song of Madonna that I can’t listen to, Oh Father).

Rebel Heart (2015) a great work, but should have been release as a duble album -- as she wanted -- as a whole album it’s a little confusing. But I love the title track, Ghosttown, Best Night and Heartbreak city.

True Blue (1986) this album was a mark on her career, putting her on a more adult place (and expanding her fanbase). I absolutely adore the title track, Papa Don’t Preach, Open Your Heart and Live to Tell.

Madonna (1983) the beginning. It’s all street fashion and club songs. Holiday, Burning Up, Physical Attraction and Think of Me come as faves.

MDNA (2012) another fun album that many fans don’t like. I find many songs great, such as Masterpiece -- she won a Golden Globe for this one btw --, Girl Gone Wild, I’m a Sinner and Beautiful Killer.

Also, she have two “greatest hits” albums, The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009), they can be a nice start. 

And I would recommend for you to watch her music videos and concerts -- there are many things on youtube so you don’t have to download unless you like them (and I hope you will). My fave tour is The Girlie Show (1993) which is the show for the Erotica album, the aesthetic is amazing and gay -- I mean it --, also I love this tour bc it’s the year I was born and it was the first time she performed in Brazil.

Thank you so much for asking me this! Sorry it is long, but I hope you like the recs and of course, I hope you like Madonna. She’s a great artist and human being

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Michael in the Mainstream: Maleficent

Maleficent provides me with an interesting opportunity, as it allows me to say this: no piece of art really needs to exist.

You see this as a “criticism” so often: “Why was this made? It doesn’t need to exist, it’s so pointless.” And it’s usually in response to sequels or remakes, and it is an attitude especially prevalent in regards to the recent live-action Disney films. But here’s the thing: No movie really needs to exist, no sequel needs to exist, no remake needs to exist. Terminator 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Aliens, The Dark Knight, The Fly, The Thing, none of those movies needed to exist, as the stories were either wrapped up in a satisfying manner in the first film or in the latter two film’s cases the stories were already told pretty solidly the first time. But you see, someone out there had a new perspective, some fresh ideas, and they wanted to bring them to the table and make something else, and the world is better for it. So saying something “doesn’t need to exist” is just an utterly worthless bit of pseudo-criticism that is ultimately worthless as no piece of art is really necessary. Ultimately all that matters is whether you find a piece of art good or bad; whether it deserves to exist isn’t up for debate, but the quality of a work most certainly is.

Of course, that brings us to the question this review needs to answer: is Maleficent any good? Is this a good movie worth sitting down and watching? In short: Yes. Maleficent is a shockingly enjoyable fantasy film, and out of every Disney live-action movie it does the most to “justify” being made, as it is essentially its own continuity rather than a retread. But it’s a bit more complicated than just a simple “yes.”

This movie is essentially completely carried by Angelina Jolie’s performance. Despite Maleficent being reimagined here as tragic victim of circumstance rather than an out-and-out bad guy, Jolie manages to give Maleficent the dramatic gravitas and the incredible presence the character deserves. She’s pretty much perfect, and every moment she’s onscreen is a good one. Her chemistry with both Aurora and her crow-turned-human companion Diaval is the glue that holds this movie together… and boy does it ever need some glue.

The story actually has a fairly interesting setup, showing us the circumstances that led to Maleficent becoming dark and bitter, and it seems like it’s going to lead into some intriguing territory, perhaps even serving as a prequel to the original Sleeping Beauty… but these prequel bits pretty much just make up the first act, and afterwards we get what amounts to a ridiculous fix fic where Maleficent is painted as a tragic, misunderstood good guy and everyone else is either evil, incompetent, or stupid. Special mention goes to King Stefan, who goes from Aurora’s kind father to a frothing mad psychopath who is almost cartoonishly evil, starting from his mutilation of Maleficent’s wings in a heavy-handed rape metaphor and just sliding from there. Then there are the three fairies who raised Aurora, who are reduced to ineffectual nincompoops.

Aside from that, the story, while certainly a new and interesting take on Sleeping Beauty that shows it from another perspective in theory, is riddled with cliches and filled with ridiculous amounts of shilling for Maleficent at the expense of others to the point where it can get a bit laughable. It’s to the point where the prince is such a failure at his one job – waking Aurora from her curse – that not only is he reduced to a barely functioning extra despite being one of the more well-developed princes of Disney’s early years in animation, he has his ultimate narrative function stolen by Maleficent herself. Maternal love awakens Aurora, which is definitely an interesting twist, but platonic familial love saving the day was something I’d already seen in Frozen.

Here’s the thing, though: despite all of this, this is still a fun, engaging fantasy film that really does make a good case for Maleficent having a tragic backstory. Some would argue that there are sexist undertones here, what with a female villain needing justification for her villainy where a male villain could just be evil for the sake of it, but frankly, I have to disagree on that front. Thanos, one of the greatest villains in modern cinema, has a backstory that is excellently fleshed out in Infinity War that serves to make him tragic, but still an engaging villain that you love to hate regardless of how sad his sob story is. And if you want examples closer to Maleficent’s portrayal here, Jim Carrey and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Grinch come to mind, and even Darth Vader himself thanks to the prequels. A lot can be said about a villain who is evil for the sake of it, but humanizing a villain and showing us why they do what they do isn’t really a bad thing either, and of course this movie explicitly states it’s not the 100% canon way things go down, it’s just another retelling of an old tale, and should be treated as such. For what it is, I loved it.

This movie is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea by any means. Like I said, this movie basically lives and dies by Angelina Jolie’s performance, and the rest of the film can be super corny if you can’t buy into the premise. But if you love Maleficent, Angelina Jolie, or just love Wicked-style reimaginings of villains as tragic victims of circumstance, you’ll probably enjoy this. If you like fantasy and visual spectacle you’ll likely get a kick out of this as well, as this is a pretty visually stunning movie, and the designs for a lot of the Fair Folk are really interesting and stray a bit from the norm of cultural depictions of fae, hewing a lot closer to the original folklore than the sugary sweet pixies pop culture has jammed down our throats (for the most part, the three fairy idiots are still pretty generic). Overall, this is a solid, fun movie if you go in with the right mindset, and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good fantasy film these days.

Maleficent may ultimately be cheesy, messy, and a bit overzealous with its attempts to paint the original Disney Queen of Mean as a misunderstood jerk with a heart of gold, but damn if I can’t find it in my heart to love this film, warts and all.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 14 October 2019

Quick Bits:

Absolute Carnage #4 is pretty damn big as we head towards the conclusion. Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Jay Leisten, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles set up near insurmountable odds for Eddie and Spider-Man to face, as Carnage inches closer to victory. It’s very daunting, especially as we potentially see hope fade as other dominoes fall into place. Though a shock revelation might lead to something good for the conclusion. The tension mounting and the continued blend of the rest of the tie-ins to the main story are very entertaining.

| Published by Marvel

Absolute Carnage: Avengers #1 gives us a lead-in to how the previously symbiote-afflicted heroes got to Venom in Absolute Carnage #3 in addition to a bit about beacons in New York and San Francisco calling all symbiotes to feed something. It’s more elaboration on some details between panels for the event, but it’s rather entertaining and covers an element that was otherwise glossed over in the main series. Great art from Alberto Alburquerque, Guiu Vilanova, and Rachelle Rosenberg.

| Published by Marvel

Aquaman #53 reveals more about Thomas Mauer and his history in the founding of Amnesty, complete with some really weird powers regarding manifesting beasties. Then, a reunion of Arthur and Mera is basically aborted as Black Manta attack. Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Eduardo Pansica, Daniel Henriques, Julio Ferreira, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles continue to deliver one of the best stories from DC.

| Published by DC Comics

Archie #708 sees everything start to come together as all of the disparate story threads begin to converge somehow with Fox Forest. Nick Spencer, Mariko Tamaki, Sandy Jarrell, Matt Herms, and Jack Morelli really build tension here, with a rather spooky feel for what’s going on.

| Published by Archie Comics

Batman #81 continues this next stage of Batman’s assault on the “City of Bane” as all of his “kids” work together to try to take down his father and he attempts to bring the fight to Bane himself. Tom King guides us through a narration essentially putting together some of the missing pieces in Gotham Girl’s story and further protections that he left in the city after Batman’s “breaking”.

| Published by DC Comics

Bettie Page Unbound #5 serves as a coda to the first arc, from David Avallone, Moy R, Ellie Wright, Sheelagh D, and Taylor Esposito. It gives a bit of perspective on Bettie’s trip through alternate realities, while dealing a bit more with the spies who’ve been chasing her.

| Published by Dynamite

The Black Ghost #2 is firing on all cylinders. The story that Alex Segura, Monica Gallagher, George Kambadais, Ellie Wright, and Taylor Esposito are telling here is incredibly compelling, going deep into Lara’s downward spiral following the death of the Black Ghost and all of the mounting problems in her life. There’s a very interesting theme of the intersection of solving a mystery and obsession, complete with the black hole of alcoholism, that just grabs you.

| Published by New Wave Comics

Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda #2 concludes this opening arc from Jim Zub, Lan Medina, Craig Yeung, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Sabino. We get an interesting mix of Okoye and Janet facing their greatest fears, while elaborating further on the current state of the Sentry. I like this quick, two-part introductory arc structure, further giving this title the feel of a specialized group for certain threats.

| Published by Marvel

Captain Marvel #11 concludes the “Falling Star” arc, revealing more fallout from the first arc and the sheer damage that it’s done to Ripley after she fell into the Nuclear Man’s reality. Kelly Thompson, Carmen Carnero, Tamra Bonvillain, and Clayton Cowles develop a rather demented look on “heroism” here that is quite disturbing.

| Published by Marvel

Chastity #2 unveils more of the human trafficking operation that Chastity has found herself in. It’s not very pretty, but there are some nice funny moments to break up the dark subject matter. Leah Williams, David Maine, Bryan Valenza, and Carlos M. Mangual are telling an interesting story here.

| Published by Dynamite

Contagion #3 continues to escalate the terror of the fungus plaguing New York, and now possibly beyond. There are appearances here of some very interesting near forgotten characters that are nice to see. Great art from Mack Chater, Stephen Segovia, Veronica Gandini, and Andrew Crossley.

| Published by Marvel

Cult Classic: Creature Feature #1 is an interesting start to this second series. You don’t need to have read Return to Whisper before this, but I still highly recommend that series. Here Eliot Rahal, John Bivens, Jerrie, Monahan, and Taylor Esposito kick off a rather hectic beginning with alien creatures. The art from Bivens, Jerrie, and Monahan is wonderful.

| Published by Vault

Dark Red #7 continues to develop the current state of the vampires after taking out the Nazis who were trying to take over, while Chip works to get the little were back to her werepeople. Definitely an interesting society that Tim Seeley, Corin Howell, Mark Englert, and Carlos M. Mangual are creating here.

| Published by AfterShock

Excellence #6 concludes the first arc in rather spectacular fashion. Brandon Thomas, Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, and Deron Bennett have been doing some excellent character and world-building in this story and it really pays off here as we get a confrontation between Spencer and his dad, followed by one hell of a revelation that practically changes everything. Great stuff here.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Gideon Falls #17 begins “The Pentoculus” as things start to coalesce again into a sort of “normalcy” in both of our “main” Gideon Falls realities, even as something horrible takes hold of Sheriff Miller’s father. Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Dave Stewart, and Steve Wands establish even more horror here and the feeling that something more is very, very wrong.

| Published by Image

Guardians of the Galaxy #10 catches up with the new baby Magus as we find out that the new incarnation might be as dangerous and deadly as the earlier ones. Also, what Donny Cates is doing with Rocket just cuts to the core.

| Published by Marvel

Hit Girl: Season 2 #9 is the first part of “India” from Peter Milligan, Alison Sampson, Tríona Farrell, and Clem Robins. It sends Mindy off to the street of Mumbai where she’s trying to deal with a bizarre child trafficking/labour ring, and finding out that her actions may have caused more complications than good. There’s a very different feel to this new arc so far.

| Published by Image

Inferior 5 #2 sure is...something. I’m still not entirely sure of the experiments or the characters or the setting, but Jeff Lemire, Keith Giffen, Michelle Delecki, Hi-Fi, and Rob Leigh are doing something that might be interesting here when we see a broader picture. It’s very “huh?” issue to issue so far. The back-up featuring Peacemaker, though, continues to be very compelling. Especially as it reveals that he may well be completely insane.

| Published by DC Comics

The Island of Doctor Moreau #2 concludes this adaptation of the HG Wells story from Ted Adams, Gabriel Rodríguez, Nelson Dániel, and Robbie Robbins. Other than a few minor changes, it’s fairly faithful to the original. The story here is mostly told in double page spreads from Rodríguez and Dániel and they’re absolutely beautiful.

| Published by IDW

Justice League #34 reminds us that revenge isn’t necessarily the correct path to take all the time, or possibly any time, as the endgame plays out across the different timelines and the combined forces gather for one final push against Perpetua. Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Bruno Redondo, Howard Porter, Hi-Fi, and Tom Napolitano lay out a wonderful tale of the final battle and a stupid, selfish act that has possibly doomed everything.

| Published by DC Comics

Killer Groove #5 concludes what has been an excellent crime tale from Ollie Masters, Eoin Marron, Jordie Bellaire, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. There’s an incredible nihilism here that feeds into a very fitting end.

| Published by AfterShock

KI-6: Killers #4 gains a bit of a title change with the “KI-6″ bit in this penultimate issue of the series. Not really sure why, but it doesn’t ultimately make a difference for the story being told by B. Clay Moore, Fernando Dagnino, José Villarrubia, and Jeff Powell. We get a nice bit of the Jonin’s history before the two rival groups of former Ninjas show up.

| Published by Valiant

The Marked #1 begins a new series from the Sonata team of David Hine, Brian Haberlin, Geirrod Van Dyke, and Francis Takenaga. It blends magic and tattoos as we learn of the history of a group of magicians who have defended the world from evil through the eyes of their newest recruit Saskia. Beautiful art as usual from the Haberlin/Van Dyke team.

| Published by Image / Shadowline

The Mask: I Pledge Allegiance to the Mask #1 is kind of a strange return for the property, in a story from Christopher Cantwell, Patric Reynolds, Lee Loughridge, and Nate Piekos. It’s dark and deranged, which fits very well overall. While it does follow on from the previous stories, all that you really need to know to enjoy this story itself is revealed here. The political element adds an even greater feeling of being put off-balance.

| Published by Dark Horse

Midnight Vista #2 very nicely develops what Oliver remembers of his abduction and the fallout that has been happening in the ensuing years since he’s been missing. Eliot Rahal, Clara Meath, Mark Englert, and Taylor Esposito are doing some interesting things here, especially as other forces are trying to guide Oliver’s story.

| Published by AfterShock

Psi-Lords #5 elaborates a bit further on the societal structure of the Gyre and the various gangs on it, while we see one of the Starwatchers try to turn Steve. It’s interesting as we get a little bit that gives us more of an insight into the ties to the broader Valiant Universe here and some very nice character building. Renato Guedes art remains phenomenal.

| Published by Valiant

Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons - Chapter II: Painscape #2 guides us through some of Rick’s history with D&D, creating some horrible characters that anyone who’s played the game will be familiar with, and an entertaining dungeon crawl. I’m still loving how perfectly Jim Zub, Troy Little, Leonardo Ito, and Crank! are integrating D&D into Rick and Morty.

| Published by Oni Press & IDW

Rumble #17 follows a similar format as last issue’s selection of three stories, only this time there are only two stories, with one split between two different creators. That two-part story is a wonderful crossover between Rumble and Head Lopper, with Andrew MacLean and James Harren handling the line art. It’s pretty great overall, with a natural melding of the two properties, and very nice to see Harren’s return. 

| Published by Image

Savage Sword of Conan #10 begins a new arc from Roy Thomas, Alan Davis, Cam Smith, Chris Sotomayor, and Travis Lanham. It’s wonderful to see a new Roy Thomas story and the art from Davis, Smith, and Sotomayor is great. The story itself is interesting, drawing from some traditional Conan elements of a tavern fight and being hired as a bodyguard.

| Published by Marvel

Savage Tales: Red Sonja Halloween Special is essential if you’re reading the ongoing Red Sonja series. It works well on its own as well, but for readers of the series it builds on Sonja’s trip to the tower of sorcerers in her youth and gives some great insight into her past. Wonderful work here overall from Mark Russell, Jacob Edgar, Dearbhla Kelly, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

| Published by Dynamite

Something is Killing the Children #2 is even better than the first issue, fleshing out our monster hunter a bit and causing all sorts of complications for her. There are some great characterizations here, nicely capturing some of the reactions from people experiencing the tragedy of a lost or murdered family member. James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto, and AndWorld Design are doing something great here.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle #3 gives us a central story of Ventress hunting a quarry, illustrated by Nick Brokenshire. I’m still very much enjoying how Cavan Scott is using the central tale and its context to elaborate on what he, Francesco Francavilla, and AndWorld Design are doing with the framing story.

| Published IDW

Steeple #2 features all of the charm and humour of Giant Days, but then adds some rather over-the-top supernatural elements that just manages to elevate that charm and humour further. John Allison, Sarah Stern, and Jim Campbell are delivering a rather wholesome look at monster hunting and finding common ground with your local hooligans and Satanists.

| Published by Dark Horse

Strayed #3 advances towards oblivion, as Lou finds the flower-maker and the Premier enacts another piece of his plan for total control. Carlos Giffoni, Juan Doe, and Matt Krotzer continue to tell the heartbreaking tale of this brave little kitty being used and abused by his humans. It’s really sad as to how monstrous humanity is.

| Published by Dark Horse

Superman Smashes the Klan #1 is really damn good. Inspired by the radio serial of the same name, Gene Luen Yang, Gurihiru, and Janice Chiang present a wonderfully nuanced tale of the struggle that a young Chinese family have moving to Metropolis and the overt and casual racism that greets them. The characterizations of the family are impeccable, giving us what feels like very real people, and it makes the story even more heartbreaking when you see what’s happening to them. Especially through the gorgeous art from the Gurihiru pair.

| Published by DC Comics

Tales from the Dark Multiverse - Batman: Knightfall #1 is the first of these one-shots examining some of the most popular events of the DC Universe as they played out in dark reflection. Your enjoyment of this will definitely be predicated on how much you enjoy the grim and gritty Batmen who went wrong during Metal. As a story, though, Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins, Javier Fernandez, Alex Guimarães, and Clayton Cowles give us an interesting one, with some nice twists, and a suitably bleak Gotham. The art from Fernandez and Guimarães is really good.

| Published by DC Comics

Teen Titans #35 gives us new perspective on the traitor to the team, with Adam Glass, Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, and Rob Leigh building up sympathy for their decisions, even if they are somewhat demented. It also continues to point that what Damian has been doing is rather villainous. The shades of grey are fairly interesting.

| Published by DC Comics

Trees: Three Fates #2 delves a bit more into the mystery of the dead man and also a great depiction in the past of the romance blossoming between Klara and Sasha. Warren Ellis, Jason Howard, Dee Cunniffe, and Fonografiks are building a very compelling story here, complete with some interesting big ideas to make you wonder about Sasha.

| Published by Image

Vampirella #4 is still rather odd, told in a rather disjointed way that’s pretty much Priest’s style to its natural extreme. Weird stuff with the nuns and all sorts of temptation. The art from Ergün Gündüz remains a huge draw for this story.

| Published by Dynamite

X-Men #1 begins the first wave of the “Dawn of X” titles in this next stage of the brave new world the X-Men have found themselves in, from Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu, Garry Alanguilan, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles. It’s much more “normal” compared to the HOXPOX event, operating more standard hero/villain conflict and setting up the continued threat of Orchis, but there are still moments to bask in the new with Magneto and the potentially unsettling as we see Corsair react to all of his family together and the strangeness of Krakoa. This feels like a way to make more traditional X-elements work within this new framework, giving us a great start.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Absolute Carnage: Scream #3, Absolute Carnage vs. Deadpool #3, Aero #4, Analog #9, Ask for Mercy - Season 2 #3, Captain America #15, Crazy #1, The Crow/Hack/Slash #4, Dead Beats, Death-Defying Devil #3, Firefly #10, History of the Marvel Universe #4, Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Alliance #2, Lucifer #13, Marvel Action: Black Panther #4, Once & Future #3, The Realm #15, Sparrows Roar, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #4, Titans: Burning Rage #3, Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me #4

Recommended Collections: Bad Luck Chuck - Volume 1, Black Hammer: Streets of Spiral, Calamity Kate - Volume 1, Coda - Volume 3, Critical Role: Vox Machina - Origins - Volume 1, Gideon Falls - Volume 3: Stations of the Cross, Goddess Mode, Gogor, Justice League Dark - Volume 2: Lords of Order, The Life & Death of Toyo Harada, Ms. Marvel - Volume 1, Planet of the Nerds - Volume 1, Robots & Princesses - Volume 1, Runaways - Volume 4: But You Can’t Hide, Spider-Man: City at War, Star Wars: Tie Fighter

d. emerson eddy still thinks that Pumpkin Spice was the most underutilized of the Spice Girls.

[sseanight]

Jeon Jungkook Fics Recommendation

Recent update 200125

[ ❥ ] = Favorite

Kim Namjoon  — Kim Seokjin  — Min Yoongi  — Jung Hoseok  — Park Jimin  — Kim Taehyung

♠ Our Little Secret; angst

You and Jungkook were never supposed to end up together – he was your brothers best friend. It was frowned upon. But there were some feelings that you could just simply not keep at bay.

♠ The Perfect Husband; angst, romance, drama

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9

Not as cliché as it may seems.

♠ Undo; angst, smut

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 finale

You weren’t supposed to feel anything for him, especially since he already had a girlfriend.

♠ Pick Up the Pieces; angst, drama

“He never love her and it was just a one time thing”. That’s what they told about.

♠ All of Me; angst, drama

He’s taking you for granted. Again.

♠ Golden Daddy; smut

Jungkook’s tired of you seeing him simply as your best friend’s brother, so he decides to show you exactly who he is.

[ ❥ ] Lowkey; smut

Jungkook is the nude model for your art school’s life drawing class.

♠ Comfort Inn Ending; angst, smut

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 finale

It was you who Jungkook gave his heart to- that is, until the day you broke it. And it is you now, hoping that some faultlines can be repaired, and that some broken hearts can be put back together again.

[ ❥ ] Duvet Days & Vanilla Ice Cream; fluff, angst

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

Sick of waiting to fulfill your dream of becoming a mother, you stumble across an interesting site called bundlesofjoy.

[ ❥ ] Fierce and Delicate; angst

part 1 | part 2 finale

Jungkook and you had been brought in two different worlds. Jungkook living an unfortunate life and you being controlled by her parents all her life. Despite the imperfect relationship, they completed each other like a puzzle there is.

♠ Sated (ft. BTS); heavy smut

Sin. There’s nothing more.

♠ Moan Wars (ft. Yoongi); smut, a little fluff

After being forced to listen to Yoongi and his girlfriend fucking loudly in the room next to his, Jungkook decides that two can play that game.

   ♠ Business (ft. Taehyung); smut

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

Discussing business over drinks with Jungkook and Taehyung turns into a night you won’t forget.

♠  Sounds; smut

You’re taking a very interesting course this semester —sound psychology, and jeon jungkook, being the fuckboy he’s always been, has an idea to record you while having sex for the assignment which was given.

[ ❥ ] 2! 3!; fluff. smut

The one at the end of Jungkook’s Wembley Vlive.

♠ Demon Dickin’ Down; demon!au, smut

Every year, on one special night of october, the sex demon hotline is available for any human who wishes to call; and this time, their senior scout is on the field.

♠ Late; angst

part 1 | part 2 finale

With a battle of words taking place in your head, and taking advice and opinions from your brother and his friends, you finally decide to confess to your best friend just as the same time as he does, except for something else.

♠ Regret; angst

part 1 | part 2 finale

Jungkook has been your husband for 3 months now, and when he gets back from work one day, he is cranky, speaking one of the regretful things he could ever say to you.

♠ Accusations; angst

You’re met your best friend after years of separation, and you continue to meet him. This particularly pisses Jungkook off.

♠ Grade; fluff, smut

Maybe getting bad grades once in a while is awarding.

♠ Redemption; angst

You left Korea and three years later you come back with your daughter and he tries to win you back.

♠ Let me; prince!au, fluff

part 1 | part 2 finale

Prince Jungkook always comes into the kitchen for late night snacks and you are the new kitchen staff. 

♠ (1) Missed Call; idol!au, smut

He never has time to pick up his phone while on tour, so you leave him innocent voicemails instead. But, when did your mundane voicemails suddenly get so interesting?

♠ Love is Not Over; dad!au, angst

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 finale  

Our love is not over.

♠ Tick Tock; soulmate!au, fluff

Where in there is a timer on your wrist which tells you exactly when you’ll meet your soulmate.

♠ Who Am I to You; angst

part 1 | part 2 finale

You were so easily forgotten.

[ ❥ ] Rules; high school!au, fluff, smut

part 1 | part 2 finale

He had one rule and one rule only; no dating in high school, but something might have happened to that rule, and that something might be you.

♠ Eavesdrop; angst

Hearing jungkook say he’s breaking up with you.

♠ Jealousy; angst, fluff

With jungkook being on tour, he couldn’t help but miss you. when a picture of you and a guy he’s unfamiliar with surfaces the internet, he’s furious. 

♠ A Mess (ft. Min Yoongi); smut, fluff

Maybe it was a good thing you lost that bet to Yoongi. The punishment was cruel, but it lead you to a threesome with him and your crush so… yay for that.

♠ One Time Thing; smut

“It could be a one-time thing really. No strings attached. Besides, we won’t see each other for another year basically.”

♠ Lost Track of Time; angst

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 finale

You were mad, but he was out of patience.

♠ Smile with Me; angst, fluff

You were having a bad day, but you didn’t want Jungkook to worry. However, Jungkook did worry and he wanted nothing more but for you to smile again.

♠ Rumor Has It; angst, fluff

You built up walls to prevent the rumors from getting to you, but now they came crumbling down.

♠ Dream; angst, fluff

Jungkook had been spending a lot of time with you lately, and Namjoon finally thought it was time to confront him about it.

[ ❥ ] The Kids Aren’t Alright; smut, fluff, slightly angst

Sneaking around with Jeongguk during your Christian retreat is complicated when you’re both dedicated to your jobs as co-youth group counselors at your father’s ministry.

[ ❥ ] The Elite; smut, angst, fluff

intro | part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8

Jeon Jungkook is the son of a billionaire with a bad boy image and harsh demeanour. Y/N comes from humble beginnings, having lived a sheltered life unfamiliar to the dark world she is thrown into when her and Jungkook meet.

[ ❥ ] Bad For You; romance, smut

His whole presence emits sin and danger, and you’re not supposed to be attracted to him on the first glance.

[ ❥ ] About Time (ft. Park Jimin); time travel!au, angst

Be careful for what you wish for, because you may never know how to deal with them once it comes true. What would you do when your wish for a second chance actually came true? But was it really a fulfilled wish? Too many questions lie when it actually happened. Were they real memories? Or perhaps a part of a past life? Was it only a dream all along? Will everything be different this time?

[ ❥ ] Our Little Secret; smut, angst

“Desperate lips molded against his, and in the kiss, you tried to convey your feelings for him. You tried to tell him that despite whatever decision you made, you couldn’t let him go. You were literally so in over your head for him and you knew you were fucked—but you didn’t care.”

[ ❥ ] Take My Hand; angst, fluff

In which you lose your memory in a car crash, and Jungkook desperately tries to keep both of your lives intertwined. this in itself proves to be a challenge, especially when you can only remember him as the idol you once adored from afar.

♠ Overtime; ceo!au, smut

In which an awkward first encounter with your new boss gives Jeon Jungkook all the more reason to make your job an interesting experience.

♠ Exchanges; spiderman!au, fluff, smut

In which Jeon Jungkook is that friendly neighborhood superhero, you’re the face in the hallway that saved his high school career, and he can’t ever seem to get a grip around you. Even when he makes you scream after a fated accident—not for the reason you may be thinking; get the thought out of your head.

♠ My Beauty, My Blood; mafia!au, single parent!au, fluff, angst, smut

With Namjoon out of the picture, Jeongguk has to step up and be the sole successor to the organization laid out before him. However, guilt doesn’t escape him very easily, and neither does your persistence. 

[ ❥ ] Heartbeat (ft. Min Yoongi); angst, smut

part 1 | part 2 finale

You fell in love with a boy who was in love with music, and you weren’t sure if he was capable of loving you the same way. This thought should’ve caused you to move away from him; but, if anything, it just drew you closer.

♠ The Millionaire and His Lover; fluff, angst, smut

Over the course of your lifelong friendship with jungkook, you can’t say that you’ve ever had the greatest ideas, and a fake relationship with the boy you’ve been in love with for years is no exception.

♠ Just Friends; angst, smut

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 finale

Jeon Jungkook was many things. He was an asshole, a tease, and kind of an inconsiderate roommate. But most of all, he’s your best friend and has been since you were 10. When he suddenly confesses his attraction to you and proposes sleeping together, you are smart enough to turn him down. You knew Jungkook; you knew how he moved from one girl to the next. You, too, were many things, but just another notch in Jungkook’s belt was something you’d never be.

♠ Since Day One; werewolf!au, fluff, smut

You’ve been friends for years, and when Jungkook decides to take on boxing gigs to earn some extra cash, you’re apprehensive about it but decide to support him nonetheless. It was your role as his designated best friend. But one night, during the first fight that you decide to attend as his supporter, everything completely changes.

♠ Diamond in the Rough; fluff, angst, smut

part 1 | part 2 finale

When a business heir from Busan, Jeon Jungkook, meets you, a poor girl from Daegu, he doesn’t expect to fall as quickly as he does. He’s been told for his entire life to avoid Daegu, a town riddled with gangs and a history of a brutal murder in Busan, but he can’t stay away from you, even when he’s warned that you’re not good enough for him.

♠ Banter; super!au, roommate!au, fluff

Ironically, some of your best moments are with your archnemesis, the man who you literally fight every other day. But the two of you might be closer than you originally thought.

♠ Stubborn Love; modern-day royalty!au, bodyguard!au, angst, smut

Love is not a choice, this much you knew. for a girl like you, neither was marriage. married off to a prince, you had the life most girls would dream of. but your dream didn’t end with prince charming. yours ended with your loyal bodyguard that you could never have.

♠ Sweather Weather; fluff

When Jungkook comes back from a run and you have the audacity to laugh at his admittedly bad decision to go outside in the rain, he makes sure to take his revenge.

♠ D.Va; smut, angst

It’s a pretty important day for you but Jungkook doesn’t seem to think so.

♠ Navy; childhood bestfriend!au, idol!au, angst

part 1 | part 2 finale

When you thought you’d be making music with your best friend, Jungkook, like how you’ve always promised each other but he seems to have other plans.

♠ T&S; fluff

Toddlers have always hated Jungkook and Jungkook have always hated toddlers.

[ ❥ ] Escape; angst, fluff

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 6.5 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 finale

Everyone has a number over their heads that says how useful they are to society from 0-100. You have a number ‘4’. You leave the city for some peace but you meet your cocky neighbour who seems to get on your nerves.

♠ Sweet Saccharine; fluff, angst

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

Trying your best to stay afloat in a ruthless city, you decide to join the sugar bowl. Who knew the sugar baby business would be this exciting?

♠ Curiosity; smut

When innocent Jungkook comes to you with a not-so-innocent question, you decide it’s easier to just demonstrate.

♠ Fear is Forever; werewolf!au, fluff, angst

Fear in your eyes | Forever and a night

There’s a werewolf in that forest behind your house, they told you, and he’ll eat you before you can even beg for mercy.

♠ The Wedding Planners; fluff, smut, angst

Jeon jungkook is three things: cocky, terrible, and your worst enemy. then your best friend Hoseok gets engaged to the love of his life, and suddenly Jeon Jungkook is four things: cocky, terrible, your worst enemy, and the man you will be spending the next seven months with in order to plan your best friend’s wedding.

[ ❥ ]   Énouement; mulan!au

War is Hell, but it’s what you had to do to take your brother’s place. Of course, between the days of Hell are little slices of Heaven you’d call your Captain, Jeon Jungkook.

♠ Prodigy; teacher!au, smut

“Could you just close the door and come over here? You have no reason to rush out, I didn’t post your grade. I want to discuss it in person.”

You swallowed hard at his words but did as you were told, closing the classroom door and going over to his desk. He was looking through the stack of students’ sketchbooks on his desk, presumably for your own. He pulled one of of the stack and laid it in the middle of his desk, and you froze.

You could feel all color draining from your face once you noticed which sketchbook he had pulled out of the pile. There was a Hello Kitty sticker stuck to the top right corner of it, indicating it was your sketchbook.

Your personal sketchbook.

[ ❥ ] Cardiovascular Palpitations; doctor!au, fwb!au, fluff, angst, smut

part 1 | part 2 finale | sequel

It was complicated. But it worked. You two were doctors, cardio surgeons at that. Complicated was usual, it was your business, your work, your lifestyle. And neither of you had time for an actual relationship, for the hours of work for writing heartfelt letters or planning dates out on the beach. Both you and Jeongguk needed quickies in the stockroom, someone to dress up and look hot so he can get revenge on his ex, someone to give a blow job or finger you to relax your nerves before an important presentation, someone to understand the burdens and harsh lifestyle of being a doctor. And somehow in that chaos, you’d found each other and it worked out.

[ ❥ ] Boys Like Him, Girls Like Her; fluff, smut, angst

prequel | part 1 | part 2 finale

Bad boys are bad, they said. And they don’t deserve girls like you, they said. But all you wanted to do was give Jeon Jungkook a chance.

♠ Sleepover; fluff, smut

Jungguk is your best friend’s little brother who invites you to have a sleepover at his place. Nothing can happen, right?

♠ Drunk; alcoholic!au, angst

part 1 | part 2

You fell in love with Jungguk so hard thinking he’s everything you’ve ever wanted. But there’s a one catch – he’s an alcoholic.

♠ Blacklisted (ft. Jeon Jungkook); smut, angst

After departing from your dom, you’re assigned to two incredibly powerful men.

♠ Tattooed Two (ft. Jeon Jungkook); smut, angst, fluff

Your boyfriend’s best friend joins you for a night you’ll never forget.

[ ❥ ] Tachycardia; doctor!au, fluff, smut

When you’d signed your consent for any medical interns to assist your doctor on your routine check-up, all you were expecting was some nerdy, awkward, fresh-out-of-med-school graduate. What you actually got was a man who’d won the genetic lottery in every way possible…and an awful case of butterflies.

[ ❥ ] A Fallen Bookmark on a Thursday Afternoon; angst, fluff

He came to you like the air comes into the train station after the fast arriving of the machine. It comes fast and unexpected, making you hoist your head to look at the long vehicle and the people inside. It is so fast you can’t even distinguish the different wagons. As the train comes to a stop, the wind that it creates plays with your hair, leaving you breathless. That’s how Jeon Jungkook came into your life.

[ ❥ ] The Blue Princess and her Red Rose; prince!au, fantasy, angst, fluff, smut

After all, he was her red rose, while she was just another one of the many blue roses that grew in the dying gardens of Greyria.

♠ Brother’s best friend; smut

In which Y/n owns a smut blog dedicated to her crush and brother’s best friend, jungkook. it was all fun and games until he finds out about it and acts it out with you.

♠ Room 109; alpha!au, smut

Having Jungkook as your apartment buddy was a lot to get used to. But with one early day, your heat comes up much stronger than usual, and you were desperate for an alpha’s touch.

♠ This Must Be My Dream; fluff, angst

You swore you would never fall for another boy in a rock and roll band. You were doing fine until Jungkook comes into your life with his sweet melodies and even sweeter kisses.

♠ Break the Ice; fluff, smut, angst

There are three rules to become an official Puck Bunny: 1. You have to love hockey. No exceptions. 2. You have to had slept with at least three hockey players. Starters, no benchwarmers. 3. And most importantly, have fun!

♠ Nochu Unsolved; comedy, smut

Cryptid hunting with your boyfriend doesn’t go quite as planned…

[daydreamercatdiary]

On studying mathematics (Duong Ngoc Thai)

August 20, 2019

(I used Google Translate to translate my own article from Vietnamese. It works surprisingly well. Another reason to learn math!)

A wall in my office is used as a board. On it are always chattering math symbols. The problems written there are not complicated, freshman students can understand, but sometimes the solution affects the safety of hundreds of millions of Internet users. In this room, no one asked why studying math, because everyone understood that one cannot do much without math.

I like to study math from a young age, but I'm not good at math. I was deemed “gifted in mathematics” in secondary school, but in grade 9, I failed the entrance test to a specialized math class in high school.

In the 10th grade, I still tried to study math by myself, borrowing notebooks from friends and other people who attend the aforementioned class. There’s a famous math magazine in my country called Mathematics and Youth of which I was a regular reader. In each issue the magazine published a bunch of math problems, and encouraged its readers to send in solutions. The most beautiful solution of each problem is published in the next issue, together with the name of its author.

I worked very hard on these problems, I rarely succeeded, but when I did, I always mailed in my solutions, and on the day of the new issue, rushed to the bookstore to get a copy to check if my name was there. I still remember a person, who I don’t know but I consider a friend because his math was so beautiful. His name, Tran Vinh Hung, was in every issue. Recently I learned that Hung has become a math professor in America. I was named only once, not in the magazine, but a math teacher called my name in front of the whole school as a role model of perseverance, because “He always submits solutions, even when his were never chosen”.

In the middle of 11th grade I had a computer and started to spend all my time on the Internet. My study became worse and worse. Unlike my friends I didn’t want to take private tutoring classes. At some point I was even considered at risk of graduation failure. Not until the second half of the 12th grade, I started to study more seriously, for fear of failing the college entrance exam. I was no longer interested in math, and all I aimed for was just to get high scores.

At college, the first two-year general program included a lot of math, but I did not find them interesting at all. Classes always started at six-and-a-half in the morning. At that time of the day I don’t even know if I can enjoy my favourite meal broken rice with ribs, let alone matrices, rings, groups or fields! I skipped school, stayed at home to learn hacking, and later went to work full time.

What I just shared is nothing new, many people, especially Vietnamese, have experienced similar stories. Yet after 20 years, I am still studying math with an indescribable joy. What took place next for me is simply magical.

--- 

I did security for a bank. The first few years were good, there’s lots of things to do and they paid well. Eventually I was promoted to manage a small group, gradually my team did all the work, leaving me with nothing to do. I was bored and planned to quit. I told my boss, but he called me to stay, saying that I could keep my job while opening my own business.

So I opened a new company, but shut it down within a few years without acquiring a single customer. I realized that I lacked business knowledge so I bought a bunch of books, and learned a lot about the topics that I never thought that I would be interested in such as marketing or sales. I then tried to build many other ideas, but none succeeded. I did not feel discouraged, but I did not want to waste time. The question of what I should do is still not answered.

I read on professor Ngo Quang Hung's blog about the vicious circle of career, something like what one likes one will do a lot, what one does a lot one will become good at it, and what one is good at one will like it even more, and repeat. Finding and jumping into this vicious circle is the key to success.

What is my circle? In retrospect it should be obvious, but it took me a lot of time to realize that I’ve always liked and am quite good at hacking. I kept searching for a long time but not realizing my greatest competitive advantage was the job I was doing. So I went back to hacking, "to see how far I can go." 

It was a such great time. Just like the person who walked in the tunnel for a long time, and thought it would be forever, but suddenly saw the light gleaming at the end of the road, I spent all the strength of my youth to run toward the light, the faster I ran the clearer everything became, the clearer everything the faster I could run! Within 3 years, from far behind, I caught up and have been sailing together with the world ever since.

I found out that learning is like climbing a staircase that every step has an endless length. The person standing at a step cannot know how long it takes to cross to reach the next step. Many people will give up halfway, only a few lucky and persistent to reach the next rung, climb up, and then continue sideways. Perseverance is the only thing that I can control, luck is fortune bestowed by heaven.

My biggest luck is that I’m not afraid of math. In a world with so many people afraid of math, being able to enjoy studying math creates a not so small competitive advantage, giving me a distinct identity, different from many others. 

It is because of not afraid of math, I had the opportunity to study cryptography, the main tool of the security field. I discovered that the world had very few security engineers who know cryptography. This is because in order to study cryptography one has to study math, but mentioning math is enough to make so many people feeling dizzy or nausea, leaving them with no energy to learn. I'm just the opposite. When I realized the math that I used to love is also used to protect the Internet, I rushed to learn at full speed, neglecting to eat or sleep. 

I don't have any special talent, I have to work very hard to learn things that for many people are just basic math. There are books I have read for 10 years, but I still don't understand. But I’ve never wanted to stop. I am like a pirate who sails to the high sea to conquer new lands, the more difficult it is, the happier I am. 

What is interesting is that my math knowledge is nowhere good, and the cryptography that I have learned does not need any advanced math knowledge. With just the math that any secondary students can understand, cryptography can already protect the Internet. And just by studying a little bit of the math that the cryptography relies on, I had a competitive advantage over many people, and became an expert in my field. Imagine if I knew a little more, what else could I do? This is a question that drives me forward.

--- 

But that's because your job needs to use math, and my work and my daily life don't need math at all, why should I study it?

Thank you for asking. I also asked myself this question.

Some people say learning math is like exercise. You can live without exercise, but exercise will help you stay healthy and thus improve the quality of life. An American scientist once said that learning math is like upgrading the firmware of the brain, making it bigger horizontally if not vertically. The natural world is dominated by math, and studying math is a good way to understand more about the world in which we live. The famous scientist Richard Feynman says that God speaks calculus. If these ideas still haven't convinced you, let me tell you the rest of the reason I study math.

I study math because math is so beautiful. Learning math brought me so much joy, making the question why studying math sounds as silly as asking a child why playing hide and seek. I learn for fun, isn’t that enough? As human beings, we have a lot of pleasures or hobbies that do not serve any higher purposes than having fun. Admiring a painting, reading a story, watching a movie, listening to music, etc. we don't need any other reason rather than entertainment to submerge ourselves in these activities. What would you think if I said that math can also bring joy, that math is also very entertaining? 

Mathematics started from very specific problems in everyday life. The Greeks did math because they wanted to measure objects. But then, very quickly, math became a game, the question is no longer what to do with it but whether it is a good game! How many of the best minds of mankind have played these games, learning math is a way for mere mortals like me to join them. What is more interesting than being able to meet and make acquaintances with the likes of Fermat, Euler or Abel? 

The arts or sports that we enjoy, after all, are just games, to help us temporarily escape the tediousness and boredom of everyday life. Mathematics, from this perspective, is the pinnacle of entertainment art, because it takes place entirely in human imagination, not limited by space, time or senses, as described by Bertrand Russell, the eminent mathematician of the early 20th century:

Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty—a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture, without appeal to any part of our weaker nature, without the gorgeous trappings of painting or music, yet sublimely pure, and capable of a stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show.

--- 

You don't need to be good at math, don't need to be a mathematician to enjoy the beauty Mr. Russel describes. Of course it can’t hurt knowing math, but there are many dream-like elementary math results that anyone can see.

Get a piece of paper and a pen. You go get it, I'll wait. Draw a triangle. Next you connect each vertex to the center point of the opposite edge. What do you see? The three lines you just drew, called the medians, intersect at one point. Isn't it beautiful? Three straight lines that have nothing to do with each other end up having one point in common. Why does the triangle have this property? This is your homework today.

Figure 1: taken from Paul Lockhart's Measurement book. A book is worth reading if you want to entertain with math.

Next, draw a circle. My earliest mathematical memory was to sit up straight, put my hands on the table and read aloud together with my classmates: the circumference of the circle is 2 times pi multiplied by a radius, written as C = 2 * π * r. This formula says that the ratio between the circumference and the diameter of a circle, no matter how large or small, is a constant. If we take half of the circumference multiplied by pi again, we arrive at the area of the circle, that is A = π * r * r. 

Isn’t it strange? There is no reason for the ratio between the circumference and the diameter or the ratio of the area and the square of the radius of every circle to be equal, and equal to a number that appears everywhere in mathematics and life. But this is the truth. It is true here on Earth, true on the Moon, Mars and true everywhere in the observable universe. 

How do people calculate pi? Notice that we can easily calculate the area or circumference of a square or rectangle, simply because the straight line is easier to measure than the curve. Based on this observation, Archimedes (yes, the very person who jumped out of a bathtub and shouted Eureka! - I just wonder if he was then cursed by his wife or not?) came up with a very unique way of measuring pi.

Figure 2: A hexagon with each edge equal to the radius. Pictures 2, 3, 4 are taken from Infinite Powers, a book worth reading for those who want to know what calculus is for.

Figure 3: Selecting the median point in each arc to create a 12-edge polygon from the hexagon.

Figure 4: As the number of edges increases, the circumference of the polygon is closer to the circumference of the circle.

First (figure 2) he drew a hexagon with the side length equal to a circle radius. The circumference of the hexagon will be 6 * r. Apparently the circumference of the circle is larger than the circumference of the hexagon, so Archimedes deduced that π must be greater than 3. 

Archimedes then doubled the number of edges of the polygon (Figure 3 and Figure 4). Because the edges are straight lines, Archimedes could "easily" calculate the perimeter of each polygon. "Easily" in quotation marks because Archimedes had no money to buy a Casio computer, and he had to manually calculate many a square root. Eventually, Archimedes estimated that 3 + 10/71 < π < 3 + 10/70.

As the author of Infinite Powers wrote, the unknown number, and forever unknown, π is trapped and squeezed between the two numbers that look almost identical except that the former has a denominator of 71, the latter of 70. The latter result reduces to 22/7, the famous approximation to π that all students still learn today and that some unfortunately mistake for π itself. 

For me, Archimedes' method is no different from a good story that can be read and read over and over again. After Archimedes, many mathematicians have devised many other "stories" to approximate π. Now it is known that nobody can determine the exact value of π, but it is possible to approximate π to any level of accuracy. Doesn’t that sound puzzling? We cannot know it, yet we can approximate it however accurate we want.

Next, go find a compass and a ruler. Draw any angle, then use the compass and the ruler according to the instructions in Figure 5 to bisect that angle. 

Figure 5: Split a corner with a compass and a ruler.

This looks easy, how’s about taking it to another level? Let’s try to trisect the angle. One might think that it should be easy to go from two to three, but it is actually as difficult as reaching heaven from earth. The two problems at first glance look identical, but in fact, they belong to two very different worlds. The Greeks began to seek answers thousands of years ago, but there was no answer until the end of the 19th century. A very courageous answer: it is impossible.

How to prove that a problem cannot be solved? With an extremely ingenious argument as follows. To trisect an angle, it is necessary to solve a cubic equation. By the 19th century, it was known that solutions of cubic equations are represented by the cube root. But with rulers and compasses we can only calculate the square root, QED! 

My heart always has a special room for proof of impossibility like this. They are the embodiment of the supreme beauty that Mr. Russel speaks of. No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, no matter what you do, you won't be able to trisect an angle with a ruler and a compass! Impossibility proofs can also give me hope. Whenever I can't solve any problem, I often thought that maybe it can't be solved at all!

--- 

It would be a glaring omission if talking about the beauty of mathematics without mentioning prime numbers.

A natural number n is called divisible by a natural number m when there is a natural number k such that n = m * k. Primes are natural numbers divisible by 1 and itself. For example, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, etc. are prime numbers. 6 is not a prime number because it is divisible by 2 and 3. These are concepts anyone can understand, but hidden behind them are extremely interesting and difficult questions. 

From more than two thousand years ago, Euclid with a breathtaking argument proved that there were infinitely many prime numbers. The next obvious question is how prime numbers are distributed. By visualizing the first few thousands of primes, one can see that the longer primes appear less and less frequently. One can also prove that there are number sequences with arbitrary lengths in which there is not a single prime.

Every time I recall these results, I imagine I am walking in a vast desert. The oasis where I want to go is the next prime number. I don't know where it is, but, thanks to Mr. Euclid, I know it must appear, sooner or later, this desert must have a stop. Mathematics gave me such faithful beliefs, which I could not find anywhere else.

It turns out that nobody could predict when my oasis would appear! In other words, for any sequence of numbers, no one has found a formula or a proof to predict what the next prime number is. Human beings have studied prime numbers for thousands of years, yet this remains an open problem. As nicely put in this article, present an argument or formula which (even barely) predicts what the next prime number will be (in any given sequence of numbers), and your name will be forever linked to one of the greatest achievements of the human mind, akin to Newton, Einstein and Gödel.

If the distribution of primes is too difficult to understand, this is a problem no one has solved yet but is much easier to understand: are all even numbers greater than 2 the sum of two primes? This question, called the Goldbach conjecture, had been tested positively to any even numbers smaller than 400,000,000,000. But no one has seen to it whether it is still true if we try test larger numbers!

Is there any other form of artistic entertainment that only within a few minutes, just by imagination and very elementary knowledge, help you arrive at the threshold of knowledge of all mankind? Learning math is like having a miraculous door of Doraemon, it takes only a moment to be able to travel to places where nobody has ever come. What's more fun that that?

--- 

I write this article for no other purpose than to share the pleasure of a person who is lucky enough to perceive the beauty of mathematics. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe you don't see what I'm writing here is interesting, and it's okay. I just want to say that math has completely changed my life, and hope that you give math a chance to change the life of you or your children.

I understand that most of us do not have a good experience when studying mathematics in high school or college. I assure you that this is a common problem, not only in Vietnam, but all over the world. Mathematics is taught and learned mechanically, without joy. But don’t worry, and please be optimistic, school is not the only place we can learn. I have never had a college degree, and if I can study math, anyone can learn it. The only thing we need is an open mind, daring to try new things, the rest can be left to math! 

Good luck and I hope that one day you’d find yourself studying a math problem, then, with a happy smile, whispering to yourself, isn’t it beautiful?

[mochidoodle]

Houseki - 宝石

Since there’s been some curiosity about it lately, I’ve decided to officially introduce Houseki! Houseki is my original series made with the help of my faithful editor-in-chief @ukitakejuushiro​​​.

It all began with my first D&D character, a half-elf druid named Eizan Shen whose backstory I fleshed out over the past year. The story takes place in the elf nation of Liang (Chinese: 亮), meaning “light/brightness.” I incorporated my Asian heritage into a fantasy, magic-filled world brimming with all the classic (and favorite) fantasy story tropes. Sky-high towers and mages and dragons...a mix modern fashion with ancient Chinese wardrobes...and a set of unique customs built on Asian foundations. (ok now I sound like a chef on Chopped😅)

This explanation ended up hella long, so the rest is under the cut! I’m so happy people are curious about Houseki. It’s the culmination of my love for drawing, world-building, and storytelling (and anime ofc lol). Hope y’all enjoy my first original story!

The Kingdom of Liang

The prosperous Kingdom of Liang is a country landlocked on three sides, facing the sea on its west coast. It’s ruled by an oligarchy-monarchy mishmash I’ve yet to totally work out and three big political factions I won’t delve into too much now. The important thing to know is Eizan’s wife, Saya, connects him to the nobility because she’s the niece of the king. Her entire backstory is a wild ride involving a dispute for the throne, “dishonoring” her clan, and finding a family for herself. 

For the most part, the main plot revolves Eizan and his job. If you’ve read MTNN by Matsui Yuusei, you’ll figure out exactly who inspired Eizan...in fact he’s kinda like a (slight) Pokemon evolution of my favorite MTNN character (lol oops...)

Anyway, for that reason, I gave Eizan a similar-ish job. (I’ll keep Eizan spoilers to a minimum here because the campaign I’m playing right now has yet to reveal his deets... but if asked, I’d be happy to give’em!) We follow his adventures and meet his best friend, Taizi (a human) and his brother-in-law, Chai (an aspiring mage). 

Due to a horrific 100-year-long war (appropriately named the 100 Year War), Liang experiences the aftereffects of rampant xenophobia. Nowadays, border relations are peaceful and the xenophobia is minimal, but the bitter aftertaste of intermittent racism and elf elitism remains. 

We get a dose of this in Taizi’s backstory — Taizi and his human family were immigrant beggars rejected by the locals until Eizan’s father offered them a home and helped them get back on their feet. Ever since then, Eizan and Taizi have been the best of friends, like brothers. 

Meanwhile, Chai, the snooty son of one of the biggest royals around, learns what it means to be the “non-elite.” He meets Taizi, his sister marries Eizan (a commoner and a half-blood), and he becomes a working apprentice at the local woodshop. His is a tale of self discovery, treating people with fairness, finding his own goals, and opening his worldview when he crosses paths with characters from all walks of life.

Jade

One of the most important customs in Liang is the symbolism of jade. Jade is the most sacred stone, symbolizing a lifelong promise between two (or more) people. It is a vow of friendship, family, love, and loyalty. Jade is not to be gifted lightly. Royals tend to have a family and/or individual ring made of jade.

Most, if not all couples, will exchange unique jade pieces when they marry. I call it “Trade a Jade” (˚▽˚) For example, Eizan gave Saya her hair clip and she gave him a set of earrings. Sky gave Yuri a beautiful hair ornament, and she gave him jade chevron ear cuffs. (Couples do trade other items, but these happened to be similar gifts.)

Magic

The theory of magic in Liang is based off the number eight, representing harmony and balance. Mages use “anchors” to connect themselves to the natural energy of the world. While magic theory/technique may vary geographically, Liangese magic always utilizes eight anchors. A gate between the first seven anchors and the universe is established using your soul anchor (the eighth pillar, one’s own mana). The first seven are elemental anchors (fire, earth, water, etc) which draw power from the natural world. The stronger the mage, the purer the magic, meaning one can draw a greater quantity of power with a better connection.

Gemstones — houseki (宝石) — are used to enhance the channels established by anchors. Certain jewels even have elemental affinities. Stones with high purity resonate strongly and channel the best magic. 

Fun fact: If you take away the hat-shaped radical in the first character of Houseki, you get the word for “jade”...! 

Connecting to different anchors produces different spells. For example, combining several elements provides complex magics like telepathy and foresight. Using only one type of anchor creates create pure magic, such as straight up fire or water spells. However, magic is not produced out of thin air — it requires a trade of the user’s mana for the world’s energy. A spell’s strength still depends on the caliber of mage, not just what anchors they use.

Magic tools are very common. They use magic batteries made of gems/metal ores or simply rely on the user’s mana. Inscriptions and magic circles establish anchors if none are enchanted into the gems. High quality magic tools are made of metals with high magic compatibility. The more common items made from regular steel, stone, and glass include thoughtography radios, magic-infused cameras, and quartz crystal TVs.

Additionally, healing is possible by accessing life element anchors (found in your soul anchor or in organic objects) to summon sheer life force energy. Liangese healing magic is very advanced to the point where one can conduct brain and open-heart surgeries. However, the usage of certain magics is forbidden without qualification. Medicinal magic is limited to certified clerics, and alchemy is strictly prohibited unless you’ve graduated from the capital’s School of Alchemy. 

Note: Much sketchy underworld business revolves around black magic, illegal alchemy, and magic weapons trade.

Basic spells are taught in grade schools, but not everyone has strong magic affinity, so mastery isn’t a requirement. Most children continue on to a regular university, vocational school, or magic academy if they don’t enter a direct apprenticeship following primary education. Easy spells are frequently used in daily life to simplify tasks. For example, one can check the quality of materials or speed up certain processes using analysis/trace magic. Cooking magic is an entire art on its own, and very difficult to master.

There are laws banning time-altering magic and revival of the dead, but very few ever violate them. This is because these spells never end well. You can land in an eternal time loop or accidentally create a soulless, man-eating zombie. And then you die.  While spells that save someone on the brink of death in exchange for one’s own life force do exist, you cannot bring back the dead. 

There is only one exception to this, and even that singular instance required hundreds of years of research and preparation, not to mention the cost.

Finally, certain noble clans specialize in different magics, often attaining mastery of multiple disciplines. I’ll save that for a different post, but for now, just know that the Cheng Lis are primarily fire, alchemy, and space/time mages. Eizan is good with earth or plant-based spells (aka he has a great green thumb!)

commissioned art by Ling

Plot (???)

The plot of Houseki is still a work in progress. I have a general outline that I keep adding to as more ideas come. I’m writing out the fine details/arcs, which will include the dark underbelly of the royal world, black magic, a threat to the nation, the secret to life (?), and the truth behind the throne. Love me my cliches hehe~

Here are some character facts you might find interesting! ...okay, yes, my cast is like 90% one royal family and I have terrible naming sense (I legit named Taizi after my fave badminton player) but here ya go!

MAIN CAST 

Eizan Shen: A half-elf druid created for my first ever D&D campaign hosted by a friend! He’s a huge family man and an avid tea enthusiast. Very calm, levelheaded, and specializes in handling a knife...or many knives. (I don’t know where he keeps them...😨) Eizan gives off ultimate dad vibes and his most treasured thing in the world is his family.

Saya Shen: Eizan’s wife, a full elf born to one of the most powerful royal clans. She was supposed to be the first princess of Liang, but was disowned by her family when she rebelled from their ideals and married a commoner (and a half-blood, to boot). She’s an incredibly strong woman both mentally and physically, but also one of the warmest, most loving characters in the series. Oh, also her biceps are made of steel.

Chai Cheng Li: Saya’s little brother, a young mage prodigy who specializes in fire magic. He’s a tad snooty and arrogant, but at heart just a nerdy bookworm who loves magic. He grows up admiring his sister, feeling heartbroken when she “abandons” him and leaves the family, but later rediscovers himself and in his journey to become king. 

Taizi Ying: Eizan’s childhood friend. He and his family were immigrant beggars shunned by the locals until Eizan’s parents offered them a place to stay. After his parents died of illness, Taizi made it his life goal to repay the kindness that Eizan’s family showed him years ago. He becomes the greatest swordsman in the nation and earns great respect despite the human blood in his veins. 

Dae Ongaku: She is spunk in the form of a small elf girl, the one and only Dae. Head apprentice of the Shen Woodworking Company, her skills are nearly unrivaled. She’s known for her contagious smile, eccentric love of cheese, and her liveliness. It really isn’t a day without Dae Ongaku. (Character inspired and written by @ukitakejuushiro)

Sky Silvers: A cool and aloof elven ranger who befriends Eizan during our D&D campaign, later residing in the Shen household temporarily before he becomes a disciple of the greatest archer in Liangese history, Hanzhen Cheng Li. In the future timeline, Sky also ends up falling in love with Han’s daughter and marrying her. (Sky belongs to @ukitakejuushiro, and is her player in the campaign.)

Hanzhen Cheng Li: Youngest brother of the king and Saya’s uncle. Known far and wide as the One-Eyed Archer, Han is the strongest archer in all of Liangese history. He lost function of his left eye in the 100 Year War, hence his nickname. His wife passed away due to cancer, but thanks to my incredible plot armor (backed up by a decent magic theory), she will come back to life. They’re the cutest shit you’ll ever see, so I have absolutely no regrets. Best decision ever.

Yumiko Cheng Li: Han’s beloved wife, a cute little lady with a head of fluffy chestnut hair. She died approximately 75-85 years ago due to an incurable cancer, but I brought her back to life because Han was too lonely and I love her to bits. She is pure sunshine, the actual greatest good in this world.

Just look at this...how can you say no....

Yuri Cheng Li: Daughter of Han and Yumiko. Like her parents before her, she is a skilled archer, and her personality is a perfect mix of the two. She has a passion for fashion, art, and teaching, but her emotionally tragic past hinders her confidence and her relationships. Fortunately, she meet someone who helps her becomes brave again, and fate aligns just right :’)

Hokuzhen Cheng Li: We should finally introduce the King of Liang himself, shouldn’t we? Cheerful and easygoing, Hoku is a kind and intelligent king. He’s very perceptive of the state of the nation, while also keeping up with “hip and cool” trends much to his daughter’s dismay. He can be somewhat clumsy, often tripping over his massive robes. A good man with one too many dad jokes...

Alishan Cheng Li: The Crown Princess of Liang, named after the literal Alishan mountain range of Taiwan. She’s Hoku’s daughter and Saya’s cousin. Ali is polite and well-mannered but not particularly adventurous or motivated. She knows for sure that she doesn’t want to inherit the throne. Oh, and she loves food (especially mantou) ♫

Bonus:

Wakamori Yakaze: A spirit mage from the western island country of Kouhaku. Yakaze is Sky’s first teacher and Han’s best friend. Though he doesn’t appear in Houseki’s main plot, he’s a main character in Han’s spinoff story, which will rejoin the final timeline of the main series. Yakaze’s tale is one of angst and hopelessness and his journey to someday becoming whole again. Personally, I believe his friendship with Han is unrivaled, far surpassing both love and life. Keep an eye out for him in YUMI TO YA —弓と矢  (Yakaze belongs to @ukitakejuushiro)

ANTAGONISTS

Yan Wu Seigi: A cunning mage who runs an underworld spy network. He is the head of the Seigi clan (and political faction), but his heinous actions in the 100 Year War dishonored his clan, and they were stripped of their status. His sly methods and ulterior motives drive the underlying plot behind Houseki.

Akagi Kanshikan: Yan Wu’s adopted son. Akagi lost his family to a house fire when he was young. He grows up a wild, obsessive, and unstable youth who craves social intimacy but doesn’t know how to achieve it. His love for violence and lifelong training as an assassin don’t help much either. He meets Eizan during their school years and plays a large role in one of the more devastating arcs. 

Jimo Kanshikan: Akagi’s younger sister, a small, emotionless, and cold assassin. Trained to be a killer since her formative years, she is fast and deadly...but somewhere deep inside, she wishes Yan Wu would show her fatherly approval and she seeks warmth from her sibling(s). 

Shanmu Seigi: Yan Wu’s only biological daughter, a wicked poison enchantress who adores mind games. She supports her father’s regime but also has an evil plan of her own. The shame of their clan drove her to mother to madness, and Shanmu’s hand in her mother’s demise explains why she has become so twisted. Shanmu is a recurring antagonist who cleverly slips beyond reach of the law.

Hayazhen Cheng Li: The eldest Cheng Li brother, Saya’s father, and formerly the Crown Prince of Liang. He was once a benevolent man to his loved ones, but after an unfortunate plot twist, he begins seeking vengeance in the form of cruelly grooming his heir. Hayazhen is a key national figure and maintains strong influence behind political tides. 

Asuka Cheng Li: Hayazhen’s wife, mother of Saya and Chai. She supports her husband’s endeavors regrets her inability to help Hayazhen make wiser choices. Instead, she blindly takes his side, thinking it was the only way to support him. 

Junzhen Cheng Li: A stingy, arrogant second Cheng Li brother. He’s just straight up mean and rude, no holds barred. But no one gives a damn about him either lol.

SUPPORTERS & FRIENDS

Setsuna Reifan: A renowned healer who spearheads the movement for workers’ rights and class equality. She becomes an important ally to the main cast. 

Ichirou Reifan: Setsuna’s son, a member of Eizan’s team. A really average joe. Pleasant to be around, but not very interesting.

Hyouka Tsaomei: A quiet, sweet girl who specializes in illusionary magic. She loves strawberries. Her name means strawberry. Will kill for strawberry shortcake. 

Qiuzhen Rin Koori: Magic forensic specialist who only likes three things in this world — coffee, candy, and sleep. It pains him to get out of his chair, and it’s near impossible to extract him from his magic lab. 

Old Nao: Headmaster of one of the military academies in the capital. A kind man, but also incredibly ancient.

Torisu Bia: One of the Ongaku Daily Sun’s best political journalists. Doesn’t sleep much, loves to write, and gets her nose into sticky situations every now and then. Uncovers a great conspiracy.

Osamu Raisan: A bard of the royal court who plays the shamisen. Something about him is particularly ethereal and all-knowing...

Maikku Shantian: Another bard of the royal court. He sings. Loudly. A very popular bard amongst the populace. 

Layla Zanabaq: A local florist in the capital’s most immigrant-populated town, where Eizan and Saya live. Has a huge crush on Maikku. (Inspired and created by @harunnn)

Shu’un & Ranshao: Two of Chai’s university friends. The first is a salty little mage who uses familiars, and the second is the token idiot who only knows how to use explosion magic.

Paiya Yoon: Dae’s childhood friend and rival. She moves into the capital when she finds a new job there, rekindling their competitive friendship. She’s named after a papaya. Yes, you heard me, a papaya. (Inspired by @kyahgamis​)

Rem: Sky’s eternally sleepy childhood friend. Even while holding a conversation, there is a 99% chance he is asleep. May or may not be a ninja, but you didn’t hear that from m—

Collie: An archery kouhai from Sky’s youth. She looks up to him a lot and she flaps her ears when she’s excited, as if she might try and fly away. Collie is often mistaken for a boy.

Ra: A very Extra™ healer who has 100% faith in his skills (as should you). He calls people by their full name all the time (a power move), doesn’t skimp on eyeliner, and has known Sky since his village days as well. (Rem, Collie, Ra by @ukitakejuushiro)

FAMILY 

Ezi Shen: The plucky, curious daughter of Eizan and Saya! She adores the color pink and loves bows of all kinds: bow ties, ribbon bows, bow tie pasta, you name it! Ezi is quite the fearless little adventurer and one should consider it an honor to be invited to her weekly tea parties.

Daizan Shen: Eizan’s father, a master woodworker who owns the shop where Dae works. He’s a strict but fair man who earned great respect amongst fellow craftsmen with his hard work and skills. He and his wife serve as the liaisons between local mixed-race business and the corporate elf society. 

Meihua Shen: Eizan’s mother and Daizan’s wife. Though she was born to elite elven family, Meihua pursued her dream of being a seamstress. She now owns a beautiful dress and tailor shop. Despite being a pacifist, Meihua’s incredible intelligence was needed at the end of the 100 Year War, and she temporarily served as the head military strategist.

Tian Cheng Li: The only daughter of the previous king and sister to all of the Cheng Li brothers. Tian is an absolute riot who turns proper princess stereotypes on their heads. She is the root source of Saya’s spunky nature, the rebellious and boisterous Cheng Li aunt. 

Hayano and Irino Cheng Li: The notorious family twins, Tian’s youngest sons. They are the most chaotic duo of memes elves you’ll ever meet. They always have their hair dyed one wacky color or another. Lately it’s been orange (Hayano) and lavender (Irino). 

Hokkaia Hibari: Saya’s maternal grandmother, a very loving and tender woman who taught her grandchildren how to read and write. When the family dynamic turned sour, the children sought comfort in Hokkaia. She taught them to hope and dream :’) 

The Ongaku Family: Dae’s family of two fishermen, a navy boy, and the editor-in-chief of the Ongaku Daily Sun. They’re frequently so busy with work (coastal fishing, deployment, running the newspaper, etc) that they’re often absent from the household. As a result, Dae practically lives with the Shens nowadays.

Rei, Jun, & Maeno Cheng Li: The rest of Saya’s cousins. Rei is the oldest, an elegant but stiff woman. Underneath her guise of propriety, she seems lonely, like she just wants to have fun and be friends. Meanwhile, Jin is her stuck-up asshole of a little brother, a true snob. Don’t give Jin time of day, ever — it’ll get to his head. Finally, Maeno is the benevelent older bro of Tian’s twins. He has a soft, round stature and a warm smile.

Sei Ling Zhou: The former queen, mother of all the Cheng Li siblings, and the most renowned healer in history. She’s known for her quirky attitude and snarky clapbacks, having once turned down the proposal of the last king himself. Sei Ling will discover a never-before-seen spell that could very well be considered the “secret” of life...

Akira and Kawano Cheng Li: Akira is Junzhen’s wife and mother to Rei and Jin. She married into the family forcefully, desiring access to their magic libraries. Akira is not a stranger to getting what she wants. Kawano is Tian’s husband, a calm and steady man to balance out her spontaneity. He comes from a family that owns a fruit import company.

CUSTOMS

Jade: As mentioned before, the jade stone is the most precious and worshiped gem. Recklessly gifting jade would tarnish one’s reputation and belittle Liangese culture. Of course, they are understanding of mistakes, especially when foreigners are just learning about their customs.

Festivals: Liang has four big seasonal festivals — the Lantern Festival on the summer solstice, the Lunar Dance Festival in mid-autumn, the White Tiger Festival on the week of the new year, and the Jade Horse Festival on the spring equinox. People gather to pray to shrines, dance and sing, eat good food, and visit their families. 

Tournaments: Similarly, Liang also has four seasonal tournaments called “Medals.” Winners of the Medals, appropriately called Medalists, are recognized as the greatest master in their respective fields. (Minor competitions also occur, but these are the big ones):

There is the Swordsmanship Medal, which lasts five days and ends on the summer equinox (the day the Lantern Festival begins).

The Ceremonial Dance Medal in mid-autumn, which perfectly coincides with the Lunar Dance Festival. 

The Archery Medal on the winter solstice.

And finally the Horsemanship Medal during the spring equinox.

(all statistics are approximate and not quite final yet!)

Mastery of Arts: In Liang, mastery in any field (magic, arts, athletics, medicine, etc) is a very respected achievement. Oftentimes, masters are the older folks, hence why elders are held in high regard. An important plot point involves Taizi achieving mastery of the sword and winning the Swordsmanship Medal, defying classism and racism, and becoming one of the youngest and most respected masters of his generation. 

Market Day: A day-long event akin to an Asian night market or western farmers’ market. Shop owners, farmers, and restaurateurs gather in the central marketplaces of large and small cities alike to sell their specialty items. It’s a day to celebrate food and advertise your best goods! 

PLACES

Hisui: The capital. It has a circular layout and lies in the western central region of Liang. The Royal Palace sits at its center, hugged by a river that comes from the north. The Inner and Outer Capital are areas separated by the imaginary circle drawn by the river. This line divides the government and business sectors from the smaller residential districts.

Hayashi: Saya’s main hometown growing up. An industrial city slightly northeast of the capital.

Bing Harbor: Han’s city of residence in the northwestern province. It is Liang’s biggest port town, and thus the “gate” to the western world. Bing Harbor is known for its beautiful winter landscapes and seamless escape into vast forests.

Huamao: Eizan’s hometown, where he met Taizi. Known for its peaceful gorges, clear pools, and beautiful small cascades. 

Mountains: The mountain ranges surrounding Liang are classified into three different regions, each with their own specialty resources (i.e. mountain ore, lumber, etc). They are home to a few aboriginal clans. 

Huen: The southernmost Hisui district. It has the highest immigrant and non-elf population in the capital. This where Eizan currently lives. 

Haretsuki Lake: A large lake shaped like a crescent moon crashed into the sun. It lies in a valley to the southeast and has much historical relevance.

Here is a vague, incomplete map of Liang (still a really rough draft so far, and not quite the shape I want it to be...):

As you can see, I have great naming sense (´∀｀；) I either name on a whim or I throw in references to my family in some way or another... Anyway, I plan to change the shape and layout a bit. I’m not quite satisfied yet...

In conclusion... 

That...was a lot. If you made it this far, holy shit? Thank you?? Feel free to check out my Houseki tag and ask questions and just...please talk to me about my OCs omg I’m so excited ( ๑>ᴗ<๑ )

This is kinda my first big original “project.” I’ve always wanted to do something like this and I’m super excited to share it. Most of it’s on my personal docs or in chats with Danie, but I will share it all eventually! And I’ll update the (very unfinished) Houseki blog with all the formatting and plot, so stay tuned!

[pinkchaosart]

In response to Mr. Prager

If you haven’t seen it, this is the video that this essay is in response to

So, obviously I disagree with this video. Let’s go through it: welcome to my ted talk.

1. Universities - First of all, let’s get this out of the way: just because one professor has an opinion about his school becoming a “laughing stock,” doesn’t mean that all education is going down the tubes. In reality, more people of colour and women are being educated than ever before. Kids are graduating high school more than ever, and education is more accessible than ever, at least according to the National Centre for Education Statistics. I don’t know if Mr. Prager has ever been to a modern, public university, but the only people that shut down vs debate are people who are not open to new ideas, who feel overwhelmed and persecuted because their opinion isn’t the only one in the school. Also, Christopher Columbus (pictured in the video as a pillar of education) was a genocidal lunatic. He murdered the Tainos people, didn’t discover America, and didn’t prove the earth was round. Go read about that.

2. The Arts - “The primary purpose of art was to elevate people.” I don’t know if there is a single time in human history when this stands true. This is a topic I’ve personally studied and so I’m going to tell you that, for most of human history, the primary purpose of art was for the rich to show off their money. Portraits were paid for by wealthy people to immortalize themselves. Selfie culture who? I also want to point out that, in the animation in the video, an example of “classic art” given is a painting by Monet, a modern artist who’s work was seen as shocking at the time due to it’s non-photorealism. The only reason we see it as beautiful now is because of time and the art prestige classifying it as such. I would also like to point out that the urinal in the next bit of the video was actually “made” around the same point in time. By no means is it something anyone would consider a current piece of art. I would also like to point out that Mr. Prager is being a hypocrite here, employing the imagery of “urine and feces” for shock value, the very thing he had just criticized. Pablo Picasso said, “What do you think an artist is? ...he is a political being, constantly aware of the heart breaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war.” Art isn’t for beauty, it’s all politics, war, sex and money.

3. Literature - “The English department of the university of Pennsylvania replaced the portrait of the greatest English writer who ever lived, William Shakespeare, with a picture of a black lesbian poet.” Yes they did, and that poet’s name is Audre Lorde. First, William Shakespeare’s work is not prestigious. His work was not considered refined when it was produced. It’s full of lewd and ridiculous jokes. “Much ado about nothing” roughly translates to “everyone wants the pussy”. “Nothing” was slang back then for vagina. But let’s go back to Lorde. Mr. Prager said that they replaced Shakespeare with her because they value diversity over excellence. What he’s implying is that Lorde is not worth revering, despite being a very important writer of her time, five thousand times more serious than Shakespeare ever was, and her writings are much deeper than Prager gives her credit for. In fact, he gave her no credit, didn’t even say her name.

4. Late-night television - “In America, late-night shows were completely apolitical” This is completely wrong. Late night TV started in the 1940-50’s, and often they were based on politically charged comedy, just like they are now.

5. Religion - “In many churches and synagogues, one is more likely to hear the clergy talk about political issues than about any other subject, including the Bible.” First of all, I would like to point out that political issues were what Jesus mostly talked about. “Love your neighbour” was a direct comment at the racism Jews experienced and held towards others. “Turn the other cheek” was about how to make your aggressor look like a total jerk. What is the point of church if not to give people usable tools in our modern world? That’s what Jesus did. I would also like to point out that, again, this is Prager’s opinion, and it’s clear what kind of content he thinks should be taught.

6. Freedom of Speech: “Yet the whole point of free speech is that it allows people to express any political or social position, including what any one of us considers hate speech.” Except that it doesn’t. Freedom of speech is described: “everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference” by the International Human Rights Law, but it also states that the rights carry “special duties and responsibilities” and are “therefore ....subject to certain restrictions ... for respect of the rights or reputation of others ....or the protection of national security of public order or of public health or morals.” Freedom of speech is not absolute, and common boundaries are hate speech, food labeling, pornography, obscenity, slander, copyrights, etc. I would also like to point out that him arguing to be allowed to use hateful words is pointing out the obvious: that he hates us, ie: people that he describes in or agrees with this video.

7. Race - “America has become the least racist multiracial society in world history” ding dong, this is so unbelievably wrong. Let’s talk about “systemic racism” for a minute. This isn’t some “angry diatribe,” but a legitimate and historically accurate concern. It is a form of racism expressed in the practice of social and political institutions, reflected in disparities regarding wealth, income, criminal justice, employment, housing, health care, political power, and education, among others. It is a reality that millions of North Americans (yes, Canada’s not clean on this issue) experience daily. For example, Caucasian people and black people consume the same amount of pot on a national scale. Black people are way more likely to be arrested and receive convictions for it. In America, once you receive a criminal conviction, you are no longer able to vote. So even though equal amounts of white and black people use marijuana, black people are arrested and convicted (and therefore cannot vote) because of a system designed to take away their voice. Let’s also touch on the “red lining” from a half-century ago which allowed banks to not lend money to people of colour which created ghettos, which is now home to an overwhelmingly poor and coloured population. That’s systemic oppression and it has been going on for decades. Mr. Prager is the epitome of White Privilege. I’m as white as he is and even I can see that this man hasn’t had to question his good fortune a day in his life and instead chooses to blame others for not “working hard enough” even though they’ve worked harder than he ever has.

8. The Boy Scouts - “They’re not even the Boy Scouts anymore, they’re just the Scouts. The left forced them to admit girls” - So? “The Boy Scouts have helped shape tens of millions of boys into independent and strong good men.” Okay, so wouldn’t you want your girls to grow up strong and independent? How is adding MORE PARTICIPANTS destroying the Scouts exactly?

9. Male-Female - “In New York City, parents do not have to select male or female on a newborn’s birth certificate.” Again, so what? How is that going to affect anyone other than that family. Also, designations of gender at birth on a certificate aren’t set in stone, they can be changed later. It’s not a big deal. Allowing a child to grow up unrestricted in gender norms, won’t create confused people. Letting your boys play with dolls isn’t going to make them want to be a girl, and letting your daughter roll around in the dirt won’t make her a lesbian. Mass confusion doesn’t just happen because of an “x” on a birth certificate.

“America is only bad compared to Utopia.” No, America is bad in comparison to most other first-world countries. The only thing that America excels in is making war. It spends billions of dollars occupying other countries while its people can’t afford health care, food, education, and other basic human rights.

What i find really interesting about this video is that it is completely his opinion. There’s no facts or sources given, he’s chosen his quotes very carefully (even taken them out of context), and I have to conclude that a video like this is only meant to drive the “us vs them” mentality. At it’s best this philosophy is unhealthy, at it’s worst it can kill millions of people and has started countless wars. Mr. Prager isn’t well-educated on most of what he’s talked about. He has an undergraduate in Middle Eastern Studies. Everything else he’s studied appears to be related to orthodox religions. He hasn’t done his research, got some of the most basic ideas completely wrong, and nobody should be listening to a word he has to say on any of the topics he’s talked about in this video.

As someone who used to go to a radical church and was part of the “us vs them” mentality for a number of years, I know that my words aren’t going to change many people’s minds. But what I will say is that we have more in common than we have differences. He said he wants us to debate, so here’s a rebuttal. You can have your opinion but only if you can defend it (not using religious texts). Videos like this are just dividing our culture even more than it already is. My uncle referred to “leftists” as vultures. How awful is that? To dehumanize people so extremely is a great first step to calling for their destruction.

Just ask your German Jewish friends, Mr. Prager.

[kudamomo]

Top 10 Favorite Anime 

*Doesn’t contain spoilers (ㅅ´ ˘ `)♡

1. Michiko to Hatchin (2008-2009)

“Michiko to Hatchin,” may appear slightly flawed to the eyes of others, but I have fallen completely in love with this show for a plethora of reasons, both personal and critical. First and foremost, diversity is theme I am particularly fond of, fictionally and in the real world, so seeing an anime that takes place in South America was like a much needed breath of fresh air. On top of that, the soundtrack was completely on par with the gunslinger vibe the show gave off while still keeping the setting of South America in mind. Typically, in 24 episode long shows, such as “Michiko to Hatchin,” the show will begin to drag at some point during the middle. However, the director, Sayo Yamamoto, skillfully switches the show from being story driven to episodic as to keep the viewer entertained and when the time came, picked the story right back up where it left off. Ultimately, I bestow this show with the first 10 out of 10 on this list for its unique setting, characters, and adept pacing.     

2. Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999)

Arguably, not only Shinichiro Watanabe’s greatest creation, but one of the greatest anime shows of all time, is the iconic “Cowboy Bebop.” As to why this show is ranked so high up in this list, as well as any other top anime list, is fairly self explanatory. But to reiterate basically the entire anime community’s opinion on “Cowboy Bebop,” first, it takes place sometime in the far future and hubs on the misadventures of the bounty hunter, Spike Spiegel, and his partners as they search for criminals. Essentially, every aspect of the show is nearly or truly is perfect. The smashing soundtrack to the wonderfully cultivated characters to the attractively sculpted ending, everything, and I mean everything, about “Cowboy Bebop,” screams a 10 out of 10. 

3. Barakamon (2014)

“Barakamon,” is a light hearted, genuinely funny, comedic slice of life anime. It pivots on Handa Seishuu, a calligrapher with a tremendous ego and severe anger issues. After punching another renowned calligrapher, after he criticized Handa’s work for being comparatively lifeless and ‘textbook,’ essentially boring, he is exiled to Gotō Island to better himself and his works. In his duration on Gotō Island, he encounters outlandish Japanese village folk, such as a little girl named Naru Kotoishi. Sooner or later, Handa soon finds himself changing for the better as a result of his stay on Gotō Island. Personally, comedy anime have never been my cup of tea for the sole reason that they fail to make me laugh, but evidently “Barakamon,” came along. I mean, I fell so hard in love with this series that I own the first nine volumes of the manga for it is astoundingly beautiful and hilarious. “Barakamon,” is a soon to be classic for the next generation of anime fans and a simple 10 out of 10 that will surely get laughs out of any person to come across it. 

4. Mind Game (2004)

Made by the man, the myth, and the legend himself, comes debatably Masaaki Yuasa’s greatest work, “Mind Game.” “Mind Game,” is in fact a film not a single person could ever explain to you what it’s about. If anything could describe the film, is that it’s about the mind boggling experience of second chances and rebirth. If that doesn’t seem to have enough substance for you, then keep in mind, based off of Masaaki Yuasa’s track record of finely tuned character development and crazy animation, you’ll have to trust me when I say this, “Mind Game,” is a must see for it is nothing short of cinematic, surreal, masterpiece for I myself even own a copy of this movie. Conclusively, the irrefutable rating this film deserves is an obvious 10 out of 10.  

5. Mononoke (2007)

“Mononoke,” no, not the movie, is a spinoff of the 2006 horror series “Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales.” “Mononoke,” is an episodic series that focuses on a mysterious demon vanquisher, respectively disguised as a medicine seller, and the trials and tribulations he must go through in order to save the demoniac and surmount the demon itself. The first notable feature of “Mononoke” is its usage of color and perspective(s) that make each story within the show all the more captivating and exciting to watch. To go along with that, each story goes in massive depth with its characters, successfully inducing a very emotionally powerful relationship with the viewer almost every time. Yet, as the ending isn’t necessarily sub par, it leaves you hungering for more. Nonetheless, this show deserves nothing but a 10 out of 10.

6. Ping Pong the Animation (2014)

This being Masaaki Yuasa’s second appearance on this list, the only other work this position could've been gifted to is his masterful “Ping Pong the Animation.” Masaaki Yuasa, once again, is notorious for his stellar character development and this is it in its prime. Somehow, each character, no matter how insignificant, has a profound effect on the show and everlasting impact on the viewer. It’s almost unbelievable how a show about ping pong could be so relatable with the main characters inner struggles and their escapist hobbies whilst remaining an intense an interesting sports anime like any other. A facile 10 out of 10.

7. Kekkai Sensen (2015-2017)

“Kekkai sensen,” is definitely one of the more light hearted series on this list in which it’s about the supernatural monsters that now live alongside humans in places such as Hellsalem's Lot, formerly known as New York City. The main character soon finds himself leading out an extraordinary life in the said city as he joins the estranged group Libra after attaining the All-seeing Eyes of the Gods at the expense of his sister's eyesight. “Kekkai Sensen,” is a fun and witty show that any anime fan would enjoy. The visuals are eye-catching as well as the music being funky, making it quite the delightful series. Even so, as the finale approaches, it becomes unexpectedly emotional furthering the show’s greatest and superiority as well as establishing a great sense of character depth. Final rating, 9.6 out of 10. 

8. In This Corner of the World (2017)

“In This Corner of the World,” is a film that takes place in Hiroshima during World War II, which focuses on a young woman by the name of Suzu and her daily struggles during this time period. This seemingly drab movie in fact blossoms into something tragically beautiful and easily one of the greatest anime films ever composed, alongside the aforementioned “Mind game.” It unexpectedly tugs at your heart strings with magnificently animated pieces of Suzu’s art to display her interpersonal feelings when faced with particular situations, topped with an equally wondrous soundtrack. This film executes all the components, such as character development, pacing, and directing, of a good anime perfectly, making it optimal for critical and personal enjoyment. Final verdict, an easy 10 out of 10.

9. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1996)

“Neon Genesis Evangelion,” is another iconic franchise that effected the anime community as well as the mecha genre itself as we know it today. “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” takes place in a post-apocalyptic era whereas humanity’s last hopes is in the hands of Nerv, a special agency ran by the United Nations. Nerv was founded in order to combat Angels, the species responsible for the destruction of Earth, using Evangelions. The show specifically focuses on the youth, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei, who pilot the Evangelions and their emotional reactions as a result of the responsibility being forcibly left on their shoulders. Although “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” is nothing apparent to reality, it feels exactly like real life. The emotional responses of the characters are ones you would witness in real people or rather experience yourself. The realism and psychology this show implements is absolutely groundbreaking and proved extremely influential on future mature anime. Thus, “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” is so deservingly awarded with a 10 out of 10 for the emotional levels throughout each episode. 

10. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis (2014)

Based off the “Shingeki no Bahamut,” card game franchise comes “Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis,” as created by Studio Mappa. The show centers on a world of demons that are in constant war against angels and humans, but as the ancient dragon Bahamut appears before them and lays waste to their planet, the aforementioned races combined their forces in order to expel Bahamut and preserve life. However, thousands of years later, a mysterious woman by the name Amira appears in front of two bounty hunters, Favaro and kaiser, who ironically holds half of the key that is sealing Bahamut away. Simply, this show is nothing short of badass paired with a rock and roll soundtrack combined with quirky characters who you will fall in love with as they fall in love with each other. Final rating, 9.8 out of 10.

[az-valentine]

Entry 1: Pennywise [AU]

July 2nd, 2018 

In light of recent events – the nature of which I refuse to explain to people who simply couldn't understand – I've been inspired to record a few passages for Humanity to eventually stumble upon. Despite what you may know about me, however little that may be, I assure you, there is far more to me than what meets the eye. You probably know me to be an unpredictable, animalistic Eldritch Abomination that comes crawling out of the darkest pits of your worst nightmares – you are correct. However, I'm far more complicated than that. Yes, I eat flesh and feed on Fear, as it's necessary for my survival. I didn't choose to be this way, it's just how I was created to be. 

Outside of that, I'm actually a fan of your classic literature, like Shakespeare, Twain, Poe, and Lovecraft. I also enjoy taking long walks to admire your older European architecture, and your bigger, more lush and diverse botanical gardens. I don't often leave Maine, let alone the Continental United States, but when I do, it's always a treat. My Eldritch Brethren usually don't care much – or at all – about what Humanity has accomplished in its pathetically short time, but I watched your earliest ancestors crawl out of the ancient muds of this planet, and I'm positive I'll watch you all return to the weeds in due time. 

My past is better left being known only by those closest to me, and left up for interpretation to everyone else. That being said, I feel strangely obligated to offer you a word of warning – don't end up like the protagonists of most Lovecraft stories. Don't go digging for information you have no business knowing. What you know, and what you think you know about Fear, hardly even scratches the surface of the unnamable terrors that lie beneath and beyond your fragile mental barriers. The depths of Madness are not meant to be explored by Mortal minds, for they were never designed to be capable of handling the journey. 

Some have tried, and nearly all have ended up a writhing, unintelligible, gibbering mess before their inevitable, horrific deaths. Some have wound up on that Path without even intending to, and fell victim to similar fates. If there's one thing we have in common, it's our tendency to be curious creatures. I definitely understand the desire to learn about the unknown. I cannot stop you from attempting to uncover lost knowledge and hidden truths, and I can't honestly say I care whether or not you listen to me. However, I still feel compelled to advise against it. Like me, though, you'll do what you please, regardless of the risks. 

Moving forward, those of you that know of me know me to be a Shifter, a being that is capable of taking the form of whatever I want. I'm like a Mimic, but far more interesting, and intelligent. I'm also like Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos, except I take no pleasure in gaining legions of followers and spreading Madness. I prefer to be left alone most of the time – to Hunt, eat, sleep, and explore as I choose. Earth isn't the only planet I've been to, but it's definitely one of my favorites. If I wake up during one of my sleep cycles, I'll sometimes take that opportunity to go somewhere new and different, or old and familiar. 

I've seen everything from the bustling cities of Tokyo and Arcturus Prime, to the noxious swamps of Beldron 4, the scorching, temple and monolith-spotted deserts of Alkh'tktuuhl, the ravenous raggle-trees of Nillub, and even the turbulent oceans, black forests, and numerous mountain ranges of an unknown terrestrial behemoth, floating aimlessly through the inky depths of Oblivion. One thing most don't know about me, is that Alkh'tkhtuuhl holds a very special place in my Heart. Those that know the reason why, though, I can count on one hand. 

Unbeknownst to Humanity, Arcturus Prime is still thriving to this day – and if rumors hold true, the Arcturians eventually want to introduce themselves. Don't worry, they're incredibly friendly. In my experiences with them, they're often a little shy, so don't do anything stupid when they get here. You'll need their help if you want your species to survive, thrive, and save the only planet you currently have to live on. They'll slowly work you into the galactic community, and help you learn how to integrate with other people from other planets, as well as how to survive off of your home world. 

Everyone that lives long enough will go through a Great Change at certain points in their lives – this trait is not unique to Humans, or any other Mortal species within the Multiverse, but is present among all sentient Life that has evolved far enough to be capable of experiencing these changes. Even I, the Prince of Fear, have gone through it several times throughout my existence. Indeed, many see me as just a highly intelligent, impossibly powerful beast that's merely good at acting, but I too am a person. 

I am not at liberty to speak of my true origins, or what came before, but I do have quite a few stories I'm allowed to tell. For the sake of brevity – I could write an entire series about my life – I will stick to telling only a few tales that I hold near and dear to my Heart. It's not every day a Mortal gets to learn such personal things about an Eldritch Being, let alone directly from them, so consider this a little gift to Humanity. I still take what I need to sustain myself, but who would I be if I didn't give back every now and then? 

Don't think of me as just a monster – I may be greater than anything a Human could ever hope to become, and I may have needs that cause a conflict of Morality between us, but it doesn't mean we don't share similarities. I don't know why I feel the need to say it, but just like you, I have my weaknesses. I have sore spots, bad memories, times of self-destruction, and an unhealthy relationship with self-hatred. Oh, yes...I can be as vulnerable as the Mortals whose lives I claim. It's not all bad, though. As I stated earlier, some of my guilty pleasures include literature, architecture, and traveling. I also enjoy attending plays, Broadway shows, and operas. At heart, I am an artist, and someone who appreciates the natural beauty to be found spread out across the Universe. 

In fact, for as long as I can remember, I've always taken part in the various cultures' Arts in some way or another. My numerous homes have always had a collection of writings, paintings, and props found in certain visual productions that had struck my fancy. I would occasionally write my own works, such as poetry and prose, plays, and even some music, and then offer it to Yog-Sothoth for his Archives. On top of that, I would often disguise myself as a native of a planet, and audition to play a role in something – not once was I turned down. Who was the best Carmen? Me. The greatest Figaro? Me! 

By now, you must be perfectly aware of the sizeable amount of differences between me, and the Being you've always known me to be. There is an explanation for this, yes, but I struggle to believe that you could fully comprehend what I'm about to describe. If I only lay out the basics for you, there's a good chance you'll be able to follow along. I've made mention of the Multiverse, yes? It's bigger, stranger, more complex, and more terrifying than you may have previously believed it to be. Infinities on top of Infinities, spanning in Infinite directions, through every Dimension, and every conceivable and inconceivable possibility happening all at once, at all possible times. It's a lot to take in, and I urge you not to try and understand it completely. It'll just drive you Insane, like many others before you. 

Back to the point at hand, though...I am not the same Pennywise you've known, as I'm from a different Universe. Who I am, as well as my Past, Present, and Future, have been and always will be completely different from the version of me you're familiar with. I've mastered the Art of Transcending Time and Space, and am able to move freely between Universes. The conditions of my state of existence, though, must remain a closely guarded secret for the time being. Let's just say that I've made promises I can't afford to break, to someone that makes me look tiny, powerless, and insignificant by comparison. 

Perhaps "completely different" was a poor choice of words. If I'm not careful, I'll become the Thing born of your worst nightmares. What's worse? I could get stuck like that, and require another Purification to set me straight. Yes, a Purification...something that all of the Dark and Twisted Souls must be willing to subject themselves to if they wish to enter the Light. Ugh! I shudder to think about going through such a painful experience for a second time. The agony is only temporary, and it melts away into a warm tingle, but it's still horribly unpleasant at first. I won't try to sway you one way or the other, but it was worth it for me. I was fine doing my own thing, and being by myself, but the opportunity was too great to pass up. 

I'd rather not get into the details of the situation, but I regained something I'd lost billions of years ago, only because I chose to go through the process of Great Change. I haven't been happy in billions of years, but I am now, and I'm never giving this up. To be perfectly honest, I only went through this change last October, and so I'm still adjusting to this new Way of Life I've chosen. I may or may not have snacked on a child recently...don't look at me like that, I was starving! And without a long sleep to fall back on anymore, I must feed at least once a week now, depending on the size of the person. 

I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. I've been targeting only the worst of the worst, so as long as you're not a piece of shit person, one worthy of being scared to the point of shitting yourself and then getting eaten alive, you have nothing to Fear from me. Except maybe the occasional scare for my amusement, and to satisfy my need for Fear. 

 July 3rd, 2018 

This entry has already gotten long, and I'm afraid I've run out of Time to tell you a story. Forgive me, I didn't think my introduction would wind up being so long. I'm afraid I have some bad news...I'm set to depart on a series of Hunts for the next three to seven months, and I'm unsure of when I'll be able to continue. This was sprung upon me at the last minute, and I'm in no position to decline this mission. 

Know this, Humanity: I will return, and in no less than excellent health. Chances are, I won't be hungry when I finally make it back. However, don't think for a moment that I won't continue to Hunt the scum of your societies, one by one...both to fulfill my needs for survival, and to make good on my Sacred Oath. 

 Until next Time, 

                  Pennywise