#and her ace journey is not just within the context of a romance

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads // twitter thread

The Meister of Decimen City

a chaotic superhero satire

a genius who’s labelled a villain by the government after her super intelligent dinosaur children get loose is put under supervision 

and has to confront her past / deal with the trauma of her complicated family/sibling relationships

and also the realisation that she might be asexual

[smokeonshadows]

We need to talk about the Bobbseys

Strap in, kids. This is going to be...a lot.

To put it bluntly, the way the Bobbseys were handled was messy, unnecessary, and probably the worst thing about an otherwise great season.

It's really disappointing because the Nancy Drew writers have already proven themselves to be not only good writers, but also socially conscious writers. They actively and publicly aim to be inclusive in their storytelling, so I think it's fair to hold them to that standard.

There was a lot of potential in the Bobbseys–they're a morally ambiguous brother-sister team of codependent twins from a rough/tragic past who sometimes lie, cheat, and steal in order to make ends meet. This is interesting, this is full of possibilities as to how they could fit in with the Drew Crew, and, most of all, this was a great opportunity to have complex representation of the south asian community that subverts popular stereotypes (model minority, traditional upbringing, perpetual foreigner, etc.). Amanda and Gil would've been great characters in their own rights...but instead they were used as nothing more than cannon fodder for an unnecessary, half-baked love square with low key racist undertones.

Problematic elements

I've already talked about the racist undertones in previous posts, but in a nutshell, Gil is portrayed as being controlling/aggressive/domineering (particularly towards Nancy and Amanda) and it's a stereotype that south asian men (and I'd say black and brown men in general) are misogynistic, aggressive, and otherwise abusive towards women. This portrayal is made even worse because he's meant to be a foil for Ace, a soft/gentle/sensitive/emotionally stable white guy who Nancy is obviously meant to be with. And for Amanda, she's also portrayed in line with the stereotype of asian women being very submissive (particularly to their male counterparts). I don't think any of this was intentional, but it's just not a good look.

This problem could've at least been somewhat alleviated if Gil and Amanda had been written as fully fleshed out characters who were going on their own journeys and were consequential to the story, but that didn't happen.

Stereotypes aside, another problematic aspect of the Bobbseys is that they both fall into the unfortunately common trope of being the character of color that the white character has a superficial relationship with and leads white character to realizing that they should actually be with this other white character who's been there all along.

Even when they have roles in the episode apart from being superficial love interests, oftentimes they don't do much aside from being useful for getting the Crew from point A to point B of a mystery.

Underdeveloped relationships

Was I the only one who found the resolution of the Nancy x Gil relationship in the season finale to be a bit abrupt?

While I appreciate that they showed how seemingly small transgressions within relationships can actually be red flags and that a situation doesn't need to escalate to full-on physical abuse in order to count as domestic violence, I found that the moment when Nancy has this realization and then breaks up with Gil lacked the emotional weight befitting that situation. I think this was the case because Nancy and Gil barely had a relationship. There was attraction and sexual tension, they hooked up a few times, but it was never shown to be a real relationship. It's not just that we didn't often see them together, but with or without him, Nancy didn't think much about Gil or what he thought of her and, more importantly wrt the breakup, we aren't shown all the ways that his treatment of her affected her sense of self or the way she operated. Nancy's relationship with Gil was inconsequential, so the stakes were low.

And yes, casual hookup situations can also turn abusive, but from a narrative standpoint, the way this particular situation was portrayed, it was given both more and less weight than it should've been given. It felt like the writers wanted the breakup to be big and impactful but they not only didn't work for that payoff, they also wanted to resolve it quickly so they could move onto more important plot points (the breakup was at the beginning episode and Nancy never mentions it or even hints at any emotional fallout from it ever again).

(Amanda was done dirty)

Actually, if anything, the big dramatic breakup should've been between Amanda and Gil. Even with her severely limited screentime, almost every time we do see Amanda, we are reminded of how close she is with Gil, how badly he treats her, how much she values his opinion, and how smothered she feels by him. And it sucks that we never actually get to see Amanda make the realization, stand up for herself, and confront Gil. All we see is Ace encouraging her to break away and then cut to her living her best life post-sibling breakup.

In the end, it's as if Amanda's pain and suffering was made to be less about her and more about Nancy/being evidence that Gil is not good for Nancy. Again, not a good look.

And Amanda and Ace's relationship is also underdeveloped compared to the impact that the writers seem to want it to have. Like, I don't understand why Ace would give her a pseudo-ultimatum ("I'll prioritize you if you prioritize me") at this stage of their relationship. Yes, they do seem to be more of a relationship than Nancy x Gil, but it always felt like they were very much in the budding romance stage. While he does talk about her when they're apart, we still rarely saw them interact with each other outside of the context of Ace needing to use Amanda's connection at the hotel or to her father or brother in order to help solve the mystery. And we don't learn more about or see a different side either character through their relationship with each other.

Poorly executed, unnecessary love triangles

The whole point of having a love triangle is to raise the emotional stakes.

It's always been my belief that if you're going to have a love triangle, you need to commit to it. That means making both legs of the triangle equally viable, developing both romantic options and both relationships equally.

As noted in the sections above, this was not the case with either love triangle, which makes the whole thing feel cheap and unsatisfying. Like I said in a previous post, I think it would've been more powerful if Nancy had two really great options, but in the end chose Ace because that’s what her heart really wants no matter how great the other guy is.

Anyone with a healthy understanding of love and relationships would choose Ace over Gil. It's no contest, no real choice, so it adds nothing to the conversation, it says nothing about Nancy or her feelings for Ace. It's inconsequential, the emotional stakes are practically nonexistent.

Literally, I feel like if you took the Bobbsey love triangles out of this season, Ace and Nancy would still end up in pretty much the same place wrt their feelings for each other. I mean, yes, the whole jealousy/green eyed epiphany thing did play a role, but the relationships with the Bobbseys featured so little and were so underdeveloped that it would be more or less the same as one of them flirting with a background character every once in a while.

And Nace still didn't end up together after all that! It's hinted that for some reason, Ace will be stringing Amanda along next season while he pines for Nancy. Which is exhausting.

This is really what we sacrificed two perfectly interesting characters of color for. I'm upset.

[iaintyourbro]

I noticed something that sort of ticks me off in Case of Tifa. After Cloud does a delivery for Elmyra to take a bouquet to Aerith's grave he starts staying away from Tifa and Marlene. But then after he finds Denzel and says that Aerith brought Denzel to him and decides to let him live with them and save him from geostigma, Cloud starts being back at home more often again. Did Cloud really start spending more time at home again just b/c of Aerith, and decided to save Denzel just b/c of her?

Hey anon.

The AC/CoT stuff seems to be a popular topic recently. I think it’s good that people are watching ACC and reading the novels since I think it’ll be important to understand both as Remake moves along. They’re pulling all pieces of the compilation into Remake, and the novels are no exception, since Leslie, Marle, and Kyrie have already made appearances. 

The delivery to the Forgotten City caused a old wound to be ripped open. The point of ACC is to show Cloud’s guilt for letting (in his mind) Aerith die. They also tie in Zack since he also feels immense guilt and sadness over that. In CoT they only really say that Cloud does feel guilty because he feels like he couldn’t protect Aerith and prevent her from dying. I don’t think that’s romantic - he was supposed to be her bodyguard and we know from Cloud’s history that he takes these things very seriously. He failed at preventing her from being killed, so he lives with that guilt.

Tifa also has a lot of guilt surrounding Aerith’s death and the Sector 7 plate collapse. They mention her guilt a ton of times, and I find it interesting that it’s not something that’s talked about often online. It’s always about Cloud’s guilt.

Here’s something an anon wrote in that I think is a great summary:

Anon Ask/Statement on Cloud’s Guilt

Tifa’s first time at the Forgotten City, which is shortly after the first defeat of Sephiroth, causes her to break down. The one thing that’s interesting in CoT is Tifa’s guilt slams her almost immediately, while Cloud is the one who seems to be holding it together to support her. 

We see that he’s willing to try and help her be strong. At this point, I’m not sure if he’s fully aware of the amount of guilt that’s settling within him. The point where it really seems to slam him is after he does the delivery for Elmyra. He has PTSD associated with the Forgotten City. I would assume anybody would. I would whether I knew a person closely or not if I saw them murdered in front of me. Especially if I attempted to kill them myself right before. 

Cloud also just generally has PTSD from everything else that’s happened to him. He lost his mother violently, his hometown was burned down, he watched the girl he’s in love with almost die, he was experimented on for four years and then ultimately watched his best friend die in front of him. He’s got a lot of shit going on and now add a reminder of ANOTHER incident in his life, he’s going to spiral.

Cloud also has a tendency to close in on himself. He doesn’t want to be a burden and he’s scared of hurting those he loves. It’s very possible that during this point, he didn’t want to worry Tifa anymore than she already was. So he begins to avoid them. Tifa also is non-confrontational at this point so isn’t going to push him. 

For the Denzel piece: Cloud sees Denzel as a way to repent for his sins of letting Aerith and Zack die. He says Aerith sent Denzel to him not in a romantic sense, but (in his mind) as a way to be forgiven. 

Now, we know Aerith doesn’t blame Cloud for her death. She tells us that in AC. This is all in Cloud’s mind that he’s a failure and he causes all these issues. He’s very selfless, but ends up seeming selfish because he really does pretty much self implode.

It’s not the first time he does this, either. When Tifa falls from Mt. Nibel - he blames himself. He goes through this time when he just becomes and asshole and beats people up. This is the event that causes him to decide to become a SOLDIER. He wants to win Tifa over.

He never tells anybody why he wanted to join SOLDIER. They show that during the Lifestream when Tifa asks him why. It was a sudden decision to everyone around him. Most likely not to Cloud - because Cloud was in his head coming up with all of this stuff. Ultimately, he wanted Tifa to notice him. He wanted to win her over and prove he could protect her. That was his driving force behind joining SOLDIER. 

So now we’ve covered this is just the way Cloud is. In Tifa’s case, he already had a crush on her, so that just grew from there into this deep desire to win her over. In Aerith’s case he didn’t have as strong of a connection to her - he didn’t know her as long - and he was “contracted” to be her bodyguard. He takes these things seriously. 

Cloud and Tifa take Denzel in and Cloud becomes obsessed with finding a cure for Geostigma. We see the books and papers on his desk in Advent Children - so we know this is something he was really looking in to. I relate - I did the same thing when my dad had cancer. You can get into these moods and forget about everything else. Usually somebody has to try and slam you out of it, but it’s hard. 

Tifa also sees Denzel as a way to retribution. She has a lot of guilt over what she did with Avalanche and the Sector 7 plate collapse. Denzel lost his parents in the Sector 7 plate collapse. 

Here is the conversation the two of them have that I think people take out of context. Cloud didn’t say Aerith brought Denzel to him for romantic reasons. He sees it as another chance to save a life. He tells us this - directly. Tifa feels the same was, as we see in the earlier excerpt. If anything, Aerith knew both Tifa and Cloud needed some help here with their inner turmoil. 

On top of it, Tifa feels that Denzel’s arrival strengthened their family. I would think if this was an old flame thing happening, she may feel a bit differently. Cloud decided to cut back to spend more time with the children. This has nothing to do with Aerith. It is also mentioned on a previous page that the bar was starting to lose business because people started realizing a kid with Geostigma lived there. Cloud, Tifa, and Marlene never mention this to Denzel, and instead, they continue to embrace him as part of their family. 

Honestly it’s pretty warm and fuzzy - even though all the darkness in this chapter - Tifa and Cloud are pretty good parents, especially since they’re young and it was kind of thrown on them. Also, it wouldn’t really be nice if Cloud was like “hey I’m dropping another kid off for you to deal with while you’re working the bar and all.”

As for the very last paragraph: We find out later that Cloud ends up with Geostigma and that’s why he left. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back sort of thing. Not only was he failing at saving Denzel, but he also now had what he knew to be a terminal illness in many cases. He now feels he can’t do anything and he runs. He tells us this in AC. 

I don’t think Tifa imagined the promise - because things ultimately end up being okay. Cloud just really thought he was going to die and was going to fail her - being dead means he can’t fulfill his promise to her. 

Here’s an excerpt from Case of Denzel. He mentions Tifa, Cloud, and Marlene. Not just Cloud. He sees them all as his family. He also mentions all of the folks along the way. The bulk of Case of Denzel is him getting to the point of being found at the church. It’s not just about his time with Cloud and Tifa - it’s Denzel’s journey. Johnny is in this one a lot. 

Ultimately, I do have issues with the way Advent Children was handled outside of Japan. Without the novels, it does seem like Cloud is just a depressed mess. You don’t really know why he’s a mess. You know he has Geostigma and you know he feels guilty. Some people took it as him pining for Aerith. Watching ACC and reading the novels, I didn’t get that at all. Many people became Cloti fans because of Advent Children. They were acting like a married couple going through a rough patch. 

They really do only mention his guilt in the novels and his issues with not being able to protect her. We do not have an official “Case of Cloud” so really can only go based on what the other characters are seeing with him and what he’s told them. As I’ve said in previous posts, there’s not canon evidence that his feelings were romantic - especially post Lifestream. 

The novels were released AFTER Advent Children in the US and I don’t think it was very well known. Most of the people I’ve talked to that are casual fans never saw Advent Children as romantic for him and Aerith. Especially since Zack was around. The ending alone makes people laugh when they find out they think Cloud and Aerith had any romance - he calls her “Mom” - her boyfriend is there with her and they’re acting like foster parents. 

I think with Remake, they’ll make things a bit more clear. I think ACC does a good job of making the guilt feel a bit more broad between Aerith and Zack. I wish it would have covered a bit more about Tifa’s guilt like Case of Tifa does, and maybe it would seem less romantic, since they seem to be having the same inner turmoil.

I think if people fully played OG, played Crisis Core, read the novels, and then watched ACC, they’d realize this all comes together pretty clearly. Dirge of Cerberus doesn’t show too much of he full original gang, but you do get to see a much happier Cloud and Tifa in it. The phone conversation is cute and hilarious - especially since since Barret is being ridiculous and Tifa yells at him.

Aerith and Zack are a thing. Cloud and Tifa are a thing. Cloud and Tifa have some serious problems with dealing with what goes on in their heads and it’s resolved by the end of Advent Children. Zack and Aerith give him that look at the end like “Alright, everything should be good now. Don’t disappoint us!” 

I also really do not think Cloud is going to pine after his best friend’s girl. Cloud isn’t a douchebag. He’s a nice guy. He respects people. Zack was his one and only best friend. Zack saved his life. I really think if people would remember to pull Zack into these conversations, they’d realize that it’s ridiculous to think that Cloud was after his dead best friend’s dead girlfriend. 

Additional Reading:

Advent Children Anon Ask  (About Romance)

Cloud and Tifa Ask - Advent Children

Why Zack is Important to Cloud

The Future of the LTD (This has a links to other blogs as well - so there is a variety of opinions here, including from a CA multishipper)

Case of Tifa and the Kids are Alright

[thirdeyetarot]

IG Readings 10/12/2020

On October 12, 2020, I had the day off work. My third eye has been feeling very open and strong as of late, so I decided to open up free readings for my friends on Instagram. On my Story, I invited people to DM me if they wanted their cards read. The response was much larger than I expected it to be, to my delight.

I spent hours hearing from old friends and reading their cards. For each reading, I first meditated to clear my mind. Then I visualized the person as clearly as I could, picturing them and memories/interactions I had with them. I often fixated on a certain memory I had of them or a certain physical feature (their hands, voice, smile, face, etc.). Then I brought their query into the meditation. Then my final internal meditation mantra was “My third eye is open, and I am ready to receive.” That mantra helped me open myself up as a conduit for the Universe’s message to the querent. This process varied in difficulty from person to person.

By the end of it, I was completely exhausted but very, very happy with the insights that I was able to help people achieve. The experience also strengthened my own personal connection to the cards. I feel that the cards and I had some very interesting conversations that day. :-)

Below are all the readings I did that day (if I can fit them all!)

The deck I was working with was the Modern Witch deck by Lisa Sterle.

M.G. - What’s blocking your intuition?

In tarot, swords are the suit of the mind, your intellect. The king of swords and the six of swords tell me that what is blocking your intuition is your own mind, and the way that logic and emotion are at war within you, especially when it comes to difficult situations. The king of swords is intelligent and ethical, but their concern with problem solving and efficiency can sometimes block tenderness and intuition. The six of swords tells me that you may be facing a difficult decision, either in the present moment or soon in the future. Your logical side and emotional side will be conflicting with each other, leaving no voice for your intuition.

The top card is the “what do I do about it?” card. Wands are the suit of spirit and action. The knight of wands tells you that in order to tap into your intuition you must get out of the “analysis paralysis” and simply act on your gut. Seize the opportunity, make the choice, and be confident in yourself.

M.S. - What kind of partner would be best for you?

Queen of Swords: In tarot, swords are the suit of intellect and communication. The queen of swords is blunt and to the point (hence the sword)— in other words, your ideal partner is straightforward and doesn’t leave you wondering what she’s thinking or what she means. She is intelligent and clear. However, this does not mean that she lacks compassion and is a total stick in the mud. Her hand is outstretched in a gesture of understanding and care.

Temperance: This is a major arcana card, which means it’s of extra importance. Temperance is the card of balance— She has one foot on stable ground and the other in a running river and she remains solid, meaning you can lean on her during times of peace and times of turbulence. The cups she holds represent aspects of life; she knows which parts of life to put more energy into at any given moment in order to maintain balance. Your ideal partner is someone who knows how to enjoy all aspects of life in a balanced way— career, hobbies, romance, friendship, family, etc. By her example, you can learn to do the same.

Eight of Cups: Not gonna lie, I was upset  to see this card... this is the card that means “you need to move on”— it’s totally a breakup card. HOWEVER, within the context of your question and the other cards, it makes sense. Given your ideal partner’s ability to communicate clearly and assess situations intelligently (queen of swords), and her ability to keep her life balanced (temperance), she is someone who will walk away from a situation that is no longer benefiting her. This sounds scary in the context of a relationship, but in the long run, it’s a good thing. People often hesitate to leave relationships if things are generally “fine”— they don’t want to see that the relationship no longer serves them. Your ideal partner knows when a relationship has run its course, which means she would never waste your time if she didn’t see it going anywhere.

T.G. - What does the universe want you to know right now?

What does the universe want you to know? All good things apparently!

Cups are the suit of emotions and relationships. The three of cups reminds you that you are surrounded by friends who love you, and you love them. There might be a reason to celebrate right now, or coming up around the corner. A birthday, an achievement, or maybe you just want to recognize how much they mean to you. Make plans to spend time with your friends soon.

Wands are the suit of spirit and action, and the Queen of Wands is a confident, powerful, go-getter. She reminds you that you have achieved so much in life and you have many skills at your disposal. Use them to get want you want! A new job? A story in a literary magazine? You have what it takes.

Swords are the suit of intellect and the mind, and the Queen of Swords is a confident communicator. She tells it like it is, and says what she means clearly. The universe is reminding you to be straightforward in telling people what you think. Ultimately, this will help strengthen your friendships (three of cups), and it will help you achieve your goals (Queen of Wands).

J.S. - What is something unique about who you are?

Cups are the suit of emotion and relationships. The five of cups tells me that even though you are so early in life, you’ve been through your fair share of emotional grief when it comes to your close relationships.

Wands are the suit of action. The ten of wands tells me that sometimes you take on too much and end up burning yourself out. You’ve spent much time being overwhelmed by the tasks you have at hand.

Okay so those first two cards were kind of negative BUT Temperance is a major arcana card, meaning it is of extra importance. And it’s a good one. Something that is unique about you is that the hardships you’ve faced and the moments that you’ve felt overwhelmed are shaping you into someone who will ultimately be very good at keeping balance in all aspects of your life. Temperance is the ultimate card of balance— She has one foot on stable ground and the other in a running river and she remains solid, showing that she remains calm during times of peace and times of turbulence. The cups she holds represent aspects of life (family, friends, career, romance, etc.); she knows which parts of life to put more energy into at any given moment in order to maintain balance. The negative trials you have experienced are not tearing you down the way they might do to others; they are forging you into someone who is emotionally resilient.

M.R. - What obstacles do you need to overcome to achieve your goals?

Wands are the suit of spirit and action. The Ten of Wands tells me that you often find yourself overburdened, taking on too much at once and burning yourself out. In order to achieve your goals, you may need to re-evaluate your priorities and let some things go.

The Empress is empowered by her sexuality and her ability to love herself. It is a major arcana card, which means that it is especially true for you. However, it may represent that you are having difficulty accepting love when it comes from others, especially romantic partners. Learning to accept love from wherever it comes may help you achieve your goals.

The top card is the “what should I do about it?” card. Swords are the suit of intellect and the mind. The ace of swords tells you that in order to cut through the obstacles you face, you may need to make new plans. Try to find a new angle to come at your goals, and understand that you have the focus and the drive to see things through.

In summary: drop what isn’t serving you any longer, let love in, and start anew

G.L. - How can you become more open to understanding your life’s purpose?

Wow so you got 3 major arcana cards, which represent very significant aspects of life. Ask big questions and get big answers I suppose!!

The Hierophant represents being a student. The hierophant is a teacher or mentor that has the knowledge and keys that will help you better understand you purpose in life. The more you learn through people, your studies, and your life, the clearer your purpose will become. Take everything in and never stop learning from many sources.

The Moon is about instinct. It tells you to wake up your imagination and maybe do something crazy! This may lead you to strange places, but taking unexpected paths will ultimately help you find your purpose.

The Fool represents someone who is at the beginning of their journey. They are not foolish, but they have much to learn. If you can recognize that what you have done in your life so far is only the beginning, you will open yourself up to a lifetime of purpose and possibilities. The fool reminds you that whatever journey you are on begins now.

In summary: in order to understand you life’s purpose, you must continue learning from mentors and others in your life. Use what you’ve learned to think differently, and stay open to the unexpected events and places that lie ahead.

G.T. - What skills do you have and what aspects of your personality will bring you closer to your purpose?

The Sun is a major arcana card, which means it is a major part of your life and personality. You are full of joy, optimism, and sunshine, and you have an incredible ability to make others around you happy. You look at the world as something full of promise and discovery.

The Page of Pentacles tells me that you are truly dedicated and focused on your goals. Even though you are early in your life, you are talented and skilled in what you do, especially as it relates to your career. You have spent a lot of time gaining knowledge and experience, and now it is time to you to take concrete steps toward achieving your goals.

The Eight of Swords tells me that sometimes when you make a mistake, you may feel trapped and hopeless. But as The Sun and the Page of Pentacles tells us, you have the skills and the optimism to pull yourself out of difficult situations. Don’t surrender to negativity when you have so much light in you!

In summary: Right now, your purpose seems to be in line with what you have been working toward in your studies and your career. Sometimes you may experience difficult times, but your positive disposition and your concrete skills will propel you forward.

M.K. - What is the root of your emotional turmoil?

The two bottom cards represent the root of your turmoil and the top card is the “what do I do about it?” card.

Your bottom two cards are very interesting to me. Page cards represent someone who is a novice in a particular situation. The Fool represents someone who is at the beginning of their journey and has much to learn (and they have a lil dog with them, which is perfect for you!). As such, these two cards have very similar themes. It seems that the root of your emotional turmoil stems from feeling like you are constantly at “square one.” This could be in the realm of career, romance, friendship, or family.

Despite the fact that you may be feeling behind or stuck at square one, the Judgement card reminds you that while that may be the case in some aspects of your life, it is not the case in others. The Fool card is the first card in the deck (the beginning of the journey), but the Judgement card is actually the second to last card in the deck (the end of the journey). The benevolent angel of judgement tells you that it is time for you to evaluate yourself honestly. Are you the compassionate, loving person that you desire to be? Are you doing what you can to achieve your goals? Only by recognizing the good that lies within you can you move past the stuck feeling that causes you pain.

A.S. - How will you know when you’ve found the right person?

Temperance and The Hierophant are both major arcana cards, which means they are of extra significance.

Temperance is the ultimate card of balance— She has one foot on stable ground and the other in a running river yet she remains solid, showing that she remains calm during times of peace and times of turbulence. The cups she holds represent aspects of life (family, friends, career, romance, etc.); she knows which parts of life to put more energy into at any given moment in order to maintain balance. You will know when you’ve found the right person when they do not detract from the balance that you have cultivated in your life. In fact, this person should enhance it. When evaluating your romantic prospects be honest with yourself— does the person you are interested in suck up too much of your energy and make you feel drained? Or do they make you feel zen and balanced?

The Hierophant represents traditional institutions. This could mean marriage or children or whatever other traditions you want to experience with a partner. The right person for you is on the same page when it comes to these kinds of things. Although it may seem far in the future, these things are on your mind, and it’s best not to waste time with a person who may not want the same things as you down the line.

In tarot, the suit of wands represents fire and spirit. The two people in the card have wandered away from the stresses of everyday life (represented by the bustling city in the background) and into a beautifully growing garden. Your ideal partner is someone who relieves your stress. You feel confident knowing that you’re on the same team with this person, working towards the same life goals, and helping each other achieve personal goals. You feel like you can build a life with this person, and sometimes it feels like you have your own secret world together.

In summary: You will know you’ve found the right person when they enhance the balance you’ve created in your life. They don’t detract from your career, friendships, family, etc. You won’t have to worry about the future with them because you’ll be certain that you are working toward the same goals.

T.K. - What obstacles do you need to overcome in order to achieve your goals?

The bottom two cards represent your obstacles. The top card is the “what should I do about it?” card

The Empress is a major arcana card which means it’s of extra importance. The Empress represents love in all forms (including self-love)and sexuality. The seven of cups tells us that you may be trying to achieve too many things at once in the realms of career, love, spirituality, etc. The seven of cups represents an obvious obstacle— too many goals at once. But The Empress is a bit trickier to discern in this context. Perhaps you are having difficulty embracing love in all the forms that it comes to you— romantically, sexually, platonically, or famially (is that a word lmao). Perhaps the way to achieve your goals is to tap into yourself— into your femininity and maturity.

The eight of pentacles is very straightforward. It says that in order to overcome these obstacles and achieve your goals, you need to buckle down and get to work. But what the “work” is is up for interpretation. Based on the previous two cards, it seems like you need to work on getting organized, pinpointing exactly what your goals are, and knowing when to take time for self love and spending time with the people you love.

M.G. - What would be the result of the career path you have in mind?

Okay so I am sorry to say that this reading turned out kind of negative, but don’t take tarot cards too seriously! They are just a tool for self-reflection.

The Judgement card invites you not to pass judgement on others, but to honestly evaluate yourself and your choices. It terms of career path, it is basically saying, do you feel that the career you’ve chosen puts you on a path to your best self? This may make you doubt yourself, but the fact that this card even showed up is a good thing— it means you are fully capable of evaluating yourself and your decisions. Perhaps a difficult upcoming career choice will be forcing you to use this skill.

The seven of swords is about lies and omission (notice how the woman in the card leaves behind two swords). Perhaps you have chosen a career path that is giving you red flags— is it ethical? Is it true to who you are? Or perhaps it goes against the wishes of family and you need to lie about it sometimes. In any case, be sure that your career decisions are the best for yourself. As the judgement card told us, only you can decide that.

Alison also got the four of wands but obviously the interpretation will be different because you guys asked different questions and the previous cards were different. So while the first two cards were about difficult decisions, this card should put you at ease. While your chosen career path may present you with difficult choices and tough questions, this card tells me that you will ultimately land in a career that fulfills you. The garden is growing nicely in this card, which tells us that you will find yourself in a fruitful career, even if it takes twists and turns.

J.C. - Is the person you are interested in right for you?

Okay I feel bad because this reading is a bit negative... Marley’s was also a bit negative so I’ll say the same thing to you I said to her: don’t take this tarot reading too seriously! It’s about self reflection, not hard and fast predictions/truths. Take this with the grain of salt.

The Justice card is about taking responsibility for the choices you make. In the context of romance, you must be honest with yourself about the person you are interested in. It seems that you need to take a closer look into whether this person shares your values and ethics.

The nine of pentacles is about enjoying the fruits of your labor. When you make the right decisions now, you will enjoy the benefits later. Think about your future self as another person, someone you care deeply about. Does the person you are interested in serve to benefit her? Sometimes making a tough romantic decision now will spare you heartbreak in the future.

Finally we have The Hermit, and I guess it’s pretty obvious that this card is about solitude. This card tells us that it’s okay to be alone, to be single. Taking a break from outside world things like dating is a form of self care and a way to get to know yourself better, which will only serve to strengthen your future relationships once the time is right for them.

Overall, these cards invite you to question the reasons why you are interested in this person. Perhaps it is better to take some time for yourself right now.

J.C. - Are the goals you are working towards right for you?

The nine of pentacles is a really great sign. As we can see, the woman in this card has worked very hard on her garden and is now enjoying the fruits of her labor. This seems to indicate that your goals are putting you on the path to material comfort and success.

The Queen of Cups is deeply in tune with her intuition. It tells us that you should trust your intuition right now, because it is guiding you down the right path. Your goals will allow for creativity and inspiration.

As you may be able to tell from the very tired woman on the card, the four of swords is about exhaustion. Just because the first two cards have indicated that your goals are right for you, does not mean you should burn yourself out trying to achieve them. Always remember that no matter what you are trying to pursue, you must always remember to take breaks and take care of yourself.

Overall, it looks like your goals will be beneficial to you, offering you both physical abundance (nine of pentacles) and emotional satisfaction (queen of cups). Just make sure not to work too hard (four of swords)!

C.S. - What should you do to figure out which career path is right for you?

The World is a major arcana card, meaning it is of particular significance. Another stand out from your spread is the suit of cups, which represents emotion, introspection, and relationships.

The World signifies the end of a journey, or some kind of accomplishment that has been achieved or is about to be achieved. Since we are talking about beginning a career path, this may not make much sense, but if we look at it in the context of the other cards, it seems that you have recently completed some kind of emotional journey that has made your more in touch with yourself. Perhaps it has something to do with a relationship, or some other emotional event. Recognizing what you have learned from this will help you in figuring out your career path.

The Queen of Cups is deeply in touch with her emotions. This shows us that you should trust whatever your intuition is telling you regarding your career path. When you search within, there is much creativity and inspiration that propels you down the right path. That being said, being too in your head can get messy. That’s where the Seven of Cups comes in. The Seven of Cups represents being overwhelmed by choices and possibilities. If you think too much you’ll start to think about too many possible goals and career paths, and you’ll lose touch with what is realistically possible. The Queen of Cups urges you to tune into your intuition but the Seven of Cups warns you not to take on too much.

In summary: An emotional journey that you have just experienced has given you the mental and emotional tools to forge ahead. Your intuition is generally a trusted voice, but be careful not to overwhelm yourself with too many goals. There are many possibilities out there, but your heart will tell you which one is worth truly pursuing.

A.H. - What would be the result of pursuing the career you have in mind?

Pentacles are the suit of the material world. Swords are the suit of intellect and the mind. Temperance is a major arcana card, meaning it holds are particular significance in this spread.

The Page of Pentacles signifies someone who may be young and inexperienced, but is talented. The career you have in mind may present you with challenges, but you will have the determination and drive to take them on and learn from them. However, the Six of Swords is troublesome. It signifies that you will need to make a very difficult choice as it relates to your career. Perhaps you will have to make the choice between this career path and staying with a person you care about, another opportunity, or a place you want to live. Your emotions may tell you to forgo the career opportunity, but your logic will tell you to walk forward.

Although this career may force you to make some difficult decisions, in the end you will find balance. Temperance is the ultimate card of balance— She has one foot on stable ground and the other in a running river yet she remains solid, showing that she remains calm during times of peace and times of turbulence. The cups she holds represent aspects of life (family, friends, career, romance, etc.); she knows which parts of life to put more energy into at any given moment in order to maintain balance. The career you have in mind will fulfill you very much, while also still allowing you to enjoy every other aspect of your life. It won’t take over.

Ultimately, this reads like a “typical” career trajectory to me... almost like you’re in a rom com lol... first you’re a young, bright, passionate newcomer to your field (page of pentacles). At some point though, you will face difficult choices relating to your career (six of swords). In the end though, you will be very happy and fulfilled in all aspects of life (temperance)