#end hustle culture

[maximumcatpress]

I've been struggling lately with promotion of my upcoming re-release, and I had a revelation over the weekend. I reevaluated my goals and reminded myself that I'm not tryna become a famous author. I don't want to publish traditionally, I'm not chasing clout. I only market and sell books because I don't know a better way to get them out to people and hopefully entertain them with my words.

So I'm taking the grind out of the process. I'll have some fun with Canva, maybe try on a few trends, but I'm always gonna do it my way and at my own pace. If I only sell tens of copies rather than hundreds, that's okay, because those are tens of people who maybe enjoyed something I had fun doing, and it feels more authentic that way.

I left the DC area because I got sick of the hustle-and-grind culture there, and I'm not tryna put that back in my life now.

[lesamis]

18 & 23 for the ask game!

thank you!! 🧡 hope you've had very lovely holidays :')

18: A memorable meal this year

for a little change, here's a memorable snack: a friend gave me a jar of homemade candied almonds for christmas, and i burnt through that entire jar writing the final few words of my dissertation sitting on a church wall. i think that afternoon will stay with me for a while.

23: If you could send a message to yourself back on the first day of the year, what would it be?

my initial instinct was to be encouraging; realistically, i think i'd nag. stop wasting time! you have a whole year ahead! write faster! freedom awaits!

[mylilcomfycorner]

People's faces

I’ve always been curious by nature, always observing my surroundings. Whether it was something, someone, somewhere, anywhere. I used to pay attention to even the smallest of details, a detail added to a specific drawing, something different on the ground, a discreet smile line in someone’s serious face, even a little speck of dust be whistled by the wind.

One of the things that I was particularly draw to when I was younger was to observe the expressions on people’s faces while on public transportation. I would see someone staring blankly into nothingness, sometimes a tired face, a tightened face, or even a depressed look in their eyes. Just people who looked unhappy in some way or another, clearly just hoping for that horrific day to come to an end.

I would always look at those people with sadness, empathy, sometimes even pity; I would look at their exhausted faces and think to myself: “What could possibly be so terrible to the point of making someone look like this?” “Wow, they must have a pretty demanding job, I want to grow up and work with what I love doing, they look miserable”. “I don’t want to grow into a person like this”.

The years passed by, I’ve graduated school, started going to college, found someone to love and cherish, people I love spending time with, hobbies, everything was working out for me.

I couldn’t stop thinking about how amazing it would be once I was done with college and started my professional life. Just the thought of doing what I love the most, with the people I cherish, and being able to fulfill my simple dream of working quietly and diligently on the area I so much adore.

The truth is, by the passage of time, I’ve stopped noticing the people on public transportation and their expressions.

After graduating, I was jobless and without the motivation to find jobs and prospect clients, I found a job at a glamorous and important place, I thought that even though it was not on the plans, I would still be able to network and get to know interesting people along the way, besides, every experience is welcome.

The job isn’t abnormally demanding or extremely hard, it’s just a matter of spending a huge amount of time a day doing the same repetitive thing, over and over and over again, thinking to myself “C’mon, keep smiling, you have to smile so people like you and give you a job in the area you want. Just. Keep. Smiling.”  “Oh, did this person just yell at me? It’s okay, people told me it’s part of the job.” “This coworker that is not my supervisor wants to boss me around and there’s nothing I can do about it? That’s okay, I won’t stay here for long, so I can take it.” “I’m exhausted and- oh, a person, smile, smile, smile, be natural, be cool”.

Until, one day, I look at a reflection on the metro’s glass door. Just a sad, tightened, depressed looking face. My face. Mine. My eyes were lifeless, my dark circles were even deeper and darker than they have ever been, my eyebrows were tensed up, and my posture was completely closed. I couldn’t recognize myself anymore…I was exactly what I’ve been avoiding my whole life. I couldn’t scape despite all of my efforts to pursue happiness and professional fulfillment instead of money. I’ve failed.

I then proceeded to look at my face in the reflection, and started thinking to myself about what little me would think of this image before them?  Would they be disappointed? Would they try to console me?

Would they understand? Would they…forgive me?

[temporal-arting]

the only way I’ve been able to slowly crawl out of my years-long depression is to see beauty in mundanity. I know it’s said over and over again and it’s so hard to see the world in this light because of the weight that chronic depression carries but I promise it gets easier with time. I see it when my cat wakes me up in the middle of the night to sleep on my chest. when a stranger is unexpectedly kind on a bad day at work. when something in a store reminds me of an old friend and it’s not painful to remember them anymore. when my mom sends me a photo of our family dog saying that she misses me. when my dad incorrectly uses emojis. when my roommate and I have long conversations that don’t feel long. when a friend looks at the menu for vegetarian options for me before choosing a place to eat. when I take the time to cook for myself despite me never thinking that I would ever be a person that has energy to cook. when I see the pond ducks roaming around my complex. when I read my middle school diaries and come to realize just how much pain I used to be in—and how silly and trivial the things I used to cry over are to me now. I swear with everything that it does get better.

[imwritesometimes]

when other people in their 30s say they feel lost in their life/don't know what their purpose is/feel nervous abt life: ur gonna be fine babe I ❤️ you and you are fine this world is a hell hole and we are all doing our best you are fine you are valid ❤️

when I try to apply the same things to myself:

[godofsmallthings]

“you kept writing but you didn’t subscribe to the things that were killing you”

[andamocartoon]

HATERSDONTHUSTLE.com

[ccorinthian]

fuck you ageism fuck you life ending at 30 fuck you makeup industry forcing us to feel bad about a natural process fuck you hustle culture fuck you instagram fuck you youtube fuck you glorification and deification of youth fuck you who make people feel bad for not having "achieved anything" in their 20s fuck you people who peaked in high school and try to drag everybody down by insisting it's all downhill after 19

[phleb0tomist]

society at large seems to want less people to have to use wheelchairs and mobility aids. yet the world is not set up to protect or accommodate people’s bodies at all. undue physical strain obviously worsens disability, and yet rest is a huge social sin, while hustle culture and ‘willpower’ are king. everyone is impatient toward people who can’t walk or stand for long. it’s ‘disruptive’ to stand in ‘weird’ positions or to need to reposition regularly. many jobs discourage or ban staff from working while seated, even if sitting doesn’t impact their job at all. this crap leads a lot of people to deteriorate to the point of needing mobility aids they wouldn’t’ve needed if only their bodies were given the respectful and liberating space they deserved.

hostile architecture & increasing lack of public seating, poor public transport systems, bizarre hatred toward anyone who walks slowly or clumsily or needs ‘extra’ rest, insistence that an average person should be able to work on their feet 12hrs at a time with only 20mins break... all of these things tip people from being technically able bodied to needing mobility aids. some of these things contribute to permanent worsening of people’s disabilities.

almost like the system is not built with people’s wellbeing in mind and is actually structured to force people to push themselves, so we all end up feeling responsible for our alleged inadequacies of willpower and health when we can’t keep up

[chichiscloset]

Soft Life 101: 3 Steps to Escape Your 9-5 Job If You Don’t Want to Work

Before we start, I want to clarify what I mean by “Not wanting to work.”

It means, that I don’t want to exhaust myself. I want to roll out of bed at 8 am then go to a workout class at 9 am. I want to spend my time as I please while keeping my workload to a minimum.

Working consistently, burns me out. I have no desire to prove my worth through productivity, nor do I have any desire to engage in hustle culture. I’m sure many of us can relate to feeling like the pressure to perform is exhausting. This is likely why, “soft life” is the latest trend on social media and has taken the girlies on Tiktok by storm.

In this new soft life era apparently, no one has a job and everyone is a "sahm" or "sahgf". While I understand the desire to escape the matrix and have a man you can fully depend on. Creating a more balanced and fulfilling life does not have to solely depend on your partner (though it helps!).

At the end of the day we still all want money! So how can we create an abundant life while still having a work-life balance?

Step 1: Be willing to make sacrifices

There is no such thing as something for nothing. Get that out of your head! I know we sometimes want to be saved, but unfortunately, life isn’t always a fairytale. Everything that we desire in life requires us to give up something else.

Do you want a better body? Give up junk food and exercise more. Do you want a better man? Give up your dust! To bring in the new we have to get rid of the old. If you want a soft life you’re going to have to strategize and be willing to give up what is no longer serving you.

Step 2: Find a passion you can monetize

*major key*

As the saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”. Find something you enjoy doing, then figure out how you, can earn money from it. Are you good at doing hair? Become a hairdresser. Are you the best dressed in your circle? Become a virtual stylist. I promise you, for whatever talent you have there are people willing to pay you for it!

For myself, I love teaching and writing! Blogging is a great way to share my expertise, create passive income, and create the life of my dreams that don’t necessarily depend on me going into a job. Also, you can make money blogging with a relatively small audience.

Check out my blog post "Make Money When your Young, Pretty & Ambitious." For more on this topic.

Step 3: Invest, invest, invest

*Another major key*

We all need money to survive. There’s no way around it! Ideally, we would live a life where money isn’t an issue and if that is your goal you have to start investing ASAP! By investing in assets eventually, those assets will make you money.

For example, invest in stocks like the S&P 500 (which is an index fund that is essentially many companies in one stock). Invest in stocks that will grow over time and make you more money than you bought them for. There are tons of ways to start investing: choose one!

A few types of investments

Real estate

Stocks

Businesses

If living a soft life is a priority to you start today with these steps that will eventually allow you to either fully retire or work minimally. If you don’t, you’ll just be stuck doing something you don’t enjoy or waiting for prince charming to come and save you.

©Chichiscloset 2023

[oddmawd]

IMO: people's willingness to endanger the entire fanfiction ecosystem for their own personal gain is a direct result of capitalism being a dick

first it makes us think of EVERYTHING in terms of economics, "productivity" and money, money, money

then it makes us desperate to make ends meet (#eattherich)

and then side-hustle culture convinces us that our hobbies are worthless unless they're monetized

so the math adds up and desperate people look at their empty pantries and then at their time-consuming hobbies that pay them nothing, and it's no fucking wonder they start asking "hey, can i perhaps make a buck off of that hobby to soothe the misery of this financial hellscape somewhat?"

and i get the impulse, truly i do, but the problem with fanfic is that YOU CAN'T DO THAT

fic is a labor of love and i'm sorry but it's not the answer to our monetary problems, because those problems will get a lot worse for you if you wind up fined into oblivion over copyright infringement

enough people start turning fanfic into a black market instead of a grey one and we'll get chased back underground and then your nice little side-hustle goes up in smoke along with the entire fanfiction community as a whole

allow me to remind us that capitalism is a goddamn liar, side-hustle culture is a trap, and:

you are allowed to have a hobby that isn't profitable

hobbies are not worthless if they don't generate cash flow

turning your hobby into a side hustle often saps the joy out of it

try finding joy through the act of creating, not through the money you might make doing it

good luck out there

[csuitebitches]

Personal growth truly isn’t as complicated as some of you make it seem.

If I could write a letter to my 18 year old self…..

“You don’t need to purchase fancy guides or watch hours and hours of YouTube videos. You don’t need to have 13 degrees in psychology in order to understand yourself.

The main reasons why one fails at “levelling up” are quite simple.

Lack of discipline.

Lack of accountability.

Not being able to manage time.

Not being able to say no to things in order to prioritise yourself.

Doing something you know you shouldn’t be doing, and yet, you do it anyway because FOMO.

How do you prevent the above from happening?

You have to be hard on yourself and listen to your rational instinct. When your intellectual side tells you that its best not to engage in a certain thing or not to be lazy about doing something, listen to that side. People always seem to know better but choose the easier path of not doing anything.

It’s your decision whether you want to look back at life and get upset with yourself for not having the willpower to do yourself justice. Or, you look back at yourself and thank your stars that you had the sense to start early.

Even if you don’t end up getting 100% of what you visualised, at least you’ll respect yourself for sticking to your guns and doing what was best for you and your life.

It’s not about ego. It’s not about hustle culture. It’s about ending this cycle of misery and procrastination and constant justification of your mindlessly stupid actions.

It’s time for you to grow up and put in the goddamn effort, because no one else will. You can’t demand the best of the best when you have nothing to bring to the table.

Stop wasting your time with idiots who don’t share the same values as you. Start reading more again. You’re not going to marry that guy you’re with and you know damn well that you’re going to leave him anyway - so just do it already. Stop the vicious cycle of breaking up and getting back.

I’m glad you enrolled in that university, even if you were a little nervous to leave home. It’s going to change you as a person. Absorb those experiences and realise that the world is not black and white.

There’s much to learn from and you’re wasting your time watching brain-dead influencers on YouTube and instagram. Minimise your social media footprint. Go back to doing the things you loved, even if you feel that the whole world mocks you for it. They don’t. Nobody cares.”

[overandundertarot]

On Loop 🔄

What's the cycle you keep perpetuating, and how can you finally break free?

pick a picture(1-2,3-4) to select your pile.

PILE ONE: King of Pentacles, Knight of Wands reversed, Ace of pentacles reversed, Knight of pentacles reversed.

I get the sense that this pile is a succesful pile of people. If someone looks at your life from an outsiders perspective they'd think its all chocolate and rainbows. You work hard and play hard. The fruits of your labour are obvious. You love to adorn yourself with your success. But despite this there's always a sense of what else? What's next? Is this it? You work towards success. Material gains. But you don't work towards your own satisfaction. You don't know your passions, your creative talents. You've neglected them. Sometimes you may find yourself sick of the people and environment around you. It feels like there's no deeper meaning. Make money and go out, next day repeat. This is the pile of people who may go on to have a life story such as being a successful business person who made a six figure salary but quit it all to become a bookseller in rural Italy.

How can you break out of this cycle?

Well, the answer is pretty obvious. You have to stop prioritisng money and monetary gain. You are too attached to money, so much so that you LIVE for money. You just can't let go of the comfort it gives you, the esteem, the safety. You are also too attached to 'productivity'. You may be really into hustle culture. If you're not working, who are you? To break out of this cycle you need to separate your identity from productivity, finances, career. Who are YOU? What do you like to do to relax? How do you indulge yourself? If you had a whole month purely to yourself, no obligations, what would you do? How would you spend your time? Essentially you need to start devoting your time and energy to yourself RADICALLY. Even if it makes no sense, even if it feels scary, even if it makes you feel lazy.

PILE TWO; Death, Queen of cups, Two of swords.

This is funny to me because usually when people have to break out of a loop, change is involved. They have to break out of something, introduce a new habit and do something different. However for you the loop you have been perpetuating is the change. Particularly of a healing type. I feel like youre always trying to climb the mountain to look into the horizon; whats next for me? How more can I improve? How more can I heal? What spiritual practice should I look into next? I feel like this is not even a distraction tactic, its just in your nature to always be curious; to always be applying yourself. But this loop is bringing dissatisfaction in your life. The energy from this pile is calm and inspiring, like a refreshing dive into a lake, or the sound of rushing water. You may be the therapist friend in your friendgroup or the one that always seems to have got it together. Also, for a lot of people in this life, you jump from relationship to relationship too quickly, you fall in love easily but also fall out of love easily. The relationships end amicably and it seems that you remain friends with these people long after.

How can you break out of this cycle?

Whatever the change may be; love, location, hobbies, healing and growth. You should allow yourself to grow roots somewhere, at the very least you should think about it. What are your requirements for setting up station in a place? What is needed for you to be somewhere long term in a way that can still appeal to your needs? Allow yourself to think about this, allow yourself to grow. By changing so constantly you did not allow yourself to reach the full potential of what you applied yourself to do. There's something here about backward procceses as well. Let me use the example of finding love, travelling to get away from that love and then doing the whole process again in the new location. But on top of that, going to the starting point again and renewing the whole process. Kind of like running in circles. There is something at the core that you are looking for in all these changes. And you just have to dig a little deeper to find it; it is with you and closer than you might have ever expected. There are somethings around you that you are not seeing or taking for granted.

PILE THREE; King of wands, Two of wands reversed, Ace of wands, Five of wands reversed.

This is a fiery, ambitious pile. You could be leos or have a strong solar influence. Pile three you are ambitious, but that ambition feels like it leads you nowhere. The cycle you're perpetuating feels like its out of your control. I feel you change your ideas to accomodate other people, trying to make them more appealing to others. Maybe you feel that other people don't understand your point of view and you want to make it digestable to them. You feel that you should be a leader or you feel constantly pushed in that direction without actually being able to measure up. Well, you have these inspiring qualities, but you are focusing too much on your reception and other people. Has any of the work you've produced appealed to you truly? You're meant to shine, if other people don't understand you, maybe that's part of your appeal. There is a lack of momentum, a blockage of the flow. The cycle is that no matter how much you try; you do not produce results.

How to break out of this cycle?

The ace of wands is obvious enough. Get inspired! Be somebody you are proud of. Do things that please and appeal to you regardless of what other people think. Be the first person to credit yourself, and if necessary don't feel ashamed to be the only person to do so. The opinion of other people is important to you, because you crave the spotlight, you want to be seen and appreciated but you have to get comfortable with the reality that this will not always be the case. There are internal blocks to work through. You'll have to be in conflict with yourself. Everytime you doubt yourself or think of what you are capable of as too simple or 'basic', you have to fight yourself. Loudly dissaprove of that, show even the simplest of your work and gass yourself up for it. Let's take an example of an artist. To you, you may be the worst artist in the world but to someone else, your art has value. In this situation don't change your artsyle to fit the mainstream or hinder yourself from showcasing your art and showing it to other people, sending it to magazines etc just because you hate it. They may love it and it could be the thing that propels you to fame. Or maybe it was a drawing that only took 5 minutes to draw so you think it needed more effort than the time it took so you scrap it. But it was a good drawing that was suitable for presentation. You have to treat yourself like you're the shit!! Affirmations may work for you. I feel that something as simple as; 'I am awesome' may have an effect on you. 'I am beautiful.' 'I am amazing.' 'I am kind.' 'My work is good.' 'I did great!' Do you even tell yourself these things? Build self confidence, don't be ashamed to be perceived as pridefull.

PILE FOUR: The moon, Knight of pentacles, The lovers, Seven of cups.

Confusion, illusion. You're hopping from one idea to the next. I think you're the type of person who has very good ideas. And you work on them, in the beggining but then abandon them for your next one. You want something that is going to sustain your attention. Something that will feel like your true calling. It seems you feel that you can only work when motivated. There is a lack of discipline. Some of you are talking to people? Or hoping for communications from people and you are working very hard for them to help you. But its for nothing, their promises are lies. I have a feeling you know this but are still holding on to the hope. For some of you, this looks like constantly signing up for dating apps or websites and being ghosted. Also, being a people pleaser and trying so hard for people who don't care about you. Either way, there is self deceit involved in your situation. You don't have a clear view of your reality and are operating on grounds of your assumptions being true when they are not.

How can you break out of this loop?

Keep dreaming, but be more discerning about it. When you find yourself held within one of your hyper fixations, know that this is not the end all be all. Possibly, keep working on all those things at the same time. You will eventually come to see that one of them is one that you can do well and enjoy at the same time. The one that strikes the perfect balance. Keep the fact that you always have other options available at the back of your mind. Also, there is advice to put in the work, but the slow boring, grueling work. Particularly when it comes to a project or a person. Steady progress is what will help break you out of the cycle because its something you haven't seen much of. For those who are going through this cycle with romantic interests, the partner who makes you feel steady and is reliable is the best one for you. Even though they may not necessarily be the most 'exciting' option. This isn't to say that you should settle with someone just because they fit the description. But assess your partners more keenly and look past passion and into what you actually need from a relationship and who can provide that.

****

That's all! I haven't posted a PAC in a while so it felt really good to work on this and post this. If you liked the reading feel free to like the post and reblog! If you'd like to book a private reading with me, send me a dm or check out my private readings post in my masterlist pinned on my page!

[vecnuthy]

Slingin' 🍦⚓️

second entry for @steddiemicrofic pool | wc: 442 | rated: G | cw: a little suggestive at the end

It was the hottest day of the year yet. Mall culture drew the masses, and the masses had flooded Scoops, which was currently manned by only Robin Buckley and Steve Harrington.

The space? Packed.

The line? Through the door.

The sticky ice cream residue smeared across their uniforms caught on their forearms, snagging at their skin as they worked up a sweat in the ice cream shop. They didn't have time to clear tables, clean up spills, or take out the trash, let alone deal with the typical bullshit banter that customers threw at them.

"We're out of peppermint stick."

"How? That's literally your least popular flavor."

It took everything in Robin to just smile flatly. Steve, however, couldn't hold back his exasperation as he threw his head back with an eye roll, pushed through the door to the back, then re-emerged with a challengingly deadpanned, "We're out."

He's pretty sure their ordering a USS Butterscotch was petty revenge. Whatever. It was only the seventh banana split he'd had to assemble in the last hour. His eye didn't twitch or anything.

After that, he and Robin swapped out. Figured it was time, since Steve had been scooping ice cream for so long. No other reason.

"Captain," the next customer greeted with a smirk.

Steve couldn't help but smile.

"What can I get you, sailor?"

"Oh, 'sailor' today," the customer said. Steve shot an amused look of warning. "I see."

Steve took in their appearance — deeply sleeveless band tee, flushed skin, sparkling brown eyes, curly hair in a low bun — as they mulled over options.

"Scoop of chocolate in a cup with a waffle sail, please," they smirked, placing a bill in Steve's open hand.

"You could've just gotten a cone," Steve replied, gathering change.

"Not the same, big boy."

Steve's lips curled up into a smile as he grabbed a spoon, stuck it in the scoop next to the artfully-placed wedge (nice, Robin), and handed the cup to Eddie.

"Aww, no baby spoon?"

"We're out." Steve glanced at his lips.

Eddie's eyes shifted to peer over Steve's shoulder to the well-stocked container.

"I'll eat it too fast."

"Aww," Steve gave a faux sympathetic pout. "Guess you'll have to get another scoop."

Eddie hummed then raised the cup in thanks with, "Birdie."

Robin saluted, and Eddie settled into a seat with a full view of Steve at the counter.

Through the hustle, Steve couldn't help but look over and take in Eddie slowly eating a big spoonful of ice cream. How his lips contoured the lump of chocolate. With full eye contact.

Steve overshot a cup, making strawberry milkshake pool onto his shoes.

[youryurigoddess]

The stuff dreams are made of, or the interesting case of Anthony J. Crowley

We’ve talked a bit about Crowley’s trauma and his way of reclaiming the narrative in the past, but it’s time for some deep dive into the story he’s trying to tell. A story that meanders through the fabric of time and space, slightly changing with the human fashion trends, but slowly and surely bringing the demon closer to a certain angel like the red thread of fate.

1793

Some stories start in a garden, some even Before the Beginning, but this one starts with an Arrangement. Or, to be precise, a little bit after that.

See, most of the iterations of Crowley we saw throughout the history until then didn’t delve too deep into human cultural tropes. If anything, they were the inspirations behind more or less prominent biblical figures, maybe some nameless villains matching his demonic provenance and role assigned to him by his employers.

But in the hustle and bustle of the revolutionary Paris, Crowley emerges as a prototype of the Scarlet Pimpernel — a chivalrous Englishman who rescues aristocrats before they are sent to the guillotine. Stan Lee famously called him “the first character who could be called a superhero”.

Sir Percy Blakeney, the main character of the novel and the West End play under the same title, leads a double life. Appearing as nothing more than a wealthy fop, in reality he’s a formidable swordsman, a quick-thinking master of disguise and an escape artist. Even his own wife, Marguerite, has no idea.

Unfortunately Marguerite is being blackmailed with her brother’s life to find and expose the wanted Pimpernel. She regrets betraying her husband the moment she's forced to do it and spends the rest of the plot working to save him. She does, they make up, and return together to England.

In Aziraphale and Crowley’s case there was just a short stop for crêpes. But what seems to be an inspiration of a specific scene might as well come up later in the wider perspective of the show, so keep in mind those fragments of the musical’s libretto:

We all are caught in the middle

of one long treacherous riddle.

Can I trust you?

Should you trust me too?...

We shamble on through this hell

taking on more secrets to sell

'til there comes a day

when we sell our souls away.

We seek him here, we seek him there,

Those Frenchies seek him everywhere!

Is he in heaven? Is he in hell?

Where is that damn elusive Pimpernel!

1941

The London Blitz is when we see a full-fledged iteration of the superhero Crowley performing dashing and heroic deeds under the literal cover of darkness and air bomb smoke. In a bespoke double-breasted suit and a fedora — still free from the unfortunate modern connotations from the internet culture — he’s clearly channeling Humphrey Bogart as a private investigator Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon (1941) now.

It all starts with a woman and a simple plan gone wrong: Spade’s partner is shot dead, just like the man he was supposed to be tailing upon the request of a mysterious Miss Wonderly. And when a very soft-looking, sweet-scented man named Joel Cairo appears in his office willing to pay a hefty price for a "black figure of a bird", Spade starts not only a new job, but also his own quest for truth.

On the surface, The Maltese Falcon ends happily: the killer gets caught, and the hero winds up with the Falcon. But Spade's victory is completely hollow. The Falcon itself, originally meant as a symbol of loyalty, transforms into a symbol of a corrupting, futile, and self-destructive greed that makes people betray their own loyalties.

The treasure is just a worthless forgery and he’s fallen in love with the criminal — one of the first femmes fatales on screen. Despite his feelings for her and a kiss, Spade gives her up and submits the statuette as evidence, describing it as "the stuff that dreams are made of".

Remember the eagle lectern? The eagle was believed to be flying highest in the sky and therefore closest to heaven, symbolizing the carrying of the word of God to the four corners of the world. Aziraphale in the 1941 church scene is the closest to Heaven we’ve seen him on Earth. Just look at him: dressed in a smart, well-fitted coat with peaked lapels, symbolizing his Heavenly allegiance, and doing good this time not as a work assignment, but of his own accord. Being the closest to Heaven means the furthest and most unattainable for a demon like Crowley.

The Maltese Falcon is a metaphor for unattainability — things out of reach to desire and fight for, although never truly possess. It’s “the stuff that dreams are made of”. But Crowley secured the original — made of gold and encrusted with jewels, but hiding its real value under black enamel — eerily reminiscent of the demon himself and the unending kindness behind his inappropriately tight black clothing.

Quoting Michael Ralph — the production mastermind behind Good Omens — from the S01E04 “Saturday Morning Funtime” DVD commentary, “We wanted to tip our hat to the Maltese Falcon as being a precious object that no-one thought really exists but it does”. So we can safely assume that Crowley can and will achieve his dream in the future.

1967

Do you know what else happens in 1941 in Scotland? Ian Fleming, a British naval intelligence agent, meets with the famous occultist Aleister Crowley and asks him to lead the interrogation of newly imprisoned Rudolf Hess — a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany appointed Deputy Führer — given the two men’s shared enthusiasm for the occult.

This meeting has a significant impact on Fleming’s work as a writer; Aleister Crowley becomes the inspiration for his first villain Le Chiffre and creates a blueprint for most of the James Bond’s franchise ever since 1953, the publication date of the novel Casino Royale.

Meanwhile our Anthony J. Crowley believes in himself not being the villain he’s usually and sometimes forcefully painted as, but a superhero in disguise. The character of James Bond in particular inspires him so much that he buys petrol to get the limited You Only Live Twice (1967) window decals for his Bentley, dons his own tactical turtleneck, and sets off to organize a heist like no other. Sean Connery style.

Like a typical superhero, Crowley’s once again both saved and betrayed by his love interest. Aziraphale leaves him with a thermos of Holy Water, a faint smile, and a hope that they’ll soon match their speeds to meet halfway at the Ritz. The cancelled heist is not an ending, but a promise of a new beginning. And the fact that UK decriminalizes homosexual acts in the very same year is more than telling in this regard.

2019

An exceptional situation calls for exceptional solutions, and what’s more important than the impending Apocalypse? Demon Crowley does his best to put the arsenal of his 20th century film inspirations to good use.

"Ask yourself, do you feel lucky?" Crowley drawls, clearly imitating (although slightly misquoting) the titular Dirty Harry (1971). He’s hoping to be menacing and making the point of being the one on the right side of the law and history.

Some situations require more than quoting action heroes is not everything though. He knows what to do:

A jeep was heading purposefully towards the gate, and it looked as though it was crowded with people who were about to shout questions and fire guns and not worry about which order they did this in.

[Crowley] brightened up. This was more what you might call his area of competence.

He took his hands out of his pockets and he raised them like Bruce Lee and then he smiled like Lee Van Cleef.

'Ah,' he said, 'here comes transport.'

When in doubt, Crowley acts. He transforms into a combination of a stoic martial arts phenomenon and a sardonic, menacing character. His smile alone — even on Aziraphale’s angelic face, as seen in one of the final cut scenes — seems to be enough to ward off evil spirits, angels, and humans alike.

But we all know that even as breathtaking performances as those can’t protect anyone from the cogs of the Heavenly machine and its plans.

2023

No wonder that Crowley’s tactical turtleneck comes back in style after mere four years of retirement with a self-introduction “Former Demon, hated by Heaven, loathed by Hell. How will our hero cope?”. Something has changed during this time; he’s more mature now, not playing pretend by hiding behind the usual veneer of sarcasm and movie quotes anymore. Finally comfortable with the fact that this is his own story and there’s no need to become anyone else than himself.

The bookshop fire and the Heavenly trial still seem to haunt the demon in a way that makes him realize what all humans know: that every hero is his own biggest enemy. His ultimate dream might effortlessly change into his greatest nightmare any moment now, and the only thing he can do about it is hover in a two-minute distance from the epicenter of his feelings. But Crowley has no time to work on it when a new mission appears, to protect his angel from Gabriel and the combined powers of Heaven and Hell. Even if this — rather ostentatiously — is the last thing he wants to think about at the moment.

Crowley tries to plan ahead, while his story slowly warps into a different genre due to Aziraphale’s interruptions. He eventually changes back into his usual Henley shirt after agreeing to swap places and guarding the bookshop while the angel is off to Edinburgh, collecting more clues. Did he finish his personal quest off-screen? Did he just give up on it in the whirlwind of matchmaking shenanigans? Remains to be seen.

In the S2 finale our master of disguise in yet another turtleneck proves that he can successfully infiltrate even the universe’s back office. We don’t know where he drives off in the end, but one thing is certain — he’s got a plan. And a world (and his dream) to save, like a superhero he is.

[wolven91]

You Will Be Snugged

Sqwee checked his paperwork which caused his eyes to go wide. He read it again, then a third time.

There was a human due to dock today and he was marked as their escort for the station. It was the third time Squee had met a human, to meet one was like winning the lottery, to meet three over the course of a few months was like winning the lottery three times in a row whilst getting struck by lightning.

"I got 'human duty' again..." Squee mumbled, reading the side comments offered by the upper administration.

"Haha, good luck Sqwee, 'human duty', god I couldn't handle that!" Shouted a delightfully smug voice.

"Go cough up a hairball Daw." Sqwee snapped back, more on impulse than paying attention to them. The notes on the file made mention of how the other two humans had praised Squee for his attention to their needs, his welcoming attitude and openness which 'showed humanity how welcoming chintians can be'. His application to become a guardian, had been fast tracked, all because of the human's comments.

"Again?" Asked another voice, a different colleague leant over his chair to read the confidential message. "...So this must be one of the human scattering paths? It's the only reason they keep appearing..." They murmured, talking to themselves.

"Well keep it to yourself, you now how dangerous it is for them. Information like that is valuable to the wrong people..." Squee retorted, turning off his computer to go meet his new ward. He ran his hands through his whiskers as he left the office, leaving his colleague to their discussion.

Sqwee was a rotund creature. Not because he was fat, but because his fur was 'poofy'. As a chintian, they were well known for their luxurious fur which was not just silky and thick, but deliciously soft too. Squee tried everything as he hustled towards the docking bays to get his fur in order. It was important! Especially for the humans! He had a damn fine idea as to why they liked him.

When the last two humans arrived on the scene and made it clear that they had zero respect for personal space and every intention to pick up and stroke and squeeze and pamper any chintian that got in their way. Squee discovered that most were frustrated or even angry at them for showing this kind of attention.

In the end, general opinion was to just deal with the exuberant human and move on with one's life. It was, however, always hilarious to watch someone else to have to deal with a human from a distance so you could point and laugh at them as any protest from them was ignored completely.

Sqwee had a secret, however.

He loved the way humans treated him. He adored it!

He wasn't just a clerk with a human. He wasn't a nuisance or an irritation. Humans wanted him, to help them. They seemingly universally adored his fur and gave it high praise. Sqwee loved it when they complimented his fur. He was very proud of it. He couldn't even remember the last time someone other than a human had given him, even a passing compliment.

He wasn't alone by any means. A compliment to one's fur is high praise for a chintian at least, but many were taken aback by their... enthusiasm.

So here Squee was. Stood at the bottom of the ramp and his new ward was due to step through the bulkhead at any moment. He'd do his very best for them and show them just how wonderful chintians could be. They may only be a foot tall, but chintian's had their own culture just as big as an ursidain! Bigger even!

It was the first step that was important. First impressions.

When the bulkhead did hiss, unlock and fly open with a whoosh, a new human stood there in all their glory, blinking into the station lights.

Squee assumed it was a she, and an older one at that. Her skin was exposed with no fur apart from a greying patch atop her head. Her features weren't wizened like the elderly, but there was wisdom and experience there. Oh how Squee wanted to hear her stories... But first!

The human glanced down and caught sight of the foot tall, chinchilla-like alien. Her eyes lit up, a wide smile cracked her face and she bounded forwards down the ramp.

Sqwee, aware of the likely events about to unfold, raised his arms up as if reaching out for her. When she snatched him up, he was pressed underneath her chin, folded within her arms and they both span once in a small circle until he was pulled from her and held at arm's length.

"Well you're the most adorable thing I've ever seen!" Came a kindly voice from the alien. "I sure hope you're my guide!"

He smiled softly to himself, relishing in the loving embrace and warmth the humans gave out so willingly. She spoke as if he were just an animal, and at first there had been mild insult, until the very first human had explained that they'd never met a chintian before and didn't know there were sentients smaller than a human. To be fair, aside from chintians, geckins, and sluggats there weren't any smaller races that Squee could recall.

"Look at you! You're too fluffy! Much too fluffy!"

'Yes I am.' he thought privately to himself, grinning at the praise.