#he said that performing compassionate acts

[vintagetvstars]

Avery Brooks Vs. Tim Russ

Propaganda

Avery Brooks - (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Spenser: For Hire) - ben sisko absolute all time tv dilf and have you heard him SPEAK... the stage background absolutely shows and it truly makes him a standout in a legacy franchise *full* of incredibly talented people. also frankly top 3 all time sexy bald guy

Tim Russ - (Star Trek: Voyager) - No text propaganda

- No Negative Propaganda Please -

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Additional propaganda below the cut

Avery Brooks:

Avery is a certified TV sci-fi hottie as Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The first black star trek Captain, he also negotiated his signature look - the bald head and goatee - against haters who thought a Captain should always be clean-shaven. Thank God for that, because he looks devastatingly hot in a a goatee (a phrase never before uttered). He went on to direct several episodes of DS9, use his pleasant voice to record music and multiple host documentaries, and mostly retire from acting to teach as a professor.

TW: Flashing

with that wonderful stentorian baritone voice he could move from intimidating commander to gentle and compassionate space dad...benjamin sisko is a man of many qualities, thoughtful, morally complex, understatedly hilarious, a lil unhinged, really really excited about baseball, and avery brooks never fails to breathe life, depth and dimension into the character and also did i mention his voice. fun fact he was a professor of theater arts at rutgers while filming deep space nine and would occasionally teach classes via vhs tapes recorded on set, complete with starfleet uniform. he also directed a number of ds9 episodes including notable ones like "rejoined" and "far beyond the stars", and performed many of his own stunts as sisko. stunt coordinator dennis madalone said, "of all the stars that I've worked with on all the Star Treks, and all the other shows that I've been on other than Star Trek, I've never seen an actor so physically capable of just doing everything...every time I'd bring in a stunt double, he'd be angry, sitting on a bench, because Avery was doing so great." he's also a distinguished stage actor and an accomplished musician and singer who's performed everything from jazz to opera. science has yet to discover whether there's anything this man can't do.

Tim Russ:

[charlottelie]

oh, lucifer?

chapter i. (or, selkie sees a snake) ✧･ﾟ

tags: reader uses she/her pronouns, fem!reader, reader is a trapeze artist, sinner!reader, reader works at lu lu world, no use of y/n, ducks galore

.

You hadn’t meant to. Your guiding philosophy in life and afterlife had always been ‘Ask for forgiveness, not permission’, and it seemed so sound a maxim that you were usually slightly bemused when you found yourself in the unfortunate position of actually having to ask for forgiveness. Upon your arrival in Hell you had thought, Well, I certainly didn’t mean to end up here. Upon your arrival in Lu Lu World you had thought, Well, I wouldn’t say I exactly intended to join a Hadean circus. You hadn’t meant for either of these moral catastrophes to come about—that is, your sending yourself to the Other Place and your working at a fairground—but, despite all your good intentions, here you were. Rotten luck. 

You also hadn’t meant to be late for your act again, but here you were, late as always. You dusted your hands with chalk, briskly clapping them more out of habit than anything else as you examined your makeup in a misty mirror someone had propped up outside the dressing rooms. A poster on the wall, framed by peeling paint, announced your act in proud block capitals: Selkie, the Flying Seal! They had put you right before the interval. Did that make you the star performer? Third-best, at any rate: best were the acrobats, Belladonna and the Bedbugs, the grand finale, and second-best was Sunny’s balancing act, which opened the show. You could hear someone approaching, and fast. Your boss, no doubt, come to gently encourage you to get the fuck onto the stage. 

You looked at him mildly: Didier, who insisted it was pronounced ‘Didi-AIR’, tall, half-imposing, mostly composed, rarely generous, currently furious beyond belief. 

“Selkie! Where the fuck have you been? You’re on in thirty seconds! Ten, nine, eight—” 

You liked to think of him as sort of a lost soul, someone you’d taken under your wing, although, of course, he had been the one to take pity on you and hire you in the first place, and, of course, it was your soul that was on the line. “I’m sorry, Didi-yur,” you said quietly, and he scoffed. As you watched him thoughtfully, compassionately, he grabbed you by the shoulders and half-pushed, half-led you onto the platform—surely a textbook case of abuse in the workplace, if you weren’t in Hell—and you gave him a final glance of serene benevolence before, at his command, you whipped around, stepped into the blazing golden lights of the great circus tent, waved to the crowd, flashed a smile, and leapt from the platform into the open space before you. 

The breathless silence. The hot dusty air. The rush in your stomach like an oncoming wave before you lightly caught the bar another performer had flung towards you, adjusted your grip, and neatly somersaulted to another swing. Here a half-turn, here a straddle whip, and here, at the very peak of the motion of the trapeze, you let go, and hung impossibly in the air for a second before you plummeted, as you were wont to do, and were caught by another trapeze artist. Of course the dizzying leaps and the melodramatic plunges were part of the act. You knew the movements, the swings and the sways and the somersaults; you were, admittedly, at home here. The onlookers roared in delight; your heart, admittedly, soared. But as you spun, leant back, shifted your weight, glanced at the audience, you noticed, about three rows from the front, an unprecedented, unsolicited, indeed undesirable arrival: the strangest demon you had ever met. Or, at least, the strangest demon in the past three days. 

The fine kettle of fish was this. Belladonna, Sunny, Pell-Mell, the clowns, the knife-throwers, the knife-throwees, even the Bedbugs, bless their hearts, had all signed their souls over to Didier. He had expected the same of you when you had been given the job. But you, unused to asking, used to getting, were not prepared to quite merrily hand over the one thing that had guaranteed your continued existence to a man in a slim red tie. And so you had taken on a different sort of contract—which could have been hot, but, regrettably, Didier was not inclined to make such exchanges. You were simply paid far less than what you needed. That was all. The prosaic truth. He had you under contract, but nothing so poetic as a soul-binding one. You simply sewed your own costumes, went without breakfast. You scrounged around for whatever you could whenever you could. You had taken up residence in a formerly-disused caravan with the structural integrity of a multivitamin capsule. 

You had found there was little glory in starving, little romance. It was the banality of it that struck you, when you sighed weakly after your taps wouldn’t turn on, or Didi cut off your electricity, or you found you would have to choose between food and heating. It was the endless rolling of the cold and empty days that you suspected would grind you down in the end. But of course they were punctuated by your dazzling nights, your whirling wheeling flights through the grandly lit top tent that drew so many to Lu Lu World. And of course you were resourceful. 

In your life you had always been willing to bend the rules. In your death you were no different. You had the right kind of mind for business, and your business was, up there and down here, remarkably effective. Any con, put-on, cutup, cantrip, flimflam, ramp or scam anyone could think of, you’d done it. You once stole a woman’s shoes and sold them to her husband’s mistress for twice the retail price. Double-joke was on her, because purple was not her color. Only yesterday you had sold a sweet-looking sinner an ‘astral lightning rod’ meant to attract ‘negative interdimensional frequencies’ and channel them into their neighbors’ houses. The lightning rod in question was a refashioned rake you had found in the bins outside the gift shop. To put it plainly, as it were, if it had to be said, you were a, quote-unquote, ‘scammer’, though you and yours would never call it that. You hadn’t meant to end up in this trade, after all. You would like to think you had an entrepreneurial mindset. 

This entrepreneurial mindset had landed you in a stall (without a permit, obviously) in the Lu Lu World food court, having donned a wig and taken on the persona of a charming Texan aunt. Here you sold separately heart-shaped chocolates you had bought in bulk, meticulously unwrapped, and meticulously re-wrapped in shiny pink paper, to whichever passing demons or sinners appeared lonely or gullible or both. You told them all these chocolates, if consumed, would make anyone fall in love with them. To a pale imp in a band T-shirt you had sold three for five times what you’d paid for a box of eight; to a fishlike sinner whose disinterested girlfriend had abandoned him for the fairyfloss stall you sold five at, you told him, fifty percent off (which was three times the usual price). They had told their friends; their friends had flocked to your stall; soon afterwards, your original buyers had come back for more. But now there was a lull in business, as there usually was at this time of the afternoon. So when you noticed a duck demon – literally, a demon the size and shape of a duck, albeit a cartoonishly cute one – with an odd gait and a faraway look in his eyes, you were thrilled to have once again hit the jackpot.

You called him over excitedly. “Hey there, friend, what’s got you looking so glum?” That caught his attention. Hook. “You know, I see all sorts of people come through here. But ain’t none of them got such a positively chap-fallen look on their faces—not to insult you, gorgeous.” He was watching you with wary curiosity. Line. “Come on. Don’t you wanna tell old Mrs. Appleby all about it?” Sinker. 

“You’re not married,” he said. Sinker? That was strange. 

“What?”

“You’re not married. You’re not wearing a wedding ring.” Was he one of those? A flirt? Read: creep? Those were often easier to sell to. 

You pointed at your sign. Mrs. Appleby’s Apple-licious Treats. “Mrs. Appleby. That all that ambiguous?” you said, which won you a small smile from this bizarrely fluffy, bizarrely yellow duck. He flew surprisingly gracefully (you, the Flying Seal, knew what made a graceful flight) towards your stall, perching on the countertop just in front of your merchandise. And as he did so, you felt a dull crackle of power in the air, but, habitually incautious, you ignored it. Perhaps an Overlord-adjacent was taking a piss behind the neighboring food truck. Something like that. 

“It’s just heart-shaped candy,” he said. Usually demons looked like they’d just crawled out of a monsoon drain. Not this duck. He looked like a dapper gift-shop-plushie, the kind that comes with a sweet tag with their inevitably adorable name, written beneath it, Please look after this [relevant animal]! 

“Just heart-shaped candy? Why, this is the best heart-shaped candy you’ve ever had the good fortune to feast your eyes upon! ‘Why is that, Mrs. Appleby?’ Why, I’ll tell ya!” He seemed to be enjoying himself, not least because he hadn’t left. “This chocolate is magic!” That earned you another smile. 

“Really? Is that so?”

“Sure is. Straight from my distant uncle Asmodeus. Just eat one, wait three hours, and you’ll be feeling sprightly as a spring lamb. Two’ll have all the hens—or the men, don’t look so dejected, whatever you prefer—running after you like you’re catnip and they’re a litter of kittens.”

“Hold on now. You’re trying to sell me chocolate…chocolate-ified love potions? Love potion-ified chocolate? Love-ified—” 

You waved a hand at him in pleasant dismissal. “Now, don’t you overthink it, honey. I just saw you needed a helping hand and Auntie Appleby thought she’d take a”—you surprised even yourself with this one—“quack at it.” For a glorious moment he struggled between delight and disappointment. Then he laughed, genuinely, and smiled at you with something like satisfaction.

“Two’ll make me catnip. What’ll three do?”

You paused, then shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, I ate three, and look at me now.” 

And after that it really had been sinker, and you’d sold him a box of ten and wrapped it up in pink parchment and given it to him in a pretty heart-shaped bag with added glitter. You wondered if he’d realized he was being fleeced. There was an air of irony about the way he treated you, but you were pleased to play along. A sale was a sale.

Naturally, though, you tried not to encounter people you’d sold something to after you’d sold it to them. You’d been a little careless today, telling them to wait only three hours. You’d thought that’d be enough to get them out of the grounds, but this duck was persistent. As usual, you hadn’t meant for this to happen. He still had his heart-shaped bag. He was sitting smugly in a seat far too large for him. Did he recognise you? Could he recognise you? The Flying Seal was a far cry from homely Mrs. Appleby. It could have been a coincidence. Perhaps he just liked the circus. It wasn’t strictly unusual to re-encounter your customers. But he was watching you intently, you realized, before you had to maneuver yourself into the arms of your closest friend in the circus, your counterpart, Pell-Mell, the Soaring Fiddler. And then, still incautious, you let the strange duck slip from your mind, and flung yourself from the catchbar again. 

Lucifer had decided to visit Lu Lu World less out of curiosity and more out of boredom and a vague sense of duty. It was, after all, his theme park. He’d been reckless, coming as a duck, but who’d guess this out-of-place, out-of-sorts waterfowl was the Lightbringer himself? Besides, he’d wanted to watch the circus. He hadn’t quite known what to expect. Perhaps he’d expected to be disappointed. 

But now he watched you in what seemed your most natural state. Flying, entertaining. Even without the wig and the bizarre Texan accent he recognised you (he, of all people, knew what made a good trick, a good show). He saw how you fed on the crowd’s cheers like they kept you alive. It was miraculously complex and miraculously simple. You were happy they were happy. He watched you as you rose and dove through the air as your namesake might through water—easily, happily, unembarrassed—and the lights, your smile, the spectacle, recalled to him, dimly, as if seen through rain, something he had felt a long time ago. 

You landed delicately on the platform opposite the one you had arrived from. “Selkie, the Flying Seal!” the ringmaster declared triumphantly. You winked mischievously at the audience. Did you realize they were thrilled with you? Could you realize it? Did the whole performance require a level of obliviousness? You caught the outstretched hand of your fellow performer, a small, slender girl sporting a glossy bob, and lifted her onto the platform. The two of you gave a final bow, and you, beaming, looked not down at the audience but up at the distant lights. 

Lucifer decided half-consciously that he ought to come back.

[practicalzen]

ZEN PRACTICE

For all of my adult life, Zen Buddhism has been the metaphor that resonated with me. I spent more than 10 years studying with Geshe Kaldan (a Tibetan teacher). However, for the most part, I communicated with him using Zen Buddhist terminology. He accepted this completely and the small differences between our approaches to the Dharma were never an issue. In fact, both of us enjoyed the interplay between the two traditions.

At this stage of my life and my practice, I find it very difficult to fault, or favor, any system (religious, political, or philosophical). Think about it. If a system is run by informed, well intentioned, compassionate, generous people, it will work. If a system is run by greedy, angry, dishonest people, it will not work. You can’t legislate honesty, compassion, or wisdom.

Zen Buddhism is not better than Christianity, or Islam, or Hinduism, or almost anything else you can name. The key is less the system and more the mind of the practitioner. If an individual is prepared to let go of biases, preconceptions, and selfhood, and tries to find the heart of compassion and the 'connection with life' that likely initiated the system, then that system will probably work for them.

When you come down to it, if a system disconnects you from people, from the world, and from life, then it will likely become a source of pain and distress. Simply consider how your beliefs make you feel. Do they make you angry, encourage greed, frighten you? Do they isolate you from people who don’t agree with you? Do they lead you to making decisions that hurt family and friends, people in general and this earth that we share? If they do, then you need to consider the nature of your beliefs and/or, perhaps, the nature of the system you have adapted.

As I have said, for me the Zen metaphor has been a consistent source of help throughout my life. Zazen, which is simply another word for 'sitting meditation', has always supported me and helped me grow – even in my stupidest, most deluded moments – and I have had, and still have, plenty of them.

In the beginning, my understanding of the word ‘practice’ was engaging in regular ‘sitting meditation’, but as I grew in my understanding of Zen and Buddhism, the idea of ‘practice’ grew with me. Now, everything in my life is part of my ‘practice’ – and, everything is connected to, and is an extension of, my ‘sitting meditation’.

It is easy to partition off our ‘spiritual life’ and isolate it from all of the rest of our life. However, if we examine things carefully, I think we will find that there are no partitions anywhere. When we cook, or clean, or perform our tasks at work, or interact with family, friends and acquaintances, we should act from a mind of compassion, generosity and understanding. When that is the case, it is possible to act skillfully. We will all still make mistakes, but the more mindfully and compassionately we act, the fewer the mistakes and the better we make the world.

The following video is an eloquent explanation of 'everyday' Zen.

[quietmonologues]

I haven't finished the show yet (just need to watch the last episode) but so far, I'll give the live action adaptation of ATLA a 7/10.

Long post.

To start with what I like about it...

I think the VFX is spectacular. Omashu, the Water Tribes, the Fire Nation palace, all the bending effects and fights are stunning.

Seeing all the characters come to life. The Gaang, but also the past avatars, the mechanist and Teo, the freedom fighters, Bumi, Zuko and the family, even Mai and Ty Lee. Aesthetically, everyone fit really well.

I enjoy (most) of the acting, but especially Zuko. I feel like Dallas captures the character incredibly well and his scenes with Paul as Iroh have been very fun to watch. I enjoy seeing more of Azula and getting into her psyche early on, and seeing more of Ozai has been enjoyable as well. Daniel Dae Kim is great. Ian and Gordan also do a great job of playing Sokka and Aang, respectively.

Merging the Jet stuff with the Mechanist stuff is an interesting way to cram as much of the story as possible without being too convoluted. The re-interpretation of The Cave of Two Lovers episode was a change I was iffy about but I grew to appreciate it. Instead of focusing on a romantic love, I liked that it was about familial love (between Sokka and Katara). I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't like that change, and I understand, but I didn't mind it. It didn't feel like the live action was hinting at Aang's crush on Katara anyways (correct me if I'm wrong).

Love the emotional aspects. Iroh and Zuko, Aang and Gyatso...it can definitely get the waterworks going.

In terms of what I don't like....

Something feels missing in this adaptation, and I think it's the tone. There's still funny moments but it's definitely a bit more somber than the cartoon. On the one hand, the original show does deal with heavy themes and it makes sense for the live action to emphasize that seriousness. Like, it made sense for a cartoon geared towards children to have a "lightness" to it, to have moments of goofiness and sillyness. But on the other hand, that lightness being interspersed between all the serious moments made the story of ATLA what it was, and I do feel that that is missing in the live action. I guess that's the downside to limiting a 20+ episode season into just....8 episodes. But the live action did the best it could.

I feel the same about the characters. The Gaang seem a bit more serious. But it's not completely bad, Aang still feels like Aang and Sokka still feels like Sokka. Katara is the one who sticks out to me like a sore thumb because she just...doesn't feel like Katara. No idea if it's Kiawentiio's acting or how she's written, but whenever I watch her, she just feels really flat and demure. Katara is a kind and compassionate character, but I do remember her being a bit more fierce. We do get that fierceness near the end but...I don't know, it comes off as stiff. And that's why I think Dallas as Zuko is my favourite, because Zuko was always a serious and somber character in the cartoon, so his performance in the more serious live action adaptation fits really well (it still would've fit perfectly if the adaptation was more goofy of course).

The pacing at times is bumpy. I felt this especially in episode 4. There was just...way too many things going on and they decided to throw in a couple flashbacks too. Like I said before, I liked that we got more Azula, but I felt like some of her scenes didn't flow well with the rest of the episode (episode 6 i think). We were following a straightforward plot, and then we just have a scene or two of Azula doing her trials and shooting lightning. It just made the overall episode feel choppy and disconnected.

I don't remember how the whole Suki/Sokka/Yue thing went in the cartoon, but yes I do think it's very weird that Sokka and Suki kissed in episode 2, and then he's kissing Yue in episode 7. Maybe in the cartoon it wouldn't be "that deep" but in a live action, it's kinda strange to me lol. I don't know, that's a bit of a minor nitpick I guess.

To me, Book 1 of the original show is the weakest season and my least favourite (it's still good). But if Netflix renews this, then I'm hoping Book 2 (and Book 3) will be much better!

Okay that's it, off to watch the last episode.

(also I do think you're lying if you say the movie was better)

[godslove]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲

The Greek word for the spiritual gift of mercy is eleeo. It means to be patient and compassionate toward those who are suffering or afflicted. The concern for the physical as well as spiritual need of those who are hurting is covered by the gift of mercy. Those with this gift have great empathy for others in their trials and sufferings. They are able to come alongside people over extended periods of time and see them through their healing process. They are truly and literally the hands and feet of God to the afflicted.

All Christians are called to be merciful because God has been merciful to us.

³³ “Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you?”

—Matthew 18:33

⁴ “But God is rich in his mercy, and because he had such great love for us, ⁵ He brought us to life with Christ when we were already dead through sin—it is by grace that you have been saved. ⁶ He raised us up in union with Christ Jesus and enthroned us with him in the heavens,”

—Ephesians 2:4-6

The Holy Spirit gives the spiritual gift of mercy to some in the church to love and assist those who are suffering, and walk with them until The Lord allows their burden to be lifted. The gift of mercy is founded in God’s mercy towards us as sinners and is consistently expressed with measurable compassion. Those with this gift are able to:

¹⁵ “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.”

—Romans 12:15

and

² “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

—Galatians 6:2

They are sensitive to the feelings and circumstances of others and can quickly discern when someone is not doing well. They are typically good listeners and feel the need to simply “be there” for others.

⁸ “...whoever performs acts of mercy should do so cheerfully.”

—Romans 12:8

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy.”

—Matthew 5:7

³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him and beat him, and then went off leaving him half-dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be traveling along that same road, but when he saw him he passed by on the other side. ³² A Levite likewise came to that spot and saw him, but he too passed by on the other side. ³³ “But a Samaritan who was traveling along that road came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. ³⁴ He went up to him and bandaged his wounds after having poured oil and wine on them. Then he brought him upon his own animal to an inn and looked after him. ³⁵ “The next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Look after him, and when I return I will repay you for anything more you might spend.’ ³⁶ “Which of those three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” ³⁷He answered, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

—Luke 10:30-37

¹⁷ “However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, and considerate, full of mercy and good fruits, without any trace of partiality or hypocrisy.”

—James 3:17

²² “Have compassion for those who are wavering. ²³Save others by snatching them out of the fire. And for still others have compassion mixed with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies.”

—Jude 22-23.

[silver-blooded-synthetics]

RATE YOUR MUSES TRAITS (0-10)

Filled out for: Alma (and adding reasons why because I'm annoying like that)

Compassion: 8/10 - Usually very compassionate unless driven to intense anger towards someone, then compassion goes out the window.

Bitterness: 6/10 - He has a tendency to have grudges and hold onto negative feelings well after he should have let them go because of his self internalizing nature. Still tries to see the good in others first though and isn't entirely jaded with people yet.

Happiness: 6/10 - He struggles with this because of his anxiety and PTSD. He's not unhappy most of the time, but has a sort of melancholy aura about him at all times.

Politeness: 10/10 - he's programmed to be very polite, so even when he's being snarky with someone he doesn't like, he does it in a backhanded sort of way that is technically still polite and civil.

Chivalry: 9/10 - he has a strong sense of justice and generally gives everyone the respect they deserve unless he's significantly wronged by them.

Pride: 5/10 - Despite confidence and self-image issues, his ego, if fed and left unchecked, could get out of hand, so it's sort of a balancing act on this one, which is why I put it close to the middle between 1 and 10.

Honesty: 8/10 - He's generally very honest unless he believes he has a good reason to lie. However, when he does lie, he's good at it.

Bravery: 9/10 - He wants to pet all the monsters. His curiosity is stronger than his fear. Despite his anxiety disorder, he still is quite brave in facing his fears.

Recklessness: 7/10 - Again, he wants to pet all the monsters. His curiosity can lead to him being more reckless than he should be. However, he also will think things through before he does them and calculate the risks carefully.

Ambition: 10/10 - He's got big plans for the future and knows he's capable of pulling them off, so I'd say his ambitions are pretty big.

Loyalty: 9/10 - The only thing that would break his loyalty is if he was betrayed first. He won't stay loyal to someone who isn't loyal to him. However, he's very committed to the people he does have in his circle.

Love: 8/10 - He is so full of love and actively gives it to those that show it to him in return, however there is some slight confusion on his part of what exactly love is. He doesn't know how to define it, despite being perfectly capable of giving and receiving it. He's just bad at putting a label to the emotion.

Sense Of Family: 4/10 - He doesn't really have a family, and what he considers his family is... dysfunctional at best. Family is complicated for him. He wants it desperately though, which is probably why he allows for so much of his forged family to get away with being so dysfunctional.

Attractiveness: 7/10 - He was designed to be attractive on purpose, but that's aesthetically. Personality wise, he's a bit awkward and socially challenged, so that leaves room for improvement.

Agility: 10/10 - His design allows for peak performance in agility and athletics.

Sex Drive: 6/10 - He's demisexual, meaning he doesn't feel sexual attraction until an emotional bond is formed first. That means his sex drive is practically non-existent until he's close to someone. That being said, once he is sexually attracted to someone, his drive goes up significantly, usually to match his partner's. That's why I put it somewhere around the middle between 1 and 10.

Tagged by: @drchandras-sanctuary-for-ais Tagging: @amused-bouche and anyone else who wants to

[neotrances]

that song is so fuckin good even when the beggar reveals himself to be god at the end of the song it doesn’t matter because the act of being selfish especially towards the most vulnerable around you will get you cast out of “heaven” that heaven being the community of friends and family kendricks character lost by becoming rich and cutting ties with his people over material goods, he believed himself to be better than the homeless man despite recognizing him and the homeless man came from the same place and face the same oppression, he tells the beggar he will not give him money bc he fears he will spend it on drugs and liqour despite the fact that he himself just left the liqour store, spending that same money on the same drugs he assumes the homeless person wants, he justifies it as just looking out for the homeless man, how he just doesn’t want him to spend the money he gets on things that can hurt him but in the same breath refuses to even feed him, what does it mean to be selfish? how are you a man of “god” but not a man of fellow man? “i washed my hands i said my grace what more do you want from me” his character is performing being caring and compassionate without ever actually caring about others, he loses his spot in heaven over a dollar bc his character refuses to find value in human life in general, his greed makes him blind to the fact that humanity has only gotten so far because of helping and supporting one another

[wenella]

Zhu Yilong: Passing Through The Storm at Sea Calmly

朱一龙：平静穿越海上风暴

EN Translation of Zhu Yilong's Bazaar April 2022 Cover Issue Feature Interview by wenella

Zhu Yilong loves the sea. He is drawn to the vastness and the all-encompassing nature of the sea. The sea is like a humble gentleman who is strong-minded, yet will not fight for or snatch anything. Zhu Yilong is competitive about everything, except acting. He wants to play every role well and harness the power of introversion whenever he transforms into his characters.

A young man is working seriously and following the rules of his industry carefully. He chants, “Putting on shoes for you, cross the Naihe bridge peacefully.”

This is a character rarely seen in Chinese films – a funeral undertaker. However, this occupation is merely the surface. Look deeper and you will notice his buzz cut, his flowery print shirts, board shorts, and slippers, his Wuhan dialect, the tired and rebellious look in his eyes - this character is not only grounded in the quotidian realities of life, but also a lonely soul who has been hurt by the world.

Soon, this Wuhan native named “Mo Sanmei” started to appear in short videos. Audiences were shocked and watched these videos repeatedly.

They realized that he was Zhu Yilong.

From Wu Xie in Reunion: The Sound of the Providence, to Lin Nansheng in The Rebel, and to Hong Yizhou in Cloudy Mountain, all of these characters were played by Zhu Yilong. Except this time, Zhu Yilong seems to be heading right into a storm at sea.

Lighting up the Stars is a film based on the original script by Liu Jiangjiang. Liu conducted fieldwork in Baiyangdian, Hebei, to gather materials for this film. As the title suggests, it is a film about life and death, as well as the joys and sorrows of its characters.

To immerse himself in his character Mo Sanmei, Zhu Yilong shaved his head without hesitation and chose to take up a look that ran counter to his usual gentle demeanor.

Even though Zhu Yilong has tried a variety of roles, Mo Sanmei is arguably his most challenging role to date if we consider the character’s life. Mo Sanmei bears witness to the passing of life every day yet his job requires him to remain indifferent and collected. Yet deep in his heart, he is also compassionate, proud, and rebellious. Furthermore, Zhu Yilong’s co-actor is a young girl. We can only imagine his Herculean task of trying to balance his performance and the dramatic tension required by the plot.

ACTING: BEING SERIOUS ON A KNIFE-EDGE

Lying in a coffin is something that everyone will inevitably experience yet the Chinese are reluctant to talk about it. Zhu Yilong was attracted to the film’s theme and the role of Mo Sanmei as they were grounded very much in reality.

He said, “Since young, I’ve encountered many people like Sange in my life. They want to achieve great things in life and run a big business. They refuse to engage in anything they deem trivial or insignificant. As a result, they suffer in life because they want their ‘face’.”

But what are the most important things in life? Zhu Yilong found his answer when he entered the inner world of Mo Sanmei. He realised that without long-lasting and sincere relationships in life, material things are ultimately immaterial; life and death are mere rituals or processes, insignificant names or numbers, and answers that people can't accept calmly.

"Life and death are important events in life, but simple things in life may also be something extremely important in the hearts of those who experience them. Personally, I find the phrase ‘Life’s Important Events’ (translator's note: a direct translation of the film's Chinese title 人生大事 rénshēngdàshì) very meaningful."

What will happen to Mo Sanmei when he meets a lonely & helpless girl? The answer can be found in the film.

When he interacts with the girl, Mo Sanmei learns what it means to be responsible. He learns what he wants in life and the important events in life. “There is nothing more important than death in life” 人生除死无大事 is a line that is used most frequently in the film.

Zhu Yilong gained a new understanding of this line after he wrapped the film. He said, "Anything in life can be an important event as long as it is something important to you; it isn't always only about life and death."

Mo Sanmei’s stubble and buzz cut set this role apart from Zhu Yilong's previous roles. He said, "In recent years, I don't like repetition. If I just tried a certain role, I wouldn’t be able to accept if I had to play a similar one immediately.” He wants to try different genres and doesn’t want to fix his future path. “I want to focus on whatever I’m doing now and to do it right.”

This is Zhu Yilong's second attempt at filming in Wuhan dialect after Embrace Again. Compared to his role as Ye Ziyang, Zhu Yilong's main challenge lies in changing audience's previous impression of him and convincing them that he is Mo Sanmei. In a scene with his young co-actor, Zhu Yilong had to reprimand and make her cry. After the filming ended, he transformed back into his normal, gentle self immediately, hugged her and apologised softly.

An actor’s cultivation is not only reflected in his understanding of the character’s inner world, but also in his insistence of looking right for the role. The drama series The Rebel, which he starred in, scored more than 8 out of 10 on Douban - a feat for a young actor who was once labeled as a ‘traffic star". He did his homework and dissected the role: "Although Lin Nansheng was playing the role of 'Xu Liwen' (a cover identity to get close to Zhu Yizhen), 'Xu Liwen' was actually closer to his true self than the Lin Nansheng of Shanghai bureau."

Before joining the set of The Rebel, he went on an extreme diet and lost a lot of weight. He wanted to get rid of his contemporary celebrity look and allow his facial features to become a vessel for his character’s emotions. He once said that he didn’t find his extreme weight loss masochistic at all. After all, an actor’s appearance is to serve his role.

Let us now recall the multiple sides of Zhu Yilong's roles – elegant, melancholic, rebellious, courageous......

Only he will know what remains unchanged within him whenever he creates his characters. Zhu Yilong's calm face is like the sea with gentle ripples; his determination is a sharp knife that lies beneath this calm surface. An actor on a knife-edge can dissect the plot, experience the real & painful emotional world of his character, and allow audiences to believe in the story.

GROWING UP: CHALLENGING MYSELF

Being an actor means that many things are not within his control. Zhu Yilong said, “I wouldn’t let something bother me once I move on. If I don’t let go, I would feel very angry and suppress my emotions. It’s pretty suffocating.”

He has learnt to stay calm whenever he encounters obstacles now as he is aware of the consequences of feeling angry. “There isn’t so much disappointment, loss, and injustice in life.” He learnt to let go as he grew older. “My thoughts and emotions flow smoothly within me now.”

If there was something that Zhu Yilong could not resolve, he would just choose to enjoy a good meal. “I love to eat so much.” During his spare time, he would always be searching for good food. Hotpot, BBQ… everything.

“I'm in love with Beijing's cooper hotpot and zhajiangmian (fried bean sauce noodles) recently.” Zhu Yilong started to share with us his list of dishes excitedly.

Many find him a straightforward or even naïve person. Zhu Yilong has a different take on this. He doesn't enjoy crowds and feels that liveliness is always short-lived. Therefore, he prefers to spend time alone. “When I’m alone, time seems to pass more slowly. I've more time to do what I want to do.”

In a way, Zhu Yilong is probably mature for his age. He does not enjoy spending time with his friends every day. “It is fun, but time passes too quickly.” Sometimes, the fun can be draining.

Zhu Yilong’s independence was a result of him growing up with his grandparents in Wuhan & boarding at his junior high school. When he was in school, he picked up subjects that he was interested in very quickly. Even though he didn’t skip classes that he disliked, he found it hard to concentrate in those classes.

He described himself as "a kid who looked obedient but was actually mischevious (蔫儿淘 niān er táo), and got into fights easily." He had to learn to manage his emotions without his parents by his side and became more introverted as he grew older. But Zhu Yilong still retained a burning competitive spirit within him. "I feel competitive even when I'm with my good friends; I have a strong desire to win." But he wouldn't feel disappointed if he lost. He would always try his best and the result didn’t matter to him that much. “If I’m not good at it, I’d just try it again.”

Zhu Yilong said jokingly, “I helped my mother to realise her dream by becoming an actor. She used to say that her greatest regret in life was that she didn't try to enroll herself into Beijing Film Academy or the Central Academy of Drama.”

When Zhu Yilong visited Beijing one year during his holiday and walked past BFA with his mother, she told him, “You should try to get yourself enrolled here.” He took up 3 months of preparatory classes and and took the entrance exams, albeit rather cluelessly. Even though he finally made it into BFA, he was always doubtful of his ability of becoming an actor. “Do I really have the talent? Am I suitable for this job?”

“At that time, I thought to myself: well, I can always find a 9-to-5 job after graduating, as long as the money is enough to support myself.”

After entering the industry, Zhu Yilong realised something after he trying out at auditions repeatedly. "As an actor, we have to start from the bottom. We witnessed many harsh realities. Even though we fought hard for a role, we might not be able to get it.”

Zhu Yilong is slightly awed by how fate has brought him the scripts and roles that he had worked on. The mutual understanding between co-actors on the essence of a character, the chemistry between the director and actor - it is critical to see eye to eye when working on the set. To Zhu Yilong, entering a new set is an adventure that challenges him to leave his comfort zone.

Zhu Yilong usually takes a while before he warms up. “It is impossible to reveal everything during the first meeting. I can only let myself go slowly while testing the waters.” It is impossible for an entire crew of several hundred people to wait for an actor to get into to slowly get into the right mode. This is the main source of pressure for many actors. As for Zhu Yilong, he finds it difficult to block out all information and enter his character immediately when he just joined a new working environment.

“When I join a new set, it is not so much about communicating with my character but rather adapting to my new environment.”

He has managed to produce good works and roles that have gained the recognition of audiences. However, in his opinion, the process of growing up as "Zhu Yilong" is the most important “role” that he needs to think about.

He admires the Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis who starred in My Left Foot. Day-Lewis is a mature actor who has the amazing ability to portray characters and their fate, yet also exude his personal charm during this process. Day-Lewis is an actor who keeps a distance from Hollywood and chooses to hide in the countryside and hone his craft as a leather shoemaker. He finds Day-Lewis' story inspiring.

A good actor has solid acting skills, rich experiences, and he doesn't represent himself. But a better actor can still be himself. The actor can exude an unforgettable personal charm, while his experiences, charisma, and facial features are elements that can be worked into creating his characters.

“Therefore, we shouldn't oversimplify and categorize actors as 'an actor who is being himself' or 'an experiential actor'." On-screen and off-screen, everyone has to deal with their past; everyone cannot escape "life".

Once he understood this, he was able to dismiss and ignore the labels that others have given him. It did not matter to him that other people tried to identify him as an attractive star or as a young actor who was eager to get rid of his 'idol' label and be recognised for his acting.

He started to live with his parents again when he relocated from Wuhan to Beijing to study at BFA. His slow-to-warm-up temperament was a good fit for this historical city. “If I wasn't an actor, I don’t think that I’d need to be surrounded by a lot of people. I’d like to explore this city if there’s a suitable chance.”

He emphasized that the necessity for him to be at peace and to block out noise from the outside world – the questioning voices and irresponsible criticism.

Zhu Yilong needs to walk into the story of a character calmly and carefully discern where this path would lead him. After wrapping the performance, he would leave the set calmly and enter his next role. This cycle would repeat itself.

Zhu Yilong summed up this cycle: dedicating himself to work and leading a simple life. He always felt fortunate whenever he received a role that he liked. He would prepare for his role by observing and thinking; he would try to get himself into a working mode no matter what.

He enjoyed freedom when he was young. He cultivated his determination when he first started out as an unknown actor. Now that he is in the limelight, he tries his best to balance his career and life.

Zhu Yilong revealed that he has no upcoming plans for his 34th birthday. The waves were crashing in the background as he strummed his guitar.

He is satisfied with the current pace of life and work. He has time to prepare for his roles and rest. He also has the opportunity to choose his jobs. Zhu Yilong said, "I think all is great right now." There’s no need for him to make a birthday wish. "Wishing for other things probably wouldn’t come true anyway. I will continue to shoot one work after another."

His expectation of himself: to ensure that "the second year is always better than the first." He said, "I may not have much talent, but I always try to make sure that the second year is always better than previous one."

He said that he would continue to act as long as he is approached by others. There are so many roles that he has yet to try, and so many stories that have yet to be told.

*THE END*

[weirdratwrites]

MLP OC:

Name: Mourning Wood

Nick(s): Wood, Woodsy, Spooks

Species: Unicorn

Gender/Sexuality: Cis Male Pansexual

Cutie Mark: A Gnarled staff intersected by two bones in a 'x' shape. A whisp of green magic wraps down and around the whole of it, emanating from the staff's head.

Specialty: Necromancy: Spirit-Calling

Personality: Professional, Compassionate, Good-Humored.

Mourning Wood is a lanky, white unicorn with a long, brownish-yellow mane. He is the current High Necromancer of the Crown. The comedic aspects of his name don't escape him.

Explanation of Necromancy in Equestria under the cut, since I don't want him to come off as edgy. Part of it is likewise headcanon regarding general lore, or outright AU if something therein goes directly against canon.

General structure of above text inspired by @howler-the-rainwing.

My headcanon on necromancy in Equestria is largely influenced by an Anon Fic and it's response: Dear Princess Sunbutt, and To: Anon, From HRH Sunbutt. Specifically, the chapters where Anon is reacting to Pinkie summoning a demon to help her bake something, and Celestia explaining that, while heavily regulated, the act is legal so long as the person is properly licensed (as Pinkie is, in that fic).

That said: Necromancy is no more evil than any other form of magic in Equestria. It was much more commonly - and openly - practiced before Luna's Rebellion.

The current state of the profession is the result of dogmatic nobles taking advantage of Celestia's multi-decade grieving period following her sister's banishment to "rid the world" of one of the Traitor's favored school of magic. Necromancy is one of the most highly regulated forms of magic in Equestria, and the title of Necromancer is exceedingly rare as a result of the sheer amount of bureaucracy involved to attaining it.

High Necromancer of the Crown is a largely ceremonial title that was created by Celestia in conjunction with a number of still-active Necromancers at the time she came out of mourning to circumvent these edicts. She couldn't undermine the nobility so openly at the time of her return, and it wound up being good enough of a system that she honestly forgets about it for decades at a time between High Necromancers coming into their role.

Basically, there's only ever one officially recognized Necromancer at a time: The High Necromancer of the Crown, themself. To be recognized as a Necromancer, due to those edicts, one must be fully accredited in all three "Schools" of Necromancy: Flesh-Weaving, Bones-Singing, and Spirit-Calling.

High Necromancer of the Crown is the full, official title. Only a select few outside of the secret society built around this position are allowed to not use it in full. This is one of the more direct ways of fucking with the nobility that neutered the business of Necromancy, by making them say and acknowledge the favor this position traditionally has over them in the eyes of Celestia repeatedly in each conversation.

Anyone not accredited in all three is free of the bureaucracy associated with the profession. However, a lack of Necromancers would mean that the resources necessary for these fields to be taught would disappear due to a "lack of interest", so one needs to be active at all times.

The Schools themselves are used in a number of useful professions (especially those associated with healing the body and mind):

Flesh-Weaving is used to mend wounds, perform surgeries, and put corpses into presentable condition in the case of a truly traumatic death. The "traditional" view of this school, in popular media, would be in reanimating the dead and creating horrors like Frankenstein's Monster.

Bone-Singing is used to mend broken bones and is part of lessons in golemancy, as used in certain mines and quarries whose conditions are too dangerous for ponies to mine themselves. The traditional view of this school, in popular media, would be in reanimating the long-dead, such as skeletons.

Spirit-Calling is used to help with mental illnesses, grief counselling, and in cleansing places of high spiritual activity or helping the long-departed in moving on to the afterlife. The traditional view of this school, in popular media, would be in calling ghosts to do one's bidding.

Across Equestria, under-accredited non-Necromancers serve as healers, priests, detectives, and coroners. These are the foot soldiers of the Crown, doing their ancient duties in an unseen and un-appreciated manner.

Instances do occur where someone among their number is either incapable of doing their duty or simply not present to do so. In those instances, the High Necromancer of the Crown will travel to undertake their official tasks themself. This is incredibly rare.

In the meantime, the High Necromancer of the Crown has traditionally taken on a more common job between such tasks. High Necromancer Mourning Wood acts as a grief counsellor, High Necromancer High Spirit was - and still is - a pediatric surgeon, and High Necromancer Marked Progress was a detective for Manehatten's Police Force.

High Necromancer Mourning Wood is actually an interesting case, as he wasn't read in on the details, and accidentally provided High Necromancer High Spirit with an early retirement from her position. She ceded the title at the age of 45, rather than the traditional range of 85-90. She still maintains contact with Mourning Wood to help him handle the details of his new job.

[vintagetvstars]

Avery Brooks Vs. Michael O’Hare

Propaganda

Avery Brooks - (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Spenser: For Hire) - ben sisko absolute all time tv dilf and have you heard him SPEAK... the stage background absolutely shows and it truly makes him a standout in a legacy franchise *full* of incredibly talented people. also frankly top 3 all time sexy bald guy

Michael O’Hare - (Babylon 5) - This is the man responsible for making me A) Fall in love with men (respectfully) and B) was the first person to play a human in sci-fi that I actually liked!

Master Poll List | How to submit propaganda | What is vintage? (FAQ)

Additional propaganda below the cut

Avery Brooks:

Avery is a certified TV sci-fi hottie as Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The first black star trek Captain, he also negotiated his signature look - the bald head and goatee - against haters who thought a Captain should always be clean-shaven. Thank God for that, because he looks devastatingly hot in a a goatee (a phrase never before uttered). He went on to direct several episodes of DS9, use his pleasant voice to record music and multiple host documentaries, and mostly retire from acting to teach as a professor.

TW: Flashing

with that wonderful stentorian baritone voice he could move from intimidating commander to gentle and compassionate space dad...benjamin sisko is a man of many qualities, thoughtful, morally complex, understatedly hilarious, a lil unhinged, really really excited about baseball, and avery brooks never fails to breathe life, depth and dimension into the character and also did i mention his voice. fun fact he was a professor of theater arts at rutgers while filming deep space nine and would occasionally teach classes via vhs tapes recorded on set, complete with starfleet uniform. he also directed a number of ds9 episodes including notable ones like "rejoined" and "far beyond the stars", and performed many of his own stunts as sisko. stunt coordinator dennis madalone said, "of all the stars that I've worked with on all the Star Treks, and all the other shows that I've been on other than Star Trek, I've never seen an actor so physically capable of just doing everything...every time I'd bring in a stunt double, he'd be angry, sitting on a bench, because Avery was doing so great." he's also a distinguished stage actor and an accomplished musician and singer who's performed everything from jazz to opera. science has yet to discover whether there's anything this man can't do.

Michael O’Hare:

[wilchur]

I went back to that old ascendant save in the end because the ooc-edness of having Ezra act like a good compassionate guy nagged me so much. So this is now a tragedy, I guess. A cursed child scarred by abandonment who latched onto the reverence and unconditional acceptance of the darkest parts of his heart that Bhaalists gave him, turned an adult who doesn't know how to love without himself offering both. All he wanted was to do what Astarion did for him when the Urge first struck and has been doing ever since -- be there and don't cast judgement, be a partner and a steady shoulder to lean on.

That's why when he asked for his help, there never could have been a reality in which Ezra said no. What's the blood of seven thousand rabid spawn on their hands in face of Astarion's only chance at pure freedom? He does not care about the slaughter of strangers, no matter the body count, so he did what Astarion needed him to do.

He never could quite find the words, but he has showed it to Astarion now. The trust he holds in him, the love. He watched the hells take their sacrifice and let the ritual end anticipating a new chapter to start, but when Astarion's mouth opened, it was not Astarion speaking anymore. His face was unchanged and the sound of voice was just the same as it has always been, however the man himself seemed empty and despite Ezra's hopes, that emptiness did not pass.

Once they were safe and locked away alone in their room again and Astarion spoke to him that evening, the warmth and admiration in his voice were still undeniably gone, replaced by a stageworthy performance not unlike the one he gave the night they slept together for the first time. Gone was the man who had tentatively held out his hand for him, who had laid himself bare to a monster without fear that it would eat him alive. A vampire lord that once upon a time might've been someone who truly loved him even if he did not feel ready to say it yet, asked Ezra to become his spawn, his eternal slave instead. Not an offer, but an ultimatum. An "I want you, but not like this" -- the only thing that could ever truly wound that particular bhaalspawn's heart.

Ezra refused, betrayal twisting his words cruel.

And along with Astarion went all that he had made himself to be since the journey started. What little humanity he brought up, buried back in a seel coffin of the only way forward left for him. What's the point in trying to play a hero now? Why would he scheme to go against Bhaal's wishes for a dream that he murdered with his own hands and risk being put down without leaving a thing behind? He might as well stand alone atop a pile of corpses like he's always been destined to, get a bit of a kick out of it at least. He will rule, have some fun before he slits his own throat and lets all the guilt and pain flow out at last as he fulfills his purpose. There's nothing else worth dying for anymore anyway.

[themanofgloom]

Oscar Mannington UPDATE

// Yes, I'm still dead on this blog. Yes, have Oscar update anyway

BACKSTORY:

Oscar's still got a bigass family, though their names and identities are highly underdeveloped for now. He has around 5 siblings, all adopted, and two very loving (and financially stable) parents. His very toxic relationship with his ex, Alice Little, still happened, and his strained relationship with others and his family due to mental instability still happened. Still has a big interest in theatre, and I think the only big change career-wise is that being in theatre is his career. Maybe not as much as a commercial performer anymore, but either working on costumes or tech.

The biggest change in general is that...the Earth-power verse he has is now canon! It's still underdeveloped, but still as cosmic-horror-y as it used to be. Basically, he has this horrific hivemind that's connected to him. It doesn't actively harm him, but the state of the planet certainly impacts the hivemind itself -- which then impacts Oscar. Is it actually the Earth living inside of him? Probably not. Maybe it's some fun alien shenanigans, who knows.

(Personality below)

PERSONALITY:

I remember I used to write Oscar (and Ormad, for that matter) as very emotional, rather immature characters. I didn't realize at the time, but they were like that because I was a mentally unwell teenager, and I was very heavily projecting myself into them. Now that I'm officially 18 (and much better mentally), I can look at their personalities in a more accurate and individual manner.

Oscar is a big introvert. Not shy, like he used to be, but he just doesn't like talking to people. Still suffers from a lot of anxiety due to GAD, but he makes sure to keep up with his meds, and he no longer uses his mental disorders as an excuse to act like a dick to people. That being said, despite him being rather antisocial, he is still compassionate and moral. Still loves his pet cat Marley and his pet goose Greyson, too.

He's got a nihilistic view of the world, but nihilistic in a "Nothing matters so let's do whatever the fuck we want" kinda way. He has some trouble expressing his emotions, too. If you give him a gift he is very grateful for, he won't naturally smile or laugh. He kind of has to force it because he feels bad for not reacting as one expects. Yes, he would feel incredibly grateful and happy, but it doesn't immediately travel to his face and body language. You can tell when he's super comfortable around you when he only has the tiniest expressions and doesn't react much. In that scenario, if you get him to laugh loud, you are really funny.

[scripted-downfall]

Ok but jpad has no emotional dept to his acting. Im currently studying acting. Like this is my college major. And when I say he has no depth, I mean he plays everything too hard. "The best emotion is suppressed emotion" is in acting 101 and he just does not get that. Jensen plays it bothe ways. Yes he can have clear emotions but a lot of time it's in his eyes or a nuance.

Then you've got Jpad who does the same thing every emotional scene. The same voice pattern for every line. The same eyes. The same... Everything.

And you'd think it'd get better with time.

Oh he's only 21, Jensen is 26, he'll grow as an actor.

Nope.

In fact.

I think he's better in the early seasons.

Come season 15 he still looks and acts like an immature college freshman just now with a beard.

Anyway...

Saw your post and had to share my own thoughts bc everyone I know thinks he's so good and I'm just HOW

Oh, hello!!! And thank you so much for the message; it's really interesting to hear from someone who has experience with acting as a vocation, instead of just from an observer's perspective. (I've done some acting --- in drama clubs and such --- but certainly nothing professional in any sense of the word; I have a sense of what is good/what works and what doesn't from an amateur's perspective, but the technical point of view you provide is awesome!)

I agree a hundredfold with your point about nuance: Padalecki's performance never really seems to have much. I mean, there's the occasional well-done gesture from time to time --- and I'll admit that the representation of Gadreel was sometimes decently good (largely, imo, because Gadreel was acted in a very earnest-bordering-on-deadpan manner... and, even then, I thought Tahmoh Penikett did far better) --- but Padalecki doesn't tend to do much other than cycle through the same basic Signs of Emotion. Indeed, he rarely manages to string them together believably, so it's more of a slideshow of "emotions" than it is an actual, seamless progression through them.

Your emphasis on sameness is precisely something I've tried (and, frankly, probably failed) to tell my friends of similar mentalities; I feel like you've put it into words admirably: he acts the same way whenever a specific emotion is needed. It's formulaic and flat. Anger = twitch jaw + flare nostril + (sometimes) a crinkle between eyebrows. Sadness = drawn-in eyebrows + squint really hard + sniff. "Compassion" = puppy-dog eyes + (what can only be termed his) Compassionate Face. It's like a math problem or something, not a real, human reaction.

I also definitely agree with your point about the earlier seasons: I do think that his earlier stuff was better. I don't know if he lost interest, gave up, or got cocky --- though I tend towards the last one, given his comments that (and this probably isn't a direct quote) "anyone could have played Dean" --- but his prowess, such as it had been, decreased sharply as the seasons went on.

I haven't exactly been subtle about the fact that I am very much a fan of Dean over Sam, so it probably should come as no surprise that I find his acting stellar. But Jensen is just a better actor in general. The nuance, like you said, is very rarely absent from his performances. Same with Misha; he's believable and realistic in a way that Padalecki never really is (imo). And yes, I recognize that some of this is personal preference, but I think there's just an objective difference between the acting of Padalecki and that of the other two.

Anyway, sorry for the long post... I'm sure you probably didn't intend to spark off a whole thing about this, and I doubt I added much, but I wanted to give your note the emphasis it deserved; your take is fascinating --- especially given, as I said, your experiences in the field --- and I also want to say thanks for sending it! I'm honored you reached out (and it'd be awesome to hear from you again, though no pressure) and I hope you're well!

[twinkinspector]

present mic / yamada hizashi ❥ astrology masterlist

❥ birth date: july 7, 2111

❥ birth time: 6pm

❥ birth place: tokyo

❥ pop astrology analysis:

cancer sun, cancer moon, capricorn rising. on the surface, i would say his big three doesn't fit him. but that's in the pop astrology sense – just looking at the surface of his behaviors and at these three placements. i would have expected much more air and much more fire. but his big three consists of earth and water! weird to me for sure. [insert no bitches meme here] no leo? ALL THAT SAID........ it does make sense when you look deeper.

❥ in-depth below the cut ❥

❥ cancer sun: emotional. strong survival instinct. nurturing. sensitive. compassionate. seeks and offers security. loyal. protective. highly intuitive. associated with psychic abilities. charismatic. mommy issues.

our boy mic isn't what i'd call a textbook cancer. his analysis is going to be more of me dissecting the motivations behind his actions – he's much older than other characters, so he's likely "masking" his placements more than other analyses i've done. his motivations are almost always personal. they're often to protect his friends, which is very cancer. cancers take relationships really seriously, which is obviously the case with mic. because of the emotional and nurturing aspects of cancers, they can be very focused on the past. i think this manifests in the way he reacts when finding out about shirakumo. (i'm not going to say anything more than that bc spoilers.) ALSO i think his intuition comes into play with his choice of friends. though aizawa acted aloof and distant, mic knew he could crack him. and he did.

❥ cancer moon: loyal. nurturing. family is super important to him. goes out of his way to make others feel loved. naturally supports and protects others. very emotional. i've noticed this placement can have mood swings really easily based on the moon's current transits.

mic's personal motivations are super important to him. when shirakumo is killed in battle, he and aizawa are frozen in place to mourn him for hours. though his passing truly affected mic (and he still carries it with him), he was able to navigate his initial grief (showing a mastery and understanding of emotion) and more or less move forward. his friendship with aizawa is really indicative of how he goes out of his way to make others feel loved. he really had to go out of his way to be friends with someone so guarded. although he's loyal to his friends, mic is able to team up with pretty much anyone. in the manga, there was a point in his high school career when he had to team up in a two-vs.-two battle with someone he really didn't like against aizawa and shirakumo. while mic's team didn't win, he did a surprisingly good job of cooperating. this often shows a lot of empathy and emotional intelligence.

❥ capricorn rising: biiiiig bizzy-business energy. work-oriented. no-nonsense. stoic. poised. quick-witted. bright. emphasis on family. mastery of the material. organized.

it might seem like mic isn't high-achieving and work-oriented, but i think that's just something he's cultivated over the years. he's honestly much more hardworking than he seems on the surface. he has three jobs!!!!! he's also able to compartmentalize his strong emotions to do what needs to be done when it comes to work. this placement is super persistent. he wore a seemingly aloof aizawa down until he became a lifelong friend. i think this placement is HUGELY colored by his leo mercury.

❥ leo mercury: excels at public speaking, performance, and winning the hearts of others. proud. bold. authoritative. enthusiastic. well-liked. enjoys the spotlight.

mic is the poster child for the surface manifestations of a leo mercury. his entire persona was created around his special brand of communication – insanely loud and bold. this is the way his actions manifest – BIG and BOLD.

❥ leo venus: loves grand gestures. bold love. confident. playful. dramatic. energetic. can be emotionally unstable. loyal. warm. aesthetics are important to him. loves the effect he has on society.

i think this placement colors his others too. he's so bold in the way he expresses himself – even aesthetically. venus represents aesthetics as well as all its other domains. so his hair??????? v leo venus. this placement does speaks to his strong emotions even though it's not a water sign or a traditionally ~emotional~ sign to most people. he also thinks (rightfully) that society is a better place with him in it.

❥ cancer mars: indirect. passive-aggressive. inclined to control their feelings but can seem moody. can later erupt. protects himself. driven to action based upon emotion. mars is in its fall here.

this really drives home how much his emotions influence his actions. mars is the planet of action and how we deal with conflict. it's not always about how we react to conflict – sometimes it's about why things are causing conflict in our minds in the first place.

❥ virgo jupiter: intelligent. problem-solver. great technical and analytical skills. loves to learn. many interests. perfectionist. realistic. optimistic outlook on mundane things. gravitates toward extremes. jupiter is in detriment here.

this is another good representation of how mic expresses himself. he takes the smaller details and more mundane things and turns them into something bigger and more expansive (jupiterian). this is a perfect example of why he always volunteers to commentate – he's taking something mundane and turning it into an opportunity / something more interesting.

❥ pisces saturn: compassionate. philosophical. introspective. aloof. hopeful. idealistic.

this is interesting. some people with saturn in pisces tend to overcompensate for these traits by trying to control things. and i think mic does this. he doesn't necessarily control situations – but people. his whole ~thing~ is crowd control and inspiring others. to me, this placement is about turning the greater good and your ideals into a career – which is exactly what mic has done. he's not only a hero but he does it in a way that's really in-your-face and brings his ideals to the forefront.

the rest of these planets are GENERATIONAL. i'll make this into its own page after i have more than one character with these same placements!

❥ gemini uranus: intelligent. perceptive. flexible. resourceful. values freedom and independence.

people with this placement are usually really good at learning new skills – and quickly. they're often able to focus on multiple things. and they have a lot of interests! that's one reason they value freedom – they want the freedom to follow their interests.

❥ libra neptune: idealistic. creative. has an eye for beauty. receptive. compassionate. tolerant. seeks harmony and balance. love of beauty and art.

people with this placement are usually really charming. these people love to be idealistic, but they're able to balance that with realism. mic does the best he can within his means and tries to inspire others to be as idealistic as he is.

❥ taurus pluto: a knack for making something out of nothing. persistent. enjoys comfort and beauty.

these people may obsess over money and material things. this could be why mic works so many jobs instead of just making his interests into hobbies!

❥ overall

as i said in the beginning, it's interesting to analyze someone so much older than the characters i've been analyzing. the older you get, the more your learned behaviors affect you and color the way things manifest. so it's important to take that into account too! that's why i really tried to focus on his internal motivations – which actually checks out as far as the amount of cancer placements he has. his internal world is intense. i didn't analyze his cancer stellium specifically because it seems like he's learned to mask his emotions pretty well with grandiose behavior (given to him by his leo placements). i do think this chart fits him, but i'll admit that this was a tough one! i also want to note that every time i reference "family" here, i'm referring to his found family. mic really sees his friends as family. again..... very cancer.

❥ chart

[filthybonnet]

Heading home from my NYC trip tomorrow. Funny Girl was fucking amazing!!! Lea Michele fucking killed it! I knew she was talented but damn! Ramin was perfect for Nickie, because charming all the ladies is what he does in real life. All his shirtless instagram pics do not do those abs justice in real life. Like he totally sucks in to tighten them in the pictures. To see them in their natural state with him in that satin robe and satin PJ pants. Half the thirsty audience cheered when he came out like that (myself included). Ramin and Lea together *chef's kiss* Also Ramin's dance number, he tried so hard.

I wish I could say the same for Phantom. Ben was better than the time I saw him in 2021, but seriously he should have been replaced a while ago. I think if he would have been replaced the show might not be closing. He's just been there way too long. Emilie was a beautiful Christine! I saw her in her 2nd or 3rd performance in 2021 and her voice has only gotten better. Her acting is still great pro Phantom, Ben just doesn't give her anything to work with. I loved Paul's Raoul; reminded me of Matt's from London: a compassionate one. Matt's was still better but with a compassionate Raoul and Ben as Phantom I can be team Raoul.

Seeing Ben do better then what I saw in 2021 made me realize what his Phantom is missing: sensuality and anger. His Phantom comes off with all suave of a 13 year old at the middle school dance when trying to be seductive. And when he's supposed to angry he's like a 5 year old who didn't get his way. People legit laughed while he was dragging himself across the stage during "Stranger Than You Dreamed It." Everytime I've seen it live and they don't scream like Ramin during an unmasking I'm disappointed.

All said I did cry a little at the end. IDK if I just never fully paid attention to the lyrics but I swear Ben changed could to did so he sang "you alone did make my song take flight" and it stressed the finality of the show closing and that post someone made that someone is going to sing "it's over now the music of the night" one last time and it will be over. And this was my last time seeing it on Broadway. I'm looking forward to West Wnd again this summer (HOLLY she's the best i think i have a new fav) but yeah the finality of Broadway.

But see Funny Girl if you can! Worth it!

[symptoms-syndrome]

Rehearsal yesterday was kind of a disaster and I hated it. I hate rehearsals in general but this one went especially poorly. I can't do my number in front of people when it's not like. An audience. I need positive feedback if I'm being 100% honest, I'm very much motivated by cheering and such, which like. TBH most people are just excited to be there and will cheer for anything and it helps a lot. Doing my number in front of like 10 people is awkward, especially when only 4 are paying attention and none are cheering (because they want me to be able to hear my music, which can't be as loud as it will be.) Also I was second. But primarily my issue was that I hadn't done my makeup. Doing my makeup is like a ritual. It takes a while, I have time to chill, I know I look really good because I like my makeup skills more than I like my performance skills, so it gives me the fallback of like. Even if I absolutely fuck it up I still look pretty. But since I was second and JUST got there, I only had time to cover my eyebrows. So I did my performance under bright fluorescent overhead lights with no makeup and no eyebrows and then my prop I have choreo with broke. I felt like I was going to cry right there. I absolutely fucked it up.

Luckily, or unluckily, I know two of the people who were there for feedback very well. I would consider them friends. Luckily because they knew that wasn't my average performance and they've seen me perform before and could give feedback based on that. Unluckily because I think it made me more self-conscious. They said I need to loosen up more and trust myself. One of them said that they know that I'm always very hyper aware of myself, even outside of performance. That I say sorry a lot and I don't need to apologize for anything. It helped to hear but was also hard to hear. I hate being seen so clearly. I do have myself on a tight leash sort of all the time. I try to control myself very strongly and sternly and be very aware of everything. I know also that some level of the way I act, especially in drag contexts like the ones I've worked with her in, is because I consider myself less worthy of respect because I'm a new and less talented performer. I also know she doesn't agree with that, she thinks I deserve and need to demand and give myself respect. I hope I can. It was also a scenario where like. I wanted to spill my heart out. I wanted to say "I'm so sorry I fucked it all up, I'm going through possibly the second worst mental health crisis of my life, please take that into consideration, I'm not always like this."

I'm debating opening up to a friend I have who's also in the show. He's very compassionate. I think we're close enough to do that. But opening up is so, so scary. I just feel like someone has to know.