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witchofthesouls · 2 years

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AYO! Listen, Cyber!Earth where the old appearance of humans become supernatural, paranormal, and/or creatures of folklore? As well as some examples of the monstronsites upon this new/old/reborn Earth/Gaea.

The world may had decreed that Cybertronians may live on its surface, but whether or not the offworlders, these so-called conquerors and saviors, shall thrive is up to their own actions. The oceans are still water; not a massive source of Energon that the Decepticons had hoped. The atmosphere still exists and far more wild and temperamental: scorching heat, killer humdity, random blizzards, and violent storms. The fauna mimics their old forms, full of vitality and various fuels… and quite toxic and venomous without the proper preparation.

Humans throughout the ages attempted to describe the nature of the planet and its relationship, exploring by alchemical, scientific, religious, and philosophical means. They had coined the phrase: survival of the fittest and it describes well Earth’s demands of resilience to its provided environments. Just they discovered the means to harness deadly wildlife for their own uses: consumption, industry, and medical.

Earth did not hail from Primus. Sleeping and distant and barren after so long. Unable to rejuvenate itself. No. Earth is born from Unicron. The Void sleeps deep within its very essence. Even with a cataclysmic event, it shall continue to roll on (and on and on and-)

It is, however, a reflection. It seen these exhausted wandering souls, strangely foreign and bizarrely familiar, and their longing for home and it recalls blazing Megatronus Prime -its claimed/stolen/Fallen Primordial had done well long, long ago.

Yes, it sings out. Become one with me, astra meo, fallen and lost and now mine.

Prove yourselves.

< You should have questioned why this planet was teeming with relics of your civilization? Did you truly attribute it as merely coincidence? Did you really think that there was nothing here? Your ignorance will not save you now. >

Chickadee isn’t an outliner; beneath the bone mask, his face is much like a human’s. Soft and plush compared to the Cybertronians’. Seems like real skin and hair. It’s extremely bizarre with the luminous glow of his optics, his pleased smile of sharp, metal denta, and the contrast of that soft face with its marks of moles and freckles with the obvious cabling of his neck. Chickadee has been among the fae with his father for a long while, but he remembers his mortal mother’s face and can’t part away from her dimples and nose.

Humanity is still remembered. Humanity is still loved and feared and coveted and < It is the ouroboros between you and me and us and ours. Are we not perpetual reflections of each other? Grotesque and alluring? Wretched, yet divine? How we wish to cherish and consume the essence of the immortal and the transient? Nothing but green-eyed beasts and ravenous monsters when crossed with temptation? >

It’s hard to say where it began. Is it the nature of the fae? The innterconnectivity of all thing on Earth? The innate social drives of humans that diluted to Others? But-

This is love. Bones and flesh and memory given life by actions. The way a student will curl their letters like their favorite teacher. The passing of family recipes from adult to child across generations. The carryover method to find the best produce by a friend. The mannerisms a child will take from their parents. In the picked-up habits of spontaneous lessons by the neighbor or a random stranger.

This is how the fae love. Dreams and nightmares are upon the spectrum of inspiration and obsession. (They venerate art. And art can be found in anything. Beauty taking a multitude of methods and forms.) Appearances and glamors and behavior for imitation is a form of flattery, is it not? They are shapeshifters at their core. Is it truly a surprise they will take on an old mortal beloved’s form or their face? Their kin, their spouse, their friend’s, the list is endless.

Cybertronians find it beyond strange and disturbing to find human faces with their bodies made of different materials. Bird cages and tree bark. The deliberate exposure of Clockwork inner-workings of gears and pins and cables. The subtle sounds of chimes and tickticktick and shifting, voluminous robes. A void of shadows with a mask of delicate enamel porcelain with its lovely, ever-changing hues upon its eerily crafted face of humanoid features. One figure appeared out of old paper pages within lost library…

As well as the various sizes. While some take on human’s natural height, many can easily match Optimus or even outsize him, towering above all to reach the sky itself…

Some of their new-blood descendants, their newest claimed hybrids of new metal and that old burning potential, will take on snippets of their forgotten lives. Like half-remembered dreams in a body that is and isn’t theirs. The color of their old skin and eyes. The comfort to be clothed in garments. The search for a certain kind of animal companion. The odd-struck nostalgia of a certain smell or taste and the consuming need to find it because < what are we but the sum of memory and thought? We are wild things at heart, and hearts yearn for such soft, distant dreams of yesterday and tomorrow as well as blood. Does it matter whose? >

The empty sprawl of cities of steel and concrete are timeless spaces. Liminal and haunting with the endless rows of broken and decrepit skyscrapers. Empty with only the plantlife making its fierce strides to compete with the available nutrients and space. Large amounts of Energon crystals are detected from such places…

On the empty roads and bridges to the cities, there are humans watching the distant view and disappear between blinks. Some are hitchhikers. Once or repeated over and over. Grateful for a ride but forgetful on what happened, their family never showed up to the airport/the bus left/they were ditched/the car stopped/so many reasons but not what truly what happened.

The few fae-touched that returned to the Decepticons immediately know that such places are graveyards and nurseries of < Do you truly wish to know? > unspeakable things.

Parrots aren’t the only species that can mimic sounds and voices. Humans are entertained and enchanted by individuals that do fantastic impressions, mirroring the tones, pitch, and the unique vocal quirks. A lure. A warning.

The silence is oppressive. No animal ventures into these places. Only ghosts and plants. Branches and brushes reach towards the sky like hands-

Yes. Many hands. Many figures. Small and vaguely humanoid shape of distorted metal decorate the scenery. But there should be more. Far more. Millions upon millions within these cities and where did they go…

The last thing the intial scout teams would remember are the horrifying and nauseating echoes of < WHERE ARE YOU/PLEASE-I-CAN’T/ help-me/help-us / papa-I’m-cold / oh- gods-please-I’ll-pay-anything-anything-ANYTHING / so-hungry / LOOK THERE /YOU / Ÿ̷͚̯̫́̓͠O̸̹͗͠U̷̖̿̊̄ͅ ̵͕̬̯̓D̶͔̙̰͒I̴̧̋̓D̶̐̍͘͜ ̸̤́T̴̟̊H̷͉̽͋̚I̴̳͂͊͗S̵̫̯͕̒̀̍ / c̵͕̱̺̽͝o̸͉̬͛̾̈m̸̧̭̦̑̎͒e̸̞̿̿̆ ̶͕̦͗͒̃h̴͙́e̶̡̺̒͝ͅr̷̢͉̤͑ḛ̴͐>

No matter the weather and climate. These places remain cold. So very cold. A constant wonderland of broken metal, ice, and snow with a miasma of innermost Energon.

Whatever hunts and haunts these places refuse to leave the city boundaries. An amalgamation of numerous limbs, thousands upon thousands of flickering light within its undulating, massive form as it stretches out-

Something splatters nearby it, quivering lanky limbs with an emaciated body, eldritch optics of empty black and a yawning maw for a mouth.

Sparkeater

There are strange diners and sleepy, little towns along the wide stretches of road. Even on scavenged or saved maps, such things didn’t exist. Just pockets of places hidden away and pop up at random.

Waitresses and cooks take no notice of strange customers. Not even batting an eye to Cybertronians that stumbled across them. The Autobots are perturbed to enter an obviously human-made structure that’s manned by human staff, but everything is sized up to Cybertronian height, even the people.

These places serve food. Even Energon. In a multitude of forms beyond the typical cube. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was a unique experience to finally taste the fluffiness of pancakes and sweet syrup as well as the dishware and cutlery the children would bring to the base.

Each window has a different view.

The towns are active at night. Lights bright in the dark as people work, rest, and play. Like the diners, no one takes a double-take at the metal visitors, just a glance before going back to their own activities.

There something beneath these towns where their denizens have shifting eyes and laughing shadows.

#transformers #Transformers Prime #tfp #Cyber!Earth #horror #body horror #humanformers #humans into cybertronians #Megatronus Prime #maccadam #My writing #my thoughts #Unicron #Primus #creature #fae #sparkeater

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thatbanditqueen · 1 year

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how jealous/protective is elvis when it comes to becky butt?

Why hello there lovely non non, thanks for reaching out!

What do y'all think? My initially gut reaction is VERY. I'm gonna venture to bet any man caught looking at Becky in any kind of way is gonna get some wrath that falls somewhere on the Elvis temper scale that begins with "not paying attention," and goes from "Mad as a mule chewing on bumblebees" to "pointing a gun atcha while I karate kick your ass,"

Its early days, Becky Butt and Elvis have only known it each other a week. Although, what a week - they managed to spend FOUR nights together and Elvis managed too worm his way into her family and meet her kid and collude with Ida to 'kidnap' her. He probably knows her better than a man she might have met normally and dated for a month or two before being ready to have him meet Ruth and her Aunt and Uncle. But that is how Elvis is, I get the feeling from obsessively studying reading about him that he could be instantly close and familiar with people he got a good read on. So I'm gonna say that intensity applies to his jealous and protective nature, at least in the way I'm sketching him out in this fic. He already punished Joe for teasing her and had someone go tell Charlie not to sit next to Becky in chapter two. Even though he had her dress bought small so she'd be popping out of it all night, he was still very angry when she accidentally flashed Charlie. And there's more of that coming in Chapter 4 because Jerry and Charlie and Larry are just the first to be totally enamored with her.... not sexually mind you, although Jerry kind of develops a soft appreciation for how cool and beautiful she and her daughter are, he wants to try and protect her from Elvis.... but yeah, the Mafia boys are *mostly* gonna wanna be around her, she's someone new and their cooped with with each other all the time, and Becky is such a down-to-earth, semi-Tomboy who's not afraid to get her hands dirty, although she also loves cooking and sewing and making things, she is very much a earth mother goddess type... probably my most domestically inclined OC... anyway, she totally charms the boys with some vegan carob cookies and guitar playing and maybe fixes some pants for Lamar that he rips or something.... as for outright jealousy and protectiveness.... it is going to come out more and more as they go on... there's definitely a fight with baby daddy somewhere down the line....

So, how about you all? Are you here for hot and bothered Elvis?

If you read my fic, you've probably noticed "angry violent" Elvis one of my favorite flavors, along with "Cocky flirty prick," "Having a Hissy Fit," "Soft, sweet and needy," "Cool and confident because I feel safe with you and also like you give me power over you," and "Goofy sexy baby talk in third person about my penis..." hmmmm i feel like i jusst drifted off into a day dream (night dream?) as I started to just describe all the different sides of Elvis because i love them all... although i need to work in "deep philosophical mystical" and "prankster" Elvis more....

Oh no, stop fighting... over me.... i hate it.... take me now

xoxox norah

#no one walks out on big daddy #elvis x oc #elvis presley #elvis presley fan fic #elvis fic #elvis fan fiction #elvis presley fan fiction #bandit queen asks

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denimbex1986 · 1 year

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“Genius is no guarantee of wisdom,” says government official Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. It could be the blockbuster’s banner statement. Since the release of Nolan’s thrilling, bombastic film, the culture has been caught in the firestorm about how to explain the personality of the eloquent, esoteric J. Robert Oppenheimer and his creation of the first and only people-destroying atomic weapon to be used against civilians. Where Hollywood traffics in Oppenheimer’s ambiguity as a historical character, two small but potent nonfiction forebears ask a more pointed question: what is the responsibility of scientists to their societies?

The Day After Trinity (1981) and The Strangest Dream (2008) evacuate the mythical tropes of the tortured genius biopic that Hollywood loves to rehearse in films like The Imitation Game, Hawking, and A Beautiful Mind. Now enjoying a renaissance, the films are neither unforgiving nor hardline, but offer sharper moral clarity to the Oppenheimer dilemma, presenting a more complex (and condemning) portrait of the father of the atomic bomb: a patriot, philosopher-king, skilled public administrator, scientific collaborator with military and government, emotional naif, egotist, and polyglot.

Nolan’s story arcs towards Oppenheimer losing his naivete upon realizing that he has given humanity the power to destroy itself. Designed to wrap around each filmgoer’s own worldview and politics, the film is as politically open-ended as you might expect from a major blockbuster. In his press tour, Nolan articulated a more explicitly conservative stance that chimes both with the Great Man theory of history (another biopic favorite) and the Cold War military doctrine that justified the development and use of atomic arsenals against civilians.

“Is there a parallel universe in which it wasn’t him, but it was somebody else and that would’ve happened?” Nolan said in the New York Times. “Quite possibly. That’s the argument for diminishing his importance in history. But that’s an assumption that history is made simply by movements of society and not by individuals. It’s a very philosophical debate…. he’s still the most important man because the bomb would’ve stopped war forever. We haven’t had a world war since 1945 based on the threat of mutual assured destruction.”

That’s also the idea behind the official policy of the nuclear superpowers: deterrence. Horror, in other words, was necessary to prevent even greater horror. The very same doublethink led to Harry Truman’s honorary degree, conferred for ending the war.

How reluctant was Oppie? In Jon Else’s The Day After Trinity, a documentary originally made for public television in 1980, Oppenheimer’s collaborators deliver ambivalent, guilty testimony to a static, non-judgmental camera. Screening on the Criterion Channel, Else’s doc points to the great pleasure its subject took in being appointed the leader of the grandiose bomb project, with the cosmic job title of “Coordinator of Rapid Rupture.” The lens pans patiently across grainy, grayscale photographs that have the natural air of science fiction; the film feels more of a piece with Chris Marker’s La Jetee (1962) than a typical historical documentary. After all, Oppenheimer was not just the enabler of the weapons that could annihilate us all, but of the high-stakes hallmarks of modern spectacle itself. The awe-inspiring images of mushroom clouds over Trinity, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki are now instantly recognizable in the core visual grammar of contemporary entertainment and media. It’s hard to imagine an idea better suited to Nolan’s exalted, maximalist esthetic and his stories of obsessive male protagonists pressurized within towering patriarchal systems of power.

Oppenheimer positions the atomic bomb as the creation of a brilliant, creative personality. But The Day After Trinity revels in the administrative scale of the Los Alamos project necessary to make a mechanism to trigger, in a millionth of a second, a violent chain reaction with a flare brighter than a hundred suns. A walled city of six thousand staff, at a cost of $56 million. Seven scientific divisions: theoretical physics, experimental physics, ordinance, explosives, bomb physics, chemistry, and metallurgy. All of America’s industrial might and scientific innovation connected in this secret lab with its billions of dollars of military investment.

“Somehow Oppenheimer put this thing together. He was the conductor of this orchestra. Somehow he created this fantastic esprit. It was just the most marvelous time of their lives,” says Freeman Dyson, a rather eccentric theoretical physicist who became Oppie’s colleague at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. “That was the time when the big change in his life occurred. It must have been during that time that the dream somehow got hold of him, of really producing a nuclear weapon.”

In this vision of the A-bomb narrative, Dyson posits that Oppie’s aims switched from finding out “the deep secrets of nature” to producing “a mechanism that works. It was a different problem, and he completely changed to fit the new role.” We begin to see more clearly a portrait of an outsider with a wild desire to be at the center. All the work the whiz kids were doing over the years was always designed to contribute to the war. (All the films remove Oppie’s more demonstrably radical tendencies, his belief in a world government, for instance, which he mentioned offhandedly in the New York Review of Books in 1966.)

The closest we get to Oppenheimer himself is his pale-eyed, doppelganger brother, Frank, who gives the impression of a visionary living in a purely abstract realm. He stammers a little when he speaks of the moment when he and Oppie heard on the radio of their great bomb in action. “Thank God it wasn’t a dud… thank God it worked… Up to then, I don’t think we’d really, I’d really, thought about all those flattened people.” He still seems stunned. If nothing else, Frank gives weight to the storytelling trope of scientists as hyperintelligent but flakey space cadets at a remove from the humanity of it all. “Treating humans as matter,” as Los Alamos collaborator Hans Bethe puts it appallingly. Another contributing scientist says he vomited and lay down in depression. “I remember being just ill,” he says. “Just sick.”

The doc swirls with clips accumulated from Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories, National Atomic Museum, American Institute of Physics, and Fox and NBC newsreels, while Paul Free’s authoritative narration hovers like an omniscient voice from the depths of the Cold War itself. Then, there is Oppie: a figure of stricken elegance in his rakish pork pie hat. Typical of documentaries constructed in a postmodern style, what it all means is never explicated. Ambiguity presides over clarity.

Most directive is Dyson’s testimony. “He made this alliance with the United States Army and the person of General Groves who gave him undreamed-of resources, huge armies of people, and as much money as he could possibly spend in order to do physics on the grand scale,” Dyson says with his flashlight perceptiveness. “We are still living with it. Once you sell your soul to the devil, there’s no going back on it.” Los Alamos, in this counternarrative, was not just an ivory tower but an irresistible paradise for genius-level scientists simply interested in new discoveries and mega-gadgets.

Dyson is a dubious fellow to emerge as the truthteller, given the inconsistency of his own legacy. His unorthodox theories are worthy of their own Nolan-esque treatment. He advocated growing genetically modified trees on comets, so that they might land on other planets and create human-supporting atmospheres, and eventually became a climate change denier based on his distrust of mathematical models. But his intelligence is irrefutable, and his distance from the Manhattan Project gives him a guiltless perspective and authority absent in Oppie’s other colleagues. Dyson, a greater antagonist than can be found in any mere Marvel movie, diagnoses Oppie as the self-induced victim of a “Faustian bargain.”

“Why did the bomb get dropped?” Dyson asks, his tie a little too big, his combover a little too combed over. “It was almost inevitable. Simply because all the bureaucratic apparatus existed at that time to do it. The Air Force was ready and waiting… The whole machinery was ready.”

Dyson also refutes the refrain of Oppenheimer’s responsibility for the catastrophe. “It was no one’s fault that the bomb was dropped. As usual, the reason it was dropped was that nobody had the courage or the foresight to say no.” Dyson pauses to let this sink in, then looks down and wobbles his head tragically. “Certainly not Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer gave his consent in a certain sense. He was on a committee that advised the Secretary of War, and that committee did not take any kind of a stand against dropping the bomb.” This measured oral history is fatal to the view of Oppie as a gentle humanist.

Dorothy McKibben, who ran the Manhattan Project’s office, chimes in with crystal clarity: “I don’t think they would have developed that [bomb] to show at a garden party. I think they were going to do it.” In archival footage, General Leslie Groves plays the role of plainspoken pragmatist: “It would have come out, sooner or later, at a Congressional hearing, if nowhere else, just when we could’ve dropped the bomb if we didn’t use it. And then knowing American politics, you know as well as I do, if there had been an election fought on the basis of every mother whose son was killed after such-and-such a date, the blood is on the hands of the President.”

Through these testimonies, the convention of the conflicted scientist and the myth of an A-bomb created in self-defense give way to a mantra of winning the war, and winning quickly. Valuing American lives over other lives. Avoiding a bloody invasion of the Japanese mainland. Months before Hiroshima, orders had been given to leave several Japanese cities untouched, to provide virgin targets where the impact of the new bomb could be clearly seen. Afterwards, a scientific team from the US was sent to Japan to study the effects. Footage rolls, in The Day After Trinity, of news clips of hospitalized burn victims.

In films on the Manhattan Project, questions of conscience are commonly seen through the assenting viewpoint—that of the scientists who continued to work on the bomb, even after Hitler’s defeat. One essential perspective is obscured, black-holed in subterfuge, even. Physicist and European refugee Joseph Rotblat made crucial discoveries in the fission process, and went on to specialize in nuclear fallout. He moved to Los Alamos in 1944 but defected from the project on grounds of conscience upon learning that the Nazis could not build such a bomb. He was the only scientist to turn his back.

“If my work is going to be applied, I would like myself to decide how it is applied,” Rotblat says in the 2008 Canadian documentary The Strangest Dream. Streaming on the National Film Board of Canada’s platform, the film traces his renunciation of A-bomb development and his role in the Pugwash Conferences, where scientists and statesmen gathered to discuss the reversal of nuclear proliferation. The film renders a fairly straight treatment of its quiet subject, with the visually rich backing of a vertiginous collage of disparate forms, including spooky Cold-War era footage and clips of the Trinity mushroom cloud. Oppie is not in the film, but the narrative takes place in the fissures he helped wrench open; he lurks like an ever-present ghost behind the character of Rotblat, who stands as his angelic nemesis as he tries to transform physics into a humanitarian project. Like Oppenheimer, Rotblat was also accused of espionage, but he was eventually awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to the disarmament campaign.

Notably, Rotblat is entirely absent from Oppenheimer, despite being described as a brilliantly offbeat individual—a “mad Polish scientist”—by a former student in The Strangest Dream. It’s a curious historical erasure and a missed chance for a dramatic clash. Then again, perhaps Rotblat is too steady and untragic, incorruptible and unmemeable for his own big moment, let alone the blockbuster treatment. Oppie’s genius wasn’t just in his Faustian bargain but in the way that he spoke and the way he held himself, quoting Hindu philosophy and smoking till the end of time. I suppose film culture is more interested in the flawed, tortured luminary than the staunch, principled dissenter or the morally engaged scientist.

Prosecuting the melancholic drama of the ingenuous mastermind requires substantial historical selectivity. Most cinema narratives hew to the oft-cited rationale for the A-bomb’s development: its function as a deterrent to a Nazi explosive. But in his essay “Leaving the Bomb Project,” Rotblat wrote, “Groves said that, of course, the real purpose in making the bomb was to subdue the Soviets… Until then I had thought that our work was to prevent a Nazi victory, and now I was told that the weapon we were preparing was intended for use against the people who were making extreme sacrifices for that very aim.” With more than a dash of elegiac melancholy, the working thesis of The Strangest Dream is that Rotblat’s moral strength insulated him against Oppie-style tragedy.

Insofar as the The Strangest Dream and The Day After Trinity position the Manhattan Project as an unholy alliance of physics and the openly violent arm of the state, they do so via the absent presence of Oppenheimer, who, flush with government cash, personifies the uneasy collision of science and military. Today’s ventures in AI offer the same science-ethics conundrum, and we don’t seem to be any closer to resolving it than at the moment of Oppenheimer’s mythic quandary. Looking at the images of the Los Alamos exertions, you can almost faintly hear the words of today’s STEM bros: disruption, innovation, brilliance. Wondrous and diabolical, the A-bomb is presented in these documentaries as the freakish outcome of public-bureaucratic entrepreneurialism. (They are weaker on the tangled history of superpower competition and atomic technology.) It all depends, of course, on what humans do with the technology we develop.

Given what we know about capitalist society at present, things aren’t exactly looking up. Just a decade after The Day After Trinity, the Cold War victory lap was being run at the box office. A new, end-of-history generation of studio filmmakers was writing a euphoric, Fukuyama-esque version of reality into pop-culture lore: in blockbusters like Independence Day (1996), The Core (2003), and Armageddon (1998), American pluck saves humanity from wholesale destruction; anxiety surrounding US dominance over the international order is undetectable, and the US military is either prominent or necessary. Before them all, The Day After Trinity suggested that technology’s triumph is the very crux of the problem.

Today, Oppenheimer reifies a political crisis—superpower competition for atomic arsenal—as a conundrum of personality, tech, and naive genius, even as it centers the wild fraternity of science, military, and government vital to create the A-bomb. But the political arrangement of power and resources seems like more of an objective, inevitable fact about the world in The Day After Trinity and The Strangest Dream. If there’s such a thing as sober, mournful spectacle, these films manifest it.

Oppenheimer is long gone, but his legacy—the capacity of a self-destroying humanity, and the late-capitalist spectacle of that mushroom cloud’s bright flash of light—lingers. He did not sign the Einstein-Russell Manifesto against nuclear war. He never apologized for his role in bringing the bomb to life. Atomic technology is now standard. The world’s nuclear powers currently possess an estimated 12,512 active warheads. More than enough to wipe out the planet.'

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grayintogreen · 2 years

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LitMoR Original Character Guide

FINALLY a guide to the massive amount of OCs featured in LitMoR. Despite how big this is, this doesn't contain every goddamn character in my expanded universe, just the ones that have appeared multiple times, have a significant impact on the narrative/world, or because I just wanted to throw them in because you've probably seen them in OTHER works of mine and maybe you'd like to know a bit more about them.

This list doesn't include characters like Ishel, Nima, the Jagentoths, and any other character I took straight from the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. Those are Canon OC's and while I have thoughts on all of them that goes beyond little blurbs in a book that doesn't make them mine.

I have also avoided MOST spoilers for the entirety of LitMoR but there still are some.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO: THE LIST.

Narcissa “Agee” Ageratum Female firbolg, Rogue (Thief) After exhibiting a series of troubling unchildlike behaviors when she was six that she can’t fully remember but were considered ill omens by her tribe, Agee was left in the care of a shopkeeper in Nogvurot and was “communally raised” by various locals who looked after her for ten years before she began to have strange dreams that exacerbated a sense of anxiety around the Righteous Brand. Fighting off her own growing anxiety with kleptomania, she began to alienate her adopted family and when she was all set to run away, she was approached by members of a Kryn party looking for their own people in the Empire. Believing that she might finally understand her strange dreams, she went with them but panicked and robbed them in the night.

Ashley Allard Male human, Paladin (Oath of Treachery) The youngest child of Yves Allard of Nicodranas and his late wife, Ashley was born into privilege and immediately found it to be a complete bore. Through a series of cutthroat victories, he stole the Blade of Broken Mirrors and the title of Champion of Tharizdun from his uncle Alder. As a paladin, Ashley has a strong personal code, despite the atrocities he’s willing to commit to get what he wants, and believes very strongly in his objectives to the point of playing long games for years to reach what he believes to be his magnum opus.

Yves Allard Male human, noble Ashley’s father and a founding member of the Court of Nightmares, alongside Rinna Pathan and her patron. As the eldest member of the Allard family, he maintains the family’s massive shrine to Tharizdun in the basement of his manor in Nicodranas, though he has no particular interest in the Epoch of the Ends and prefers to use his family’s old money to feed his obsession with the Calamity and indulge his own cruelty. He uses his considerable connections to gather members of the Court for Rinna.

Calpurnius Amabilia Male aasimar, Bard (College of Whispers) Cal is an immigrant into Aeor from the floating island of Zemniaz, who managed to excel quickly through the ranks in Cognouza by being extremely good at finding and keeping secrets. Using his quick wit and charm, he maintained personal relations between Cognouza and the other wards as “Cognouza’s voice,” but when Cognouza was shut out, he turned his attentions to spycraft, instead. Cal is known more for his compassionate nature and easy-going charisma more than anything, but he is absolutely ruthless when that which he loves is threatened.

Levitica Arrenhall Female elf, Cleric (Twilight Domain) The High Priestess of the Midnight Vertex and one of the Dawn Marshalls of Vasselheim. It is said she saw the construction of the first Moonweaver temple in Vasselheim and will not die until it crumbles to dust. She considers herself a mother to all those who find themselves in her temple and guides them like a shepherd as an extension of Sehanine’s will.

Seneca Candidus Male elf, Wizard (Order of Scribes) A vocal philosopher who developed a reputation among the wards of Aeor for outlandish ideas on the belief of manifestation and higher achievement through dreams, which were considered particularly backwards in a city on the cutting age of advancements in arcane sciences. After becoming the head of Cognouza, he gathered like-minded debaters and scholars and scientists who were outcasts in their own right and formed the Somnovem.

Tacitus Camillus Male human, Wizard (School of Enchantment) Before coming to Aeor, Tacitus was lord over a small community on an island in the Lucidian Ocean that he attempted to manipulate into a perfect society where everyone lives up to their exact potential, after becoming disillusioned with the majority of societies within Domunas. When his attempts to mind control the masses led to a series of misfortunes, he covered up his mistake and fled to Aeor where he was readily accepted into Cognouza as a Lorekeeper, leaving nothing behind but his guilt. Calculated and manipulative as well as charming, Tacitus often assuages his own guilt by placing the blame on others, instead. It’s often said that he cares more about preserving history and leaving something behind that future generations will find pleasing than he cares about the present.

Gertrude Blakenship Female aasimar, Bloodhunter (Order of the Mutant) The current head of the Order of the Mutant in Wildemount. Gertrude is an anxious, spacey woman who compensates for her shortcomings by crafting elaborate mutagens, preferring ones that increase her strength and make her a menace in hand to hand combat.

June Blessedthane Female dwarf, Bloodhunter (Order of the Lycan) A boisterous werewolf who runs the Order of the Lycan compound in Trostenwald. Primarily jovial and easy to get along with she has no patience for any lycanthrope who gives her Orders a bad name and has mercilessly killed her own students for even showing the potential to go rogue.

Melancholia Cheveron Female human, Druid (Circle of Spores) Huron Stahlmast’s childhood friend and eventual lover. Despite coming from two entirely different worlds, Melancholia’s devotion to Stahlmast allowed her to overlook his obsession with industrializing Wildemount, which he often promised her would be used towards reclaiming the land for her and her people, long wiped out by Hupperdook’s advancement and constant encroaching upon the mountain. Whether or not it was true, Melancholia believed it wholeheartedly and therefore supported him in everything he chose to do, often defending him publicly when the rest of Hupperdook shunned his ideas, which further othered her as an outsider and left her with no one else but her long time friend.

Wake Dashwood Female dwarf, Ranger (Horizon Walker) A follower of Sehanine and friend/daughter figure to Levitica, Wake acts as a go-between for the Midnight Vertex and the rest of Vasselheim as the clergy rarely, if ever, come down off the mountain. She knows the Vesper Timberlands like the back of her hand and runs with a group of rangers called the Riftkeepers who keep an eye out for extraplanar threats to Vasselheim.

Balbus Delphina Male human, Wizard (School of Divination) A former member of the Hall of Prophecy in Avalir, Balbus washed out when his visions became too much for him to handle and he no longer wished to serve as an oracle. Knowing this would bring shame to his family, he fled to Aeor where he studied under Seneca in dream-based magic, at first, and then eventually turning to astronomy after discovering a love of the stars, though he could never properly escape his visions.

Antioch Dodger Male elf/halfling, Bard (College of Glamour) The “Beggar Lord” of Shadycreek Run, Dodger developed a reputation among the Tribes when he created his own tribe consisting of the cast-off children of the working girls, which he eventually expanded into various other orphans that the slavers couldn’t catch. Thanks to his skill with illusions, he managed to obtain enough blackmail material on the tribes to keep himself in enough standing to provide his own form of service, until he was as much a staple in the Run as anything else. It’s said that he makes deals with things far more dangerous than simple crime lords.

Heather Dougal Female human, commoner A staple of Shadycreek Run, Heather Dougal has been surviving on sheer grit and kindness for sixty years, despite the town trying to drag her down. She saved Ophelia Khar from succumbing to injuries and illness when she first came to the Run and helped her eventually become Jack Mardoon’s heir. In return, Ophelia left her infant son Lucien in her care.

Fergus Dougal Male human, commoner Heather’s deaf-mute husband and a talented fisherman and woodcarver.

Eda Female human, Artificer (Artillerist) No one in Hupperdook can exactly tell you where Eda came from, only that she turned up as Nima Cinnarid’s protege some years ago and has been building more and more terrifying cannons ever since. When Lance, Fayne, and Obsidian settled in town, she declared herself a member of their group. The trio have accepted her over time, even going as far as to call themselves the Clockwork Hounds after her automaton dog, Auto.

Faint Chance Male tabaxi, Bard (College of Eloquence)/Rogue (Thief) A member of the Rifenmist Jungle-based Briskmist Clan, Chance believed he was born for more than simply languishing in the trees and spent considerable amounts of time taking risks by engaging travelers who came through the jungle for stories- risks that earned him his name. His love of a good gamble and a better yarn led him to Byroden where he developed a lust for both card games and music. A wandering bard trained him up enough that he felt capable of taking his skills on the road and he left his home to see the world and seek out more stories.

Gabriel Ferreira Male black dragonborn, Warlock (Pact of the Talisman) A member of the mysterious "Seven" along with Ashley Allard and Jayne Merriweather and captain of the Feywild Delight. Gabriel originally hailed from the Rifenmist Peninsula to a nomadic tribe until his pirate father returned to claim the son that one of the women had borne, slaughtering them all when she refused to give him up. His father taught him piracy, which he continued long after his father died, eventually taking on a ship staffed entirely by fey after an encounter in the Feywild no one really knows the truth about.

Augusta Felice Trans female half-elf, Wizard (School of Conjuration) A former Genesis Ward arcane scientist, Augusta became the Architect Arcane of Cognouza after being humiliated at a conference by Laerryn Corramar-Seelie who held many of the same theories as she did about extraplanar travel. Unable to prove whether or not her work came first, Augusta was laughed out of the Genesis Ward and taken in by Seneca Candidas where he allowed her room to build a machine capable of transporting Cognouza to the Astral Sea.

Claudia Felice Female half-elf, Artificer (Armorer) Augusta’s twin sister and the meeker of the two Felice twins, Claudia prefers to exist in her sister’s shadow, though she is a considerable scientist in her own right, having been responsible for the Aeormaton sleeper assassins that the Genesis Ward took full credit for after she was banished to Cognouza with her sister because she refused to denounce her. Claudia is one of the only Somnovem who is well-liked by nearly every single one of her peers due to her lack of guile and ambition, though her inability to ever see when Augusta might be wrong about something has led her to butt heads with Balbus, specifically, quite often. She prefers the company of her Aeormaton “babies” more than she does other people besides Augusta.

Fayne Hart Female elf, fighter (gunslinger) Born in Syngorn, Fayne left after robbing the home of a minor lord and spent the next several years of her life as a casual cat burglar. She met Lance and Obsidian in Kymal by insisting they help her with a casino heist that would mutually benefit all three of them, but when the plan went sour and not a one of them got what they wanted, she tagged along with them, much to their immediate disdain.

Stasya Hydriss Female tiefling, Druid (Circle of the Moon) Daughter of Kashaw Vesh and Zahra Hydriss. Stasya acts as an acolyte and “assistant” for the Voice of the Tempest of the Air Ashari in Zephrah, offsetting Keyleth’s kindness with her bossy, brash nature. She is her father’s favorite even if he insists he doesn’t pick favorites.

Tasya Hydriss Female tiefling, Monk (Way of the Cobalt Soul) Daughter of Kashaw Vesh and Zahra Hydriss and younger twin of Stasya. Despite having a vested interest in the arcane, Tasya has no inherent magical talent nor any real knack for picking it up and therefore has devoted her life to the study of it. Her ability to see through deceptions and understand magic has made her an asset in detaining illegal arcane magic users in Vasselheim and because of this, she was made the personal warden of Gulliver Thurston. Unlike her grumpier sister, she is bubbly and excitable, which comes as a surprise to anyone who knows her solely by reputation.

Spurius Juventus Male elf, Artificer (Alchemist) As an alchemy savant, Spurius was one of the first to be picked as a member of the Somnovem with Seneca Candidas citing his skill with potions as a necessary part of his plans to achieve power through manifestation and dreams. On top of numerous other advancements in alchemy, Spurius created a potion that helped promote lucid dreaming that helped the Somnovem learn to harness the aether of the Astral Sea long before they ever planned to set foot there. Despite his skills, Spurius is considered off-putting to anyone outside of the Somnovem due to his poor social skills and intensity about his work.

Tyne Kerthis Female dragonborn, cleric (Knowledge Domain) The High Curator of the Cobalt Vault in Vasselheim. Tyne runs a tight ship despite her gregarious and jovial nature, though some question her desire to rehabilitate criminals such as Gulliver Thurston out of a desire to not waste their knowledge. On top of being a dedicated to the preservation of knowledge, she is a loving wife and aunt to her sister-in-law’s multiple children.

Bastian Klinger Male human, Wizard (School of Necromancy) A nobleman from Nogvurot, Bastian Klinger attended the Academy while Delilah Briarwood was still Archmage of Antiquity and became one of her star pupils. Delilah’s casual interest in necromancy inspired him and after she was cast out, he left the Academy and began to pursue his own necromancy experiments, which eventually attracted the attention of Rinna Pathan who was building up the Court of Nightmares. At the suggestion of her patron Ira Wendagoth, Rinna encouraged Klinger to create creatures that were a fusion of living and dead flesh that could withstand divine magic. The task became his obsession, squandering a chunk of his fortune in the pursuit of it.

Cassia Livio Female human, Wizard (School of Necromancy) An arcane scientist of considerable clout and even more considerable attitude, Cassia was shunned in her home ward for her violent outbursts and extremely outspoken beliefs in the science of divinity and how precisely one could extract essence of Fate from those who were said to be Fate-Touched. Her cruel methods and outlandish theories and philosophies led her to be scouted by Seneca Candidas to become one of the Somnovem, though she admits to only being part of the cabal out of a lack of any choice, as Seneca is more than willing to support her extremely brutal experiments.

Lydas Male halfling, Warlock After being shipwrecked on the island of Rumblecusp as a teenager, Lydas quickly rose to the ranks of leadership through cuttthroat ambition and a not insignificant amount of prodding from the corrupting forces of the island.

Miriam Marchen Female human, Wizard (School of Divination) Trent Ikithon’s annex and one of the first Volstrucker and the longest surviving member of Trent’s original experiments, Miriam earned the nickname Dornroschen after she killed her parents in her sleep as part of her initiation. She is considered an “imperfect” experiment due to lacking some of the refinement of the later Volstruckter, though she makes up for it in sheer loyalty and tenacity.

Joni Mennolly Female tiefling, Bard (College of Lore) An archivist for the Cobalt Soul in Vasselheim who performs in the Lady Luck tavern. Her interests lie primarily in Betrayer god and Calamity mythology.

Sparrow Mistral Female air genasi, Wizard (School of Illusion) Vess DeRogna’s annex. Initially stoic and serious, after Vess took the Somnovem tome, she became increasingly nervous about her superior’s behavior and threatened to take the matter to Ludinus. When Vess attempted to modify her memory, she resisted it, resulting in a fight leading to Vess using her newly acquired Somnovem gifts on her. Sparrow survived the attack, but between the Rend Mind and the successful Modify Memory, she was left mentally shattered leaving her unable to regulate her emotions to the point of seeming vapid and empty.

Obsidian Noire Male dwarf, fighter (gunslinger) A former member of the Public Defense in Kymal, Obsidian’s entire life was destroyed when he began to suspect a member of his team was acting against the margrave by feeding information to Clasp and Myriad members. In an attempt to expose them, he teamed up with Lance Veidrodis and Fayne Hart to uncover the truth, but the resulting catastrophe left him exiled from Kymal as a wanted man- his arrest ordered by the very margrave he sought to protect. Disillusioned, he now works as a bounty hunter as the de facto leader of the Clockwork Hounds.

Gorazm Pathan Male human, noble Gorazm Pathan rose to power in Marquet as a drug lord, running one of the most successful residuum smuggling empires in Exandria and using it to manufacture suude, which he then smuggled back into Tal’Dorei to be sold at high prices by the Clasp. After the Clasp began to fall apart, he began to expand his business by selling to the Myriad, the tribes of Shadycreek Run, and even to the margrave of Kymal to be distributed in her casinos. On top of being a successful businessman, he dotes and fawns over his only child Rinna, though due to his lifestyle he remains professionally paranoid of losing her, keeping her under tight scrutiny to make sure nothing ever happens to her. When his daughter was five, he purchased a tabaxi kitten from the Jagentoths to raise alongside her as a companion and protector- a kitten he named Creek, eventually shortened to Cree.

Rinna Pathan Female human, Warlock (Pact of the Chain) As Gorazm Pathan’s only child, Rinna was raised like a hothouse flower, kept in a gilded cage with only her tabaxi servant Cree for company. Over the years, Rinna became resentful of her father’s overprotective nature and took her anger out on Cree by bullying her. After Cree fled, she became extremely lonely and desperate, eventually attracting the attention of Ira Wendagoth who made a pact with her- power in exchange for helping him sow chaos and gather fodder for his experiments. Together, they formed the Court of Nightmares, a group of like-minded individuals who sow discord and cause harm for the sake of it.

Phaedra Quavein Female drow, Rogue (Thief) The head of den Quavein, nearing status as a Umavi, Phaedra gained a reputation in the Dynasty by being their most dedicated and talented spy- earning her the title of Queen's Blade- before eventually settling into a life of running her den and training up the next generation of spies and rogues for the Bright Queen. Despite the Bright Queen’s protests, she demanded to be sent out to seek the lost beacons sixteen years ago and was captured by the Righteous Brand near Pride’s Call. To avoid interrogation, she slit her own throat knowing that a beacon was nearby and would eventually be reborn as Narcissa Ageratum.

Valerius Severna Male human, Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline) The latest in the long line of Cognouza wardens from the Severna family, Valerius is unique in being the first of his family line to have inherited magic (which gained him a position as a member of the Somnovem), but with the cost of some of his humanity, due to his red dragon blood. Though he tries to be tolerant and kind, the dragon blood leaves him with a nasty temper, which is exacerbated by his fellow Somnovem not quite jiving with his particular morals.

Beagan Starhollow, the Luna Moth Non-binary archfey The former Solstice Sentinel of Sehanine Moonbow's court before she ascended into godhood. After the dissolution of the Moonweaver's court, Beagan fell into a deep melancholy and decided to shirk any and all responsibilities going forward by taking the form of a child (calling themself Luna) and running wild through the Feywild. This behavior allowed them to be geased by the hag Granny Nightshade, who was then captured and brought to the Material Plane by Isharnai. From there, they remained bound to the woods surrounding Mount Mentiri, desperate to get someone to destroy the hags and break their geas so that they can finally be free again .

Malachi “Doc” Stursk Male human, Cleric (Tempest Domain) A surgeon who served under Vandran while he was in the Revelry with an incurable genetic lung disorder that left his faith in the Wildmother wavering. When Avantika and Vandran agreed they needed a third person to help them release Uk’otoa from his prison and divide the seals up evenly, they went to Malachi, appealing to his waning faith and his desire to be strong enough to fight off the disease claiming him. When Vandran left, he and Avantika disagreed on how best to proceed (Avantika wanting to continue and Malachi wanting to take Uk’otoa’s granted power and simply leave him be) and split ways shortly after, with the two of them both ending up captaining their own ships.

Maira Thistleeyes Female halfling, Cleric (Blood Domain) The High Priestess of the Wildemount Claret Orders and Cree’s previous mentor. She and Derrin Zacrux have been friends for years and, as such, have a similar mindset about the Orders and the necessity of them. She was extremely dedicated to Cree’s tutelage and was the first to point out her prodigal gifts with blood and had attempted to groom her to become the next High Priestess before she abandoned the Orders entirely.

Sir Gulliver Thurston Male human, Druid (Circle of the Land)/Wizard (School of Transmutation) Thurston started out as minor nobility from a druid clan from deep within the wilds of Issylra and left that life to come to Vasselheim, changing his name (the “Sir” he tacked on to make himself noble without being overblown about it) and most of his nature, preferring books to the land he’d once been raised to tend. He spent a great deal of time in the Slayer’s Take where he developed an interest in arcane pursuits and developed himself as a powerful transmutation wizard up until he was caught for trafficking in illegal transmutation potions by the Cobalt Soul. He was able to plead a case for himself to become an asset rather than face the Dawn Marshalls and the Soul have kept him on ice ever since.

Lance Veidrodis Male human, Bard (College of Whispers)/Monk (Way of the Drunken Master) A former member of Thordak’s Tongue, an order of spies that began to operate out of Emon following the Clasp falling apart, Lance left the order after being betrayed by his partner and turned to alcohol and pit fighting to ease the sting. After discovering his partner and his ex were both in Kymal, he teamed up with a guardsman trying to find evidence that the guards in Kymal were corrupt and a thief trying to rob the place in the hopes of settling the score. When the plan went tits up, however, the three of them fled Tal’Dorei together.

Victoria Female human, shopkeeper The daughter of Victor the Black Powder Merchant from Vasselheim. She built her father’s business into a franchise by expanding into Wildemount and opening a shop in Nogvurot. Her intention was to open several others, but her lack of ambition hasn’t allowed her to progress very far.

Werner Vogel Male human, noble After meeting a beautiful tiefling woman in his home of Odessloe named Ophelia, freshly released from a Dawnfather chantry, he pursued a meaningless relationship with her to balance the boredom of his nobleman’s life, finding her to be both naive and exotic. Knowing that his indiscretion would soon be found out, he tricked her by offering her some of his wife’s jewelry and asked her to come by his home and they would run away together. When she arrived, he summoned the Crownsguard, labeling her a thief and had her chased out of town. This would have been enough to cover his tracks had Ophelia not been inclined to vengeance and carrying his child. He allegedly has sired two other children with tiefling lovers.

Derrin Zacrux Male human, Bloodhunter (Order of the Ghostslayer) A no-nonsense Bloodhunter who was chosen to head the Ghostslayers in Wildemount by Elias de Corvo, himself. After gaining horrific scars and losing his eye in a fiend attack some years prior to his promotion, he’s developed a completely intolerant few of anything that comes from the Hells, including tieflings, which led him to often push his tiefling acolytes much harder and much more unfairly than the rest.

#life in the margins of redemption #my writing #oc tag

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dan6085 · 1 month

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**"The Alchemist"** by Paulo Coelho is a novel rich with themes, symbols, and life lessons. Here’s a detailed look at the top 25 items, ideas, and symbols from the book, along with their significance:

1. **Santiago's Dream**:

- **Significance**: Santiago's recurring dream about treasure near the Egyptian pyramids sets the entire story in motion. It symbolizes the call to adventure and the pursuit of one's dreams.

2. **The Shepherd's Life**:

- **Significance**: Santiago starts as a shepherd, which represents simplicity and the freedom to travel, but also symbolizes a life of routine and comfort that he ultimately seeks to transcend.

3. **The Old King (Melchizedek)**:

- **Significance**: Melchizedek, the King of Salem, introduces Santiago to the concept of the "Personal Legend," which is one's destiny or purpose in life. He also gives Santiago magical stones, Urim and Thummim.

4. **Urim and Thummim**:

- **Significance**: These stones are used for divination and represent guidance. Santiago uses them to make decisions, symbolizing the idea of trust in omens and signs from the universe.

5. **The Personal Legend**:

- **Significance**: This is the central theme of the book—the idea that everyone has a unique purpose in life. Santiago’s journey is about discovering and fulfilling his Personal Legend.

6. **The Desert**:

- **Significance**: The desert represents the harsh trials and challenges one must face to achieve their dreams. It is a place of both danger and discovery.

7. **The Soul of the World**:

- **Significance**: This concept represents the spiritual unity of all things. Santiago learns that by understanding the Soul of the World, he can communicate with nature and connect with the universe.

8. **The Alchemist**:

- **Significance**: The title character is a wise mentor who teaches Santiago about alchemy, the transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary. The Alchemist symbolizes wisdom and the mastery of the spiritual quest.

9. **The Philosopher's Stone**:

- **Significance**: In alchemy, the Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance that can turn base metals into gold. It symbolizes the achievement of one's Personal Legend and the ultimate transformation of self.

10. **The Elixir of Life**:

- **Significance**: The Elixir of Life grants immortality and represents the knowledge of eternal truths. In the novel, it symbolizes the spiritual sustenance that guides one through life.

11. **The Oasis**:

- **Significance**: The oasis in the desert serves as a refuge and a place of rest for Santiago. It symbolizes a temporary safe haven where one can pause and gather strength before continuing the journey.

12. **The Pyramids of Egypt**:

- **Significance**: The Pyramids are the literal destination of Santiago's quest and symbolize the distant, often mysterious, goal of one's dreams. They are also a place of ancient wisdom.

13. **The Treasure**:

- **Significance**: Santiago’s treasure, buried near a sycamore tree in Spain, ultimately represents self-discovery and the realization that true wealth lies not in material riches but in the fulfillment of one’s destiny.

14. **Fatima**:

- **Significance**: Santiago’s love interest, Fatima, represents love that doesn’t hinder but supports the pursuit of one's dreams. She embodies the idea of unconditional love and spiritual partnership.

15. **The Englishman**:

- **Significance**: The Englishman is a fellow traveler obsessed with alchemy. He represents the intellectual pursuit of knowledge and contrasts with Santiago’s more intuitive journey.

16. **The Crystal Merchant**:

- **Significance**: The crystal merchant is a man who has given up on his dreams, symbolizing the consequences of fear and complacency. His story serves as a warning to Santiago.

17. **The Language of the World**:

- **Significance**: This is the idea that all things in the universe are interconnected and communicate through a universal language of signs and omens. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and interpreting the world around us.

18. **The Caravan**:

- **Significance**: The caravan journey across the desert represents the collective journey of life, where individuals must band together and face common challenges while pursuing their individual dreams.

19. **Alchemy**:

- **Significance**: Beyond the literal process of transforming metals, alchemy in the novel symbolizes personal transformation and the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.

20. **The Vision of the Hawks**:

- **Significance**: Santiago has a vision of two hawks fighting, which predicts an attack on the oasis. This vision underscores the importance of intuition and the ability to read the signs in nature.

21. **The Coptic Monastery**:

- **Significance**: This is where the Alchemist reveals the final lesson to Santiago. The monastery symbolizes spiritual enlightenment and the culmination of Santiago’s inner journey.

22. **The Monk's Generosity**:

- **Significance**: The monk who offers Santiago a portion of gold represents selflessness and the importance of sharing one's blessings with others.

23. **Santiago’s Heart**:

- **Significance**: Santiago learns to listen to his heart, which symbolizes inner guidance and the deep connection between the soul and the universe.

24. **The Wind**:

- **Significance**: Santiago turns into the wind at the climax of the novel, symbolizing the mastery of the Soul of the World and the ultimate achievement of spiritual freedom.

25. **The Sycamore Tree**:

- **Significance**: The sycamore tree under which Santiago finds his treasure at the end of his journey symbolizes the cycle of life and the idea that sometimes, the answers we seek are right where we started.

These elements from "The Alchemist" are not just pivotal plot points, but also rich with symbolic meaning that contributes to the novel’s overarching themes of self-discovery, destiny, and the pursuit of one’s dreams.

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starlight-time-machine · 2 months

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Week in Review

07/21/2024 – 07/27/2024

Sunday

Week 24 of missing Cipher Academy

Undead Unluck was pretty cute this week. It’s nice that the Chikara/Tatiana ship is actually getting some justification this time around, as they had basically nothing in the last loop lol.

The SpyFam arc ended about as perfectly as it could have – with a realistic tinge of bittersweetness. I’m glad that we’re at least bucking some trends with Henry’s wife not being villainized, and how she actually contributes to Martha fulfilling her dreams in a way that lies beyond the scope of Henry and their romance. Of course, I also love how Endo left the two of them with some open-endedness in their old age…it’s definitely going to take until the end of the manga before we get to see a single panel of them chastely holding hands as confirmation of their relationship, but so be it. This is no Undead Unluck, after all.

ONE PIECE IS SOOOOO GOOD WHAT A HISTORIC CHAPTER

Read The Problem Child by Michael Buckley in one sitting today. I desperately wish that I didn’t have to keep reading this fairly mediocre series, but as mentioned before I own one of the books from childhood so I’m in it for the long haul. The prose is as basic as ever, but I do appreciate that Buckley seems to be strategically giving Sabrina interesting emotional arcs as she learns to navigate the world and grow as a person, and I feel like the themes would resonate really well with the book’s intended audience. It certainly did for me when I was a kid – I remember being really excited over Puck and Sabrina’s kiss and the cliffhanger ending…I kind of wish I could still reach that place within me, but unfortunately it’s long gone. The book itself is fine for what it is, I suppose. I like that the title is a bit of a red herring, that’s cute.

Monday

I read Astral Season, Beastly Season because I enjoy works that examine parasociality and idol worship, and of the books I’ve read so far this handled the topic the best (not that it was a particularly high bar). I like that the two leads each represent different aspects of idol worship – Yamashiro liked her because he could look down on her, and feel special about not blindly buying into her idol charm like other idol fans…while not realizing that this was just another version of dehumanization on his part, and he was just as obsessed with preserving the image of her that he had in his head. Morishita, on the other hand, had weirdly pure motives. He seemed to be unfeeling to a fault, in the sense that he didn’t really have any close bonds or consider other people to be special or worthy of protection until he met Mami, and once that switch flipped, he didn’t have any qualms about doing whatever it took to help her. The chemistry between Yamashiro and Morishita was also great…this probably wasn’t the author’s intention, but the gay reading of this in my mind goes crazy… Yamashiro being drawn in by Morishita’s charisma just like he was with Mami…Morishita and Mami both being killers…Yamashiro being the only one of Morishita’s peers that he seemed to care about and listen to (even moreso than Morishita’s own best friend)…Morishita offering to die because he wants Yamashiro to live…Yamashiro offering to die anyway… Can you imagine what that final scene between the two of them was like… Did Morishita try to kill him painlessly… Was Morishita the last thing Yamashiro saw before he died… Man… But then the second half of the book completely lost me. Reading about these characters trying to understand what happened when I as the reader know perfectly well what happened was boring, and I didn’t care about the philosophical debates they were having about Morishita and their survivor’s guilt. The translation throughout was also a little clunky – I would’ve preferred it to use more natural English phrasings than preserving Japanese sentence structures so strictly, but whatever. It’s a pretty okay read.

Tuesday

Chainsaw Man…

Wednesday

Nothing today

Thursday

Read My Dad’s An Alcoholic at the library and was surprisingly moved. Most of it is a pretty straightforward examination of how alcohol can affect someone’s life, but I think seeing it through the lenses of a father daughter relationship was what really got to me. We can never truly know our parents, can we? And yet, they irrevocably shape our lives, and it can be difficult to write them off entirely… 5/10.

Friday

Didn’t do much today, but I downloaded The New Denpa Men off of the Nintendo eShop since it’s a “free” game. It’s decently cute, I guess, but the translation has that machine/AI translated flavour that’s extremely grating, and having to be online the whole time is annoying. If you wanted to be a live service game, just put it on mobile... I thought I could power through the rough TL since it’s a cute enough game to waste your time with, but then I realized there were other things I could waste my time with instead so I’m not going to bother.

Saturday

Busy day today

#week in review #2024

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 9 months

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"Shaw’s ideal world is a world not of communism, but like Wells’ is a world ruled by intellectual Samurai guiding the poor muddled workers; a world of Fascism. For bourgeois intellectuals obsessed with a false notion of the nature of liberty are by the inherent contradictions of their notion at length driven to liberty’s opposite, Fascism. Shaw’s Utopia is a planned world imposed from above in which the organisation is in the hands of a bureaucracy of intellectuals. Such a world is negated by the world of communism, in which all participate in ruling and active intellectuals, no longer divorced from being, learn from the conscious worker just as much as the workers demand guidance from thought. The fatal class gap between thought and action is bridged. This world, with its replaceable officials not specially trained for the task, is the opposite of the old Fabian dream or nightmare, the class Utopia in which the ruling class now takes the form of a permanent, intellectual, trained bureaucracy, wielding the powers of State for the good of the proletariat. This world was a pleasant dream of the middle class, which neither owned the world, like the capitalist, nor had the certainty of one day owning it like the proletariat. It is an unrealisable dream which yet holds the intellectual away from the proletariat and makes him a bulwark of reaction and Fascism.

Shaw is still obsessed with the idea of liberty as a kind of medicine which a man of goodwill can impose on the ignorant worker from without. That liberty would be medicine for the bourgeois, not the worker. He does not see that neither intellectual nor worker possesses as yet this priceless freedom to give, both are confined within the categories of their time, and communism is the active creation of true liberty which cannot yet be given by anybody to anybody. It is a voyage of discovery, but we are certain of one thing. The liberty which the Roman, the feudal lord and the bourgeois achieved, proved illusory, simply because they believed that a ruling class could find it, and impose it on society. But we can see that they failed and man is still everywhere in chains, because they did not share the pursuit of liberty with their slaves, their serfs, or the exploited proletariat; and they did not do so because to have done so would have been to cease to be a ruling class, a thing impossible until productive forces had developed to a stage where ruling classes were no longer necessary.

Therefore, before the well-meaning intellectual, such as Shaw, seeks this difficult liberty, he must first help to change the system of social relations to one in which all men and not a class have the reins of society in their hands. To achieve liberty a man must govern himself; but since he lives in society, and society lives by and in its productive relations, this means that for men to achieve liberty society must govern its productive relations. For a man to rule himself presupposes that society is not ruled by a class from which he himself is excluded. The search for liberty only begins in the classless state, when society, being completely self-governing, can learn the difficult ways of freedom. But how can this be achieved when its destiny is planned by a class, or controlled by the higgling of a market, or even arranged by a company of elegant Samurai? How can the intellectual Samurai ever agree, since no two philosophers have ever agreed about absolute truth and justice? Only one referee has ever been found for the interminable sic et mon of thought – action. But in a world where thought rules and action must hold its tongue, how can the issue ever be resolved? Action permeates every pore of society: its life is the action of every man. Society is torn apart as soon as its form is determined by the thought of a few which is privileged and separate from the action of the many. ...

Yet a bourgeois intellectual always believes that whatever he conceives as absolute truth and justice – vegetarianism or equal incomes or anti-vaccination – can be imposed on the world by successful argument.

- Christopher Caudwell, "George Bernard Shaw: A Study of the Bourgeois Superman,” in Studies in a Dying Culture. First published posthumously by Bodley Head in 1938.

#christopher caudwell #communist party of great britain #george bernard shaw #literary criticism #marxism #marxist criticism #literary quote #utopianism #bourgeois thought #communists #fabianism #elite reformers

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saginthesun · 1 year

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Seneca's Insights: Navigating Life's Fleeting Nature

The brevity of life is a universal truth that has perplexed and intrigued humanity for centuries. The ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca, renowned for his profound insights into human existence, dedicated much of his work to the contemplation of life's transience. In this article, we will delve into Seneca's wisdom on how to cope with the shortness of life, exploring his timeless teachings that offer guidance on living a meaningful and purposeful existence.

Seneca's Stoic Philosophy

Before we embark on our journey through Seneca's thoughts on life's brevity, it's crucial to understand the core tenets of Stoic philosophy. Stoicism, a school of thought that advocates for virtue, wisdom, and self-control, posits that external circumstances, such as wealth, fame, or the duration of one's life, are largely beyond our control. Instead, Stoics emphasize the importance of mastering our thoughts, actions, and reactions to the world around us.

Seneca commences his exploration of life's shortness by urging us to acknowledge its fleeting nature. He contends that many people squander their time, behaving as though they have an infinite supply of it, failing to recognize the preciousness of each passing moment. Seneca argues that comprehending life's transitory nature is the first step toward living it meaningfully. This understanding prompts us to seize the day, for there is no guarantee of a tomorrow.

Overcoming the Procrastination Trap

Procrastination, Seneca warns, is the adversary of a life well-lived. He posits that individuals often delay the pursuit of their dreams and ambitions, believing that time is an abundant resource. However, Seneca advises against this mindset, stressing the importance of taking action in the present moment. His message is crystal clear: do not wait for the perfect opportunity, for it may never arrive. Seize the opportunities that present themselves now.

Seneca's teachings resonate with the contemporary concept of mindfulness. He encourages us to immerse ourselves fully in the present, savoring every experience. Instead of dwelling on the past or anxiously anticipating the future, Seneca advises us to concentrate on the here and now. By doing so, we can extract more meaning and satisfaction from our daily lives.

Prioritizing Virtues over Material Wealth

In a society often obsessed with the pursuit of material wealth, Seneca advocates for a shift in priorities. He contends that genuine wealth lies not in the accumulation of possessions but in the cultivation of virtue and wisdom. Seneca's philosophy prompts us to seek inner fulfillment rather than external validation. By focusing on developing our character and ethical principles, we can lead more purposeful lives, irrespective of their brevity.

Seneca's Stoicism places significant emphasis on resilience in the face of adversity. He asserts that life's brevity ensures that suffering and challenges are an inherent part of the human experience. Instead of lamenting these difficulties, Seneca advises us to embrace them as opportunities for growth and self-improvement. This perspective empowers us to cope more effectively with life's inevitable ups and downs.

The Importance of Authentic Connections

Friendship held a special place in Seneca's philosophy. He believed that cultivating deep and meaningful friendships was one of life's most valuable pursuits. Seneca's emphasis on human connection reminds us that, in the face of life's brevity, our relationships with others can provide solace, support, and joy.

Seneca encourages us to reassess our priorities and release the superficial pursuits that distract us from what truly matters. In a world overflowing with distractions and superficiality, Seneca's teachings urge us to focus on what contributes to our well-being and the well-being of others. By shedding the unnecessary, we can make room for a more meaningful and purpose-driven life.

Seneca's Timeless Legacy

Seneca's insights on coping with the shortness of life continue to resonate with individuals seeking a more meaningful existence. In a fast-paced world where time appears to slip away effortlessly, his Stoic philosophy provides a timeless roadmap for living a purposeful and fulfilling life.

Seneca's reflections on the shortness of life serve as a poignant reminder of the importance of embracing the present, pursuing meaningful goals, and cherishing the relationships that enrich our lives. In a world that often measures success by external achievements and possessions, Seneca's Stoic philosophy encourages us to focus on the internal qualities that define our character. By applying Seneca's wisdom, we can learn to cope with the ephemeral nature of life and find deeper satisfaction in the time we have. Ultimately, Seneca's teachings offer a timeless guide for living a life that transcends its brevity, leaving a lasting legacy of wisdom and virtue.

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undiscovered-horizon · 3 years

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"There's something in the shadows" - Yandere!Billy Russo x Reader

[TW: mentions/depictions of obsessive behavior, light yandere trope + insults directed at the reader]

Summary: Billy has been obsessed with you since the first time he saw you. Call it 'divine intervention' when your long-time friend suddenly decides to break things off with you and Billy Russo is (surprise, surprise) the one to lift your spirits.

[Continuation]

Word count: 1.9k

Author's note: This is my very first yandere anything, although it's quite light considering the trope.

The word "obsession" comes from Latin obsessio, "a besieging". Until 19th century, "obsession" meant only "influence or control by evil spirits without possession". Billy Russo was a great case study to determine why the word "obsession" can mean both an unhealthy fixation and an influence of supernatural powers because there was simply no other logical explanation as to why his thoughts became so preoccupied with you. Yes, it seemed as though there was something in the shadows of his mind, something sinister and devoted that fed off Billy's interest in you. Quite quickly, the man befriended that something, realizing it was a mean to the greatest of his goals - having you love him back.

Billy remembered perfectly well how he first met you. It shouldn't come as a surprise, considering that his life took a serious turn that night. When he entered the bar, he wasn't expecting to have his reason stolen from him.

"What can I get you?" you asked in an upbeat tone, seemingly happy that you could stand behind the bar. You didn't know the man. Although you have worked at the bar for quite some time, his handsome face wasn't familiar to you. He was well-groomed, in a suit without a tie and the first two buttons of his shirt left open. Whoever he was, he could definitely afford a better place to drink.

"A beer, please."

"Bottled or draft?"

"Bottled. Preferably German, if you have any."

"Sure thing," you answered with a smile. You placed the cold bottle on the counter and with a mesmerizing, swift motion, you opened the bottle and threw the cap into the bin with such ease, you must have done it at least a hundred times before.

He wasn't exactly sure what first captivated him: the way you looked, your happy voice or maybe the confidence of automatic moves you executed behind the bar. Perhaps, it was all of those things, put together like jigsaw pieces, creating a bigger picture.

"You new here?" he asked. Yearning scratched at his brain, telling him to learn all he could about you. There was something about you, something he couldn't quite put his finger on, that he needed to uncover as if he, somehow, could sense a divine secret you hid from the world. "Haven't seen you 'round here before." He was staring at you in a quite intense way and although his undivided attention flustered you, you couldn't deny it was flattering.

"You keep tabs on all the bartenders?" you joked. You didn't find his question pushy. He seemed like a reserved man with no suspicious tone in his voice, one you could toe the line of humor and flirt with.

"Only the special ones," he answered without a break. He thought your scoff at his comment was adorable.

Witty and charming are not too far off from each other.

"And how long is that list of yours?"

"Just your name."

"You don't even know it."

"A man can dream, right?" He was even more handsome when smiling. His heart was thundering in his chest hearing you laugh.

"It's (Y/N)." He never knew a prettier name. It was as if those few letters meant more than any poetry ever could. All those philosophers that tried to describe the nature of humanity and its most secret of desires could never create such a meaningful and exhaustive phrase that was your name.

"Billy," he answered. Coming from his own mouth, his name sounded quite vapid when compared with yours.

The conversation went on for a few hours, uninterrupted even when you were preparing drinks for other clients. Billy studied you in impressive detail. Did you have a wedding or an engagement ring? Was there a reddish mark on your neck? Did you smell of men's perfume? He needed to know the answers to all of his questions as the plan he was devising in his head might have to change significantly if you were in a committed relationship. Not that it would stop him, just slow the already excruciatingly long game. For the first time in long years, Billy was impatient.

Billy knew that Diane was the key to the first step of his plan the moment he met her. It was obvious how much you respected her opinion and depended on her in important matters. The jealousy inside him stirred violently, quickly becoming stomach-churning anger. Yes, first of all, he had to get rid of Diane - for good. His initial plan involved just a sprinkle of murder, or rather, an 'unfortunate accident'. Billy's idea changed when he came to the conclusion that Diane's sudden death would pull you into a spiral of bureaucracy and police interrogations, which, in turn, could prove problematic to deal with. Therefore, Billy settled for something less brutal or dramatic, quite mundane actually:

The door opened and there she stood, with eyes open wide and an inexplicable emotion written all over her face. Diane's eyebrows were drawn close.

"Why did you come here?" She asked defensively. It wasn't like the Diane you knew. No, her voice was never that dry.

"I was worried?" You weren't sure what to say, still confused at the sudden change in her behavior. "You didn't text me back or answer my calls and somebody kicked me out of the group chat. I thought something bad happened."

Diane rolled her eyes and sighed. Your stomach churned. What's up with her?

"How dense are you, (Y/N)?" She asked. Her words were like blades, leaving you unable to speak. "I don't want to have anything to do with you. Do I have to spell it out for you? I wasted so many years being friends with you, I should actually sue you for compensation. You're annoying, you follow me around at parties, you're boring and unfunny. I've done my charity work at hanging out with you but I'm finished. I've got better things to do."

"Wait, wha-"

"Get lost, (Y/N). And lose my number while you're at it."

When she shut the door in your face, some letters from the pile of anonymous threats fell to the floor. Diane fell to the floor crying, numb with terror, hoping to finally have a night full of sleep, maybe even without nightmares. She did as they wanted, right? Her heart was raw with the soreness of the heartbreak she was feeling as if a great pressure was put on her chest, making her gasp for air. She feared for her own and her family's lives more than having to mourn your friendship. It's been over a month since she left the house or slept for more than three hours. Curtains were drawn at all times. It isn't paranoia if somebody really is after you.

You stared at the door for a few minutes. What were you to do now? It all happened so fast you weren't sure whether it happened at all. The shock made you unable to even cry at first, as you walked away from Diane's front door.

Tears were falling down your face uncontrollably. Diane was like a sister, someone you would live out your retirement with. You couldn't understand why she changed her mind in the past week. And then it hit you - maybe, for the very first time in your friendship, she was honest. Maybe you really were annoying, boring and unfunny.

Your body was shaking with heart-wrenching sobs. People, whom you have passed on the street, were turning their heads to take a second look at the pathetic disaster you were. You were frantically wiping away your tears, choking on sobs, when your phone started to ring. Some part of you wished it was Diane, calling to tell you it was a stupid, cruel joke or that she didn't mean it and something truly bad happened to her that had put her in such awful headspace. Maybe someone gave her bad acid?

Your tear-filled vision was blurry, making it hard to discern the caller's ID on the bright screen.

Billy.

"Hey Billy, it's a really bad time, I'll call you later," you said in a weak voice, making a pause or two due to your uncontrollable sobs.

"What happened, sweetheart?" His voice was worried.

Little did you know, he was holding back a smile. The first part of his plan worked. Now to the grand finale.

"Diane told me to get lost. I think she actually hates me." Your voice was quiet. "I don't know what to do, Billy."

But he did.

"Go home and I'll drop by, alright?"

"I don't want to trouble you."

"You can never be a trouble for me, sweetheart."

Feeling you cry against him, slightly shaking and wetting his expensive shirt with tears, Billy felt ecstatic. You were holding on to him and he couldn't hold back a triumphant smile. He had you so close, depending on him, being your source of comfort - the only way it should be. Nobody else deserved to see you this vulnerable, no, the world was too vile to look at your tears, hear your cries. Only Billy noticed the divine touch you were made with. Your soul was for his eyes only.

"You know, what if she was right? Maybe I am a shit person." Your face was pressed into his shoulder, making your words a little mumbled. His grip around you tightened before he answered you.

"You're the kindest person I know." His hand gently threaded through your hair. He pulled at them in many of his flustering fantasies. "I think you're amazing, princess."

You only sniffled in response, holding Billy tight, which only widened his bright, proud expression.

Whenever you were in his vicinity, real or imagined, his fantasy would be jolted awake, always heading in a new, uncharted direction but all of them were equally mesmerizing to him. Each night, when he lay awake in bed, Billy imagined every way you could say his name, every expression your ethereal face could make. His fantasies wandered from platonic purity to downright flustering eroticism. Billy was a bold man but his most intimate and breathtaking of dreams could bring out a strange bashfulness he didn't know he had anymore. Sometimes you were as mundane as he could make you (so not at all), while on other occasions he painted you in various shades of blasphemy and idolatry. All of those colors, all private fantasies, fit you like a glove.

He disliked Diane, that was obvious. She was never grateful enough for being your friend, having you at her beck and call. He thought, with disgust, that she took for granted each second of your attention you spared her. She simply didn't deserve you and that was a fact - at least in Billy's books. Billy disliked most of your friends, really, especially the ones that could keep you away from him. In his free time, he thought about both brutal and sophisticated ways to ruin your male friends and their lives.

Yes, the grand finale also went according to plan. Gently rubbing your back, basking in the intimacy of the moment, Billy started to fantasize about the next step to take. Maybe you'll get evicted? Or your greedy landlord will raise your rent so much you will have to move out? The options were endless, each of them with the same conclusion - Billy, in shining armor, swooping in to save you.

You will love him. It was just a matter of time and pulling a few strings or, maybe, a few teeth. But that was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

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blacksunscorpio · 3 years

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Astro Musings No. 11

Venus/Jupiter aspects in the natal chart...

Will make someone generally likable, charming, generous, and agreeable- especially if it's a conjunction, trine, or sextile you're working with. They'll be the person who might be incredibly popular or someone whose creativity [Venus] is magnified [Jupiter]. They might be very beautiful or well known for their good looks. However, throw a square to Chiron in the mix and this individual might have a hard time believing it. Since Chiron is the place in our chart where we wear our inner wound and a square indicates conflict, the pain to either of these planets has to do with beliefs, how we're educated, and the overall philosophy of life. One could perhaps have a lot of doubt as to whether they are truly attractive. They could be bullied or hated for their attractiveness or popularity. On the other hand, Jupiter Squaring Chiron can make someone have severe wounds concerning their spiritual beliefs. It's common to see this aspect in charts of people who were forced into a particular belief system or religion. In addition, it's also an indicator of those who were abused by organized religion. Often the case/in charts of those in the LGBTQ community who were perhaps shunned by conventional western religious constructs.

12th House Synastry is a bit like Russian Roulette...

Not to scare any of you with significant placements within this house synastrically or in composite, but remember what I said in Astro Musings 1 about Neptune? Wherever he is, there's going to be a feeling that something is hidden. Deception will be a big factor or just naivete or idealism. More so if the aspects in this house are squares/oppositions. With the Trines and Conjunctions, the energy here can feel incredibly spiritual and binding. [Don't bust out the champagne yet, I said FEEL binding- it doesn't mean it necessarily will be]. Sorry. North Node/Neptune might make you two dream of each other or have this strange 6th sense concerning them and their energy. Moon and Neptune will make two people have an uncanny knack for knowing what the other is thinking. It will feel downright Soul-Mate-esque. The same if Mercury and Neptune are joined.

Now, if the aforementioned aspect is afflicted, two people will Pinocchio the fuck out of each other.

The lies will be endless. Now this might not even be malicious, it's more so two people don't want to disappoint each other, so they put on an act they think the other will appreciate/wants to see. There's a lot of pressure to live up to the other person's expectations. Most of the time, the mask will inevitably fall off and bitter feelings may ensue. Choose honesty first.

Aspects to the ruler of the first house will have a similar vibe to aspects on the ascendant.

That’s because your chart ruler and it’s planet are leading your entire chart in energetic expression. By proxy, whatever happens to it [ruler of the 1st], wherever it is in your chart, will be magnified and displayed. For example, if you’re a Scorpio rising but Pluto is in your 3rd house, it might be very apparent to others that you speak and think deeply. Your communication can feel very “psychiatric" and probing. It might be the first thing people notice about you. If you’re a Sag rising and your Jupiter is in your 10th House, you could make a career out of travel or be famous. Everyone will notice your larger than life persona.

Aquarius Moon in the 5th just like these other aspects, can be an indicator of one who might have a fear of motherhood or pregnancy in general. In addition, One with a Cancer Lilith in the 6th might choose career over motherhood. In a woman’s chart, it can also be an indicator of someone who has reproductive [4th house/moon] issues [especially if there are afflictions].

Lilith in the 6th house may feel that they give more than they get. They might also reject the idea of daily work and routine or general discipline. There can be scandal’s at work as well. Wherever Lilith is, you can guarantee that there’s going to be some ‘taboo’ energy involved. Since 6th house is one of the money/career houses, it can indicate that this taboo will be related to whatever you do for a living.

Placements for those who love animals

Will be Neptunian placements ftw. Neptunians/Piscean placements tend to have a monopoly on the “beast whisperer” thing. That’s because Animals sit between the physical and the spiritual world. They see shit we can’t. So they’ll often take to those with strong “veil” energy.

Cancerian’s come in at a cool 2nd. This is because their heightened sensitivity make animals feel them quite strongly. They also have strong nurturing energy which will draw pets to them.

Leos at No. 3- Leonine placements have an uncanny love for animals due to their playful and warm energy. Being ruled by the sun, they’ll be literally “beacons of light” for furry friends.

Virgo is ruler of the 6th house of work and routine. Because of their natural capability towards order and discipline, I often see this sign as pet owners. Often these natives have more than one. They’ll be the sign that has Fido trained and operating like clockwork.

Speaking of animals, the signs I’ve seen to take to cats more than canines are Scorpio and Capricorn. Because of these two sign’s affinity towards introversion, it’s no surprise that one of the most introverted breed of animal feels right at home among them. On the flipside, I’ve seen on numerous occasions where dogs become quite obsessed [Pluto] with Scorpios, on the occasion where they’re not scared of them.

In a female’s chart, Having asteroid Aphrodite squaring her Lilith

will mean her beauty will have a forbidden fruit vibe to it. Her charm will be directly tied to her wild femininity. However, there may be struggles in how she expresses it. Typical placement for someone whose kindness or mild flirtation will be received as overtly sexual. Her charm and grace might have a playboy or pornstar vibe or she may get her value from expressing herself sexually. It can also indicate one who is just oversexed in general. Be sure to keep those Trojans on hand and get those yearly check ups. Nothing wrong with expressing yourself in such a way but Lilith can also indicate diseases of the venereal nature, especially if in the sign of Scorpio or afflicted in the 8th House

Talent in Fashion Design in the Natal Chart will be

Sun in Libra [Andre Leon Talley]

Venus in the 10th

Taurus 10th House

Libra 10th House

Venus in Virgo

Venus in the 6th

Moon conjunct Venus

Venus in the 2nd House

Mercury in harmonious aspect to Venus

Neptune in Libra

Venus in Sagittarius [Expansive/creative mindset/abundance]

Neptune in harmonious aspect to Venus [Anna Wintour]

Talent in Libra

Scorpio Stelliums [Pluto rules the underworld where jewels and finery reside- Gianni Versace and Anna Wintour have this in their charts- So does Grace Kelly]

Having Nessus in Capricorn can indicate that the father figure in your life might have been a bit abusive or a source of pain.

Having Asteroid Talent in the sign of Gemini might make one very well adept at wordplay. They could have a talent for writing or have hardcore skill at wit. In the 12th house might make them very skilled at writing fantasy or even writing for film/fiction.

Uranus in the 1st can make someone unusual looking, they may look androgynous or dress in a ‘rebellious’ or ‘avant-garde’ way. I’ve also seen 1st house Uranians have flat affects. They can have a demeanor that comes off as detached or in general RBF.

Speaking of Uranus, if you had an absentee father figure...

check to see if your 4th house has Aquarian or Uranian influence. In addition, see if your Sun is inconjunct to your Uranus or squaring it. 9 times out of 10 when I’m analyzing a birth chart, I have a native tell me their father skipped out or split from life very early. There’s always a story there.

Asteroid Psyche touching your 10th house/MC might make you a very skilled Psychologist. Asteroid Psyche [16] is about the mind/soul. If it’s in the house of work/reputation/prestige, you might apply this asteroid's energy to your career

Multi-planet oppositions in the natal chart

Will indicate a push-pull in your natal energy. You’ll be the person who struggles between two mindsets constantly.

If it’s between Gemini and Sagittarius you’ll struggle with the logical and philosophical. You may have constant existential crises. On a positive note, if you’re able to balance it, you’ll be able to see multiple sides of an argument. This is an ideal aspect for someone who debates, is in law, or journalism. If it’s between

Cancer or Capricorn you will deal with wanting to be self-sufficient but also have a deep need to nurture or be nurtured.

The Sign your Sun/Rising is in in your Solar Return Chart

Will usually indicate the energy you’ll take on for the year. In Aquarius your might be tech minded and quite detached. In Virgo, you may be especially detail oriented and cerebral. In Scorpio you may find yourself more emotionally sensitive, probing, or ruthless that year. In Leo, you may be more outgoing- self-centered, or unusually popular.

A Taurus Venus will like to feed you to show you they love you. Being Wined and Dined is how this Venus placement likes to demonstrate they care. They may also like to give you gifts to show you their admiration.

Sorry to break it to you, mutable gang...

But Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces are among the top signs found in Serial Killers. I.E

Ted Bundy- Sagittarius

Jeffrey Dahmer- Gemini

John Wayne Gacy- Pisces

Mary Bell- Gemini

George Chapman- Sagittarius

Charles Cullen- Pisces

Danny Rolling- Gemini

Marybeth Tinning- Virgo

Alton Coleman- Sagittarius

Kenneth Bianchi- Gemini

Andras Pandy- Gemini

Dean Carter- Virgo

Andrew Cunanan- Virgo

Richard Ramirez- Pisces

Randy Steven Kraft- Pisces

Terry Blair- Virgo

Timothy Krajcir- Sagittarius

Yikes....

Taurus Suns, 11th House Virgos, Cancer/Capricorn 5th Houses, and Libra 7th Housers are typically the “Parent/Mom/Dad” of their friend groups.

Believe it or not, when it comes to “jealousy” over material things, it’s not Scorpio. Taurean/Leo placements [typically risings and Suns and moons] and especially underdeveloped will be the types to hate on you for having something [Usually clothing, car, house, etc] they want. Scorpios, though famous infamous for the jealousy stereotype, will usually show this trait only in romantic entanglements. This is because Scorpio is a water sign. Their primary mode of operation has to do with the emotional realm.

Mars in the 10th House is usually seen in those who make athletics part of their career.

Mars in Gemini have the most savage comebacks. They will make you feel so stupid if you argue with them. Mars is war and Gemini is wit. You’ll be hard pressed to win a battle of words with them.

I find those with Mars in Aquarius or aspecting Uranus will swing both ways sexually, regardless of how they identify.

Venus in Aquarius don’t really like to be touched/hugged. Picture Voldemort hugging Draco. Ironically, they will usually be the type of people to take up professions where they have to touch others. I've seen copious nurses with their Venuses touching Aquarius. Massage therapists as well. Might have something to do with the love [Venus] of helping others [Aquarius].

Those with multiple planets in the 12th House can make excellent actors. This is because their personality is in a mutable house. They can morph and chameleonize themselves very easily. Superb for taking on multiple personalities for their craft.

Men with Mercury in Leo, Capricorn, or harmonious aspect to Pluto tend to have very deep voices. There’s also a soothing vibe to them as well. James Earl Jones, Liam Neeson, and Anthony Hopkins all have these placements.

Contrary to popular opinion, Gemini isn’t the only sign that can be a “jack of all trades”. In fact, Libra Suns often fit in in various roles/professions. This has a lot to do with their diplomatic nature. Because they are often the peacemaker and a bit passive than their cousins, they are often welcomed in many different circles. This allows them to excel with networking/social climbing.

Jupiter conjunct/Square Saturn and Capricorn 9th Housers

are the placement[s] I see the most in those who have a deep skepticism of Astrology. Their belief system can be rather rigid [Saturn] which makes it harder/ for them to be open minded [Jupiter] to other schools of thought.

Each Planet/Sign rules a day of the week. Whichever day you were born can inadvertently make you take on some of the traits of that sign, regardless of what your “big 3″ are.

For example: If you were born on a Wednesday, ruled by Mercury, you can be especially cerebral or witty. Tuesday, ruled by Mars can make you fiesty, athletic and perhaps a bit impatient like Arians. Friday, ruled by Venus can make you extremely charming and friendly. Saturday, ruled by Saturn can make you extremely entrepreneurial-minded whereas being Born on a Monday [Moon] can make you security and family oriented.

Venus in Sagittarius, Sagittarius 5th House, 2nd House in Sag or Venus Aspecting Neptune in the sign of Sag might make one have an affinity for entertainment from foreign countries. I see these placements in the charts of those who enjoy anime, foreign film, or those who have a knack for languages [lot of trines to Jupiter is also an indicator of the latter.]

Asteroid Priapus... will make you want to uncontrollably merge with someone.

[I’m not even kidding. I had this aspect with someone and my Priapus touched their Jupiter and I wanted to tear the kid’s clothes off. All my friends had no idea what I saw in him. To them, he was not my “type”- whatever that means.] The sign Priapus is in will give you a hint as to what turns you on. In Virgo, someone clean cut, organized or well-groomed might tickle your fancy. In Libra, someone fashionable and sweet-natured. In Aries, someone outgoing or athletic, Capricorn, there can be an affinity for someone older, someone accomplished, or a general “daddy” fetish.

Sun conjunct Pluto or Sun Square Pluto...

will have gnarly authority issues. Same with Mars in the 1st or Mars in any of the career houses. They do not like being told what to do whatsoever. If you try to boss them around, they will do the opposite just to spite you.

In synastry, a Double Whammy of Sun/Pluto

energy will make two people addicted to each other. All their forbidden fantasies [Pluto] will be exemplified by the other person’s presence [Sun]. The sex will be on the rougher side and can make two people obsessed. However, if a break up were to occur, this placement will make it damn near impossible for two people to be friends again. There’s just too much passion involved.

Astro Musings No. 1 Astro Musings No. 2 Astro Musings No. 3 Astro Musings No. 4 Astro Musings No. 5 Astro Musings No. 6 Astro Musings No. 7 Astro Musings No. 8 Astro Musings No. 9 Astro Musings No. 10

#Astro musings #Astro Musings No. 11 #Hope this helps Y'all #FYP #Astrology #My writing #Blacksunscorpio #Enjoy #feel free to add in comments #astro tumblr #astro notes

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Isn’t Everything Autobiographical?: Ethan Hawke In Nine Films And A Novel by Marya Gates

When asked during his first ever on-camera interview if he’d like to continue acting, a young Ethan Hawke replied, “I don’t know if it’s going to be there, but I’d like to do it.” He then gives a guileless shrug of relief as the interview ends, wiping imaginary sweat off his brow. The simultaneous fusion of his nervous energy and poised body language will be familiar to those who’ve seen later interviews with the actor. The practicality and wisdom he exudes at such a young age would prove to be a through-line of his nearly 40-year career. In an interview many decades later, he told Ideas Tap that many children get into acting because they’re seeking attention, but those who find their calling in the craft discover that a “desire to communicate and to share and to be a part of something bigger than yourself takes over, a certain craftsmanship—and that will bring you a lot of pleasure.”

Through Hawke’s dedication to his craft, we’ve also seen his maturation as a person unfold on screen. Though none of his roles are traditionally what we think of when we think of autobiography, many of Hawke’s roles, as well as his work as a writer, suggest a sort of fictional autobiographical lineage. While these highlights in his career are not strictly autofiction, one can trace Hawke’s Künstlerromanesque trajectory from his childhood ambitions to his life now as a man dedicated to art, not greatness.

Hawke’s first two films, Joe Dante’s sci-fi fantasy Explorers with River Phoenix and Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society with Robin Williams, set the tone for a diverse filmography filled with popcorn fare and indie cinema in equal measure, but they also served as touchstones in his development as person drawn to self-expression through art. In an interview with Rolling Stone’s David Fear, Hawke spoke about the impact of these two films on him as an actor. When River Phoenix, his friend and co-star in Explorers, had his life cut short by a drug overdose, it hit Hawke personally. He saw from the inside what Hollywood was capable of doing to young people with talent. Hawke never attempted to break out, to become a star. He did the work he loved and kept the wild Hollywood lifestyle mostly at arm’s length.

Like any good film of this genre, Dead Poets Society is not just a film about characters coming of age, but a film that guides the viewer as well, if they are open to its message. Hawke’s performance as repressed schoolboy Todd in the film is mostly internal, all reactions and penetrating glances, rather than grandiose movements or speeches. Through his nervy body language and searching gaze, you can feel both how closed off to the world Todd is, and yet how willing he is to let change in. Hawke has said working on this film taught him that art has a real power, that it can affect people deeply. This ethos permeates many of the characters Hawke has inhabited in his career.

In Dead Poets Society, Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) tells the boys that we read and write poetry because the human race is full of passion. He insists, “poetry, beauty, romance, love—these are what we stay alive for.” Hawke gave a 2020 TEDTalk entitled Give Yourself Permission To Be Creative, in which he explored what it means to be creative, pushing viewers to ask themselves if they think human creativity matters. In response to his own question, he said “Most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about poetry, right? They have a life to live and they’re not really that concerned with Allen Ginsberg’s poems, or anybody’s poems, until their father dies, they go to a funeral, you lose a child, somebody breaks your heart, they don’t love you anymore, and all of the sudden you’re desperate for making sense out of this life and ‘has anyone ever felt this bad before? How did they come out of this cloud?’ Or the inverse, something great. You meet somebody and your heart explodes. You love them so much, you can’t even see straight, you know, you’re dizzy. ‘Did anybody feel like this before? What is happening to me?’ And that’s when art is not a luxury. It’s actually sustenance. We need it.”

Throughout many of his roles post-Dead Poets Society, Hawke explores the nature of creativity through his embodiment of writers and musicians. Often these characters are searching for a greater purpose through art, while ultimately finding that human connection is the key. Without that human connection, their art is nothing.

We see the first germ of this attraction to portray creative people on screen with his performance as Troy Dyer in Reality Bites. As Troy Dyer, a philosophy-spouting college dropout turned grunge-band frontman in Reality Bites, Hawke was posited as a Gen-X hero. His inability to keep a job and his musician lifestyle were held in stark contrast to Ben Stiller’s yuppie TV exec Michael Grates. However in true slacker spirit, he isn’t actually committed to the art of music, often missing rehearsals, as Lelaina points out. Troy even uses his music at one point to humiliate Lelaina, dedicating a rendition of “Add It Up” by Violent Femmes to her. The lyrics add insult to injury as earlier that day he snuck out of her room after the two had sex for the first time. Troy’s lack of commitment to his music matches his inability to commit to those relationships in his life that mean the most to him.

Reality Bites is also where he first positioned himself as one of the great orators of modern cinema.” Take this early monologue, in which he outlines his beliefs to Winona Ryder’s would-be documentarian Lelaina Pierce: “There’s no point to any of this. It’s all just a random lottery of meaningless tragedy and a series of near escapes. So I take pleasure in the details. You know, a quarter-pounder with cheese, those are good, the sky about ten minutes before it starts to rain, the moment where your laughter become a cackle, and I, I sit back and I smoke my Camel Straights and I ride my own melt.”

Hawke brings the same intense gaze to this performance as he did to Dead Poets Society, as if his eyes could swallow the world whole. But where Todd’s body language was walled-off, Troy’s is loud and boisterous. He’s quick to see the faults of those around him, but also the good things the world has to offer. It’s a pretty honest depiction of how self-centered your early-20s tend to be, where riding your own melt seems like the best option. As the film progresses, Troy lets others in, saying to Lelaina, “This is all we need. A couple of smokes, a cup of coffee, and a little bit of conversation. You, me and five bucks.”

Like the character, Hawke was in his early twenties and as he would continue to philosophize through other characters, they would age along with him and so would their takes on the world. If you only engage with anyone at one phase in their life, you do a disservice to the arc of human existence. We have the ability to grow and change as we learn who we are and become less self-centered. In Hawke’s career, there’s no better example of this than his multi-film turn as Jesse in the Before Trilogy. While the creation of Jesse and Celine are credited to writer-director Richard Linklater and his writing partner Kim Krizan, much of what made it to the screen even as early as the first film were filtered through the life experiences of Hawke and his co-star Julie Delpy.

In a Q&A with Jess Walter promoting his most recent novel A Bright Ray of Darkness, Hawke said that Jesse from the Before Trilogy is like an alt-universe version of himself, and through them we can see the self-awareness and curiosity present in the early ET interview grow into the the kind of man Keating from Dead Poets Society urged his students to become.

In Before Sunrise, Hawke’s Jesse is roughly the same age as Troy in Reality Bites, and as such is still in a narcissistic phase of his life. After spending several romantic hours with Celine in Vienna, the two share their thoughts about relationships. Celine says she wants to be her own person, but that she also desperately wants to love and be loved. Jesse shares this monologue, “Sometimes I dream about being a good father and a good husband. And sometimes it feels really close. But then other times it seems silly, like it would ruin my whole life. And it’s not just a fear of commitment or that I’m incapable of caring or loving because. . . I can. It’s just that, if I’m totally honest with myself, I think I’d rather die knowing that I was really good at something. That I had excelled in some way than that I’d just been in a nice, caring relationship.”

The film ends without the audience knowing if Jesse and Celine ever see each other again. That initial shock is unfortunately now not quite as impactful if you are aware of the sequels. But I think it is an astute look at two people who meet when they are still discovering who they are. Still growing. Jesse, at least, is definitely not ready for any kind of commitment. Then of course, we find out in Before Sunset that he’s fumbled his way into marriage and fatherhood, and while he’s excelling at the latter, he’s failing at the former.

As in Reality Bites, Hawke explores the dynamics of band life again in Before Sunset, when Jesse recalls to Celine how he was in a band, but they were too obsessed with getting a deal to truly enjoy the process of making music. He says to her, “You know, it's all we talked about, it was all we thought about, getting bigger shows, and everything was just...focused on the future, all the time. And now, the band doesn't even exist anymore, right? And looking back at the... at the shows we did play, even rehearsing... You know, it was just so much fun! Now I'd be able to enjoy every minute of it.”

The filming of Before Sunset happened to coincide with the dissolution of Hawke’s first marriage. And while these films are not autobiographical, everyone involved have stated that they’ve added personal elements to their characters. They even poke fun at it in the opening scene when a journalist asks how autobiographical Jesse’s novel is. True to form, he responds with a monologue, “Well, I mean, isn’t everything autobiographical? I mean, we all see the world through our own tiny keyhole, right? I mean, I always think of Thomas Wolfe, you know. Have you ever seen that little one page note to reader in the front of Look Homeward, Angel, right? You know what I'm talking about? Anyway, he says that we are the sum of all the moments of our lives, and that, anybody who sits down to write is gonna use the clay of their own life, that you can’t avoid that.”

While Before Sunset was shot in 2003, released in 2004 and this monologue refers to the fictional book within the trilogy entitled This Time, Hawke would take this same approach more than a decade later with his novel A Bright Ray of Darkness.

In the novel, Hawke crafts a quasi-autobiographical story, using his experience in theater to work through the perspective he now has on his failed marriage to Uma Thurman. Much like Jesse in Before Sunset, Hawke is reluctant to call the book autobiographical, but the parallels to his own divorce are evident. And as Jesse paraphrased Wolfe, isn’t everything we do autobiographical? In the book, movie star William Harding has blown up his seemingly picture-perfect marriage with a pop star by having an affair while filming on location in South Africa. The book, structured in scenes and acts like a play, follows the aftermath as he navigates his impending divorce, his relationship with his small children, and his performance as Hotspur in a production of Henry IV on Broadway.

Throughout much of the novel, William looks back at the mistakes he made that led to the breakup of his marriage. He’s now in his 30s and has the clarity to see how selfish he was in his 20s. Hawke, however, was in his forties while writing the book. Through the layers of hindsight, you can feel how Hawke has processed not just the painful emotional growth spurt of his 20s, but also the way he can now mine the wisdom that comes from true reflection. Still, as steeped as the novel is in self-reflection, it does not claim to have all the answers. In fact, it offers William, as well as the readers, more questions to contemplate than it does answers.

The wisdom to know that you will never quite understand everything is broached by Hawke early in the third film in the Before Trilogy, 2013’s Before Midnight. At this point in their love story, Jesse’s marriage has ended and he and Celine are parents to twin girls. Jesse has released two more books: That Time, which recounts the events of the previous film, and Temporary Cast Members of a Long-Running But Little Seen Production of a Play Called Fleeting. Before Midnight breaks the bewitching spell of the first two films by adding more cast members and showing the friction that comes with an attempt to grow old with someone. When discussing his three books, a young man says the title of his third is too long, Jesse says it wasn’t as well loved, and an older professor friend says it’s his best book because it’s more ambitious. It seems Linklater and company already knew how the departure of this third film might be regarded by fans. But it is this very departure that shows their commitment to honestly showing the passage of time and our relationship to it.

About halfway through the film Jesse and Celine depart the Greek villa where they have been spending the summer, and we finally get a one-on-one conversation like we’re used to with these films. In one exchange, I feel they summarize the point of the entire trilogy, and possibly Hawke’s entire ethos:

Jesse: Every year, I just seem to get a little bit more humbled and more overwhelmed about all the things I’m never going to know or understand.

Celine: That’s what I keep telling you. You know nothing!

Jesse: I know, I know! I'm coming around!

[Celine and Jesse laugh.]

Celine: But not knowing is not so bad. I mean, the point is to be looking, searching. To stay hungry, right?

Throughout the series, Linklater, Delpy, and Hawke explore what they call the “transient nature of everything.” Jesse says his books are less about time and more about perception. It’s the rare person who can assess themselves or the world around them acutely in the present. For most of us, it takes time and self-reflection to come to any sort of understanding about our own nature. Before Midnight asks us to look back at the first two films with honesty, to remove the romantic lens with which they first appeared to us. It asks us to reevaluate what romance even truly is.

Hawke explores this same concept again in the 2018 romantic comedy Juliet, Naked. In this adaptation of the 2009 Nick Hornby novel, Hawke plays a washed-up singer-songwriter named Tucker Crowe. He had a big hit album, Juliet, in the early ‘90s and then disappeared into obscurity. Rose Bryne plays a woman named Annie whose longtime boyfriend Duncan is obsessed with the singer and the album, stuck on the way the bummer songs about a bad breakup make him feel. As the film begins, Annie reveals that she thinks she’s wasted 15 years of her life with this schmuck. This being a rom-com, we know that Hawke and Byrne’s characters will eventually meet-cute. What’s so revelatory about the film is its raw depiction of how hard it is for many to reassess who they really are later in life.

Duncan is stuck as the self-obsessed, self-pitying person he likely was when Annie first met him, but she reveals he was so unlike anyone else in her remote town that she looked the other way for far too long. Now it’s almost too late. By chance, she connects with Crowe and finds a different kind of man.

See, when Crowe wrote Juliet, he also was a navel-gazing twentysomething whose emotional development had not yet reached the point of being able to see both sides in a romantic entanglement. He worked through his heartbreak through art, and though it spoke to other people, he didn’t think about the woman or her feelings on the subject. In a way, Crowe’s music sounds a bit like what Reality Bites’s Troy Dyer may have written, if he ever had the drive to actually work at his music. Eventually, it’s revealed that Crowe walked away from it all when Julie, the woman who broke his heart, confronted him with their child—something he was well aware of, but from which he had been running away. Faced with the harsh reality of his actions and the ramifications they had on the world beyond his own feelings, he ran even farther away from responsibility. In telling the story to Annie, he says, “I couldn’t play any of those songs anymore, you know? After that, I just... I couldn’t play these insipid, self-pitying songs about Julie breaking my heart. You know, they were a joke. And before I know it, a couple of decades have gone by and some doctor hands me... hands me Jackson. I hold him, you know, and I look at him. And I know that this boy. . . is my last chance.”

When we first meet Crowe, he’s now dedicated his life to raising his youngest son, having at this point messed up with four previous children. The many facets of parenthood is something that shows up in Hawke’s later body of work many times, in projects as wholly different as Brooklyn’s Finest, Before Midnight, Boyhood, Maggie’s Plan, First Reformed, and even his novel A Bright Ray of Darkness. In each of these projects, decisions made by Hawke’s characters have a big impact on their children’s lives. These films explore the financial pressures of parenthood, the quirks of blended families, the impact of absent fathers, and even the tragedy of a father’s wishes acquiesced without question. Hawke’s take on parenthood is that of flawed men always striving to overcome the worst of themselves for the betterment of the next generation, often with mixed results.

Where Juliet, Naked showed a potential arc of redemption for a father gone astray, First Reformed paints a bleaker portrait. Hawke plays Pastor Toller, a man of the cloth struggling with his own faith who attempts to counsel an environmental activist whose impending fatherhood has driven him to suicidal despair. Toller himself is struggling under the weight of fatherhood, believing he sent his own son to die a needless death in a morally bankrupt war. Sharing the story, he says “My father taught at VMI. I encouraged my son to enlist. It was the family tradition. Like his father, his grandfather. Patriotic tradition. My wife was very opposed. But he enlisted against her wishes. . . . Six months later he was killed in Iraq. There was no moral justification for this conflict. My wife could not live with me after that. Who could blame her? I left the military. Reverend Jeffers at Abundant Life Church heard about my situation. They offered me a position at First Reformed. And here I am.” How do we carry the weight of actions that affect lives that are not even our own?

If Peter Weir set the father figure template in Dead Poets Society, and Paul Schrader explored the consequences of direct parental influence on their children’s lives, director Richard Linklater subverts the idea of a mentor-guide in Boyhood, showing both parents are as lost as the kid himself. When young Mason (Ellar Coltrane) asks his dad (Hawke) what’s the point of everything, his reply is “I sure as shit don’t know. Nobody does. We’re all just winging it.” As the film ends, Mason sits atop a mountain with a new friend he’s made in the dorms discussing time. She says that everyone is always talking about seize the moment—carpe diem!—but she thinks it’s the other way around. That the moments seize us. In Reality Bites, Troy gets annoyed at Lelaina’s constant need to “memorex” everything with her camcorder, yet Boyhood is a film about capturing a life over a 12-year period. The Before Trilogy checks in on Jesse and Celine every nine years. Hawke’s entire career. in fact, has captured his growth from an awkward teen to a prolific artist and devoted father, a master of his craft and philosopher at heart.

#ethan hawke #boyhood #before trilogy #before midnight #before sunset #before sunrise #reality bites #first reformed #dead poets society #a bright ray of darkness #film writing #film essay #musings #oscilloscope laboratories

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