#i was compelled by god to not use a single reference making this and i think it kind of shows. But its okay. its for me

[whitefangz]

photo of two mice creeping around in your cupboard

[favvn]

Something that I've been processing since Errand of Mercy is that line of Kirk's about being used to the idea of dying. I take it to refer to his experiences on Tarsus IV rather than a willingness to die for Starfleet/some loyalty-to-the-death type deal. Like, he saw a leader make themselves into a dictator in a time of famine and suffering, and said dictator used "personal eugenics" on the people he was meant to aid. Kirk himself was selected to die. Regardless of if Kirk was a young child or teenager when it happened, that event has shaped him (and I can not believe no other writers for the show used it explicitly to develop his character, so now I get to feel like the Pepe Silva It's Always Sunny meme always. It's fine. It's cool. It's fun, even. Thank god for fanfic writers).

But in the episode before Errand of Mercy, The Devil in the Dark, Kirk says that--as individuals--Spock and himself are expendable. The implication is the chain-of-command based on Kirk's rank as Captain and Spock's rank as First Officer. Should Kirk die, Spock assumes command and etc. If both are killed together, there's a larger ripple effect in the chain and more issues to get positions filled, so Spock and Kirk together as a pair are not expendable. (To say nothing of the larger risk of endangering two lives vs one and Kirk takes calculated risks.)

I point this out because in Operation: Annihilate, Kirk doesn't give a single care about the chain-of-command and who is expendable once Spock is made host to one of the creatures.

(As an aside: yes, I know the usual considerations. Inconsistent writing on the show's part. Nobody would want to work under Kirk if he didn't care deeply for the safety of his crew. Etc.)

Nowhere in Operation: Annihilate does anyone suggest a replacement first officer (despite idk the weirdly vivid memory that it was a conversation Spock and Kirk had in the episode? Did I write my own fanfic while watching the episode and give myself a case of the Mandela effect? I have tried rewatching it and reading transcripts, and I am getting no such scene and I am feeling truly insane, oh my brainworms have gotten worse) after Spock is made a host to the creatures. McCoy comes close in wanting Spock to stay in Sickbay rather than go out to collect a sample, and McCoy also reminds Kirk that Spock is "the best first officer in the fleet" before they put him under enough light to rival the sun and fry his optic nerves, leaving him (temporarily) blind.

(As another aside, while it is one big facepalm that these 3 geniuses in their respective fields failed to conduct their experiment properly--Nurse Chapel, you are due for a promotion!--dare I say that it is still a compelling and entertaining drama? The time-crunch scenario of if Spock can't withhold the pain and insanity anymore, of if Kirk's nephew wakes up, and of when the creatures will successfully leave the planet to infect a new one, so they will gamble and risk Spock's eyesight rather than enact a plan that would kill 1 million people.)

It's just. Interesting to me. Almost as if Kirk believes that so long as he and Spock are together, regardless of what may injure them, they can do anything.

[slashersthings]

bad idea, right? // Billy Loomis x Reader

“God this place is crowded.” Your friend groans out from somewhere behind you. You were eager to agree with her while you slide on top of a barstool, fingers tapping the sticky bar counter while waiting to order drinks.

The night out of partying had been unexpected but welcomed in your eyes. You definitely needed to chill out and get drunk for once in your life. Or at least that’s what everyone always told you.

So that’s how you found yourself at this overcrowded and chaotic bar, wearing a tight little black dress that was way too short than you were used to. It rides up your thighs when you sit down and with a sigh, you tug the hem down as much as the fabric would allow.

But after two rum and coke’s you were feeling much better and even let your more wild friend drag you with her to the dance floor. You laugh and sway your hips, feeling good to let loose for the night.

You danced with her for a good while, but she soon got distracted by a random stranger and you watch on as she gets swept up in muscular arms and tanned skin, a twinge of jealousy irking you.

You reach the bar again, trying, but failing desperately to get the busy bartender’s attention so you could order a third drink. You were just about to give up when a gruff voice from beside you says, “You should try being a bit more aggressive.”

You weren’t asking for advice but something inside you compels you to reply with a, “Is that so?”

The voice belonged to a man that looked to be your age you notice when you glimpse at him. The next thought that popped in your brain was how incredibly hot this guy was.

He offers you a sly grin before hollering for the bartender, ordering two drinks and two shots.

You quirk a brow when a glass of rum and coke comes your way down the counter, followed by a shot of tequila. “Trying to get me drunk?”

“Will you stay here if I say yes?”

Without answering, you tap his shot glass and knock back the liquor, wincing as it burned down your throat before dropping the glass back to the countertop. “God, I hate tequila.”

You reach for your more liked rum and coke, taking a long sip as your new friend laughs to himself. “I hope I got your drink right.”

You were a little taken aback that he had in fact gotten it right. “Yes.”

“Was that a yes to your drink or yes you’ll stay?”

He was smirking now, that smugness making you feel all sorts of things as you wiggle on the bar stool. “That’s for me to know and for you to find out.”

“Well you haven’t gotten up and left yet, so…”

That was true. Plus it wasn’t like you could turn down a free drink. So with a discreet smile, you take another sip. “My name’s Y/N.”

“Billy.” He answers.

You felt yourself unable to stop staring at him.

Not only was he hot, but he also had this bad boy vibe mixed with a little bit dangerous that made you oddly attracted to him as you move in closer. “Here alone?” You ask him, feeling a rush of confidence thanks to the liquor coursing through your veins.

“Nah, my friend is here somewhere dancing.”

“Likewise. Guess that leaves you and me.”

“Something tells me you don’t mind that.”

You duck your head when a pretty blush creeps up your face. You distract yourself by taking another long swig of your drink, finally answering with a simple, “Maybe.”

“Something also tells me that you’re here to get some revenge.”

You turn back to him, shocked. Had you been that obvious? “The dress, the attitude, not telling me to take a hike,” Billy continues, pointing out every single dutiful aspect of your revenge scheme, almost like he had been there with you earlier picking out the outfit.

“So what’d he do?”

“Fucked my friend.” You admit honestly.

“He’s an idiot.” You nod in agreement, finishing off your drink with a sigh. “Well then you deserve to have some fun.”

“That’s what everyone tells me.”

“So when was the last time you had any?”

Your brow raises. The smirk on his face implied that he was no longer referring to just plain fun as he leans against the bar, watching you.

“Too long.”

His eyes run down your body slowly then back up to find you waiting expectantly for a response. “I could help change that, if you want.”

Oh you wanted. You shift in your seat, squeezing your thighs together, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Billy.

“Yes.”

—

Your entire body was on fire with need as Billy pushes you backwards onto his bed and climbs on top of you. You had lost your dress and bra somewhere along the way, maybe between the front door and his bedroom but you didn’t really care of the whereabouts.

Not when Billy was kissing you hard, tongue sweeping into your mouth as you’re dragged from your thoughts and back to the present.

Your hands fly to his hair as you moan and open your mouth, tasting the liquor he’d been drinking earlier at the bar.

You roll your hips against him, moaning again at the contact. “How long’s it been?” Billy asks and leans up slightly, hands running down your body as you think for a second.

“… Erm, a month?”

“Was he good?”

“He wasn’t terrible.”

Billy quirks a brow, that damn smirk returning to his lips as you grind against him. “Ringing endorsement, Y/N.”

Your name on his lips has you moaning, hips bucking as his fingers glide down between your thighs then back up again, purposefully ignoring your whine of protest when he didn’t go right to where you desperately wanted him.

“He was decent.” You offer again, muscles twitching at his low chuckle while his hands slide back up to your chest, fingers brushing against your nipples.

“Yeah?” Billy questions, “What’d he do that was so exciting for you? Was it his tongue, or was it his fingers?”

“Fingers I guess.” You answer quickly, shrugging. “He wasn’t into… y’know.”

“What a shame.” He mutters, lips finding your neck as he presses sloppy kisses from your throat to your collarbone, tongue sliding across your skin. His fingers dance back down your stomach, asking, “Was he even good at fingering you?”

The words have you moaning, coupled with Billy’s expert fingers running down your thighs and back up again, toying with the lace edge of your panties. “Hmm? How wet did you get for him?”

You were incapable of thinking about your previous boyfriend but what you did know was that Billy’s questions alone already had you incredibly wet and he hadn’t even really touched you fully yet.

Your hips grind against his fingers, but when you don’t answer, he stops out of the blue. You whine again, eyes opening to glare up at him.

“You can take these off, you know.” You were referring to your underwear, and he chuckles again.

“Oh I know. A little eager, aren’t we?” He taunts you with a smirk, his fingers skating under the band of your panties, discovering just how wet you were already.

You whimper when he withdraws his fingers after a second. “Did you get this wet for your ex boyfriend?”

“I don’t think you did,” Billy adds, answering for you since all you could coherently do was groan out a curse. “I think you like it like this. You like being talked to, you like being told to wait.”

“Fuck,” You moan again, the heat growing in your stomach making it hard to concentrate on anything but that. You had never wanted to be utterly ravaged like this before.

“Am I right, Y/N? Did he ever get you this wet before?”

“No.” You admit, shaking your head.

Instead of responding, he kisses you again, then down your neck, down down until he finds your breasts and kisses patterns across them, tongue flicking against your nipples.

You moan, hips bucking, fingers tightening in his hair as his mouth moves down your body, licking and sucking on every inch of your skin.

He groans when he reaches your underwear, helping to take them off of you before carelessly tossing them to the floor by his bed.

You weren’t expecting the first lick of his tongue against your exposed clit, a rush of moans and curses falling from your lips. He leans back and chuckles, pressing soft kisses all along your thighs.

“Your boyfriend didn’t like going down on you?”

His voice was a mixture of annoyance and judging as his tongue darts back out to flick against your clit again, your moans sounding like music to his ears as he laps at your wet folds.

“Oh, fuck,” You groan out when he increases his pace, hips bucking against him. A loud cry is ripped from your throat, back arching as you squirm and moan Billy’s name.

His tongue circles your sensitive bud, flicking it as your cries grow more louder and desperate for release. Your hips roll once then twice, crashing forward as a spasming tremor hit you, flowing out in a hot wave as you fall back on the bed and attempt to catch your breath.

Billy crawls back up your body, pulling you in for a kiss after your first orgasm. His tongue slides across your bottom lip, swallowing your breathless moan as you taste yourself.

Thank god you came out tonight.

[the1entirecircus]

The Dinosaur/Extinct/Ancient Thing each Scarlet Paradox Pokemon is based on imo

As a dinosaur and pokemon nerd, I am compelled by a greater force (autism) to explain away the inspirations to each scarlet pokemon even if they're just a stretch.

Great Tusk- It took me a minute to realize this, but Donphan's paradox counterpart is obviously an Ankylosaur. While not based on the Ankylosaurus itself, Great Tusk does share elements of the dinosaur family such with its back plates with spikes. And while the Ankylosaur family do not have fur/feathers, giant trunks, or tusks, it is still evident by those back plates, that they are an inspiration. It could be argued that the facial structure of Great Tusk is just an exagerated and heavily mishapened Ankylosaurus. Its dumb but still.

Scream Tail- While at first, you might think that Scream Tail isn't based on anything as it is just a wilder version of the Jigglypuff we all know and love, if we take its lore into consideration then we can see that there is something to see. Scream Tail is based on the single-celled organisms that existed in our world. Now this is seemingly a stretch until you consider that in the pokemon world, this might have been when Mew was first started to branch off and adapt. This can be evidenced by Scream Tail's psychic typing as why else would it have psychic powers unless if it is a very close descendent of Mew.

Brute Bonnet- Now this is a really big stretch so here me out. Brute Bonnet is based on Pachycephalosaurs, aka the dome-headed dinosaurs. I say this because A) the spikes on its head that remind me of the spikes that surround the skull. B) Its aggressive demonstrated within the game as well as its level-up moveset which is reminiscent of how Pachycephalosaurs are often portrayed as aggressive in media. and C) the shape of its mouth is similar, not the exactly the same, but similar to the mouth shape of a pachycephalosaurus. Yes it is a stretch, but it makes to me.

Flutter Mane- This is obvious as it is mentioned in its lore, but Flutter Mane is a pterosaur. Sure, it is just a Misdreavus with elements of a pterosaur. No obvious design elements are implanted into this pokemon to make it seem like a particular pterosaur, so I am not compelled to say either or. Its like with the others, its reminiscent of a type of dinosaur, but very vague on which one. And I think thats the point to this pokemon. Because I've seen that when refering to Pteranodon, people usually say Pteradactyl. They're not wrong, they just may not realize that they are saying frog. Yes, there is a pterodactylus, but it isn't what the common people think of when they say pterodactyl, they're thinking of pteranodon.

Slither Wing- No doubt about this one, this is definitely a Stegosaurus that would give people with insectophobia nightmares. From the way it doesn't use its wings like wings to how it swings its tail in certain attack animations, this pokemon is definitely reminiscent of Stegosaurs. Sure, it doesn't have the thagomizer aka the tail spikes Stegosaurus has, but it does have a very thick tail. Another good explanation as to why Slither Wing is based on a Stegosaur is because of the theories on what Stegosaurus' backplates can do. They weren't built for defense as they are very fragile, and I can imagine the same for Silther Wing's wings. Some believe that they were used to regulate body temperature or that they could move in flapping motions like as we see with Slither Wing. I mainly bring that up because of Slither Wing having the ability protosynthesis and how its the paradox form of Volcarona who is revered as a sun god by some. Sure, all of the Scarlet paradoxes have that ability, but its worth mentioning.

Sandy Shocks- This is the most vaguely dinosaur-inspired pokemon I have ever seen, mostly because its Magneton which is a magnet pokemon. I initially thought it would be some kind of magneton sauropod (the long-necked dinosaurs) but I'm not entirely sure. You could consider the the long magnets on its bottom side as two pairs of legs, but you can also consider the magnets on its top head as its own pair of arms and its a brute bonnet situation. Its very vague. I initially believed it to be a sauropod so I'm going to go with that.

Roaring Moon- When I first saw this pokemon, I wasn't sure what it was aside from Mega Salamence. I want to say its Quetzalcoatlus because it has feathers, it flies so pterosaur, and its the big boss of the regular scarlet paradox pokemon so obviously a famous "dinosaur" needs to be picked. And when I did some research on Quetzalcoatlus' namesake, the Quetzalcoatl, and I learned that is considered he was related to the sun. So maybe Roaring Moon is a reverse of that?

Winged King/Koraidon- One may look at Koraidon and think that it is just a basic dinosaur mixed with a dinosaur bike from the Flintstones cartoon and Toothless from HTTYD. However, my eyes sees differently. I see a combination of Iguanodon, Tyrannosaurus, and raptors as well as reptiles like the chameleon. I say this because The first drawings of Iguanodon appear similar to Koraidon. Its just a fatter and bulkier version of the same animal, but red, and with feathers. Iguanodon is also one of the first discovered dinosaurs, and its one of the first Paradox pokemon we meet. Its name, Winged King, is somewhat reminiscent of the Tyrannosaurus Rex's translated name "Tyrant Lizard King". Then theres raptors, specifically, Jurassic Park's Velociraptors. They are often depicted as incredibly smart and social, being able to form groups with each other and coordinate. There is also a distinct difference between the raptors of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. In JP, they are more violent and predatory while in JW, they are considerably more domesticated as seen with Blue the Velociraptor. But they are still violent predators. I mention this because of the two Koraidon we see in Pokemon Scarlet. The one the player has is reminiscent of Blue the Velociraptor since its kinder while the other Koraidon is more equal to the Big One from Jurassic Park which is meaner. Also in Jurassic Park /// there are Velociraptors with sparce feathering which is akin to Koraidon's feathers which aren't as sparce but still.

Walking Wake- Visually, its a theropod version of suicune with a lion's mane. However, I think its a reference to both raptors and cryolophosaurus. Cryolophosaurus is a big meat-eating dinosaur with a crest on its head. There are also many other dinosaur species that have crests. Dilophosaurus and Monolophosaurus are just to name a few. But Cryolophosaurus is picked because of its name and origin. Its name means Ice-crested lizard and it was named that because its fossil was found around the antarctic. If we take a look at Walking Wake's crest, it is visually made of ice, or at least a hard rocky material thats blue. And Suicine has always been associated with the ice type being the associated with the Northwind and such, but it isn't actually ice type.

Gouging Fire- It is very obvious what type of dinosaur Gouging Fire is. It is a ceratopsian (The Triceratops family) like Styracosaurus and others similar to it. However, it isn't just a ceratopsian, in fact its arguable that it is part stegosaurus because of the plates on its backside. Thats right, Gouging Fire is kind of a hybrid dinosaur, referencing the Stegoceratops from Jurassic World's deleted content, Jurassic World the Game and Jurassic World: Evolution. Of course, this part is a stretch, but its notable to mention. Also, unrelated but I love how its smoke creates its tail. Very creative design choice.

Raging Bolt- Like before, it is very obvious that this pokemon is a sauropod, but unlike Gouging fire and Cryolophosaurus, it is mixed with elements of several sauropods. It was mainly a titanosaur, having the long front legs of brachiosaurus and looking like a giraffe which is in reference to Giraffetitan...and Raikou. I also feel like the choice to make raikou be the long-necked dinosaur was done because of Brontosaurus' history as a dinosaur. Brontosaurus has been accidentally mixed with Apatosaurus and I don't know if its still considered a valid species or not because I've heard it be said that Brontosaurus is a real dinosaur and then it isn't, its just apatosaurus, but then it is its own species. Its very confusing. And the reason why I say this is because its a paradox, its fitting, and because Bronto means thunder. Side note, I hate its tail, it does not balance its body unless that tail is really dense. New headcanon: Raging Bolt is a dwarf star.

[ossyflawol]

you’ve said before that you dislike the “companion cube contains a corpse” theory and im not for that theory either, whats your personal reasoning?

Ok, I’m sorry but has anyone actually gone back and rewatched the original Game Theory video MatPat did that spawned the whole “Companion Cubes contain corpses” theory? It is downright one of the most frustrating, horrible theories that MatPat has ever put out, and frankly, genuinely misrepresents and misunderstands so, so many aspects of the Portal series for the sake of pushing a theory that doesn’t even hold up to scrutiny.

MatPat himself has no fucking clue what angle he wants to take in the video. Sometimes he says the people in the Cubes are dead corpses, sometimes he says the people inside are alive. He just fucking flip flops between these two stances constantly and it drives me nuts that he can’t even be consistent on the core crux of his theory.

Doug Rattman...Oh my god I am so sorry Doug. MatPat fucking bastardises Rattman’s character in that video hardcore. He looks at this character who suffers from mental illness, takes medication to deal with his schizophrenia, and hallucinates that the Companion Cube can speak to him, and proceeds to throw it ALL out the window. Why? So he can push his idea that “No, Doug isn’t insane and the Cube is actually speaking to him, infact, Doug Rattman is sexually attracted to the Companion Cube!” WHAT.

Then to add onto that mess, he tries to claim that Doug is taking fake medication made by Aperture intended to drown out the voice of the Cubes because it’s labelled “Ziaprazidone” when it should be actually spelt “Ziprasidone”. I would like to remind everyone that Valve is the same company that consistently mispelt Aperture as “Aperature”, and has many hilarious misspellings in model filenames such as “Cursher”, “Vacum”, and “Cabient”. The “Ziaprazidone” is just yet another one of the billion times Valve has misspelt something.

Oh! Another thing too. He tries to say that they shouldn’t use GLaDOS dialogue as evidence, says that you can’t trust what she says about the Companion Cube because she’s lying to the player about the true nature of the Companion Cube...only for him to use a dialogue line from GLaDOS as evidence. (“They are sentient of course, we just have a lot of them.”) Which is a line referring to the Portal 2 iteration of the Cubes, and is a joke on how much of the Aperture facility is made up of sentient AIs. The cubes aren’t actually sentient AIs themselves.

And finally, he then says to listen to the sound of the Companion Cube being fizzled... then uses the sound of the Radio being fizzled. The cube doesn’t even get fizzled in Portal 1, ever, not under intended circumstances atleast. But it does get fizzled in Portal 2, at most 4 times, and every single time it uses the default object fizzling sound. Even if you spawn in the Companion Cube from Portal 1 and fizzle it through cheated-in circumstances, it still plays the normal fizzling sound.

The only thing I don’t have any good debunking evidence for is the name of the Fratricide achievement, which honestly I just think the developers searched up “word for killing someone you love”, saw “Fratricide”, and said “yea thats good lets use it as the achievement name”.

And honestly, even if you ignore everything about MatPat’s theory, and try to just take the theory at face value as simply “The Companion Cubes contain corpses”... I’m sorry it’s just not compelling at all. It’s a theory that tries to make something dark for the sake of making it dark, there’s nothing compelling about it, nor is there anything about Portal that feels improved by it existing, infact, I think it actually makes it worse because it tries to give the Companion Cube a darker element that honestly just sucks.

[buildarocketboys]

Crimson Peak notes @tumbleclub

So I took notes throughout my rewatch so under the cut is basically a live blog of my thoughts and feelings - spoilers for Crimson Peak throughout since I refer to what happens later in the movie from the start.

The main things I want to say about this movie though are 1. It's such a masterpiece of gothic horror. The aesthetic, the story, the characters, the relationships, the SYMBOLISM...all so on point that it almost feels TOO on the nose at times (except it doesn't because I love it. It's perfect, mwah). And 2. I love all the characters. They're all so compelling, they're all, in some ways, sympathetic (yes even Lucille...god forbid women do anything etc etc). I just love watching these fucked up (and less fucked up, shout-out to Alan, you the real MVP) relationships play out, it's so *chef kiss*

Anyway, here's my play by play thoughts. Warnings for incest, murder, horror and gore (although I don't actually talk about the gore much, it's a fairly gory movie when it comes to the murder/attempted murder and such though)

- 'a parasite with a title' go off Edith

- also she'd prefer to be Mary Shelley because she died a widow. She's so metal

- her relationship with her dad is so cute. Shame he dies

- Thomas coming in dressed in black from head to toe...

- also immediately clocking Edith and flirting with her...he knows what he's doing

- the red clay is fucking genius

- London... Edinburgh... Milan 👀

- her dad sees right through him from the start...we have to stan

- For being who are only trying to help Edith, they sure are scary

- LUCILLE!

- THE NOT QUITE LIP KISS

- He really is pushing all Edith's boundaries (and society's boundaries) from the very beginning huh

- "I don't want to close my eyes. I want to keep them open." is an interesting character quote for Edith

- Love Alan indulging her ghost obsession.. besties. But also him mentioning ghosts being minerals in the earth... very interesting..

- from my fiancée @judasisgayriot - "love that this is supposed to be a sunny day but the colour palette is so washed out and dull"

- Lucille ultimate goth queen. Feeding the butterfly to the ants... (Also just noticed that on the DVD cover a butterfly is sitting on Edith's hand...we love symbolism)

- "it's mine I want it back" about the ring. Because she took it from their mother when she killed her but also because SHE'S Thomas's wife

- Dad sees RIGHT through him

- "thoroughly break her heart" and then he comes for her writing. God. Yeah. Fuck him. But he clearly means it "perfection has no place in love" which makes it hurt all the more

- Love that the obvious way to kill him is to either use the razor or drown him in the sink, but no, Lucille fucking bashes his head in on the sink. Kind of badass ngl

- The thing about Edith is she really WANTS to be a protagonist in a ghost story, which is probably why she ignores alllll those red flags

- That said, I DO think she should have picked up on some of them, Jesus girl

- "you've been married a while" + one of the previous wife's dog as soon as they arrive...

- This house is a fucking wreck Thomas!! This would not pass health and safety regulations!! Girl run!

- He really has to stop himself from kissing Lucille. Then definitely smells her

- The bloody pipes... honestly you could be forgiven for thinking it's too on point. Not me though, I love it. The more obvious symbolism the better

- I love the fact that Thomas chose her BECAUSE he actually fell in love with her. Which Lucille CAN'T know (and TBF idk if Thomas even knows himself completely yet. He's playing a role but also he's not)

- GREEN GDT BATHROOM!! One of the jankiest ones, but it's still (crimson) peak!

- I love the bloody mist effect on the ghosts, like they're still bleeding but they're in gaseous form now so so is their blood

- Lucille creeping through the keyhole...

- Edith's fantasy of their childhood vs their Flowers in the Attic reality

- "I don't want her to miss a single thing we do" STAN LUCILLE

- Love her trying to get the lowdown on whether Edith and Thomas have fucked yet

- The huge moths thriving as opposed to the butterflies being eaten...

- Thomas like "You're not like other girls"

- Thomas's workshop and inventions are nice and make him more sympathetic. Definition of poor little miaow miaow. Terrible but also sad and pathetic

- Also these ghosts are fucked up, they definitely didn't just die of being poisoned or whatever.

- Surprised her father's ghost doesn't make an appearance...all the ghosts are women (except for Thomas right at the end)

- Edith: "Has anyone died in this house." Thomas: "Duh, it's a really old house. Americans 🙄"

- Oop...crimson peak mention...too late for poor Edith

- Ohhh shit she's coughing up blood (gdi Lucille giving her poisoned tea)

- I love that she tries to commune with the honestly pretty fucking scary ghosts. She's such a horror girlie

- Oh this one took a cleaver or something to the head

- I'd just stay in the post office and refuse to leave tbh. It looks cosy

- Love that Edith is a writer girlie too

- She's SOOOOOO fucking mad that she slept with him, she almost brains Edith with a fucking saucepan

- Ooooooh the bloody footprints from the clay

- Also Edith doing her little detective bit, stealing the keys

- The basement with the clay vats is so creepy. I mean so is the entire house but yeah. God. Perfect place to hide a body

- She's so mad that he wants Edith to see it

- Lucille DOES love to trauma dump on Edith lol

- Love that this is the first time Thomas explicitly acknowledged the poison tea and tells her not to drink it

- "We stay together. Never apart." "Never apart."

- "You couldn't leave me. You wouldn't." "I can't."

- ALANNN

- Also love that they're talking about the murders, sure, but also the incest. This is a conversation they've had multiple times. And in this one thing, Lucille sees it clearly. Thomas doesn't, or doesn't want to, wants to believe that he can make this work with all three of them, somehow (boy you're dreaming)

- Oop here we go with the sibling fucking!!

- Lucille is so possessive and victorious lmao

- Love that Edith immediately jumps to "you're not his sister" because incest does not compute

- Alan knows her so well so he knows what she means by her mother and crimson peak

- Yassss Thomas stab him non-fatally! King shit (lmao)

- Wow burning the book...cold

- "None of them ever fucked Thomas"

- Poor incest baby 👶

- THE HORROR WAS FOR LOVE

- This speech is everything to me.

- IT IS A MONSTROUS LOVE AND IT MAKES MONSTERS OF US

- "You should have seen him as a child. He was perfect." (Vs perfection has no place in love 👀👀)

- They're so sad honestly. I can't help but feel sorry for them. Even Lucille

- "you lied to me" "I did" "you poisoned me" "I did" "you told me you loved me" "I do" AGGHHHH SO GOOD

- The fact that he thinks they can all start a new life together. Oh honey.

- Interesting that ghost Thomas is white to match the snow instead of red or black like the other ghosts

- She literally heard you the first time Lucille! God! (Badass of her actually)

- Edith's speech with Lucille's ghost playing piano at the end...so good

[jinnaizaemon]

Translated this today because I like the lyrics a lot. Ahh, children anime about cute ninja doing cute things. Please check under the cut for additional notes! Tasogaredoki Zatto Konnamon's character song Nintama Rantarou 20th Anniversary Album Nintama Family Best Selection Performed by Showtarou Morikubo, lyrics by Amako Soubee, composition by Makaino Kouji.

The Grim Reaper compels us, "Get in the grave at once." How laughable. In the end, this world is a one-night stay, And to the Tasogare ninja army, heaven and earth are our coffin. Don't run after the past, and don't hold out hope for the future. With a discarded past and a future out of reach, Fight with all you have in the present.

Souls fly about, Crying and begging for an afterlife. How laughable, Waiting for an afterlife That has yet to come.

We of the twilight don't know what tomorrow is made of. Don't run after the past, and don't hold out hope for the future. With a discarded past and a future out of reach, Fight with all you have in the present.

In the uncertainty of twilight, Empty skulls call out, "Who goes there?" How laughable. Are they still looking for Someone to pray for them after death?

The dusk moon will be the one attending our funerals. Don't run after the past, and don't hold out hope for the future. With a discarded past and a future out of reach, Fight with all you have in the present, For no one knows who will die tomorrow.

There's a bit of adaptation here to make the text flow nicely, but here is some more info that may make you appreciate the lyrics more! Tasogaredoki The name of the castle Zatto belongs to. It means twilight.

In the second Nintama movie, Tasogaredoki Castle is at war (or pretends to be) with their rival Oomagatoki Castle. Oomagatoki also means twilight, with an ominous connotation : if in Nintama it's spelled using the phonetic alphabet, オーマガトキ, actual spellings include 逢魔が時: a "time where you meet demons", or 大禍時, a "time of great calamities". The etymology comes from the superstition that spirits and demons come out in the evening, when less sunlight makes it more difficult to see. But back to tasogaredoki ; in Nintama, as the name of the castle, it's also spelled phonetically as タソガレドキ. The title of the song is also spelled in the katakana phonetical alphabet, so we know it refers to the castle itself. Nowadays, twilight is refered simply as tasogare, spelled 黄昏, with the characters for "yellow" and "dark". Go back in time and you'll find tasogaredoki with the spelling 黄昏時, "yellow", "dark", and "time". Interestingly, yet another spelling of tasogare appears in the song lyrics, one that is a total archaism and is pronounced tasokaredoki. It's spelled 誰そ彼時, and the first three characters, tasokare, means "who is he?", and the last one means "time". Twilight was called like this because as the day grew darker, people became indistinguishable at a distance, making one go "Who is he?". Paired with the oomagatoki superstition that demons sneaks up on you at twilight, it makes Tasogaredoki a fitting name for the most efficient ninja army in Nintama, right?? (as a plus, an archaic way to refer to the dawn would be kawataredoki, with a similar etymology "he is who?", literally haha.)

"The Grim Reaper compels us" "Shinigami" in the original text, or literally a god of death. Not a single entity like the Grim Reaper as there can be multiple shinigami.

"this world is a one-night stay(...) heaven and earth are our coffin."

"this world" is just 世 yo, a world of existence, timed, a lifetime. "heaven and earth" could have also been "the world", 天地 tenchi implies the greater world, heaven and earth.

"...begging for an afterlife (...) waiting for an afterlife..." "Afterlife" appears twice in english, but two different words are used in the original text. Both are buddhist terms, the first occurence is 後生 goshou, and refers to one's immediate next life in the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. It's also used as an interjection for imploring someone to do something. The second is 来世, raisei, is a broader term for the afterlife.

"In the uncertainty of twilight, Empty skulls call out, "Who goes there?"" In the original text, "twilight" and "who goes there?" are the same word, tasokare - so very literally the text would be translated "Who is he?" In a place of impermanence, empty skulls call out." So if you refer yourself to the etymology of twilight I mentioned above, that uncertain place, that place of impermanence where demons might come out and you have to ask who's in front of you is of course twilight!

"Someone to pray for them after death" The original text is more precise as it uses another buddhist term, 回向 (ekou), or transfer of merit. During the funerals, it's prayers and memorial services so the deceased attain a more favourable rebirth. Even after their death, empty skulls still clings to life and for others' sympathy.

"The dusk moon" Another word is used to refer to the time after the sunset that is not tasogare/tasokare here, 薄暮 hakubo, which is when the sky is dimmer and darker after the more red and golden tones of tasogare.

There might be more nuances I missed, but wow!! I have so much respect for Amako-sensei, I want a peek into her head so badly to know more about Zatto and his men...! Anyways, forgive any possible mistakes, I hope you enjoy and it gives you food for thoughts! I may post more nintama things later!

[tauforged]

Could we learn more abour Seiber?

YESS ABSOLUTELY!!

tragically i’m at work rn and have much to be doing so i can’t go TOO too in depth rn, but i CAN give a quick summary of who he is and what his deal is and then link to some other posts i’ve made that go into more detail . he is my silly guy and i liek him :)

- Seiber Starwalker is a NPC in the dnd campaign i’ve been a part of for the past few years now, Feywild’s Folly! He’s an aasimar priest of Mystara*, Goddess of knowledge, who resides in the port town of Horton, which has been kind of serving as the party’s ’home base’ for the past few story arcs. While the chief deity worshipped in Horton is Njord (a god of the sea is going to be pretty popular in a place where a large amount of the population are sailors or dock workers), the religious district is home to a lot of different altars and tertiary places of worship for a myriad of other “””lesser””” deities

( *very early on in the campaign, every single one of us somehow managed to confuse ‘Mystra’ as ‘Mystara’, and it’s been so long that we’ve just rolled with the change. the entire campaign is homebrew anyway so it’s probably like the most insignificant difference from ‘dnd canon’ LMAO but it can cause confusion so i thought id clarify

- to help give our lovely DM a break here and there and also to better involve us all in the worldbuilding and give us chances to shake things up since this has been a very long and convoluted campaign, each of us players get to come up an additional NPC that we can RP as during the course of the campaign in addition to our actual PCs. seiber is mine! :3

- one of the most significant things about him is that, as a part of his vows to mystara, he cannot willingly say or suggest anything that he knows to be false — basically, he can’t lie, and also if anyone asks him a question he knows the answer to he’s compelled to tell them. this is unfortunate for him because despite being a holy man, he’s also not exactly on the up-and-up legally speaking a lot of the time, but if he ever got caught he would be compelled to confess immediately. also because the party uses this to ask him embarrassing questions that he has no choice but to answer because they find it funny to torment him. which is fair. it’s pretty funny to put him in situations

- mystara has no actual problem with any of his antics. she actively encourages him in most situations. he’s her favorite and she’s motivated by curiosity, so on top of egging him on to get into bar fights and send letter bombs to people (long story), she will occasionally physically compel him to do some impulsive thing to satisfy her curiosity. like putting a raw egg in his mouth or touching a hot stove. he’s capable of resisting her if he sees it coming, but he’s often deep in thought and doesn’t notice what’s happening until it’s already been done. there’s no malice on her end — she simply doesn’t always remember that mundane beings have bodies that can sustain permanent harm. he often has to gently remind her that people die when they are killed.

- on the topic of mystara, she knows Literally Everything which in turn makes her quite forgetful. even a god can’t possibly store all the knowledge in the known universe at once, so she’s in a constant state of forgetting and relearning things. this is why her preferred method of ‘worship’ is for her followers to engage in rhings like researching the world around them or learning new hobbies, and why her favorite offerings are academic papers or textbooks or personal anecdotes — she subsists on knowledge and the act of learning itself is what sustains her

- if you squint you might notice he vaguely resembles a certain erm. video game astrophysicist from a bad team shooter whom i still hold dear to my heart. he was originally meant to be a one-off joke reference character but we all got attached to him very quickly and hes just a part of the campaign now despite being a dollar store sigma ovw. it’s fine im better at writing than blizz will ever be. i’m treating him right.

here’s a few more posts about his background / personality / relationship with mystara as well as some art of him and his gf rilith (who is a WHOLE OTHER CAN OF WORMS but as much as i adore her i can’t possibly type any more rn. there’s more about both of them in their respective tags though)

[hexentanzenigma]

Astarion's Name - Meaning - LOTR Elven languages (Quenya/Sindarin)

WILD ASTARION SPOILERS AHEAD ~Sometimes I use Google Translate~ Sorry for the horrible formatting, I'm still figuring out things!

About 20 years ago, instead of taking the train and going to my university and attending my classes, I hid in the local library in my small town to study Sindarin. It was the time of LOTR movie trilogy. Obviously.

It's a shame that Sindarin is much less complete than Quenya, which at the time had some full books (in Italian) dedicated to the grammar. Sindarin had nothing more than this single text file I was able to find (and even in English there wasn't much more), but the challenge was more compelling because it was wonderful to have to rack my brain to create words that Tolkien had never bothered or had reason/time to invent.

Quenya and Sindarin are and sound completely different.

The nice thing was to discuss whether you offered a good translation or whether there was some other better combination.

Quenya therefore remains Tolkien's most used and abused elven language which, I believe, gave the basis to many other elven languages in other settings such as D&D.

Having made this small and useless premise to say that I know how to navigate Tolkien's elven languages, I get to the point:

assuming and probably not granting that whoever came up with this name in Larian did so by studying Quenya or looking for precise grammatical rules rather than simply coming up with it because the sound was beautiful or deriving it from another name...

let's see the meaning a little, without being too technical.

ASTAR-ION

ASTAR

There are a few things called "astar" in Quenya.

1) the plural of "asta", that is a part of something else, almost always referred to a part of the year, a month. This wouldn't make any sense.

2) faith, loyalty (not belief) In Sindarin it's "astor", with the same meaning, pretty similar.

So "Faith"/"Loyalty" might be the right one.

-ION

About "ion" we must delve a little deeper and see both Quenya and Sindarin.

In Quenya "ion" means "from whom" or "of whom". It's a plural pronoun in genitive of "ye" - "who". We have also yondo, meaning "son" (the origin of this word is far more complex than this, so I'll keep it simple) but in some of Tolkien writings it means also "boy". Later in time, yondo as "son" would be replaced by anon.

This gives to -ion a patronymic use to say "son or descendant of". Like Russian ones (example: Boris Ivanovich, Boris son of Ivan) or Icelandic ones (Hallur Einarsson - Hallur son of Einar).

In Tolkien's works, for example, we have Isildurioni - "son/descendant of Isildur".

In Sindarin instead, "ion(n)" means "son" or "boy" as in Quenya, if used on its own.

But -ion as a suffix of a name, is THE Sindarin patronymic. No other use. The MASCULINE patronymic meaning "son (male child) of".

Gil-Galad is also called Ereinion (Scion of Kings) Inglorion (Son of Inglor)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So we could translate Astarion as the most simple meaning of the name, “Astarion - Son of the Faith”.

It would already be very appropriate.

Astarion, paradoxically, had a lot of faith in his heart. Faith also understood as hope.

The hope of one day freeing himself from Cazador's slavery and regaining his free will.

Faith in himself, not in Gods and heroes, that he prayed so much without anyone answering his prayers or coming to help him.

But what if, considering the two assumptions that now I write below, the meaning was more literal?

Assumption 1 - Astarion's tombstone says he lived only 39 years. Very few for an Elf. I still don't know if the dates are officially correct or something on Larian's part is incorrect, but let's leave it as it is.

Assumption 2 - In D&D 5e, elves appear to age like humans until they reach an "adult" appearance/maturity. Once physically adults, their life expectancy extends enormously and can reach 700-750 years. It's logical in fact that they do not remain vulnerable children for around 200 years, but spend most of their lives as adults.

Their concept of maturity, however, is completely on a voluntary basis: around 100/110 years of age, when an Elf feels ready, they declare that they're mature and take on an adult name, replacing the "child" one.

Between the reach of physical maturity and the social declaration of maturity, elves are considered whimsical, chaotic, prone to indulge in vices and desires, too emotional. They need to study, travel, explore, and accumulate wisdom and nurtore their personal knowledge and culture because this will "calm down" their mind. This is because of their Fey ancestry, their connection to the Feywild.

MY SMALL (CRACK) THEORY

What if “Astarion” was not “son of faith” but “son of Astar”, having not yet declared his independence as an adult Elf and "Astarion" represents his "child name"?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PERSONAL NOTES

Keep in mind that I share this more for fun than because I actually believe it. It's nice material for a few headcanons.

Honestly I don't think Larian put together Astarion's name from Quenya or Sindarin rather than the Elvish language from D&D, since there is one.

Personally I hope that in the future Larian will explain more about Astarion's age, because personally I don't really like the idea of him being under the Elven age of maturity. I would have preferred him at least about 150 years old, excluding the 200 spent as a slave.

It's true that Elves mature like humans, so 40 years are 40 years for everyone, so he IS physically 40 years old, he IS adult, he HAD his own important career. He just wasn't "socially adult" for the Elven culture.

But, speaking about age, would you like to know my take about the dates on Astarion's headstone?

[musical-chick-13]

Oh my god, oh my god, Mamao x Suirei!!!!

YEAH

Obligatory "I have not read the light novels, so some of these questions probably get answered," but. Every single thing about this dynamic makes me to the real life equivalent of the eyes emoji. Why does Suirei give Maomao a warning when she wanders into a forbidden area of the court? She didn't have to. Given the other court ladies' reactions to Maomao, that might have even been a risk. Suirei's very complicated assassination plan has been in the making for a while, and letting anything about it slip is definitely a risk. Why give Maomao any hint of the "resurrection drug" and test her in the first place? Is she looking for an ally? Is she just happy that someone might be able to keep up with her medicinal knowledge? Does she have any sort of sympathy for Maomao because of this? Why does Maomao think she's capable of identifying whether Suirei would be the type of person to kill herself when she barely knows her? Maomao has met other intelligent people (who she did not ever think were going to kill her with a scythe), why are her respect for and excitation over Suirei so intense?

Suirei was able to catch onto Maomao's interest in medicine almost immediately, just from seeing her go somewhere she wasn't supposed to. Maomao takes note of what she smells like. And when she's complaining about not having Suirei's drugs, the memory we see onscreen isn't of the hill or of Suirei gathering herbs or of the coffin, it's just...Suirei standing up, looking into the distance and specifically mentioning morning glories--it wasn't of her specifically mentioning the Resurrection Drug, it was of her saying the comment that was specifically meant as a test for Maomao (okay, yes, I know this is a stretch, let me live).

And a lot of this is wrapped up in the fact that finally someone in Maomao's orbit also possesses medicinal skills and is good at making use of them. But given how committed we've seen Maomao be in regard to making sure harmful behavior gets acknowledged as harmful (such as her intimidating defense of Lishu's food allergies, absolutely losing it over the poisonous face powder, turning Fengming in, actively putting herself at risk of violence to stop the ceremony that was meant to assassinate Jinshi, even her refusal to refer to her parents as her parents and have a relationship with Lakan), for her reaction to Suirei trying to destabilize the entire political atmosphere to be not only a lack of condemnation but active enthusiasm for her intelligence is...that is a HUGE deal.

We haven't really seen Maomao get this feral over anyone on a personal level. And Suirei has no logical reason (that we know of) to take an interest in Maomao (who is a complete unknown and possible roadblock to Suirei's plans) at all. I am very much looking forward to seeing more of them when season 2 happens (and in the light novels if I get around to reading them), and I hope this ship gains more traction because THEY GREATLY COMPEL ME.

[catvampire]

i saw your reblog of the Matt gifset and what do you mean by "they ruined both of you for this arc?" I get that they made Barnes more despicable in cm compared to cmbb but what about Matt? Is it that the lack of references to his time in the IRT or his reduced role in the Barnes storyline despite their established history in favor of JJ or something else?

it's two different issues, it was just funnier to say that

my bigger issue is barnes, who was absolutely stripped of any and all actual characteristics she had, including but not limited to her positive sides. and god, you can see kim try to do interesting, non-obvious choices, like the few times where she plays some lines like she might just genuinely confused about the hostility and is trying to understand the team better on some level. they took away not just the nuance in her, but also just the most basic fucking things about her, down to using chess metaphors when she specifically says that she "likes boxing" when asked about her aptitude in understanding internal politics as chess. she even got an even shorter haircut than in cmbb, just so we all know she's an Evil Woman.

as for matt. they actually brought in something from the IRT. they actually had something tying to the other show. they could've actually displayed the emotional impact that barnes on matt, allowed for a character episode that ties into something other than family, and expands on the circumstances that led to him transferring. the set-up had SO MUCH POTENTIAL. in blowback, barnes tried to hammer the IRT down when she had every reason to think they were at fault, but eventually took a risk and arrested someone while knowing full well she would make waves and would need to quiet down some details as soon as the evidence was on the IRT's side. in the finale, she pushes for the rules hard, very clearly emotionally distancing herself in the situation bc there's just nothing that be done until jack's wife gets through her and she tells IRT to break the law to get ryan. and after that, presumably they got caught anyway and the unit is disbanded. that's twice she's been an antagonist, twice that she's been the key to saving the day; once fully by the book (if mismanaged by her temper and desire to get things Done over doing things with care), and once by breaking it, which turned out for the worst.

so here we have matt, whom i see as "compassion within the rules" and needs extreme circumstances to blatantly break from that, against barnes, who is "rules regardless of compassion (so make the compassion fit within the rules or help you god)". the bau has had a string of extremely risky behaviour, some acts that absolutely err on the side of wrong from a bureaucratic perspective, and after multiple already concerning events that have included the team, an agent finally died. it is the perfect storm to introduce her to, matt being the perfect opponent and the reason to care about and fear barnes.

so how in the fuck do you manage to not make matt the main character in the ensemble for a single episode during the entire four episode arc.

HOW DO YOU WRITE A THIRD OF THE SEASON TO REVOLVE AROUND THIS AND AT EVERY POINT, THE MOST OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ITS IMPACT ON MATT IS THROUGH REACTION SHOTS SHARED WITH OTHER PEOPLE

HOW IS MATT A MARGIN MENTION IN AN ARC ABOUT HIS OWN ANTAGONIST. WHY IS IT SPENCER THAT COMPELS EMILY TO STAY AND NOT MATT, WITH WHOM EMILY ALREADY HAD A PRE-BAU DYNAMIC WITH AND WHO OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE THE ONE GOING "I KNOW WHAT'S AT STAKE, AND YOU SHOULD STILL STAY."

anyway tl:dr; barnes being ruined was about her character, matt about the writing of the episodes

[renaissanceclassics]

Up From Slavery: Part 12

of 18 parts. Chapter XI. Making Their Beds Before They Could Lie On Them

A little later in the history of the school we had a visit from General J.F.B. Marshall, the Treasurer of the Hampton Institute, who had had faith enough to lend us the first two hundred and fifty dollars with which to make a payment down on the farm.

He remained with us a week, and made a careful inspection of everything. He seemed well pleased with our progress, and wrote back interesting and encouraging reports to Hampton. A little later Miss Mary F. Mackie, the teacher who had given me the "sweeping" examination when I entered Hampton, came to see us, and still later General Armstrong himself came.

At the time of the visits of these Hampton friends the number of teachers at Tuskegee had increased considerably, and the most of the new teachers were graduates of the Hampton Institute. We gave our Hampton friends, especially General Armstrong, a cordial welcome. They were all surprised and pleased at the rapid progress that the school had made within so short a time. The coloured people from miles around came to the school to get a look at General Armstrong, about whom they had heard so much. The General was not only welcomed by the members of my own race, but by the Southern white people as well.

This first visit which General Armstrong made to Tuskegee gave me an opportunity to get an insight into his character such as I had not before had. I refer to his interest in the Southern white people. Before this I had had the thought that General Armstrong, having fought the Southern white man, rather cherished a feeling of bitterness toward the white South, and was interested in helping only the coloured man there. But this visit convinced me that I did not know the greatness and the generosity of the man. I soon learned, by his visits to the Southern white people, and from his conversations with them, that he was as anxious about the prosperity and the happiness of the white race as the black. He cherished no bitterness against the South, and was happy when an opportunity offered for manifesting his sympathy. In all my acquaintance with General Armstrong I never heard him speak, in public or in private, a single bitter word against the white man in the South. From his example in this respect I learned the lesson that great men cultivate love, and that only little men cherish a spirit of hatred. I learned that assistance given to the weak makes the one who gives it strong; and that oppression of the unfortunate makes one weak.

It is now long ago that I learned this lesson from General Armstrong, and resolved that I would permit no man, no matter what his colour might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him. With God's help, I believe that I have completely rid myself of any ill feeling toward the Southern white man for any wrong that he may have inflicted upon my race. I am made to feel just as happy now when I am rendering service to Southern white men as when the service is rendered to a member of my own race. I pity from the bottom of my heart any individual who is so unfortunate as to get into the habit of holding race prejudice.

The more I consider the subject, the more strongly I am convinced that the most harmful effect of the practice to which the people in certain sections of the South have felt themselves compelled to resort, in order to get rid of the force of the Negroes' ballot, is not wholly in the wrong done to the Negro, but in the permanent injury to the morals of the white man. The wrong to the Negro is temporary, but to the morals of the white man the injury is permanent. I have noted time and time again that when an individual perjures himself in order to break the force of the black man's ballot, he soon learns to practise dishonesty in other relations of life, not only where the Negro is concerned, but equally so where a white man is concerned. The white man who begins by cheating a Negro usually ends by cheating a white man. The white man who begins to break the law by lynching a Negro soon yields to the temptation to lynch a white man. All this, it seems to me, makes it important that the whole Nation lend a hand in trying to lift the burden of ignorance from the South.

Another thing that is becoming more apparent each year in the development of education in the South is the influence of General Armstrong's idea of education; and this not upon the blacks alone, but upon the whites also. At the present time there is almost no Southern state that is not putting forth efforts in the direction of securing industrial education for its white boys and girls, and in most cases it is easy to trace the history of these efforts back to General Armstrong.

Soon after the opening of our humble boarding department students began coming to us in still larger numbers. For weeks we not only had to contend with the difficulty of providing board, with no money, but also with that of providing sleeping accommodations. For this purpose we rented a number of cabins near the school. These cabins were in a dilapidated condition, and during the winter months the students who occupied them necessarily suffered from the cold. We charge the students eight dollars a month—all they were able to pay—for their board. This included, besides board, room, fuel, and washing. We also gave the students credit on their board bills for all the work which they did for the school which was of any value to the institution. The cost of tuition, which was fifty dollars a year for each student, we had to secure then, as now, wherever we could.

This small charge in cash gave us no capital with which to start a boarding department. The weather during the second winter of our work was very cold. We were not able to provide enough bed-clothes to keep the students warm. In fact, for some time we were not able to provide, except in a few cases, bedsteads and mattresses of any kind. During the coldest nights I was so troubled about the discomfort of the students that I could not sleep myself. I recall that on several occasions I went in the middle of the night to the shanties occupied by the young men, for the purpose of confronting them. Often I found some of them sitting huddled around a fire, with the one blanket which we had been able to provide wrapped around them, trying in this way to keep warm. During the whole night some of them did not attempt to lie down. One morning, when the night previous had been unusually cold, I asked those of the students in the chapel who thought that they had been frostbitten during the night to raise their hands. Three hands went up. Notwithstanding these experiences, there was almost no complaining on the part of the students. They knew that we were doing the best that we could for them. They were happy in the privilege of being permitted to enjoy any kind of opportunity that would enable them to improve their condition. They were constantly asking what they might do to lighten the burdens of the teachers.

I have heard it stated more than once, both in the North and in the South, that coloured people would not obey and respect each other when one member of the race is placed in a position of authority over others. In regard to this general belief and these statements, I can say that during the nineteen years of my experience at Tuskegee I never, either by word or act, have been treated with disrespect by any student or officer connected with the institution. On the other hand, I am constantly embarrassed by the many acts of thoughtful kindness. The students do not seem to want to see me carry a large book or a satchel or any kind of a burden through the grounds. In such cases more than one always offers to relieve me. I almost never go out of my office when the rain is falling that some student does not come to my side with an umbrella and ask to be allowed to hold it over me.

While writing upon this subject, it is a pleasure for me to add that in all my contact with the white people of the South I have never received a single personal insult. The white people in and near Tuskegee, to an especial degree, seem to count it as a privilege to show me all the respect within their power, and often go out of their way to do this.

Not very long ago I was making a journey between Dallas (Texas) and Houston. In some way it became known in advance that I was on the train. At nearly every station at which the train stopped, numbers of white people, including in most cases of the officials of the town, came aboard and introduced themselves and thanked me heartily for the work that I was trying to do for the South.

On another occasion, when I was making a trip from Augusta, Georgia, to Atlanta, being rather tired from much travel, I rode in a Pullman sleeper. When I went into the car, I found there two ladies from Boston whom I knew well. These good ladies were perfectly ignorant, it seems, of the customs of the South, and in the goodness of their hearts insisted that I take a seat with them in their section. After some hesitation I consented. I had been there but a few minutes when one of them, without my knowledge, ordered supper to be served for the three of us. This embarrassed me still further. The car was full of Southern white men, most of whom had their eyes on our party. When I found that supper had been ordered, I tried to contrive some excuse that would permit me to leave the section, but the ladies insisted that I must eat with them. I finally settled back in my seat with a sigh, and said to myself, "I am in for it now, sure."

To add further to the embarrassment of the situation, soon after the supper was placed on the table one of the ladies remembered that she had in her satchel a special kind of tea which she wished served, and as she said she felt quite sure the porter did not know how to brew it properly, she insisted upon getting up and preparing and serving it herself. At last the meal was over; and it seemed the longest one that I had ever eaten. When we were through, I decided to get myself out of the embarrassing situation and go to the smoking-room, where most of the men were by that time, to see how the land lay. In the meantime, however, it had become known in some way throughout the car who I was. When I went into the smoking-room I was never more surprised in my life than when each man, nearly every one of them a citizen of Georgia, came up and introduced himself to me and thanked me earnestly for the work that I was trying to do for the whole South. This was not flattery, because each one of these individuals knew that he had nothing to gain by trying to flatter me.

From the first I have sought to impress the students with the idea that Tuskegee is not my institution, or that of the officers, but that it is their institution, and that they have as much interest in it as any of the trustees or instructors. I have further sought to have them feel that I am at the institution as their friend and adviser, and not as their overseer. It has been my aim to have them speak with directness and frankness about anything that concerns the life of the school. Two or three times a year I ask the students to write me a letter criticising or making complaints or suggestions about anything connected with the institution. When this is not done, I have them meet me in the chapel for a heart-to-heart talk about the conduct of the school. There are no meetings with our students that I enjoy more than these, and none are more helpful to me in planning for the future. These meetings, it seems to me, enable me to get at the very heart of all that concerns the school. Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him. When I have read of labour troubles between employers and employees, I have often thought that many strikes and similar disturbances might be avoided if the employers would cultivate the habit of getting nearer to their employees, of consulting and advising with them, and letting them feel that the interests of the two are the same. Every individual responds to confidence, and this is not more true of any race than of the Negroes. Let them once understand that you are unselfishly interested in them, and you can lead them to any extent.

It was my aim from the first at Tuskegee to not only have the buildings erected by the students themselves, but to have them make their own furniture as far as was possible. I now marvel at the patience of the students while sleeping upon the floor while waiting for some kind of a bedstead to be constructed, or at their sleeping without any kind of a mattress while waiting for something that looked like a mattress to be made.

In the early days we had very few students who had been used to handling carpenters' tools, and the bedsteads made by the students then were very rough and very weak. Not unfrequently when I went into the students' rooms in the morning I would find at least two bedsteads lying about on the floor. The problem of providing mattresses was a difficult one to solve. We finally mastered this, however, by getting some cheap cloth and sewing pieces of this together as to make large bags. These bags we filled with the pine straw—or, as it is sometimes called, pine needles—which we secured from the forests near by. I am glad to say that the industry of mattress-making has grown steadily since then, and has been improved to such an extent that at the present time it is an important branch of the work which is taught systematically to a number of our girls, and that the mattresses that now come out of the mattress-shop at Tuskegee are about as good as those bought in the average store. For some time after the opening of the boarding department we had no chairs in the students' bedrooms or in the dining rooms. Instead of chairs we used stools which the students constructed by nailing together three pieces of rough board. As a rule, the furniture in the students' rooms during the early days of the school consisted of a bed, some stools, and sometimes a rough table made by the students. The plan of having the students make the furniture is still followed, but the number of pieces in a room has been increased, and the workmanship has so improved that little fault can be found with the articles now. One thing that I have always insisted upon at Tuskegee is that everywhere there should be absolute cleanliness. Over and over again the students were reminded in those first years—and are reminded now—that people would excuse us for our poverty, for our lack of comforts and conveniences, but that they would not excuse us for dirt.

Another thing that has been insisted upon at the school is the use of the tooth-brush. "The gospel of the tooth-brush," as General Armstrong used to call it, is part of our creed at Tuskegee. No student is permitted to retain who does not keep and use a tooth-brush. Several times, in recent years, students have come to us who brought with them almost no other article except a tooth-brush. They had heard from the lips of other students about our insisting upon the use of this, and so, to make a good impression, they brought at least a tooth-brush with them. I remember that one morning, not long ago, I went with the lady principal on her usual morning tour of inspection of the girls' rooms. We found one room that contained three girls who had recently arrived at the school. When I asked them if they had tooth-brushes, one of the girls replied, pointing to a brush: "Yes, sir. That is our brush. We bought it together, yesterday." It did not take them long to learn a different lesson.

It has been interesting to note the effect that the use of the tooth-brush has had in bringing about a higher degree of civilization among the students. With few exceptions, I have noticed that, if we can get a student to the point where, when the first or second tooth-brush disappears, he of his own motion buys another, I have not been disappointed in the future of that individual. Absolute cleanliness of the body has been insisted upon from the first. The students have been taught to bathe as regularly as to take their meals. This lesson we began teaching before we had anything in the shape of a bath-house. Most of the students came from plantation districts, and often we had to teach them how to sleep at night; that is, whether between the two sheets—after we got to the point where we could provide them two sheets—or under both of them. Naturally I found it difficult to teach them to sleep between two sheets when we were able to supply but one. The importance of the use of the night-gown received the same attention.

For a long time one of the most difficult tasks was to teach the students that all the buttons were to be kept on their clothes, and that there must be no torn places or grease-spots. This lesson, I am pleased to be able to say, has been so thoroughly learned and so faithfully handed down from year to year by one set of students to another that often at the present time, when the students march out of the chapel in the evening and their dress is inspected, as it is every night, not one button is found to be missing.

[dankusner]

Dr. Phil makes a compelling case for the role of faith in society when he states:

“I was raised in the Southern Baptist church…

The benefit of going to church is not some vague notion.

It is demonstrably helpful.

Our Founders saw that.

They knew they wanted a separation of church and state — they didn’t want us governed by any single religion — but at the same time they felt religion in general was essential if we were going to have good and decent citizens, and that good and decent citizens were essential to a successful country.

That’s why you see references to God woven into the fabric and words of our founding documents.”

[marvel-ousmondays]

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

So, it's no secret that Edward Norton got dropped and swapped for Mark Ruffalo in the MCU. That said, there is a small scene at the end of the movie that does connect, as well as some more recent references back to both the Abomination and Samuel Sterns, making it still a necessary part of this insane quest.

Plus, Edward Norton is a good actor and I enjoyed the movie the first time, so might as well.

I'm not going to be able to stop myself from comparing Norton's Hulk to Ruffalo's, so I'm just going to be direct about it. Both have a sadness but Norton's is more desperate and striving, where Ruffalo's is more depressed and resigned. While I like Norton's acting, I actually am glad in this case they switched to Ruffalo (all the drama notwithstanding- I'll actually say it sounds like Norton may have gotten a raw deal from the studios) because I think Mark fits better with the team. Mark Ruffalo's strength is he CAN blend into the background and NOT be forgotten. He can be part of a team, not the star, and yet you still care about him, still WANT to know what happens to him.

Norton can't. His acting demands attention from the audience and I mean that in an absolutely positive way. When Edward Norton is on screen, you CANNOT pay attention to anything or anyone not directly interacting with him. For someone normally so softspoken, his presence is commanding and I cannot see how that would have jived with the rest of the Avengers' cast.

All right, on to the movie.

I've got to start off discussing the grittiness again. That's the word that just stands out to me on these re-watches: the first movies are gritty. They're dark. The banter is there but there is an undercurrent of living in a rotten world . I'm watching for when this changes and shifts, because I know it does. I didn't have that feeling when I went to The Marvels or when I've been watching Loki- Season 2. (Yes, I am also watching new stuff because I live in the real world and want to discuss that stuff with friends and could never complete my ENTIRE MCU GOD DANG IT challenge in a timely fashion.)

Thinking about it, these first two movies feel like they fit in the Venom universe more than the actual MCU. Hmm.

On a more comic note, I joked with a friend that the title of this film should be changed to "The Incredible Running Man." The amount of shots just of people running, especially at the beginning, is crazy.

Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/the Abomination is really compelling. I found this doubly interesting as I noted how much smaller (stature wise) he is than many of the other soldier actors. His fire as a fighter stands out even though he's NOT the epitome of brawn.

The writers depictions of women in this movie frustrated me this round. First of all, I count 3 females TOTAL. We have Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, we have the 1 female soldier (that's it- we get one people) and she's outright called a bitch by Blonsky's character, and we get Marianna, the ONE (again- really- there were no other female actors?) female at the factory. I'm sure there will be some excuse about this making Betty stand out or whatever (never mind that that doesn't stop them from having plenty of male actors in movies where the female hero is the focus). But what doubly frustrates me is that Betty is supposed to be this super scientist and yet she does really dumb stuff. The big one for me on this was when they pawned the necklace to be able to travel to Sterns (because they only had $40) and she BUYS A DIGITAL CAMERA. Guys, this was 2008- digital cameras weren't cheap. Phone cameras SUCKED at that time, if you even had one. Why would she EVER have spent that money? Because the director wanted to have her look at a photo later, that's why. (I want just 1 single mom on a budget in every writer's room to say things like "They wouldn't do that, you morons.")

I liked the use of the smartwatch with the pulse tracker both when I first watched it and now. That is a factor I kind of wish they would have kept in some way- though I know they went more with the "I'm always angry" method.

Time for a sidebar- there's a LOT of internet discussion about what it means to be worthy in terms of wielding Thor's hammer. I haven't stumbled as much into discussions about anger and Hulk's "powers." The closest was the discussions about the scene in She-Hulk (which I haven't seen at all, except for that clip where he's trying to teach her how to control it and is frustrated at how easily she manages). I think anger is an emotion that doesn't get dissected enough. It's usually labeled as bad and thrown in the bin. But anger can be good- it can propel someone to make changes or stand up for what's right. This movie does a great job of showing that a LOT of Hulk's anger only really rears up when Betty is in danger. It's a protective impulse, not a destructive one. Obviously, unchecked, it's terrible and terrifying but within proper contexts, anger can be its own superpower.

This one overall did feel a bit slower on the re-watch, but I do think the fact that I now know it doesn't connect as much to the others made me impatient. It's still a solid film and worthy to see if you haven't.

Note for me:

Directed by: Louis Leterrier

[the-hem]

56. The Svetasvatara Upanishad, "The Exploration of the Mysteries of the White Stallions."

The Svetasvatara Upanishad (swa-tay-shwa-tara oopahnishad) was written around 6th-5th centuries BCE and is numbered 56 of 108. The subject matter refers to the fastest way across the river of sadness and the delusions that cause them, via the white stallions of the well-trained mind, faculties, body, and engagements with their interests.

In #55, the Sarva Sara Upanishad we learn how proper engagement with the phenomena around us explain us to ourselves, how they enhance our experiences of God and help us solve the problems of animosity, violence, and disgrace.

#56 takes us farther explaining how God is interlaced with the phenomenal reality and makes a compelling case for a deeper relationship with Him.

Here begins the Upanishad.

Om! May Brahman protect us both together. May He nourish us both together. May we both work together, with great energy. May our study be vigorous and effective. May we not hate each other. Om! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

I-1: Students of Brahman [the Holy Spirit] (i.e. the Vedas) discuss (among themselves):

What is the cause ? (Is it) Brahman ? Whence are we born ? Why do we live ? Where is our final rest ? Under whose orders are we, who know the Brahman, subjected to the law of happiness and misery ?

Brahman is a term unique to Vedanta, the study of the accumulated knowledge of God. The only term that comes close is Kursi, or "throne" from Arabic a term used to explain how infinite reality couches Allah.

Both refer to the subtle being of God that orders existence and sets the conditions by which life comes into being. We do the rest:

I-2: Time, nature, law, chance, matter, energy, intelligence – neither these, nor combination of these, can bear examination because of their own birth, identity and the existence of the self. The self also is not a free agent, being under the sway of happiness and misery.

I-3: Practising the method of meditation, they realized that Being who is the God of religion, the Self of philosophy and the Energy of science; who exists as the self-luminous power in everyone; who is the source of the intellect, emotions and will; who is one without a second; who presides over all the causes enumerated above, beginning with time and ending with the individual soul; and who had been incomprehensible because of the limitations of their own intellect.

The word "tara" to cross which is in the title of the Upanishad means a conscious decision to leave the delusory limitations we have imposed upon self and society behind. We have no choice over how we are born, but we choose the rest, up to and including how we are going to feel about life when we eventually die.

It is unconscionable to expect the hundreds of millions of people we have abandoned to poverty, war, apartheid, racism, homophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and bigotry to get their mini skirts and pom pons out and Cheer For Life to be sure, these are hardly the result of brain farts in the minds of their sufferers.

We can however examine their causes and spare no expense, amount of time, talent, technology and effort addressing their causes all of which are political.

The objective of the Upanishad is to explain away the need for politics and dogma and end their unnecessary turbulence in our lives. The discussion begins here begins by explaining our options:

I-4: We think of Him as the universe resembling a wheel which has one felly with a triple tyre, sixteen extremities, fifty spokes, twenty counter-spokes and six sets of eight; which is driven along three different roads by means of a belt that is single yet manifold; and which each revolution gives rise to two.

The analogy of God as a kind of wheel with all these parts refers, much like Muhammad's idea of Kursi which means "throne" to explain how God fits in with all He makes.

The felly or outer rim of the wheel is the embodied soul which has three "tyres" the body mind and intellect, sixteen parts which include hands, arms, feet, toes, eyes, ears, rooster, clamshell, mouth, anus, etc. the three roads are delusion, ambition, and sainthood, the belt refers to the ingrained habits all the rest combine to drive the egoself forward and the two roads lead, respectively, to sadness and satisfaction.

I-5: We think of Him (in His manifestation as the universe) who is like a river that contains the waters of five streams; that has five big turnings due to five causes; that has the five Pranas "causes of life" for the waves, the mind – the basis of five-fold perception – for the source, and the five-fold misery for its rapids; and that has five whirlpools, five branches and innumerable aspects.

How the five senses respond to the desires they wish to lock horns with determines which direction the wheel will turn. If they work together and turn towards grace, we find God and He finds us, now and forever; otherwise, the soul and its owner risk being lost:

I-6: In this infinite wheel of Brahman, in which everything lives and rests, the pilgrim soul is whirled about. Knowing the individual soul, hitherto regarded as separate, to be itself the Moving Force, and blessed by Him, it attains immortality.

I-7: This is expressly declared to be the Supreme Brahman. In that is the triad. It is the firm support, and it is the imperishable. Knowing the inner essence of this, the knowers of Veda become devoted to Brahman, merge themselves in It, and are released from birth.

All notions of birth and immortality in the Upanishads refer to one's level of understanding. We do not live forever, but we are capable of ending the rebirths of flawed cycles of history and bad habits in our lives and make the most of the portion of infinite time God has given us.

[kernowfurn11]

DRESSING TABLES

A woman's petition addressed to God, "Please, God, bless me with a lot of money so that I can buy the dresses that I adore, the cosmetics that will make me look even better, the accessories that will make me look stunning, and the ideal dressing table that has a huge mirror so that I can admire myself for as long as I want. Thank you. Give me a lover who can praise me each and every day, and then everything else will be fine."

Women have the desire to dress up in the most unexpected ways, and they like to play with a lot of different colours; the game of dress-ups starts when they are five years old and it never really stops for them. Her mother introduced her to her first colourful frocks and skirts, along with a pair of matching bellies and colourful hairbands, which sparked the beginning of her lifelong fascination with playing dress-up. As she matures into a lovely young lady, she develops a taste that is all her own and a style that is one of a kind. Her new assortment includes a bewildering collection of cosmetics, which includes everything from dark black kohl for her beautiful eyes to the versatility of lipsticks and an entire spectrum of nail polish. When the time comes for her to get married, she already runs her very own cosmetics business out of the house, which she affectionately refers to as her "Dressing Table."

The dressing table in a woman's room quickly becomes her favourite piece of furniture, and she exerts a great deal of effort to ensure that it is adorned with the most up-to-date accessories, which causes the other women in the room to be green with envy. This extravagant piece of furniture in the bedroom creates an upbeat atmosphere in the space and quickly became her go-to confidante when she needed advice or support.

Even though it is true that all contemporary homes are equipped with a dressing table in the master bedroom, there are still some properties that do not feature a specific room that is reserved for the use of the female members of the household. If you live in a home that does not have a spacious and luxurious dressing table, then you should not waste any more time thinking about purchasing one; rather, you should pick up the laptop and place an order for one from an online store as soon as possible. Keep in mind that you are the woman of the house, and as such, you are deserving of the things that will make you feel beautiful and confident about who you are.

The following are some of the most compelling arguments in favour of purchasing a dressing table:

A serene and relaxing environment is waiting for you here. Women are typically overburdened with a significant amount of housework, and at times, their place of employment can also drive them insane; in these situations, they look for a cosy space that they can retreat to in order to regain their composure. A dressing table is an essential piece of furniture for their room. It provides them with a place to sit in front of the mirror and verbalise whatever is on their mind without feeling self-conscious or concerned about the outside world.

You are the object of a person's admiration and desire. If you want a companion who is always there for you and who admires you no matter what, then having a dressing table in your home can be a very beneficial investment. To paraphrase an old proverb, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," keep in mind that you are the beauty, and the fantastic piece of furniture that you have in your home is the best way to satisfy your need for a beholder.

It doesn't utter a single word and it won't tell you that your appearance is unattractive. A woman's worst fear is being perceived as being overweight. Do you feel annoyed when your lover says yes about the fact that you look fat in that little black dress? Do you think you look fat in that dress? That won't be happening any longer, that's for sure. The only thing you need to do is invest in a dressing table and then spend some time praising yourself in front of it for the person you have been throughout your entire life. It will smile back at you if you give it a friendly greeting, making this the ideal romantic pairing.

The ideal piece of furniture for storing your makeup, hair accessories, and other items in one convenient location. Are you bothered by all of your petty concerns? Are you worried that you won't be able to find your red lipstick in time for your date? If you buy a dressing table that has a few storage compartments, then you won't have to worry about this issue at all. With the help of these minuscule sections, you'll be able to store your pricey cosmetics, the hair accessories, and other items in the appropriate location, which will make it easier for you to locate them when you require them the most.

A subtly sophisticated dressing table in the bedroom establishes a personal connection with you and quickly becomes a trusted confidante. Additionally, there is no question that the presence of this magnificent piece of furniture motivates every woman to dress with a purpose on a daily basis.

The concept of getting dressed up, as well as the belief that there is no better companion than the dressing table, which typically features a large mirror and an excessive amount of accessories. The author's association with Wooden Street has taken the fascination to a new level with their phenomenal collection of dressing tables, which enables you to lend your dressing tables a more distinctive stamp of your own personality.