#literally i will be visualizing myself as Me and just vibing in the moment

[friendofthecrows]

It's so fun being genderfluid and not bisexual with DID bc sometimes I'll slip up and say things like "he's pretty but I'm too straight for that" completely forgetting the fact that I am a lesbian. I mean straight as in attracted to women. Gender is confusing.

[himejoshiangels]

batgirl 2000 reread bcs I'm crazyy...IM NUTS!!!

her and that damned rose..what does it all MEAN!!! it makes a reappearance l8r...also I missed this dynamic so so bad. me when I'm in a seeing my kids as an extension of myself competition and my opponent is Bruce Wayne

I always forget how fucking potent and tension filled the first arc of this comic is man. it's like, bcs cass can't speak or even have thought bubbles everything's communicated via her actions or the words of the ppl around her. every panel she's in has to be chock-full of emotion and every time she interacted with someone the implications and the ffUCKKKKK‼️

the atmosphere in this damn comic man

I dunno man not to "back in my day!" when it wasn't even my day. but comics these days don't trust the audience even a little. there's always gotta be paragraphs of text having a character explicitly state every detail of their motivation and like not that old comics didn't also do that but at least the words they wrote were pretty like fuck man who are they hiring to write this shit anymorw

this transition is straight out of a movie. I know we say this with literally everything but if ANY comic in the world should get an animated show it has to be this one. top contender. it's formulated like one already, it's episodic w perfect overall themes and bigger plots. even the vibe is perfect, the grainy mtv cartoon thing it has going. every day I pray for a batgirl 2000 cartoon it'd go so crazy jsut adapt the shit straight

batgirl 2000 just keeps hitting you and doesn't let up bcs in the same episode SORRY issue..where cass meets lady Shiva for the first time is also the same issue where babs first begins to address her as Cassandra

^^WHICH IS CRAZY bcs we have to keep in mind that up to this point cass is nameless, she's only been referred to as batgirl. this is one of the first times she goes out as not batgirl too tho, bcs Bruce benched her. it's GAHHHHH that whole thing where vigilantes angst and drama abt titles and legacies and their individual identities is exacerbated so so bad for cass bcs batgirl is the first name she's ever given. like it's all she ever knew and ever was. Cassandra came after and THIS

THIS PANEL RUGHT HERE ohhh my god it makes me crazy. she's only batgirl. she doesn't even have the words to explain it yet. she's only a reflection of the city she's sworn to protect its all she is and at first its lowkey all Bruce let's her be. not to mention. her relationship w babs, I'll speak on them l8r can't do it now I'll explode

a 1:1 animated series man. it's all I can think about so so many iconic moments. I don't kill but I don't lose either is already as cold as cold gets. the way the comic is formatted already fully visualizes as animated in my brain and it's so so fun to watch

LIKE LOOK AT THIS!! cinematic as he'll and it's not even moving..

both cass and Bruce hit the bullseye like....

Cass's perfectionism is such an underrated character trait of hers (in like the greater batfam fandom and more modern comics not here, never here) bcs she literally sacrifices her life about it. she's so self detrimental about how not perfect she is anymore and Bruce's nonsense doesn't help either. man sees himself reflected in a teenage girl once and looses all his damn sense. I'm just, yea we know "mediocre for a life time or perfect for a year" < god that goes hard, but the true tragedy that is cass's inability to see how unnatural and upsetting it is that her mind works the way it does at all, that she can run into bullets head on but complains that she could do it with more skill when she was 6 or whatever like girl...never evr letting myself become desensitized to her trauma, David cain when I get you...

AND ANOTHER THING AND ANOTHER THING!!! KKKKKKKKK!! the sideplots and b plots and background characters in this comic..each of them are offered so much empathy by the narrative and are written purposefully to reflect or foil whatever cass's current conflic is all while feeling like fully fleshed characters even if they only appear for one issue

^^ I have feeling abt these panels but my lawyers are advising me not to speak atvthis ttime

THFUCKINH THE ROSE!!AGAIN!!! so sure this is old news but my running theory is that it definitely ties into cass's sense of self and identity outside of her living weapon status. this whole issue is prime babs v. bruce custody battle material bcs babs wants cass to be able to have a normal life, to be someone outside of batgirl bcs where she is now isn't healthy even a little bit but bruce argues that cass doesn’t need that, all she needs is her devotion to the mission < now we don't have time to unpack all that but in this moment we see her make the choice, dropping the rose. in the very first panel of the whole comic cass does the very same thing, she drops the puzzle (representing her childhood) in favor of violence bcs at the time its all she knows THE PARALLELS HELP HELP MEEE

AND AND THIS NEXT WHOLE PANEL is so evocative of the first few issues where cass couldnt yet put her emotions into words. just atmosphere and silence. BECAUSE she's confused!!! bruce says justice is what she needs that it will make her feel better, feel normal but it doesn't!! she looks over the city and still feels..feeling!!!! she picks the rose back up and extends a hand out to barbara bcs she was right, she not Bruce, she can't sit in a cave all alone all day and feel better (<which arguably doesn't even work for him either)

in the next few issues she meets steph and tim which is soo fun bcs letting cass have friends her age opens up so much for potential dynamics. especially her relationship w steph, not just in a stephcass way but in a narrative foil way, to me at least

next post I'll probably talk abt cass's guilt, self hatred, and need for atonement but we move‼️

[accidentalshifter]

[May 6-7, 2024: Conversational chess with Elijah Mikaelson, walking to La Avena.]

⚜️ TW: My Mikaelsons are a ✨️ problem ✨️ and don't play nice at all. Death, sex, blood, violence, manipulation, and dark themes will probably be present. I don't condone any of the actions taken by these vampires, I'm just recording them. For science.

Shifting Notes:

Hey there, I'm back! Sorry for the absence, I've been working on improving situations in my CR and life got super busy. But hey! The daily affirmations are totally working!! Back to the point, though. I spent all April scripting William Webb's backstory & have it (mostly) nailed down. I've left room for a little mystery, though, to keep things fresh and interesting...

On another note, I was thinking about the (most likely) astrological influences that're probably in Elijah Mikaelson's birthchart. I think Elijah is a Taurus or Virgo with heavy Capricorn influences. Based on his nearly obsessive need to keep things tidy, clean, and organized...I'm leaning more towards Virgo. But Elijah's love of music, the finer things, and placing value on his "honor" is a total Taurean thing. Either way, dude is a earth sign. He literally throws coins like it's his special Pokémon move. 🤣

Astrological Timing: New Moon in Taurus. Taurus is the earth sign that corresponds to food, physical comfort, and sensuality. Along with money and values. Using this lunation to shift would be an ideal setting for dinner with Elijah Mikaelson. Taurus is also ruled by the planet Venus. Venus links my last trip into my DR with this one since Libra is also ruled by Venus.

⚜️ In order to tap into the energy of Taurus, I ate some snacks pre-shift; strawberries, red apples, raspberries, & blood oranges. These fruits kind of give me TVD vibes. (If it was in season, I would've bought pomegranates as well) I feel that by immersing myself in this action, I was able to tap into my DR's current events more. It was easier to visualize/shift and helped me really BE in the moment with Elijah Mikaelson while we walked around the Square to find somewhere to eat.

⚜️ I got pre-emptive (visual) flashes of a ton of yellow balloons rising up into the air over the Mystic Grill. Someone must've let them all go (probably a kid) during this Hops Fest. The next visual/physical phenomenon was distinctly feeling the silk material of Elijah's handkerchief in my hands. I remember that I glanced down in my CR at my fingers just to check and VOOM. Suddenly, I've shifted into my DR-self in first-person perspective. Elijah glances back at me, then says:

"Now, some may call me picky but I don't particularly enjoy street food...or obtrusive noise. So, I was thinking we could try a more private venue. Well, relatively."

⚜️ I laugh at the thought and reply, "Privacy in Mystic Falls?? Have you been around this place? It's anything but." 🤨 Elijah (casually) replies that he was thinking we should try a new restaurant that just opened a few weeks ago. And that 'it's a stroll up the street' from where we're at now. He seems to be excited or eager to try it. (Is Elijah a foodie?) He asks me if I enjoy Italian food?

Side note: At first glance, this question of his seems normal. Innocuous, even. The context of the situation certainly calls for a question like this to be asked. However. Something in his tone & how he looked at me while asking that bothered me. And I realized a few days after that it's because I actually...don't really like Italian food. My CR grandparents (whom William Webb is connected to via similarity in temperaments) used to take me to Italian restaurants all the time. And there was never any "kid-friendly" food for me to eat...which always made me feel frustrated and left out. I didn't even REMEMBER this until after the fact when it was 3 am and I'm still staring up at my ceiling with Elijah's innocent question echoing in my brain. Do you like Italian food? No, I don't.

⚜️ I say that I haven't had it in awhile.

⚜️ Elijah Mikaelson smiles. But that smile is too bright, too manicured, and exposes the sharpness of his incisors in a way noticeable to me (they're still in "human mode" but they have a vampire-ishness to them regardless). There's an expression in his face that I can't decipher. He says in a soft, polite tone that doesn't match his words: "That's not what I asked you."

⚜️ Remaining as neutral about this as I can, I shrug, and reply: "Uh, not usually. It's a chore to find Italian food worth eating. I guess you could call me picky too." I shoot Elijah a wry, humorous smile that helps me smooth over the sudden spike of tension that I feel. Elijah seems satisfied with my answer this time. "I think you'll be pleased. It's been getting very excellent reviews in the papers." I choose not to say anything more for a bit as we walk to (supposedly) where this restaurant is. All the noise coming from around us in the Square is a bit sensory overwhelming as it is. Mystic Falls sure loves its celebrations...

⚜️ Elijah & I cross the street at the crosswalk heading towards the Mystic Grill. I can see it clearly; the distinct olive-green building with patio furniture in front of it, the neon red and yellow signs in its window, the dark alleyway that is tucked off to the side of the entrance. I get cold, electric chills looking at it up close and personal. Elijah seems to notice my eyes lingering on it as we're walking and asks me if I've been there before. I want to reply with "Only on TV" but instead choose to play my part as Zoey. I explain to Elijah that I was far too young to hang out there before I left this town but that I remember my Dad (William) coming home late with a to-go bag from the Grill. I toss the same question back at Elijah. "Have you had the Grill experience yet?" I say with a slightly sarcastic tone in my voice.

⚜️ "That establishment's...clientele is a little more rough than I care to fraternize with on a daily basis. However, I suppose off-brand brandy offers some sort of faint charm to it." He says with obvious distaste. Elijah seems to peer down his nose at the Mystic Grill as we walk past it, compulsively wiping some invisible dirt (or something) off his shirt. The instant I catch him doing that, I laugh. "Wow! It sounds like you really miss New Orleans." I then catch myself and try to clarify through asking him another question: "That's where you're from, isn't it?? You mentioned you're from the New Orleans Historical Society so I just figured..."

⚜️ Elijah Mikaelson pauses for a second as if thinking carefully about his next words. "Not originally, no," he says soft spokenly, "But it's where I've felt most at home." I ask him what he likes about New Orleans & Elijah spreads his arms/hands out, gesturing widely in the classic Mikaelson family fashion; "Why, it's a thriving, veritable melting pot of culture with a deep, ancient history and musical tradition spanning back hundreds of years! What isn't there to like??" I tell him that I'll have to take him at his word for it, it's now on my bucket list of places to visit. Elijah prods this reply with a question: "Your father never took you there?". I'm assuming that Elijah is curious as to why William Webb would own property in New Orleans but never take his daughter to visit there.

⚜️ The plain answer is that my DR-self's dad sucks. However, the reply that ends up flying out of my mouth is a timid: "Oh, uh. No... He didn't." A long, awkward silence falls over us both. Elijah Mikaelson fixes me with another weird stare before he proclaims that we have arrived at our destination. My attention was so focused on keeping up (with my lies 😅) in the conversation that I totally lost track of where we were going in the first place. Not a good look for a slayer in the presence of the fearsome Original vampire, tbh. Good thing Elijah seems to be acting...fairly normal right now.

⚜️ The restaurant is called "La Avena" and it is fancy personified. Its business sign hangs elegantly from a wrought iron bracket and is painted in obsidian black and luminous gold. The words "La Avena" are written in thin and loopy cursive font. This restaurant has a tiny garden patio for outdoor dining with at least 8 tables out front. The tables and chairs are made of the same wrought iron as the sign's bracket. Painted jet black. Flowering jasmine grows in the planter boxes/wraps around the fencing that surrounds the patio & cuts it off from the street. I can smell the heady aroma of jasmine in the air, making me feel slightly dizzy with how powerful the smell was. I can see lit tea lights decorating both the outdoor tables and those inside the building through the front windows. Oddly, I don't see anyone eating in the restaurant. It seems empty. Yet it is open for business. Weird.

Side Note: Did you know that Avena is a real place in Italy??? I didn't until I researched the name after this shift. Apparently, its suffered a bit of a ghost-town-nification due to major earthquake damage in the past. But looking at the pictures of Avena online is interesting. It's a beautiful place.

⚜️ The inside of La Avena is clean, prim, and white. The linen tablecloths are starched and hang perfectly even upon their wide, circular dining tables. The chairs are white as well & the floor is a warm colored wood that offsets the purity of the restaurant's interior. The tea lights and lush greenery of the outside patio continues on inside La Avena. Potted palms and emerald green, twisting ivy plants hang from planters that are suspended from the rafters of the ceiling. Beautifying every table in La Avena are three white roses held in cut crystal vases along with a tealight. All except one table in the back that's decorated with a singular red rose.

⚜️ Like a gentleman, Elijah Mikaelson opens the door for me, let's me walk in first before him. A curly, frizzy-haired blonde with green eyes whose outfitted in a crisp black, white, and gold uniform is standing at the hostess' stand, they're distracted on their phone and don't notice us until Elijah clears his throat. This gets their attention & they fumble with their phone for a second before shoving it in their apron pockets. They stand up straight and put on a bright, customer-service smile. Elijah tells them: "Reservation for Mikaelson" and the smile on the waitress' nearly glows. What kind of hold does this man have on the opposite sex, my god. "Mr. Mikaelson! Right this way, please. We already have your table arranged for you. We hope you enjoy-"

⚜️ I tune the rest out because the check ✔️ engine light 💡 has come on (metaphorically speaking) and I can feel the uncomfortable sensation of my CR body yanking on me to come back or suffer. The last thing I see and hear before I'm back in my CR is the blonde waitress guiding Elijah & I to the table in the back with the red roses.

Side Note: When I got back to my CR, it was super nagging me that I had seen that waitress somewhere before. It took me a bit to realize that the waitress looks distinctly like Liv (from the Gemini Coven). I guess this is one of the canon deviations that my DR is taking since I don't think Liv was in Mystic Falls during Season 2.

[msallurea]

Funny astrology moment:

As we know virgo is a known as a stereotypical "obsessive" sign.

Scorpio is also known as an obsessive sign

Scorpio is ruled by pluto/Mars while virgo is ruled by mercury

For a very long time I think even still now I was always very obsessed with the thought of being the most beautiful, popular, fame, etc I was literally OBSESSED with just being perfect..

Now mind u I have mars libra 1° in 12th house. Now subconsciously I absolutely am obsessed with all things beautiful and sensual BUT when I seen me I feel like the exact opposite and feel entirely more masculine (even tho that isn't what I wanna go for at all)

I have a Scorpio ascendant 19° which is also ruled by libra and I have always been attracted to that "cute and sexy" look I'm not entirely cute but not entirely sexy I'm a mix of both(or at least that's what I want)

I also find myself being both extremely dominating and extremely submissive depending on who I'm around. If the person is more softer I find myself more dominating and vice versa

I also kinda feel like this can apply to my moon as well. I have an Aries moon in 28° which is cancer sign. I find myself when in super stressful situations I cry when I'm upset or when I can no longer remain passive. While my body is in a state of being super emotional on the inside I'm thinking of like a gazillion different ways to beat somebody up and also find self imagining very vivid violent visuals when upset or stressed.

Side note: I am in LOVE with a soft femme look moon is also related to beauty. My moon is in 6th house ruled by virgo I love makeup looks that are soft but bold and doesn't have too much going on so it's subtle. Adding on, doing makeup or self care actually is VERY therapeutic for me. Things like head/scalp massages, breast massages, or just listening to a calming voice will literally reduce my stress immediately..mind u the head is ruled by Aries so if u stress prone like me I highly suggest HEAD MASSAGES. Also because my aries moon is in 6th house I find myself not really sticking to routines very often BUT if I don't have a certain routine that makes sense to me and everything is all controlling around me then I definitely get irritated and stressed out

Also music highly affects my moods. Since cancer is ruled by moon and moon are our emotions, music highly affects my emotions and can change my moods very easily. In my moon pc I have a taurus moon in 24° which is ruled by pisces. My moon in my moon persona chart falls on 5th house, my 5th house in natal is ruled by pisces, taurus in my natal falls in my 7th house..girl when I tell yall I am one the most hopeless of hopeless romantics out there 😭😭😭. And while I don't enjoy admitting it or at least that's not how it'll appear first hand, when I'm genuinely in love, people have told me I have a "fairytale" vibe to me and down to earth energy. Also when I'm in love or love themes in general actually make me GLOW literally and I find myself in the softest state ever (which is what I actually desire to exude) when in love, it awakens my suppress themes of sensuality, helps balance my aggression and so much more.

Side note: I am highly attracted to people who happen to have taurus, pisces and Scorpio like energy. Also if someone radiates that popular energy like a leo does I find myself extremely attracted to them as well..which is ironic because my midheaven is in leo

Also going back a little to my Mars libra 1°, which I think can also determine the men you're attracted to, I find myself extremely attracted to men who are gentlemen but give off "don't fucking play with me" energy. Like they the type of men who are like sweet to me but mean to everyone else type of energy. Men who cam give me princess treatment but still radiate king like energy towards me is like my kryptonite I be WEAKKKK also since it's in 12th house I find myself being attracted to men who are something like a fairytale but unfourtanetly I also tend to attract men who use my naive mind to manipulate me in other words "don't practice what they preach" they may say one thing but there actions be the complete OPPOSITE. Or I attract people who may seem sweet and nice but are actually aggressive and/or abusive asl. Other than that I find myself being attracted to men who are masculine but not excessively aggressive as if they have some feminine energy to them (like they're gentle, communicative, grounded, etc)

Now let's go back to my pluto for a moment, my pluto trines my moon (if it isn't obvious already I have a grand fire trine), I find that my emotions and how I feel about myself are directly link to how I may feel about myself. So does the environment I'm in it affects how I feel about my self worth. Moon rules over home, my pluto is in 2nd house and 2nd house has themes of self worth, security, etc. Growing up my self worth was based off materialism (and kinda still is) also my self worth and self esteem was linked to many and determined through lots of emotional and intense situations I went through in life. For example, my dad had left when I was young I also caught him cheating with the woman my mom didn't know of at the time but he told me to keep it a secret. Pluto is a planet of secrecy, I find I'm extremely good at keeping secrets..but maybe that's because of my Scorpio rising(also would like to mention that my Scorpio 1st house also has jupiter Scorpio 14° in 1st house and beauty and stability was a very reoccurring thing for me that i needed to figure out) anyway back to pluto, if I look at my pluto pc I have pluto in 4th house..my pluto pc also has a 4th house stellium in Sagittarius. My home has definitely determined a lot of how I may see myself, whether or not I'm beautiful, etc unfourtanetly this turned into a negative way. My pluto also squares my sun, mercury and Mars. When expressing myself I tend to seem very aggressive my voice is also deeper than most females and thats something i fibd myself insecure about, for my sun I also appear as if I'm more dominating or intimidating then what I'd like or at least that's how people think of me at first, my ego I'm ngl is a little fragile and I can get offended kinda easily when in low self esteem, as for sexual expression it's suppressed n I've had some traumatic sexual experiences, my sexual expression and sex appeal has also determined how I see myself and my self worth. Actually since I spoke a little on family in my natal I have Aquarius over my 4th house and my chiron and neptune sit there. Many of my inner child would have stem from family and lack of emotional connection/empathy. So many times I find myself fantasizing about being with a family that is much nicer and more emotionally available. I also tended to assume that male figures or family members in my life who weren't good people would end up staying in my life but they ended up leaving without giving an explanation thinking they would come back hut didn't left lots of foggyness around Honesty and promises. Also..Neptune rules over drugs, my main family members I live with all at some point have used drugs such as smoking and drinking and these drugs they cover it by saying it "helps with there mental health"....but I am easily influence by things that could potentially help my mental health or stabilize it even if it's bad..drugs being one of the many occurring things within my home, they are something I should highly stay away from since addictiction is probably likely possible to trigger me..did I mention my neptune is in retrograde LMAO and so is my chiron and mental health and family has been something I've had to work with in therapy for a very long time because my family and bonds are very impacting on me more than anything else.

Side note: I always find myself either being attracted to or want to embody the dark feminine energy and light feminine energy at the same time I literally cannot be one without feeling like I wanna exude the other

Back to my virgo side. I have virgo stellium in 11th house as I've mentioned before, I find that I talk much more online then I would in person. My mercury is in virgo 26° which is ruled by taurus, many people say that when I speak I sound very humble and down to earth. Also between all of my friends many of them admit that I tend to have this "good girl" or "shy girl" appearance and that I'm quite humble even if I do get a little loud every now and then (VIRGO ENERGYY) many people who I have become close to also mention that I appear as a "mom friend" or that friend that's always making sure everyone is in line and ok. Something I find that happens constantly is that I'm putting my friends in check like a mother would LMAO (I think this relates to my aries moon tho, I'm loving but tough) I also have a TERRIBLE habit of being judgemental and nitpicking and also extremely perfectionist especially when it comes to who I'm around and my social circle. Mind you my south node is in virgo 11th house..my north node is in pisces along with my Uranus in Pisces retrograde in 5th house. While I do criticize a lot I find myself behind close doors wanting to not do any of those things. I find myself wanting to make my own little path instead of crawling or being dragged into someone else's. While I do want to be accepted by everyone else deep down I definitely want to be able to make my own mark or be like one of those unforgettable it girls such as wonyoung where I literally am my own trend instead of having to ask for spotlight I'd have my own. Me being empathetic and sweet would actually be the thing that sets this off.

Side note: 11th house rules over manifestation and so does 12th house. My virgo being over 11th house I actually LOVE affirming..bow ofc not all the time but affirming and writing have made the most sense to me in manifestation. In 12th house I have mars, while I do have my visuals of violence and aggressiveness when it all comes down to it I definitely feel I embody that one Marilyn Monroe line where she said something like "I dreamt of myself being so beautiful" cuz I LITERALLY have had dreams of me being undyingly beautiful (haha libra 12th house energy libra rules over beauty) also since my Mars is in 1° I have also seen myself being somewhat of like a trendsetter because of my beauty or being famous from my beauty. Also mars is fast paced. While I am still working on it when I really buckle down n actually apply I tend to manifest pretty fast but on another side note I also tend to be pretty forgetful especially if my mind has been stressed from too much aggression or when there's too much on my mind I quite literally forget what I did 2 hours ago. Also north node in pisces bro literally everything I ever wanted tho it hasn't passed yet I have literally SEEN the life I wanna live, from my love life, to fame, etc plus it's in 5th house and 5th house rules entertainment. And recently I have also seen me one day having children..mind you for a very long time I was against it but for some reason this year lately I've been slowly accepting maybe wanting one baby. I'd like to add that my virgo sun is in 17° my neptune is also in 17° and neptune rules over dreams, the moment I turned 17 I had the most vivid dream of my dream self even tho it was for like 5 minutes I literally cannot explain it, now in whole sign I have it in 11th house and I literally seen myself being so mf popular for my beauty and I was GLOWING (leo having themes of glowing like the sun) now my Uranus being in pisces 12° in 5th house manifestation is highly possible for me, Uranus rules over originality. At around 11-12 years old is when I found manifestation and it was around that same time I had my first vivid visualization of my dream self n that is when I decided to start manifesting. I literally saw my dream self but she was like no one I've ever seen before. My north node and mc are in Aries degree (25°) and Aries is a pioneer, when I dreamt this I radiated this leader like energy pr main character energy

Anyways that's all I got for now sorry this is a little long tell me what u guys think or if any of u have any observations with my placements of your own

[sonofarathorns]

more reading lotr for the first time thoughts!

• you know it’s a great character when you literally just met them and you already like them, and that is how i feel about glorfindel. we already know he’s awesome from the get go, because he puts frodo on his horse and becomes a complete badass helping strider fight the black riders, and i just love tolkien elves okay??

• another book frodo appreciation bullet point!!! “by elbereth and luthien the fair, you shall have neither the ring nor me!” my guy!!! i just love book frodo so much, and this is coming from someone who has loved the movies since i was 11.

• please!!!!!!! aragorn and bilbo friendship?!?!?! this is the best thing i’ve ever read!

• elladan and elrohir mention! i know them from fics!!!

• lindir!!!! 😍😍😍

• oh man, i am loving this third person limited perspective. we only know what frodo knows, and that’s so crazy! for example, he sees aragorn and arwen talking, but that was just a fleeting moment. (i know this changes later, based on what i’ve heard about the books, but it’s still so fun to get the story just through frodo’s eyes right now, because - i don’t know if you’ve gathered this by now - i love him!

• a moment of appreciation for tolkien’s descriptions of, well, everything. right now i’m referring to the settings, specifically the depiction of the sunrise on the morning of the council of elrond, which is the chapter i am starting right now. but really, all of the descriptive language used by tolkien so far has given me exactly the vibe i wanted/expected going into reading the books.

whether it’s a cozy scene or a scene where you’re supposed to feel wary or on-edge, we get to feel that for ourselves, without being told in so many words what to feel, because we see what’s happening because it’s just so! descriptive!

and i know some people say it’s a slow read or that tolkien just goes on and on about trees, but for me, a visual reader/learner, it’s really helpful in setting the scene.

• i am having so much fun with this it’s unreal. on one hand, im mad at myself for not having read the books sooner, so i could make my own version of a character in my head etc., but on the other hand, im glad im doing it now and that i have the foresight to document my thoughts reading them for the first time.

there are so many books i would love a second chance to read for the first time, and i know lord of the rings is a big one for a lot of people. so im just savoring the experience as much as i can! 🥹

if you have any thoughts about the books, feel free to message me and we can nerd out together <333

[beanghostprincess]

Favourite One Piece openings and/or just songs in general?

You can't ask this to a music student and guitarist/singer! I can't choose! there are too many good songs in this anime-

Sogeki no Shima deeee. Umareta Ore waaa. Hyaappaaatsu Hyaku Chu. Lulu Lala Luuuuuu. Nezumi no Medama mo (Lock on!!) Omae no Haato mo (LOCK OOOON!!!) SOOOGEKI NO SHIMA KARA KITA OTOKOOOO LULULU LULU LALAAA SOOOOREEEENIIIGEEEEROOO Sogege Soge Soge SOOGEEEKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING

Okay, no, jokes aside (it isn't a joke. I genuinely ADORE Sogeking's theme) my true rankings (No. I'm not writing essays about them. This post would be too long. If you're curious about my genuine long opinions about a song, send an ask bc otherwise this post will be too long):

Openings:

Crazy Rainbow (this is the song I want all of you to think about when you think about me because it's MY song. I LOVE IT. It's me. It talks about me, actually. I am crazy and I'm a rainbow and a star. Twinkle twinkle rainbow star!!! I heard it once and it became my favorite ever. It's my alarm. I wake up with this banger every day. My friends hate me for this take but honestly, they're the ones who don't appreciate a good set of trumpets and guitars with tropical imagery as background).

Hope (The chorus is WILD. The visuals are so comforting it makes me cry every time. This is the energy I want all of my fanfics to have. It's the representation of my writing turned into music, I think. These are the vibes I want. The lyrics??? Are fucking insane??? Also, Sanji-themed, and it hits close to home).

We go! (I don't need to explain this one, but I wanted to mention that the way he screams BRRREAK OF ROMANCE DAWWWWN rewired my brain completely and that lyric appears on my mind every damn day)

Jungle P (Average opening. Not even that good. It's just cool and happy. HOWEVER! Have you considered that LIFE IS ADVENTUROUS BE AWARE IT'S DANGEROUS WHO'S GONNA BE ONE OF US AND THE TRIP GOES ON BECAUSE WE DA PIRATE OF THE MASS TO THE WEST TO THE EAST GONNA FIND MY WAY SAIL AWAY ALL THE WAY TO ONE PIECE)

Brand New World (The energy this song has makes me literally want to scream in the happiest of ways. The chorus, man, it's insane).

Hikari E (The Catalan Dub makes it better. I'm staying loyal to my native language this time. This is fucking amazing in Catalan. The lyrics are so fucking good they make me want to cry. It's very dear to me, too).

The peak (Really cute! Fun! Such a relief opening to end Wano <3 It's just beautiful visually and stunning. But also it has such peaceful and joyful vibes!! My beloved).

Kokoro No Chizu (This one is awesome. I love everything about it. My fav thing about it is my reaction to watching OP with full screen for the first time. Really fun experience of 'what the fuck is this and also THIS SONG IS A BANGER??')

Bon Voyage (Also my alarm because no other thing besides BON VOYAAAGE being yelled against my ear wakes me up in a better mood. Also, really fun opening. The chorus are basically the best part, ofc, for obvious reasons).

Believe (Once again saying this one hits different in the Catalan Dub. The lyrics are beautiful but also it gives sooo many 2000s opening vibes. I enjoy this song every time)

Endings:

Raise (I am not explaining this one because I think it's obvious why it deserves top 1)

Run! Run! Run! (Who the fuck is focusing on the song when Sanji being silly is right there???!?!??! Fun fact, I had a whole ass moment when I saw this ending for the first time and I had to take a break from watching the show because I went on a full crazy spiral of 'Sanjisanjisannijssnaisanjisanjisansajisanjisanji'. But also, really great song and it makes my brain go brrrrr).

Shouchi no Suke (BROOO THE VIBESSSSS THIS IS SO FUCKING GOOD I COULD LISTEN TO THIS FOR HOURS)

Dear Friends (This one makes me want to k word myself so I think that's a very good way to express how fucking good this ending is and how much it hurts me every time)

Eternal Pose (I am vibing. I like vibing. It's the vibes only).

Free Will (I want to hug Robin so tight. This one makes me so emotional. I am in so much pain, please).

(Not even a top 10, this was supposed to be a top 5 but I couldn't leave Free Will behind).

Character songs (with little to no explanation because I work tomorrow and I have to go to sleep but I want to post this now):

River of Freedom (I want to fuck Sabo nasty after hearing this and I am so not ashamed of posting this publicly. My thoughts aren't in the bible).

Dr. Heart Stealer (I want to fuck this man to oblivion and I am a lesbian and asexual. Imagine how hot you have to be for this to happen).

47 Todoufuken Gen Ima Cruise (Yakko Warner would love this).

Hajimari to Owari no Machi (They put drugs in this one).

Girls ni Kubittake (I like submissive Sanji).

Smile for Freedom (I kin Nami)

Save My Heart (The depression of some is the fav song of others)

Headliners (Kidlaw sex)

Usopp Drop (I am in love with Usopp)

Moulin Rouge (I am in love with Sanji)

[humanmorph]

PALISADE 28.crazy good this week etc

New radio person for the intro...! This comes at a good moment. I still miss Baldwin Home like. That very first PALISADE intro is genuinely so hard to beat... but this feels good. I'm once again thinking about Austin writing these... The style used for Black Screens intros obviously shines through (she's his protégé) but she does have her own voice already (way more rhyming? I mean, I'd have to doublecheck HIS intros, it's literally just a feeling). Just the tone used and intonation already does a lot. Austin is so good at this fr. I'm still curious how he even approaches that. Also the "watch me unloose 80 Ls on these next lines" I knewwww that's 80 Ls for real as soon as Parti said illogical. I wonder if he wrote that bit first trying to see how many Ls he could fit in there & then finetuned it to get to a good number? I guess that's just how I would do it.

(who knows if we'll ever get a description for Parti. we never did for Black. maybe if she shows up in a conflict turn somehow? so im just fuckin around for now... i haven't sold myself on the clothes. i'm just not a fashion guy. but i do like the braids)

Oh & new guy alert part 2!!! New Keith character! And he has a funny hat. Not even funny as in goofy it just makes me laugh a bit because my dad and maybe every 5th 70+ y/o man I see has a hat like that. Love the sequin poncho.

(btw I am almost certain Keith has posted a picture of that teapot on Cohost before... He posts about tea sometimes so there's at least a chance. I mean the description of the coloring he gives is actually pretty good IMO, you can work with that, but I as an artist I like to have a visual reference. EDIT: someone just asked him. thank you keith and also rosecrest)

I have the. I got Armor Astir & a lot of the playbooks other people made in a bundle a while back and I'm real torn if I should just look at the Investigator because I'm really curious. But. I also love to be surprised. So I probably won't, but it's good to know I COULD, if I wanted to. Anyways, I was pretty sure it'd be another B-Plot character too, just because it makes sense. Brnine COULD go alone on a B-Plot, I guess, but it's more fun with 2 groups to jump between, surely. Though this means the Eclectic-Brnine dynamic is crucial! I hope they can meet up soon... But yeah I just really am gonna miss Phrygian backing them up and cheering and clapping and asking questions. They were so fun together... A great team :' (

ok so I wrote everything else about Eclectic down yesterday & then noted down "vibes?" as break between paragraphs because all I had at that point was the description & I wanted to get back to this. And ooohhh my god the vibes are fucking immaculate right off the bat I'm having a hard time to not Already be obsessed with this guy he's SO funny conceptually and it KEPT getting better... Truly delighted with this new type of guy (& Keith is doing a voice!). And I fucking love the hooks. Truly so great to me. The thought of these getting loosened OR deepened is already really really good. "Leap says"..... oh it's SO funny I keep laughing to myself

And I'm VERY excited it's a delegate like genuinely so happy. I was mourning the loss of a branched onscreen (okay.I still am) but this does make it worth it. Ever since they got introduced basically I so badly wanted to know anything more about them, but especially what Austin mentioned in the episode itself: the delegates relationships to the divines they are made from & of course the divines themselves (who are alive!!! Apparently that was already written in a dossier way back when, but I rarely read those). That has me sooo excited.

Oh and the like... I only thought about this just now but the connection there to Thisbe's new project is. That's gotta be something! "The divine who's being held captive somewhere on this planet, and has been tortured for millennia" hearing a message of... That this can end & rest is possible and it's SO CLOSE? But does that just make it worse... Ohhhhh. Yeah this rules. What a great idea.

That project generally is really... god, I love Thisbe so much. I love how Janine talks about her and what she thinks and why she does what she does. Thisbe's relationship to work and being a tool and of use is so interesting to put here, with the divines wanting to rest. (And Janine saying something like... Thisbe thinks of herself in relation to divines how Mow is to her? Kind of?) And saying it seems so solitary a project... every divine should know about it. Every divine deserves the right to rest. But it's also a call to action of sorts when she talks about like... "shouldn't you want to protect this?" I think her "Fighting is not my purpose, but there is nowhere else for me until the fighting is over." hook could be in conservation here too... Also I'm just looking forward for Thisbe to Broadcast again. It was like, one of her things in PARTIZAN. I really liked her & Cori working on this together with the. Experience they just had behind them. Sylvi & Janine reading the hooks for each others characters kind of sheepishly was soooo funny "I forgot how bitchy this was!". That's good stuff to me. (as an aside: god, Thisbe has always had good as hell hooks/beliefs/whatever else. Remember "Operant Broun lies to me because they believe I am a person."? Banger. ) I also love that she thought of this/about this at the rib(?) of Barricade. Barricade as an axiom who had this close (& good, protective) relationship with another axiom...

btw now that Leap is NOT coming back I do miss him a bit. Mostly out of principle like I am So happy we have Eclectic but Leap is my guy.... shoutout to him... being a bitch bastard pirate out there in space... + shoutout to Figure A too always : ) (speaking of, on the Gathering Information Extra bit from today he talked about if he had played Leap, picking a class that also had like, a crew, and I'm mostly just really curious who that would've been. I would love for Keith to make up some funny guys for Leap to order around. I wonder if Eclectic or an Eclectic type would've been on that?)

(Also Leap investigating Motion. Ok. To ME it's at least partly bc this was so important to Millie. And he has reason to be concerned generally he fought Motion too but. That's MILLIE'S rival! And it doesn't even have to be at the front of his mind when he does this. Maybe it isn't. But it's real & it's something to remember her by through actual action. Because he's not the sentimental type.Do you get me.?)

Brnine talk show. This was sooo good. After they joked about it in PAL25 too. I recognized the hosts name, but wasn't quite sure from where until I read the dossier - of course he's that guy from the podcast. God. I have got to relisten to that sometime... I remember Ali on one of the recent Gathering Information ep (the one w/ Austin on, I think) mentioning a conversation that was like. stressful to do. and then also to listen to? (since she has to for production/editing) and I figured it would be another Gucci-type talk but ooohh my god. This was sooo. EDIT: ACTUALLY what if it wasn't even. What if it's about to be this talk with Rye edit: GALLICA i cant believe noone called me on this. mixing my elects up. rye is the one gur killed (mvp). Austin was sounding a bit ominous about it at the end of this episode! HUGE shoutouts to Ali again she is just absolutely killing it this season for real... And I honestly feel like overall Brnine was, considering the situation, doing very well. Genuinely. You're feverish and hollowblooded and have this fucking. Guy needling you & asking the stupidest questions... & like. "You made Kalmeria. They'd never let you rot in jail." of courseeee they want Brnine working for them. They're so GOOD at what they do. They messed with the parts of A Fucking Divine. . I just had a scary thought and it involved Mustard Red. But. Surely not. Nooo. I'm shaking my head. However Arbitrage? An Arbitrage deal (like they tried to make them take before) would work just perfectly for this, wouldn't it...

some other stuff:

When Austin mentioned Grand Mag in that vision Cori had I thought something like 'man. sucks to be him : (' but like. In a genuine way. "I can't stop it from hurting people a little"........... Hah oh wow I just thought of this but I am so excited for people who haven't listened to TM to meet him now. He's not even my favourite he just makes me crazy in a way almost no other character does? Like there's something so WRONG with him. And there's things wrong with a lot of FatT characters but it's like... Well. Grand Magnificent.

I love the thought of them watching Brnines interview at the next movie night (POOR BRNINE.) but I also want to know what Eclectic would pick for movie night. Oh and Partial too. Though he may not be staying I would still really love to know. Partial coming on board for the mission has me intrigued generally.

Oh and Gur talking! Even if just a little. I still feel so bad for them. "I believe in whispers in ears"... and they have reason to now. Figure is a person trying their best to do good & make changes, which is what Gur wants. I just wish they weren't a specter haunting someone elses body & what even happens when Figure rolls a 10+. Is Gur still there and Figure just stops seeing him? oohh it hurts a bit.you can't do this to him you can't (related: I extremely forgot about the other specters and ghosts and ghouls and whatnot that Figure can also see. It's not just my friend Gur Sevraq. Looking forward to hear more about that & how it affects Figure so much as to roll with disadvantage!)

Love to learn just a little more about devotion. I really need to just relisten to that again & think about it a bit harder.

At one point Austin says "Still flanked by guards, you are" and it caught me off guard & made me wheeze. He didn't even do that on purpose . I get him I do this way too often(realize I forgot to say part of a sentence and pack it at the end)

[luvring]

HI THIS IS THE ANON WHO SAID SHE LOVED UR POST AND i just realised u also write for cove holden ilysm do u have any romance visual novel recs?? so far i've only done cove's one & two demo ones (a celtic mythology one whose name i cannot remember & touchstarved the loml)

have the bestest day and thNk u

was the celtic one the good people (na daoine maithe) because i played that one too 👩🏻‍💻🫶 RLLY GOOD in typical nia fashion when my Type type isn't there i'm going 4 keagan and flannan

i saw u say error 143 in ur other ask UR REAL!!! ofc i must recommend blooming panic if u haven't played. xyx and toasty r genuinely just. Funny. i rlly liked toasty's va they did a great job. FIRST TIME I HEARD HIS LAUGH I WAS LIKE WOAH. i rlly liked how nightowl's route went w. Anger. u don't see it a lot and i appreciate it i was like WOWWW? AT ME? he's real. robo has answered a Lot of asks on tumblr so u can get loads of content after u finish!

https://gbpatch.itch.io/our-life-nf ... :) No words. Demo. i will build the audience for the 2nd game myself.

DEMO obscura is also vry good,, i haven't played in a Long time but i keep up w reading tumblr asks abt the LIs LOL. love the art and vibes. he isn't my type but iirc cirrus offers a rlly interesting dark romance route + aftercare/safe word system :)

DEMO online @ the perfect time is just,, i love the vibes and concept so far I LOVE WHEN CHARAS R FUNNY. HAVE MY HUMOR. rlly excited to see where it goes it's quite short so far BUT I WANT PPL TO PAY ATTENTION 4 THE FUTURE. PLEASE!

cryptid coffeehouse IS SOOO CUTE I LOVE ARTEMIS ☹️☹️ queer slowburn coffee shop romance BE SERIOUS no one fucking TALKS ABOUT MY ARTEMIS. WHY. so so many cute moments i was kicking my feet and giggling like WOWW

3 seasons is also VRY vry cute i don't usually play games w an mc visual but ivy is so pretty so IDC!!! u can play all the routes pretty easily they're all lovely like... it isn't super often i come out liking all the LIs pretty much on the same lvl. mamma mia!

....the persona 5 vn. IMCRYING I'm so fucking serious like. the characterization is REAL it's super well made. i'd like to say u could enjoy without playing p5 but um. probably not to the full extent. i played out of principle as a p5 enjoyer and for goro bc he's one of summer's fav charas ever and his route was so awesome actually. Epic Major Spoilers obvi. akira slayed also (my good ending completionist side..☹️)i won't say much abt him bc i'll ramble on and on but summer after finding out i had a crush on him yrs ago was like Yeah that makes a lot of sense he is so loz link.. like man

$30 gilded shadows (free demo) which i need to play again I WAS SUPPOSED TO FINISH ARI'S ROUTE MONTHS AGO rika said he was so my type and i trust them fundamentally. caissa my beloved. like the world building + charas it's just,, well done y'know

$12 when the night comes haven't played but rika rlly likes it so i'm putting it here anyways. LOL

NOT VNs. they are IFs...like there's Literally no visuals. read in browser. but i stand by the night market (1st book finished!) which i've rb'ed a bit + speaker . both fantasy,, love both casts i love everything they're doing i'm genuinely so so excited to see where they go!!! PLEASE!!!

YANDERE DEMOS separated for if they aren't ur thing which is obvi Valid. i erm. went down a bit of a rabbit hole. pls read their warnings! always read game warnings. but like. ok anyways

DEMO 14 days with you yeah. ren. i like when mc notes that smth is Off abt him. lots of asks answered on the tumblr! I can fix him.

DEMO something's wrong with sunny day jack jesus Christ . some of the best vn va work i have ever come across like Genuinely wtf. and the concept is rlly cool. was put off for a long time bc of.. jack's appearance.. sowwy. but wow it is just. really well done.

bitter/sweet blythe orange masc blythe va ?? did such a good job?? like srsly what. sorry wow that's the main thing i just rlly wanted to applaud them a bit. also I LOVE THE PARTIAL OST??? i want it so bad i was humming it for a couple hours after like

DEMO our dollhouse I'm so serious when i say i didn't realize it was for yanjam so when i came to my own realization of Oh Shit He's Sus and checked i was like FUCKCKDJ 😭😭 OBVIOUSLY... but srsly love the art and i'm excited to see how mc figures it out and what happens. did a good job at making a pretty Understandably oblivious(??) mc. like yeah i can see why u wouldn't expect him.

DEMO favor Z Intrigues Me. had to try so hard for the secret ending but now i am more intrigued like OKAYYY WHAT HAPPENED BROTHER 🤨 i like the tail animation also. also when u say u like possession horrors woah hey. hey. pal

[callsignspark]

Ik this isnt part of the ask game, but would you consider showing us how you outline in Trello?? It looks so freaking effective!

I have been waiting for someone to ask me this question. thank you so so so so much you’re going to regret asking lmao

so as I said before I use Trello - a free cloud based project management tool - to outline and write my fics (and also for my to do list and my Christmas present shopping and vacation planning and literally everything) because, to be 100% honest with you, I have no chill. I have never been relaxed about anything. ever. not a single day in my life. and therefore I marinate on fic ideas in my mind for months (sometimes years!) before I start doing anything with them. this is my process I use for everything I write and we’re using Mar[r]y Me as my example!

the first thing is the idea. I get an idea and I word vomit vibes into the closest thing (notes app, google doc, scribbling into my work notebook, texting a friend) and then I marinate on the idea. I first had the idea for Mar[r]y Me on January 25, 2023. it went through several iterations as I shaped what it was going to be and below is what I sent to Jordan in June 2023 and it’s the basis for the story we’ve all been following. (or mostly, it’s changed quite a bit since then.)

once I’m ready to start writing I create a board in Trello. think of a board like a white board, you then add “cards” which I think of as sticky notes except with a lot more features. also my process is the same no matter if it’s a one shot or a multi chapter fic, it just depends if it gets its own board or it goes into my one shot board. (which is filled with ideas waiting to be written lol) anyway. this is the Mar[r]y Me board!

for a multi chapter fic like this each chapter gets a card in the IN PROGRESS list (they move to the right as things get written/posted). each card follows a template: title, due date (loosely assigned to get an idea of what a posting schedule may look like), a label (always being with need to plan), and a checklist. also the chapter outline - obviously.

before I get into the outline, I use the labels as a nice visual representation of what the status of everything is. as the screenshot below shows, the each writing stage has its own color (and I use the color blind color schemes so I get the fun patterns too!) and it gets changed as we go along. it helps me know at a quick glance where everything is at the moment.

I also love the checklist feature, see below. which basically has all the steps I need to follow once I have a chapter written and ready for final editing. it may seem like overkill but I work long hours and you’d be amazed at how easily my brain forgets things lmao. so this ensures nothing is missed when I’m getting ready to post.

now onto the outline. my outline goes from something super basic, to a few bullet points, to an in depth summary of what’s going to be written. using chapter one as an example of this progression.

1. this is the og outline for the whole story. just a dream and a vibe and one sentence. literally.

2. the expanded outline for chapter one

3. just a small section of the final outline I used to write the chapter. a lot of my final outline ends up being actual sentences that I use in the final draft, I basically write the chapter in bullet points and unfinished sentences.

4. I use the very expanded outline to write the actual chapter. following along bullet point by bullet point. an example from chapter 9 since that’s what I’m writing rn.

5. once everything is written, all the bullet points have been used up or ignored, I transfer it into google docs and read it to myself, editing as I go. once I’m happy with my final rough draft I use grammarly to idiot check things because I’m an engineer not an English major. then I start using the checklist (teaser posting, creating tumblr post, etc.) and then the worst part. I walk around my home office and I read the entire chapter out loud to myself and make final edits as I go. is it excruciating to have to listen to myself speak the flirting I’ve just written out loud? yes. have I made myself cry multiple times? yes. do I find a lot of rough spots and smooth them out? yes. that’s usually done on Thursday nights.

6. from there it’s all final editing and formatting and scheduling the final post. I also have to create the accompanying recipe post for Mar[r]y Me so I do that too. and we post on Fridays! sometimes I share the google doc link with friends so they get an advanced copy of the chapter and sometimes they get to be surprised with everyone else (I’m running behind schedule and don’t have time to share it lmao)

it’s a lot of work for something I’m producing for free but I genuinely love it so much and it helps me keep everything straight. there would be so many lost ideas and abandoned thoughts if I didn’t do it this way. it’s crazy that this the first fic I’ve ever written and that I’ll probably be close to 90k words by the time it’s finished.

if you’ve made it this far thank you for indulging my very intense brain and it’s processes. I love the community we’ve created here on this blog and I’m so excited to keep writing and sharing. and I especially want to give a big thank you to my very good friends Ames, Alexa, and Jordan. Mar[r]y Me would not be the story it is without them and I can’t thank you enough for your love and encouragement during this story.

[ghostbustershq]

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - Teaser Trailer Full Breakdown

In the grand tradition of GBHQ trailer breakdowns, here we go with everything that’s fit to digitally print on the recently released teaser trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire!

The trailer pulls a great switcheroo in the style that has become common-place for large blockbusters like this, which really bums me out that the first experience many (if not all) of us have had with this teaser is seeing it on our phones, tablets, computers, what have you knowing that you’re watching a trailer for a new Ghostbusters movie. Can you imagine being in the theater, the lights darken, all the ads finish, the green band MPAA rating pops up, and then you see this not knowing it’s coming? The first 20 to 30 seconds of this trailer are wonderful and tense moments where you’re waiting for the turn. I have to imagine that circa-1988 Troy would have lost his mind with that unexpected firehouse reveal.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (more on the title a bit later) looks to be a great departure for the series, opening up the world both in terms of visuals and story, and seems to speak to literally all of my preferences and loves in life: Ghostbusters and the cold and snow. In other franchises like Star Wars, the ice planet Hoth continues to be among my favorites. Possibly the Colorado kid in me that I just love the aesthetic of a wintery snowscape. And it’s no secret that I hate warm weather and prefer the cold, give me those fall and winter clothes and coats and wardrobe any day.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s do it, eh?

IT’S A CRUEL SUMMER

The studio logos thud with the opening percussion of Cruel Summer and Lady Liberty is seen with some very orange-hue sunshine. It’s hot. It’s summer. Is this a Michael Bay summer blockbuster? Are we about to see a teen summer film trailer? What’s happening? I do love the fact that Bananarama’s Cruel Summer is used here both because it’s such a staple of the 80’s and immediately transports you into that mindset, but also because writer/director Gil Kenan is such a proud “formerly from Reseda” resident that there’s a little but of his Daniel LaRusso Karate Kid attitude present in the trailer here either consciously or unconsciously. You have to think it’s a little conscious given how close attention a scene of teens playing with a soccer ball on the beach gets.

A radio voice tells us that it’s a scorcher out there with heat alerts and record breaking temps on the horizon for New York and New Jersey. Kids are playing with an open hydrant. The Wonder Wheel is spinning with denizens at Coney Island splashing in the water. Eric Steelberg’s cinematography is on full display here as a slice of life has never looked better and more appealing. This idealized scene certainly won’t last, will it?

Sure enough. The song grinds to a halt, as does the Wonder Wheel. Something is amiss.

From the water, a storm cloud closes in and all the swimmers flee as if they’re leaving Amity in a hurry. Heavy Jaws vibes here, and that you know is intentional.

Spikes emerge from the ground and the Wonder Wheel flash freezes. Then comes this frame which: tell me I’m watching a Ghostbusters movie without telling me that I’m watching a Ghostbusters movie:

Chaos as the flash freeze hits Manhattan and the ice spikes emerge from the ground, we’re fully in disaster movie territory as we see a taxi cab impaled from street level. Fortunately for anyone in that cab, it looks to pierce right through the middle. Whew. The rumbling subsides as we follow the street toward a familiar looking building and Elmer Bernstein’s familiar Ghostbusters twinkle plays in the score.

I love this shot for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the camera move is evocative of that teaser trailer for Afterlife that followed the ground of a farm into the open barn to reveal the Ecto-1. Secondly, what an image, right? The Ghostbusters are surrounded. Claustrophobically closed in by the ice and spikes. The threat is visual. It’s overwhelming.

Hit It

The screen dips to black and we hear an engine rev. Could it be? You’re damn right it could be.

The Ecto-1 peels out, pulling off a full U-Turn at top speed and knocking over some trademark NYC garbage in the process. I’ve seen some criticism mainly on forums that the Ecto-1 in the original two films was slow and lumbering and it’s jarring to them to see the car pulling these high speed maneuvers. And, while I completely agree that the coughing and chunky Ecto of the 80’s was the car’s personality at that point in time, the car has obviously been souped up since the 90’s. Even if it was left to rot in a barn, a gearhead like Ray and someone who loves the car like Winston would have been futzing with that thing every day for decades. People change, so can cars. And the energy and excitement that a full-speed Ecto can provide for a film gives it a dynamic that harkens back to The Real Ghostbusters which we’ve learned from Kumail Nanjiani was a touchstone for this film and the filmmakers.

The Death Chill

The trailer kicks into high gear as we hear Patton Oswalt’s new character explain that for the first time, someone froze to death in New York City in July. Phoebe, in full (snow covered) Ghostbusting gear, stands next to the firepole in a darkened and ominous firehouse. Trevor, Lucky, and James Acaster’s new character stand side-by-side looking at something unseen. A very dapper looking gentlemen is suspended in frozen animation. Callie head turns with concern, also standing in what looks like the garage bay of the firehouse.

An apartment door bursts open having been frozen as Phoebe - standing next to Podcast who is seen for the first time asks, “What is it?” And, after a quick hero shot of Kumail’s new character, the answer comes from the one and only Ray Stantz. It’s the death chill.

As Ray gives us the exposition that you are literally scared to death and the last thing you see is your eyes freezing, the trailer rapid fires amazing and tantalizing imagery including a backdraft puff of smoke sucking back through the crack of a door, a hero shot of Paul Rudd’s returning Gary Grooberson, Winston Zeddemore and Peter Venkman, suited up and standing in front of the Ecto looking at an unseen threat, and one of the New York Public Library’s iconic lions snarling and roaring at what looks to be Ray based on the denim shirt he’s been wearing since 1984. Ha!

I Think We’re Going to Have to Put a Little Overtime Into This One

If ever Ray Parker Jr.’s theme song was going to kick in and we see flashes of the team saving the day, now would be about the time you expect it to happen. But this is, after all, just a teaser trailer and both of those particulars are saved for another occasion. Instead, a quick and violent shot of the firehouse doors being ripped away as we look over the shoulder of a couple of busters (and is someone holding some sort of new handheld piece of gear on the left? Dude. Can’t wait to see what that is.)

The street buckles and tears and threatens both our heroes and the Ecto-1. Trevor, Callie, and Gary are pinned against a wall in the firehouse with the ice spikes closing dangerously close to them. The wall around the containment unit cracks and shakes, threatening to collapse (and does that mean another containment breach could be possible?).

Bathed in ominous red light in a shot that looks straight out of a tense moment from James Cameron’s Aliens, Lucky appears to be in a bit of a pickle. From behind, we see a gnarly looking creature of some sort, perhaps the new big-bad, locking a broken horn into the socket on the side of its head. Oh man, is that creature design cool and we’re not even seeing the full breadth of it, I’m sure.

More flashes. James Acaster’s new character, surrounded by darkness and using a flashlight to illuminate something (and wearing one of the much touted by fans’ parkas, more on that in a second). Gary, Callie and Phoebe all suited up and trying to keep warm (love the turtleneck and gloves look with the flightsuit that Callie is sporting). Patton Oswalt slams an elevator gate as he escorts Ray, Phoebe and Podcast somewhere unknown. And perhaps one of my favorite and very mysterious shots in the trailer, Kumail’s character opening what looks to be a false wall in a pantry closet to reveal a secret room. I love a good secret passageway. One of these days, when I win the lottery, I’m going to have a basement with all sorts of cool secret doors and compartments.

Ray’s explanation of the death chill concludes and we see Lucky, fully suited up, seemingly on the verge of freezing to death and her eyes glaze to a frozen state. Certainly looks perilous for Lucky, could this be the character’s end? Or does someone hopefully come to save the day. Stay tuned until March of next year.

Gary states the obvious, that it sounds like Ray is explaining being literally scared to death. There’s a bit of a call and response here that I think is fully editorial as Gary and Callie are standing in what looks to be the firehouse during the daytime and Patton Oswalt’s character telling us how cool it is looks to be in a darkened room elsewhere. It’s a fun moment that shows both characters’ enthusiasm but a strong possibility these two moments are from two totally different parts of the final film that we’ll see.

Just before the title reveal, Trevor struggles to wield a proton thrower that seems to be amped up to eleven, while sporting one of his notable t-shirt choices - this time an old school YMCA shirt. And then, we see the title for the first time.

I’ll just flat out say it, subtitles to films are difficult. You’re sort of damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. For the same reason parents don’t reveal baby names to the general public before the kid is born, everyone has an opinion on names. A gut reaction. A feeling and opinion that they need to express. Movie titles have come under the same microscope. We’ve heard EVERY tired soap joke about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but the title was appropriate to the movie. Clear and to the point.

There’s something to be said for the good ol’ days of sequels where you just flat out said what it was: Back to the Future Part II, Beverly Hills Cop II, Star Trek VI. Also clear and to the point. But as the years progressed, a stigma around numerical titles developed where the higher the number of the film the perception of the quality decreasing became the punchline. Even if it wasn’t the case, adding a numerical value to a film title fell out of fashion and the subtitle became king. It’s also possible that increasingly complex titles started weighing on marketing and advertising and even just public perception of having to know a full title like Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. You’ve noticed that even the studios have bailed on the episode titles for Star Wars, opting just to ID them by their subtitle: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, etc.

All of that to say, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has the serial qualities of an old school sci-fi film while also immediately selling and stating what the film is. It’s the Ghostbusters sequel where everything freezes. Clear and to the point. And you can tell they were thinking about a play on words with the Empire State somehow but again — didn’t want to over complicate things. Forum and social banter have suggested, “Why not Ghostbusters: Death Chill?” Which yes, is a pretty evocative title but markets the film a little differently. You could see some parents resistant to taking their kids to a movie about the chill of death.

I love the title and think that it absolutely works. It also really frees up future story telling for the Ghostbusters films where they don’t necessarily have to be so wide in scope. They can be hyper focused on a scenario or threat. It takes the franchise in a great direction, in my opinion.

Okay, okay — what about the last two shots of the teaser. Which are outstanding. After the title reveal there are two more glimpses: one of presumably the big bad of the film and the other of our heroes standing atop the firehouse poised to tackle the threat.

Everyone loves the jackets. I do too. I want one of those things for this winter, that’s for sure. But I also love everything happening in the composition and blocking and pose of the characters here. It screams Shandor Rooftop. I love that Callie is wearing the Ecto-Goggles (tough to tell if they’re the Afterlife variant with the Polaroid camera capabilities) and that Phoebe has filled her grandfather’s shoes vigilantly manning the PKE Meter. You can see slight variations on the barrel of the Particle Thrower that Trevor is holding and — THE JACKETS, I MEAN COME ON. TAKE MY MONEY NOW. PLEASE.

If this composition isn’t part of at least one of the theatrical one-sheet posters, I would frankly be surprised. What a shot.

Final Thoughts

What a teaser. It gives us just enough without giving us too much. There are real stakes here. I’m worried about the futures of several of the characters and several of the inanimate objects like the Ecto and the Firehouse. And visually, I love how this film already looks in-step with the original film and Afterlife, but is opening the color palate and scope up a little bit. But also, how crazy is it that after decades of wondering when a third Ghostbusters film would be released, pouring over the glacial pace at the development of the film and every mention and update, to be sitting here dissecting a teaser trailer for a fifth Ghostbusters movie?

[lookalivesunshine2007]

playlist explanation as requested by @r-capa !! 100% this is the most effort i’ve put into a playlist ever and i think it turned out so well. i hope anyone who gives it a listen enjoys it as much as i do. i’ll link the playlist again so people who see this post first wont have trouble finding it. its also decently late for me so sorry about any grammatical errors lmao :)

Starman (David Bowie) honestly this is really just a vibe establishing song that fits better with events that take place pre-movie, but i can't bring myself to get rid of it lol. feel free to skip this one (depending on when you see this it might not even be on the playlist)

Starlight (Muse) the “real” start of the playlist and the initial “we’re in space on a mission wow this is so cool”

Muse’s vibes in general are super space-y i feel. A nice little “before everything went wrong” song. it’s a super upbeat song with rad space vibes, plus lyrics like;

“far away, this ship is taking me far away”

“i will be chasing starlight until the end of my life”

Violet Hill (Coldplay) is Capa reminiscing about earth while sending his message to his loved ones, as well as the rest of the crew doing the same. (Capa specifically because he’s the only one we visually see do it). It’s also partially fitting to be about the crew’s dedication to completing their mission and the state of earth as they left it. Some lyrics that really stood out to me in this song were;

“Was a cold and dark december, from the rooftops I remember there was snow, white snow” among other lines about freezing and winter.

“I don't want to be a soldier who the captain of some sinking ship would stow far below '', basically the crew just refusing to sit around doing nothing while the earth freezes.

The “love” mentioned throughout could fit the crew’s love for earth displayed by their willingness to be a part of the Icarus II mission.

Hysteria (Muse) is when Harvey discovers the emergency beacon from the Icarus I, and they decide to change their course. It also goes into the shield repair scene, and Kaneda’s death. No particular lyrics (besides maybe the chorus very loosely) stick out for me but the overall message and vibe of the song fit so well with these scenes for me. I imagine the solo/bridge of this song is where Kaneda dies. The rest follows not ridgid/particular events.

Icarus (Bastille) Mace, Capa, Searle, and Harvey have just boarded the Icarus I. This song basically covers their entire time aboard the Icarus I. A ton of the lyrics fit so well in my opinion, especially when applied to Capa specifically. This song also covers the four aboard the Icarus I deciding that Capa is the most important, and Capa, Mace, and Harvey crossing the gap between the two ships to get back to the Icarus II. I find the bridge is best for the little quiet moment where they are preparing to take the leap between the ships. I’ll quote the chorus here so you can really get the vibes.

“Icarus is flying to close to the sun and Icarus’s life it has only just begun. This is how it feels to take a fall. Icarus is flying towards an early grave.” SO GOOD. These can be applied to the crew as a whole, as well as explicitly to Capa.

Viva La Vida (Coldplay) With only half the crew left, and the discussion and discovery of the Trey incident, the crew is basically just waiting for their death now. This song is representative of everyone still alive essentially making peace with their fates now that they are aware they don't have enough oxygen to make it home.

Psycho Killer (Talking Heads) PINBACKER. I feel like there's very little explanation needed for this one but i’ll get into it anyway because i LOVE this song. The song is quite literally about a serial killer. The scenes I think fit well with this song are basically just the ones with Pinbacker making his way through the crew LOL.

“I can’t sleep cause my beds on fire” OKAY SUNBURN MAN.

“we are vain and we are blind” fits so well with his views of fundamentalism.

The line “je me lance vers la glorie” translates to (roughly) “I launch myself towards glory” which again, brings us to his fundamentalism characterization and the “holy” mission he talks about throughout.

Apocalypse Please (Muse) The lyrics. OH MAN. It so perfectly encapsulates the final part of the movie, where Capa basically blows the Icarus II and its airlock open and makes his way to the payload, fighting Pinbacker and setting off his bomb. The last minute sounds “sparkly” if that makes sense, which I feel is PERFECT for when Capa does set off the bomb and we see it start to go off, sparkles and all. These are some of my favorite lyrics that relate to these scenes;

“Declare this an emergency. come on and spread a sense of urgency and pull us through. And this is the end, this is the end of the world”

“come on it's time for something biblical”

“proclaim eternal victory come on and change the course of history”

My Way (Frank Sinatra) This whole thing is basically Capa as he “meets” the sun. It's a kind of recounting of the events that led up to this place while time is slowed down. I like the upbeat and triumphant but overall melancholy feel of the song and it just makes it fit super well here.

“and now the end is near and so i face the final curtain” and honestly most of the lyrics. This is just a really versatile song that’s great for cinematic type playlists in general.

Capa Meets The Sun (Underworld) a song from the movie’s soundtrack that serves as a moment for everything to really sink in, and an extra moment before you go on with your day. I loved that this ends with the message Capa sent to his loved ones, and it's a perfect way to end the playlist. I wanted to put the main theme (Adagio in D minor) as the final song, but I felt this one fit the intended purpose better :)

[foxgloveinspace]

My 'simple' Sleep Token Theory:

I couldn't make this less then 7 points, oh my gosh. Maybe I can condense it down at some other point, But I Got To Do The Dishes. All this being said, I still like my old theory, and will talk about it if anyone wants to, I just think this is more.... likely of a theory lmao.

1). Each song is it's own isolated story that has themes and connections to each other. There are four types of sleep token songs: songs about sex, isolation, worship, and insomnia. All songs are Vessel's POV, and either something he wants to tell us or something Sleep/sleep wants to tell us.

2). Vessel straight up told us that each song is a token to Sleep, and that Sleep heightens emotions, so while something could be a simple emotion, for the song it is a Very Big Deal, so it can create a feedback loop and be a bigger worship moment for Sleep.

3). I think, after thinking about since I posted it, that my 'shit post' wasn't that much of a shit post, and that Vessel, behind the mask, is a person who suffers from insomnia, and that Sleep really does = sleep. Everything about Sleep the deity can be literal sleep deprivation symptoms. So while story Sleep is a god, their inspiration is just straight up Lack of Sleep.

4). I think the music videos are just vibes, not plot relevant, so the idea that Vessel has powers isnt really canon to me. They could also be visual representations of Nightmares Vessel has had in the past.

5). I think that if we are going off of Sleep = sleep, even in the story, then we have a slight Cult of the Lamb moment going on here, and Sleep Token has never been about collecting followers for sleep, but followers for Vessel (which at the end of the day, we are. We are Vessels followers, cause this is his persona and story and there is No Sleep. We are just this guys band cult while he sings about sex, and loneliness, and isolation, and worship kink).

6). I don't think Sleep is evil?? Like a lot of people, myself included, hear these vibes in the music and forget that it's a Heightened emotion, and that because of that yeah it can seem like maybe Sleep is not good. Yeah, they probably argue, or when Vessel is suffering from insomnia (both irl and in the story) it probably feels like Sleep has abandoned him. But why would the whole point of the band be 'Worship Sleep' outside of the music if that was the case? Wouldn't the vibes be different outside of those situations? So i think while Sleep and Vessel have a weird relationship, like an insomniac and the human suffering from it, I think that ultimately they can't be without each other.

7). I do not, never have, still don't, think Vessel will 'die' at the end of TMBTE. As stated above, Vessel dying makes no since to the narrative, even if Sleep is a god, why would they kill the person they have chosen to spread their message? Or even 'take over' the person? Sleep seems to love Vessel in their own, so this idea just makes no sense to me. 'Why did Vessel's mask change if he isn't a new Vessel?' why would you limit yourself to one mask if that's the only way people knew you?? It's an outfit change to match the changing of the vibes of the new album.

[lipslikethegardensofbabylon]

now that i’ve had sufficient time to digest it i’m going to share my (spoiler) eras tour thoughts:

- lover set

lover and rep were my favorite sets. the opening is artistic and so beautiful, screaming cruel summer was a religious experience, the archer brought me tears, i loved hearing lover live even if it pains her to sing it :( the man was honestly never my top on the album neither was yntcd but they were fun to dance and sing to. plus the lover outfits are all GOD TIER i’ll fight people on this

- fearless set

when she sang ybwm i literally blacked out and ascended i don’t remember a thing but i was told later that the whole stadium was shaking. that’s how many people were jumping. this was in the 100s and 200s. and yes i did the double clap

- evermore set

ttds is one of my favorite and most beautiful songs. she had so much fun performing champagne problems and i love a piano moment. tolerate it didn’t do it for me but that’s never been my fave. marjorie made me cry so hard. our show was the first that did the lights and i loved taylor’s reaction

- reputation set

literally all of it was so good i wouldn’t change a thing except to add even more songs. lwymmd was always that bitch and the performance reminds me of the height of the mv like both are filled with so much imagery i’m still thinking about it

- speak now set

i love you baby but enchanted was never a fave off of speak now but i’m glad everyone else loves her so much

- red set

this was a fun set but as much as i loooove red/red tv this set was just okay for me. i think it’s bc i’ve seen so much red content and listened to that album soo much idk it just wasn’t a top one for me. i think if she played ones i loved (holy ground, state of grace, treacherous, better man etc) instead of the hits i’d feel differently. her performance of atw was show stopping though

- folklore set

mtr was beautiful and chilling how much heart she puts into it. i feel kind of similar vibes with the red set where if she’d played my faves (i’m looking at you mirrorball) i’d feel differently but it wasn’t one of my faves. but the folklore dresses are all serves

- 1989 set

wildest dreams live was soooo good and i heard mixed reviews re: shake it off but considering this was like 2~ hours into dancing it awakened something in me and i shook, my friends. bad blood was SO GOOD like SO GOOD but she’s always been a fave. the beginning of the set was cute too bc my love went to the bathroom and came back when it was starting and actually had gone to the merch line and bought me a tee shirt lol

- midnights set

i was honestly tired by this point lol. vigilante shit was just such a moment i was torn between wanted to record the whole thing and wanted to drink that tall blonde glass of water with my eyeballs. i still love that hard sit she does. i wish maroon was on the setlist but i know we cannot have everything. i loved bejeweled but the visuals for it were kind of creepy with the actual diamond eyes. it kinda reminded me of rep

- my surprise songs:

guitar: the other side of the door, high infidelity. i honestly have never really listened to tosod but it was so fun watching her sing it, and high infidelity was soooo fun to hear live on april 29th lol

piano: coney island, gorgeous. coney island was coincidentally a song i’d been singing a lot to myself but the piano performance of it was beautiful. i also felt v special that we got the first reputation song AND it was gorgeous AND it was on piano like literally dayd before i’d texted my friend how gorgeous on piano would be so pretty but what i didn’t realize was how fun it’d be lol

bonus: we also got the cat joke and when our show ended it was raining outside so everything was perf <3

[animezinglife]

For bad day distractions....

How do you decide what fic you want to write? How long do you spend thinking about the story before you start working on it?

Second - what is a fic idea you have thought about writing but are too intimidated/not sure how to tackle it?

You're so sweet--you have no idea how much I appreciate this.

How do you decide what fic you want to write? How long do you spend thinking about the story before you start working on it?

"Decide" is an awfully strong word. There are times when I only have one idea I could even think to work on and others when I have several projects going on at once. It depends a lot on the mood I'm in, what I'm drawn to aesthetically or in terms of "vibes" that day, and what I feel will bring me the most peace. Usually, I have a very clear idea for a scene I want to portray or explore that comes to mind: with The Fires of Eventide, the idea was a mix of this headcanon (second one) of Elain's stubbornness to still do certain things in a human way and the idea of them being together out in nature. I visualized the two together being wrapped up in a nice little cottagecore bow.

With a little sprinkling of heat, mind you. ;)

The others have come about the same way: I was thinking of fairytales (the type Disney would've adapted back in the good ol' days) for The Song of Spring. I wanted to see Spring again and have Elain taking an active role in that court to help it. I wanted there to be an air of healing, both in the environment and even in Tamlin. I was obviously in lazy morning beach mode with Sounds of Summer, and so on and so forth.

There's admittedly a lot of wish fulfillment especially in fics like that. If I'm not currently able to go to the beach myself, then I'll write it.

Basically, the fic chooses when it's written. I'm just the messenger.

The time spent is completely random. There are fics I'll take weeks thinking about it or, during the writing process, weeks-long breaks from. Others, I'll write in a couple of hours in one sitting (regardless of length in either instance) having literally been making it up as I go along. It all depends again on mood, mental energy, and what I'm feeling is the best thing for me to write in the moment.

Second - what is a fic idea you have thought about writing but are too intimidated/not sure how to tackle it?

Oh, there have been many over the years. I've simply realized I prefer what's essentially a short story equivalent when it comes to fics over multi-chapter, though I've had plenty ideas for the latter come and go over time.

I had reservations about my latest one (Eventide) being a little too h*rny, but so far, nobody's complained (and The Dance of Day is arguably more so anyway). I stopped worrying about that concern and just wrote it.

I want to write something for Gwynriel (not smutty, more flirtatious) and something for Eris. It's not a matter of intimidation--more just something I need to figure out the directions to take.

I also really want to do something else (non-Elucien) in the Winter Court. I just have no idea what.

Thank you so much for asking!

[ggukkiedae]

Love Yourself: Answer

Visuals:

the black hair stayed especially since she had a drama to film

but the stylists always made sure to add hair tinsel

consistent with the last comeback, she still was constantly styled in tall af heels making everyone have a heart attack with how she danced in them

Album Credits:

Production: dimple, mic drop, go go, the truth untold, magic shop, anpanman, tear, euphoria, trivia: why (solo), i'm fine, idol, answer: love myself

lyrics: dna, best of me, dimple, mic drop, go go, her, fake love, the truth untold, magic shop, airplane pt. 2, anpanman, tear, euphoria, trivia: why (solo), i'm fine, idol

choreography: best of me, go go, anpanman, trivia: why

outside of bangtan: Produce 48( We Together, You're in love right?, Still Dreaming), Waste it on me, Wanna One (the while Power of Destiny album, TXT (Our Summer, Nap of a Star), Iz*one (Violeta, Up)

Line Distribution

MV:

IDOL

also quite a dance centric video so yeah there's that

for her scenes where they're not dancing, the first one is her standing there while the members are hugging her, kissing her head/cheeks, just being affectionate

one "ursoo johda" had a close up of her tilting her head and raising an eyebrow while vibing

then her opening for the bridge was her runway walking in her hanbok style outfit before tossing the fan she was holding backwards where it flew over the others and changed the color of the background

Iconic Moments

first of all "i'm so fine wherever i go"

just the parts in the idol music video where the boys were being affectionate and kissing her head, squishing her cheeks, and hugging her while she did her lines

the last chorus of idol and yet she still somehow dances it it tall heels aksjdnf

bringing nala everywhere (except bon voyage)

literally laughing her ass off when she realized jin forgot their house's passcode plus more friendship moments in general in bon voyage

the partner dance in her solo song during the tour (plus her cute dancer who (spoiler!) is heeseung, but no one knew who he was yet)

just tour moments especially in anpanman and so what

her preparing jungkook's cake for his birthday with the utmost look of concentration on her face then jimin and hobi in giggles bc it's cute

the bangtan bomb of the boys smothering her in affection for the idol music video to the point where she'd laugh instead of doing her lines

casting announcement! sky castle!!!

just her scenes in sky castle

especially the first one where she pulls up in a motorcycle beside the rest if her family who were in the family car

producing the debut evaluation songs for produce 48

receiving the order of merit

doing something between a dance and a gymnastics routine inspired by nongak during mma

airplane part 2 in her white asymmetrical dress for mama japan (also when she showed professionalism after her top broke in fake love)

her and mark seemingly having a long conversation during the finale of gayo daechukjae

the bangtan hug at gayo daejejun for new year

and then when she ran over to wanna one to give them a little pep talk and a hug

her hype during literally every end of year idol performance, but especially the gda mma and mama one like something snapped in her

being excited for txt's debut and tweeting support for seri! (and a selca with yeonjun from 2016)

being cozy in armypedia

the grammys

being the "coach x" on produce x 101

but otherwise she was quite quiet in this era, mostly because she was busy and her schedule was literally packed

TAGLIST: @sunflower-0180 @seaoffangirling @yourwonderbelle @1-800-enhypennabi @kamiiyou @strwberrydinosaur @uraveragefangirlsposts @caratinylyfe @1-800-minji @one16core @kimhyejin3108 @chansols @akshverse @toriluvsfics @billboard-singer @stopeatread (bolded = can't tag 😭) (taglist/s open! just drop an ask or a dm <3)

[cookinguptales]

wwdits tarot: the high priestess

The third meta post in my wwdits tarot series! I’ll keep making them as long as y’all keep reading them. lmao

Because this came up with the first two posts, I just wanted to say that I’m thrilled if you want to use this information/interpretation to create cards. Tarot is largely a visual medium, and while I’m happy to talk about what I know about the history and symbolism, I’m not a great visual artist myself. I have no plans to create cards myself, so I’m happy to see what you come up with!

I only ask that if you use my ideas, you credit me for them and link to my work. And again, because it’s been asked — if you plan on using my ideas to make money, uhhh… just contact me, okay? We’ll talk about it.

Anyway! II. The High Priestess!

The High Priestess is often paired with The Magician because both cards deal with “magic” of a kind, but while The Magician is about manifesting your inner desires in the outer world, The High Priestess is about setting the outer world aside for a moment and looking within. It’s a card about intuition and the divine inner feminine, regardless of the actual gender of the person giving or getting the reading.

It’s also one of those very liminal cards; it’s about the inner world more than the outer world, but it’s also about the power to pass between those worlds whenever you like.

With all that in mind, I’ve chosen Lilith as my High Priestess.

Because when I think about magic, the unknown, and the divine feminine… why not think about a cadre of underground witches who steal semen for use in magical spells? lmao

I also chose Lilith because, like ghosts, witches serve as a lesson in-universe to trust your feminine intuition. Nadja is constantly talking about dangers that might befall the household, and she’s often dismissed as superstitious by the men around her. And you know what? She’s always! Right!

So trust your intuition, Nadja. Enemies abound in New York City. Five spits for an enemy, Lilith.

Finally, I feel like the witches in general but Lilith in particular do really symbolize the ability to shift between worlds. The vampires are really very hopeless at disguising themselves amongst the humans, but the witches are fabulous at it. They blend in seamlessly with the human world while simultaneously existing in the supernatural one, and they very literally go between these worlds when they descend into their magical… dungeon or whatever. And like any good liminal trickster deity, they’re great at changing their physical appearance.

They also have the ability to create a weird interdimensional space that they can trap (non-Spanish-speaking) interlopers in! So literally and metaphorically, they make great spiritual go-betweens. Lilith is the queen of the liminal magical space, and I love that for her.

As for the card imagery…

YEAH, IT DOES LITERALLY HAVE BJ ON IT...

This is technically a reference to the pillars of Boaz and Jachin, which were popularly repurposed as occult symbols at the time, but I think it suits our witches and their semen-stealing ways very well. :)

There’s honestly a lot of occult symbolism in this card in particular, and I won’t get into all of it. I’ll just say that most of it refers to different kinds of dualism. Light and dark, good and evil, male and female, life and death, etc. The High Priestess sits between all of these dualities, a midpoint and a path between. She can lift the veil, she can eat the pomegranate, she can sit between two pillars. You get what I’m saying. Our girl is liminal as all hell.

I think we definitely need to keep the BJ, but I would have Lilith in her witch’s garb between B&J columns in her underground witch dungeon/hip-hop kundalini* studio. Rather than her crown, she has her witch's hat. Rather than a sacred scroll (implying divine knowledge), my girl is holding penile surgical instruments. We can keep the crescent moon for the vibes, tbh, but I do like the idea of a hidden SALIDA sign somewhere on the card — for when you’re ready to return to the real world.

----------------------

*Fun fact: kundalini is a form of yoga that prioritizes the divine feminine so that's another point in the High Priestess column!

wwdits tarot meta masterpost