#one thing about rome he LOVES discussing things and all he wants is to Understand

[ruvviks]

he's written several books about outer space after his thesis btw. most of them discuss popular theories and try to form a clearer understanding of every one of them + their origins + how realistic they are without roasting the original author to hell and back

[esotericas-sims]

Chapter Four

Some weeks later, I awoke in the early hours of the morning to a faint rustling of fabric, and the murmur of voices in the hall. My father's I knew by heart, and Ioanna's I was beginning to recognize the feel of. Murmurs of "stay with your sister" and "Rome" and "revolution" were all I caught through the walls of the nursery.

I slipped out of bed, and waited at the door for my father's footsteps to recede - hurried, harried - before entering the hall. I tailed him silently, watching always for someone who might spot a child out and about, and make noise in protest. There was nobody.

Once my father made it through the doors, he began to run. He was dressed in commoner's clothes, simple and brown. A carriage was waiting for him.

Once he was inside, he slammed a fist against the wall, and shouted, "Go!" At the driver. "Go now!"

By a trick of marvelous fortune, the driver was a dear friend of mine. He said nothing when he saw me climb carefully onto the back of the carriage, just whipped the horses and set off. The wind whipped at my hair as we rode, and the early-morning chill drove me to huddle against the wood, clutching onto a rail to prevent myself from falling off.

We came, after nearly a full twenty-four hours of ceaseless travel, to a house. I gathered we were no longer in France. Different flags flew here, and the air was warmer, even at night. Italy, then? Rome, as Ioanna had spoken of?

The house was nothing against Versailles, of course, but it was a beautiful thing, covered in statues and frescoes and green growing things. I followed my father up to the gates. The driver had been a great help - throughout the journey, my father had yet to notice my presence. Or so I thought.

"Manon," He said, scowling as I approached. "What in the name of God do you think you're doing here?"

"I'm coming with you," I declared, head held high. "I want to know what you're doing."

"You shouldn't have left! You're not supposed to be anywhere outside of Versailles right now, Manon. It's dangerous out here, especially for people like us."

"What do you mean, people like us?" I asked, arms crossed over my chest. I had yet to understand the honest truth of the revolution brewing around us, or to understand that we were the enemies of the revolutionaries, not their friends. I saw only a just cause, and wanted to align myself with it. Justice was paramount in my mind, back then.

"Nobility, Manon. We are not common people, which means that the common people despise us. Your mother..." He loved to place the blame on her. It was a clumsy attempt to turn us against her, though completely ineffective. All my sisters mourned the divorce, and longed for her company. My father cleared his throat, and glanced up at the house. A man stood there, fully dressed despite the late hour, and was staring down at the both of us.

"I can not have this conversation now. Go back to the carriage, wait with the driver," He said, meeting eyes with the man now standing on the house's balcony. "I must go. We will discuss your punishment when we get home, Manon."

He set off without another word, not even checking to see if I'd made it back into the carriage. I watched the two of them disappear into the bright warmth of the house, and was alone.

Barred, by iron and by my father's word, from pursuing my curiosity. I wanted desperately to know what they were meeting about, why my father had come all this way on foot. Why not just send a courier with a letter?

I didn't know, and the not-knowing burrowed at me. Being aware of your own ignorance but being unable to solve it is one of the greatest pains a person can feel.

previous | next latest | chronological

[jankwritten]

I’ve been thinking a lot about what a Hazel and Jason friendship would look like.

Hazel tentatively reaching out after finally understanding that Jason isn’t everything she built him up to be in her head, influenced both by Nico and by what she actually observed of Jason herself

Jason assumes she just wants tips on leadership or maybe how to fight better, so he obliged by offering to train with her

Hazel expects Jason to go easy on her like Percy and Annabeth and Piper do, but instead she gets taken down within a few minutes and has Jason ruthlessly pointing out what things she could improve on.

(Cue: Hazel finally having an opponent who doesn’t underestimate her. Hazel who finally feels like she has somebody she can spar against who will help and not just let her win because she’s young and small. Hazel who finally gets why Nico spends so much time talking about how kind and helpful Jason is, even if what she’s seeing isn’t necessarily kind.)

Jason starts hanging out with Hazel outside of sparring but in other groups, like with Piper, or Nico. He learns that she loves dancing and horses and likes to test the hardness of a stone against her fingernails, likes to collect shiny non-precious things just like Nico does, likes to swear loudly whenever possible as if she’s doing it to purposely piss people off.

Hazel asks Jason if he wants to go hang out one day after the Argo quest is over, maybe go to some museum in NYC that she’s heard Percy talk about, or find metaphysical shops to walk through (I HC that Hazel really loves modern mortal interpretations of magic and that she’s fascinated by the ways mortals accidentally connect to the gods etc.) and Jason assumes she means with someone else and agrees, only to find out they’re going alone.

Jason panicking for a moment about potential misinterpretations, once he realizes, and stammering out some garbled thing about how he really likes her but not like that because ofc all he’s known so far is that being alone with a girl = someone will assume romantic intent. Hazel openly laughs in his face and rather boldly states that she KNOWS Jason is in love with her brother.

Hazel, eventually, being the first person Jason feels safe coming out to. Jason, in return, being the first person Hazel feels safe to talk about being asexual with. The two of them discussing their feelings more and more often while exploring new places together, like Hazel talking about how she did so much researching into queer history and labels when she first found out Nico is gay, Jason telling her that he still doesn’t feel like Thalia is his sister as if he might not be the same Jason Grace she remembers, the two of them coming to terms with being on the aromantic spectrum together.

Jason talking Hazel out of joining the Hunters when she’s having a very very bad day. Hazel stopping Jason from disappearing back out into the mortal world to finish school without first giving his other friends a chance to have input.

(Hazel and Jason inadvertently saving each other’s lives by tweaking fate, thus making their friendship literally woven into their lives forever indisputably. Hades/Pluto patting Jason on the back and telling him thank you with no context or clarification the next time they meet. Hera/Juno, tight lipped and silent, offering Hazel some kind of gift or blessing the next time she returns to New Rome. Hazel and Jason laughing it off when they tell each other because wow, their godly parents are weird as hell.)

[bullet-prooflove]

Hiya. I have an ask for Scott Forrester again. ❤️ The prompt is: #58 “Can I ask you a question?” Thank you so much.

Tagging: @a-noni-love @district447 @soultrysworld @kmc1989 @delightfulheroshoeflap @upsteadlogic @ottitt @ @too-strong-to-lose @hearthockey @alice30martini @tems13

References to OA's Prey Series

Companion piece to Tonight - You turn up on Scott's doorstep after months apart

The bruising’s worse this morning, darker, more prominent. It stains your skin in shades of indigo as you sit at the breakfast bar, still clad in Scott’s clothing. You were stiff when you gotten up, hissing through your teeth as you slipped out from underneath the sheets. He’s done his best to take care of you, breakfast, tea, painkillers, all in that order.

“Can I ask you something?” You request, your hands wrapping around the mug you’re drinking from.

“Anything.” He says resolutely, leaning across the counter.

His hands come to rest on yours, his thumbs ghosting over the split skin across your knuckles, each one bloody, raw. You’d given as good as you’d got, he can tell. You used to box when you were in the Navy, Golden Gloves for a few years running. He’s been on the receiving end a couple of times during training. He knows you pack one hell of a punch.

“Before I left, I found Jamie here in your bed.” You tell him, your eyes fixated on the steam as it curls out from the mug. “I know we didn’t put a label on it but I thought things were getting serious, we were talking about going back to Italy…”

You trail off for a second before your gaze flickers up to meet his.

“Was I wrong?” You ask him.

“Natalia,” Scott says softly. “There hasn’t been another woman since Rome, there won’t ever be another woman if that’s what you want.”

“Jamie…” You begin and he shakes his head.

“Before I met you, the two of us were together for a while, it was the first relationship I had after Hanna.” He swallows hard against the ache in his chest, the one he always gets when he thinks about Hanna. “We weren’t good for each other. She was running from her grief and I was trying to cope with what happened in New York.”

He pauses, trying to select his next words carefully.

“I suspect when Jamie came over that night she was looking comfort, it’s an old pattern we’d fallen into when her sister’s anniversary came around. It’s not something I’m proud of.” He sighs as he looks down at your hands. “Is that why you left?”

“No.” You say quietly. “It was Pavlovic.”

It takes him a second to register your words, for them to really sink in. His head snaps up and suddenly he understands the level of brutality behind the beating, the viciousness of it.

“When he escaped from prison, he reached out to some contacts, people we had in common.” You tell him. You used to work Intelligence in the Navy, you’d excelled because you’d known how to assimilate, how to cultivate relationships, maintain them.  “That was the assignment I was tapped for, the one we were meant to discuss that night.”

“Did he do this to you?” Scott asks, his voice a ragged whisper.

Bile climbs up the back of his throat and for a moment he’s back in New York, thrust five years into the past, looking into the eyes of another woman who’d been brutalised in his name.

“He knew who I was from the moment I walked into that meeting.” You tell Scott, your mouth twisting up into a bitter smile. “He’d been surveilling you, surveilling us.”

The air rushes out of Scott’s lungs, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He can’t breathe, he can’t fucking breath because it’s happening all over again.

“Nat.” He rasps, his voice barely a whisper. “Nat, did he… I need to know…”

You open your mouth and Scott knows what’s coming, he can feel the blade of the axe kissing the back of his neck.

“No.” You tell him, your eyes meeting his. “I killed him before he could.”

Love Scott? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[poppy5991]

10 & 20 for the fanfic writer asks!!

I love you and the fact that you always ask me these 🥰 fyi

10. If you could banish a single trope to live at the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again by any human eyes (or at least your own), which trope would that be?

This is just my personal preference so no shade 😅 but I really dislike when endhawks fanfics have Enji calling Hawks ‘boy.’ I cringe and click away. It feels so out of character to their canonical relationship which becomes very equal from their second meeting and only shows up once in canon. I’ve also seen other translators mention that it actually translates closer to ‘kid’ in Japanese.

Moreover, I always picture those Kratos/God of War memes BOYYYYY 😂

As far as general tropes, I don’t have hate for any specific one. I think they can all be done justice.

20. Is there anything about any one of your fics that you have been dying to discuss but haven’t had the chance to?

This one isn’t published yet, but I have an Olympics themed AU endhawks fic in the drafts called Going For Gold. I’ve written some scenes that I’m really partial to and can’t discuss with anyone because it’s too incomplete to publish anything right now. Specifically some funny scenes of Rei and Enji reminiscing on when they were young Olympians and Shoto shocked to find out his parents were wild in their youth. As well as some emotional scenes that I think will play well.

———

Here’s a blurb for you:

“People are going to offer you drugs. Don’t do drugs! Drugs are bad,” Rei said, wrapping Shoto in a hug.

“Mom,” Shoto whinged.

Rei spun around to address Enji.

“Will you warn your son about drugs please?”

“Listen to your mother,” Enji began.

Shoto rolled his eyes.

“She knows from experience. One time at a house party, she did LSD with David Bowie and was still high the next morning. I had to call her coach and lie that she had food poisoning,” he continued.

Shoto’s jaw dropped and the other athletes turned their full attention to the conversation.

“WHAT?!”

“Don’t tell him that!” Rei cried.

“Mom.”

“Why are you shocked? Me and your dad used to be cool, you know. No wait! Drugs aren’t cool! Don’t do drugs!”

“Unless David Bowie offers. You can’t turn that down,” Rumi cut in.

Rei raised her hands in a ‘guilty as charged’ gesture.

“They probably don’t even know who David Bowie is. It was the 80s,” she said before shooting a playful glare at Enji, “You know, your father once took ten Jell-O shots in a club in a Rome-”

“Oh, don’t tell him this,” Enji protested.

“And threw up in the Trevi fountain. I had to flirt with the polizia so he wouldn’t get arrested.”

“Dad did?”

“We can talk about Budapest if you’re eager to share stories.”

“Do NOT,” Rei said threateningly.

———

On another note, one thing I want to discuss, but have no one to mention it to: My most popular fics are actually some of my less favorite ones 😂 IMO some of my less popular fics are objectively better written, but they are AUs (fun to write bc they give you more bandwidth for narrative storytelling, but generally less popular with readers- understandable bc as a reader I also gravitate toward canon fic over AUs)

[the-lunar-library]

TO THE RAVENS

A stranger – an outcast – a secret plot... Could you fool them without making the whole city want to kill you?

Rejected by her clan, Akantha has few options. In the Roman lunar colonies, where people are winged and there are rumors of barbarians beyond the city walls, she knows to keep her head down and not hope for a great destiny – or anything beyond what the gods, the Romans, or her city allow a mere woman.

But then, a stranger enters her life, Alexandros the Peregrine, a mysterious golden prophet. He claims he can make the city his – and hers – with just their wits. He speaks as if the Romans can't hurt them. And as for the gods? He's about to make a god of his very own.

With humor, romance, and biting emotion, Akantha's story unfolds. Alexandros will change her life forever. Is he a savior who will bring her freedom, or is he a force far too dangerous for her to fall in love with?

Briefly:

historical fantasy

standalone (155K words), not part of a series

an adult novel, though older teens could also read it

Imperial Rome (160s CE), but set on the Moon

a young twentysomething heroine who's very much an outcast

a handsome, reckless stranger

a cult!

Warnings: Violence; non-explicit sex; issues surrounding forced, arranged, abusive, and underage marriage/sexual contact; child and infant abuse, including death; pervasive cultural misogyny; the strongest warning is that this is a book about a cult, and while sometimes I play up the humor and absurdity of their practices, there are times when I go into the various forms of abuse inherent to such a situation.

All of these warnings make the book sound very gritty and grimdark, but I don't believe it to be. None of the sexual or violent stuff is explicit, and overall I feel the message is hopeful. I consider the ending a happy one.

Is it similar to your earlier books, The Price and Prey of Magic and The Escape of Lady Aigle?

Yes: We have a female protagonist and a lot of female support characters. There's some romance, but it's not strictly a romance novel. There's a lot of questioning of characters' motives, how trustworthy they are, and how the heroine's decisions affect those around her. The characters are sometimes taken to dark and dangerous places, but emerge with hope. There are fantasy elements, but it's not a novel about quests or wizards.

No: It's set in the real world – sort of. The action is all on the Moon, but a lot of the world-building is based on historical research. It's saucier than Papom or Eola, discussing sex more overtly. I would say the tone is also funnier, though there are some heavy, more emotional moments. There's a focus on religion, both positive and negative elements.

I see bat wings, is the main character a demon?

No, not at all. She's a human with wings.

Do you have to be an expert in Greek and Roman culture to read this?

Definitely not. Anything that's vital for the reader to understand is explained within the story. Other things, like some brief references to Greek mythology, are thrown in to make it feel more immersive, but they aren't necessary to understand what's going on. There's also a glossary in the back, but you should be able to read through without needing it.

Do you agree with everything your characters say?

Absolutely not, and that includes the characters I like very much, like Akantha. The book is set in second-century Rome, so I did my best to reflect the attitudes of the times, even ugly ones. I don't want the reader to feel like they're in the twenty-first century with some Roman window-dressing. This isn't to suggest all my characters are awful people, but they're coming at some subjects from a very different cultural context than we do. Their perspectives are different and, sometimes, wrong.

Is this book pro- or anti-religion?

Because it's about a cult, and because it's set in the Roman empire, religion is examined quite a lot. In the cast, we have Greco-Roman pagans, Christians, and Jews. Characters voice a variety of opinions, but I didn't write the book to proclaim you should or shouldn't belong to any of these religions. The only religion the book says you shouldn't be part of is, well, the cult.

How much is this based on real events?

It was inspired by a real cult that existed in the second century CE as documented by the writer Lucian of Samosata. I took direct inspiration from that account as well as a number of Lucian's other essays. However, in my telling, things are much more fiction than fact; this is not a faithful attempt at historical fiction. Anyone doing a school report on this cult should not cite me as a source, as hilarious as that would be.

Is there a snake in this?

Yeah, it always seems like there's a snake somewhere in my books.

[the-orange-tabby-cat]

ALBUM OF THE DAY: Jão - Super (2023) (6/?)

WHICH PEDRO BOY IS BASED ON? Dieter Bravo

ALBUM VIBES (listen to it on Spotify)

Super marks the end of Jão’s 20s and explores the decade with lyrics ranging from when he left a small town to search for fame and success in the big city, his love delusions, his growing ego, his bisexuality, and aliens in smooth pop music. Yep, I can’t make this up: this is pretty much Dieter’s POV, even getting high as a metaphor for love is present (one of the songs uses the idea of making a joint to fall in love). The original lyrics are in Brazilian Portuguese, but in the list below, you will find them translated into English already.

 

DIETER BRAVO CODED LYRICS

“After resorting to everything, kissing anyone I found in the world, drinking in squares, calling and listening to you on mute, I know” (Escorpião)

“After I swore to forget you, I lied until I convinced myself, when I managed to not only think about you, here you come” (Escorpião)

“Fuck your "I wish you well", I'm going to finish you, you will remember me” (Escorpião)

“Photos of you without clothes, unfinished discussions, our forbidden movies, everything stayed in my house” (Me Lambe)

“Self-love is good, but yours is better” (Me Lambe)

“So you can lick me, roll me, press me, you can light me up, I'll make you remember that we didn't go so wrong after all” (Me Lambe)

“At a party, I'll tell everyone you left early, I'll find you in the dark” (Me Lambe)

“I'll remember us together, cars, motels, DVDs, you want your pride and I only want you” (Me Lambe)

“You will love me anyway” (Gameboy)

“I've always been the sun, but this time I'll let you do whatever you want” (Gameboy)

“I'm beautiful and don't understand how anyone can not love me” (Gameboy)

“Tell me your type, I know how to transform myself. Love, if I'm not enough, whatever you like, I'll do it, you will love me” (Gameboy)

“In the middle of the room, words fail me, my tongue always gets stuck to say "I love you"” (Alinhamento Milenar)

“Love of my life, on my lap, I show you the angels” (Alinhamento Milenar)

“We have a special charm, everyone wants to stop and see every party, every beach, the late-night outings. The soul is always you and me” (Alinhamento Milenar)

“Running through palaces, obscene paintings on chapel ceilings, in the roof of my mouth, in the city of angels or burning Rome” (Alinhamento Milenar)

“Of all the boys and girls I've ever loved, I chose you” (Alinhamento Milenar)

“Different stories, similar endings, I also don't know how to talk about anything I feel” (Lábia)

“Sofa, late-night, me naked, you naked and if everything goes wrong, we've already made it right” (Lábia)

“The days have been easier, but this city will always exist and it insists on reminding me of the places we slept together, our most hidden places” (Julho)

“Call it revenge, payback, anger but I have to admit, in the end, the truth is that I did it because I wanted to” (Eu Posso Ser Como Você)

“Far from the churches and the protected things something calls, I want to get lost and I hear your voice coming from above. Light from the sky, spaceships, my guide” (Sinais)

“It's a mystery, an instinct, I don't see but I feel your signs” (Sinais)

“In an open field, hidden, it makes me beautiful, a satellite in orbit. Feeling electric, looking at the stars thinking about erotic stories” (Sinais)

“Choose a movie to live with me, one day I'll still play it on your radio, just give me a little more time” (Locadora)

“Nothing your parents tell you is worth more than what I know how to do” (Locadora)

“Baby, my mirror knows how hard I work to win you” (Locadora)

“Lying to your father that I deserve you, your hand in my pants is priceless” (Locadora)

“Kissing to the sound of the VCR, an impressed DiCaprio looking at us, time was long and different, baby, catch me if you can” (Locadora)

“I have a dream, I want the world, my love, I want everything, and to get it, I'll need to leave you” (Rádio)

“I taught you to prove me, my classic ambition doesn't lie. I knew one day it would separate us, I didn't teach you to leave me” (Rádio)

“Fame, money, new addictions, everything I dream of, I can achieve but I'm not able to forget you” (Rádio)

“Another sleepless night in the best suite, everything has gone wrong, my body admits” (São Paulo, 2015)

“Dreaming too high, the ground is the limit, once again, I lost myself” (São Paulo, 2015)

“Diamonds on my chest, satin on my skin. In the cold dawn, I'm a fever” (São Paulo, 2015)

“Running away from myself and all my past paying me back, I pretend, I kill loves in vain, anyone's bed to fill me” (São Paulo, 2015)

“Every night I go out to escape from myself and every night I always find myself like this, God you swore you would take care of me” (São Paulo, 2015)

“Illusions of grandeur in a small body, I see myself being far from here. Mom, it's no surprise, if I don't get out now I'll never leave” (Super)

“I see the lights, I see the streets, I have an immortal dream, I want everything to happen to me in the end” (Super)

“All the glory and pain, I feel in the end” (Super)

“I've been so many things to so many people but I'm already far from here, I tear myself apart and remake myself in a matter of months like I've done thousands of times” (Super)

TRACKLIST (highlighted are the most Dieter coded songs)

In brackets you will find the song title in English

1. Escorpião [Scorpio] (02'28")

2. Me Lambe [Lick Me] (02'55")

3. Gameboy (02'28")

4. Alinhamento Milenar [Millennial Alignment] (03'21")

5. Lábia [Smooth Talk] (02'51")

6. Maria (01'58")

7. Julho [July] (03'07")

8. Eu Posso Ser Como Você [I Can Be Like You] (02'31")

9. Sinais [Signals] (03'03")

10. Se O Problema Era Você, Por Que Doeu Em Mim? [If The Problem Was You, Why It Hurt In Me?] (02'37")

11. Locadora [Video Store] (03'09")

12. Rádio [Radio] (03'47")

13. São Paulo, 2015 (02'28")

14. Super (04'28")

[aegonsburnedcheeks]

Tacitus and House of the Dragon - My small take on the Season 2 discussion

*sigh* I didn´t want to engage in the whole discussion of the latest Season, but I need to get this off my brain. Many people are currently disappointed with Season 2 - especially the ones, who read the book. And I can understand a couple of critique points here. BUT! Please let's not forget what "Fire and Blood" is: It´s a historical chronicle, written by a Maester (and in that case he´s also a historian), who relied his chronicle on various different sources.

There is quite a similar work of history in our world: The Annals of Tacitus! It is a historical chronicle in which Tacitus portrays the Emperors of Rome from the start of Augustus' death and to the end of Nero's reign. And tbh I truly think that this was an inspiration for G.R.R. himself, when he did the concept for his Targaryen chronicle book. In his Annals, Tacitus may claim that he is neutral, but he himself relied on the sources of others and also wasn´t free of misconceptions and prejudices, when he depicted the Emperors. He even fell into a black-and-white view in his works. He leaves out some events, while others he interprets in such a way that they appear to support his theories. The actors are often accused of having secret motives of which Tacitus, objectively speaking, could not have had any knowledge.

Without going into a super detailed historical analysis, what I want to point out is that the show writers have the right to change things! The book, their source is no definitive story, it´s a historical chronicle with all its flaws and propaganda that may have gotten into it.

Of course, it´s okey to be unhappy with certain decisions, but being angry about "They changed the book!" is no argument in this.

Also: Can we please see the story of House of the Dragon as a tragedy, that depicts the horrors of war between kin? Have we forgotten that it is clear, there is no right side in this? It´s not always black-and-white and certain character motivations are more complex than it might seem because of ONE scene. Even I saw the parallels from the beginning they drew in the final episode. It is not that hard.

I liked the second season, it was not a masterpiece, but there were a lot of things I truly enjoyed and the whole cast and crew really carried it for me.

It is okey, if you didn´t like it, you can criticise it, ... but don´t go out and ruin it for other people, who still enjoyed the show. Seriously, I accidentally got spoiled so hard for Ep8 and it felt like the whole internet tried to gaslight me into hating this episode, but in the end it wasn´t as bad as all those comments wanted me to believe it was. So please just stop the mindless hate, because the show didn´t match up to your own book headcanon expectations. And please, with peace and love, stop hating on the cast, crew and people who still liked this season.... Just go and watch something else instead.

End of my TED Talk

[rahleeyah]

Do you think that by killing off Kathy instead of a divorce between her and Elliot, that El is still not "choosing" Liv? That when EO get together it's more of Elliot being "well my wife's dead so I guess I'll be with you". For many fans the choice of killing her off was not the best choice for the reason I state, and cause to fridge a female character is gross too.

What are your thoughts? Hopefully you understand what I am saying.

No, I don't think that.

I know a lot of people feel that way, but as we've discussed on this blog before I really do feel that Elliot couldn't choose Liv over Kathy while Kathy was still alive, not least bc Olivia wouldn't let him. And yes, of course, he could've gotten divorced from Kathy and then turned up looking for Olivia - and it would've been interesting to see Olivia be able to really vent her anger at him in those early days - but there's something....off, if Kathy's still around. She's still such a source of insecurity for Liv - does Elliot really want Olivia more, did he only come to Olivia bc Kathy finally got rid of him (which is essentially the same as only coming to Liv bc Kathy died, maybe even worse), has Olivia taken something from Elliot's family, do the kids resent her, etc - and Olivia's own reticence I think gets in the way too much if Kathy is alive. Olivia has been telling herself that Elliot is someone else's husband for so long that even a divorce isn't enough to nudge her, I don't think; it certainly didn't the first time. And yes the first time they were still partners but this time he's left her for a decade (why is he only coming back now? Isn't Liv still a consolation prize in this version?) and if she leaps straight into her anger without those months of caring for him maybe they don't ever recover.

And like what's the timeline. Elliot comes for the ceremony while still married to Kathy and Liv is furious and he leaves Kathy? Idk about that. Elliot gets divorced and only then turns up? Yeah I don't love that either.

And yeah, obviously, fridging is a serious issue that we do need to talk about but also characters have to die sometimes. We can't just never have a character die, never have the other characters experience loss; that's ignoring a whole vast swath of human emotion that does need to be explored in media. And if you're gonna kill someone off so that you can talk about grief and trauma and love and healing, pragmatically you're gonna kill a side character. Bc you want to keep your mains around for later. You need your mains. They're the story.

On the one hand, it would've been nice to see Kathy stand up for herself and go out and make a new life and not be beholden to Elliot. On the other hand, life doesn't give us all happy endings. Kathy had just as many choices as Elliot did. She asked him to come to bed, she asked - pushed - him to come back to raise Eli. She was happy in Rome. With him. Maybe Kathy didn't want another life. Maybe she wanted her husband - she worked hard enough to keep him - and maybe her ending is tragic, but life is tragic. A man looking at his cell phone while driving hit my mother head on and we spent a week in the hospital with her, jumping every time her eyelashes fluttered even tho we knew there was no activity in her brain. In the perfect story, her eyes would've opened. She would've woken up. We wouldn't have lost her. We did. The story doesn't have a happy ending. We stumble thru our grief. I kind of like it when the stories I consume reflect things I've felt in my own heart; it helps learn to name my emotions, and find connection and solace in the knowledge that I am not alone in feeling them.

Not every story has a happy ending. Kathy's didn't. That's not a crime imo.

[amberthefantasy]

Nitimur in Vetitum

chapter two: vetita (forbidden)

"The days following Gaius Octavius's return to Rome would be full of speculation for many years, but one thing remains clear. Lucretia and Gaius began to act as one almost immediately, we can only speculate on what this implies about them." -The Life of Lucretia Augusta by Adelaide Lyons

"So, what have we missed while we have been travelling?" Gaius asked once the four had taken their places on the sella around the room. Gaius had taken a moment to change into the appropriate black tunic of mourning before Atia had led them into the tablīnum to talk. 

"Marcus Antonius reached a deal with the murderers," Lucretia began, taking a moment to watch as Gaius narrowed his eyes, "though, I believe he is rethinking that agreement."

"Oh is he?" Gaius asked

"The people of Rome are quite unhappy with the murderers being... forgiven. They too want justice for our father," Lucretia explained, giving Gaius a small smirk at the end.

"Yes, our father was quite liked by the people," Gaius turned his head towards Agrippa, who raised an eyebrow at his friend, "yes... I have a plan."

"Already?" Atia asked, "but... well, is it not dangerous?"

"Dangerous? We are children of the Julii. We do not run and we do not cower," Lucretia said, raising her chin, "the people of Rome loved my father. They will love his son the same, if we play it right."

Her new brother smirked, leaning towards Lucretia and allowing his dark hair to fall and block his mother from view. "What do you suggest, sweet sister?"

"To gain power we need allies," she began, as Agrippa leant forward as well, "Antonius wished to be seen as the political successor to our father, so he will not back you." Agrippa clicked his teeth. "To gain support we must use the Senate-''

"The Senate?" Agrippa asked, "the ones who support those that murdered Caesar?"

Lucretia rolled her eyes, "yes, Agrippa, them." He opened his mouth but Lucretia cut him off, "of course we only use them for a short while, just until you have a large enough force to pose a threat to those who oppose us."

Gaius and Agrippa locked eyes and for a long moment Lucretia wished she could read their thoughts. "Okay," Gaius finally said, "where do you suggest we start?"

Lucretia took a breath, no one had ever listened to her this intensely before, especially not men. Well, here goes. "Do you have any legions?"

"Two, we collected them in Brundisium, though I cannot pay them until I have my inheritance. Which I have heard one Marcus Antonius is keeping safe for me." Gaius's voice became scornful by the end of his sentence, an underlying note Lucretia did not understand hidden beneath the words.

"Well, two won't be enough. Not to fight Antonius and certainly not to fight the armies of the east."

"If you had the name Caesar, many of my uncle's legions may defect to you," Atia cut in, causing the three others to jump and spin back to her. "What? Forget I was here?"

Lucretia smiled and shook her head at the elder woman, "She is correct, many of our father's legions are loyal to the name Caesar. Once you legally hold it-"

"I do," Gaius cut her off, making Lucretia turn a glare to him, "apologies. But I do hold the name Caesar. From this point I will go by the name Gaius Julius Caesar, as my father did." Lucretia nodded and smiled at him, yes, he was good. 

Before they could continue the discussion the sound of the entrance opening made all four of the room's occupance turn. Silvius was here. Odd, this wasn't their house. The man was wearing a dark tunic and toga to signify his mourning for his wife's father, but it was adorned with blue and gold, not the pitch black the family was expected to wear after a death. Gaius and Agrippa both sat up, eyes darting to Lucretia in question.

"Husband, we were not expecting you," Lucretia smiled, standing to greet her husband with a kiss. 

"Wife, no I umm... I heard that your cou- brother had returned," Silvius responded, turning his head toward Gaius and Agrippa, who had stood and were watching them with slightly narrowed eyes. The picture of friends, both had dark tunics on, the same stance and expression on their faces. The same handsomeness too. 

"Greetings, I am Gaius Julius Caesar and this is Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa," her brother introduced, stepping forward to greet her husband properly. Agrippa nodded with a small, fake, smile.

"Greetings, Silvius Fabius Maximus," her husband introduced. "What brings you here, besides introductions of course?"

Oh gods damn her husband, he may not be the smartest politician, but he noticed when plotting was taking place. Gaius glanced at Lucretia, who gave him a single exasperated look. "Simply taking the lay of the land since my return," Gaius explained, leaving out the genuine plotting they'd done. Silvius might, after all, support Marcus Antonius as Caesar's successor. It would not be good to tell him their plans. Silvius nodded but didn't say anything in response, the expression on his face making it obvious he knew there was more to this meeting than Gaius had said. Agrippa was watching her husband with an expression on his face that Lucretia could not quite read, distrust? questioning? She couldn't tell, but perhaps that was a good sign, if she couldn't read his face, she doubted many could.

"We should return home," Lucretia said, taking her husband in hand. Silvius raised an eyebrow but didn't respond, simply turned to leave.

Gaius seemed to contemplate him for a moment before stepping forward to take Lucretia by the hand, "it was wonderful to see you again sister."

"I welcome you back to Rome brother, and you Agrippa," Lucretia kissed both the men on the cheek and smiled, "Cicero," she whispered to Gaius as she pulled back. Lucretia saw Gaius give a slight nod before she turned to leave with her husband.

--

12th Day before the Kalends of May (20th April, 44 BCE)

"Has it worked?" Lucretia asked as she shifted the sleeve of the black dress she wore. Gaius looked towards her. The two of them, and Agrippa, were seated in Lucretia's tablīnum, having a meeting to speak about how their plans had evolved since Gaius's arrival five days earlier. 

"Cicero? I believe he has begun to see the benefits of a political relationship with me," Gaius responded as he took a seat.

Agrippa hummed, "he has begun requesting to speak to Gaius of his own accord. Our main problem is Marcus Antonius, he refuses to give Gaius the inheritance owed him."

Lucretia shook her head, "Antonius has always been foolhardy and headstrong, he will give in," she said to Gaius, "as long as you keep pushing, the people will begin to wonder where their own payment has gone."

"They already have," Agrippa said, "I've heard whispers of people asking Antonius when they will get the denarii they were promised."

"He was a fool to read the will at the funeral if he did not intend to pay them," Gaius said, scoffing, "but we can use it to our advantage."

"How?" Lucretia asked

"I have inherited large amounts of property, that doesn't include what I got from my birth father," Gaius explained, sitting forward and beginning to flip a denarii in hand. "So, I auction of some unused property and pay the people myself."

Agrippa and Lucretia shared a look. "Do we have the money for that?" Agrippa asked.

Gaius sighed, "I have enough property to pay at least half from Rome."

"Do you?" Lucretia asked, her tone of voice made Agrippa give her a small smirk.

Gaius gave her a deadpan stare, "I do, sister. As soon as I make my motives known Antonius will have to concede, lest he look like he is keeping the people of Rome from what is theirs."

"If you think it will work..." Agrippa trailed off.

"It will. Now, has Silvius revealed anything of Antonius's plans to you?" Gaius changed the subject, turning on Lucretia.

"You think he tells me anything?" Lucretia said, exasperated, "I ask and he says women should not inquire about politics, as if me asking about what should happen to my father's murderers is some insane concept." She ranted, stopping to take a breath and noticing the looks on Gaius and Agrippa's faces. "Oh, don't look at me like that!"

"Like what?" Agrippa asked.

"Like, like I'm... being unreasonable."

Gaius placed a hand on Lucretia's arm as she took another breath, "you are not sister," Lucretia looked towards him, "but you must understand, that... that you are a not a regular woman, it may take time for Silvius to open up to you."

She stepped closer to him, "you do not understand, he does not like me and I him."

"How can one not like you sister?" Gaius placed a hand on Lucretia's cheek. They stared at each other for a moment, Lucretia finding herself unable to respond.

cough . They jumped apart. Agrippa had stood and was looking at them, eyebrows raised. "We have a meeting, Gaius."

"Right, uhh, we shall meet again soon, to discuss our next move," Gaius said, looking at Lucretia. She nodded. The two men left, both glancing back to look at her.

--

It was three days before Lucretia saw her brother again. She got the feeling he'd been avoiding her, ever since their moment together after their meeting. Lucretia wasn't too upset about that, she'd also been contemplating many things since then. For the last week since his arrival her and Gaius had been spending more and more time together. They were siblings now and they had political moves to plan but... was there more to it? Gaius made her feel more comfortable in just a week than Silvius had done in three months. She felt things around him, things she didn't feel with others. Well, perhaps one other. But that wasn't what she should be thinking about right now. 

Lucretia had of course never had any 'intimate' relations with other men. No, for a noble roman woman to do so out of wedlock was unseemly and improper. It was perhaps even more improper to think those thoughts about her brother, but well... he wasn't truly her brother, he was her... cousin. The thoughts were wrong and not what she should be thinking about these days. Lucretia should be thinking about their next steps politically, what to talk about when Gaius arrived. But she couldn't, all she could think of was him, in ways she shouldn't be thinking of him.

"Lucretia?" Gaius's voice came from the entrance of the room. Lucretia didn't move and Gaius was by her side in moments, holding her hand and looking worriedly into her eyes. "Sweet sister, what has happened that you look so?"

Lucretia shook her head, her pale hair falling out of the braid it was kept in as she did. "I cannot tell you brother, you would think ill of me."

"Never, I could never think ill of you," Gaius refused, placing a soft hand on her cheek. 

"Don't, do not look at me like that, speak to me like that, touch me like this."

"Like this?" Gaius asked, his voice taking on a cheeky note as he pressed his other hand to Lucretia's cheek, "shall I not look at you like you are the light of my world? At this moment, you are all that keeps me sane as we delve into this political abyss. Shall I not speak to you, like you are the most precious thing in this world?"

Lucretia shook her head, "Gaius..."

Her words were cut off by Gaius placing his finger on her lip, "tell me, sweet sister, do you wish for this?"

"Yes," Lucretia said, her voice barely more than a breathy whisper, "but I am married, we are-"

"We want each other," Gaius said, pushing her back so she lay on the klinai she had been perched upon, "I am Gaius Julius Caesar and I take what I want."

He kissed her.

It was the best kiss Lucretia had ever had in her life. Gaius pressed closer to her, pressing his lower body into her. Lucretia gasped, rolling her hips up to meet him. "Have you?"

Lucretia nodded and Gaius smiled. He didn't say another word before pushing the bottom of her dress up and pressing his hand onto her. "oh" Lucretia gasped as a shock of pleasure ran through her body. Gaius pressed his finger onto her and let out a chuckle at her bliss. "oh, oh," Lucretia began to repeat as he leaned closer to her, "Gaius!" Lucretia had felt pleasure before, perhaps she had dabbled in some, but never like that.

"Marriage is a duty, fucking is a pleasure. For men and women, I want you to know that." Gaius whispered in her ear as he knelt over her and began to push his own tunic up. "When is your husband due home?"

"Not for hours, he's in another Senate meeting."

"Good," Gaius smiled, then Lucretia felt him pressing against her. Gaius let out a stuttering breath. Lucretia matched it with one of her own as she felt him enter her. "Fuck," Gaius swore, rolling his hips into her. The two began to match each other with rolls of their hips and little moans of pleasure. The pressure inside her that Lucretia had felt before began to build again as Gaius pressed even deeper into her with a role of his hips. Lucretia let out a louder moan as the pressure built to maximum again.

Then Gaius gasped and his hips stuttered as she felt his seed fill her. Gaius pulled out of her and smiled. Lucretia responded with one of her own, "did you take what you wanted, Gaius Julius Caesar?"

"Why yes, I did," Gaius leant towards her and kissed her, "and... I hope it will not be the only time I do?"

"We shall see..." Lucretia teased. Gaius rolled his eyes. Then he pulled back and lay on the klinai beside hers. "What? Are you going to ask the question you came here for?" Lucretia asked.

"No, that can wait," Gaius paused for a moment then continued, "I just, I really enjoy spending time with you."

"Well I should hope so, after what we just did."

Gaius laughed and after a second of indignant silence, Lucretia joined him.

NiV masterlist / full masterlist

[sequencefairy]

There’s a very fucked up part of my brain that wants to hear your theories about the alleged NYC polycule 😭 but it’s also…too much lmaooooo

Beloved, sweet, wonderful anon, you tempt me too much with your repressed desires to join me in the tiny closet off my office, where I keep my bulletin boards and my red string.

I should note, before we begin, that my contributions to these theories are but contributions, the true architect is a friend, who I will not publicly out, but they know who they are.

With that out of the way, let me paint you a picture, dear sweet anon.

It was late summer, I had watched six hours of TV over the course of three days, because my friend had talked about this TV show to me, and the characters therein, for weeks. I did not expect to like this TV show, I wanted to watch it solely so that I could participate fully in conversation, because I enjoy very much when someone I care about loves something and shares that with me. Despite my intentions to the contrary, I emerged from the six hours of TV wholly changed.

And so began my not-so-slow downward spiral.

(under the cut)

My friend and I had deep and complicated discussions about characterization and the narrative choices and depictions of mental illness and trauma. We shared vulnerabilities, as ways to expand our understanding of the depths that this show plumbs, but does not always reach with solidity. We thirsted. Oh, did we thirst.

I came to the conclusion that I did, indeed, want to climb Oscar Isaac like the compact, solidly built tree that he is. I wanted to bury my fingers in his hair, I wanted to see him smile. I wanted to see the characters he plays beaten, bloody, and miserable. I wanted to see them broken, but I also wanted them to heal, such as they were able, given their unique circumstances.

In short, I became obsessed.

My life has spun wildly out of control, I am sitting on roughly 50k of Moon Knight fanfic, currently unfinished, but being worked on feverishly. You are not here for that though, so let us move on.

We initially began our conversations regarding the NYC polycule on a fair evening in September, when my friend arrived in my dms to alert me to an item of interest. It was a photo, from September 9th, posted on Elvira's Instagram account, and in it, was Oscar, one of his children, and a man, tagged as Tim Nolan.

Further research revealed, of course, that Tim Nolan is none other than the long-time hair stylist for Oscar. We reviewed Tim's Instagram page, thrilled by the discovery that Tim seems to accompany Oscar on many filming trips, including during the filming for Moon Knight in Jordan.

Knowing this, and also knowing that the only other person who appears in photos in their house with their children with such familiarity is Pedro Pascal, we began to make certain assumptions about this relationship.

I won't spend too much time on Pedro Pascal, I think we all know that he's involved.

For now, let us continue along with Tim.

Oscar has been filming In The Hand of Dante in Venice, of late, and so we have been thrilled to see BTS pictures of him, on set, and etc. We have also been thrilled, most recently, by Tim's presence. Tim recently celebrated his 41st birthday in Rome, and the following weekend, was with Oscar being touristy.

Some things to note:

Elvira's comment under Tim's birthday photo, which was taken in Rome. This is not unusual in and of itself, she is very free with her affection for the people in her life, and her comment is correct, he is looking extremely good.

Tim touring around Rome with Oscar, on the weekend after his birthday, clearly not at work, just there to have fun.

The next photo is the one that sealed the deal for me. You have probably seen this one, because I reblogged it onto my blog, but here it is again, for posterity.

We know, from various interviews, and behind the scenes footage, and the way that Oscar is in them, that he is affectionate with his male friends, we know that he is happy to be close to them physically, but there's ... something about this picture. There's a familiarity, a casual intimacy, a closeness that speaks to other kinds of closeness.

All this to say that I believe that Tim Nolan is and has been in the polycule, just like Pedro Pascal is and has been. Perhaps not at the same time, perhaps there are others who move in and out, but the anchor is that Oscar and Elvira have a marriage with room for others, and I wouldn't be surprised, at all, if someday, someone made a mistake, and posted something we shouldn't be seeing, on a public account.

Alternatively, I am going to move to NYC with the intention of becoming another member of this small, loving group of people.

I'm sure my partner will understand.

[castleofswagliostro]

2.7.23 -- welcome to my blog!

Thank you for clicking on my little blog! I started this with the hopes of connecting with other people who share my interest in Lupin the Third and would enjoy reading reviews and articles about the show, just like I do.

I go by the lupin apologist, a title that ties in a little bit more about me. I am a theology major (I am graduating in May 2023!) and I have hopes of going to law school and practicing in the legal field. In theology, apologetics is the field of defending something. Apologetics began with the early Christians in Rome, but we will be doing a different type of apologetics than they did.

When you Google ‘apologist’ or ‘what is an apologist,’ the general answer is that an apologist is something who takes up defending something that is controversial. Davidic apologetics is the field of theology where king David is defended despite his rape of Bathsheba. The legacy of the Davidic line, and in effect Jesus Christ, is defended against David’s deplorable actions. You can be an apologist for anything, like a pineapple-on-pizza apologist or an apologist for the color of piss green. Once you defend anything against people that have the opposite view as you, and the evidence to back it up, you become an apologist! You’re not apologizing for anything (sorry, but pineapple does belong on pizza!) but you’re just defending its very right to exist unbothered and undeterred by critiques.

So, what makes Lupin III so controversial? Why does he need an apologist? Why does the beloved series need an apologist?

They need an apologist because there’s a lot to not love about them. Some aspects of Lupin the Third are a little suspect and worthy of examination. Some of these things may be what turn people away from the franchise and poison the well of content and media. These things should not be excused but examined and understood within the context of their production and their purpose (if there is one) to the story as a whole.

Whether it be the content of our characters or the plot of the stories, there is something that draws us to the outrageous stories and antics of our favorite international crime gang. The Lupin the Third franchise is a living story that can be transposed into all times and all places. The truth is, the Lupin stories could very well be about real people in real time. They can be applied to our lives, which is what I think is a part of the alluring nature of the franchise. We want to know what Lupin and his gang would think of our modern times. We would love to know how they perceive the world as it is changing, and this blog is going to attempt to answer those questions.

Would Lupin and Fujiko online date while seeing each other? How would Zenigata spend his downtime in a world where chasing lupin is only a fragment of his manhood, and he is expected to do something else? How does Goemon hold onto his samurai culture while surviving in a modernized world?

Beyond these trivial musings, the fifty plus year life span of Lupin the Third has spawned some questionable content which has implications on our perception of the real world. We should be talking about the scenes that make us uncomfortable or the character designs that make us raise an eyebrow. Having safe spaces to have safe discussions about potentially unsafe topics is so important, especially in the analysis of Lupin the Third. We have to take it all as it comes, so ignoring the things that make us sore will only contribute to the void between content and consumer.

So, perhaps the apologetics here are not about defending or excusing, but rather about explaining and understanding the potential dark sides and downfalls of human nature.

I started watching Lupin media in spring of 2021, my first being the Castle of Cagliostro. Since then, learning about all the different motifs and aesthetics of different Lupin installments has become a favorite past time and something that has brought light into the darkest moments of my life. The franchise has nursed my wounds of heartbreak and loss and is something that I hope I will always have to rely on, and someday give back to. Engaging in discourse in this community is so special to me, and I hope that his blog encourages others who have the same passion have the courage to take a chance and invest in something outside of themselves.

I am always eager to receive feedback, requests, and submissions! If you have an idea of content you would like to see or something I could do differently or if you'd like to see something of yours on the blog, send it my way. My ask box and submission pages are always open. Posts will be sorted and tagged, so episode and movie reviews will be tagged differently than articles will be. Once more content is published, the organization will become more clear. Again, thank you for joining me on this blog! I am very excited create content that I care about and share it with an audience.

screen cap is from part 3 opening

[a-passing-storm]

I think it’s really cool how all of our life experience changes our perspective and makes it so that some things mean very different things to each of us. 

(I did the thing where I accidentally wrote a mini-essay.)

I’m in a rambly mood, but basically, when I was in fourth grade, I thought Latin was cool because, like... weird occult language, y’know? It just seemed cool, probably because I read a lot of fiction, and I had none of the historical understanding of, like... Rome or how Latin is used in mottos and on cool government buildings or any of that. I was just like, “Hm. Seems neat!”

And I didn’t really understand how language-learning worked at all, I don’t think,  but I had this piece of paper on which I would write every Latin phrase/word I heard and what it meant in English. So it was stuff like “sic semper tyrannis - thus ever the tyrant,” “semper fidelis - always faithful,” and also some straight up scientific Latin, like “canis lupus,” which is really funny to me in hindsight. There were a lot of taxonomic plant names. 

So I kept that list, and I didn’t necessarily think that Latin is an entire language, or that it was something actual people had spoken, really, but it meant a lot to me in its own weird way, and the list was, like, my “someday I will learn more” hope. Also, one of the phrases on the list was “ad astra per aspera” (to the stars through difficulty). 

Last fall, I started taking Latin. And I learned to love it in a completely different way, because at that point I was a bit better with history, and generally more fascinated by the fact that Humans Have Always Been Humans. Also, my Latin teacher is cool as fuck, very supportive, and just... awesome dude. I respect him a lot. And the class is amazing. Everyone is really nice, really chaotic, and once when most of the school was out at a pep rally, we had a thirty-minute discussion about the logistics of Santa Clause, if he were real. 

So Latin became a cool thing for me in that regard; it was like... well, there were a lot of things. Found family, support, the closeness of learning a dead language with a bunch of other people. Like? That’s so weird? If you’re taking Latin, you’re definitely weird, but we’re all weird, so it’s great. And also connecting to dumb normal humans in the past. Like, Catullus wrote bad love poetry. Early in Latin I, we translated a “beware of dog” sign. And also, for me, the sense of, like... Hell, yeah. I followed through with this thing that I wanted to learn a stupid long time ago. And hell, yeah. I learned it. 

And one of the even cooler things for me was how “ad astra per aspera” changed for me, in a way. I love Latin, but it was still a class, and I still struggled with, like, memorizing vocab. And a big issue for me was always getting “ab” (from) and “ad” (towards) mixed up, and “ad astra per aspera” became my way of remembering it, because I knew it meant towards the stars. Later, it also helped me remember “per,” which I got mixed up with “pro.” This random phrase that I learned in, like, this book called Navigating Early, I think? That had been a phrase on a list of words that I collected in hopes of learning a language? Had also become an actual tool for me to learn that language. Which I think is so cool. 

Also, I mentioned that I didn’t really realize that Latin was a legitimate... entire language when I first became interested in it. I knew a few phrases, and I dunno... my weird elementary school brain didn’t understand how language works. But I learned how to use Latin as an actual language. Like, I learned to say more than just a few memorized phrases. It became an actual fucking working language for me, and the biggest thing is that I learned way more than I had ever thought there was to learn about Latin. And that was just the tip of the iceberg, obviously, because it was only my first year of Latin. 

And I actually cried about that as the school year was ending, because like... Oh, man. If fourth grade me could see me now. They would think I am so cool. And also, I think they’re so cool, because they started me down this path of learning this silly dead language. And they helped me, too, because of their list of phrases and “ad astra per aspera.” 

Anyway, this year I’m taking Astronomy. And in the same way I think reading bad love poetry from like... the 50s BC is cool as fuck, I think astronomy is pretty cool. This same sky has been around for... so long. And humans thousands of years saw it. And humans in the future will see it--thinking about humans in the future is so cool. Like, they might see the entire sky change when the Andromeda Galaxy collides with ours. That’s... so beautiful. The fact that we can predict that they’ll see that? And I adore, I love the humans that got us here. Hell, the astronauts that were ready to die so that humanity could reach the heavens? That’s beautiful. It’s something that, like, every time I think about, I cry. In the best way. It’s so beautiful, and it always makes me cry. 

And this year--right now--seasonal depression is hitting hard. Also, at the end of the year I’ll be done with the Latin courses my school offers, and by God, I’m going to miss that class. It’s rough. But I’ve realized that space is something that will invariably make me hopeful, and make me fall in love with the world again. 

And so, when I’m feeling hopeless, I return to that phrase: “ad astra per aspera.” And it means so much to me. It’s a reminder of how far the enthusiasm of a much younger me far back in time has taken me, of how far I’ve come and the learning I’ve pushed myself through, and just... the  most hopeful, beautiful parts of humanity. 

And I just think it’s neat. 

[jesuslists]

Jesus’ To-Do List for Christmas 2022

1. Write a thank you note to Blessed Virgin Mary for the whole giving birth thing. One time you forgot -- 1,265 years ago – and She has not let You forget about it.

  2. Make sure to send front-row tickets for the Taylor Swift concert in Los Angeles to the Archangel Gabriel in gratitude for his role in the BVM’s impregnation. Or Philadelphia if You can’t get tickets for Los Angeles. Or Cincinnati maybe. You hope you don’t regret giving the Ticketmaster franchise to Lucifer in return for Hunter Biden’s laptop.

3. Draft a memo asking the Holy Spirit to inspire BTS to reunite for midnight Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York to sing “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.” That should bring the young people in.

4. Meet with Your siblings. First, get Your sister Rachel to convince Dad that He has taken the QAnon prank too far. Second, make sure that Your brothers Scott and Joe, Jr. convince their bestie Anderson Cooper to reunite with Kathy Griffin for New Year’s Eve.

5. Send the Archangel Michael this time to inquire if Mariah Carey is available to sing “All I Want for Christmas is You” at Your birthday party. Her representatives were not happy about the way St. Whitney approached her the last time. “Two divas crossing the celestial-terrestrial boundary was a recipe for disaster,” they wrote back.

6. Conference call with Pope Francis, members of the Curia, and those three sad virgins from Please Don’t Destroy to discuss themes for this year’s Christmas message. You are thinking of making a break from the usual “Peace, Love, and Understanding” brand and adopting something along the lines of “Do You Want This to Be Your Last Christmas? He Can Make That Happen.”

7. Get Pope Francis alone on the phone and mention that You would like his minions to figure out a way to get holograms of Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing “The Little Drummer Boy” at the midnight Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Ziggy Stardust Bowie. And maybe get hologram Tupac to join in. That should bring the tech bros in.

8. Meet with Miss Hathaway to schedule time to shop for the perfect gift for Emma Watson. Also, see if the BVM will invite her to Your birthday party. She is far more age appropriate for flesh-and-blood You than Sharon Stone. NOTE: Remind Miss Hathaway that this year You will not be sending a gift to Sharon and that she is not to be invited to the party after last year’s commotion.

9. Set up a time to watch that new Will Ferrell and Ryan Gosling Reynolds Christmas movie “Spirited” with Charles Dickens, David Bowie, Bing Crosby, and Tupac. See if St. Prince can clear some time in his schedule to attend as well. Also, remind your brother Scott to renew the subscription to the right streaming service this time so you can watch the movie before Your birthday party.

10. Meet with Legal and HR to review the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Lucifer regarding Your birthday party. That devil violated Article B (d)(iii) last year (see No. 8 above).

[thejesusmaninred]

"The Kentron." From Mark 8: 11-13.

Jesus tells the people "enjoy your life" even while things are not too enjoyable. This is not acceptable to the Pharisees who want something more. This is their nature, to prompt and probe until the necessities of Jewish religious arguments are settled. Jesus sighs, perhaps the most communicative thing He can do and then He goes back to the other side, to sit at the Adult's Table:

11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.

12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.”

13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

There was no way for the people of Rome to successfully ring in the Age of the Messiah. Jesus knew this, but like a good Jew He presses the existing culture to do its part. We are just now beginning to understand the effects of His Passages, and not too soon, the world is going tater tots and it could use some good advice.

The truth is without the internet and quantum computing, which connect every knowable thing to every other, we could not hope to accomplish the Mashiach. One wonders if it would have helped the Jews (and the rest) during the Holocaust but to no avail, that is done. It is an object lesson, one we don't want to apply over and over. Nor do we have to- we now know who and what Jesus was and the subject of the tension between us and He is closed forever.

Jesus was actually an okay fellow, He too after all was Jewish, He loved being Jewish and everyone around Him liked that about Him too. Almost everyone, except for those who did not want the Romans to stick hot pokers down their shafts and up their butts.

Jesus sighs because He senses a very Jewish contest between life and survival is the problem. He is trying to win as many people over to the side of Jewish life vs. Jewish survival as He can. Sighing nonetheless is not mentioned in the Torah, which says "God breathed life into Adam." The etymology explains more deeply why Jesus sighed:

"In the Greek classics our word σημειον (semeion) could describe anything from a marker on a border, grave or monument to a signaling flag in battle, a figurehead on shields, even a password or secret handshake and all that. In logic our word denoted a "sign" such as an example, demonstration or other such proof, and the Stoics and Epicureans used this word to describe the observable as opposed to the unobservable but deductible (the same division is made in Hebrews 11:1).

The medical profession used our word to describe representative symptoms of a certain disease. Mathematics used our word as synonym for στιγμα (stigma), or point (in the mathematical sense).

The shorter version of our word, σημα (sema), in particular was also used in the sense of a "sign from heaven" or omen or sign of portent. In that sense our word was specifically associated with the star Sirius, and while the names Simon and Simeon formally come from the Hebrew verb שמע (shama'), meaning to hear or obey, any speaker of Greek would have surely caught the association with our noun σημα (sema) and its associate noun σημειον (simeion; see below).

Sirius has been known as the Dog-star since antiquity. The Hebrew word for dog is כלב (keleb), hence the name Caleb, which belonged to the friend of Joshua. The name Joshua, of course, is the Hebrew version of the Greek name Jesus. That's all a bit beyond common coincidence."

The etymology says Jesus's sigh is also a sign, but Jesus says no. He wants a fight, not because of a sign, but because that is what has to be done.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 11: The Pharisees, the scientists, came. Everyone hates the Pharisees, but they serve an essential function. The Number is 4669, דוו‎‎‎ט‎, dvt, "the debate."

The most famous debate in Jewish history takes place when God, Aaron and Moses discuss whether or not the complainers should be punished. In Exodus we learn there is no room for human beings that want to keep things shaken or stirred up:

"The Book of Genesis begins with God’s Brilliance, and ends with a hint of mankind’s. Throughout Genesis, we saw men rise and fall, until Abraham, the Founder, rose up and stayed on his feet. From his tutelage grew Isaac, Israel, Joseph and Ephraim, men of distinction. Peace and order followed these men around, one, Joseph saved the world. 

Instead of earning greater merits and carrying on the tradition, as humanity is ought and fully capable of, sometimes our enemy, the man of desire, of corruption, is allowed to lead. Then because of delusion about him and his intentions, many die and suffer. Those who watch and wait are as enslaved to him as those experiencing his lash.

 It’s just never enough for some or too much for others. The Book of Exodus explains the nature of all slaveries- to those inflicted by self and those by slavers, to the passions, to false gods, to wickedness, laziness, and how different all these are to loyalty to God. 

Loyalty to God is the direct result of trust. Doubt in the Will of God is the same as suicide. Doubt in the nature and capacity of the desire to sin is suicide. Liberation starts with the absolution of all doubt. Without Absolution there is no such thing as liberation from sin called “Exodus”. 

Exodus is a four part process: 

1. We need to realize we are enslaved.

2. All delusion doubt we must be free must be absolved.

3. Effort must be applied to uprooting the causes of the delusion and the shearing away the causes of the slavery.

4. Persons responsible for immoral and unethical acts must be expunged from the world. 

What results next is Rule of Law and the establishment of Order. 

Jesus tries to explain this to the Pharisees who want something more as the Exodus this time is not against a Pharaoh but against Rome and that is a horse of a different color.

To Jesus, it makes no difference.

v. 12: He sighed deeply. Like Krishna in ancient India, and yours truly in modern times, I have said corrupt governors by definition do not feel a spiritual need to observe limits, nor shall they one day just give up being crude and become mankind's best benefactors.

I have seen Mitt Romney, Mike Pence, Josh Hawley, Rick Perry, Steve Miller, Steve Bannon and others associated with the US Government engaged in reprehensible sexual acts performed in the company and upon little kids. They were done at the behest of the very same persons who attacked the Capitol on January 6 and Israel on October 7, 2023.

Even though my own life was threatened I waited for the right time to share what I knew and five years go turned them in to the FBI. There is very little to show for the risk, but it had to be done. The very same persons remained free and continued their behaviors unchanged for years.

Now their butt buddy, the one who prepared the way is trying to enter the Oval Office and cut them loose once again. He is not humanity's friend, nor are the people that are refusing to kill him.

But it has to be done.There is no clear way to avoid it. The signs have been given, many times already. So, I'm sighing too.

The Number is 6980, וטפ‎, "A tap dance."

What the good goddam do you people think you are doing letting a bunch of American pedophiles dig terror tunnels under foreign soil? Then everyone blamed Israel for wanting a little sanity during its response?

Tappa tappa tappa...

One thing was sure; dancing around the eventual Roman genocide of the Jews was not going to save their lives. This is why Jesus told the Pharisees no other signs were going to be given.

v. 13: Then He left them. The Number is 2059, כנט, the kentron, "an experiment regarding the wisdom of the welfare of the greater good is a mistake."

"The familiar noun κανων (kanon) describes any straight rod or bar that was used to keep something else straight: staves that marked the boundaries of a field, a weaver's rod, rulers and straight-edges used by masons and carpenters, the horizontal beam of a balance, even the rail of a curtain.

Importantly, this word came to be used in the sense of rule or standard: any custom or understanding that was deemed proper in the court of public opinion, became "canon" (same word), and was supposed to be heeded by all as an example to live by. It's used 5 times in the New Testament; see full concordance.

This very important word illustrates an understanding of the difference between the wily edicts of some tyrant and the wisdom of a crowd that, from the seas of trial and error, has distilled crystals for success and prosperity. The revolutionary idea behind the Logos was that it was no tyrant like the gods of old, but rather alike a republican senate, and always representative of the tried wisdom of the larger population.

From the Greek idea of Logos came modern science: that ever-evolving body of knowledge of the rules upon which the universe has been found to operate, and which ultimately reflect the intimate nature of the Creator (Romans 1:20, Colossians 2:3, Hebrews 1:3)."

We have somehow lost track of what the above means, "an intimate Creator." He hates us for what we are doing. We need to earn His love and respect back.

[happyweddingblogs]

75 Things To Make Your Relationship Stronger

Being in a relationship means being responsible for each other’s emotions and well-being. No relationship works without the efforts of two people. It is a two-way process. There are numerous things that people in a relationship should do to make it better and more reliable. Here in this post, we are sharing with you 75 things to do to make your relationship stronger.

Here we go…..

1. Know yourself and your needs first.

If you know what you want from a relationship, maintain a great relationship won’t be a problem. Yes, when you start a relationship, understand what exactly you are looking for.

2. Be Open.

Openness is the key to a successful relationship. If you are not open to your partner, then the chances of clashes will always be higher.

3. Communicate.

Communicating can mend anything and any situation, believe you me. This is the most essential part of a stronger relationship. If you are not able to deliver your issues, fears, values, etc. with your partner, you will end up having a disturbed relationship.

4. Listen to Each Other.

Of course, you have to be communicative, but listening is an integral part of it. If you really want to develop a healthier relationship, be a good listener. Listen to your partner; only then can you understand him/her better.

5. Be Respectful.

Remember that respect has nothing to do with gender, age, etc. You have to be respectful of each other to have a successful relationship.

6. Complement Each Other.

Of course, nobody dislikes complements, in fact, people love to hear that they look good. Giving your partner a compliment when he/she looks good will make him/her feel good. Also, it will help them know that you notice them and feel that they are attractive.

7. Be Responsible for your Happiness.

Believe it or not, you are the sole in charge of your happiness. You cannot depend on your partner for your happiness, if you do so, you end up being clingy only.

8. Ethical Transparency.

It is vital to have ethical transparency in a relationship. Whether you are planning to get married or you are already in a relationship, be transparent. Know that nothing can be kept hidden for long.

9. Give Time to Mature Relationship.

Rome was not built in a day, neither is your relationship. Any relationship, be it a marriage or an affair, needs time to mature. So give time some time!

10. Assess Strength and Weakness.

Your strength can be complimentary, but the strength of one person should not be contradictory to another person. Knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses can be fruitful in the long term.

11. Be Honest.

You will hear this time and again. Being honest about everything in a relationship leads to a great connection and a close bond between two people.

12. Division of Work Should be Based on Strength.

Make sure you divide your works based on strength and not on gender. For instance, your wife is a great event planner, let her plan the dinner for your office colleagues. Just because she is a woman, she should not be prevented from doing things that she likes.

13. Love.

Love is a strong emotion that can move mountains. If you really wish to have a healthy relationship, love between you should never die.

14. Be Flexible.

Rigidity doesn’t help you much in life, but flexibility can. Yes, being flexible can help you build a close bond. Your partner will also feel that you care about him/her.

15. Discuss When Something is Disturbing You.

Instead of keeping your emotions hidden, talk about things that bother you. This even includes small things that you may consider unimportant!

16. Accepting the Other Person’s Limitations.

Accept your partner the way he/she is. Know that each person is born with certain limitations; nobody is perfect. Do not expect perfection in a relationship; instead, accept your partner’s shortcomings.

17. Show Love.

Don’t be driven by movies and cinema. Love is meant to be shown, don’t expect another person to understand your emotions all by themselves. Small acts of romance, such as holding hands or kissing on forehead, can help you come closer.

18. Love Yourself First.

I always say that, if you cannot love yourself, you can never love anybody else on this earth. So, it is essential to love yourself first.

19. Learn to Compromise.

There will be situations where you both won’t agree, no need to have long term disagreements. Instead, compromise on solutions that you two agree on.

20. Be Polite.

It is imperative! People who are polite to each other do not need to put a lot of effort into making their relationship work.

21. Share Your Dreams.

When two people unite, they become one and so their dreams. Sharing your goals for the future can help you build one together!

22. Be Clear.

Clarity is a great tool to have a strong connection.

23. Try New Activities Together.

Don’t get used to of routine life; regularity creates mundanity in life, which can be disastrous. As a couple, you can always indulge in new activities and things. Doing so will help you have newness and freshness in both life and relationship.

24. Be romantic.

Your romance should not be limited to special occasions. Instead, you should show romantic gestures every day, like going out for a movie, having a date night, etc.

25. Go on date night.

Dates are important, no matter how long you have been together. Plan a date night, go together as a couple like you used to do when it all started. This will not only get you out of the house but also help you create wonderful moments.

Related:

18 Ways to Boost Your Relationship During the Lockdown

Things to Do Right After Your Wedding

26. Learn to Forgive.

To err is human, but to forgive is divine. All people make mistakes in lives, holding grudges against your partners for their mistakes is not intelligent. Forgive and move on with your relationship.

27. Fight fairly.

Remember that disagreements don’t destroy a relationship, but how you deal with them does. Learn to deal with differences fairly. Instead of blowing up during fights, be respectful to the other person.

28. Trust Each Other.

A relationship without trust is as good as animosity. For a strong connection, you have to trust each other 100%.

29. Be Supportive.

Support each other as partners. Encourage your partner to do more, to achieve more.

30. Don’t Hesitate to Ask Questions.

There is nothing wrong with asking questions in a relationship.

31. Take Time to be Together.

No matter how busy your life is, you have to be together and connect. It is essential to spend time together and do things together as a couple so as to create new memories.

32. Share Household Chores.

Sharing household chores not only lessen the burden but also will help to build a strong relationship.

33. Don’t Miss to Kiss.

Yes, a kiss should not be missed! Kiss your partner every day. Believe it or not, a simple kiss can bring you two closer.

34. Add Excitement in the Bedroom.

Add excitement in the bedroom as well. Spend money or romantic lingerie and nightgowns, do something new to spice up your relationship.

35. Get Intimate.

Sometimes simple cuddling and snuggling are enough to bring two people closer.

36. Make Out Often.

Make time to make love. Sexual chemistry is essential for building a strong relationship.

37. Avoid Assumptions.

Don’t assume things, just be open to your partner and talk it out.

38. Give Attention.

Giving attention to your partner will make your partner feel important. Even a simple text message or a phone call can do wonders.

39. Laugh Together.

Laughter is the best therapy to keep things moving smoothly. So spend time together, laugh together, and simply have fun!

40. Don’t let your Humor Sway.

You don’t need to be too serious. Be humorous, and have fun together.

41. Don’t Chivvy.

Chivvying your partner for things is not a great habit, especially women do so. Know that chivvying simply annoys the other person, which further complicates things.

42. Make Your Partner Feel Special Each Day.

Making your partner feel special can actually add to your relationship. You can do it by telling your partner one reason each day for why you love him/her. They should also give you reasons for why they love you!

43. Stay Committed.

Staying committed to that one person can mean a lot in a relationship. Be loyal to your partner and never try to cheat him/her neither emotionally nor physically.

44. Commit to Each Other.

You must be committed to each other. If you aren’t yet married, commit, and let the world know. It will eliminate any kind of doubt.

45. Ask for Forgiveness.

Why you do or say something wrong, admit it, and ask for forgiveness.

46. Take Relationship Classes or Take Counselling.

There’s no problem in taking counseling or going for relationship classes. In fact, such classes can help you build your relationship even better and stronger. These are the ways to give yourself and your partner another chance to revive and make things better.

47. Celebrate Important Days.

Don’t miss celebrating the important days like birthdays and anniversaries. Celebrating important days make an event even more special and help you come closer.

48. Talk Positive About Yourself and Others.

Both of you should talk positively about yourself and others. Nobody likes people who speak ill about themselves or others.

49. Try to Look Good.

Everybody wants to see their partners look good. Try to look good, the way your partner wants to see you. Your partner will always be attracted to you no matter how many years you have been living together.

50. Make Decisions as a Couple.

Consider your partner while making any decision. Not doing so can make your partner feel left out.

51. Show Care.

Showing you care is essential in any situation you go through in life with your partner. Don’t be cold towards your partner.

52. Sharing is Caring.

Don’t just assume that the other person will understand what exactly you are thinking. It is better to talk about important things.

53. Don’t Give up on the Outside World.

Being in a relationship does not at all mean to stay disconnected from your friends or family member. Independence. Your life should not revolve around your partner only. You should have fun and do things with your friends. This will give you both the feeling of independence and freedom, which is required to make a relationship stronger.

54. Be Adventurous.

Don’t be boring, instead be adventurous. Take trips, go on vacation, and have fun. You don’t necessarily have to make it big by going to an international location. You can even go to a nearby location and create wonderful memories and experience new things.

55. Don’t Get Into Arguments Easily.

Getting in a lot of fights or arguments daily can damage your relationship. Choose fights wisely and try to sort out your issues without getting mad at each other.

56. Greet Each Other.

Greet each other while you leave home for work, and after you come back. It will keep your relationship healthy and alive.

57. Flirting is Needed.

A tad bit of flirting can spice up your otherwise mundane relationship.

58. Appreciate Each Other’s Efforts.

Taking each other for granted is not good in a relationship or otherwise also. Learn to appreciate each other’s efforts, even if it is tiny, like doing dishes.

59. Embrace Ups and Downs of Life.

Yours is not the only relationship with struggles, each relationship has ups and downs. Instead of crying for the tough days, just embrace them together.

60. Be Playful.

Playfulness is important when it comes to can make your relationship stronger.

61. Physical Affection.

Holding hands or hugging each other can actually make your relationship better and stronger. Physical affection is important and should always be there in a relationship.

62. Set Goals as a Couple.

It is important to create goals you two can work towards, like buying a home. You could even consider indulging in small activities like dancing or music classes!

63. Focus on the Positive.

Where you put your focus on determines how your life would be. So, it is better to focus on the positive and live a happy life.

64. Create Excitement.

Life should be full of fun and excitement. If you find nothing to be excited about, then try new things and indulge in fun activities. Stepping out of your comfort zone can help you tremendously!

65. Give Each Other Space.

It is important to give each other some space. Remember that your life is yours only, and doing things on your own can get you in touch with yourself.

66. Don’t be Clingy.

Nobody likes a possessive person. People who are overly possessive not only create problems for others but also create problems for themselves.

67. Take Care of Each Other.

Nurturing each other is indispensable. Taking care of each other leads to a strong relational foundation.

68. Say ‘I Love You’.

Let your partner feel loved and pampered each day. Most people stop saying these three words with time, which is too bad. You should never do that. In fact, you should let your partner know that you feel the same for him/her even after so many years.

69. Surprise.

Each one of us loves surprises in our lives. So, try out some fun surprises, like leaving a LOVE NOTE for your wife on the bed.

70. Work on Jealousy.

Nobody likes jealous people. If you have a jealousy problem, better to work on that. You can consider talking to your partner and get rid of all that that hampers your relationship.

71. Try to be Better Each Day.

If there is something that you feel should be changed, then don’t wait. Do things that make you a better person.

72. Practice Gratitude.

Don’t take things for granted; be grateful for what you have, and you will receive in abundance. If you have a wonderful partner, be grateful for that.

73. Accept Situations As They Are.

This life is unpredictable, sometimes favorable things happen, and other times it’s all opposite. Don’t whine about things beyond your control, instead accept them as they are and support each other in bad times.

74. Contemplate.

Contemplate where you’ve been and how far you’ve come. It will help you build strength during tough times.

75. Be yourself.

Don’t make your partner fall in love with someone you aren’t. Be yourself and let your partner accept you for who you are.