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#suffering from success ig
no-one-hears-me · 10 months
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I haven't known peace since I started talking to men
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chaoyte · 1 year
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fuck i make too much money so now my partner has no income cos it cant be on disability now
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pixies--dust · 2 years
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Was trying to get candace constellations but instead I got another cyno…
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thehappiestgolucky · 2 years
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s-
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sir i spend ages looking for you, settle for the first shiny, and then i get you the second time i casually look for random shinies???
Fine i’ll take shiny Gliscor of both genders - you’re glad you’ve got a good shiny you silly little bat and your lovable shit eating grin-
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xlugger · 2 years
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arrive home from doing one etsy mail run just in time to get another order
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landgraabbed · 3 months
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the worst part is i can go to punabi very easily now 😔
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youremyheaven · 3 months
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Rahu & Ketu: Abuse & Addiction
TW: drug overdose, death, suicide, abuse, childhood abuse
Nodal influence can be very destabilising and intoxicating. They're opposites but as they say the extremes of anything is a meeting point for it's opposite, so Rahu & Ketu share many similarities.
Rahu & Ketu are both shadow planets, Rahu is the head whereas Ketu is the tail. This in itself reveals much about the nature of the two. Rahu is over immersed in the world whereas Ketu is completely cut off from it.
When I say Rahu is over immersed/over stimulated, I don't mean they're profoundly connected to reality, I mean the opposite, they're deeply immersed in Maya/illusion that they often have no sense of reality. Rahu is the head, imagine if you lived in your head all the time? You'd be in your own la la land, disconnected from what is actually happening around you. This is Rahu energy. Without your body, you cannot use your senses, you cannot fully feel alive or experience reality. Rahu being the head means you're cut off from what is "real". You only live in your head and what happens in your head is very subjective and completely illusory.
They are so deeply immersed in an illusory world. This can manifest as substance addiction, video gaming, fame, material success, internet addiction, overly obsessed with "binging" content, maladaptive daydreaming etc, any experience that disconnects you from what is "real" and immerses you in something that feels very real but isn't real. Both Rahu and Ketu people suffer from addiction, Claire had mentioned that Nodal influence can make someone prone to addiction but why Rahu and Ketu are addicted tend to be very different. Rahu is overstimulated, they always need more of everything. There are people who spend 10 hours a day just watching YouTube videos or IG reels or whatever, that's because they need that much stimulation, since they live in their heads. Their minds need that kind of fodder to thrive off of. Once you start using any kind of substance, your brain builds a tolerance for it and you have to start using higher and higher doses to get the same high. When a Rahu native accumulates wealth, they start indulging in it but nothing is ever enough. They never feel "full", they don't have that fuse in their brain that flares up and says "this is enough". Basically they never know when to stop, they just keep going and going and going with anything they immerse themselves in. People play video games for 3-4 days straight without leaving their game set up. They don't ever feel satisfied. This is scary because "feeling full" is our brain's way of asking us to stop. Without that mechanism, we would overindulge and overdo everything which is what these natives do.
This is also why relationships are so tricky for Nodal people. They give too much and immerse themselves to the point where it's detrimental to the relationship. You either feel like you're losing part of yourself to it or the other person feels like you're consuming their energy too much (which makes them feel drained). Moderation does not exist for Nodal people either they're completely detached or they're completely obsessed.
Its similar to Jupiter energy in the sense that Jupiter is also very expansive and has the ability to immerse itself in everything and give so much but Jupiter has other principles that firmly ground it in reality as it is not a shadow planet like Rahu. It is not suspended in an illusion, Jupiter natives give so much or do so much because they have the internal space to do so, not out of a tendency to immerse themselves in Maya/illusion. Jupiter is the opposite, they see through Maya and find it hard to consciously part take in it.
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Taylor Swift- Ardra Moon
She works harder than anybody in the biz. Her concerts are like 3 hours long and she does like 40-50 shows on average. She's ALWAYS doing THE most. She releases a new album every 2 years or so, has other projects etc this is a positive manifestation of Rahu energy because it allows you to be deeply immersed in your craft and your world but it also means you live in a bubble and you are cut off from "real life".
Ketu is the tail, it is cut off from reality and feels profoundly disconnected to reality. It is hard for these natives to feel like they relate to anything. This is why Ketuvians struggle with addiction. They use substances because they want to feel something, want to feel tethered, want to feel connected. They have to use higher doses because it helps them feel heightened emotions when they usually don't feel anything at all.
Ketu is connected to spirituality because natives who feel disconnected from the real world to this extent find it easier to immerse themselves in the occult and in esoterica. It is more abstract and requires you to think non-logically, i.e, experientially, but this is something Ketuvians have a hard time with, they themselves feel very "abstract" or like they aren't real or don't exist, so while they're intrinsically drawn to the esoteric, they feel untethered/ungrounded by immersing themselves in it too much. They need something they can cling to, they need something solid that they can attach themselves to.
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All Rahuvian nakshatras belong to the Shudra caste, specifically the Butcher caste, this is very interesting because Shudra is the lowest caste (Mleccha is "outcaste" which means it exists outside the system entirely), to be Rahuvian means to operate on the lowest level. Butchers have to slaughter meat to make a living, that is unpleasant and brutal work, and only if they are disconnected from it can they keep doing it. They cannot be too focused on what they actually do because then it will be hard for them to do their tasks. They're not repulsed by it because they're disconnected from it.
2/3 Ketuvian naks are also Shudra caste whereas Ashwini is the only Ketu nak that is upper caste as it is a Vaishya nak.
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(table by me hehe)
Rahuvian naks are found in all 3 ganas (Swati is deva gana, Ardra is manushya gana, Shatabhisha is rakshasa gana)
2/3 Ketuvian naks are Rakshasa gana (Mula, Magha) with only Ashwini being a Deva gana nak
I feel like Ketuvians are always made to feel like the bad guy / people villainize them a lot. They're the "ugly ducklings" who have to "win" approval as they're never accepted for who they are.
Rahu needs to immerse itself in something because its sensory perception is limited and they need to really indulge to grasp what is "real". Its very common for people with heavy Rahuvian or Rahu in a malefic placement to experience hallucinations or feel like their grip on reality is very thin.
Ketu has nothing perceive with at all. Its like being completely lost in the shadows or the dark. There's no perception taking place at all, it makes the natives inwardly drawn because its truly hard for them to absorb from their surroundings unlike Rahu which absorbs easily and fully. Rahu is over immersed whereas Ketu lacks immersion at all.
Lets look at the yoni animals of Rahu & Ketu naks respectively
Rahu: Ardra -dog yoni, Shatabhisha- horse yoni, Swati-buffalo yoni
Ketu: Magha-rat yoni, Mula- dog yoni, Ashwini-horse yoni
one common theme is that all these animals are abused, mistreated and exploited
(rats are the go to animal for lab testing, dogs are valued for their loyalty and are at the mercy of their owners, horses are made to endure so much labour, buffalos are farm animals)
all of these animals are also associated with dirt/filth in some way or another which is perhaps why people with Nodal influence often have a dishevelled appearance. They're bad at taking care of themselves.
Both horse yoni & dog yoni are divided among Rahu & Ketu naks whereas the yoni consort for Swati is Hasta (Moon ruled) and Magha is Purvaphalguni (Venus ruled).
Horses are very strong but very fragile animals. They start walking almost immediately after birth, they sleep standing up but they require a lot of attention and care as their health tends to be very fragile. Even though horses are associated with working hard, its not exactly innately part of their nature, it's just that they've been domesticated into being that way. It represents a very powerful active energy, as horses can be highly temperamental and unpredictable.
Dog yoni on the other hand, makes a person very needy and eager to please others. Dogs depend on the affection of their owners and without it they feel unhappy. Both these nakshatras have obsessive tendencies and a people pleasing nature. They're also two nakshatras who endure abuse the most.
I've noticed that a lot of people tend to have both nodes in their chart and I wonder what its like to house such contradictions. On one hand you're extremely involved, on the other, you're supremely detached.
The entertainment industry is one where people with Nodal influence really thrive but also often, self-destruct themselves. Its immensely hard to balance these energies since Rahu heightens whatever is in it, the way Jupiter expands whatever it touches. Both planets make you feel manic but in different ways.
Addiction is the result of an overactive nervous system and a coping mechanism. Ketu feels cut off from society/life/the world so in order to feel connected, it over indulges. Rahu needs something that will help them fully lose themselves, idk if I'm explaining it properly but you know how the best movies you've watched are the ones where you feel like you were in them experiencing those things with the characters? Its like that
There is an unhappy pattern of Rahu & Ketu influenced people being abused, I have especially noted this among child actors but also others.
Taylor Momsen- Swati Moon
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Her parents signed her up with Ford Modeling when she was just 2 years old. "No 2-year-old wants to be working, but I had no choice. My whole life, I was in and out of school. I didn't have friends. I was working constantly and I didn't have a real life."
This theme of not experiencing "real life" or reality is very prominent in the lives of Rahuvian and Ketuvian people. It can be interpreted in many ways according to the context but there is always a sense of being deprived of what was "normal" or "real" as a result of which these natives had to live in their imagination or indulge in other things.
Like the child star who worked their whole life playing other people (acting is very Rahuvian) or the loner kid who spends all their time immersed in movies or video games because that feels more "real" to them.
Fame is also an inherently Rahuvian experience bc it's an illusion & a prison.
Judy Garland- Ardra Rising, Mula Moon
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She was emotionally abused and controlled by her mother who got her addicted to drugs by the time she was a teenager. She was also sexually abused by the studio executives she worked with. Judy had a very tough life.
Aaron Carter, Ardra Moon, Mula Rising
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Aaron Carter claimed that as a teen musician, his family spent $500 million of his money on 15 houses and 30 cars. He claimed that when his parents sold the houses, he didn't get a cut of the profits. He also alleged that his dad shot a .44 magnum near his ear — which resulted in him going 70% deaf in one ear — to force him into signing a $256,000 check.
Being heavily tattooed (more examples at the end of this post) is also a very Nodal thing to do.
He unfortunately passed away in 2022 from an accidental drug overdose. This is also a very unfortunate pattern among Nodal celebrities.
Macaulay Culkin- Shatabhisha Moon, Magha Sun & Mercury
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 Macaulay Culkin's father Kit managed him during his childhood career. Macaulay has shared that his father was controlling and had him on a very busy filming schedule in the early '90s. He added his father made him stay up every night to study the lines he would have to say the next day. Macaulay asserted that his father was "such a crazy person" that he forced him to do SNL without cue cards when he hosted the show at 11 years old. Macaulay has explained that he felt his father was jealous of him because “everything he tried to do in his life I excelled at before I was 10 years old.”When Macaulay stopped acting after his 1994 movie Richie Rich, he told his parents, “I’m done, guys — hope you all made your money because there is no more coming from me.”His parents were never married and after he stopped acting, his mother filed for custody. Macaulay ended up taking his parents to court to stop them from controlling his $17 million in earnings. Since then, he and his father have been estranged.
I feel like the "child star gone wild" is a trope meant specifically for Nodal people
Keke Palmer, Magha Sun & Mercury, Mula Moon
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Palmer shared on IG:
"Due to traveling and scheduling both of my parents had to stop working to support my career and be present for my three siblings, leaving me with the financial responsibility around age 12. Which I took great pride in because I knew what it would do for generations to come and a huge blessing that I could even help out. However it caused me a lot of pain because I essentially had to abandon my childhood feelings and desires, becoming like a parentalized child, which is something some of you can probably relate to in your own way. This was something that I have had to continuously work through because I am grateful but often feel like.. I missed “IT”. Life can be such a tragic comedy because how funny is it.. that now becoming an actual parent, and the responsibility I’ve always carried being more valid now than ever, has in fact given me the chance to feel what it’s like to be a kid again, I get a chance to explore a lot of the things I missed out on with my son, His freedom is like, the most priceless gift to me. He is already teaching me so much, it’s like he awakened the little me inside that I thought was long gone."
Ketu dominance = being your own parent, being neglected by your family or having to be your parent's parent.
Michael Jackson, Magha Sun & Mercury, Shatabhisha Rising
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From a young age Jackson was physically and mentally abused by his father, enduring incessant rehearsals, whippings and name-calling. Jackson's abuse as a child affected him throughout his grown life. reading about the lives of the Jackson siblings and how severely they were all abused is very perspective altering and sad
Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen, Magha Moon, Ashlesha Rising (inc the ashlesha placement bc its another nak often subject to control and abuse)
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“With what we were doing in business when we were younger, I don’t think it ever felt like we were actresses,” Mary-Kate “Because we spend so much more of our time not in front of the cameras, building a brand. Ashley agreed, saying: “I always looked at myself, even as a kid, as a business woman.” Mary-Kate said she wouldn't wish her childhood on anyone, and said she felt like a "monkey performer." 
they quit acting in the mid 2000s and rarely make public appearances and god only knows what they endured in the business bc neither of them will talk about it.
Sarah Michelle Geller, Ashwini Sun conjunct Ketu, Shatabhisha Moon
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Sarah herself enjoyed the path she'd ended up on, she has rules in place for her own daughter. Recalling the "industry abuses" she experienced as a teenager in Hollywood, she said she hoped she'd "set up a safety net for these actors that I didn't have," but that she and husband Freddie Prinze Jr. have "rules in place" that mean daughter Charlotte "can't be in front of a camera until she graduates high school."
Kylie Jenner, Swati Moon
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Kylie started appearing on her family's reality show when she was 10
In 2016, she told her sister Kim in an episode of the show: "I feel like I've had anxiety for too long. I feel too much, I care too much, I read too much. Some people are born for this life and some people aren’t. I just know I’m not supposed to be famous.” in an old IG post she said: "I’m proud of myself, my heart, and my strength. Growing up in the light with a million eyes on you just isn’t normal. I’ve lost friends along the way and I’ve lost myself too sometimes. My first tattoo was 'sanity' to remind myself everyday to keep it. I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole young adult life." "I know I don't want to be famous forever. There's gonna be a time where I feel comfortable, I'm at a good place in my life, and I just stop."
Natalie Wood, Ashwini Moon
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The late Natalie Wood was forced into acting by her mother, Maria, who missed her chance to become a performer and instead focussed her efforts on pushing her daughters to stardom.
While young Natalie had a natural talent for performing, it seemed that her reason for going to movie sets was more to please her mother than to quench any desire of her own. 
Bella Thorne, Mula Moon
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"I was sexually abused and physically growing up from the day I can remember till I was 14. When I finally had the courage to lock my door at night and sit by it. All damn night." She has also stated that she only started acting as a child to support her family.
Drew Barrymore, Shatabhisha Sun
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 Drew's mother took her to clubs and allowed her access to drugs and alcohol, ultimately leading to her institutionalization at the age of 13, and emancipating herself at 14. Drew described fame at such a young age as "a recipe for disaster."
Edith Piaf, Mula Sun & Mercury, Magha Mars
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Born in Paris practically on the streets, she struggled from day one, the daughter of street performers. The mother, a singer, eventually abandoned both Edith and her father for a solo career. Piaf spent her youth entertaining passers-by, receiving little formal education in the process. She often accompanied her father's acrobat street act with her singing and at various times was forced to live with various relatives, in alleys or in cheap hotels. An aborted love affair left her with a baby girl at age 17, but little Marcelle died of meningitis at 2 years old. Devastated, Piaf returned to the streets she knew, now performing solo. Her fortunes finally changed when an impresario, Louis Leplee, mesmerized by what he heard, offered the starving but talented urchin a contract. He alone was responsible for taking her off the streets at age 20 and changing her name from Edith Gassion to "La Mome Piaf" (or "Kid Sparrow"). Piaf grew in status entertaining in elegant cafés and cabarets and became a singing sensation amid the chic French society with her throbbing vocals and raw, emotional power. From 1936, Piaf recorded many albums and eventually became one of the highest paid stars in the world.
Later in life she became an addict and died in poverty at the age of 47.
Brittany Murphy, Swati Moon & Venus
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she was a child star who was managed by her controlling mom. she battled with eating disorders and drug addiction. rip britt.
Justin Bieber, Shatabhisha Sun conjunct Saturn
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Justin shot to fame at a very young age and was severely exploited by his management/everybody around him
Now here are some heavily tatted celebs and their placements
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L to R
Rihanna- Shatabhisha Sun
Paris Jackson- Ardra Moon
Cheryl Cole- Ardra Sun & Mars, Shatabhisha Moon
Demi Lovato- Magha Sun
Jungkook- Magha Moon, Mula Rising
Ruby Rose- Swati Rising
Machine Gun Kelly- Ashwini Sun
The 27 club refers to a phenomenon where several musicians have died by age 27, many from an overdose. Unfortunately many of them have Nodal influence.
Brian Jones- Shatabhisha Sun
Jimi Hendrix- Mula Rising
Amy Winehouse- Mula Moon
Kurt Cobain- Shatabhisha Sun, Ardra Moon,
Janis Joplin- Ardra Moon, Mula Mars, Asc conjunct Ketu (in Dhanishta)
Jim Morrison- Ketu conjunct Rising (in Shravana)
several other celebrities who have died from overdoses also tend to have prominent Nodal influence
John Belushi- Mula Rising
Phillip Seymour Hoffman- Mercury in Ardra 2h, Mars conjunct Ketu in Swati
Prince- Shatabhisha Moon, Ketu in Ashwini
Whitney Houston- Shatabhisha Rising
River Phoenix- Magha Sun conjunct Ketu, Swati Ascendant conjunct Jupiter
Elvis Presley- Shatabhisha Moon
Margaux Hemingway- Ashwini Rising
Nodal planets are shadow planets and it can be very difficult for these natives to manage this energy as it is energy without a source, Rahu & Ketu don't have physical form or existence, that is a lot of uncontrolled energy to possess within yourself. Many people turn to spirituality and other esoteric sources and good Rahu & Ketu influence is vital and necessary to study or gain access to gnosis, study astrology or other occult matters but when this energy is imbalanced in their chart, these natives are more prone to self-destruction than any other planetary dominance simply because the unbridled energy is impossible to contain and requires some kind of coping mechanism. I have dated several Nodal men and they all dealt with varying degrees of addiction to varying substances and they all spoke about "wanting to feel more real" or how "nothing feels solid". I will try to focus on the positive manifestations of the Nodes on a future post.
thanks for reading<333
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revengemode · 1 year
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Tuesday
Them: “She is going back to LA after Rome”
• Her whole team pulls up to London.
• “Long game, probably making a movie with each other. Definitely helps when the characters you’re playing are falling in love, you can sort of blur the lines a little bit. That’s kind of where my rizz is at. I’m locked up so I’m happy and in love so I’ve got no need for rizz.” The Rizz God
Wednesday
Them: “…”
• Zendaya is Tom Holland’s childhood celebrity crush.
• Zendaya’s grandma spills some tea. Allegedly.
• Zendaya parks herself on The Hollywood Reporter IG and likes the post in less than 50 seconds.
• “And, obviously, I’m very happy that she came in and tested that day. I’m sure you can guess why.” The Riff God
• “We’ve been to events together before but she’s visiting her grandma. We’re two very busy people, and we’re on opposite sides of the world at the present time, so she couldn’t come.”
• Holland takes a deep breath and shakes it all off: the distance from his girlfriend…
• “Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible.”
• “I’ve given her a few lessons. She’s very naturally talented, a real athlete, so she picked it up really quickly.”
• Zendaya posts a video with her two co-stars. She is in London.
Them: “She is only here to promote Challengers”
• The Riff God for Buzzfeed: The Rizz, the childhood crush, the memes, the love language, the dream vacation and the wallpapers
• Zendaya liking TH content while only promoting Challengers
• The people’s couple attend Mike Faist’s play.
Thursday
Them: “…”
• The internet falls in love with TH all over again…and again…and again.
Them: “Zendaya is not getting any bread 😡”
Friday
• Noon, Richmond Park and British paps deliver. The besties are outside. New levels of sappy get unlocked. Hearts get broken.
Through it all, we keep winning.
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bengiyo · 7 months
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Theory of Love Special Ep (Finale) Stray Thoughts
I am curious how I feel about this as the end of the Theory of Love run. I won't recap since we finished the show, but I went back into my own posts and I previously liked this despite having no memory of it.
Okay, as cheesy as it is, I do generally like when follow up outings acknowledge or tease their critics.
Oh that play with the names. I saw that. It's 2020 and we all verse now. (Side note. I do not remember associating this special with COVID lockdowns.)
It's kinda fun when the epilogue content happens before the actual ending. We know that they will get back together to form Hod Production and that they'll succeed.
Special Episode: Stand By Me
Oh, Third. You really had this man sleeping on the floor for multiple nights. Even as someone who wanted him to suffer, you aren't serious.
I'm not surprised Third and Khai ended up working together, and it's definitely good for Third's ego that Khai is being such a simp.
I was curious what hanging out for these guys would look like now that most of them are in committed relationships and Bone is healing from heartache.
Look at that, Khai. Growth. He was in a situation with some girls and made it clear he wasn't available. I will accept the incoming hijinks from this lipstick.
Yes, Khai, why did you lie?
I snorted at the camera guy having better communication with the director or cinematographer than Khai.
Did this girl suck on his neck? Why is he still hiding it? Just tell Third some drunk girl fell on you. Two saw it and Third trusts Two. Bone gets it.
I'm glad Third is aware that he's cute and actively maintaining it. Gun torments me regularly on IG.
I kinda like that Khai is being so ridiculous about this drunk girl situation. We know he's been at this for almost a year trying to prove his loyalty to Third.
This senior taking the graduation photo from them was one of the motorcycle guys in My Ride.
Aww, Bone. Do you think you're better off alone? Talk to me.
Any time someone points with their lips I laugh.
I love this confession in the car. Third is still testing Khai, but at least he knows Khai wasn't stepping out. I like that the resolution is one about how they're both trying to make this work despite the emotional baggage. I like the version of Khai that wants to honor Third.
These two made it four years and produced a movie together. I believe in their relationship if it's still going strong after making a highly successful film.
I am actually so into Khai doing multiple proposals to Third, elevating it each time.
Well, that was lovely.
Updated Verdict: 8.5, Recommended for Fans of Romance Cinema. I spent a lot of time over the last few days thinking about how I would recommend this series going forward. I think it is good on a lot of technical fronts, and there's a lot to like in the BTS: particularly Off using his own clothes to supplement Khai's wardrobe. Still, this show firmly sits right over the awkward line between BL and queerness that makes me uncomfortable with the genre sometimes.
Third's reticence to Khai only makes sense to me in a world where The Knowing occurs, and yet this is mostly a show in the bubble. So much of what's wrong with Third is because he's let the fantasy of romance films cloud his ability to have a mutually beneficial relationship with someone he loves. I do love when romance interrogates itself, and yet it feels like a hugely missed opportunity to discuss how queer people cannot rely on the presumptions of heteronormativity when building relationships with each other.
Moreover, I struggle with Khai's change narrative because I am not entirely certain who it's for. It reminds me of the Mulan problem, where we have a character who defies norms and expectations and it almost feels like the character exists to point to them and say, "You're not them." I have been hurt by guys like Khai, and none of them changed in a way that ever led to reconciliation for me. It's something I struggle with as I watch this, and it makes me wonder what the outcome of presenting this will be or the femmes and the gays who watch this since the Khai's of the world aren't watching.
Still, I will say that this show has incredibly fun structure if you know the major beats of the films used as the title for each episode. I think Off plays a jerk you begrudgingly want to root for really well. I think Mike actually did a really good job in this show and I apologize to Bone for being so pissy three years ago. Gun is beautiful and so easy to empathize with, but I gotta say that Third is not my favorite character of his.
I am glad @lurkingshan burned her coupons to make me revisit this show, and I've enjoyed having @waitmyturtles and @neuroticbookworm to talk about how I was feeling about things along the way. I don't think I love this show the way you three do, but it is a well-executed narrative doing some interesting things with the romance genre. My lingering hangups, and why I can't take it to a 9, have to do with the mixed bag of queerness in this. Third feels like a repressed gay, and Khai has a legit bisexual awakening, but the other cultural context being missing means it never connects for me as a queer narrative.
This is something I'm thinking about a lot as we head into Cooking Crush, because OffGun always leaves me a bit shaky on that front. On paper it's gay, but it never exactly feels gay for me.
Also tagging @twig-tea by request.
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the-mandawhor1an · 28 days
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The ally
Chapter 1 – Guided by the stars, connected by the force
Masterlist
⇐ Previous chapter | Next chapter ⇒
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Pairing: Din Djarin x original female character
Chapter summary: Gideon is defeated and the child is safe. Maia now has to face the Mandalorian, but rather than appearing as a supporter, she needs his help. 
Warnings: 18+ content, MDNI! Canon-typical violence, description of injury, lots of blood, a sprinkle of tension, near death experience  
Words: 4k
A/N: And so it begins. I’m leaning a bit into the awkwardness of it all. I’m trying to make the injury/blood loss as realistic as I can (without ever having experienced something myself) I’m adding translations to the Mando’a parts after the chapter. For now it’s just cursing. 
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Out on the lava fields, Gideon’s TIE fighter laid in pieces, strewn about on the dark volcanic rock. The Mandalorian had just landed beside his allies. They had won. Maia, however, did not feel like celebrating. Frankly, she felt the urge to throw up. It had definitely played out a lot differently in her head, interfering and helping the man in shiny armor escape from the Imperials. 
Her first entrance, while the Mandalorian hadn’t seen it, was impressive. She had shouted down to Gideon from a rooftop, telling him to leave the bounty hunter and the child alone. She had felt so powerful when she fought the Stormtroopers, side by side with the man she had decided to help. Well, she might have gotten distracted by the sight of the Mandalorian taking on two Troopers at the same time. It did something to her. 
The explosion of the e-Blaster had separated them. While the Mandalorian and his companions had fled through the sewer systems, Maia had followed them as best as she could overground. 
Then, out on the lava fields, her plan had been to join them again, practically ambushing the ambush that waited for the child and its protectors to come out of the tunnel. And that’s where it went south. 
No, the Imperials didn’t find her. In fact, they were distracted themselves, focusing on the IG-Unit that greeted them instead of the ones they were looking for. Before anyone could run for cover, the Droid detonated, sending bits of itself flying through the air and tearing pieces off of the unsuspecting troopers. 
And that’s precisely when Maia missed the opportunity to duck herself and in quick succession was hit with not one, but two pieces of metal. The first grazed her head and split open the skin close to her hairline, the other pierced her groin on the left side. The pain was manageable due to the concussion she suffered simultaneously. But now her head was spinning, she was most likely critically injured and they were out in no mans land. 
Carefully she approached the two humans and the bounty hunter, pressing der left hand on the wound on her abdomen. The metal stuck out between her index and middle finger, fixing it in place as best as she could. Her cloak fell just over her left side, hiding the metal piece and the blood that’s soaking her tunic slowly. 
She had issues walking straight and therefore paid little attention to what was being said by the people she approached. But then, as she came closer, she picked up bits of their conversation. »… who cares who she is, she helped us kick their asses!« the dark-skinned male shrugged. Then, the woman that accompanied him, nodded in Maia’s direction. She has been detected. »Why don’t you ask her yourself?« The reflective helmet turned before his shoulders followed. The black t-visor fixated on the pathetic brunette figure that approached them. She must’ve looked a mess. 
»Who are you?« the modulated voice asked her. For a second she was busy trying to understand why there was a sudden sharp sting in her nape. Underneath that helmet, two eyes scanned over her, intensely, and she felt it. That was unusual and almost made Maia forget that he had asked her something. At least she could blame her head injury. »I’m … an ally. Kept the Imps outside busy while you escaped through the sewer system.« »Why are you helping us?« 
Shit. What was she supposed to say? The truth? Stars, no. Telling him she had camped out here, finally meeting him after looking for ten years? Absolutely not. A small green head poked out from the bag that hung at his hip. Large, dark brown eyes looked up to her. That could work. »It’s the child,« she motioned to the small green thing, making Mando’s shoulders tense up. »It’s probably force sensitive as I am, that’s why I came for aid. I didn’t want the Imperials to get their hands on it. That’s all.« She touched her forehead with her left hand, right into the slow stream of blood that ran across her temple. Something reflected in his chest plate, possibly the hilt of one of her lightsabers. She was too exhausted to get anxious about it. 
»Are you a Jedi?« was all he asked. The tension in his shoulders remained, but his voice sounded as neutral as before. »I don’t want to take it from you,« she let him know in hopes he’d relax a bit. The sting in her neck slowly subsided, at least. »I am somewhat of a Jedi, more than you are, that’s for sure. We don’t have the time for me to explain it to you, the Imperials are still out here. Besides…« She looked at her left hand, bloodied and she knew her right hand at this point probably stuck to her blood-drenched tunic. »I’m injured and need a medic, or bacta.« »The city isn’t far,« the other woman interrupted. »If she can walk, that is.« 
Maia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly the dull pain in her side worsened. Combined with her head spinning it was a miracle that she could stand still and keep a conversation. »Barely. I think I have a concussion, standing upright is hard enough.« The Mandalorian averted his gaze to look at the child, then, looked at Maia once more, to finally turn to the man in his company. »Karga, do you have medical supplies in your hideout?« Karga. Maia tried her best to remember the name, just in case. Karga shook his head »There should be, but who knows how the bar looks like, now. Guess med-supplies are the first thing you raid if a city is in ruins. Doubt she’ll make it there before she faints anyway. She’s pale as ash.« 
Again, the Mandalorian focused his gaze upon Maia, making her head practically throb with pain. »Ever flown with a jetpack?« he asked her. What? She blinked twice before shaking her head, regretting it immediately as it worsened her nausea. »Can’t say I have.« She definitely messed up her first impression big time. Hi, I’m Maia, I came to rescue you, failed miserably, now save me!
A sigh rumbled through the armor, as he pulled the child out of the bag. »Listen, I will only say this once. Hold onto the child, I will fly us over to the city. Don’t try anything, Jedi.« his modulated voice practically dripped with venom as he spit out the word to address her. Like she had a choice. She nodded and removed the hand from her wound to hold the child in both hands. The little green thing eyed her with its large, dark brown eyes. Neither did it seem scared or bothered by her bloodied hands, rather it looked curious about her. Maybe it could feel that they had something in common. Maybe it was the natural curiosity all children had. 
As gentle as he could, Mando picked her up and flew her over to the city. The metal shrapnel dug deeper into her flesh as she got pressed into the cold beskar, which in turn coaxed a grunt out of her. He must’ve seen the wound, making him put her down even gentler after landing. He took the child off of her hands and ordered the brunette to sit down on a bench. Slowly and under a lot of pain she shuffled to said bench, cursing under her breath. Her vision was slowly blurring and her head felt heavy. With her head rested against the wall behind her, she watched as the man in the metal armor roamed around the ruins that surrounded the immediate area. A constant mumble escaped the helmet, although Maia was too far to make out what he was saying. When he came back, he shook his head. »Nothing. We have to get that metal out of you,« he urged. Both knew that this would not help in the long run when no medical supplies were at their disposal. »I’ll bleed out,« she retorted. 
»You’ll die of sepsis if we don’t remove it. Osik,« he sighed. Either Maia’s decline was more rapid than she had thought, or he sounded genuinely distressed by the outlook of her passing. The child cooed from inside his carrier bag, again curiously eyeing the newly made friend. As if the Mandalorian had an idea, he turned his helmet toward the child. »Maybe it can save you.« 
Wait. He knew that force sensitive people could heal? Has the child done it before? 
»We’ll need shelter if we want to try it. How far is your ship?« »Not far. Just behind these buildings. Think you can make it there?« With another grunt that kind of turned into a pained moan, she rose from her resting spot and instantly pressed her hand back on the wound that was still losing blood. »I have to try.« 
The Razor Crest wasn’t far by any means, but for someone that was on the verge of passing out and could not feel one of her legs any more it took a while to get there. The incline on the ramp to get inside the ship was excruciating, forcing her to actually lift her feet instead of dragging them along the dark volcanic sand. Rather ungracefully she plopped down on the cold metal floor, another pained sound escaped her lungs. Her breathing had become labored and her vision was hazy. 
»Careful,« her companion softly said and knelt down beside her. Again, there was this warmth in his voice, and Maia wasn’t sure she was imagining it. With the child now on the floor next to her, the Mandalorian faced the woman first, then his foundling. »I’ll take out the metal, and then you do your magic thing, okay Kid?« And while the little green thing seemed to understand, its ears slowly sank. »Mando, I think it’s too weak, even with my support.« She leaned back all the way until her back and head were against the inner hull. Again, Mando cursed under his breath »Haar'chak.« Or at least Maia thought of it as a curse. Why was he so invested in saving her? It must’ve had to do with her being a Jedi. »There is one thing we can try. But you’ll have to trust me, which I doubt.« The helmet dipped ever so slightly to one side. She took that as him being curious to hear her idea. »I can… take some of your life force and transfer it. Just enough so I don’t die. I know this is a lot to ask. You owe me nothing. It’s all I can think of now…« A cough violently shook her and made her see stars from the pain for a moment. His arms extended just for a second, unsure what to do with her, it seemed. »Fark…« she hissed as tears welled up in her eyes. »Or you leave me here.« her voice was hoarse from the cough and barely louder than a whisper. 
»I don’t trust you,« he repeated, but sat down in front of her properly. »Just tell me what to do.« »You take the metal out, and then just press your hands onto the wound. The rest is my job if I don’t pass out. You should maybe take the gloves off.« He halted for a second but then the two toned gloves came of, revealing suspiciously human looking hands. »On the count of three,« he said as he held onto the piece of metal, sending another sharp pain through Maia’s spine. But instead of pulling on three, he pulled right as he said two and afterwards a large, indescribably warm hand pressed onto the now gushing wound. Maias smaller, equally bloody hands rested atop of his and she tried to blend out all the pain and discomfort she felt to heal her wound. »I hope this works,« he softly said, maybe more to himself, but due to the close proximity she could hear it just fine. »If it doesn’t, I don’t want to die a stranger. I’m Maia.« 
And not for the first time Maia experienced a way stronger connection to the stranger in front of her than she ever had with anyone else. A comforting warmth emitted from the palm of his hand, seeping into her skin. Maybe he felt it too, the weird tingling in every cell that was in contact with his skin. She focused on her wound, taking some of his life force to heal herself. With every passing moment of them being connected, images formed in her mind. Voices and noises echoed in her head. 
Darkness, the sounds of war. Approaching steps of droids. Fear. Helplessness. A battle droid coming into view. Blaster fire. A Mandalorian reaching out their hand. A child gets saved. 
Raymond’s voice. »My story might end here, but yours won’t. There is so much left for you to discover in this galaxy. Who you are, and who he is. I love you so much. Find him.« A blaster shot. Rage. 
»You make me consider bending rules I never thought about breaking before. Maybe we should go our separate ways.« Dread. »I don’t want to be responsible for you losing your ways.« Pain. A heavy heart and a farewell. 
The last thing she saw was obscured, as if she watched it through a veil. A man and a woman sharing a kiss. And yet the image seemed almost familiar. Her parents, perhaps? 
The image faded before she could make out any features. A loud metal clunk was the last thing she heard before she passed out. 
Some time later, unsure of how much had actually passed, she awoke, slowly raising her head and trying to blink away the blurriness in her vision. The child was fussing somewhere in the cargo bay. Slowly her eyes adapted to the bright light inside. Had it been this blinding before she passed out? 
Trying to locate the child, she turned her head only to bump into cold metal. She froze. The man sitting opposite her had also passed out and due to him pressing his hands on her, had slouched over and fallen to the front. Halfway onto her. His helmet now rested on her shoulder, tipped to the front to a dangerous degree. Right now she was stuck in between a large body clad in metal and the inner hull of the ship – stuck between a rock and a hard place, so to say. 
Large eyes looked at her from across the floor. The child needed her help, judging by its pointing to get into the small bay that resembled a makeshift bed. »Mando?« she gently asked, to no avail. She turned her head ever so slightly to listen for a reaction, getting a glance onto his neck in the process. All she could make out was the same tan skin she had seen on his hands and dark hair. Dark brown or maybe even black, she couldn’t tell while it was still halfway underneath the helmet. So maybe he was a human. The way he was snoring Mando was out cold and his position was probably not doing him any favors. Slouched against her with the chin almost tucked into his chest. And all that currently kept his helmet from falling was the wall behind Maia. »Kriff,« she huffed. She needed to get out of this compromising position. Not only did she want to help the child, involuntarily cuddling with a total stranger was weird to say the least. There was only one way to get out of this without him losing the helmet. Some things she had heard about the Mandalorians, and they were really nasty about taking the helmets off. 
Her hands slowly wandered along the hull behind her so she could push herself forward. There was no other way than to sit on his lap for a second, using her body to push him upright. With one hand she held onto the helmet as to not lose it in her effort. Just a split second she thought about touching the skin that momentarily laid bare, the curiosity in her almost too much to resist. His hands had been so warm and awfully gentle and she wondered if his neck could be any warmer. But she resisted. 
Sitting on his lap, she prayed to the universe for him to not wake up right about now. Her cheeks were flushed as she was chest to chest with the man, helmet practically in her hand and him completely powerless. She could have risked a peek. But she didn’t. 
The child disrupted her silent moment of contemplation with a giggle. »Don’t you dare,« she said to said little gremlin, although she obviously didn’t mean any harm in it. With the helmet properly back on Mando’s head, she gently lowered his torso to the back, making him lie down. And she got up. 
How long would it take him to wake up? She bit her lip, averting her gaze to get the child into his little cot. There it cuddled up and seemed to fall asleep instantly. »Well… what now?« she mumbled to herself. The ship was closed and judging by the silence, no one had come for them yet. Maia looked around. The sight of a sink greeted her. The blood on her tunic hadn’t completely dried yet, so maybe she could wash it before it was ruined.
She took off the heavy fabric that made up her cape before removing the stained top. Cold water ran over her hands and the once gray fabric, washing away as much of her as she could manage without any soap. Exhaustion still lingered in her body, she needed some rest. When her newly formed scar touched the cold metal sink, she whimpered and flexed away from it. When the water ran clear, she wrung out the shirt as best she could before putting it back on.
Mando grunted on the metal floor behind her, slowly coming to. Disoriented, he raised the helmet and cursed »Dank Farrik, what the –« As soon as he didn’t see the woman leaned against the hull, he bolted upright and looked around, only to find her sitting next to the cot, where the child was peacefully sleeping beside her. »What happened? How long was I out?« he asked and slowly rose to his feet. His voice was raspy and significantly deeper now. Judging by the noises he made while getting up, his back ached and maybe one or two joints as well. »We passed out. I don’t know for how long. Been 15 minutes since I woke up, I guess.« 
Right as he stood, Mando made the observation that his position had been changed. He turned to the wall where Maia had originally sat, then back to her, then looking at the ground where he had just gotten up from. His shoulders tensed instinctively as he must’ve remembered something about her touching him. »Have you touched my helmet?« 
Before she could think about an answer, he drew closer, forcing her to rise to her feet to retreat as to keep distance between them. With her hands raised at mid-torso height, she tried her best to give off no threatening energy. 
Oh, he was mad that she touched the helmet. »I did but PLEASE–« she cut off as he stepped closer. Obviously this instilled fear in her, which might have given off the wrong impression to him in this moment. »please, don’t come closer.« She looked straight into the black visor and tried to imagine eyes hidden beneath. His breath hitched ever so slightly, but he stopped and stayed where he was. »It was about to fall off of your head, so yes, I touched it.« »Have you seen my face?« »No.« »Can I trust you?« As in slow-motion her hands slowly lowered and her brows furrowed. Her head tilted ever so slightly to one side as she replied. »That’s for you to decide… You saved my life. To me this means something.« He sighed, but neither did he move to give her more space nor did he come closer, he just stood there, hands now on his hips.
»You will tell me who you are, now,« he almost growled. »You say you’re not a Jedi but you can sense the child, you can heal wounds without any meds. Sounds pretty Jedi to me.« He made another step closer, and Maia’s hand was instantly up again, this time higher, threatening. »Stay where you are.« Her voice was firm, although it was ever so slightly raspy. There was a lot of tension in both of them. 
Mando didn’t trust her, and Maia felt insanely unsafe. It wasn’t his presence per se, it was the mistrust he had that made him agitated for no reason. She wasn’t a threat to him unless he threatened her first. 
»I am force-sensitive. That doesn’t automatically make me a Jedi; just as much as wearing armor doesn’t make you a Mandalorian. You have your rules, the Jedi have theirs. The order fell when I was a child and I don’t live by their rules.« He remained unchanged in his position, so she kept going. »I don’t know why you’re looking for a Jedi. If I had to guess it’s because of the child. It needs a master.« »That’s right. He needs to be with his people, I thought you are one.« »I’m not.« His shoulders sank and he sighed in defeat. »Do you know where I can find a Jedi that can take care of the kid? It can’t stay with me.«  And again, his voice got softer. Maybe this was the exhaustion, or the disappointment that settled in. 
At least now Maia knew why he saved her in the first place. He thought she was valuable to his mission. 
»I don’t. I’m not sure Jedi would be accepting of me not living by their codex.« »You make it sound like they are cruel people.« »They’re not, I simply disagree with their principles. Not being allowed to own or love because the fear of losing might turn one to the dark side.« Stars, she sounded absolutely unbearable, but she continued. »I have wronged a lot of people in my life. The fact I’m even still alive is all thanks to my fa–« she bit her lip. It has been a decade since he passed but Raymond’s death still hurt because she never allowed herself to properly grieve. »Thanks to the sacrifice of someone who loved me. I dont want to believe that love is wrong when it saved my life.« 
This struck a nerve within him, it seemed. His posture gradually softened. »I’m sorry, it sounds like you’ve been through a lot.« Finally, Maia’s hand sank down and she also slowly let the tension in her body fade. »Thanks. I still owe you my life, though. You might not have found the Jedi you’ve been looking for, but I can help you keep the child safe until you do. If you let me.« »Alright.« 
A soft smile crept up to her lips, before Mando turned to close the child’s resting place. »Come with me.« He motioned to follow her up the ladder. She grabbed her cape before following him. He continued. »I will look for other Mandalorians, they can help us find a Jedi. After my last visit to Nevarro they had to leave the planet, that makes things a bit difficult.« He sat down on the pilot seat, whereas Maia sat down behind him on one of the passenger seats. »Do you have any leads?« »I have my contacts.« 
And with that the Razor Crest left Nevarro. 
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Translations: 
Osik - shit
Haar'chak - Damn it
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lotusmi · 1 year
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You should definitely talk about your own success story, if you’re comfortable of course!
We love and appreciate you, Lotus.
Well, my success are way more about getting an 'ideal life' than a 'dream life', everything was a mess and I was really anxious, depressed, I had the worst self-concept ever.
All I manifested since it, the really meaningful things, were being mental freed from all the monsters I used to have in my mind.
I was in this really abusive situation and I manifested being freed from it by only living in my imagination… When I left this situation (end of 2020), I was doing well but I had this break up that let me in another hard time in my life. This was when I discovered spiritualy and started seeing life in a different way, then I learned the law and everything was different.
To be honest, even tho the law is beautiful, for me ( i always were more of a melancholic person, well, it is weird. I feel weird about life, I sometimes feel like everything is artificial.
I had to deal with so much trauma in my life, having the power to "have everything" just hits so weird for me. It's like I am sitting in the border of an abyss. I applied the law in not assuming anything that I don't like, and it was it. I had been using the law as a shield. I don't have anything to worry about.
This month it made one year that I learned some Neville Goddard books and really went to discover all about law of assumption. After it I sometimes sleep, to be honest. I never forget I am in control, but sometimes I sleep because I feel overwhelmed.
I know I have not the most amazing success in life. I had healed myself from my own mind. But I still feel this way. Well it is me. I know I am don't have a 'cool' success and I am not a "It Girl", but well. I still me. And I am happy I saved myself, since if it was not my hope, I would not be here but 6 feet under in some place lol...
I sometimes don't know what a "dream life" means, again, it is me. I had suffered sm and it just feel weird that I can be 'happy'. I am not saying I am not happy, I am just weird ig. My current goal is trying to let myself know I am deserving of good things. I am not a "divine time" believer, I just feel kinda lost sometimes in terms of what I want. I just want my life to have meaning, I guess…
more of my journey here > my success, my failures...
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brownbitchshit · 1 year
Text
I know it is a joyous occasion for all of us but as someone who suffers from anxiety, I often see other people in stressful situations and I can for some reason feel like tension from them and get anxious myself.
Omar and Edvin are having the time of their lives, true. But they are also very very anxious and nervous. You can see it in their body language, the way they talk. Omar is a trilingual at this point and he usually doesn’t struggle with English as much as he is after coming to NYC. In every interview he is struggling and looking over to Edvin for support. As a bilingual myself, I can totally relate to him. I am fluent in English but often in stressful situations, I can barely remember the simplest words in english and form them in a sentence.
Same situation with Edvin. He is at ease while talking but when he is standing or entering the building or that whole dance sequence with Fallon, he is stiff and there's a nervous expression in his face. He is calmer, quieter than his usual puppy energy mode. And I just feel like reaching across the screen and hug them and tell them you guys are doing great and everyone loves you regardless.
Another thing I realized Omar is more confident in his physical presence and Edvin more confident in his verbal presence. Maybe it's gotta do with them being popstar and actor.
I don't know why I'm writing this. Maybe because I am loving how big our 'Little Swedish show' and Edvin & Omar has become. How they went from this little foreign show to a global phenomenon. I remember following them when they had some thousands followers in IG. But now they are these big stars people line up to see since 3/4 AM. This fame and success comes with so much pressure and even more opinions. And they are so so young and so sweet. I really hope despite the stress and anxiety and nervousness, they take a moment to breathe it all in and enjoy it. And I hope the YR fandom be kind to them. Make memes, make jokes, do whatever you want just make sure to be kind and respectful towards them. Our boys are doing great!
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risathefairyofshampoo · 5 months
Text
ATEEZ - 2024 Reading
(January 14th, 2024) Requested
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Disclaimer: Everything is based on tarot and my intuition. I don't know these idols personally. Take everything that I say with a grain of salt. Let's get started! :)
General
Page of Swords, Eight of Cups (R), Five of Cups, Nine of Cups, Nine of Pentacles (R)
I see ATEEZ beginning the Year 2024 very positively. They might be very open for new things coming their way. Might it be music or opportunities like modeling or whatever.
However, I also see a lot of negativity. 2024 might bring a lot of challenging times. I see loss & depression. Maybe they will lose a lot of money, but they also might lose their current image. Ig they are starting this year in a naive way. They are throwing themselves into something they can't handle. They aren't ready for what I can pick up!
Career
King of Pentacles (R), Two of Wands, The Fool, Ace of Swords (R), Page of Cups, Two of Swords, Seven of Swords (R), Eight of Wands (R)
I see some positive aspects but also some negative.
2024 will be a year where Ateez will lose money. They won't be doing that good financially.
Some members might still try to find a solution to this problem. Trying new things when it comes to music, but yeah, no. I don't see it succeed.
I get the feeling that there will be 2 options that won't be really satisfying. Kind of like a dilemma. Everything that they can choose won't be in their favour.
So overall, I don't see a lot of success in this field.
It might also be that they will be somewhat inactive.
Health
Temperance (R), Page of Cups (R), Two of Swords (R), The Magician, Eight of Pentacles, Queen of Cups (R)
Well, I don't really think it will be that bad when it comes to their health.
Ig it will be okay. So-so. Not bad but not that good.
They will start the year okay. Ig they will maybe suffer from some sort of depression and a strong fever is coming to my mind. Maybe not being able to attend some certain schedules. People will notice about their health, that's safe to say.
I also see them not being very optimistic about it. Idk like some will have to make a decision that definitely won't be as they planned. It won't play into their cards.
But after that I see a period of time where they will get help and improve. I see them working out a lot. Being a lot in the gym and improving their health overall.
But at the end of the year, they might get too obsessed with their looks/health
Scandals
Knight of Swords, The Star, Four of Cups, Two of Pentacles, The Fool (R)
Well, I don't see them having a scandal. If there will be one well then, it will be kinda small, and it won't be talked about for a long time. Many might think about like pros and cons (?) but at the end, I'd say they will be pretty understanding, and like I said, if anything happens, it'll happen fast!
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Text
Honestly, best part about watching HotD was that it gave me a free blocklist to weed out any jonsas (because ridiculous number of the green stans seem to be jonsas!) I might've missed the first time around with GoT. But what's absolutely baffling is how many claim to be feminists. I'll go to their blog to block them and their bio will be something like "She/her, feminist" and it's just like... what kind of mental acrobatics do you have to be doing to believe that??
Let's see, shall we? Just off the top of my head, jonsas (and fairly often Sansa's more... "special" stans) like to
Put down Dany and Arya for not being "feminine enough" (i.e. their ideal femininity, which ig means women can't be anything else). As if expecting women to conform to a standard of what's "feminine enough" isn't part of the problem :/
Constantly claim Sansa can't be held accountable for her mistakes because she's a child, but then regularly claim another child is unforgivable for her mistakes and should die for it
Imply (and sometimes even say) that Dany shouldn't be breaking the wheel. You mean the patriarchy? You, an alleged feminist, don't think the patriarchal system ASoIaF has is awful and dumb??
Suggest that Jon is actually going to politically manipulate Dany by pretending to love her but really he's doing it for Sansa. That is... disgusting on more levels than I could count, but I'll simplify it to "wanting to see an ending where a woman is manipulated sexually and then murdered by her male lover when she's no longer useful is gross and you should feel gross" because apparently they can't read at more than a 2nd grade level
Ignore the fact that this already-misogynistic plotline would be, in their dreams, so the man can get together with their favorite woman instead. Because putting down a woman like a dog in favor of another woman isn't bad, apparently
Absolutely hate the fact that Dany is a subversion of the prophecied hero trope because she's the "Princess who was promised". This would be a wonderful twist on the trope instead of the sexist "but actually it was the man all along!" one, which has been done to death already
Crack jokes about Dany being infertile and how that would "make Sansa a better wife for Jon, bc she can give him an heir". Ah yes, implying it's a woman's duty and purpose to have kids and that anyone who can't is broken. Wonderful example of feminist rhetoric, you guys
And this very much extends to the green stans too! Little wonder so many stansas seem to love Alicent, since they're both "women who have to suffer through the patriarchy". Let's see what our precious, definitely-feminist Alicent has done, shall we?
The big one: actively trying to prevent a woman from rising to the Throne so she can be replaced by her son, a man
The son, I should add, being utterly unfit to rule and she knows it (unless she's absolutely fucking stupid, there's no way she could not know Aegon would be a bad king). I mean, he assaulted serving staff, disappears to the slums to watch his bastards fight to the death, and when he was supposed to be king he fled. Rulership material indeed :/ But Alicent seems to think a penis makes him suited to rule despite all that
Straight-up admits that Viserys was less suited to rule than Rhaenys on account of temperament... but then in the next breath ask Rhaenys to help her uphold the male succession that fucked her over, in favor of a man even less suitable for kingship than Viserys was
And on the note of the serving girl... silencing rape victims is not feminist. At all. I recognize HotD's societal standards are different, but idk, they sure like to apply modern standards like war crimes to Dany and Rhaenyra so I think I'll do the same here
Resents Rhaenyra for finding happiness in her own relationships. Look, what happened to her was awful and I felt bad for her, but once she turned around and started putting other women down for not suffering like she did, instead of trying to see the system that caused her suffering ended... that's where she went wrong. (Also I feel like reminding everyone Laenor was gay. Did greens want Nyra to maritally rape her husband?? How dare a woman have an enjoyable sex life)
Book Alicent legitimately hoped that "mayhaps the whore will die in childbirth" because that's absolutely a feminist girlboss thing to say
Look, I have no problem with people liking or even defending either character for some of their actions. Even I'd admit the Greens are fun to watch despite being in the wrong, and that Sansa's bullying means her arc has potential for character growth towards realizing her ideal femininity is wrong. But when their stans start attacking other women for not accepting and conforming to the system? That's why I usually see urls/lots of posts about these characters as a red flag
If you're one of these people and I somehow haven't already blocked you? Please go outside and work on the internalized misogyny a bit before you claim to be feminist
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no-where-new-hero · 9 months
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☕ - booktok and I'm cheating to add the state of YA in general 👀
Disclaimer at first that I don't have TikTok (proudly) so that my experience with social media book discourse is through Instagram (which also has a lot of TikToks transferred over, obviously) but I'm not sure if the IG algorithm shows me different things from what TikTok would. Anyway.
I'm going to start with the state of YA actually because I feel slightly more familiar with this but also I think BookTok/Bookstagram trends are absolutely contributing to its hellscape. I may have talked about this in the post about where LMM would be shelved, but I think YA is losing its own identity. It's no longer about finding your place in the world or coming to terms with identity or dealing with themes that will help provide a bridge between childhood and adulthood. Romantasy abounds as much as in adult fiction, maybe just with a little less sex (though that's debatable). Contemporary feels reducible to a Pinterest moodboard (Portrait of a Thief, which I honestly liked in a lot of ways, suffered from this in my opinion). Fantasy without romance is almost nonexistent, and SF is more and more negligible.
All of these issues are perpetuated by BookTok. In a small video, there's only so much of a story you can share. Romantic tropes, aesthetic pictures, over-the-top dramatic lines sell well on there because they're catchy and cater to a romance- and visual-centric society. But I think it has given the false impression that you can stretch a skin of plot over these bones and call it an animal, and because everyone is accepting that this is an animal, the proliferation of such simulacra continues. Especially when the plot itself is none too strong.
You mentioned the trope problem, and I'll drill down on it because I definitely see this as the fanficification of published literature and the deterioration of rigorous plotting: A, because people enjoy it. B, because a majority of new authors grew up in the fanfic heyday and cut their teeth on that style, so they no longer know how to break free of it. C, because it's easy: you have narrative assumptions baked into rivals to lovers, in there's-only-one-bed, the coffeeshop au, etc. They're in fanfic because they're easy and provide a handy template for the meat of the story, which is the characters. But translating that into original fiction runs the risk of creating a predictable story. Predictability can mean palatability, which doesn't hurt on the whole. But it again inscribes this misbelief that if that's all that's on the market, that's all that people want.
The publishing industry absolutely is perpetuating it too: to sell a book now, you need to give comparative titles, "the books yours will sit next to on a display." There's more and more pigeonholing, which the fanfic style enables.
I could also get into the moral turpitude of some of the books on there (cough anything by colleen hoover not to mention HAUNTING ADELINE cough) but that will sound unnecessarily judgy, so I won't. Suffice to say that I feel sorry for anyone trying to "become a reader" by taking their recommendations solely from an app driven by popularity, shock-value, and the cultural capital of prettiness and success.
(Okay I need a last footnote to say that I understand that ALL advertising is driven by popularity, shock-value, and cultural capital. But you remember in the old days when you could go into the library and find a dusty book that was published in like 1990 or something and it smelled like it was growing mildew and it probably had a horrible cover and the author was someone you'd never heard of and none of your friends knew what the book was but you would bring it home and it would completely change your brain chemistry and everything you thought about the world? THAT'S HOW YOU BECOME A READER FELLAS. As a librarian in training, I'm going to die on this hill.)
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eldritch-flower · 10 months
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Characters out of context tag
Thank you @scribbling-stardust for the tag! You can find their awesome post here.
Rules: Include one character quote of your choosing ⁠from each chapter of your WIP (or as many chapters as you'd like). Give absolutely no context, save for what's between two parts of an interrupted sentence, should that occur. You may mention who said it. Have fun! No pressure!
I'm gonna do this for TAOD bc Zenith has waaaay too many chapters for me to be doing this <;/3
Chapter 1 - Alan Kelly
“You know who it is, you rat-arsed twat. Get to South Kensington. Now.”
Chapter 2 - Paula Kane
“You’re much more hypocritical than your picture would have me assume, detective.”
Chapter 3 - Joseph Hastings
“Congratulations. Lack of empathy is the pathway to success.”
Chapter 4 - Joseph Hastings
“I can’t say it’s been a pleasure, but I suppose you did your best.”
Chapter 5 - Paula Kane
“You loved him, maybe. But not enough to notice he was suffering,”
Idk how i've only written 5 chapters of this, I feel like I've written so much of it but ig half of that is just,,, in my brain?
ANyway, this was super fun to do! I'm gonna gently tag @missaddledmiss @pumpkinsplots @chromehoplite & anyone else who wants to do it <3 (no pressure)
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