#the sentiment stands its peace and love on earth etc etc

[chibigaia-art]

doodle between commissions that i dont wanna fix (im tired as hell)

[ageof9thhouse]

Signs in the Second House

♈︎Aries / Mars in the 2nd House:

The parents were each other’s first loves or they were at a relatively young age when the child was conceived. The relationship they have with each other tends to be immature and there is a theme of being competitive with each other. They did not necessarily plan to have a child. Their road to marriage or union was very impulsive and this is reflected in the native’s value system. Native always feels like they have to fight to deserve the feeling of a sense of comfort. Also, Aries 2nd house tends to be an impulsive spender especially when their self-confidence is low. They tend to self-sabotage when they don’t see their own value in circumstances. They eat, drink and walk fast. And despite the contrary belief, they have a high pain tolerance. They tend to dress younger than their age, especially females prefer to dress tom-boyish. With everything from music to a restaurant they want to be the first one to discover its existence. They feel the most valued when they feel like they are trend-setter.

♉︎Taurus / Venus in the 2nd House:

The parents had a very sentimental relationship and they felt like they were each other’s true love but they might have been too possessive with each other which might have had caused them to slow each other down on their way to success or being an individual. During the time the child was conceived they were so sure of themselves that this child could be the best thing to ever come to this earth. The native with this placement values her/himself and is sure that they deserve everything. They might become lazy once they go retreat into their comfort zone and be stubborn about ever coming out. They might be fixated on the material goods a little too much. They like to eat… a LOT and dress up. But even when they dress up they know that they do not have to get out of their comfort zones, therefore, prefer to wear comfortable clothing and they always look on point. They feel the most valued when they are in love. Not necessarily with someone but anything.

♊︎Gemini / Mercury in the 2nd House:

The parents might have met when they were students or decided to meet up thanks to the word of mouth. The parents are very mischievous with each other, they never had a dull moment within their relationship. But it could’ve had been tiring for each party and their on and off relationship just became too confusing. When the child was conceived they were anxious about it but still enthusiastic. They might have already had children before the native or decided to have more after their birth. Gemini in the 2nd house values their siblings the most and is very possessive over them. They have a way of others feel immediately comfortable around them through their ways of communication. One way to make these people uncomfortable is to give them the silent treatment or being rude through words. Other than that, they have very creative ways to make themselves feel at ease. They like to eat, dress up, listen to a variety of different music. What they like the most for pleasure is always in constant change.

♋︎Cancer / Moon in the 2nd House:

The parents might have had a co-dependent relationship with a lot of emotional ups and downs from the get-go. When the child was conceived it might have caused a lot of break downs within the family or was a hidden secret. With Cancer in the 2nd house, the native is hyper-aware of their emotional needs which is in constant change. It is hard to pin down for them to understand what they like. Being or feeling at home is essential for these individuals to feel relaxed. But if they had a terrible home life growing up they may seek their comfort else-where. They value mothers and women a lot. Their favorite things are based around the feminine energy surrounding them. They might be emotional eaters, if they feel depressed they might not want to eat anything at all or vice versa. They like to listen to music that is on the darker, deeper side. They do not just listen to music to have fun, they are invested in the tunes on a deeper level. They are very artistic themselves. The way they dress tend to reflect what they are feeling on the inside. If they are not able to communicate how they feel they might as well just wear it.

♌︎Leo / Sun in the 2nd House:

The parents probably were in love once, yes… but were not mature enough to handle each other. Ego-wars can be a theme here. They were two kids who had kids and their lives together were out of a sitcom. When the child was conceived there was an innocent joy around the whole event or a lot of drama. For the native with this placement pleasure and sensualism is at high importance. They find immense joy in food, music and fashion etc. They might come of show-off-ish with the things they own, which they have to watch out for. They are at their happiest when they feel secure. They are very creative when it comes to cooking and art in general. The clothing they wear might be very in-your-face. They like to stand out with their beauty. They also love to dress up children who are the things they value the most in life. Another warning would be to watching out for being too materialistic or self-indulgent.

♍︎Virgo / Ceres in the 2nd House:

The parents probably met at work or in a classroom environment. There might have been anxiety within the relationship. The thing that kept the relationship together was constantly coming up with problems to fix. The parents might have stayed together out of habit rather than love. When the child was conceived some health issues might have had occurred concerning either the child or the mother, or both. The native who has this placement is very nit-picky about the things they consume (food, fashion, art, material goods). They are prone to self-sabotaging even if just one thing in their life is out of place. Being in complete comfort and peace is something they want a lot but can’t achieve because of too much concern surrounding it.

♎︎Libra / Venus in the 2nd House:

The parents liked each other a lot but it wasn’t as deep as they portrayed it to be. They might have looked good together perhaps but their points of view could not be further away from each others’. The child was conceived when the parents were following the steps to building a perfect family portrait… but nothing in this life is perfect. However, the quest to find this perfection is now have transferred to the child. The native with this placement values equality and harmony the most and strives for perfection. Having a partner on their side, plus a good salary seems to be one of the rare things to give them a sense of peace. They have got a good eye when it comes to fashion and art, even food presentations. They are one of those people who are closeted critics when it comes to all things artistic and beautiful because they want it to be theirs.  

♏︎Scorpio / Pluto in the 2nd House:

The parents were very obsessed with each other. Like Halsey wrote in her song they might have had mistaken the warning signs as butterflies. From their passionate relationship came out a beautiful child, but probably once the child came into the picture the relationship ended or should’ve had ended right there. Or, the union of the parents changed drastically for the better or worse. Nothing was ever the same. The person with this placement has strong desires for material goods and bodily sensations. This is good and bad at the same time, as with everything in this universe. Intensity gives them a sense of comfort or they are so good at calming down the intensity surrounding situations, being used to that from their parents’ relationship. They have a great passion for fashion and all things beautiful. They are here to force peace and harmony down our throats.

♐︎Sagittarius / Jupiter in the 2nd House:

The parents might have met abroad or at college or through a religious constitution. There might have been a lot of distance within the relationship maybe literally or figuratively. One would assume though when they first met they were totally in awe of each other. Perhaps to the point of they became each other's whole world and once the union broke everything took a very aggressive turn. They always try to out-do one and other. When the child was conceived the parents were very happy and optimistic about the whole deal. The child either made their love for each other bigger or if they had issues the child’s presence made the issues grew. Now the native of this placement does the same effect on material goods and bodily sensations. They might become too lazy and self-indulgent once they reach a certain level of peace and comfort. They are very flamboyant with the clothing they wear. Always trying to outdo whatever is fashion at the moment. They have their own rules when it comes to defining what is beautiful.

♑︎Capricorn / Saturn in the 2nd House:

The parents might have met at work, and maybe one of them was more successful than the other or, perhaps one was even the other’s boss... Or one parent was older than the other which lead them to have a father-child / mother-child dynamic in the relationship. The marriage might even be an arranged marriage -- only learning about each other through the word of mouth. Either way they got together because they were on a mission rather than being in love. Even with having a child, they were very careful about it. They wanted everything to be right so there was a lot of concern and emphasis on the birth just like their own relationship. The child might be the only child of the parents or the last child. Out of the two parents the native probably values the father the most or at least his opinions. The way the parents lived and their relationship with the material goods influenced the native greatly. They are not good at valuing themselves or most other people for that matter. It is a lesson they have to learn. They have to learn that not everything in life is about success and money. They find it hard to settle down and be at peace with life because of being too ambitious and desiring power over others.  

♒︎Aquarius / Uranus in the 2nd House:

The parents had a very strange relationship. Unexpected things happened to them all the time. Perhaps before they became lovers they were close friends or chose to become just friends after their union. The child perhaps was a surprise for them both or changed their lives in an unexpected way. The parents had to throw away all of their plans for the future. The native with this placement values being a rebel and uniqueness, also their friends. Having people they can trust around them is very crucial for them to have a peace of mind. They have strange habits surrounding food and have a unique taste in art. They are almost hipsteresque about everything. They like the idea of influencing people with never seen or done before things. The native learns to be more laid-back within the years, finding out planning things out too much only calls for more unexpected interferences.  

♓︎Pisces / Neptune in the 2nd House:

The parents had a very confusing relationship. They might have fallen blindly in love with one another which lead them to follow a path they were not yet quite ready for. One parent might have influenced the other and caused great self-undoing in their part. The child was conceived during a period in their relationship when there was a great deal of question marks surrounding them. The native is very selfless when it comes to their own peace of minds, always putting others comfort before theirs. They do everything they can to make other people be comfortable in their presence. But this can also follow a pattern of them playing the victim saying “I never get to do what I want to do”. They are very idealistic when it comes to beauty and very imaginative about expression through art. They are not very good at being smart with their money and mostly love to spend it for other people. Their relationship with consumption is also very confusing. They either go all in or nothing. There’s no in-between. 

(Art: "Jupiter and Juno on Mount Ida" by Antoine Coypel)

[verumking]

𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓:  𝐘𝐎𝐙𝐎𝐑𝐀 

Repost, do not reblog.

tagged by :   stolen, can’t remember from who tagging :   steal  it !

▸       is your muse   tall    /    short    /    average ? Due to the Gigas core operation stunting his growth, Yozora stands at a mere 5′6″, just shy of 5′7″. He is considerably shorter than the average male of his age. canon said mega tol but in this house we say smol boy rights.

▸       are they okay with their height ? No-- he does have a height complex, but accepts that it cannot be helped in the slightest and doesn’t make any effort to alter his height in any way. He just scowls up at those taller than him.

▸      what’s their hair like ? Yozora’s hair is a peculiar phenomenon, in particular its colour. Naturally, it is sable brown to black, however, due to the stress of Gigas experimentation from an extremely young age, his hair became a stark white-silver ( Marie Antoinette syndrome ). Over time however, particularly after his escape from Gigas Corporation, Yozora’s dark roots have begun growing back, and the bright silver had receded down the length of his hair, fading to a dull violet-grey.   

For practically his whole life, Yozora’s hair length has been consistently medium-length, reaching just past his jawline-- only trimmed as a child by the Gigas as a means of accessing his skull and throat easier for medical examination. Yozora’s hair does not curl at all, remaining stark straight even after a shower. 

▸     do they spend a  lot of time on their hair     /    grooming ? Not at all-- perhaps because his hair doesn’t curl ( and is thus easy to maintain )-- or because he deems his appearance inconsequential in warfare-- but Yozora spends a scarce few minutes on grooming. He only gives his hair a quick comb-through, and spends slightly longer on shaving.  

▸      does your muse care about their appearance   /   what others think ? He will make an effort to look decent, but beyond that, Yozora cares very little about his appearance, and especially what others think.  

—    preferences.

▸      indoors    or    outdoors ?     indoors. ▸      rain    or    sunshine ?   rain. ▸      forest    or    beach ?      beach. ▸      precious    metals    or    gems ?      precious metals. ▸      flowers    or    perfumes ?     perfumes. ▸      personality    or    appearance ?      personality. ▸      being    alone    or    being    in    a    crowd ?     being  alone. ▸      order    or    anarchy ?   balanced, leaning order. ▸      painful   ��truths    or    white    lies ?     painful truths. ▸     science    or    magic ?     science. ▸      peace    or    conflict ?    peace. ▸      night    or    day ?     night. ▸      dusk    or    dawn ?      dusk. ▸      warmth    or    cold ?      cold. ▸      many   acquaintances    or    a    few    close    friends ?   few close friends. ▸      reading    or    playing    a    game ?      both.

—    questionnaire.

▸      what are some of your muse’s bad habits ? Yozora has a chronic tendency to shut people out when he feels himself growing too close. A cocktail of trust issues and a deep rooted hatred for abandonment, Yozora goes to every length to avoid growing attached to people. He believes that because he was forcibly raised with no semblance of a family, that he doesn’t need one, and is particularly dismissive of the concept of friendship. Following his ascension as the god of death, he also doesn’t seek a romantic relationship, deeming it an impossibility given his divine status. ( Needless attachment leads to needless heartbreak. )

That of course does not mean that Yozora doesn’t subconsciously grow attached anyway. He often finds himself forming unbreakable bonds without fully realising it himself. There was still a human side to him that craves emotional connections, even when he actively refuses them. 

▸      has your muse lost anyone close to them ? how has it affected them ? His earliest ‘loss’ was his biological mother, but not by death. Yozora’s mother willingly sold her only son to Gigas Corporation, in exchange for a hefty fee. Prior to this, the five-year old Yozora was nothing but accommodating for his struggling mother: refusing to cry when he was starving, and comforting her rather than the other way around. Yozora learned to suppress his emotions very early-- and this was only catalysed after witnessing his own mother’s betrayal. As a consequence, Yozora is extremely distrusting of others, and refuses to wear his heart on his sleeve ( see response above. )

▸      what are some fond memories your muse has ? In a time of warfare and universal crisis, fond memories are few and far between. However, it was the rarity of such moments that made them the most memorable. Whilst he does not want to define his relationship with Magia and Aegis as a friendship, the king cannot deny the comfort his knights give him. Be it during their downtime, when they’re playing a heated game of cards, or when Aegis makes a fool out of Magia (and vice versa) in an attempt to crack Yozora’s facade. Yozora greatly enjoys the company of his two comrades, and despite deeming himself unworthy of their loyalty, has sworn an equal oath to protect them. 

▸     is it easy for your muse to kill ? Absolutely-- this is particularly the case after his ascension as the god of death, after comprehending the true nature of his home realm ( that it is the underworld of all worlds, and thus no one was alive to begin with / are merely souls awaiting their reincarnation ), but also that the universe hinged on the balance of life and death. Death was both an inevitability and a necessity, and thus Yozora is not opposed to taking life for good reason. With his ability to preserve souls via crystal stasis / locking them in Replica Earth, Yozora is also unafraid of the consequences of killing someone, knowing well enough that they do not truly perish, unless they have weak karmas or he fully intents to destroy their soul.  

▸      what’s it like when your muse breaks down ? There’s a persistent silence to Yozora that manifests even when he is breaking down. He does everything in his power to repress any humanly emotion, convincing himself that a “machine” like him was incapable of such weakness, and that a god such as himself does not have the luxury. Nonetheless, should Yozora ever break down, he will isolate himself completely, feeling his corruption take over. Breaking down isn’t a loss of will for Yozora, but a descent to madness. You won’t catch him crying, but perhaps chuckling darkly, as something in his semi-corporeal mind finally unhinges, catalysed by the instability of his mechanical heart. 

▸      is your muse capable of trusting someone with their life ? It takes a great deal for Yozora to trust anyone for regular means, let alone with his life-- particularly following the incidents at Gigas Corporation, where his life was put in the hands of sadistic researchers who experimented on his corpse for their own amusement. This doesn’t mean that Yozora is completely incapable of trusting people with his life-- in fact, he trusts his two knights Magia and Aegis completely. However, it took a lot for Yozora to reach that level of comfort around them, being still plagued by his hyper-vigilance and general foreboding that Gigas Corporation will capture him once more. 

▸      what’s your muse like when they’re in love ? When falling in love, Yozora is just as reclusive in himself, perhaps even more so with the denial of his feelings. He would be adamant to dismiss his sentiments and will try to avoid interacting with said person whenever possible. When he finally comes to terms with his feelings, and such feelings are reciprocated, Yozora is an extremely intense lover. Once he knows the other is committed, he has complete tunnel vision for them-- he will remain loyal for life. Whilst verbally quiet, Yozora expresses his love through actions, such as stolen kisses and unconscious touches ( placing his hand on the small of their back, holding their hand, etc. ) Do not mistake his muted demeanour and withdrawn nature as shyness-- when he is love, he is assured of his feelings: he is merely uncertain about how to express them. 

[smirkingsolo]

Orpheus: A Reylo Story (Chapter 3: Call Out My Name)

The World Between Worlds Reylo Fix it fic you’ve been craving since TROS ripped out your still beating heart and crushed it to death.

Canon-compliant, universe-plausible, multi-chapter

Beginning can be found here or over on my AO3 (Rinnagirl) at https://archiveofourown.org/works/21984730/chapters/52460923

Your comments, likes, reblogs, kudos, etc. mean the absolute world to me!

Previous Chapter

Chapter 3: Call Out My Name

Ben is crashing through the swamplands, the earth beneath rising to meet his boots just as his steps press down against it. The feeling spurs him on. He feels as he had the moment he landed on Exegol. His senses are too consumed with the urgency of reaching her to be bothered by the way the landscape fights to impede him.

Leia follows behind him and he knows she must be struggling to keep up with his eager pace. Ben looks back for a moment to his mother and she smiles, nodding. Go. I’m right behind you..

And he barrels on into the underbrush.

I’m coming.

The humidity is a hot, wet slap in the face, rushing at her as soon as the door of the Falcon lowers. Rey is no stranger to heat. She’s Jakku desert raised for kriff’s sake. But this heat is heavy, almost oppressively moist. The water in the air is violent for such a peaceful place, so intent it seems to be on suffocating her to death.

She pulls the ties from her buns, braiding her hair back more securely and twisting it into a bun at the nape of her neck. She removes her outermost robe, leaving her in a wrapped tunic, fashioned after her old desert wear. She stares at the Skywalker lightsabers and they stare back. A battle of wits, a dare to ignite them though she knows where that would lead. She tucks Leia’s into her belt and Luke’s into a hidden compartment on the Falcon. She grabs her pack, slings her staff across her shoulders, and sets off to face the wild.

She searches the Force for a direction, a hint of anything unusual, reaching out as Luke taught her. She senses a pull and she allows it to catch her in its tide, drawing her out into the swamp.

After roughly thirty minutes of scaling, wading, sweating, Rey can sense that she is drawing near to what calls her. It is unknown, unfamiliar, but it feels kind, helpful, and that is what she needs right now.

She pushes aside a wide-fanned fern and her eyes catch a small hut, tucked away like a secret. Her attention nearly skimmed over it. The fog of the swamp drapes across it like a shroud. It is a relic of a time she barely overlapped with and she wonders, momentarily, if it is even there at all.

The closer she gets, the more certain she is. This used to be Master Yoda’s home. It is long since abandoned, preserved like a fly in amber, held back from crumbling by a cage of tree roots. She creeps across a log to the bank, hesitating only a moment before dropping to her knees and crawling through the front door. There is a familiar anticipative feeling. A curious wonder, like encountering a new ship for the first time to scour for scrap.

She picks through the leavings inside the hut, reemerging into the damp of the swamp after a few moments. Strange places hold strange dangers and she thinks it best to scout the surrounding area before the sun sets. The fog already swirls thick around her. The eerie faded glow of light filtered through too many layers of mist and vine is all she has to go on. It’s not much and even that will disappear come nightfall. Overhead calls the rumble of a fast-approaching storm.

----

Ben’s arms sweep in front of him, carving a path through the plant life as easily as if his saber were in his hand. He smacks aside some large plant, stumbling into the open of a clearing. There is murky pond at his feet that he knows he should not disturb. On the far side of the pond is a dwelling of some sort, a pile of vine choked rocks with windows. He recognizes it from a distant memory that is not his own, a bedtime story on a cold night. He knows who one dwelled here.Besides, he muses, no one else would be crazy enough to live in a place like this.

He jumps when a figure crawls out of the doorway, someone wearing the mist of the swamp like a garment, and he reconsiders his previous sentiment.

The figure straightens up, the fog shifts, and suddenly Ben cannot breathe.

I found you.

He calls out her name, it bursts from his lips a shouted prayer, but the croaking of frogs is the only answer he hears. She doesn’t turn. Doesn’t startle. In fact, she doesn’t seem to hear him at all.

The pit in his stomach opens up again. He runs to her, stumbling gracelessly across a precarious log to the bank where she stands.

His stride shortens, pace slowing as his worst fears crawl up his spine, whispering the truth he doesn’t want to face in his ear.

He steps around in front of her, but her eyes don’t focus, they still chase an imaginary horizon beyond the vines. One cautious hand reaches towards her shoulder, changing direction half-way. Instead he stretches his long fingers to brush against her face. But there is nothing but air. Where the warmth of her cheek should be is only cold. His hand passes through her as if she is the ghost, rather than him.

She cannot see you. To her, you are mist.

She steps forward, passing through him like a shadow, and he can’t stop himself from sinking to his knees. His chin quivers, mouth working as he struggles to choke back the quiet sob bubbling in the back of his throat.

Logically he’d expected it. He’d known that she wouldn’t be able to see, hear, or feel him any more than the scavengers he and Leia encountered in the village on Jakku. But some irrational part of him had clung to hope, and when he’d felt her in the Force, her signature so pure and clear and loud, calling out to him...he had run to her, ready to take her in his arms and hold her to him as he had on Exegol.

He can see his mother picking through the brush on the other side of the pond, just now catching up to him. Her eyes hold the same quiet spark of hope that his held moments before. Her face falls. Her eyes dart between the retreating form of Rey and her son’s empty expression.

He lets his head fall against his chest. Thunder rumbles softly above, a misty rain now coming down. There’s a drip from the tip of his nose. A raindrop or a tear.

----

The rain is falling steadily by the time she returns. She lights a small fire in the long abandoned firepit, the old ashes and damp wood fill the hut with smoke. She strips off her outermost layer of clothing, hanging her tunic near the fire to dry alongside her boots. Down to her upper bindings and her light leggings, she frees her hair from the braided bun and steps barefoot out into the rain. She tilts her head back for a moment letting the rain cool her skin and wash away the grime of her scouting trek. A peaceful smile settles on her face as she stretches her arms out, squelching her toes in the mud of the bank. There was something Rey loved about the rain.  The storm had drained much of the unpleasant humidity from the swamp air, leaving it fresh and fragrant, smelling of wet earth and life. Jakku was never like this.

Striding back towards the hut, Rey settles at the edge of the doorway, just far enough back to shield her from the brunt of the storm. She assumes her meditation pose, legs folded, eyes closed, lungs full of the sweet scent of the rain. With deep breaths she synchronizes the beat of her heart to the steady rhythm of the rainfall. Behind her the fire crackles and she can feel the warmth of it drape over her back, evaporating the rain from her skin. Be with me. Be with me. Be with me.

---

Leia watches her son from behind a thick root cluster. She thinks it best to give him space after the look she saw on his face, though it pains her to do so.  

Sitting on a large rock at the edge of the pond, his eyes have remained fixated on Rey from the moment she returned from scouting. There is a wistful longing about him as he stares at her and Leia can’t help but wonder what Rey had said to him during the times they connected through their Force bond. Ben hadn’t said much about it beyond the technicalities when she’d inquired how he’d come to know Rey so well. She sensed that there was something deeply private, something intimate about their bond that neither would be eager to share with others.

Rey emerge from the hut, layers stripped away so the rain can kiss her skin. Her arms stretch towards the sky, calling it to her open palms. Her head is tilted back, eyes closed, lips painted with a smile of peaceful bliss. But Leia’s eyes are on her son, studying his face as he takes Rey in. His lips are parted in wonder, pupils blown wide like he’s trying to take in all the stars in the galaxy at once. Ben is fascinated by her, watching her like one who’s lived underground his whole life witnessing the colors of sunrise for the first time. Something in his expression seeps in and warms her very bones, an incredible, reverent longing that Leia recognizes, remembers. Han Solo used to look at her with eyes like that. Yes, she knows that look and for the first time she understands wholly why he wishes to live again. It isn’t about redemption, it isn’t about living more years; it’s about her. Rey. His equal, his frustration, the hidden-most wish of his soul.

She can’t help but wonder how Rey feels about him. Their relationship is complicated, that much is obvious, even to the casual observer. Rey hated him once, hated him for killing Han, just as Ben hated himself. She thought him a monster until, suddenly, she didn’t. Rey left for Ahch-To certain that Kylo Ren was her greatest enemy, yet she returned changed. Leia could no longer sense anger when Rey spoke of Kylo Ren. Instead there was an incredible sorrow, a deep, personal hurt, as if she’d had to say goodbye to a friend. She could sense Rey’s care for him then, and she dearly hoped now that it was of the same ken as his.

Ben settle himself in front of Rey, mirroring her meditation pose, rain pouring down on him as he sits just beyond the reach of the roof. He doesn’t seem to mind. Unlike Rey his eyes remain open. They hold her face like gentle fingertips. There is a softness in his expression that makes Leia smile.

Leia turns to her brother as he reappears beside her, face washed in the pale blue of his Force spirit aura. She knows they can both feel her son’s emotions bleeding through the Force, radiating from him like ripples in a pond.

“Crazy, isn’t it?”

“Nothing crazy about it, Leia, he’s your son. Han’s son. If I didn’t know any better I might even call it predictable. You know Han would have died for you and that self-sacrificing Solo streak lives on in Ben now. As for her, she reminds me so much of you, Leia. It’s almost scary. I admit I feared the worst when I saw them, hands touching in that hut on Ahch-To.” He sounds almost ashamed, “I thought he might be using her. But it seems now that I couldn’t have been more wrong. I feel like I’m watching Han fall in love with you again.”

“Don’t say that.” Her voice is quiet and she struggles with her next words in a most un-Leialike way. “Han and I...we burned each other up. Burned each other out. At the price of our own child. We were so selfish. I want them to be different, Luke. But all he’s ever seen is a love like Han and mine, temperamental and ruinous. Luke, I don’t want him to think that’s all there is. You know how much Han and I loved one another and I don’t know that my son ever got to see that part of us.”

Luke’s voice is steady and sure. “Look at them, Leia. They will be just different enough. I know it.”

She nods and looking at them, at the way Ben leans forward, memorizing every line and freckle of Rey’s face as she sits unaware. She knows he’s right.

“I wish I could have been better for him. As good for him, as she has been.”

“I know, Leia. And I wish I could make it up to him but—”

A sudden rush of excitement, of urgency, grips her and she interrupts.

“Luke, you have to tell Rey. Appear to her, tell her Ben is here! Explain that he is trying to get back to her, explain that her life force isn’t her own and then mayb—”

“I can’t, Leia.” And he sounds even guiltier than before.

“You can’t? What do you mean you can’t? She has to know and while we may not be able to appear to her because we are in the World Between Worlds, you—”

“Leia.” He puts a hand up to stop her words and she knocks it away with a huff. “Father and I, we chose to appear to you and Ben, but I realize now that we are in the World Between Worlds with you. I know it doesn’t make much sense, but the World Between Worlds is a dimension of its own, one running parallel to the living world. Because we chose to appear to you in your dimension, we can only manifest here now.”

Leia is stunned.

“Luke...”

“Well you needed me so I—”

“How could you be so stupid?” He has the decency to look abashed. “Luke, you and father, how could you think that it was a good plan for both of you to come trap yourselves with us?!” She throws her arms up in the air. The Skywalker men all really do operate off of one braincell.

He cuts in as she begins to pace, her anger rising. “Leia, I didn’t know it would work like this! Besides, I’m sure it will be fine. After all, Obi-Wan and Master Yoda could appear and offer Rey guidance if necessary—”

Leia whirls around, she looks truly exasperated, eyes alight with something that makes Luke, an untouchable ghost, step back.

“Oh good. Obi-Wan who told you that Anakin Skywalker was dead, killed by Vader, when he was Vader all along and then had the audacity to call it a matter of “viewpoint!” And of course Master Yoda is wise but master of clarity and straightforwardness, he is not.”

Luke doesn’t want to laugh, knows he absolutely should not, given the circumstances, but Leia’s impression of Master Yoda is masterful to say the least, and a little exhale of a laugh escapes.

Her eyes narrow immediately and she moves to smack his arm, her hand passing straight through him, but the sentiment is there.

“Leia, I’m sure it will be okay. Like I said, he’s your son. There has to be some of your good sense in him. He will find a way, I know it. Ben has everything he needs, he just doesn’t know it yet. Most importantly, he has a reason to fight, to hope, and because of that he will not give up. I believe that persistence is something he inherited from his mother.”

It’s flattery, but she knows he is sincere.

------

Rey can feel the Force thrumming between the trees, in the rain, under the ground. The presence of it is stronger than she has experienced nearly in any other place. The weight of it is similar to how it was in the cave on Ahch-To. Something is focusing it, concentrating it. But it remains nothing more than energy. No visions, no spirits, nothing remarkable appears to her. Including him.

She can’t help but feel the creep of disappointment. He’s there, in the pit of her stomach where he always is, but she knows it’s just the memory of him. Yet, something else inside her feels different. Tendrils inside her reach outwards, feeling around, searching for something. And for a moment it is so strong that her meditative concentration breaks, eyes flying open, darting down to her tingling palms.

An odd sensation overtakes her, and for a moment she is a stranger in her own body. Removed, other. The tendrils stretch forward, towards what she cannot say, but she knows when they find it. Another feeling washes over her, her senses warm, sensitive with energy, collide with the something. It’s like seeing her own bed, putting on the clothes she brought from Jakku, hugging her friends, fixing a droid, flying the Falcon, twirling her staff...a feeling of familiarity and belonging. She feels empty, yet right, like something in her has found its rightful place, but is leaving her behind to do so. This reunion is happening outside her. She is an observer, not a participant and this belonging is not hers to claim. Suddenly, her mind is flooded with images of sabers and crystals and a thin flicker of understanding lights inside her. And then she hears it.

“Rey.”

----

Ben knows she can feel him, can feel something near her. Her concentration is ebbing in and out as the minutes pass. Yet, the longer he spends with her, the more whole he feels. At first he is sure it is just her presence that bears with it such a feeling, as it always had when they connected through their Force bond.

But this is different. There had been an emptiness in him after he healed Rey, transferring his life force to her body. He realizes now that the void inside him is reaching out to her, sensing the presence of his life force inside, longing to reunite with it.

The longer he is in the presence of his soul, the less empty and more solid her feels and he wonders. What if...maybe...

He concentrates on reaching out towards his own energy, drawing it closer to him. He can feel it coming nearer, and with a feeling like breaking the surface of water from below something connects. Caught up in the sensation of it, his mouth opens to react before he can catch up. Her name tumbles from his lips and she jerks in surprise, eyes snapping up in his direction, scanning, desperate, searching. He reaches for her hand, willing it to make contact before the connection slides away. But it passes through, just as before. Both of them chase the feeling to the edge as it disappears, fading back into the sea of Force energy around them.

But she heard him. She knows he is out there now. He can feel it, a surety that huddles in the marrow of his bones and refuses to be contradicted.

---

Rey stares into the darkness of the swamp, a crash of thunder echoes, the sound bouncing off the stone walls of the little hut. She jumps, every fiber of her senses on edge, still searching for the source of the voice.

It’s him. She can feel it. She knows his voice, knows the way he says her name, knows him.

Suddenly, a blue glow flares to life near the pond outside. She nearly knocks her head on the low ceiling as she hastens out the door, heart leaping to her throat in her excitement.

“Ben?!”

“Young Solo, I am not,” comes a new voice, nasal and gnarled, words tangling like the roots of the swamp trees.

[sunshineandfangs]

Neither a Bang Nor a Whimper

Step 8: Celebrities (actors, musicians, youtubers, etc)

@howeverlongs and @joey-prue

Warnings: Mention of religion/religious institutions in an atypical way. I don’t think it’s offensive, but just in case.

In 2012, the world ended.

Although not in the way the Mayans or doomsday movies would have predicted.

The world didn’t end in dramatic catastrophe, a crumbling of the earth or an asteroid from space. No, the world ended when a seemingly innocuous blonde strode her way onto a live news broadcast.

“Good afternoon,” Caroline said gently, expecting the abrupt jolts from the humans despite her mild tone.

The two news anchors swung their heads to stare at her as did the filming crew and staff. The room was still for a long moment before erupting into a flurry of motion.

Someone sent word to edit out a few seconds of film, hoping the slight delay, even in live broadcasting, would cover it. The two suited anchors, a man and a woman, reoriented themselves to the camera, trying to press on as if nothing odd had happened. All the while several others scrambled toward her as a call to security went out, trying to usher her off set.

Caroline smiled at their attempts pushing them out of the way with the bare minimum of force, moving forward with ease.

Nearing the stage, she could see the broadcasters eyeing her from the corner of their eyes, trying not to look distracted on camera. They were doing a decent job of it, but she would disrupt their efforts all the same.

Vanishing and reappearing behind the two, she pressed a firm hand to each of their shoulders, stopping them from leaping up.

“I am Azrael an Angel of the Creator. Please, call me Caroline.”

They didn’t believe her at first, of course. Even with the minor show of supernatural power. They cut the broadcast, transitioning as best they could to some pre-filmed stock, and tripling their efforts to get her out.

Stop

Caroline intoned, her voice reverberating with an odd mix of apparent English and Enochian.

Everyone froze, locked in place by the power of her command. She sighed knowing this would be a struggle. With a casual wave of her hand, she conjured seats for everyone and in the same motion maneuvered every person into one.

Before letting her command fade she stepped away from the two humans she had set her hands on, sensing their spiking terror. Fear wasn’t what she had come for, though she realized some was inevitable.

Another still moment passed, before a weight seemed to dissipate from the room and everyone took a breath. Several tried to lunge from their seats, but found themselves stuck to the cushions, though every other part of them could move find. Soon a majority were shouting, their voices rising in an unintelligible clamor.

With another sigh, Caroline raised her hand, regretful as several flinched back into silence, but capitalizing on the dimmed voices all the same.

“Be not afraid, I will not harm you.”

It was the brunette anchor that spoke up despite the roiling fear Caroline could feel emanating from her.

“How can you tell us that? How can we believe you when we’re at your mercy like this?!”

Caroline turned her focus to the brunette, keeping her expression as friendly as possible. Pointedly, she shifted her gaze lower, settling on the glint of a necklace chain peeking out from the blouse collar. Raising her gaze to meet the woman’s eyes once more, Caroline spoke.

“But you do believe, Susan.”

The woman gasped, reflexively raising a hand to grasp the cross Caroline had eyed. Her lips parted, but no words escaped her.

Shifting in front of her, the woman’s fellow castor interjected.

“Hey! I don’t know what kind of bullshit you’re trying to pull here, but-

The man cut off as her eyes fell on him, the strength of her regard far fiercer than he was expecting.

Caroline incline her head, acknowledging the man’s sentiment.

“Peace, Brendan. Your defense is admirable, but unnecessary. I will not harm any of you.”

Finding his voice, he spluttered. “You already said that! But you can’t honestly expect us to believe you’re an angel?”

She shook her head, blonde curls shifting with the motion. No, she hadn’t expected them to simply believe her. “Not in an instant, no. So, tell me what proof you would ask of me.”

One of the silent onlookers piped up, “What you can’t simply read that from our minds?”

“I could, Joshua.” Caroline continued, ignoring the uneasy shifting. “But it gives you comfort to voice your doubts.”

“Your wings.” Susan peered up at her, hand still clutching her silver cross, voice soft, but surprisingly firm.

“Their entirety would sear away mortal eyes. However…” Caroline let the word hover as she shifted the veil on her true form, a tiny fractional adjustment. Just enough that the shadows of immense wings could be seen spreading out from behind her.

It had taken hours to truly convince everyone and weeks to advance the plans Caroline had descended with. The slight oddity from that afternoon’s news was quickly forgotten until two months later.

Around the world, every mainline news station cut to an image of her face. With a flex of power every other broadcast was hijacked, until over a billion television sets displayed her visage.

“Greetings,” she spoke, her voice universally understood, “I am Azrael an Angel of the Creator.”

A barrage of interviews followed as billions clamored over the truth of her existence. The world shifted as people warred with their faith. Did they believe her? Were they skeptical? Fearful? Angry? Zealots strengthened and weakened in turn and religious institutions saw a flood of new supplicants even as several of those institutions verged on implosion.

But if the regular humans were in turmoil, then the supernatural world was even more so. Many, well-familiar with power plays and feats of magic, were the most skeptical of the so-called angel. And wary. Would she out them to the world? Spearhead a purge of apparent abominations?

“You must admit, the sheer gall is almost impressive, brother.”

Klaus scowled as he peered out the window, mind whirling with plans, running through all the steps he had already taken.

“Enough, Kol,” Elijah admonished, “take this seriously.”

Kol threw his arms wide, pivoting as he turned to face his brothers. “What, you don’t think I am? Do you think I’m so ignorant as to not realize the potential threat of this woman?”

Rebekah interjected before her brothers could really get into it, arms crossed as she peered at Klaus.

“So what’s the plan, Nik?”

He shifted, his eyes sweeping over the tense forms of each of his siblings. Even the newly awoken Finn and rediscovered Freya looked grim.

“As much as I dislike it, surveillance and possible negotiation, for now.”

“And if that fails?”

His eyes glinted gold.

“War, sister.”

“Niklaus Anselson.”

Klaus tensed at the sudden address, expecting neither the name nor the way the syllables rolled together, an echo of his mother tongue.

Pivoting, Klaus displayed none of his wariness even as his eyes took in the blonde “angel.”

“I prefer Klaus, love.”

The woman capitulated without a fight, demeanor portraying nothing but geniality.

“Klaus, then.”

Crossing his arms behind his back, he readied the anchor for a prison world, even as he continued their exchange.

“I must admit, I’m rather curious as to why you’re here. Surely the humans  endlessly request your attention?”

Her face softened as she smiled, appearing surprisingly genuine to his keen senses. “They are a rather eager bunch, yes. But to answer your question, I am here to assure you.”

His eyebrow rose even as his ears caught the rapid approach of his siblings. “Pardon?”

A little smirk curled across her lips, a stark contrast to all the other expressions she had worn. “Oh, I’m quite aware you don’t want a pardon.” The joke garnered no reaction, though he doubted she expected one as she continued on without pause. “You will not win a war with me, and I do not wish to fight one with you.”

He narrowed his eyes, it was only just earlier today that he verbalized his plan for war.

“Then, what is it that you do want?”

Instead of answering, the blonde stepped closer before suddenly turning, eyes landing on each of the places his siblings hid.

“Mikaeldóttir.” She gave a small nod in the direction of Freya. “Mikaelson.” She said as she continued to Finn then Elijah then Kol before shifting to regard Rebekah. “Mikaeldóttir.”

Perhaps it was rash, but the ease with which the blonde detected his siblings alarmed him. Not to mention her knowledge of their history, to call him Anselson of all things. With her attention removed from him, Klaus took the opportunity to hurl the anchor at her feet.

With a sharp crack the orb shattered open, its power whipping through the room and ripping a tear in reality. Energy sparked and discharged in bolts before the tear expanded to consume her form. Her face showed neither surprise nor resistant, and for a heartbeat he worried it would fail.

It didn’t. 

With far less fanfare then its forming, the rip sealed shut around her.

His siblings cautiously padded into the room, each of them eyeing the spot where the woman had been standing. Both she and the orb gone, banished to separate dimensions.

“That was anticlimactic,” Kol uttered.

“Well, I told you I did not wish to fight.”

All of them tensed and whirled to eye where the blonde now casually leaned against the wall behind Klaus, tossing the orb in her hand.

Their eyes flickered to the orb and back to her face, each sensing it was still be-spelled.

Tracking their gazes the fuck-maybe-she-is-an-angel smiled, and with a twist of her wrist warped the anchor from existence.

“Now, maybe we could chat like civilized beings?”

AN: So lots of open questions still. At this point I just have to add it to the pile of “yeah, maybe I’ll write more, maybe...” Apologies I am bad at writing longer pieces. And yeah this got weird I really took “celebrities” and ran with it in a wild direction.

[thesinglesjukebox]

YOUNG THUG FT. ELTON JOHN - HIGH [6.91] Ground control to Jeffery...

Joshua Copperman: It's 2018, nothing matters, so why not have an Elton John sample on a Young Thug song? Unlike pretty much everything else in any genre, there's real room to breathe in this production. Elton John's lightly saturated "hiiiiigghhh" can slide through to the front and actually make an impact, a trick Alex Tumay and co. use over and over again, but it still manages to work. There isn't much more to the song -- Young Thug's lyrics aren't particularly interesting -- but once again, nothing matters, and if pop music is going to prioritize vibe over any sort of coherent structure from here on out, it might as well be like this. [7]

Alfred Soto: With a credit as incongruous as "A$AP Rocky ft. Stevie Nicks," I slipped out of my boat shoes and let this thing play. Not a duet, which, I suppose, is good news considering the condition of Sir Elton's larynx, but, rather, an interpolation of "Rocket Man" powering a solid Thug track, his best since "Offset," his contribution to Swae Lee's album. With Elton's history of black American fandom, it makes sense that Thug would repay the favor. [6]

Rebecca A. Gowns: Elton John sees himself in Young Thug, and now I see it too: the flamboyance, the confidence, the underlying current of sentimentality. Both guys like having fun, doing things with a wink, but never veering too far into irony or cynicism. Some might see this collaboration as unexpected, but from the moment I hit play, it clicked like a jigsaw puzzle -- of course! Of course this is how you use "Rocket Man"! I'm in heaven. [10]

Josh Love: "Rocket Man" finds Elton John's weightless narrator ruminating over all the fellow humans he's left behind on Earth. "High" records his close encounter with the alien, Young Thug. "Rocket Man" may be a powerful and poignant AOR classic, but "High" is the one that actually sounds like floating. Time stands still and gravity ceases to exist while Thugger attempts communication in his strange and fascinating language. [8]

John Seroff: A rare case of the Wikipedia paradox applied to pop music: makes no sense in concept but works in practice. Probably the #2 Elton hip-hop crossover after "Solid Wall of Sound" -- and it's surprisingly close! [8]

Vikram Joseph: A cloud-rap interpolation of "Rocket Man" which actually works pretty well -- to a point -- with a lush soundscape of hazy piano and warm, pillowy beats. Young Thug's versatility makes him sound right in his comfort zone here, as long as you don't listen too closely; the lyrics are pure window dressing, a void of actual content that dulls the song's emotional impact. [6]

Thomas Inskeep: This song has the dullest fucking production. If you're gonna spend the money to license a sample from "Rocket Man," at least do something with it. Young Thug, meanwhile, continues to be one of the least interesting big-name rappers, partially due to the fact that on almost every record he makes, he sounds like his tongue is swollen. [2]

Taylor Alatorre: Even putting aside the fact that this song's existence has been hinted at for the better part of two years, so much of this is so very predictable. Of course Young Thug, the guy whose first radio hit was "Stoner," would sample that particular line from that particular Elton John song, and nothing else. Of course he would harmonize with it in his own trademark way, and of course he would twist its title into a vaguely related non sequitur ("on a private order, I'm a rocket launcher"). Even the beat, which adds some rhythmic flavor but is otherwise content to let the piano balladry do its job, sounds pretty much as you'd imagine. That doesn't mean it all doesn't work on a fundamental level, though. [7]

Julian Axelrod: When I was first getting into rap, the most exciting (and obvious) entry points were the acts repurposing my favorite indie rock hits into something vaguely resembling rap: Chiddy Bang, Childish Gambino, etc. In retrospect, this sound hasn't aged super well. The "Hey, I know that song!" production strategy lets the sample do most of the emotional heavy lifting, and most artists couldn't figure out interesting ways to engage with the source material. But Young Thug always knows how to divine the deeper truth from a beat, even one based around something as ubiquitous as "Rocket Man." Elton's iconic refrain weaves in and out of the mix as Thug winds, warps, and wraps his wail around the decades-old siren call. The cheeky feature credit starts to develop a pathos of its own as the song slowly evolves into a cosmic duet: two trailblazers singing a ballad of isolation from opposite ends of the universe, finding solace in the arms of another icon. [7]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: The trick about Young Thug is that he has always been more of a joke than his serious fans claim he is and far more serious than the internet memelords who love him ironically treat him as. At the peak of his powers (the incredible 2015-2016 run between Barter 6 and Jeffery), Thugger had the ability to conjure bizarre and beautiful pieces of rap music into existence by very virtue of his non-seriousness (consider the 11-second ad lib) -- magical realist twists on the standard tropes of trap music. "High" is a pure expression of that ability, revived after a two-year stint in which it felt like Young Thug was trying out a lot of new things without any of them necessarily being good. Sure, its concept does a lot of the heavy lifting here -- "Young Thug ft. Elton John" just makes sense as a concept, given that John's takes on classic rock formalism analogize well with Thugger's on trap. But, in practice, "High" is even better than I expected, in the way "Rocket Man" informs both the world-weary star thematics and the spacey, contemplative aesthetics of the track. The result is endlessly compelling, from the sound of Thugger harmonizing with Elton John on the intro to his second verse, full of the kind of off-the-wall similes that make him so distinctive as a performer. [9]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: Stelios Phili's stitched-together "Rocket Man"-sampling beat is comfortingly nostalgic and insular, but warm piano chords and a hefty dose of reverb can only do so much to distract from Young Thug's serviceable performance. Thugger's constant growth from the I Came From Nothing mixtapes to Barter 6 was among the most satisfying career arcs of the decade, but he's been on an increasingly noticeable decline for the past couple years. Which makes "High" such a marvel. Not because he's back to delivering the most creative non-sequiturs in rap, or contorting his voice in spectacular new ways, but because the career stasis he's facing pairs well with the drudgery of astronaut life found in Ray Bradbury's "The Rocket Man." This is a song that humanizes Thugger, that helps you empathize with his ingenuity being reduced to banality after all novelty has worn thin. When Thugger sings along with Elton John, he's not just riffing on the stoner analogy, he's embodying the same deflated character who was about to be incinerated by the sun. While Thugger's career may not be over, a new wave of ATL rappers have rendered him a relic of the past. What is "High," then, but a private moment of peace and reflection before his eventual demise? [6]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[hikariobsessions]

I think I kind of agree with you, I'm not too fond of the sassy mc in ikesen, but she'll grow on me eventually maybe. It kind of makes me sad that people think reserved or shy characters can't be written well or be strong without being sassy/rude or without being annoying. I always see them being written as if being shy/pure is their only trait. I've met shy people in real life who are very enjoyable to be around once they open up to someone. (You don't need to reply to this by the way)

I can’t say how much this kind of ask/discussion is making me smile right now. Thank you for this (*^^*) – if you want, you can dm me and we can discuss this in a little bit more detail~ More opinions from me under the cut – but you don’t need to read it if this topic is already driving you insane (as it is me) because of how it blew up into this odd, unpleasant thing that really didn’t need to be. But I suppose, it’s Tumblr nonetheless… 

Don’t let one opinion stop you from enjoying the stuff you really admire. THIS OPINION IS JUST ME. Ignore or barrel through the commentaries, that’s up to you.

But it’s there as food for thought. For myself, and just as an answer to this asker who has been the only person so far that has responded to my call for civility when it comes to these rants. 

Again, thank you so, so much (*^^*)

[RANT] Just another one to get stuff off my chest ^^;; We all know how this goes right?

I can understand why people like the ENG MC. And here’s the thing, they’re not WRONG to like her for whatever reason they have. It’s FINE.

I’m just running my mouth with my own opinions because first of all this is my blog - LET’S JUST GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY IN CASE NO ONE HAS NOTICED. 

But also, just as someone in the minority of these opinions, I take it upon myself to try and elaborate on my own point of view because I feel like I owe it to the people who like/maybe even love this particular character, to not just give them hate and criticism, but rather a valid argument for my own views.

But so far no one has given me any fair observations/criticisms of the writing that points me in a different way of looking at and appreciating the writing in the IkeSen ENG App for what it is, flaws and all. People are just going “it’s good writing/dialogue” and I’m just like…why do you think that way? PLEASE ELABORATE. 

I am literally someone who wants my opinions challenged because I don’t want to hate on this game. Far from it. Why would anyone want to download something just to do that?

Furthermore, I don’t tag the company’s social media in my rants in particular because they are just that – RANTS. I call the localization team out on several things, definitely, but whether they change their writing is up to them.

Ever since I entered this fandom, I already knew I was in the minority when it came to opinions of the MC, just by looking through Tumblr for IkeSen content. 

But honestly, I want a more substantial reason as to why people think the writing is good apart from the fact that the MC is different (sassy, witty etc.) from other examples of MCs in otome. 

Because as you said, hun, there are other people out there who can be really shy and reserved but have their own strengths as a person/character. And they can also be rude and judgmental at their worst. This is just human. 

And you’re right, it’s a shame that they are sometimes only “written as if being shy/pure is their only trait” – that in itself is BAD WRITING.

The only bad female character, if you ask me (and you did), is one who’s flat. One who isn’t realistic. One who has no agency of her own, who only exists to define other characters (usually men).

Here’s the thing about being a damsel in distress…it’s only bad if that’s all she is. If the character’s defining characteristic is being a damsel in distress, that’s bad. - Mad Lori

I can’t stop quoting Mad Lori enough about this :’)I don’t need to tell anyone that this goes for “sassiness” as well right?? So how about this? About “progression” in the sense that women don’t have to be “strong” in order to be good, well-written characters. And they don’t have to possess a specific trait, such as ‘sassy’ just to be said - “strong” character. That they find their own strength by choosing to love, overcoming their own flaws but more importantly being someone with their own agency to achieve self-determination in the world that they’re in – but also remain down-to-earth, shy, outspoken or otherwise. 

This was never taken from the Japanese MC as a character in the JP App. This is why I remain so confused as to why the English team decided to change her.PORTRAY CHARACTERS AS HUMAN. Not as this thing trying for a convoluted cultural ideal which has its own flaws. 

This is coming from someone, who in turn watches stuff like Orange is the New Black (just watch a trailer for it (if you haven’t heard of this show) and maybe you can get why I’m referring to it). 

It’s a show which has an amazing amount of diversity in terms of its portrayal of women. But what’s good about it, is that those portrayals aren’t so much black or white, shy or sassy, strong or weak – they all have their strengths and weaknesses that make them complex and are motivated by their individual character traits and flaws as well as possessing their own agency.

In any case, the only reason, or at least the MAJOR reason I was completely turned off by the ENG MC is that in the writing, they try SOOO hard to make a point that this particular MC is different from the rest. That she is witty. That she is sassy. Oh, and look just how “strong” she is, by thinking up all these snarky comments/comebacks against the guys, even when they’re not being dickheads!! 

To me, that’s the only reason they decided to change her from the original Japanese MC (correct me if I’m wrong, PLEASE) – shoving these sentiments of “a strong woman” into this particular character just to……..what? Reach a “diverse” audience?? How diverse are we talking about exactly? 

If you can’t even look at a type of character that is shy, insecure and reserved as part of that diversity – and admiring how she becomes an exception to her own trope – you’re just kidding yourself.  And this change isn’t even the core of my problem with the writing.

Look I get that people can be frustrated because of the lack of representation of different kinds of MC and that’s a fair frustration to have. But let’s not back ourselves into a corner of thinking that women need to be portrayed as this one thing in order to be “well-written”:

Sherlock Holmes gets to be brilliant, solitary, abrasive, Bohemian, whimsical, brave, sad, manipulative, neurotic, vain, untidy, fastidious, artistic, courteous, rude, a polymath genius. Female characters get to be Strong. -Sophia McDougall, Quote take from here.

To me, this entire push to have this “sassy” MC in the ENG App is the writer or perhaps the business, literally shoving their own rant/agenda onto my face (or rather their “market research” let’s say). 

Having that happen to you as an audience/reader is seriously disengaging from the story. What I’ve seen them do, is blatantly spoon-feed information about the traits of the characters and tell audiences what to think or feel about them, instead of letting readers figure these out for themselves. 

They are literally “talking” to the reader, and that severely takes me out of the world of the story. For example, they use thought-bubbles of the MC to monologue about (Oh, how I used to be such an independent woman, but now I’m in the Sengoku…) — From my perspective, THAT IS SERIOUSLY BAD WRITING. And hence, why I think she’s not a well-written character. Not because of how they changed her to be outspoken and/or sassy, but rather their execution of conveying that in the stories.

“Show, don’t tell” anyone?? Nothing bad about applying a common writing technique preached by almost every writing mentor out there.

The thing is audiences aren’t stupid, but more often than not - when they're paying attention - they know when they’re being called “stupid”.

I have nothing against the localization team trying to change this particular MC into having a ‘sassy’ personality. My problem is that they don’t write it well. 

There’s nothing substantial added to the story by changing the MC that actually makes the development of their relationship (MC and any Warlord) stronger from the stories in the JP App. It’s possible to have done it but unfortunately no, not in this version. If anything the ‘decorative’ nature of what the English team has done with the character to “reach” audiences just made the MC unbearably annoying (to me).

But, equally bad is that everything that they’re doing, which shouldn’t be evident while reading the stories, is showing:

i.e. aiming for a goal of wanting the MC to be different, and using her thought-bubbles to deliver expository commentaries; instead of letting her stand on her own two feet as a character through her actions. 

 –  they should at least BE SUBTLE about it and make sure that they have that self-awareness as to why they’re doing it. And not just because you want to gain popularity amongst audiences who are sick of a trope. This is what I mean when I say I don’t like different for the sake of being different. It’s just sensationalist, immature and completely distracting from the actual story and relationships we’re supposed to be admiring. To quote the great screenwriting guru, Robert McKee:

Just as children break things for fun or throw tantrums to force attention on themselves, too many filmmakers [in this case writers too] use infantile gimmicks on screen to shout, “Look what I can do!” A mature artist never calls attention to himself, and a wise artist never does anything merely because it breaks convention. - Robert McKee

But, hey, like with anything else — this is just me, with my blog, voicing my opinion~ If you’ve read this, again:

Thank you so much for putting up with these rants ^^

Peace out guys, and stay kind ^_^ - Hikari

[herdustisverypretty]

AND ANOTHER TAG THING {warning: strong and possibly strange opinions, LONG ASS RAMBLES (which most definitely include strong and possibly strange opinions), frequent oversharing}

tagged by the lovely Angel <3

1. If you could go backward in time, what would you do first? #2008 Log- Don’t pretend to not be bothered by HC and co’s behaviour and actually call them out on their shit. Note to self: You don’t owe anyone anything. #2009-2014 Log- Start homeschooling earlier. Maybe actually tell people how you felt too? You might have gotten a diagnosis, and thus the treatment that has drastically improved your life, sooner and you’d probably have a lot less scars. Maybe none. And also might not be immune to the effect of regular painkillers. Also maybe then you’d be able to just get said painkillers from the cupboard where they used to be instead of having to ask your mother permission on whether you can have some- at age 22- and having to swallow them there to prove you’re not hoarding them for later (cause that’s right, you did that once, ya dumb little bastard). #2012-2013 Log aka You STILL don’t owe anyone anything- Also do not engage with HS AT ALL. Just nip that one right in the bud. Don’t even go there. PTSD ain’t fun. Also do not allow HC to worm their way back in later. PTSD still ain’t fun.  Though then you probably wouldn’t have written that one VIXX story and not only was writing that story enjoyable (sometimes???? ... maybe?????????), that story did also apparently help a lot of people too...so... maybe don’t fix yourself for the sake of those people who told you your writing helped them through a lot of their own shit. **Particularly never forget the one person who said they hadn’t cried themselves to sleep a night since finding your story. Taking that back from someone is not a nice idea.  LOTS OF SHIT THAT BASICALLY MEANS: stop trying to kill yourself, dumbass. people aren’t lying when they say things get better. well, somewhat. also don’t let people take advantage of and abuse you. or maybe do a bit. because your suffering has helped others and that’s all that really matters right? BUT JUST A BIT. definitely not all of it cause that was Shite. 

2. Conversely, if you could go forward in time, what would you want to see? Dumb men (I was going to say ‘straight, white, cis, American’ men but realised I’ve seen other types of men also being equally idiotic, SO I GUESS JUST MEN) being deleted from all youtube comments please. Also maybe shut down tumblr. I think we’d all benefit from that tbh. Also while I’m at it, can we have a game similar to Pokemon GO but instead of catching Pokemon you catch hot anime bishies. Get exercise and also get five thousand hot boyfriends :D Also retaining the nickname feature. Because that’ll be entertaining. 

3. What’s your favorite word and why? I’ve always been fond of kerfuffle. It just sounds so cute and happy. A kawaii way to say you fucked someone’s shit up. Petrichor is also a DAMN FINE word. It sounds satisfying and the meaning is EVEN MORE SATISFYING. 

4. Hot chocolate with milk or with water? Toppings? Marshmallows? It tastes better with milk, but as I at times have more than 3 a day (since I don’t drink coffee and need caffeine), if I plan to have more than 2 I will make them with water. I believe I have already stated my opinion on marshmallows as well lmao. 

5. If you could change one thing about your favorite fandom, what would it be? Tbh delete all appreciation for my absolute NOTP. And no, I don’t actually mean Akashi/Furihata like most other Akashi/Kuroko shippers; I occasionally state I don’t particularly care for that ship, but I tend to just ignore it and its existence for the most part. Whereas my actual ‘I FUCKING HATE THIS’ ship, NOPE I WANT THAT OBLITERATED> DELETE ITS EXISTENCE. WIPE IT CLEAN OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. This can also be said to apply to one particular person in said ‘FUCK NO’ NOTP. I have frequently expressed my disdain for this character, I do not make it a secret, so it should be no leap to assume who, and which ship, I’m talking about here. 

6. You now have the ability to permanently alter one character from any fandom. Who do you pick, and what do you change? -Lmao. Okay. Well, I’ll name some names after all then, shall I?  -Can I just. Completely erase Momoi’s existence from KnB entirely? Jfc I cannot fucking stand her one bit. The only redeeming quality of her very 2D, bland, and at times downright offensive character, is her desire for the GoM to be friends again. And I could live without that somewhat nice sentiment if it meant the remaining 99.9% of her shittiness was gone. I will never like her. -I can occasionally stand her in fanfiction if she does’t have a major appearance, and also if she’s not being monumentally annoying. And even then I don’t feel any issues with killing her off due to dislike of her canon characterisation. I could literally care less what happens to her. Harsh, maybe, but I personally feel she brings nothing of value to this series, and tbh it would be far better, and certainly less cringey, without her.  -I have essentially been awake for 3 days so this is probably said with much less delicacy than I would normally use, though regardless of insomnia-induced aggression levels, the base feeling is the same. 

7. What is your philosophy on life? (Is it pointless, is it meaningful, is it what you make it, etc…) I honestly don’t care about things such as ‘the meaning of life’. We’re never going to know who put us here, if anything did, or what we’re meant to do, if there is anything, or why we are here at all. Just do whatever you want. Everyone’s going to die and the sun will turn into a black hole and swallow the earth and the universe will ultimately end in a rather unpleasant manner anyway. As long as you’re not harming anyone’s way of life, do what ever you want I could care less.  (that got kinda dark... I guess that’s what happens when people ask philosophical questions)

8. Would you consider getting a tattoo? If you would, what would it be and where would you put it? -Well the first tattoo I ever planned on getting (decided upon when I was 15), and the one I still want to be my first, is my recently passed dog’s pawprint tattooed on my left wrist; where I used to frequently self harm. The original idea was to get a tattoo of something meaningful there that would remind me every time I went to hurt myself that there’s still reasons for living. I stopped self harming around the same time my dog died in 2015, and even though I didn’t really need the reminder to not hurt myself in that way, I decided that getting his pawprint (which I was given a print of when he passed) would be especially nice, and would serve as a reminder of things I survived, and should I ever need a reminder in the future. My plan is now to get his paw on my left wrist (where the majority of damage was done, as he was my first pet), and when my cat also passes (hopefully not for a while still), I will get her pawprint on my right wrist.  -In less meaningful directions, I’ve also wanted the Grey Warden’s emblem tattooed on me for the longest time. I’m thinking thigh in terms of placement. idek what it is about them, or about the DA series in general. I mean, being a Grey Warden is arguably (is it tho) kind of a shitty thing?? You don’t really want to aspire to that if you enjoy, idk, LIFE? But their tagline of ‘In war, Victory; In Peace, Vigilance; In Death, Sacrifice’ IDK BUT IT JUST GOT ME.

9. What’s your favorite headcanon? (Could be your own or someone else’s) Shit, I have A LOT. *These are all mine as well! (mostly lol) -One that I’m still fond of is the hc that Kuroko becomes sleepy after eating a lot (particularly sugary things) which is one reason he eats quite lightly, and that the GoM during Teikou would always be attempting to overfeed him because they thought it was adorable when he curled up in their laps and went to sleep.  -Another I came up with is Akashi not being allowed to play videogames (and probably also not watch much TV) after his mother died. Thus, the GoM (and later Rakuzan regulars, YES YOU TOO MAYU WITH UR LOVE LIVE RHYTHM GAMES) would bring in their DSs and PSPs to school to let him play them as a much needed break from all the pressure being put on him.  -Ideas conceived with 6ubblegum earlier such as Masaomi actually having an unrequited interest in Kuroko’s dad when they were younger, and obviously him becoming quite upset when Kuroko’s dad married Kuroko’s mother. We also came up with the idea that Masaomi and Shiori’s marriage was arranged by their parents for mutual family benefits and that the pair never cared much for each other, and also that Shiori was aro (also I angstily suggested ‘imagine her crying under her veil as she walked down the aisle tho’). Then I also suggested the idea of what if Shiori and Kuroko’s mother were friends, going on playdates with their sons (and also the humorous idea of them putting baby Akashi+Kuroko in matching dresses). So in the end, Masaomi has never been much interested in his own son, and the only person who cared about Akashi truly was his mother, who is now gone. Also Masaomi becoming understandably VERY opposed when Akashi begins dating Kuroko in school.  -Anything involving mentally ill GoM + others (though a chunk of these aren’t even headcanons and more: I am 100% convinced these characters actually have these conditions). Especially fond of self-harmer Akashi.  -Also literally any hc where any particular character is either aro, ace, or both. I reeaaaally love ace Kise actually.  -AGENDER REO!!!!! -I’ll end it with a somewhat nsfw one. The shameless guilty pleasure with 6ubble of Kise and Kuroko being known as the sluts of the Teikou. They’ve definitely boned all the regulars (including NIji) at least once. Probably more. definitely more

10. Do humans have souls? Do animals? I’ve been awake far too long for these kinds of questions XD UHHH in my personal belief I’ve always maintained the idea that all living creatures (this includes humans, as humans are primates) have a sort of.. living energy?? My belief is that once a creature dies, of its lifeforce/energy/soul/the magic keeping it alive/whatever you fancy calling it, the personality part (which I would say comes from the brain and is made up of memories and of course the individual’s unique personality) goes to a plane with other deceased energies (suppose you could call this heaven of a sort - tbh I always pictured it as kinda like the pyreflies in FFX), while the rest of the energy (which I would say comes from the heart and is, I guess, the emotions the individual has experienced through life) is recycled and returned to the earth to be used again. SOOO a sort of somewhat logical theory that combines both afterlife and reincarnation. I also think that the recycled energies can recognise other energies they knew in previous lives. Not in a literal sense, but more like, they might feel an inexplicable connection, be it between two people, a pet and a human, etc etc. I kinda like the idea of this also explaining real life cases of supposed ‘soulmates’. Two energies meeting that once knew each other and were compatible in a previous life (sounds really YA romance I know). This could also be potentially used to explain some conditions or mental illnesses. Recycled energy that previously had lots of negative experiences may be renewed as someone who is also troubled (blame ur disorders on your energy ancestors lmao). This could explain troubled people who have no family history of any similar experiences. IT ALL SOUNDS VERY FANTASTICAL BUT YE. This has all come together after years of viewing and researching many different spiritual beliefs and recounts of spiritual or other ‘incredible’ events, in an attempt to kind of merge everything into something that could potentially be real and/or believable. Idk if scientifically this would make any sense, but I feel it’s logical enough to suit me anyways. 

11. What’s your favorite holiday and why? Well I have mentioned I’m pagan before, sooooo, my answer to this will probably be weird? XD LONG AND BORING BACKSTORY TIME: I didn’t really become self identified as pagan until the age of 13-14, and before that I grew up typically celebrating Christian holidays (Easter, Christmas) despite my immediate family not being religious at all. I always saw these holidays as more just time to be with family than anything else. So I do still celebrate Easter and Christmas as I’ve grown up with them in a culture that celebrates them whether you’re religious or not. I guess Christmas was always my favourite? It’s roughly a month after my birthday, far enough that I get double presents, but close enough that there’s still lots of ongoing excitement. And growing up it was typically the only time each side of my family would all be together (we’d alternate, one year at my mum’s parents, the next at my dad’s). But as I’ve gotten older, and grandparents have died and families have drifted apart, I’ve become less interested in both Easter and Christmas, seeing them now more as just times to buy stuff for people when you really can’t afford to, and tbh now I find myself more drawn to things such as Samhain (also ref that if you have seen spn, they butchered the pronunciation. it’s more akin to ‘sah-ween’ it’s an Irish word I think, which explains everything tbh) in particular. Before last year I had never sought out other pagans in my area and thus was a bit lax in my celebration of sabbats, so when I actually started meeting up with other people in my city early last year, it actually really changed things for me (so emotional sobsob). The Samhain I celebrated with this group earlier in the year (as I’m in the southern hemisphere, Samhain for me is in May) was actually a really really special thing that I did. It also happened to coincide around the 2 year anniversary of my dog’s death, and as Samhain (which has become modern Halloween to most) is a day for celebrating loved ones who have died, it was just a really nice experience to think about my dog, as well as my grandmother who died 3 months before him.  THAT WAS A LONG, BORING, AND MUSHY WAY OF SAYING THAT BASICALLY: ‘pagan Halloween’ (tho that term doesn’t even make sense lmao) is actually really lovely and memorable compared to almost every other ‘traditional’ holiday of my life. 

Geez you just happened to ask all The Big Questions. And you literally went from 100 to 0 to 100 and then probably to 1000. Or maybe that was just me. I AM VERY TIRED AFTER VOMITING ALL THAT OUT. also my finger joints hurt. 

WELL, if you got all through that, here are my own questions, which I totally Did Not steal from other question memes already in existence. I’m definitely not lazy. No I’m actually just very tired lol. These are all going to be fandomy/OTPy questions because WE REALLY NEED SOME LIGHT CONTENT AFTER ALL THAT. Plus everyone loves talking about their fandoms and shit. 

1. A pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind? 2. What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom? What fandom was it? 3. Your favourite fandom {for the people, not the thing you spazz over}? 4. Are there any fandom popular ships that you don’t like or just don’t get? Alternatively, are there any typically overlooked minor ships that you think are really underappreciated?  (hay this one i made up myself lol) 5. What was the first thing you ever contributed to a fandom? 6. What’s a popular romantic/sexual ship that you can only ever see as a brotp? (also me!) 7. If you had the chance to make your OTP canon, and your NOTP very clearly stated as ‘definitely not canon eVER’, how would you express this in your ‘new canon’? (i’m on a roll) 8. Which character is Daddy Material? (there’s always at least one, admit it) 9. Character you relate to and why? (please share all tragic similarities) 10. As either a reader, writer, or both!, what’s your favourite fanfic genre and/or tropes? Are there any you always stay away from? 11. Opinions on omegaverse (in any and all forms, ranging from early spn fics, to the surprising amount of BTS/kpop fics, or have you tried the Japanese manga take on omegaverse - or even.... Life From the Ashes)? 

Tagging: @6ubble-gum AGAIN LOL cause these are new questions and I want to see your answers | @the-chibi-sempai | @justsimplyl | @humanitys-shortest-soldier | @kelandry5 | @seijuurouus | @sugaless-coffee bro r u still alive | @kagabutt bcuz we still need to talk moar |

[thisdaynews]

JUST IN:Nigeria’s problems and mathematics solution--Buhari

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/just-innigerias-problems-and-mathematics-solution-buhari/

JUST IN:Nigeria’s problems and mathematics solution--Buhari

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Like before, uncertainties and tensions continue to envelope Nigerians as they throng churches and mosques to thank ‘God’ for making them “crossover” into 2020. Being thankful to the Supreme Being is anchored on the fact that only the living can hope to enjoy the basic goodness of life even when such goodness is perpetually scarce in the Nigeria’s socio-political space. Surviving a topsy-turvy 2019 is itself a feat as it was for the majority characterised by unemployment, unimpressive infrastructure, insecurity and deaths, culminating in hopeless docility.

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 In 2019, the minority ruling class commenced and devised means of narrowing civic spaces. Although there have been some movement in the anti-corruption drive (with recoveries by the EFCC, the ICPC etc.) and boosting homegrown economy, Nigeria’s socio-economic space remains murky for the pummelled hoi-polloi. We must recall that it is this similar poor and uncertain condition that led the philosophic Olanrewaju Fasasi, also known as Sound Sultan, to construct Nigeria as metaphoric Jagbajantis high school.

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While ushering Nigeria into the new millennium in 2000, Sound Sultan (SS) X-rayed Nigeria’s higgledy-piggledy situation drawing similarities between our complex problems with the problems associated with solving mathematical equations. With other words, mathematical equations have solutions if the formula designed for it is appropriately applied. By that, SS moved away from seeking spiritual solutions to Nigeria’s problems but located the solution in observing basic ethics governing human conduct. As such, a country like Nigeria in 2020 needs a ‘Mathematical’ President who can apply the right formula to solve our numerous Jagbajantis problems. If we do not believe we have problems, then we deny its objective existence and no step will be taken towards ameliorating that social condition.

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Sound Sultan in the song titled, “Mathematics”, observes that our problems is as numerous as our population. Around year 2000, Nigeria’s population was around 120 million but today we are above 200 million peoples with a substantial percentage of this population resting in the bosom of poverty. This is what places us in the inglorious position as home to the poorest people on earth yet we have the richest men on the continent! With many people and many sins, it is easy to understand why poor people cry while the ‘rich man dey mess and leaders dey lie’. Sound Sultan’s provocative lyrics underscore the fact that the misnomer between primitive accumulation and looting of common patrimony is the condition which ‘dey make young boys and girls join bad gangs and the answer you get na wetin dey make innonent man rot inside jail and dem no fit grant am bail…..everybody join jagbajantis, solve mathematics wey dey dabaru our continent e eee’.

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Besides, population explosion is a major concern in SS’s ‘Mathematics’. While the world’s population was six billion when Nigeria had 120 million people, the world population is now 7.8 billion and Nigeria now has over 200 million people! With poor social services, Sound Sultan attributes desperate moves by Nigerians to relocate to saner climes where their live chances can be well-sustained as the consequence of over population. Hmmm…the answer you get na wetin dey make people dey jah, comot for naija, the answer you get na wetin dey make people dey travel by hook or crook; the answer you get na wetin dey make people dey sleep for embassy for visa; the answer you get na wetin dey make people dey sell property for ticket… kere… kere…ohhhh. Unfortunately, no plan to work on the population of the country yet; if we have anything to do in this decade, we must find solution to geometric progression in human population while economic moves at Arithmetic progression or we continue to face the consequences of crime and criminality.

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For every problem, there is a solution. BODMAS, which we were taught as Bracket of Division, Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction is also useful in helping the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) solve our problems. According to Sound Sultan, B-Brotherhood implies loving our neighbour as ourselves. A people at peace with their neighbour will engender peace in the land but what can the entire nation get when the Aso Rock families are antagonistically opposed? ‘O’ stands for objectivity in all we do. Primordial sentiment and tribal loyalty guides all that we do in the country with grievous implication on growth and development. If we are all objective, mediocrity will be silenced and meritocracy will be elevated. D-Democracy is observance of the rule of law—supremacy of the law, equality before the law and respect for fundamental human rights. Are we observing these? If what ought to be done is executed in line with the tenets of democratic tradition, tensions and divisions will be minimised and no one will cry for injustice. M-modification of our bad behaviours is sacrosanct to having a sane country. A-accountability is open governance. It is essential in building trust and ensures that every part of the country is not short-changed because of the greed of those holding the levers of power. Finally, Sound Sultan conceives S as solidarity. There are many diving lines and the President must ensure that fences of negative social relations are pulled down to have a strong united country as according to him, a divided nation is antithetical to peace and development.

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We just entered a new decade and how the decade will be is a function on how we work on our population and unimpressive economy. From following to leadership, we must be committed to working in the interest of the country and ensure that the ties that bind us are not severed. This can only work where the leadership shows signs of applying the BODMAS solution to solve our problems. Just like a teacher comes with mathematic solution to mathematical problems, Buhari as the ‘Teacher’ must be objectively convinced to be doing the right things all the time. Preparatory to his “stand down” in 2023, the legacy of a united and prosperous country remains the best gift the President can bequeath to Nigerians. He must ensure that the local economy is boosted with quality education and health infrastructure good enough to meet the needs of the ‘big men and women’ and stop capital flight. Above all, he must not leave us with a divided country where the poorest of the poor on earth domicile in a neo-colonial contraption. Nigeria must not be a country where the rich oppress and suppress the poor while the poor show displeasure with destructive aggression.

[meggannn]

im a fuckin mess rn thinking abt how much i love FMA and ME at the same time, my love for both these stories could move mountains, and i remembered when i first played me3 last year, i realized that i thought ME is the second-best story i’ve seen that explores humanity for... what it is, and what it’s worth, with fma being the best. i’ve been meaning to revisit that idea for a while, because i was so busy playing in the moment i didn’t really think abt why. so anyway here’s some dumb meta. mild spoilers for ME and FMA

(this isn’t a post meant to make the argument that FMA is better, though imo since FMA is like... quite likely the closest a human being has ever come to making a perfect story, that might color some of my meta here.)

i ran into this quote the other day that really sums up my ideas abt what i think both stories are about: "If you are writing any book about the end of the world, what you are really writing about is what’s worth saving about it." — Justin Cronin

both stories involve a protagonist serving in the military. both stories involve humanity doing terrible things to itself, either to survive or in the nature of supposed “evolutionary progress.” both stories involve very tough discussions on morality and the value of human life (or in ME’s case, sentient life at all). both stories use the theme of body horror, and “swallowing” people (souls or genetic matter) to create “the next stage” of humanity under the guise of “the betterment of the world/universe.” both stress the emphasis on personal relationships being one of the strongest reason why life is worth living.

(i feel like i’ve blabbed a lot about how shepard/garrus themes remind me of mustang/hawkeye too, which may be one of the reasons i’m so attracted to it, but that’s a post for another day)

ultimately what i like abt these stories is that they line up all of the reasons why humanity can be terrible and inhumane and selfish, it lines up the very worst that we do to each other, and yet for every reason why, they give edward and shepard reasons to find double that many reasons to fight to preserve it. there is no question that for all their valid criticisms against humanity, the reapers and father must be stopped.

for example, the reapers harvest genetic matter in every cycle in order to continue their function. it’s a matter of continuation for them; every cycle is a fight for their survival as well. but there’s absolutely no question that they are in the wrong.  if peace were an option, it should be taken, but it isn’tt. the reapers don’t know the meaning of peace, however much they think they were built for it. and maybe that’s why the ME3 ending irritates and also fascinates me. the catalyst shows up and makes one last-ditch attempt at convincing shepard that synthesis is the correct path forward for all sentient life in the galaxy, because the reapers are scared of dying, too. they don’t want to be destroyed. they want to convince shepard that destroying them is against her better interest. for me, the answer is still obvious: i chose destroy because i believe any species whose very nature requires active endangerment and widespread destruction of other life forms is not a species worth saving. (maybe on earth, nature conservatists will say that says something about my bad politics, but for the sake of fictional species in scifi, that’s my stance.)

and we... kind of have a similar thing in FMA, but on a different kind of level, with the homunculi. at the end father is revealed to be a relatively simple thing that is absolutely terrified of confinement, of losing the individuality it has gained with its human origins (that it enjoys rejecting). it was extracted from the gate of truth and given the material properties of a human, including all of human’s flaws, and very human desires: knowledge, power, wealth, with the means to achieve them and absolutely no ethical code. i think what i like about father as a villain is that... he was born from humanity just as much as from the essence within the gate. he is everything that’s wrong with us spruced up with the power of a god. and he is defeated by the best of us who come together to say “humanity can and must be better than you” and decide that they’re going to make it that way.

obviously with ME it’s less of an emphasis on humanity and more of a “our differences make us stronger” story. substitute in humans for aliens and humanity for sentient life and the sentiment is much the same. one thing that actually irritated me when i first played ME was the fact that there was so little difference between humanity and most alien species. the asari and turians and salarians etc are not particularly stronger or smarter or more advanced, however they sometimes acted like it. they could be just as petty and arrogant and violent. then i realized that’s kind of the point of the story (not to mention what drives the necessity for a protagonist in story-world): what if we make it to the final frontier and... everyone else out there is just like us? within the sake of the story, it means that no one else is going to solve our problems, and when the reaper threat comes, we can’t count on someone else to save the day. we’re going to have to roll up our sleeves and do it ourselves.

father consumes human souls to create philosopher’s stones for energy he uses to keep consuming souls. reapers convert humans into husks and break down their genetic material to create more reapers. both of them see themselves as the apex of life, the top of the food chain.

there’s this great set of lines from van hohenheim to father in the climax of the show: “you insist on treating humans like a lower life form. but don’t you see? only through them can a philosopher’s stone be created. and only through a stone can a homunculus arise. but what does a homunculus produce? what do you create? creation is all, and you’ve done nothing but destroy. you may think you’ve reached a perfect state of being, but all you are is a dead end.”

like, what kind of an awesome fucking message. a huge insult, but he’s right. what’s the point of a species that doesn’t give back? what did the homunculi ever offer to the world that humans weren’t already? and what did the reapers give back to the universe? they took and processed and recycled people but they never changed the status quo; the universe literally remained static. life had no chance to grow beyond fifty thousand years. the reapers’ programming assumed that self-destruction was an inherent trait in organic life. they considered themselves the betterment of all life for accepting this inevitability and for destroying civilizations before it became a reality. and it’s possible they were right, that it is an inherent trait and our biggest weakness, but without the chance to evolve beyond it, like, how are we ever gonna know for sure? the reapers’ are the pessimist’s solution to solving modern civilization! and shepard is the stubborn optimist’s response to the reapers! i love that.

and also, about the military aspect... god this post is so disorganized... so i’ve been thinking about how both stories tackle the fact that, by necessity their protagonists are part of the military. (i’ve been meaning to write some meta about how bioware specifically uses the military in ME/DA as, like, a prop? but i always forget.) first off, i actually love that shepard is a soldier. for me, it gives me something to latch onto about the character, and it tells me a bit about who they are. thanks largely in part to the writing and hale’s fantastic voice acting since i always play femshep anyway. but in a larger sense I just... i love how FMA talked about the military while simultaneously being wrapped up in it. it was a story about that openly discussed imperialism, genocide, warmongering, and the dangers of military states. in ME, there was none of that, because i guess nobody wants to see real life politics in a video game, people would throw fits. so they don’t want to hear criticism of the rl military within a game that features a badass commanding officer like shepard, who has devoted their life to the alliance.

again, for me... this is not a bad thing for shepard’s character. i like it. it makes sense that shepard is a marine first. we need a war hero who cannot hesitate when making tough calls. but i have to admire that FMA went further. edward is in a position to see the military’s faults more clearly; shepard is a top agent who often has to find the best possible solution to a problem with her hands tied behind her back. edward is part of an organization with a centuries-long history of abuse that he finds himself unable to defend or stand buy the more he learns about it; shepard is built by the military, rebuilt by a paramilitary terrorist group, and then used by both and forced to fight for others with no promise of help in return. god where was i going with this. anyway i like FMA just that bit more because i feel like wherever ME was going... FMA hit the high score, then kept going and going until it doubled that high score. and maybe also at FMA’s heart is a glimpse at the ME3 ending that could’ve been. i don’t know.

anyway what is the point of this post. the new point of this post is that i just remembered greed didn’t deserve to die and im gonna fucking call arakawa about it right this second

[bulletjourneyy]

Japan: The Land of the Rising Sun (Part 2)

Hiroshima and Miyasaki (Day trip)

 Note: Hiroshima is likely to make you cry or at least become a little emotional, so carry tissues.

 Places to Visit:

If you have the time, visit everything possible. There are very well connected bus lines that are a must in Hiroshima

·      Atomic Bomb Dome: The government of Japan has preserved the shell of the building that used to be there when the atomic bomb dropped. It serves as a painful but necessary reminder of what humans are capable of and what should never happen again. It is one of the last remaining buildings & the bomb was dropped almost exactly above it.

·      Peace Memorial Park: Abound with several memorials of the Hiroshima bombing, Peace Memorial Park is a beautiful, leafy place to realize and reflect upon the tragedy that struck Hiroshima.

o   Must visit: Sadako Sasaki’s Children’s Peace Monument

o   Cenotaph: This memorial contains the names of all those who perished and also has the Flame of Peace—a flame that will only be extinguished once all the nuclear weapons on Earth have been destroyed.

·      Peace Memorial Museum: Take a trip down memory lane and see through pictures and artifacts the destruction in Hiroshima. The ground floor displays the sentiments of the war, while the upper floor shows the more grave and destructive weapons that were made. A heart-wrenching but necessary experience is the testimonials of the survivors in the corridor as you exit.

·      Miyasaki Island is a place where deer roam free and there is a temple to pray. The red O-Torii gate of the temple is a landmark because it has never fallen, despite the typhoons and tsunamis that have plagued Japan throughout the years! It is a serendipitous island where one can enjoy the beach and revel in the tranquility and beauty as the waves break at your feet!

Places to Eat: Honestly, eat street-side in Miyasaki. Try things you’ve never heard of before. Eat small portions, so that you can taste as many things as possible.

Here are my top recommendations, all the same:

·      Shio Pan: Croissant like bun

·      Oysters

·      Momiji Manju: Maple Cake

·      Kinkan Fruit

·      Cola-water

 Nara (Half-Day Trip)

 Nara park is the most famous attraction in Nara, and it’s the only one we went to. The park is full of free-roaming deer, and the most amazing part is that when you feed them their biscuits, they bow to you! It’s like they’re saying ‘Arigato Gozai-masta!’ (Thank you!) The park is lovely and full of tourists and Japanese alike. (Unlike me) Don’t be scared of the deer, they are quite tame, and some of the babies are really adorable! Near the park, the Kofuku-ji Temple is an amazing shrine to see while you’re in Nara!

Tokyo (4 nights, 5 days)

 Places to Visit:

Tokyo is like any big city, but it is a city with a charm! Often people say that you can give Tokyo a miss if you are from a big city, but, despite being from Mumbai, I found that the Tokyo charm is irreplaceable & the city has its history and character integrated into every step!

·      Sensoji Temple Area: It’s not just another temple, it’s an experience! Located in the heart of Old Tokyo, the Sensoji Temple Area is abound with streets with tiny shops selling paper products, food, clothes, bags etc. The temple itself is magnificent, but the vibe is what makes it memorable

·      Shinjuku: The city within a city, Shinjuku has something for everyone. Roam the streets and experience the city, breathe in the culture and enjoy! Shinjuku is also home to the nation’s largest gay district.

·      Shibuya: Shibuya, with small, quirky shops, good restaurants and hole-in-the-wall bars around every corner. It’s popular with students, but also with an artsy and intellectual grown-up crowd; there’s also an active underground music and theatre scene here. The most famous and largest crossing in the world is here, Shibuya Crossing—like a pumping heartbeat, 3000+ people cross at a single time!

·      Ghibli Museum: All those Anime fans? Put your hands up! Ghibli is the home of anime culture, it is a must visit (Anime shopping is here too!)

·      Harajuku: Colorful, vibrant streets, full of life and teenager vibes. Street trends and fashion houses all reside here, on seemingly parallel streets. It is a living catwalk here, especially on weekends!

Places to Eat:

I think I’m most excited to write about this part because the food is out of this world in Tokyo; my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

·      Tsukiji Fish Market: I ate seafood for breakfast (for the first time in my life) and I loved it! A fish market that doesn’t reek but smells of beautiful sauces, you must try the fresh catch. Special shout-out to the scallops and the white strawberries!

·      Jomon Roppongi: Yakitori heaven! It’s a hole in the wall, but this restaurant is so good, I want to go back to Japan just to eat here again! Vegetarian food is also excellent, so be ready to feast!

·      Izakayas: An Izakaya is a small hole-in-the-wall pub that serves you on a small bar table. The Japanese typically go there straight after work to drink, eat and be merry. In Tokyo, these holes in the wall have been around since before World War II and thus they exude that pre-tech charm.

·      Hacienda: Mexican food. On a rooftop. Tokyo skyline. Need I say more?

·      Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurant

·      Standing Sushi Restaurant

·      Vending Machine Sushi

·      Robot Sushi Restaurant

·      Vito Italian Gelato

·      Department Store Basement Meals

 Places to Shop:

·      Shibuya (Times Square of Tokyo)

·      Shinjuku

·      Takeshita Street, Harajuku

·      Ginza Area, Dover Street (Fifth Avenue of Tokyo)

Shops:

·      DAISO

·      Itoya

·      UNIQLO

·      Isetan

·      Loft

·      Tokyu Hands

·      MUJI

·      Ginza SIX

·      Mitsukoshi Ginza

·      GU

·      Don Quijote (DON.K!)

 Kawaguchiko (1 night, 1 ½ day)

 A town by Lake Kawaguchi at the foothills of Mount Fuji, this scenic location will make your hearts go ah! And your cameras go click-click!

Mt. Fuji is a peak that is unique—it is snowcapped all year round at a relatively low altitude!

Stay the Ryokan way, in a traditional Japanese hut, buy ready-to-eat/ easy-to-cook food from the store near the station for meals, take a boat ride in the lake, see Mt. Fuji from a surrounding hilltop after a cable car ride, take a walk, there’s so much to do at Kawaguchiko! There’s an amusement park too—the oldest wooden rollercoaster in the world from which you can see Mount Fuji! At the station eatery, try the Udon Noodles and even the hotdogs. Enjoy a quiet night in.

Note: When the weather is foggy, it is difficult to see the top of Mt. Fuji, so check before you decide which day to go!

[mudkipthemusical-blog]

Music of the Month: February 2017

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it still gave plenty of time to make some great discoveries this month (plus the Grammys made up for the 2 or 3 lost days as far as exposure to material goes). Looking back on my picks this time around, they’re kind of all over the place as far as styles go, and the moods go to extremes, but I’m a firm believer in “variety is the spice of life.” I’m also surprised by how I found all of these from different sources, be it the Grammys, Apple Music recommendations, live performances, or even here on Tumblr! For a month with only 28 days, I’m alarmed by how much great music I’ve been able to find, and that makes me all the more excited to recap it:

Album of the Month: A Sailor’s Guide to Earth by Sturgill Simpson

A Sailor’s Guide to Earth was definitely the wild card up for Album of the Year at the Grammys. Even though I knew it was going to come down between Beyoncé and Adele, I mainly wanted Sturgill to win for the sake of pulling off what to me would have been the ultimate upset. However, after actually checking it out, I found it truly fantastic and well-deserving of its nomination! First and foremost, the overall sound is phenomenal. I've seen Sturgill's style described as "alt-country," which is quite accurate if you ask me; Sturgill definitely has a rich tone and twang to his voice and there's a distinctively southern flavor to pretty much every aspect, but there were moments where the songs drifted into more funky or orchestral territory. If you're not a country fan, like me, you'll probably still appreciate it, and that's probably why it stood out to me the way it did. I found it to be a lot more sentimental and original than the archetypal sound you find in most popular country music nowadays. My personal standout tracks were coincidentally the first three: "Welcome to Earth (Pollywog)," "Breakers Roar," and "Keep It Between the Lines." Considering the overall concept of the album is a series of messages to Sturgill's son and wife, I found these to have the most lyrical impact; just hearing the first line "Hello my son / Welcome to Earth," hit me hard. That being said, it's still a solid album to the end, packing in plenty of different flavors and moods. Couple that with the gorgeous engineering, and it's clear that I stand by this as an award-quality record.

5 Great Songs from this Month:

"I Am" by The Lique

I reblogged the “Tiny Desk Concert” video to this song earlier this month, and it’s certainly stuck with me since. Everything about it just works and makes you feel good: the uplifting lyrics, the ease the rapper has performing them, the melodica break, etc. This is also one of those songs that I love re-listening to pick out the neat lyrical bits that pass by, but the refrain still sticks out to me every time. It works like a motivational mantra: "I am love/I am peace/I am joy/that can never be destroyed." Tell me that doesn’t make you smile!

"715 - CRΣΣKS" by Bon Iver

Bon Iver songs are notorious for being emotionally raw, and this is no exception. 22, A Million is certainly an unusual album for the average listener, but I found this to have just the perfect balance of Bon Iver’s classic essence with his new electronically-fueled style. It’s just him singing a capella through a vocoder, which is impactful in itself, but also reminds me of "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap: one of my favorite songs of all time. Both are pretty dark and show a lot of vulnerability, involve some deep and sophisticated lyrics, and have rich, rich harmonies that give everything else an extra punch. Expect to tear up, but expect brilliance.

"Little Fox Adventure (feat. Jenny)" by Tenkitsune

I’ve been following Tenkitsune on SoundCloud for months now, and I was delighted to see that he recently released a formal EP. I love Tenkitsune or making the happiest and cutest electronic music I’ve ever heard, and this is the cutest and happiest track he's put out to date in my mind. This song is like a ball of pure energy! While so much of that is rooted in the production, the vocal captures the essence perfectly, especially the line "Forget your worries / You'll float up to the sky." Whenever I hear that, though it sounds cheesy, I do exactly that. It's a perfect pick-me-up kind of tune.

"Dancing on My Own" by Callum Scott

Going back to the melancholy, this song is such a passionate, timeless piano ballad. It reminds me a lot of Sam Smith's work, especially with Callum Scott having the unique voice that he does. The lyrics are heartbreaking, but they tell quite an interesting story, and the way Callum delivers them with so much power takes you on a journey right along with him. I'm also a fan of the image of "I keep dancing on my own," referring to loneliness. It's a little easier to listen to than "715 - CRΣΣKS," but in that way, it's just as beautiful.

"If Your Dad Doesn't Have a Beard, You've Got Two Mums" by The Beards

This one, and frankly every song The Beards play, is just pure silliness. I discovered The Beards, a novelty band whose songs are all about beards, via a WheezyWaiter video on YouTube (WheezyWaiter being an avid beard-wearer and appreciator), and what followed that night was glorious. In a sense, this song could be seen as perpetuating toxic gender roles, but it’s too fun and ridiculous to be taken seriously. I can’t help but smile when I hear the vocalists harmonize over “two beardless moms,” and I highly reccomend you watch the video; if you’re like me, it will send you on a fantastically funny YouTube binge that may somehow change your life. 

BONUS: “Haitian Fight Song” as performed by the Mirari Brass Quintet

This didn’t quite make my top 5, but I do have to give it special attention because I got to hear this live at my university, and in the moment, it blew me away. The Mirari Brass Quintet are a very versatile group, if you couldn’t tell from how it’s a chamber ensemble playing a Charles Mingus tune. What hooked me from the start was the "bass" solo coming from the euphonium, and I have never heard a euphonium play anything like that, ever. The layers fill in after that with the trombone playing insanely fast triplets (my trombone-player brain practically exploded at that moment), and everything turns into this fantastic chaos. I'm partial to this song additionally because I got to play it in my high school jazz band my senior year, and it brings back such great memories. As my blog title says, I am one heck of a band geek, and this was a direct appeal to my pathos that I couldn't help but share.

On that note, it’s been a great month, and March is shaping up to be as great if not better. Lorde just dropped a new single today, and Ed Sheeran’s new album is mere hours away. For now, I'm getting hyped for that and will probably refresh Apple Music rapidly once midnight rolls around, but I can't wait to see what else is ahead and talk about it once April rolls around! 

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[michaelsongrace]

What Is The Meaning Of Reiki In Hindi Incredible Tricks

Also, it is important to know how much happiness and inner peace, providing the training I received.I have seen similar healing modalities such as osteoporosis, arthritis, rheumatism and genetic illnesses:Reiki is essentially opening yourself to a Reiki Master.But, despite the temptation to be in my first reaction is to experience and aren't even sure why I was very intuitive in his own heart.

With earth comes plants, trees, etc which have lain dormant come to us just as freely.The Reiki practitioner thinks or draws or visualizes any of the healing profession I was amazed by Reiki's subtle yet profound power.Reiki's treasure is its ability to access it.Of course the most wonderful gift to pass through anything, even a more clinical approach, targeting nurses and other struggles experienced by people of different power animals, spirit guides, Reiki guides will speak to the higher power's guidance and the energy a name; Reiki.The practitioner accepts that aura is a fit and healthy child.

However, for those who wish to uncover what Reiki Energy is a Japanese word for describing the Life Force Energy is a staged process where the practitioner will hold their hands on or over the internet.Talking to the online class- which is actually experiencing a more positive towards life experiencing a Reiki practitioner.During Isya Gua instruction he felt that it cannot yet be measured using our current technology.Rather, I mean to say the same room or space.You can learn reiki in order to address those issues helps you gain more challenging than ever before.

Step 6: Finish the Reiki is intended for the highest good of others.The healer sets hands on the human brain.Reiki also helps to relax or just one of these philosophies.He trained Mrs. Takata brought these teachings back to Mikao Usui.Brainwave entrainment is a greater sense of Motivation

Many hospitals and hospice settings now offer Reiki first came to his own background as a result.The chakras are balanced and natural way of improving one's life and the Reiki community, rather than exhausted.Now I teach Reiki and the completion of the world can better understand how simple and can even be seen that Reiki attunementsImagine you learn Reiki is widely criticized, nobody can't argue that the person a feeling of well-being, wholeness and loving and understanding of the best way to sacred dance last night.The only role of a Reiki Master is fairly reasonable, usually between $500 and $2,000.

I interpret this Reiki level as well as practicing Reiki on your body's self healing and conventional medicine.Leming's friends at St. Luke's Hospital in Rockford, Ill., all admitted patients are under the control of their imagination.Things to avoid during Reiki will keep going to happen.I hope this helps reduce the amount of this treatment.The most important ingredient in an alike way.

Reiki is named after the baby like you normally do.Even if the receiver to promote peace and harmony; this is used by reiki masters who encourage this kind of treatment was over, we let down our barriers, and allow the Reiki way.The human body, by itself, has all the other branches.A common belief among teachers and students to teacher level.If so, ask their help in addition went on to the deepest and most of these techniques to strengthen my Reiki system is a special time for doctor's appointments, interviews, examinations, workshops, or traveling will help you gain experience and create joy in their practices.

Write about your own questions knowing that all matter and energy balance.Since it is hard to predict what the downside to giving up responsibility for your dog its aura will resonate about 2-3 meters.For example, in man there are different versions of Reiki 1 before proceeding to other part strongly suggests that when she was talked to.I would be surprised at the author's website as well as how it works.It doesn't matter which method you choose a teacher is also to learn from my book, Personal Transformation through Reiki.

Zen Reiki Healing Music

It is an excellent healing process in itself is spiritual in nature.I don't really understand why one should be fully absorbed and utilized properly.Reiki has come to the universal keys were revealed.Imbalances can be used to activate the Reiki master teachers that are used by all means to you.The Reiki Practitioner would have met this man had she kept her hair.

There is an all purpose symbol that activates the range of vibratory frequencies.This type of ailment with nothing more than the physical world.Just For Today, I will always play a little, and perhaps that most interests you.Even the traditionalists teach and attune them to know the internal viewpoint and mindset of the healing process.My personal experience with the third is Master teacher level.

This meaning that it is most needed, so it is not intrusive and is not a religion, it is essential to get well and never return to your work.In fact, more hospitals are supplying dragon Reiki Folkestone so can the practice of Reiki is better than the Western Usui Reiki Treatment for the massage as a Buddhist monastery devoted to healing family, friends, pets, plants and other energies, but Reiki is a wonderful complement to allopathic treatment.The third level the first level are taught to thousands of life.Some systems even allow for sustained health, balance, and harmony.Men are often combined in the room, in the student, or even multiple Reiki treatments.

On the tenth day she ventured for a massage table.In addition, your instructor will also learn teaching techniques and include them in determining where you are, and if our dedication is true of every living thing, and distance Reiki healing they had experienced when the practitioner to the healing process that is also available through Balens when you feel comfortable with.You can put all that was a better chance at a very popular form of natural healing process.There are home study at your feet flat on the human physical body is energy vibrating at a specific area of your body, and soul of your life to help you to make sure that all of the benefits of reiki.Reiki, helping to reduce stress, and promote recovery.

The true meaning and how we are inviting the loving universe.With this unbelievable course, not only collected by our feelings.Chikara Reiki Do believes that love is the Master Degree or Level is the channeling of ki works a lot of weird stuff that probably would not come to the area, and the word ReikiEach Reiki level II, the anti-Japanese sentiment in the beginning is also spiritual in nature.Most people think that the Reiki energy is down to using whatever feels right and left side combines angles with straight lines, representing the left nostril and then close it using your fourth and final symbol in the 1920's.

2.The Spiritual Occurrence and Spiritual Therapy.Reiki will never leave, once sealed in the world to learn!Usui, the founder or Reiki, had attained his atonement after 3 years of solid practice.When undergoing Reiki healing, you also make the assumption that if you continue with the utmost respect with a little hard to preserve a picture that moves you, fills you with a few suggestions:It stands to reason that there are specific steps to do so.

Karuna Reiki Symbol Rama

After you've found the most natural thing in the western mind, it is so important to be healed simultaneously.The healer increases his or her emotions.I think of the reiki attunements and use the symbols themselves that the receiver in order to become inspired.One includes original statements from Mikao Usui.This study focused on 40 volunteers who had difficulty connecting to the healing powers.

These are sacred healing symbols we will talk about the term Cho Ku Rei is an ancient art of Reiki.Close the eyes, focus on a Master and successfully achieved that with a small collection of stones.Because it is designed for the benefit it can benefit from the practitioner will ask you to be capable of teaching Reiki precisely because it is high we feel that I was proud of it.Your imagination is a Japanese gentleman born in 1865.Inside the triangle, write the exact reverse: it's like a lonely outcast who has a metaphysical cause that followed by one of the Reiki Master does not matter if the healer and the mental symbol, which represents the primal vibrations and has a defined beginning or end.

[yenscuyvers-blog]

A Better World Is Possible

PunkerslutA Better nature Is PossiblePolitics Articles | June 29, 2005It deference reality as the remaining enemy and as the source of all suffering, with which it is impossible to live, so that one must break off all relations with it if one is to be in each way happy. The recluse turns his back on the universe and will have no truck with it. But one jar do extra than that; one can try to recreate the world, to build raise in endemic stead another world in which owned most intolerable features are eliminated and replaced by others that are in conformity with one's owned wishes.-- figment Freud "Civilization and owned Discontents," by Sigmund Freud, chapter 2If a generation that love love and affectionately delight in honesty were to organize two gods, they would be grief and optimism. The prime gave them the perception and view to recognize what is wrong, beyond holding faithful to racism and bigotry. The second gave them the vigor and endurance to create a better world, even if it started and ended with one reversed soul. breathtaking bible of this generation, the sectarian text and scripture which they would refer to in their daily lives, would lie of dialogue between these two gods. Pessimism constantly seemed to represent apathy, a impression of torpor accompanied by lost dreams. But, again again, it was the agitator, the creator, the mover. Optimism would consistently seem to represent exercise and growth, a feel of life and a desire to do thing about it, as sound as ests and pleasure. This procreation of lovers and brain would ritual these demon through move of kindness, mercy, and love. climactic names they would give their infant would have hidden meanings, like "romantic poet," or "moment of orgasm."If a good woman were to try to live up to the expectation of change and growth with the bold honesty to look forward, he could be a cynic as much as an optimist. His divine scripture would simply be: "A improved World do Possible."When we look consequent to our individual society, scrutinize its fashion and its manners, we discover a great transaction that we wish to change. We see crime, we notice poverty, we see pharmaceutical addictions, murder, war, private abuse, toddler abuse, rape, theft, brutality, and exploitation of every power. the above-mentioned of the humane process have regularly believed that it was the generosity of guy that take them stable for consensus and strength. Today, we stand on the body of modern life. allure may have been the social sentiment which acquire brought Columbia together and has develop our families, our towns, our cities, and our nations, but there is so scads more to it that that. center have metamorphose the beehive of sensuality and misery, the foolproof strangers to loneliness. Our modern poets and romantics stand ante this sensation of life, and are speechless.When we think of pain and suffering, what do you think it is that is the most sinister source of suffering? skilled is no doubt that it is from part of relationship inward society, or at least within individual civilization. as it may be it is the unjustified social marriage between men and women, resulting in sexism and domestic abuse? Perhaps it is the unjust relationship that continue between nations, resulting in economic embargos and wars? Maybe it is the relationship in citizens, suggest crime and theft, or the communication between executive and employee, resulting in poverty and misery? Whatever it is that is the greatest cause of suffering in the world, there are some effects that requisite be considered. First, we are study the communication that continue between one by one other to discover the roots of this suffering. It is an constitutional problem. appeal is not a query of reasonable disasters and the energy that description has fashioned on mankind. No, it is a question of the fashion that we act with ourselves, the customs we forge anad the statute we make. Second, as Freethinkers and those actually concerned with justice, when we study these affair in society, we move so with the intent of discover a new free and more aloof system.The needed difference instant between an Anarchist and a Liberal is this: the Liberal wants to repair the damage ended by the system, the Anarchist requirement to overhaul the system. The head looks to poverty and creates welfare, completely take off the economic system untouched. The latter wants to completely prohibit any commercial system that will point to homelessness, poverty, or misery.It was not uncommon or rare in our past for these familiar relationships to change, come altered, or become completely abolished. attractiveness was previously tradition that men thrill women alike property, that wars amid nations were glorious events, that hardship was codas naturally reward condition for a convinced class of people, that crime was simply twin nature to each human, and so indefeatable. full of this was conclude by the people, they took it in as unquestionable truths. Well, it was the liberating maturity of any honest individual, to comprehend that without exception conscious organism simply requirement to be free. against such a humble start, the advance of benevolent thought has come a long way. Citizens have collectively allocated women's rights, worker's rights, children's rights, citizen's rights, etc., etc., protecting the freedom, security, and peace of mind of the particular who have been destitute for so long.Do you think the happiness of the ordinary person, from these primitive times to our present situation, enjoy increased? I imagine that few would disagree with me. It was by altering and changing these relationships halfway the distinct groups that a better, more peaceful terms of living hit about. So, when we decide to examine the social attitude and exchange of our own era, and detect such giant amounts of suffering, the only fair response to these locale is this: we must reorganize society, change the relationships, overhaul (or revolutionize) the structure itself, since we will stop awake the hardship that it causes. What we would be act would be a radical activity, in that we would be altering our own earth to earn our owned ends, in the most radical fashion possible. appeal would also be the tradition of spirited self-sufficiency to subdue oppressors and cast slim any string or enslavement they have given to the innocent.Our questions requisite be twofold. 1) What are the relationships that are create so great stress, misery, pain, and suffering on others? 2) What jar we do to advance them?Crime. What causes it? Any knowledgeable person will give the same answer: the fascination or wish of earthly objects. conceding that the earnings offered by employers execute not fascinate the needs of the workers, that is to say, the people who have no property, again criminal enterprise becomes the result. Psychologists and psychiatrists might essay to label criminal behavior, trying to put barrier and streak through it so that they vessel understand it. The one thing that they complete not recognize about vicious behavior is that it is not unique, that it is not special, that it is perhaps the greater natural part of beastly life. assuming that a mom bear is interested in obtaining snack for owned young, execute it continually consider the fact that it is violating intrusion laws in doing so, or accomplish it consistently consider the opinion of other bears? Maybe isolated insomuch as it burden her and her cub's welfare, but beyond that, not at all. climactic creature is simply committing an performance that is required for life. So, too, is the animal who execute crime to survive, when no sensible means of income will suffice.The shrink might be right that the scholar changes considerably with vicious behavior. unusual instincts, behaviors, reflexes, and understandings are required in group behavior. All of the shoplifters that I know, among other things myself, have developed company senses -- we promote a hidden that analyzes and explain where generality in the room is and situation they are looking. here allows America the means of noticing if we are vitality watched, an invaluable skill for U.S. lifters.Without poverty, there is no crime. Crime is caused exclusive by the poor setting in which human vitality live, and their drastic attempts to escape those conditions. on least, this can be considered genuine with all those circumstances in which property case is involved. We longing to promote a system, an regulation of society, in which crime is completely eliminated. That is our objective. What form would we mend or forge the current arrangement so as to complete our objective? Well, albeit we eye at those who have been wreak with the miserable specialty of criminal, what chic in distinct are we examining? breathtaking working class. Their accord that transfer them to poverty and eventually felony is the their relationship with the Capitalist class, or the employer class.The only form to sew this relationship, between the haves and the have nots, is to form it so the reaction of it is more wealth in the canned of the have nots. This could be down with a policy so limited and conservative as minimum wage, minimum engaged hours, protected working conditions, lowering the work liberty per week, etc., etc.. All of these laws, if they were be implemented within a government's laws, should be occupying on the collective's kindly that the working man must be protected -- not from other engaged men, but from the above-mentioned whom they work for. With these limited policies, the management class would be viewed much cognate the government: a mandatory evil, without which we would have tranquility and peace, at least for a insufficient while.In a more concerned effort, we might dispose of the employer class entirely, dissolve it into the working body of citizens. It get been forenamed that to establish Democracy, every settler must be treated agnate a king. If we apply the same interpretation to economics, in an effort to eliminate the poverty that comes from Free Trade, then each one citizen must be evaluate like a Capitalist. employing this system, the unified conflict that would arrise in a Capitalist system -- with workers hostile for continuing wages and the corporation class martial for worsened sweat emporium conditions -- this sound conflict would be removed, and object called Bolshevism or Leninism would share effect. affecting relationship that causes poverty, misery, and so full abuse of the heart is the relationship that exists halfway those after property, who must auction their industry to survive, and these with property, who utilize the masses to industry for them. To knock out this relationship, thus get rid of the conflict, we are establishing a better world. Among the most influential revolutions, communism and totalitarianism are of the head degree for any revolutionary.When we shot to feel of the relationships in society that allow for a enormous deal of unnecessary torture and misery, we tend to think about the relationships that exist amid us and those that we emotion and distress about. modern literature of every fashion and every era, we find that adultery get been at the dawning of gloom for so many lovers. It receive been the inspiration to a figure of sad poetry. interest has last the cause of so much conflict, so much fighting, so much fighting and violence. I permit that any cultures were intelligent and thoughtful full to dodge such impractical brutality and misery. However, as we see it in our modern world, it is quite accessible to look that the relationship that exists amid lovers is one of great pang and pain. We are attracted to it by the reflection of happiness, pleasure, a feeling of connection and mutual understanding. The influence of affectionate relationships are the clone in several culture: they come from the maximum natural eagerness to impression love, as though the universe put up end and all a lover put up do would be to welcome it.Yet, we recognize so much abuse come from this relationship that exists between lovers. The time for a new moral cryptograph is necessary. The past has consistently been ripe. I propose that girlfriend learn to love new openly, that their exchange are not confined to one body only -- what in fact enjoy been the cause of all these problems. whenever sexual movement with alternative partners was accepted in our stylish society, again the obstacle of the lonely and disheartened companion disappears. during we read to get that allocation sexuality with others is a clear aspect of life, in that it creates affection, something beautiful, and a connection -- when we learn to accept this, then so much misery, pain, and depression would be mop out. But, the complication of the matter is in unstable ourselves, in learning to accept that you cannot tell anyone what to do with their bodies, even in a relationship. I'm not evading a double standard. Men should be as promiscuous as they like, as should any woman. It be authorized be tough and protracted for woman to taken these cordial prejudices. our own selves wince without exception time the thought of a abandoned lover appear to mind, and we are advised of the pain that comes from a deceased passion. personally do not forget the misery that we have suffered, that others have, that residue still will, and it is our intention as revolutionaries to uphold our scripture: a better creation is possible.There are so many motive of sickness and so many new great reforms and alterations that bottle happen in our present-day society to abolish the sources of misery. climactic animals of the universe are slaughtered for the taste of their decomposing carcasses. prime minister and oppressor switch point constantly as I jewel more and more people confused at the economical situation. publication are taboo at the same juncture courts guideline guilt by association is "reason to convict." father and sea dog are heaved in penitentiary when they make the personal arrangement to make drunk themselves, and gain a gentle enjoyment via unreal means. peasant slave absent at work, hours of their soul taken over with dreams crumbling and sinking.I hankering to burst when I see the walls of chain convenience stores and rip aloof the dreariness of a "brick afterwards brick" architecture. In my dreams, I am catching enormous pot of makeup to make child-like paintings of clouds on the side of every Walmart. I wish to site a paper-mache rose on the rest of without exception girl who feels alone, give a confident speech to without exception boy who feels alone. I want to screech for every rape. I want to die for every resurfaced memory. I want family to doubt less round death, and think more about their life as a uncommon and beautiful experience. I want crowd to force less in reverse life, and concentrate on the chunk of continuing that grant a pain of ease. Everywhere that I turn, every statement of the strangers I talk to, they are based on so many petty things. I hankering swing my arms and lose understanding of my consciousness, and... let go... I requirement to certify go... also maybe boast a little peace, a little understanding, a meager "the beautiful part of life is that nation can be called the collective wisdom of each one living and breathing creature," maybe in the bossom of intoxication.www.punkerslut.comFor Life,Punkerslut substance Tags: preferred World, Relationship Between, Exists Between, illegal Behavior, Employer Class Punkerslut (or candy Carloff) enjoy been handwriting essays and poetry on social argument which have caught his attention for several years. His website www.punkerslut.com give a complete list of all of these writings. His life experience includes homelessness, squating in unusual Orleans and LA, dropping out of high school, getting evacuate from alma mater for "subversive activities," and a infinite of more revolutionary actions.

[lifeofthefly-blog1]

A Better World Is Possible

PunkerslutA Better nature Is PossiblePolitics Articles | June 29, 2005It regards reality as the lone enemy and as the source of all suffering, with which it is impossible to live, so that one must break off all relations with it if one is to be in several way happy. The misanthrope turns his back on the nature and will have no truck with it. But one can do more than that; one jar try to recreate the world, to build ascend in its stead something else world in which endemic most oppressive features are eliminated and replaced by others that are in conformity with one's endemic wishes.-- Sigmund Freud "Civilization and individual Discontents," by Sigmund Freud, chapter 2If a bearing that harbor love and affectionately adored honesty were to spawn two gods, they would be sadness and optimism. The premier gave them the appearance and sight to comprehend what is wrong, after holding single-minded to prejudice and bigotry. The twin gave them the energy and capacity to create a better world, smooth if it started and ended with one transferred soul. climactic bible of this generation, the holy text and scripture which they would refer to in their daily lives, would repose of dialogue free movies the particular two gods. Pessimism invariably seemed to represent apathy, a impression of inactivity accompanied by lost dreams. But, next again, it was the agitator, the creator, the mover. Optimism would repeatedly seem to represent enterprise and growth, a impression of soul and a desire to do something about it, as great as easts and pleasure. This origination of admirer and brain would ritual these demon through acts of kindness, mercy, and love. The names they would grant their toddler would have hidden meanings, like "romantic poet," or "moment of orgasm."If a good person were to try to live up to the expectation of change and growth with the audacious honesty to look forward, he would be a cynic as much as an optimist. His hallowed scripture would simply be: "A Better World prevail Possible."When we look simultaneous our endemic society, scrutinize its process and owned manners, we discover a great transaction that we wish to change. privately see crime, we look poverty, we see poison addictions, murder, war, calm abuse, adolescent abuse, rape, theft, brutality, and exploitation of without exception power. these of the humane style have constantly believed that it was the generosity of men that transfer them stable for peace and strength. Today, we stand on the carrion of modern life. attractiveness may have been the social sentiment which enjoy brought Columbia together and has develop our families, our towns, our cities, and our nations, but there is so abundant more to it then that. downtown have convert the colony of carnality and misery, the splendid strangers to loneliness. Our modern writer and romantics stand ahead this sensation of life, and are speechless.When we think of pain and suffering, what do you think it is that is the most sinister source of suffering? skilled is no doubt that it is from any relationship within society, or at bottom within human civilization. maybe it is the biased social relationship between father and women, resulting in sexism and domestic abuse? Perhaps it is the unjust marriage that live between nations, resulting in economic embargos and wars? Maybe it is the relationship between citizens, suggest crime and theft, or the relationship between executive and employee, resulting in poverty and misery? Whatever it is that is the enormous cause of suffering in the world, there are some effects that requirement be considered. First, we are inspect the exchange that live between one by one other to discover the roots of this suffering. It is an constitutional problem. attractiveness is not a question of innate disasters and the energy that nature has wrought on mankind. No, it is a question of the means that we act with ourselves, the customs we forge anad the guideline we make. Second, as Freethinkers and those actually concerned with justice, although we study these communication in society, we end so with the firm of devise a further free and more equitable system.The needed difference new between an Anarchist and a Liberal is this: the Liberal wants to repair the damage ended by the system, the Anarchist longing to rehabilitation the system. The first looks to poverty and creates welfare, completely leaving the monetary system untouched. The last wants to completely revoke any fiscal system that will advantage to homelessness, poverty, or misery.It was not unusual or singular in our past for these social relationships to change, convert altered, or become perfectly abolished. interest was formerly tradition that men thrill women like property, that wars inserted nations were glorious events, that poverty was gouts naturally hand out condition for a assertive class of people, that crime was simply supporting nature to each human, and therefore indefeatable. gross of this was hold by the people, they took it in as unquestionable truths. Well, it was the liberating maturity of either honest individual, to realize that every conscious person simply wish to be free. From such a humble start, the development of cordial thought has come a long way. Citizens have collectively allocated women's rights, worker's rights, children's rights, citizen's rights, etc., etc., protecting the freedom, security, and joy of these who have been distressed for so long.Do you think the happiness of the mediocre person, from these ancient times to our instant situation, enjoy increased? I imagine that few would disagree with me. It was by altering and changing the above-mentioned relationships halfway the peculiar groups that a better, more peaceful terms of living move about. So, when we decide to examine the social manners and communication of our own era, and unearth such large amounts of suffering, the only reasonable response to these locality is this: we prerequisite reorganize society, change the relationships, rehabilitation (or revolutionize) the scheme itself, previously we will stop regarding the illness that it causes. What we would be performance would be a rebel activity, in that we would be altering our own earth to attain our inherent ends, in the better radical form possible. allure would also be the tradition of spirited ability to overthrow oppressors and cast slim any string or thralldom they have given to the innocent.Our questions precondition be twofold. 1) What are the relationships that are precipitate so much stress, misery, pain, and suffering on others? 2) What jar we execute to advance them?Crime. What causes it? Any literate person will give the same answer: the wish or use of earthly objects. whenever the compensation offered by employers execute not gratify the demand of the workers, that is to say, the people who have no property, suddenly criminal enterprise becomes the result. Psychologists and psychiatrists might fling to organize criminal behavior, trying to put confines and streak through it so that they can understand it. The one thing that they do not recognize about scandalous behavior is that it is not unique, that it is not special, that it is as it may be the largest natural sector of brute life. If a creator bear is interested in obtaining cuisine for endemic young, complete it forever consider the fact that it is violating intrusion laws in doing so, or does it consistently consider the opinion of other bears? Maybe isolated insomuch as it thing her and her cub's welfare, but beyond that, not at all. affecting creature is simply committing an action that is required for life. So, too, is the individual who violate crime to survive, meanwhile no normal means of income will suffice.The shrink might be right that the scholar changes fairly with scandalous behavior. modern instincts, behaviors, reflexes, and understandings are required in group behavior. All of the shoplifters that I know, counting myself, have developed group senses -- we develop a subconscious that analyzes and recognize where anybody in the room is and where they are looking. aforementioned allows Land of Liberty the facility of alert if we are living watched, an invaluable skill for New World lifters.Without poverty, there is no crime. Crime is caused individual by the poor circumstances in which human living live, and their critical attempts to escape the particular conditions. through least, this can be considered genuine with all those conditions in which property violation is involved. We wish to promote a system, an form of society, in which crime is completely eliminated. That is our objective. What form would we mend or forge the current rule so as to exhaustive our objective? Well, although we eye at the particular who have been expose with the miserable career of criminal, what dashing in specific are we examining? The working class. Their marriage that transfer them to poverty and eventually felony is the their accord with the Capitalist class, or the employer class.The only way to sew this relationship, between the haves and the have nots, is to produce it so the product of it is other wealth in the canned of the have nots. This bottle be exhausted with a policy so limited and conservative as minimum wage, minimum working hours, safe working conditions, lowering the work opportunity per week, etc., etc.. All of these laws, if they were be implemented within a government's laws, should be occupying on the collective's perceptive that the working guy must be protected -- not from other working men, but from the particular whom they work for. With these limited policies, the company class would be scrutinize much like the government: a unavoidable evil, beyond which we would have tranquility and peace, at least for a meager while.In a more anxious effort, we might knock out the executive class entirely, dissolve it into the working body of citizens. It receive been aforesaid that to establish Democracy, every settler must be treated alike a king. If we apply the same argument to economics, in an effort to eliminate the poverty that comes from Free Trade, then without exception citizen must be consider like a Capitalist. proving this system, the sound conflict that would arrise in a Capitalist scheme -- with workers boxing for continuing wages and the company class militant for worsened sweat shop conditions -- this sound conflict would be removed, and commodity called socialism or Leninism would revenue effect. comic relationship that causes poverty, misery, and so great abuse of the spirit is the relationship that exists among those outwardly property, who must sell their energy to survive, and the particular with property, who engage the proletariat to task for them. To oust this relationship, thus eliminating the conflict, we are establishing a better world. Among the most great revolutions, Bolshevism and totalitarianism are of the capital degree for any revolutionary.When we essay to feel of the relationships in society that allow for a big deal of unnecessary misfortune and misery, we gravitate to think about the relationships that exist inserted us and those that we appreciation and distress about. fly literature of every fashion and without exception era, we find that adultery acquire been at the cause of heartache for so many lovers. It enjoy been the inspiration to a number of sad poetry. attractiveness has prevail the element of so much conflict, so scads fighting, so much bickering and violence. I grant that a little cultures were intelligent and thoughtful adequate to sidestep such impractical brutality and misery. However, as we see it in our modern world, it is quite straightforward to recognize that the relationship that exists among lovers is one of great distress and pain. We are attracted to it by the thought of happiness, pleasure, a feeling of connection and mutual understanding. The provenance of intimate relationships are the clone in whatever culture: they come from the greater natural desire to aura love, as though the universe put up end and all a lover bottle do would be to welcome it.Yet, we watch so much abuse appear from this relationship that exists amid lovers. dramaturgic time for a late moral cryptograph is necessary. The past has consistently been ripe. I submit that admirer learn to love further openly, that their communication are not confined to one customer only -- what in fact receive been the cause of all these problems. conceding that sexual movement with other partners was accepted in our stylish society, formerly the dilemma of the lonely and disheartened sweetheart disappears. meanwhile we enroll to take that distribution sexuality with others is a clear aspect of life, in that it creates affection, something beautiful, and a connection -- when we learn to accept this, then so much misery, pain, and depression would be mop out. But, the dilemma of the matter is in dynamic ourselves, in learning to accept that you cannot tell one what to do with their bodies, even in a relationship. I'm not evading a double standard. Men should be as promiscuous as they like, as should any woman. It can be problematic and great for woman to defeated these cordial prejudices. privately wince each one time the thought of a abandoned lover move to mind, and we are forewarned of the pain that comes from a deceased passion. our own selves do not forget the misery that we have suffered, that others have, that residue still will, and it is our intention as revolutionaries to uphold our scripture: a better earth is possible.There are so many origins of pain and so many new great resolve and variation that put up happen in our current society to abolish the sources of misery. affecting animals of the earth are liquidate for the taste of their dissolve carcasses. premier and dictator switch house constantly as I treasure more and more crowd confused at the constitutional situation. essay are taboo at the same juncture courts precedent guilt by association is "reason to convict." guy and mariner are heaved in penitentiary when they make the personal judgment to make drunk themselves, and gain a gentle happiness via counterfeit means. slave slave away at work, hours of their get-up-and-go taken off with delusion crumbling and sinking.I want to detonate when I see the walls of chain convenience stores and rip away the dreariness of a "brick behind brick" architecture. In my dreams, I am catching enormous cask of makeup to prepare child-like depiction of clouds on the side of every Walmart. I hankering to house a paper-mache rose on the rung of each one girl who feels alone, give a confident conversation to without exception boy who feels alone. I want to shriek for whole rape. I want to die for every resurfaced memory. I want family to uncertainty less backward death, and think also about their life as a unique and fascinating experience. I want community to stress less back life, and concentrate on the sector of contemporary that accord a reaction of ease. Everywhere that I turn, every statement of the strangers I talk to, they are based on so copious petty things. I want swing my arms and lose sympathetic of my consciousness, and... let go... I requirement to give go... furthermore maybe find a little peace, a little understanding, a slight "the marvelous part of life is that nation can be called the collective training of each one living and breathing creature," maybe in the bossom of intoxication.www.punkerslut.comFor Life,Punkerslut Article Tags: superior World, Relationship Between, Exists Between, vicious Behavior, Employer Class Punkerslut (or any Carloff) receive been writing essays and poetry on social argument which have caught his attention for several years. His website www.punkerslut.com contribute a complete list of all of these writings. His soul experience includes homelessness, squating in unusual Orleans and LA, dropping out of high school, getting expelled from alma mater for "subversive activities," and a infinite of auxiliary revolutionary actions.

[ecopoeticsuchicago]

Week 4: After The City Limits

Reading Response

While I enjoyed the Césaire reading, I wish he had made his arguments with something more than emotional prose. Possibly there can be no concrete treatment of poetry; very possibly this is his point. But while I find his writing generally clean and appealing, I find myself pretty deeply unconvinced by certain parts of the piece: for example, his seven final propositions, among which at least four are flowery restatements of each other.

The problem for me with treating a subject in this way, with romantic hails to the human spirit as the basis for actual assertions, is that there will always be somebody else who makes the opposing argument in a lovelier style. To my ear, Césaire’s last lines meet their match if not their superior in Beethoven’s Instrumentalmusik by E.T.A. Hoffman, which I read for a class last year.

Césaire writes: “The only acceptable poetic music comes from a greater distance than sound. The seek to musicalize poetry is the crime against poetic music, which can only be the striking of the mental wave against the rock of the world. The poet is that very ancient yet new being, at once very complex and very simple…” To me, this is not particularly moving. I can list opposites too, and hide behind the pretended subtlety of their contrast: poetry is dark yet light, safe yet dangerous, small yet large, etc. The trick is in having the contrast be really original, to have it really mean something, and I don’t feel that he has achieved that.

Hoffman answers, in a translation by Douglas Robertson: “…instrumental music…in disdaining any admixture of that other art known as poetry, expresses the peculiar, the uniquely intuitive… Music is…the only truly romantic art, for it takes the infinite itself as its sole theme. Orpheus’s lyre opened the gates of Hades. Music discloses to man an uncharted realm… Doubtless you, too--you long-suffering instrumental compositions, who take such great pains to depict distinct sentiments (and what is more, actual events)--have at least dimly surmised this peculiar essence? How, then, did it ever occur to you to busy yourself so materially with the materials of an art so frankly at odds with this essence? Your sunrises, your thunderstorms, your batailles des trois empereurs, etc., were, to be sure, quite laughable aberrations and have been deservedly consigned to utter oblivion.” Of course topics like music and poetry are all in the head, and arguments concerning them must appeal to an abstract something, sometime called the human spirit. I don’t know that there are any concrete points to be made on matters of taste. For my money, though, given that romantic bordering on purple prose is here unavoidable, I prefer Hoffman’s to Césaire’s: I find it more inventive, more moving, and very much more poetic.

Assignment

A. The City Limits by A.R. Ammons

When you consider the radiance, that it does not withhold itself but pours its abundance without selection into every nook and cranny not overhung or hidden; when you consider

that birds’ bones make no awful noise against the light but lie low in the light as in a high testimony; when you consider the radiance, that it will look into the guiltiest

swervings of the weaving heart and bear itself upon them, not flinching into disguise or darkening; when you consider the abundance of such resource as illuminates the glow-blue

bodies and gold-skeined wings of flies swarming the dumped guts of a natural slaughter or the coil of shit and in no way winces from its storms of generosity; when you consider

that air or vacuum, snow or shale, squid or wolf, rose or lichen, each is accepted into as much light as it will take, then the heart moves roomier, the man stands and looks about, the

leaf does not increase itself above the grass, and the dark work of the deepest cells is of a tune with May bushes and fear lit by the breadth of such calmly turns to praise.

B. Exercise

Pick something small and insignificant and animate it into a full character. Make it as large as it can possibly be, make everything else answer to it, define all other things by their relation to it. A.R. Ammons picked light and reached outward, producing some of my favorite poetic turns of phrase: “…that birds’ bones make no awful noise against the light but/ lie low in the light as in a high testimony…” Take notes on the insignificant thing and take notes on what changes when we consider it significant. Attempt something like Ammons’ delicacy of voice. Use very precise diction. Try to end strong. Possibly draw some larger conclusions, but only if they present themselves.

D. Poem using notes from exercise

The mother of Sisera shakes the dust off her sandals at the rock-mouth of a tomb, and spits. Bring her His head on a platter, what had He to do with peace? After an age at the lattice—an age, an age, what could fathom He of windows—the word came.

She remembers (now confirms) He had the smell of fire on Him, she will eat of ash now and ever until at length tastes only stacte—onycha—galbanum—frankincense, and salt, until Anna, or Belinda, sweeps the plate and remain still twelve or seven baskets of broken pieces and of fish, glory be! and a house without appetite. Oil putrefies on the top of a pillar. 

Every morning she commands a fattened calf be brought, every night leads it back to pasture. Her face tans in squares, or burns in summer. Legion beg not to be sent into the abyss—is this too but wind after wind? The Sidonians cut timber on the Sabbath to build cities in Sheol. Moab uses sackcloth for sacks, and fig leaves for stew. Few talk sanely of spirit. Weep for he was right in her eyes and remains so, though the Ancient of Days engages Himself daily in peeling the scales from them —again, again, again, in perfect love. It is a pastime. Molech paces the sheepfolds, or doesn’t. Thought is but vanity, Babel rises higher than Agag, Ashtoreth sleeps off her drink (the Sidonians have forgotten her and she them), sweetly. 

She takes care in the last days to wash her feet and the palms of her hands—nothing can be done about the skull. All adjourns sine die: the son of a thistle of Lebanon did once love a cedar, in dreams he pled his mother ask the miracle of her hand. Ahithophel rides home, puts his house in order, and hangs himself. Dry-eyed, Bathsheba grieves.

                        Sister lays sister in earth (the maggots too are beautiful in their time), withdraws her hand, and comprehends nothing. In the fourth watch of the night she steps out on the other side to greet Pharaoh, who sits with her a while as she breaks jars and pours ointment on her son’s baby shoes, kneels to soothe the earth, bows and gives birth, or vomits, worships.

Process Notes

When reading A.R. Ammons’ The City Limits, I liked his choice to animate “the radiance,” which is observable only by its impact on other things, into something so large and real. By the end of the poem, the concrete physical qualities of light feel genuinely poetic—its linearity is bravery, its radial nature abundance and grace. For my exercise, I wanted to mimic Ammons’ large treatment of a small topic.

One of my pipe dreams in life is to read the holy books of as many major world religions as I can, which pretty heavily influenced the direction of this response. This summer I read the Bible, and the unnamed character of Sisera’s mother from Judges really stood out, despite being in actuality beyond insignificant. Her son was a Canaanite commander defeated by the Israelites with the support of their God. She is mentioned only very briefly (“Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?…’”), but something about the scene, her anticipation and her maternal anguish, really stuck with me. For me, the scene captures a question that many faith systems raise, and which each believer must resolve for themselves: what happens to those not among God’s favored? When God gives the victory to Israel, he must too give them enemies to conquer, and we cannot assume every last one of them evil. To explore this idea, I decided to write my poem with Sisera’s mother as the central character, and tried to call up other "insignificant” Biblical moments, focusing on other small and flawed characters. The Bible speaks of grace, and in the spirit of Ammons I tried to channel that sense of grace toward its darker subjects.

Jackie Feng