#unshakable and fearless and brave

[theheightofdishonor]

How do I explain that this lives in my heart? That looking at it makes me yearn and hope and grieve? That the phrase "this same spring will never come again" has burned itself into my brain and relights every now and then just for the hell of it?

It's hands down one of my favourite art from the series. Everything about it from the grim colours now that the sun has fallen, to the trash heap they're determinedly climbing, Kageyama leading in his partner's stead with the third years doggedly behind him, all with a hand on the Karasuno banner. The second and first years marching behind them in that order. The fallen bike in the front corner. The crow, for both Karasuno and for Hinata who can't be with them. Because truly, this spring will never come again and this team will never be the team that they are right here in this moment and isn't that so tragic? so wonderful?

[tarotofhope]

PAC : 𖤐 What is good about you? 𖤐

(Special reading for reaching 100 followers)

Thankyou everyone 🥹🫶🏻Please keep on supporting🤍

(Please Read My Pinned post *IMPORTANT NOTE* before selecting a Pile)

Pick an Image by meditating and selecting the image you feel called to. You can be attracted towards more than 1 image. If you are not able to select maybe this reading isn't for you.

Pile 1

Cards: The Emperor, 5 of Swords and The Wheel Of Fortune.

Welcome to your reading, Pile 1. Your energy radiates with self-confidence and assertiveness. You are someone who does not let any kind of bs bother you. You're loud, full of energy and that looks charming to your admirers. You're someone who would build their empire with or without anybody's help. You seek adventure, and thrill and you don't like to get bored. You are a go-getter and you don't wait for somebody else to have your back, you do it yourself. You have good leadership qualities. You could kill for your independence and freedom. Sometimes you might come off as arrogant to people but you don't mean any harm to anybody. You might be funny and carefree, but people like your presence because they feel at ease with you. You light the room, pile 1.

Extra message: Your traits remind me of Eren Yeager from Attack on Titans/Shingeki No Kyojin. He will always 'Tatakae' for freedom.

This was all I got for you.

Love, light, peace and hope to you..🫶🏼🥰🌸🌼🌻

Pile 2

Cards: Death, Page of Wands and Queen of Pentacles.

Welcome to your reading, Pile 2. You're someone who doesn't let your fate strangle you when it is not in your favor. It's like looking in the face of death, bravely. The Page of Wands is standing with his back towards the death card but I don't see it as escapism but rather someone who already dealt with major transformations and problems but overcame it with your unbreakable spirit. Now, you stand tall and fearless with a passion for work and growth. You guys could be married to your work. You're someone who people admire for their maturity. You're very reliable and stable, structured and organized. People might come to you for advice too. Your determination is unshakeable. You look very earthy and grounded or very fiery and passionate or both. Doesn't matter whichever career field you're involved in, you mostly keep your personal life to yourself. You have a great desire to maintain stability for yourself and your loved ones.

Extra Message: Your traits remind me of Loid Forger from Spy Family and Nanami Kento from Jujutsu Kaisen.

This was all I got for you.

Love, light, peace and hope to you..🫶🏼🌻🌼🌸🥰

Pile 3

Cards: 9 of Wands, 2 of Wands, King of Wands.

Welcome to your reading, Pile 3. You're someone who was either bullied, taken advantage of or struggled very much earlier in your life. You thought you wouldn't overcome your problems but you were always more powerful than that. You developed from 9 of Wands to the King of Wands and it was indeed a long journey. You never give yourself enough credit for coming so far. You even lacked confidence earlier and had a low self-esteem but you've totally transformed yourself, your experiences made you this way. You speak more now, act more and you stand firmly for what you believe in. You do things you never thought you'd ever do. You are slowly coming more into light, you're more seen now. People who've been a witness to your journey either find your progress shocking or very inspirational and admirable.

Extra Message: Your traits remind me of Armin Arlert from Attack On Titans/Shingeki No Kyojin. His personality development was remarkable. Also, Ron Weasley from Harry Potter but in reference to the books and not the movies.

This was all I got for you.

Love, light, peace and hope to you..🥰🌸🌼🌻🫶🏼

Pile 4

Cards: King Of Cups, 4 Of Swords and The Star.

Welcome to your reading, Pile 4. You are a humanitarian. You love to help people and your personality could be very unique. Your career path as well, could be very different and unique which people don't go for normally. You might be secretive and mysterious and have very few close friends. You might love to do charity and donations, you might even work with an NGO. You love animals, you might be doing something for them. You are someone who's emotionally very mature and understanding of people's behavior and emotions. You have a good sense of self. You might be highly aware of yourself and sensitive to your surroundings. Your hunches are on point most of the time. You don't like conflicts. You may have a calm demeanor. You might be interested in occultism, wicca, witchcraft, healing, mysticism, astrology, reiki etc.. You could prefer spiritualism over religion. No matter how different, you don't change your beliefs to please the world. You could come off as naive and gullible but your inner spirit is very strong. It intimidates as well as intrigues people.

Extra Message: Your traits remind me of Michael Jackson- The King of Pop.

This was all I got for you.

Love, light, peace and hope to you..🌸🫶🏼🌻🌼🥰

Pile 5

Cards: Justice, 10 of Swords and The King of Cups.

Welcome to your reading, Pile 5. You have a strong sense of justice. You are either this way by birth or you were not treated well/something bad happened to you in your childhood. You are not biased in your approach, you listen to all the parties involved before making any decision. Some of you could be lawyers or you study law, you could be police officers, or in the Army, navy, or air force. The card 10 of Swords is number 10 and it is the last number in minor arcana and Justice is 11, so, I believe you've come out of a difficult phase(10) and you're one step ahead of everything(11). You are quite the thinker. You weigh your words before speaking and you don't speak where it's not required but I'm also getting that either you talk too much or too less. Your speech might be entertaining or inspiring. You could also be good at voice dubbing or even singing. You also seem mentally mature and understanding. You might have a good sense of right and wrong. You might also be an avid reader. You look smart and clever, either street smart or book smart. You have a lot of knowledge about different things and you also love to share that knowledge. You're either very serious or fun to be around. Your intuition is on point. You love to fight or speak on behalf of other people especially those who can't do it for themselves.

Extra Message: Your traits remind me of L. Lawliet from Death Note.

This was all I got for you.

Love, light, peace and hope to you..🥰🫶🏼🌼🌸🌻

Do watch the anime mentioned in the above piles if you haven't yet or you can also read the manga..🫶🏼🥰

Thank you so much for being here. I post PAC readings every Tuesday and Friday. Do love and support by reblogging, liking or following.

[novaearts]

Hidden away in the far northern mountains, an ancient wyrm has slept for centuries recovering from a bloody battle. Lady Iridis, goddess of Pale Light, the mother of the Pale King. While the God of no throne, this lone wolf was known in the past to be good natured and kind, surprisingly so for a Wyrm. Though no less fierce in the few battles she did chose; fearless facing foes equal in size, if not larger than even her true form. This brave tenacity earned her secondary known title, "The Unshakeable".

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Nobody knew where he came from. No one knew if he had a family. From a rich family, or a ragamuffin orphan? Maybe, if anyone knew, they either don’t remember, or they are no longer alive.

And yet, here he is.

A young, skilled swordsman and adept of magic, with a brave heart and a good soul, traveled alone, and learned magic and wisdom from the people he met in his adventures. He did not belong to any Guild, but often fulfilled orders and helped all the adventurers of different Guilds in different corners of the World. The Ministry was also interested in his unusually strong magic, and wanted to give him a teacher, but he refused, accepting the Ministry's offer as a way to imprison him "on a leash". An unshakable, fearless and free adventurer, each time he looked for tests harder than the previous ones, studied the terrain, fought monsters.

Until I met someone.

A mysterious blue person who gave him the most unusual and difficult tests that the human mind could imagine. And young hero, sometimes not on the first try, but passed every test. And with each test, the curiosity for the blue man grew stronger and stronger. Until it developed into a strong friendship.

And then something happened... Something that put the whole world in danger. Something created by dark magic, hatred and human malice. Something that had to be stopped at all costs. And the young hero accepted the challenge, took on his shoulders a huge responsibility. No one asked him, but he felt that he had to help, had to protect.

And he succeeded. Having gathered all their true friends, they accepted the challenge and stood up to protect the world. They slew the darkspawn, losing good comrades in the battle. The fallen warriors were mourned, and with all honors carried out on their last journey. The young adventurer was praised in various songs, his feat was talked about for a long time. But hero having understood the value of human life, decided to leave the sword and try to help people in a different way. He wanted peace. Not destroying, but creating.

And then he turned to his old friend, that very mysterious man, for help. The man cast a spell in a language never seen by any living soul. He said that he could make the whole world forget about him, about the young hero. That his image will be forgotten forever. One person becomes two. No one will remember the face and voice, or the name, nothing to left. For everyone, it will be a mysterious image, a hidden hero. All friends, all loved ones will forget you, you will be reborn into a new person and start life from scratch. Are you ready for this?

Yes.

After some time, a new person arrived in a small, still nascent town. He was not young, but he could not be called an old man either. Appeared at the threshold, an unusual person. Interesting, mysterious, but at the same time... His kind eyes, his kind look. Nothing bad in this person. He bought a huge piece of land cheaper, built a small cabin and began to cultivate the land. Years passed, and he began to grow crops so well, to the envy of everyone. But no one envied him, he was everyone's friend. He shared his harvest and happiness with everyone, gave a helping hand to everyone who needed it. One girl became especially dear to his soul, and she reciprocated. And a happy family was born.

Years passed, the farmer grew old, no longer at the age to run around the field and work it. Time to retire. It's time to leave...

But who will continue to monitor the farm, the pride of the family? The son refused, while being afraid to hurt his dear father. But he was not offended, his son found happiness elsewhere, and he always loved and was proud of him.

And the farm... Well, nature has swallowed up the earth, putting down its deep roots.

But he did not dare to sell it, something did not allow him to let go of his native piece of land, on which so many years of his happy life had passed. The piece of land that raised him, fed him and everyone around him.

He decided that whatever happened to the farm, his descendant would finally decide its fate. Whether it will become again in its former greatness, or will leave forever with time - it's up to another to decide. And to this other, the old man writes a letter that will forever determine the fate of one person. On a table with a burning lamp next to it, an old man slowly but surely writes a letter:

"My dear grandchild. If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change..."

[dan6085]

Top 50 Phrases about COURAGE:

1. "Courage: The Heart's Fire."

2. "Fearless Souls, Fearful Odds."

3. "Bravery Beyond Bounds."

4. "Strength in Every Step."

5. "Daring Greatly, Living Boldly."

6. "Valor Knows No Limits."

7. "In the Face of Fear, We Rise."

8. "Boldness Beckons."

9. "Courage: The Art of Being Brave."

10. "Heart of a Lion, Spirit of a Hero."

11. "Dare to Dream, Dare to Act."

12. "Fortitude in Adversity."

13. "Fearless Minds, Fierce Hearts."

14. "Defy the Impossible."

15. "Courage: Igniting the Soul."

16. "Bravery: Born in the Heart, Forged in the Fire."

17. "Grit and Grace in Every Stride."

18. "Fear Meets Its Match."

19. "Courageous Hearts, Limitless Horizons."

20. "Strength in the Struggle."

21. "Determined Souls, Unyielding Spirits."

22. "Bravery: From Within, Beyond Expectations."

23. "No Guts, No Glory."

24. "Bold Actions, Bright Futures."

25. "Courage: The Bridge Between Fear and Accomplishment."

26. "Resilience in the Face of Fear."

27. "Championing Courage, Defeating Doubt."

28. "Heartbeats of Heroes."

29. "Unleash Your Inner Courage."

30. "Daring to Defy."

31. "Fearless Hearts, Limitless Possibilities."

32. "Courage: Fuel for the Fearless."

33. "Bravery: Where Strength Meets Spirit."

34. "Defying Gravity, Embracing Courage."

35. "Fearless Minds, Fearful Odds."

36. "Courage: One Step at a Time."

37. "Unshakeable Resolve, Unstoppable Courage."

38. "Bravery: A Beacon in the Dark."

39. "Dare to Be Bold, Dare to Be Brave."

40. "Fearless Frontiers, Courageous Hearts."

41. "Rise Above Fear, Embrace Courage."

42. "Courage: The Ultimate Freedom."

43. "Bravery: Embracing the Unknown."

44. "Daring Deeds, Lasting Legacies."

45. "Heartstrong, Fearless Forever."

46. "Courage: Breaking Barriers, Building Dreams."

47. "Fearless Fighters, Victorious Souls."

48. "Bravery: Strength in Vulnerability."

49. "Defy Fear, Define Courage."

50. "Courage: A Journey, Not a Destination."

[sikhhistoryinfo05]

The history of the Sikh is a rich palette of spiritual evolution, brave warriors and unshakable principles that have left an indelible mark on the world. The roots of Sikhism date back to the 15th century in the South Asian state of Punjab, where Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first of the Sikh gurus, laid the foundation for a new faith based on the concept of the One Supreme Creator. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was a visionary mystic and philosopher who tried to bridge the gap between different religious and social communities. He advocated equality of all human beings irrespective of caste, religion and gender. Guru Nanak's teachings were captured in hymns and poems, which later became the holy scripture of Sikhism, known as the Guru Granth Sahib.

The family of Sikh Gurus continued even after Guru Nanak Dev ji passed away, each offering chadar to the other. After him Guru Angad Dev Ji, Guru Amar Das Ji, Guru Ram Das Ji and Guru Arjan Dev Ji became. Guru Arjan Dev ji played an important role in shaping Sikhism by compiling the writings of not only Sikh Gurus but also saints of different religions. This collection has become the basis of Sikh literature and has become an important guide for the Sikh community.

The fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, faced great persecution from the Mughal emperor Jahangir, who saw Sikhism as a challenge to his rule. Guru Arjan Dev Ji was martyred in 1606, becoming the first Sikh Guru to sacrifice his life for the principles he espoused.

Guru Hargobind Sahib, the sixth Guru, succeeded Guru Arjan Dev Ji and became the first teacher of the Guru Warriors. He led the Sikhs through a period of intense struggle against the oppressive Mughal rule. Guru Hargobind Sahib supported the Miri-Piri concept which emphasized spiritual and temporal authority. He wields two swords to symbolize this duality, marking the beginning of the Sikh martial tradition.

Guru Har Rai Ji and Guru Har Krishan Ji followed him as the seventh and eighth gurus respectively, contributing to the spiritual and humanitarian aspects of Sikhism. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Guru, stood out as a champion of religious freedom and tolerance. He sacrificed his life to protect the rights of Hindus and their religion during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb.

Finally, the stage was set before the tenth and last human guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. He faced enormous challenges in his life, including the loss of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, and the persecution of the Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh Ji tried to awaken the Sikh community and prepare it to face difficulties with courage. In 1699 he founded the Khalsa, a special community of Sikhs bound by a code of conduct, baptized in Amri, the sacred nectar.

Under the leadership of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Sikhs became fearsome warriors and staunch defenders of the truth. The Khalsa formation instilled a spirit of fearlessness and devotion to justice among the Sikhs, empowering them to confront tyranny and oppression.

In the following centuries, the Sikh community suffered various trials and tribulations, but the principles of equality, service and devotion to the Creator remained unchanged. Sikh warriors such as Banda Singh Bahadur fought valiantly against tyranny and established a brief but influential Sikh kingdom in the early 18th century. After Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Martyrdom, there were many warriors: like Sardar Nawab Kapur, Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwaia, Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa and many more.

Sikh history embodies a legacy of spiritual enlightenment, unflinching courage and service to humanity. Today, Sikhs around the world continue to follow the teachings of their Gurus and contribute positively to their communities while maintaining the values that have defined their remarkable journey through history.

[bridgegaurd]

Exodus

When the RSDB to Exodus was first opened the mass of howling spirits that rampaged out of it threatened all of the Realms, and, despite no further unauthorized exits, it remains the most heavily guarded of the Bridgegates. Exodus' peoples eke out a rough existence in the frontier, braving fickle dragons, savage beasts and enigmatic spirits for a chance to prospect abundant resources and plunder ancient ruins.

The Ruin-Seekers Guild(Barbarians) - Exodus is a Realm of primal fury, where survival is earned through might alone. Every Ruin-Seeker has a different reason for fighting, but they all agree that when you're the last one standing, the reason no longer matters.

The Balance-Seekers Guild(Druids) - In Exodus nature flourishes, devouring not only the ruins of whatever civilization was once here but also many attempted settlements of the other Realms. Balance-Seekers seek to harmonize their souls with their environment, becoming one with nature to allow its power to become their own.

The Pwer-Seekers Guild(Marshalls) – Personal power is a wonderful thing, but in Exodus it is clear that power multiplies when it is shared amongst many. Power-Seekers are adepts of war and state who seek to give their people prosperity, and immortalize themselves as true leaders in the process.

Dragonkin(Dragonborn, Kobolds) - The dragons of Exodus rule the dragonkin like mad kings at court. The larger dragonborn bear their role as pawns with honor and dignity, keeping their family traditions alive through fables whispered at night. The diminutive kobolds honestly worship their draconic lords, awe and fear driving them to rack their brains for schemes to show off their cleverness.

Aarakocra – The skies of Exodus are no safer than its ground or seas, but the winged aarakocra manage to survive there nonetheless. Aarakocra have a sense of fearless naivete, the freedom of flight giving them a perspective that seems almost alien to those bound to earth.

Goliath – In the primevil lands of Exodus, the meek are quickly weeded out by brutal natural selection. Goliaths engage in daily competitions of skill and strength, for anyone who can’t keep up is a liability to the tribe.

Saurials(Lizardfolk, Tortles, Viashino) – The reptilian saurials thrive in Exodus’ harsh lands, having evolved to take full advantage of their surroundings. The cold-blooded lizardfolk gather in tribes in swamps and forests, their minds categorizing encounters between fear, aggression and pleasure with callous, but not cruel, pragmatism. Tortles are nomadic wanderers, enjoying solitude and companionship in equal measure while trusting their shells and skills to keep them safe. The hot-blooded viashino approach life with unnerving zeal, expressing their emotions with bursts of song, laughter and violence.

Loxodons – The loxodons survive Exodus by forming bonds of unshakable loyalty, individuals readily sacrificing themselves so that the whole may live. They seek to understand the secrets of both the ancient ruins and the spirit courts of the forests, and house whatever knowledge they uncover in their great stone cities.

Orcs – Gathering in great hordes in the wastelands of Exodus, orcs are driven to commit acts of great brutality and destruction in order to please their gods. Every orc is raised to be a warrior, and they hold little respect for those unwilling or unable to defend themselves.

Elves(Wood Elves, Sea Elves) – The spirit courts of Exodus count the elves who share that Realm as members due to their shared connection to the cycles and seasons of nature. Wood elves live in small enclaves in the wild lands, hunters who revere the spirits of those they must slay. Sea elves build coral citadels beneath waves, and take a personal responsibility for maintaining the natural cycles of life.

[mbr3coaching]

Why are you insecure? I have had the pleasure of working with some very successful people in my life. And I can tell you that most of them have many insecurities. They have those moments of when they are asking themselves “what the hell am I doing?” Or “do I even have a chance?” See, no one ever has their crap completely together. But one thing that absolutely sacrifices our confidence is how we over estimate our competitors. Or even worse and more common is how we underestimate ourselves. Most don’t know or even acknowledge how power they really are. They normally don’t acknowledge how others are scared, worried, shaken, and lacking confidence in the things they do. All we normally see is the fear within ourselves and assume that mostly everyone else is unshakable. It’s furthest from the truth. We are all human. But to live up to our full potential and have the ultimate performance, we have to eliminate as much fear as we can. Most of the time we can do that by acknowledging the truth. We are powerful. We can do amazing things. No one is always secure and confident. “We will never know the unknown until we choose to do what hasn’t been done.” - Mike Jensen To have courage and be brave doesn’t mean you are completely fearless. It means you see your power to go ahead and step into the unknown. Focus on you and your power. It is always 100 times greater than you will ever know. -Coach Mike EDIT your GOALS Every Day Internal Thoughts Guarantees Our Absolute Life Situations #inspire #attitude #confidence #powerful #security Background Picture by GR Stocks https://www.instagram.com/p/CoPhB8ku1y-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[aeempress]

Apritello Express Evidences, part 3

Apritello, my dear friends, is really all hints, devil in details, little pieces that, in the end, become a huge picture.

I can't say that there are a lot of episodes with April and Donnie spending quality time together, no. But all episodes are important to understand how their relationship are involving, growing. If you have sharp eyes and think about all of this even a little bit, you will be surprised how gracefully their relationship changes and grows, how characters evolve.

Dear passengers, we're about to start. Mind the gap!

Episodes “The Gumbus” and “Mrs. Cuddles”. 

I think it would be appropriate to analyze these episodes in bunch, because they have common situations of spooky supernatural stuff and reactions of characters to this.

When you watch these two eps in raw, it's easy to see how alike are reactions of Donnie and April in some scary, really odd situations. 

Adrenaline ‘n’ reclessness

April is really into all spooky things in “The Gumbus”, she's not afraid of some creepy stuff and she's really brave girl who easily copes with stressful and life-threatening situations.

Donnie is incredibly calm and collected when alive doll talked to him.

But still, April was frightened about plush rabbit because it was really unexpected for girl, she wasn’t ready to realize that plush doll that she’d worked with is alive fear-eating monster who will hurt and intimidate to get their precious screams. But point remains: Donnie and April share crazy fearlessness, which turns into an adrenaline addiction.

And here I am, a science guy, who tell you: adrenaline is a big deal for our body. This hormone can even provoke an onset of romantic feelings. Chemistry and anatomy come to fill the gaps: when a person is afraid, their pulse quickens, a cocktail of hormones is releasing into the blood, which sharpen the senses and reflexes. It will create a strong emotional bound, that's important for maintaining romantic kind of feelings. The more impressions there are (even negative ones), the higher the chance that person will remember his|her partner, and want to see them again – the body gets hooked on adrenaline, like a drug.

That’s why D&A have so strong, unshakeable boundaries. They are so alike: their attitude to scary things, the way Donnie and April cope with them, the adrenaline addiction their share. They even express feelings the same way.

And one tiny detail: April and Donnie start the teasing Raph for his fear of mrs. Cuddles. So they become the first victims of plushie.

Friendly reminder: they were the 1st victims, and what’s happened with them we don’t know, because it wasn’t shown due to not ruin the atmosphere of suspense.

But we have a beautiful quote of mrs. Cuddles and this precious shot which explain everything

Raph: Where’s Donnie?

Cuddles: In a happy place where he’ll scream and I can grow forever and now you’re gonna join him!

In a happy place, huh? Tied up with April in Splinter’s bedroom, a really happy place. Hold a sec, are they -

And after that Donnie’s responding is killing me.

Donnie:[OS] I'm afraid of togetherness.

Yep. All normal here. We should continue.

"Operation Normal" even though doesn't show a lot of interactions between April and Donnie, however continues the general outline highlighting the topics that were mentioned earlier in the show.

Firstly, April's relationship with her classmates. We're able to see how poor her scholar life is in "Hypno Part Deux" and "The Purple Jacket". She has no "normal", human friends except some strange remora guy, more like acquaintance than friend, though. But still, having "be normal" kick she's fine with Donnie's weirdness ( Mikey is always beyond all normal comprehension, Raph goes weird while he's alone, without brothers, and his fear of miss Cuddles is no big deal to fam, Leo didn't show any weird stuff during the series, like, reeeeal weird, m'kay?).

Conversation between April and Donnie at pizza spot

Really interesting and smooth scene. We’ve got Donatello who stares at April while he’s waiting his favourite pizza, no big deal.

And his legs.

If a person is interested in you, during a conversation, they will put their right foot forward (a left-handed person is more likely to put their left foot forward) in order to close the distance between you. - Check.

being in company, peson will point the sock at the most pleasant interlocutor for them. - check.

April’s legs are ponted at Donnie. Checkmate.

Yeah, April is hanging out with Donatello and Leonardo, but the main focus of hers is on Donnie. 

All these scene makes me think that Donnie, knowing about how badly sometimes April  wants to be normal, is up to help her overcome this. Fight fire with fire:  fill up her life with all of this weird, mystic stuff so it will be normal with time. Regular people go to pizza spot to spend some quality time together, so we have pizza restaraunt here, in Hidden City. Make all odd normal, and problem will solved.

Donnie really tries his best, look at his face. Dee’s fine with all this bizzare things what happens to April, he’s fine with her. But still he fails, because April’s concept of normalcy differs drom Donnie’s.

And again, for Donnie it’s not a problem at all. He’s always was at the opposite side of normalcy and it doesn’t matter for him if April is in the same boat with him. Cause, as I said, Don’s fine with that.

Second, how much Donnie knows about April.

- Scoff! Are you really still on this whole "I want things to be normal" kick?

- Yes, what big city girl doesn't have a kayak and has hazmat suit?

Interesting detail here: this line launches Donnie’s flashback (because the first scene is from “Purple Jacket”, it’s Dee’s episode, obviously). And Don, as far as I can tell, has in his flashback moments with April when she did something reaaally impressive. His face is way more louder than any words.

- Short answer: no. Long answer: nnooooooooo.

- Oh, no! You know how April freaks out around the cosplay wizards!

These tiny lines are containing a lot of background, stories, intimate conversations that April and Donnie share. This show always does the same trick: we never see a direct action, we are only able to see a result or statement of the result. But series do a great work telling us with such small and imperceptible gestures that their bonding at this point is mutual. Not only D tells April about his inventions, family and fam's issues he has and even his falls, mistakes and failures. April does the same thing, sharing with Donatello one of the most important things to her. Problem that really bothers her.

C'mon, he'd even memorized Sunita's name, though April messed up with this situation a bit. It seems Donnie memorizes facts about April - he remembered the wi-fi password from old April's work as we can see in "The Longest fight" (he could hack it easily, he's a genius, why he's been keeping in mind some piece information that useless for a year? It doesn't make any sense)

Oh, and that. Just a coincidence, I guess?

Just alike suits, no big deal. Plus, the whole family has it (and something tells me that guys have suits at the behest of Don, so probably April does). But Donnie and April has a lot in common like emotional expressions, reaction about some kind situations, fight style and even tastes in fashion.

Also, it seems like Donnie's been watching April for sometimes.

While Leo was hiding in trash can, to not catch anyone's eye rather than April. He definitely couldn't know who was passing by, but there was Donnie to observe from above. That's why he was hanging down the stairs when Leo spoke to April.

It’s not the first time Donnie dress up as old lady to monitor April’s day.

Leo: Why do you always make us dress up as old ladies? Donnie: №1: confort, №2: to blend in as we monitor April’s day for max normalcy.

 3. Even when D took away this cosplay wizard, he's still keeping eye on her.

Oh no, you don’t. Grandmas here!

Donatello changes his foe to save April exactly. He fought all evening with Brutus, but when April slightly gets in danger, Donnie just attacked anyone who has intention to hurt her and ruin her evening.

Is that a flying turtle in an old purple dress?

April, who all evening was trying to look “normal”, hiding her real friends because they are mutant turtles and pretending that nothing unusual happens here, finally gives up when Sunita mentioned Donnie. Even though new April’s friend has asked her before about Leo.

His eyes. 

Donnie is really impressed but what he saw, and the reason - April O'Neil.

The episode "Warren & Hypno, sitting in a Tree" is another incredible piece of whole picture.

Turtle tank is decorated for April birthday in purplish scheme, definetely Donatello's work.

Dee's nonverbal speech.

• He seems more interested and softer than usual looking at April. It's easy to say comparing him with brothers. Mikey is in anticipation of fun mode, Leo relaxed and show his "whatever it will be fun" attitude, Raph is listening carefully, but still, Donnie could just turn his head in April's vouce direction, not a whole body.

• Warren felt Don's gaze while talked with April, so worm made the remark. Pay attention to the construction of the frame of neighboring scenes. The second frame is April's perspective. And Don is looking namely at her.

Indignation. Disappointment. Spark, storm, madness (i love this russian meme, sorry not sorry)

• Donnie seems sincerely sorry for this situation with April's b-day. And again, this soft gaze and "Raph, shut the shell up, your nonsense is upsetting her"-eyes.

• Donatello is kind of person, who’s avoiding a proper confrontation, so he rarely stands up for someone.  He were remaining silent, when Raphael tried to cheer April in the most radiculous way, but when Hypno tried to play with April’s feelings, Donnie blew it. 

He’s obviously in wrath as D emote that expressively. Yeah, he had much on his plate at April’s birthday, but it’s her b-day on the line, not his pride.

Warren used April, playing with her fan feelings. Her idol betrayed her, she was locked up in a cage, and now we have Hypno who wants to use her again by pitting and pushing for her compassion, because, it’s obvious - boys would do everything she said. 

And Donnie tries to keep Hypno away from her, protect her feelings from another betrayal. 

As he’s already stated - “For you, anything”.

The show always tells us: if you wanna trigger Don, bring April in. 

Hypno tried to turn this thing around, Leo did the same in “Al be back”. 

If Hypno-tamus did that accidentally as he found out that April O’ Neil is a birthday girl, so her wishes that day were laws, Leo did it on purpuse.

Leo is good at manupulating and pulling some strings, plus he knows his twin as back of his hand. That’s why Leo mentioned April in the end as she was always the most powerful argument, the reason and motive for Donnie. At second he’s even panicked, but remained calm. He almost blew up his coolheaded image because of one certain girl in yellow.

• Donnie is really happy to present Warren's arm to April. He even holds it like a rare, priceless treasure. D is really proud of himself right now: he saved the day, after all. The emotional reaction of hers is exactly what Donnie wants to get. And then, his final pose, while April is on 9th cloud from happiness - that's really territorial gesture, D claims his supremacy and confidence, telling "See? That's my happy birthday girl".

Leapfrog with a composition

Donnie and April are more and more eager to be together in the frame. Composition’s boners, m’kay.

Special ride for April

Yeah, Donnie used to offer his battleshell to give April a special ride. It even has  a seat and handlebars for her comfort. She can control the flight as well as Donatello, they are like co-pilots. But he never carried her on his back before.

Usually, April is carried by Raphael, on his neck/shoulder, and she’s fine with it. Raph is strong enough to carry her without any difficulties or slowing down.

It’s not Donnie’s weak to carry her - no, he strong enough to carry his battleshell with a lot stuff in it everyday, Don can carry Splints on his shoulder without any apparent difficulty. He strong enough to hold the weight of his battleshell+April. Oh, c’mon, D assembled the Turtle tank only by himself and this for sure requires a lot of physical strength in order to engage in auto mechanics. Try lifting the wheel with tyre, and you'll see what I mean. Of course, there is a jack, but it will not solve all the problems. Don could use hydraulics and Archimedes ' laws, but I'm sure he did most of it with his own hands. Lifting and carrying, all by himself.

Not the strengh what’s matter but another point.

The sequence where Donnie carries April on his back doesn’t last long, it’s pretty easy to miss, while Raph openly do that with April on him. 

Plus April’s gaze: she’s staring right at us with her “ninja-eyes” as if they were caught in the middle of something. The duration and length of the sequence, the way it is made all of this arouse certain thoughts. 

It’s like nobody should see this. Too personal. To be more specific - too close and intimate? 

Donnie stated a few times that he’s not into togetherness, tactile interaction and phisical side of contacts. Although he's fine with his brothers, don't forget that April is a girl. Even if she feels like part of family, she’s not his relative. She’s not his sister. 

Some people tend to avoid physical contact with the objects of their interest. And this behaviour fits in Don’s character. He’s anxious type with a lot of psychological and emotional issues. Yeah, he tries to cover it up, built a shell to protect himself, behave as confident extravert but he’s nothing like that. Sometimes D tends to distance himself from his family, to hide in his shell, and we've seen that throughout the show. 

Don hangs by his phone quite often, he addicted to this as his comfort zone, his peaceful cave, where everything is much easier,

Don pretends he’s so busy with his science stuff to ward off his brothers (ep. Mind Meld), 

Don went to the lab to work on his projects, while he could hang out with April and the brothers (ep. Mrs. Cuddles). And he left for what? To work on self-cleaning tooth pick, or the titan bust of himself? It’s seems like lame excuse to be alone. He’s definetely an intovert, who sometimes needs some space and time with himself. 

All his cocky behaviour is showing off to hide insecure, diffident and vulnerable creature, softshell purple turtle. Yeah, Donnie has confidence in what he’s great in: tech, science stuff, where he’s only one is capable of. But if someone steps on his domain or doubts his authority, his true colours exposed.

And, once again, “Mind meld” is a great evidence of that. Would callous, unsumpathetic guy without heart have a wall with pictures of his fellows? I’m afraid not. Donnie has a soft, caring heart.

There’s an alley of his the dearest moments, because photos - are always memory, precious moments we want to keep. 

1 - from “Minotaur Maze”. Don loves good pizza, loves his brothers, and they have a little adventure together. Yeah, this photo isn’t on champ wall, but still.

2 - from “Mascot melee”. Important day for bros as they show themselves to people at daylight to rescue Raph and their operation to buy a new robe for his father. It’s their joint brothers dance, and D is loving to dance, remember? Definetely special occasion.

3 - from “Mascot melee”. Splints was really glad to receive a gift from boys. And Donatello, as we know, is always eager to achive for pop’s approval. This for sure must be in his precious moments collection.

5, 7 - from “Donnie’s gifts”. He even keeps a dorky photo, which Raph uses as profile pic at Donnie’s number.

8, 9 - “Down with the sickness”. It was funny to survive all the 7 stages to achive what boys wanted. They failed, but still.

10 - from “Al be back”. Who knows that Splints is so good at singing?

4, 6 - from “The Fast and the Furriest”. Strange choice, cuz, you know, photos ten seconds before his collision with April bat?

And yeah, he HAS April’s photo here. And at this pic it’s April, and April alone,without his brothers. 

Don’s a real softie, see?

And avoiding physical contact is a way to protect Donnie’s already shattered self-esteem. To not cause any doubts in front of girl which he’s interested in. That’s possible reason why we did not receive any heartwarming hugs in “The Purple Jacket”.

But Donnie carries April, because it’s her birthday. On the one hand, the girl claims that  her b-day is cursed, and Donnie could, by any chance, do something nice for her, and on the other hand - any request of the bithday girl - is the law, as we could see earlier.

Gift for birthday girl

There is no Donnie in the scene after Draxum throw off Warren's arm. While Raph comfort April about her birthday, Donnie was looking for it to present it to April.

He knows the best what is the most precious gift for her. Warren Stone, her idol, goat of making news; she have been in Stoneheads fanclub for 9 years. Also, it seems that Donnie is the one of turtles, who collected info about this worm.

Also, he stopped immediately when April stepped between them and show no disappointing (remind you about Donnie's sadistic science guy nature). The reason is April.

And another cute detail: their glasses are the same form.

Another episode "Mystic library" has slightly touched D&A interaction. But were talking about Apritello, it's all hints but quality.

When Mayham trapped in the mirror and Raph, Leo and Mikey obviously are not coping, April decides to call Donnie to clear situation up.

Donnie, mister "I ruin everything", she's going to call for help. I repeat this. April calls for help Mr. Science to solve mystic problems with her pet. MYSTIC PET.

 And he AGREES.

Turtles dissuade their friend from calling Donatello but after a while, April returns with Donnie, and sees the bathroom in ruins.

I'm gonna clear this moment.

1. April haven’t called Donnie.

2. Some time later she returns with Dee.

3. Our girl is pretty shocked to see her bathroom in ruins, argo she didn't see/hear Raph chose to solve problem with smashing.

It must mean only ine thing: April went for Donnie by herself. We don't know where was he, we don't know what the reason April brought Donnie with her by herself, 'cause we know that if she call Dee, he will definitely get to her immediately.

Something is definetely off.

By the way, April changed Don’s profile pic.Yeah, the first one is very informative since Donnie is a turtle and he’s purple and he has bandana. Seems like April have done it by herself, editing the photo of real turtle. She didn't put a lot of effort into this, this image doesn't show her real attitude towards Don. But second is more personality-tinged. Sleeping Donatello in all his gear - this detail can tell us about only one thing - he was photographed when he fell asleep after his sleepless night(s) working hard at something - is something she can catch or receive by boys (namely speaking, it’s Leo, according to Ben Schwartz stated in an interview, that if Leo had an Instagram account, that 60 to 70% of his photos would be his brothers caught sleeping or slipping on things). And still. April has a dorky and little embarrassing pic of Donatello and this is... Interesting and cute?

This profile pic remind me about ROTTMNT: Sound off! (2nd issue)

The next station is “The Purple Game”.

Another episode in which the interaction of the characters is small in timing, but great in content.

And once again: they have a lot in common. I’d never tired of repeating this thing ‘cause the series do the same trick, showing one thing from different points of view. April and April shares the same taste in games, the same attitude, the same mojo. 

But the most important thing here is how D&A interacrions are shown in this episode. Unlike other episodes, the interaction here is indirect, is provided by gaming.

Their customized avatars reflects their personality. I mean, the colour schemes (though Donatello has never shown any interest in yellow, he used it for customization of his persona), the way their avatars looking. Game even refering to Sherlock_Corn as “she”, albeit it’s impossible to refer to her avatar in female pronoun. Because, you know, design and nickname?

And the in-game interaction of the avatars resembles D&A irl relationships. Bootyyyshaker 9000 don’t like togetherness, he’s looking like Donnie’s expectation of himself (cool and tough guy, as D sees himself in his own dreams)

Their dialogue

Actually. Actually, Donnie and April are not able to hear each other as game has no voice chat, but their lines make an perfect dialogue nevertheless.

April:Bootyshaker9000? Donnie? 

Donnie:April? You’re the last person I need to destroy to achive rank №1!

April:Ditto!

Both:There can only be one!

Donnie said the cheat combination, so April would know for sure what he is supposed to do, but she has no idea.

So, once again: their sync is incredible.

And can we talk about that?

April’s attack

As it seems, attacks may be customized by players. Bootyyshaker has attack that refers at Donatello main feature - superior intellect.

And this attack isn’t effective, because REAL April O’Neil has a resist towards it. She has known D for years, she knows what he’s capable of, she’s aware of his nerd side. April’s immune to it, so Sherlock_Corn is.

 Sherlock_corn has a default attack - kernel cannon. It’s nod to her nickname: kernel, corn, the same book. But her second atteck is something reflecting her personalitiy. Plus, April is aware of Donnie’s “fear” of togetherness. All’s fair in love and war, right?

April took a lot of BS9000 hp by her “friendly hugs”. And, by the way, his sweet reaction for hugs.

So:

The selection of the final opponent. It might be literally anyone, but we wouldn’t be able to see Dee’s obsession in that case. Yeah, he’s already had a  demon possesion ™, but it was too easy to him to win. No challenge. No “kill or be killed”, “It’s me or you” mojo.  He needed some tough gamer for challenging, to develop his character, push him too far. And  April, actually, is an excellent choice to reveal the character of certain purple turtle.To expose his true colours. And April do a great job: they know each other, so battle will be spicy, they are both compepitors, they are so alike, so it would be intersting to watch Donatello vs April. And it will, ‘cause In-game April and In-game Don is somewhat different than them usual.

April is Don’s slayer for sure. She’s good at gaming, her last attack was almost fatal for him. So he had to to cheated on her. 

Captain Cuddlecakes. Yes, she know about his afraid of togetherness. And there’s lovey-dovey attack animation with this cuddling and Donatello’s persona behaves like him. And it was SPECIAL RUN, so... I haven’t the foggiest why. Cute detail, I mean.

Just look at it.  Isn’t it cute?(at least we got their hugs somewhere... kinda. kinda.)

“Snow Day“, albeit  being family episode, shows a lot about D&A relationship through “family war”.

First of all, the same taste in films.   

Donnie’s already shown the same attitude to fashion, scary things as Cap O'Neil, April shares the same gamer’s mojo as Donatello, but now? We have Donnie and April that are loving the same movie.

For love of purple supernovas, of all the Jupiter Jim’s movies (and there are more than 60 of them), that's a convinient coincidence, they like the same movie.

It stated in series several times that Dee is fond of Atomic Lass. He had crush on her when he was child, he admires her by all his heart, so it will make sense if films with this character he would be his favourite. It’s logical, isn’t it?

Atomic Lass, even if she is part of JJ-universe, however, isn't in every movie. Leo described "JJ: Pluto vacation IV" and there is no sights of Atomic Lass. Like, at all. 

Nevertheless, April’s claimed that “PV-4” is the best movie of the time, and Don agrees. 

April:What the whaaaat? Hold up, Skip. “Jupiter Jim Pluto Vacation 4″ is the best JJ movie  of all time.

Donnie:Ranked, by us, just now. So it’s basically official, no arguing.

And they do this thing again. Reflecting each other. Facial expressions, intonations, poses and etc. Haven’t I mentiones that? Mirroring is natural way to build communication. People, who communicate enthusiastically, who have sympathy to each other, feelings of certain nature, unconsciously copy each other's poses.

Direct reflection and close contact have a strong effect. This is used between lovers, people with close relationships or interested in each other.

And you can see that during not only episode, but through the whole series. 

Poses, gestures, facial expressions they share constantly. Even if they are apart, they are mirroring each other, showing their bound. Because Apritello is not always about sitting close, holding hands and blushing. Apritello is about staying together even if they are not.  It’s about solid foundation, about synergy, about chemistry Donnie and April share. And all of these are not always so obvious and clear, evident. But so realistic nevertheless.

And that’s why they splitted off the fam - they are too close and alike. 

I stated it before but DonniexApril team is way more effective than Donniexbrothers team. Donatello and April are equal, worth each other. They are comfortable with each other, their teamwork is amazing. 

They are always near, close to each other for the entire episode. Stand up for each other, side by side. They have no need to do team-building, because their sincronization is incredible. April works well together with Donnie, their skills compliment each other. 

I love that April in a first place look at Donnie to check is everything alright.

And a cherry on top?

This inviting gesture. Donnie just watched all along how his brothers and April try to throw some cold water on this situation (khem, it slipped). But when April call him with this inviting gesture, he’d like to help. 

In other words, he was waitng when April requests for his help.    

Composition’s boners

Sometimes it happens during the show, but this episode beat hte score at this point. I say only one word: physics. Or, more precisely, the force of attraction. Or, maybe Mayham.

... Anyway.

Fitting in the type

April can play not so nice against her enemies, she got steady hand and meanness, merciless and reclessness. She’s passionate and kinda badass, sassy - in a positive way, she’s baddest girl who can kick your butt if you mess with her, and she really good at this. 

She has a fire, and Donnie likes that. Dee never stated that directly but miss O’Neil impressed him so many times and in different way so it’s kinda pretty obvious. 

Just look how Donatello reacted the way April took Raph down a peg. Her actions are elegant, relaxed but really sly. She almost dare Raph to put his flag on top only to bring him down to Earth in really painful way. She destroyed Bros’ team so easily just by waiting a bit and by calling Mayham. 

She’s definetely got some pepper.

Pretty cute but baddest, don’t you think?

And Donnie was impressed for sure, he admitted it - “That is fun for me”. He don’t even stand a chance, c’mon: she’s smarass and elegant, she can be mean and cute at the same time. 

Even though that’s it for season 1 analysis (the last series is more appropriate  to review as part of 2nd season, plus it was a reaally big post, I need some time)

You can refresh this whole situation in the car 1 and the car 2 or follow the hashtag #apritello express as you please. It’s a pleasure of mine, keep in touch :)

[ucflibrary]

The national celebration of African American History was started by Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian and the founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and first celebrated as a weeklong event in February of 1926. After a half century of overwhelming popularity, the event was expanded to a full month in 1976 by President Gerald Ford.

Here at UCF Libraries we believe that knowledge empowers everyone in our community and that recognizing past inequities is the only way to prevent their continuation. This is why our February Featured Bookshelf suggestions range from celebrating outstanding African Americans to works illuminating the effects of systemic racism in our country. We are proud to present our top staff suggested books in honor of Black History Month 2021.

Click on the link below to see the full list, descriptions, and catalog links for the Black History Month titles suggested by UCF Library employees. These books plus many, many more are also on display on the main floor of the John C. Hitt Library near the Research & Information Desk.

 A Black Women’s History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross In centering Black women's stories, two award-winning historians seek both to empower African American women and to show their allies that Black women's unique ability to make their own communities while combatting centuries of oppression is an essential component in our continued resistance to systemic racism and sexism. Berry and Gross prioritize many voices: enslaved women, freedwomen, religious leaders, artists, queer women, activists, and women who lived outside the law. The result is a starting point for exploring Black women's history and a testament to the beauty, richness, rhythm, tragedy, heartbreak, rage, and enduring love that abounds in the spirit of Black women in communities throughout the nation. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

 A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing: the incarceration of African American women from Harriet Tubman to Sandra Bland by DaMaris B. Hill For black American women, the experience of being bound has taken many forms: from the bondage of slavery to the Reconstruction-era criminalization of women; from the brutal constraints of Jim Crow to our own era's prison industrial complex, where between 1980 and 2014, the number of incarcerated women increased by 700%. For those women who lived and died resisting the dehumanization of confinement--physical, social, intellectual--the threat of being bound was real, constant, and lethal. From Harriet Tubman to Assata Shakur, Ida B. Wells to Sandra Bland and Black Lives Matter, black women freedom fighters have braved violence, scorn, despair, and isolation in order to lodge their protests. DaMaris Hill honors their experiences with at times harrowing, at times hopeful responses to her heroes, illustrated with black-and-white photographs throughout. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 Be Free or Die: the amazing story of Robert Smalls' escape from slavery to Union hero by Cate Lineberry Cate Lineberry's compelling narrative illuminates Robert Smalls’ amazing journey from slave to Union hero and ultimately United States Congressman. This captivating tale of a valuable figure in American history gives fascinating insight into the country's first efforts to help newly freed slaves while also illustrating the many struggles and achievements of African Americans during the Civil War. Suggested by Dawn Tripp, Research & Information Services

 Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans Fearless, funny, and ultimately tender, Evans's stories offer a bold new perspective on the experience of being young and African-American or mixed-race in modern-day America. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

 Black Fatigue: how racism erodes the mind, body, and spirit by Mary-Frances Winters This is the first book to define and explore Black fatigue, the intergenerational impact of systemic racism on the physical and psychological health of Black people--and explain why and how society needs to collectively do more to combat its pernicious effects. Suggested by Glen Samuels, Circulation

 Deacon King Kong by James McBride From James McBride comes a wise and witty novel about what happens to the witnesses of a shooting. In September 1969, a fumbling, cranky old church deacon known as Sportcoat shuffles into the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project in south Brooklyn, pulls a .45 from his pocket, and in front of everybody shoots the project's drug dealer at point-blank range. McBride brings to vivid life the people affected by the shooting: the victim, the African-American and Latinx residents who witnessed it, the white neighbors, the local cops assigned to investigate, the members of the Five Ends Baptist Church where Sportcoat was deacon, the neighborhood's Italian mobsters, and Sportcoat himself. As the story deepens, it becomes clear that the lives of the characters--caught in the tumultuous swirl of 1960s New York--overlap in unexpected ways. When the truth does emerge, McBride shows us that not all secrets are meant to be hidden, that the best way to grow is to face change without fear, and that the seeds of love lie in hope and compassion. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

 Different Strokes: Serena, Venus, and the unfinished Black tennis revolution by Cecil Harris Harris chronicles the rise of the Williams sisters, as well as other champions of color, closely examining how African Americans are collectively faring in tennis, on the court and off. Despite the success of the Williams sisters and the election of former pro player Katrina Adams as the U.S. Tennis Association’s first black president, top black players still receive racist messages via social media and sometimes in public. The reality is that while significant progress has been made in the sport, much work remains before anything resembling equality is achieved. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the power of hope by Jon Meacham John Lewis, who at age twenty-five marched in Selma and was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, is a visionary and a man of faith. Using intimate interviews with Lewis and his family and deep research into the history of the civil rights movement, Meacham writes of how the activist and leader was inspired by the Bible, his mother's unbreakable spirit, his sharecropper father's tireless ambition, and his teachers in nonviolence, Reverend James Lawson and Martin Luther King, Jr. A believer in hope above all else, Lewis learned from a young age that nonviolence was not only a tactic but a philosophy, a biblical imperative, and a transforming reality. Integral to Lewis's commitment to bettering the nation was his faith in humanity and in God, and an unshakable belief in the power of hope. Meacham calls Lewis as important to the founding of a modern and multiethnic twentieth- and twenty-first century America as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and Samuel Adams were to the initial creation of the nation-state in the eighteenth century. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

 Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick by Zora Neale Hurston An outstanding collection of stories about love and migration, gender and class, racism and sexism that proudly reflect African American folk culture. Brought together for the first time in one volume, they include eight of Hurston’s “lost” Harlem stories, which were found in forgotten periodicals and archives. These stories challenge conceptions of Hurston as an author of rural fiction and include gems that flash with her biting, satiric humor, as well as more serious tales reflective of the cultural currents of Hurston’s world. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

 Race, Sports, and Education: improving opportunities and outcomes for black male college athletes by John N. Singer Through his analysis of the system and his attention to student views and experiences, Singer crafts a valuable, nuanced account and points in the direction of reforms that would significantly improve the educational opportunities and experiences of these athletes. At a time when collegiate sports have attained unmistakable institutional value and generated unprecedented financial returns-all while largely failing the educational needs of its athletes-this book offers a clear, detailed vision of the current situation and suggestions for a more equitable way forward. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 Real Life by Brandon Taylor A novel of rare emotional power that excavates the social intricacies of a late-summer weekend -- and a lifetime of buried pain. Almost everything about Wallace, an introverted African-American transplant from Alabama, is at odds with the lakeside Midwestern university town where he is working toward a biochem degree. For reasons of self-preservation, Wallace has enforced a wary distance even within his own circle of friends -- some dating each other, some dating women, some feigning straightness. But a series of confrontations with colleagues, and an unexpected encounter with a young straight man, conspire to fracture his defenses, while revealing hidden currents of resentment and desire that threaten the equilibrium of their community. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

 Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde In this charged collection of fifteen essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change. Her prose is incisive, unflinching, and lyrical, reflecting struggle but ultimately offering messages of hope. Suggested by Emily Horne, Rosen Library

 The Privileged Poor: how elite colleges are failing disadvantaged students by Abraham Jack College presidents and deans of admission have opened their doors--and their coffers--to support a more diverse student body. But is it enough just to let them in? Anthony Jack reveals that the struggles of less privileged students continue long after they've arrived on campus. In their first weeks they quickly learn that admission does not mean acceptance. In this bracing and necessary book, Jack documents how university policies and cultures can exacerbate preexisting inequalities, and reveals why these policies hit some students harder than others. Jack provides concrete advice to help schools reduce these hidden disadvantages--advice we cannot afford to ignore. Suggested by Peggy Nuhn, UCF Connect Libraries

 The Sun Does Shine: how I found life and freedom on death row by Anthony Ray Hinton, with Lara Love Hardin In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Stunned, confused, and only twenty-nine years old, Hinton knew that it was a case of mistaken identity and believed that the truth would prove his innocence and ultimately set him free. But with no money and a different system of justice for a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution. He spent his first three years on Death Row at Holman State Prison in agonizing silence, full of despair and anger toward all those who had sent an innocent man to his death. But as Hinton realized and accepted his fate, he resolved not only to survive, but find a way to live on Death Row. For the next twenty-seven years he was a beacon, transforming not only his own spirit, but those of his fellow inmates, fifty-four of whom were executed mere feet from his cell. With the help of civil rights attorney and author Bryan Stevenson, Hinton won his release in 2015. Suggested by Lily Dubach, UCF Connect Libraries

 This is Major: notes on Diana Ross, dark girls, and being dope by Shayla Lawson Shayla Lawson is major. You don't know who she is, yet, but that's okay. She is on a mission to move black girls like herself from best supporting actress to a starring roles in the major narrative. With a unique mix of personal stories, pop culture observations, and insights into politics and history, Lawson sheds light on the many ways black femininity has influenced mainstream culture. Timely, enlightening, and wickedly sharp, Lawson shows how major black women and girls really are. Suggested by Glen Samuels, Circulation

 We Want Our Bodies Back by Jessica Care Moore Over the past two decades, Jessica Care Moore has become a cultural force as a poet, performer, publisher, activist, and critic. Reflecting her transcendent electric voice, this searing poetry collection is filled with moving, original stanzas that speak to both Black women’s creative and intellectual power, and express the pain, sadness, and anger of those who suffer constant scrutiny because of their gender and race. Fierce and passionate, she argues that Black women spend their lives building a physical and emotional shelter to protect themselves from misogyny, criminalization, hatred, stereotypes, sexual assault, objectification, patriarchy, and death threats. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

[madeyed]

(   *  💀  /  aria shahghasemi, cis man, he / him  )  —  is that alastor moody i just saw rushing down the corridor ? i hear they’re a twenty-one year old hufflepuff, returning for their seventh school year, but their friends would tell you that they are protective & astute as well as paranoid & disagreeable. if you want to know more about them, i guess i could tell you that they’re pureblood, and from what i hear, they’re currently allying with the order. when our divination professor looks into their crystal ball, they see: a well-worn journal, locked & spelled shut; empty firewhisky bottles lined up along the windowsill; dark circles beneath suspicious eyes; the fading shadow of youthful bravado; a supple leather coat that still smells like home.  —  ( kit, she / they, 23, cet. )

tw — parental death ( murder ), assault & violence, mourning, alcohol mentions, allusions to mental health issues & addiction, hospital mentions. 

basics ,

full name.  alastor jawed moody. known as.  alastor, moody, al only to select friends. age / date of birth.  twenty-one / september 19th, 1958. year.  seventh year. blood status.  pureblood. house.  hufflepuff. alliance.  the order. gender / pronouns.  cis man, he / him. orientation.  bisexual. extracurriculars.  beater for the hufflepuff quidditch team; member of the charms and toothill duelling clubs.  additional stats.  click here. pinterest.  click here.

early life ,

alastor moody is born at home, in a small brick house by the seaside that has been in the family for generations; the yard is quaint, if somewhat overgrown, the wooden window frames spiderwebbed and peeling white paint, the chimney billowing smoke in the winters. although he often longs for a sibling, he remains an only child all his life. at the time of his birth, his parents are early in their careers as aurors, and thoughful, foresightful people above all; with their demanding schedules they think no more than one child is best. it’s not a terrible decision, by any means, and there is enough love in the household to go around.

he is raised with strong values, and a strong sense of duty, family, and respect; he is made aware of the weight of the world at a young age. or, his parents try to impress this upon him, making the world appear darker and heavier than it seems to the young boy. he loves and respects his parents, but he tends to disregard their warnings, to play more recklessly than they might like. 

although his parents always make time for the shabbat, for birthdays and holidays, their job is by necessity demanding, and alastor learns independence at a young age. an only child, he longs for meaningful friendships, but struggles to make friends with muggle children in the village; instead, though he does his best, he spends much of his time alone or with children of his parents’ friends. 

he thinks almost all his life that he is ready for death. it was a simple and honest truth in the moody household that their work, though important and necessary, was dangerous. he sees narrow brushes with danger all his young life, accompanying his parents to too many funerals to count; he learns protection charms before he learns to tie his shoes. and so he thinks of death as a family friend, a familiar acquaintance, and foolishly pats himself on the back for being so well-adjusted, for accepting reality instead of fearing it.

hogwarts ,

when he first arrives at hogwarts, he is calm, unassuming; he doesn’t arrive, like so many purebloods do, with the weight of countless expectations upon his shoulders. nor does he feel like he is escaping some restriction, and finally free; if anything, he is less independent here, under the watchful eyes of prefects and professors, and he grates a little against rules he thinks are foolish or unnecessary.

when it’s his turn to be sorted, the sorting hat only hesitates for a moment between gryffindor and hufflepuff; he is brave, yes, fearless to the point of recklessness, but when the hat poses the question, all alastor can do is shrug. his mother was a slytherin, his father a hufflepuff, and so he doesn’t really mind either way; he knows who he is, regardless of what house colors he wears, and that is enough for the sorting hat to know where he belongs.

he fits in well in hufflepuff, but doesn’t restrict himself to just that; he’s never felt particularly inclined to draw harsh lines in the sand, and makes friends across houses and even years. it helps that his name commands some respect — not from some purebloods, who sneer and consider him and his family all blood traitors, but from the rest, who read the headlines about aurors apprehending dark wizards and are pleased. 

in his second year, though, the headlines change. he is called out of history of magic class — something he had almost enjoyed, at the time, and still hates himself for — and brought to the headmaster’s office, where he’s made to wait until his mother arrives. he’s sixteen when he hears of his father’s death, and it feels like the unshakeable world comes crashing in. he thinks he can prepare for death, steel himself against the pain and struggle through mourning with a straight spine and dry eyes, but he’s a fool, and just a boy at that. 

he’s outgrown his childhood funeral suit, so he wears his father’s mourning robes to the funeral; they’re well-worn, mended at the hems, and alastor finds two knuts and a sickle in the pockets. he leans on his mother, and she leans on him, and she seems both stronger and more vulnerable than he’s ever seen her. they sit shiva together, the two of them in their little seaside home. alastor’s always felt distant from the muggle locals and neighbors, friendly but unable to connect, but they show up all the same. in twos and threes they arrive with their food, condolences, well-wishes, their offers to weed the yard or pick up groceries for the mourning family; it’s their good will that helps the moodys through their grief, more than the ministry’s stiff condolences and posthumous honours.

he returns to hogwarts changed; more anxious, more wary. his heart leaps in his throat every time he receives a letter, fearful it will be news of his mother’s death. he grows harder, less tolerant of snide anti-muggle comments even when they’re almost innocuous. he’s always been a relatively serious boy, but now he hardly laughs at all, and when he does, there’s a bite to it. he excels in school, working doubly hard, already certain he must become an auror and insistent upon achieving it, but there’s no pride in it, no competition; he just knows what needs to be done.

but as months turn to years the passing time lulls him into a false sense of security; at some point, the pain of loss turns from a sharp agony to an ever-present but dull ache. alastor joins the quidditch team, the duelling club ( where he quickly gains a formidable reputation ), has his first of many hogsmeades dates, and feels, foolishly, that life might simply carry on, without too much effort on his behalf. even as war brews on the horizon he assures himself it will be an easy victory, that strength and righteousness will always win out. he prepares, but with a youthful foolishness; he thinks this might be the chance to avenge his father, to protect the weak, to prove himself a warrior. 

the summer between his sixth and seventh year, his mother is so busy she’s barely in the house; when she is, it’s never long before she’s called to yet another meeting, yet another raid. he visits her office often, tea and sandwiches in tow, memorizing the names and faces that are pinned up around the auror office, the most wanted, the suspected conspirators, the known associates. the writing is on the wall: danger approaches. the house is reinforced, protection charms everywhere, locks re-spelled, alarms at all entrances, but at the same time, life goes on.

it’s a rare evening when the two of them are home together, barbecuing kebab in the yard in the late summer sun, a moment of peace among all the concern. they share a bottle of firewhiskey, reminiscing, and laughing together, and making plans to weed the front yard, paint the window frames, and mend the fence — helpful little things alastor can do over the summer while his mother is so very busy at work.

he crawls into bed drunk and at peace, thinking about paint swatches, warm breeze through the open window, the cat curled up at the foot of his bed — and startles awake hours later, still half-drunk to the sound of crashing, glass shattering, the very foundations of the house trembling. the smell of something burning rises from the stairs, and despite his fear he jumps up instantly. there are death eaters in the house ( alastor counts four but thinks there may have been more ), in their black robes and silver masks, and by the time he’s halfway down the stairs his mother is already dead. he fights back as well as he can, but he’s alone, unprepared, and is hit with a curse before he can do much of anything. 

they leave him there, unconscious in the slow-smoking ruins of the sitting room. something about not unnecessarily spilling pure blood, and he’s only a boy, and clearly no threat. he is awakened as other aurors arrive, his parents’ colleagues and friends, and he’s so out of sorts he must be petrified and sedated before he can be taken to st. mungos. this time, he is drunk at the funeral, hiding red eyes behind sunglasses, and he sits his shiva alone, permitting no visitors. he takes what he needs from home: clothes, books, heirlooms, the sneakoscope and foe glass and his father’s old coat, and leaves, renting a room at the leaky cauldron for the rest of the summer.

he returns to hogwarts changed once more; furious, pained, burning the candle at both ends trying to find a way to win a war that hasn’t even truly started yet. 

personality , hcs , etc. ,

alastor has always been confident, wavering between self-assured and simply cocky, depending on who you ask. he was raised to respect and value everyone, and that includes himself, but he has always also thought of himself as a little more clued in, a little more worldly, than most others. this is in part because his parents confronted him with the reality of the world at quite a young age, and in part because of the horrors he has himself witnessed. although he isn’t usually a dick about it, he does tend to think he’s the most aware, clued in person in the room, or the only one who really knows how the world works.

he’s also quite concerned with projecting the image of strength, not because he’s really that concerned with what other people think, but more because he believes pretty strongly in the whole ‘fake it till ya make it’ idea, and feels like showing weakness means you are weak. plus it makes you a target.

has a fat orange cat named fried egg, or just fry for short; she’s four years old, and the grandchild of the same cat his father had when he was at hogwarts. she’s a hellish little demon cat who does her best to catch rats, frogs, small owls, bowtruckles, bag charms, and pretty much anything else she can get her little paws on. can and will claim a whole couch in the common room by stretching out right in the middle. if there’s a small dead creature in the hufflepuff common room or dorms you know who to blame. 

alastor enjoys quidditch, but isn’t particularly competitive; he likes playing beater as it’s a pretty good release for aggression. he plays an aggressive match especially against slytherins, and will more use quidditch as an outlet for his personal vendettas, rather than that it informs them. absolutely fearless on the pitch, and has broken multiple bones, including his nose. don’t play chicken with him, he can and will run straight into you just to prove a point.

although he’s something of a duelling prodigy ( or rather, he’s been well trained since a young age ) and excels at defense against the dark arts and transfiguration, alastor’s top favorite class is care of magical creatures. he just thinks they’re neat. is he a bit of a dragon fanboy ? maybe so.

deeply paranoid, suspicious, and untrusting, especially now. he keeps a notebook of notes, newspaper clippings, observations and overheard conversations, helpful spells and countercurses, and a running list of which classmates and families he suspects of being death eaters, and of which students he fears might become targets. it’s well-spelled to keep out prying eyes, but you can often find him scribbling in it when he should be taking notes in class. 

more to be added ! 

plots ,

just wanted to say first of all that i love plotting, hc’ing, brainstorming, etc. so please hit me up ! if nothing here works i’m super happy to think of something else. also, every single one of these is open to all genders unless specified ! i also especially love plotting based on other connections ( i.e. muse a and muse b are friends, muse b and muse c are exes, therefore muse a and muse c do not get along, or smth ) idk i just have a lot of ideas !

best friends.  any house, but preferably for seventh years ? should be either order aligned or neutral but sympathetic to the order. these would be the very few people in the world alastor is still somewhat vulnerable around, and the few who can still get him to smile these days. also the only people he will take any shit from. the people he considers family, now that he has none of his own left. 

other order members. the options here are so many ! people who fully share his convictions and with whom he can share his theories, who problem-solve and discuss together. people ( particularly muggleborns or younger students ) whom alastor feels very protective of and worried about. can be annoying and overbearing or he’s just keeping an eye on them from a distance, or maybe helping them train. or people who are in the order but whom alastor doesn’t trust; pretty much any pureblood / slytherin / anyone with death eater family would fall under this. lots of options ! 

family friends.  alastor’s parents were very well-respected in the wizarding community, upstanding citizens, well-known and talented aurors, and all around good people; they could have gone to hogwarts with your muse’s parents or otherwise gotten to know them from work or through pretty much any other avenue ! this could go a few different ways, either they can be good long-term childhood friends, or perhaps they never got along but had to suck it up because their parents were friends, etc. 

enemies.  listen, i’m sure alastor has a ton of these ! gimme all the baby death eaters, slytherins, and pureblood supremacists. or even just characters who are just neutral but tangentially related to anyone who might be a death eater. alastor doesn’t discriminate between hatefulness and cowardice, it’s all the same to him: two sides of the same self-serving coin that gets other people killed. he can and will cause problems for them on purpose. absolutely will not hesitate to cause physical injury, or curse someone if they are out of line; you use the word mudblood in his presence and he can and will hex your tongue in a knot or, idk, turn you into a ferret. 

people involved in his family’s deaths.  ok this would definitely be quite a heavy plot and would need to be discussed quite a bit, but i think it could be neat ? alastor’s father died in the line of duty and may or may not have been targeted, but his mother was explicitly killed by death eaters because of the threat she posed. that could have been your muse’s death eater parents, or the hit could have been part of your character’s death eater initiation ( and maybe even the reason why al was allowed to live ? idk man just gimme the drama ) but either way ! alastor is investigating, angry, suspicious, and there will be hell to pay if he figures it out. think it could b a cute terrible dramatic plot.

exes.  gimme a handful of these, with a bit of variety, please, i love them. something short-lived and intense over the course of one semester, that ends when one or both of them gets a little too far into their feelings ! something sweet and quaint in their early years, with first little hogsmeade dates and hand-holding ! a former fwb thing with bad communication that falls apart and leaves them both with some hard feelings ! good friends that think they have feelings for each other, date for two weeks, and then give it up and go back to just being pals ! honestly especially when he was slightly younger and less paranoid, depressed, etc. alastor was definitely weak as fuck for a pretty face. 

the one bad ex-ish.  listen i just very specifically love the idea of alastor having some insanely intense chemistry with a death eater aligned character, that enemies to lovers ( who are still definitely enemies ) vibe. every time they hook up they both regret it intensely, and are to embarrassed to ever tell their friends. they both kinda think they hate the other person, and know they’re on different sides of a brewing war, but also. brain empty very sexy.

crushes / unrequited / un-acted-upon feelings.  ok listen, correct me if i’m wrong, call me out, etc. but alastor’s a whole 6′2″ of broad shoulders, gorgeous hair, green eyes, he’s all tall dark and handsome and also tortured, also a quidditch player, intimidating, etc. and i love the idea of people having crushes on him bc he’d be either annoyed or oblivious and that amuses me greatly. what a man tbh. also love the idea of him having feelings for someone, perhaps even over a longer period of time, but absolutely not wanting to tell them bc he has a bit of a martyr complex, is afraid of losing the people he loves, and also thinks he’s no good and gonna get them killed ! also could just be someone he had a crush on earlier and no longer does, but still thinks they’re just incredibly cool and admires them. could go lots of ways tbh.

study buddy.  so, honestly, alastor’s not concerned that much with school beyond needing the qualifications to become an auror. this would probably be someone with similar aspirations/goals; someone who wants to get the grade but spends more time researching obscure defensive spells and countercurses and hex reversals which will never be on the test, because those are ultimately more important. they both just help support each other academically to make sure they get where they need to be, and practice and work on more advanced combat magic together as well.

neighbors.  kind of, not really ? after his mother’s death alastor’s been living in a rented room in diagon alley, avoiding his family home at all costs. this could be someone who either lives there or in london more generally who he keeps running into over that summer. he’s probably deeply unpleasant particularly at that time so forgive him in advance pls.

drinking buddies.  does alastor have a drinking problem ? maybe. but he also has much, much bigger problems he has to solve first, hence the drinking. he’ll manage just fine on his own too, but that doesn’t mean it’s not nice to sit in relative silence next to someone. he prefers the quiet and general Bad Vibes at the hog’s head over the three broomsticks, but isn’t that picky. 

duelling rival.  a member of the duelling club who alastor absolutely hates, and who hates him. they absolutely drive each other to perform better and push each other hard, but that’s not because they’re trying to help the other improve; it’s because when they duel they are actually straight up trying to kill each other, while making it seem like an accident.

[scharoux]

There's Something About Meara...

Thought I would share a bit more about my wild child seeing as I've been doing a bit more writing and art about her lately.

Full Name: Mearanna 'Meara' Lavellan

Age: 22 (start of the conclave)

Class: Rogue Archer/Clan Hunter

Personality Traits:

Brave

Stubborn

Loyal

Competitive

Sarcastic

Open-minded

Extroverted

Confident

Physical Appearance:

Long dark-chocolate hair

Vivid yellow-green eyes

FRECKLES!!!

Several scars on her and face and body

June Vallaslin

5' 4"

Physically fit with muscular definition

Hobbies/Interests:

Archery

Drinking

Endurance training

Horse/Hart riding

Wicked Grace (Varric taught her)

Anything competitive

SNOW (she loves it)

Carving (her father's a craftsman)

Background;

Mearanna is the youngest in her family, just don't call her 'Mearanna' or she might punch you. She has an elder sister named Mihren (@velannas OC). Mihren is four years older than Meara, and spent a lot of time watching over her in their youth. They have a very strong unshakable bond. So strong that when Mihren was sent to the conclave, Meara was furious that she couldn't accompany her. Once she heard that her sister was being hailed as the 'Herald of Andraste' though she quickly joined her in Haven, defying her Keeper's orders. Her decision would change her life in more ways than she could ever know.

( Mihren Lavellan - SS by @velannas )

As a child Meara was fearless. Often getting in over her head in certain situations, regularly getting hurt, which meant she was in trouble a lot. She spent most of her time besting the boys in her clan at archery contests and feats of skill, and she wasn't afraid to get in a scrap of two because she's competitive. Meara had no interest in boys in her early teens, and she broke more than a few hearts as she got a bit older. Until one day boys weren't just her friend's and they became a bit more.

Meara had a bit of a cavalier outlook on romance and sex in general. She had no interest in settling down with any of the boys in her clan because she'd grown up with them, and we're basically like her brothers. Brothers who she could beat in an arm wrestling contest without much effort. She lost her virginity to one of the boys from a neighboring clan, one summer night on a whim. Unfortunately for her the marriage proposal came only two days later. Meara had seen many marriages take place purely because both parties were of age and according to tradition that meant they needed to be wed. She had no desire to marry purely because traditional dictated she should. As a result, Meara has a bit of 'commitment issues'. She's got it in her head that falling in love means marriage, children and settling down into a complacent life. And that's the last thing Meara wants.

After she joins her sister in the Inquisition, Meara takes an instant shining to Varric, Harding, Dorian and Bull. Especially Bull. Their friendship remains close, even though they shared a very steamy night together after joking about having sex for several months.

Meara isn't particularly interested in Cullen at first, even though she finds him very handsome for a Shem. Initially she thinks he's wound too tight, so she makes it a personal goal to make him blush as much as possible. Eventually her shameless flirting results in them getting to know one another more and the pieces start falling into place. A friendship blooms and one thing leads to another. Much to her sisters delight.

[nxbuas]

Tsuna thought about his Guardians, who were all fast growing in infamy. They were all dangerous, but they showed it in different manners. 

Hibari wore danger like a skin. It was in his menacing eyes, sharp and cold, and in the way he moved, like a hunting cat prowling for prey. He didn’t bother to hide it; if anyone gets in his way, he’ll bite them. Even at his laziest, basking under the sun during his downtime, there was no concealing the killer intent bristling off his frame. Tsuna could almost taste the threat on his tongue every time he goes too near to his Cloud. 

Mukuro was the deceptive Mist, but he couldn’t hide it any better than Hibari could hide his. It was all in his red eye and knowing smiles, the constant malice lurking behind his gaze. 

Chrome, like the Mist, could misled easily. People sees her timid gaze and petite body, and underestimated her. But her haunted stare and strangeness was her armor, as much as her illusions.

Gokudera was a bomb just waiting to be triggered. In the snarl in the twist of his lips, in his ever-simmering green eyes, in the suspicious glare in the furrow of his brows, in the rows of rings adorning his fingers, in the curl of smoke and ashes wafting from his cigarette. 

Ryohei was loud and blazing, like the sun pulling all attention towards him. He was always covered in bruises and plasters, calloused knuckles and fingers speaking of a lifetime of fighting. He walked like he was unafraid of the world, reckless fearlessness daring anyone to attack. 

Lambo, at fifteen, reeked of old money. He was dangerous in the way Mafia screamed out from his clothes, his mannerisms, his speech. It was apparent that he grew up surrounded by mafiaso his entire life. He was less dangerous as an individual, but more dangerous because of his abnormal lack of reaction to the brutality of their world. 

Tsuna and Yamamoto were the most alike. But only in some ways. Tsuna sees himself as having two sides of him. One was Sawada Tsuna; Dame-Tsuna, cowardly, wimpy, brave and protective of his loved ones. Willing to throw himself in front of danger for his friends. The other was the Vongola Tenth, eyes glowing with Hyper Intuition; unshakable, determined, willing to do whatever it takes to protect his friends. Tsuna held his danger like a weapon, taking it out whenever required, shoving it into his pocket once he’s done.

Yamamoto, he thinks, is danger. He sees no different between his identity as a high school student too good at baseball and his other selves; Vongola Rain, assassin, swordsman, friend, son. They were all Yamamoto Takeshi, and he wasn’t ashamed or shy about any of them. He was dangerous not because he could hide it behind an unassuming, easy-going mask, but because he doesn’t have to. He might not be the strongest, but out of all his Guardians, Tsuna feared his Rain the most. Fear was too harsh though; Tsuna could never be afraid of any of his friends. But when your Hyper Intuition doesn’t warn you until your best friend lets his smile fade and the coldness slipped into those hazel eyes? It itched at the back of his mind, that he couldn’t even predict what his Rain would do. 

[meditationadvise]

Affirmations and Subconscious Mind Programming For Daily Use

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[mczreads]

Gods of Jade and Shadow

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Published July 23, 2019 by Del Ray.

4 stars

Casiopea Tun yearns to leave her life of servitude and see the big cities of the world. She dreams of fast dances and faster cars, finding temporary escape through books, while her family forces her to cook and clean and tend to her cruel grandfather and her equally awful brat of a cousin, Martín. One day, she opens a trunk in her grandfather’s bedroom and unleashes the god of death. Hun-Kamé, Lord of Xibalba, requires Casiopea to travel with him to restore his godhood and reclaim the throne of the underwold from his brother, Vucub- Kamé. The ensuing story is part fantasy quest through Mexico and Xibalba, and part coming-of-age tale as Casiopea experiences the power of her words and choices.

The direct narration style and the taut thematic threads reminded me of the fairy tales and myths I read as a child. In those tales, an omniscient narrator tells us the stepmother is wicked, the princess is the most beautiful, and the warrior is cunning: thus it is so. The point of those stories is not so much the motivations of each character, but the lessons learned from being cruel or brave or clever. Gods of Jade and Shadow strikes a balance between a traditional fairy tale of archetypes and a contemporary novel with developed characters. At times the story can feel like it is telling instead of showing, but given the subject matter, I can forgive this stylistic choice.

The alternating settings of 1920s Mexico and the Xibalba heighten the supernatural aspects of the story; the Jazz Age encourages new trends in fashion, music, and technology, which seem frightening to those clinging to tradition, while the Mayan underworld remains constant and eternal, yet utterly surreal.

I haven’t read a true fantasy book months, and this novel was a gratifying return to the genre. I felt grumpy whenever I was kept from reading, and now that I’ve finished it I want to re-read it immediately. I’d recommend this book to anyone, but more specifically to people I know so that we can enthuse over it together.

Spoilers behind the cut.

I am a simple, flawed human who knows what she enjoys. When I saw this listed as a Book of the Month selection, I had a feeling it would satisfy at least one of my interests: 1) world mythology, 2) a young person lives the life they deserve after they stop feeling obligated to garbage people, 3) mortal and immortal fall in love after a dozen chapters of angst and pining. I got lucky on all three counts, though not in the way I expected.

Humans are storytellers, and I will always enjoy reading the myths different societies establish. I’m woefully ignorant about Mayan mythology, so everything god and monster introduced in the story was new to me. That was a relief. I wasn’t distracted by details that didn’t match the stories I heard previously, which sometimes happens in books with Greek and Roman figures, so I was able to focus on how their existence functioned in the story. I’m also a sucker for characters who love books and writing. Casiopea’s beloved father was a poet. Books are her comfort, and once she leaves home, they are her only frame of reference for everything outside her daily life. She can’t help but compare everything to a story, even as she reminds herself that life is not a fairy tale. Moreno-Garcia plays with the reader’s expectations of a story as well. She lays the narrative track early, so by the time the reader arrives at the climax, there’s an unshakeable feeling that the ending has already been decided. There’s the possibility of other endings--and part of me hoped it would end differently than it did--but none of them would have honored the story or been true to Casiopea’s character.

Moreno-Garcia says her book is not YA, but Casiopea is a young adult and her character arc is the unifying element of the story. I loved getting to know her and seeing her react to increasingly higher stakes. Casiopea is opinionated and has a strong sense of justice; she gets in trouble because she holds everyone to a high moral standard. This gets her in trouble with her family, who treat her mainly as a servant, but is particularly aggravating to her cousin, Martín. Martín is the only male heir of the wealthy family, an attractive young man who secretly fears leaving the familiarity of his hometown where everyone knows to treat him with respect. He’s mediocre yet entitled, which seems like it should be harmless but in the real world seems to cause the most damage. He is weak, and Casiopea recognizes his weakness, so the two clash often. The usurper Vucub- Kamé selects Martín as his mortal champion, and Martín’s behavior at the command of the god compared to Casiopea’s highlights her bravery. Of course, she is not fearless, and her trepidation manifests at what seem to be ordinary instances. When her hair is cut short in flapper style, her anxiety is both endearing and telling. She is a young woman, and her small Catholic town and society at large has plenty of opinions of what a young woman should look like. Readers can tell that living with an oppressive family in a judgemental town has deeply affected Casiopea, and watching her overcome these small moments of apprehension is satisfying to anyone who’s tried to overcome their internalized toxicity.

The most compelling part of the story for me was the relationship between Casiopea and Hun- Kamé, and I feel like this dynamic will be the deciding factor in other’s enjoyment of this book. There’s plenty of valid criticism of stories where young women fall in love with men with more life experience, through either age or immortality. When Casiopea opened the trunk containing Hun- Kamé’s remains, a bone shard pierces her hand and the resulting blood revives him. This bone shard connects them, allowing him to grow stronger but draining her of life. The reanimated Hun- Kamé appears as a grown man and seems dismissive toward Casiopea’s hesitance to travel with him; after all, he is a god, and human morality doesn’t apply to him. I felt a fair amount of trepidation at the start of their relationship. What mitigated the creep factor for me was that while they are connected, Casiopea’s mortality turns Hun- Kamé more human. His body appears physically younger and parts of his godly consciousness fade; he loses the perspective of a god and starts to react as a human would. He gains more respect for Casiopea’s views and behaves accordingly. The more equal footing makes their eventual attraction more palatable. In the end, even though there is an option to be together, Casiopea is the one who decides they should honor their original desires and reclaim the throne for Hun- Kamé, even if it means they can’t be together. As gratifying as a slow-burn romance can be, I think it’s even more rewarding when young characters recognize that the overlap between being in love and being satisfied is actually only a small part of a larger Venn diagram.*

The novel ends with Casiopea driving--not riding--into the distance, after all the narrative threads have been knotted off. It’s the ending the story deserved, though I would love to read more about these characters. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel, and in the meantime, I’ll be looking for an excuse to re-read this book.

*I say this as someone who pouted for a few hours before actually finishing the book.

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[EP] Fearless - Jodi Essex

…what limits? Exuding the brave confidence it takes to defy all impossibility, Christian-Rock Artist Jodi Essex’s upcoming six-track EP, “Fearless,” is a call to build the Kingdom with the strength of a warrior. Having survived cancer at 25, Essex’s courageous perspective on life is powered by an innate sense of mission and belief all people have immeasurable worth. In the face of turbulence and adversity, especially when it comes to sharing the Gospel, “Fearless” is about learning to fear less, conquering fear with unshakable faith; “Fearless” lyrics implore listeners to be “steadfast in fight” in the title track and music video out June 24, 2022, and the “Fearless” EP out July 8, 2022.  “We are encouragers called to serve,” Essex declares, “regardless of what that looks like in our respective lives. We must be bold and fearless in our leadership, proclaiming the unrelenting and powerful sway of our Almighty.” She goes on to ask, “When did Jesus shy away from doing what must be done?!?!” https://youtu.be/X_r8qkJ1R4A Through an inspired collaboration with Artist/Producer Josiah Prince of Disciple, Jodi Essex’s EP was co-written at Prince’s renowned studio, “The Ranch,” in Nashville, TN. With a process Essex describes as having “an easy ebb and flow,” Prince has raised the bar with respect to her rock-infused sound; the EP also features creative collaborations with Mix Engineer Matthew Arcaini, Sam Moses of Moses Mastering, PR with The Marketing Mixtape and Endeavor for Content Creation. As Essex went into the studio for this music project, there was a desire for transparency to answer age-old questions about how to stave off fear. Woven throughout all six songs are themes of fearlessness from previously-released singles “Offend,” about speaking one’s beliefs boldly, to “Unravel,” peeling back layers of vulnerability in God’s presence. In addition to the title track, “Fearless” includes “Lean,” encouraging listeners to boundlessly lean into God during struggles while also resisting the chaotic flow of culture, “Bandaid” about embracing instantaneous tenacity and “Shine,” a reggae-rock track about exuding the inextinguishable light from within.

Jodi Essex’s music has caught the attention of industry gatekeepers and listening audiences alike. In “Fearless,” the relentless six-track series continues Essex’s unapologetic proclamation of the Gospel. Her debut album released Summer 2020, “Irreverent,” instantly resonated with listeners as featured tracks rose into top-20 ranking. Essex’s music has been celebrated by outlets including NewReleaseToday, CCM Magazine, JesusFreakHideout and Worship Leader Magazine who gave it rave reviews. In addition, Essex’s debut album quickly racked up over 70k streams on Spotify, where its songs landed on several prominent playlists, including “New Music Friday Christian.” With the album release for “Irreverent,” Essex took to the stage with a livestream performance, proving her ability to bring ground-breaking messages to life in person.  No matter what walls may exist in her listeners’ lives, “Fearless” was created to help them tear it down with the profound might of a living, breathing relationship with Jesus Christ. “In turn,” Essex offers, “the same can afford us the opportunity to build ourselves back up stronger and more fearless than we could ever imagine.”  https://open.spotify.com/album/0ateiIu624TMCrDL0B5B5s?si=cd2e18fa67fb4f82 Read the full article