#which can be accessed through their kofi

[kirby-the-gorb]

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week

1. Arizona governor Ok's over the counter birth control

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) has expanded access to over-the-counter birth control that will “soon be available to Arizonans,” according to a press release.

Arizonans 18 and older will soon be able to go to their local pharmacy and purchase oral contraceptives without a doctor’s prescription.

2. ‘Great news’: EU hails discovery of massive phosphate rock deposit in Norway

A massive underground deposit of high-grade phosphate rock in Norway, pitched as the world’s largest, is big enough to satisfy world demand for fertilisers, solar panels and electric car batteries over the next 50 years, according to the company exploiting the resource. About 90% of the world’s mined phosphate rock is used in agriculture for the production of phosphorous for the fertiliser industry, for which there is currently no substitute.

3. U.S. Is Destroying the Last of Its Once-Vast Chemical Weapons Arsenal

Decades behind its initial schedule, the dangerous job of eliminating the world’s only remaining declared stockpile of lethal chemical munitions will be completed as soon as Friday.

4. Chinese scientists create edible food packaging to replace plastic

By incorporating certain soy proteins into the structure, Chinese University of Hong Kong scientists successfully created edible food packaging.

5. World's 1st 'tooth regrowth' medicine moves toward clinical trials in Japan

A Japanese research team is making progress on the development of a groundbreaking medication that may allow people to grow new teeth, with clinical trials set to begin in July 2024. The tooth regrowth medicine is intended for people who lack a full set of adult teeth due to congenital factors.

6. No Longer Endangered: The Bald Eagle is an Icon of the ESA

When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted in 1973, bald eagle population numbers across the country showed that the species was close to disappearing. Before the ESA, in the 1950s and ‘60s, eagles were shot routinely despite the protection. The ESA listing helped bring public attention to the issue.

Through the early 1970s and into the early ‘80s, numbers increased gradually. Then, as you got into the ‘90s, there was still gradual growth. From the late ‘90s into the 2000s, the population really exploded. There was a doubling rate of every several years or so for a while.

7. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon drops 34% in first half 2023

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon fell 34% in the first half of 2023, preliminary government data showed on Thursday, hitting its lowest level in four years as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva institutes tougher environmental policies.

Data produced by Brazil's national space research agency Inpe indicated that 2,649 square km (1,023 square miles) of rainforest were cleared in the region in the half year, the lowest for the period since 2019.

----

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation:

Support this newsletter ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog.

[adorkastock]

Themed Packs in my Kofi Shop for $5 or less

Some notes about paid packs:

you can get most of my themed packs through my patreon for $2.50+/mo including all of these I've listed which are included the 80 pack archive

most paid packs are advanced access which means the images in there will be free eventually but like in a long time because there's a lot of them and it will take forever to release them all individually

the license for use of these poses is the same as all my other poses I just ask you to not repost the packs in full before they are public because well I'm trying to live here ♥

need something special you don't see in my shop? My Patrons get requests and my Ko-fi has a commissions page for custom poses

happy drawing!

[clubdionysus]

TEASER [BD #61]

a/n: we've reached the uncharted territory of being caught on here! never thought i'd see the day!! chapter 61 isn't yet finished, but i'd like to give you a little something to tide you over---kofi subscribers will have already seen this (I do teasers and early access type things over there! (and on that note, kofi girlies, I'll have something for you tomorrow!)), but it will be new to most of you! hehe hopefully I shouldn't keep you waiting too long for the rest of the chapter x

wc: 1.4k (takes place midway through the chapter!)

Life dissolves with Jungkook. Days merge into one. Like a tablet in water, or stardust into the atmosphere, time just melts.

So does Jungkook, though. He sinks into the bliss with you. Crumbles. Collapses. Turns into a supernova like stars often do.

He lets himself merge into a shared identity with you. Is certain it isn’t normal of such a fledgling relationship. Doesn't care, regardless.

Days have rolled on by since the auction without much fuss. Deals have been finalised on winning bids, and Jungkook’s had meetings with realtors. Everything has happened with little thought. Life has just been accepted; new plans and opportunities integrated into the trajectory you’re on. No meteors to throw you off course nor cosmic calamities to falter your future.

Your name is on the interview list for Shinwon’s position, and Jungkook’s due to be accepting the keys for the building tomorrow. Everything is as it should be.

It’s terrifying, in a way. 

You spent so many years fearing the rug being swept from beneath your feet, but with Jungkook’s help, carpets have been laid. They’re not budging.

And nor is he as he sits across from you, legs crossed, his chessboard keeping you apart. It’s a rarity to be on his bed not wrapped up in one another—but he’s almost as serious about chess as he is about you. Almost.

“You know what to do,” he grins, adamant that his crash course in the game was easy to follow. In reality, he’d moved a few pieces, said a few words, and promised with a smile that you’d be able to beat him. 

His belief in you is sweet, but entirely misplaced. You’ve not made a single move without his gentle encouragement, most times resulting in you giving the match up on a silver platter. 

The correct terminology evades you, and so do the rules. An app sits on your phone unused, a subscription running up a small fortune from a membership never used. It was set up back in the early days of knowing Jungkook. You swore one day you’d be able to beat him—but life got busy, and quite frankly, chess is not your chosen way to unwind.

But spending time with Jungkook is, and so you’ll take him in any capacity you can.

“Which one should I move?” You pout, utterly transfixed on the chess pieces. There’s a bewildered panic to your expression, brows furrowed over your glittery eyes, hand hovering to and fro over your side of the board.

You single in on the bishop. Look his way with hopeful, wide eyes. He shakes his head.

“Diagonals only,” he reminds of how bishops move, at which point you realise it’s blocked in by pawns. Your hand moves to one of them, and he shrugs. “I mean… you can.”

“But should I?”

“You wanna capture the king,” he says, reaching across to dictate your movements. He secures your grip on the pawn, and gently pushes it up a single square to free the bishop’s pathway. “Shift this one up, just one space. Clear the diagonal if you want to move the bishop.”

You do as he says, putting the pawn back in its original position so that you can be the one to place it. Slowly, you repeat his instructions, pushing the pawn up the board while Jungkook nods. 

And then he grins in such a way that you just know you're about to curse him out.

He lifts his strategically placed knight. Knocks your freshly moved pawn. Claims the tile as his own.

“Rule number one,” He smirks, lip ring flipping in the corner of his pretty little mouth. “Never trust your opponent.”

“Dude, what the fuck,” you whine, looking at him with a faux sense of hurt and a very believable pout. “You’re my boyfriend. You’re supposed to help.”

“No moaning,” he dismisses your stropping, knowing he’s lost brownie points for his deception. Also knows he’ll earn your favour back soon enough, so whatever. “Now, what's your next move, baby? Go on.”

You study the board, and assess how different the opposing sides look. 

This time, he’s going easy on you. Kind of. You’ve almost exclusively been guided by him for the last half an hour, over a string of short games, all of which have ended with your very quick and immediate defeat. 

Jungkook is too competitive for his own good. Jimin never wants to play against him, ‘cause he knows he’ll lose, too.

This is an indulgence for Jungkook. He ought not to waste the opportunity—or worse yet, convince you to never play against him again.

He likes the idea of chess being an heirloom; the kind of skill he’ll teach his kids in the future. It’s integral to the very depths of his brain—how he works, and how his logical mind can jump and switch sometimes at the flick of a button—yet he rarely shares it with anyone else.

It’s only apt that you’d get free access.

Hovering over your now-free bishop, you narrow your eyes as you glance towards him. 

He nods. 

And so you move a pawn instead.

“I don’t trust you,” you tell him, because he told you not to. In a way, you are trusting him all while under the ruse of thinking he’s a bullshitter. 

What you don’t realise is that you’ve just moved the very pawn that’s been protecting your king, and had been preventing Jungkook from getting an easy win.

“B,” he sighs, looking helplessly at the move you just made. 

He couldn’t love you any more if he tried, but—fuck—he’ll never understand your brain. You're so smart most of the time, but every now and again your brain seems to melt.

“What?!”

He picks up his queen. Places it diagonally across from your exposed King. There’s nowhere for your King to go, other than in the direct line of his queen. He’s gone and fuckin’ done it again.

Check. 

Mate.

Groaning, you realise what’s happening and flop down onto your back. Your brain is fried. There’s no way Jungkook actually enjoys this. 

“Not again,” you whine, pretending to sob a little as you look up at Jungkook’s ceiling. It’s without birds these days, but there are a few rogue strips of tape that remind you of your history within these four walls.

“B,” Jungkook laughs, clambering around the board to flop down with you. His arm rests over your tummy as his face aligns with yours. Might not have any birds above you, but the way you melt into his touch is just as deadly as it was the first time. You’ll scorch a hole through his sheets with even the most innocent of encounters. His lips are a little pouty, smirk prevailing as he teases, “What did I tell you, huh? Protect your king.”

“I tried!” You insist, your over-dramatic, distressed expression far too cute for him to care about playing anymore. He enjoys chess, but he enjoys you more.

“You left him wide open for me to take!”

“You could have gone easy on me!”

“I was!” He defends with a laugh, adamant that he could have taken you out in, like, two moves if he really wanted. “I swear you didn’t listen to a single thing I told you—”

“I did! Listening to you is how you got that stupid pawn in the first place,” you huff, putting your hand against the bottom of his throat to stop him from getting any closer. He doesn’t deserve niceties in times like this.

He’d argue that the feeling of your sharp nails against your throat is incredibly nice.

He ignores your moaning. “I’ll make you a deal.”

“Go on.”

“Strip chess.”

“Pervert.”

“For every move you make, I’ll take an item of clothing off,” he suggests with a glint in those starry eyes of his, ignoring your remark.

You assess the situation. Mentally make a checklist of his clothes. Sweats, a shirt, a sock on either foot, and underwear — that’s only five moves, but then again, Jungkook normally has your king trapped by that point.

“I think you’re just trying to get me naked.”

“I’m always trying to get you naked, B,” he shrugs into his sheets, before tearing himself away and getting back into position on the opposite side of the board. “So are you gonna make it a challenge or not?”

[nayatarot777]

What Does Your Inner-Child Think Of You? • Pick-a-Card

• Pile One •

Your inner-child views you as someone who’s quite complete within themselves. That you’ve created a good life for yourself thanks to your sweet energy. For those with children, they view your family as extremely beautiful. They’re extremely happy about the life that you’ve created for the both of you. They also view you as a go-getter. Someone who’s very ambitious and eager to get what you want, which they like a lot. There’s also something here about your thought processes and your communication. I’m hearing that they feel as though you can easily disarm people who may try to overpower you in conversations. They love your wit and your quick responses that you give to people sometimes. You’re very swift at asserting your opinions, and if this is something that your inner-child struggled with, they see you as a very admirable older version of themselves.

They view you to be very combative when needed. You’re a fighter in some way. You had to fight to assert physical actions towards your goals because there were people around you constantly trying to assert their opinions over them. But you managed to defend your goals and personal beliefs and went after them regardless. There’s a repetition of you being very comfortable in your life in this present moment, all thanks to your assertive nature. And they also like the people who you keep yourself around too. Your support system or a community that you’ve found yourself in. They admire how you can move with facts more than feelings. Not through suppressing your emotions but having complete control over them. Regardless of the way that you feel, they believe that you can still manage to see the truths of people and situations.

Extended Reading: What Would Your Inner-Child Like To Tell You?

Where To Find It:

Kofi (Individual Reading Purchase)

Patreon (Soul Tribe Advanced Tier)

• Pile Two •

They view you as someone with a lot of responsibility that can burden you at times. Someone who everyone comes to for help or advice. You’re extremely patient and caring, which they assume is the reason for this. However, I do believe that they think that this may all be too much for you a lot of the time. They view you as someone who has made catering to others their duty, while sacrificing themselves in the process. I’m hearing that they see people leach off of you. Specifically your nurturing energy because you’re so loving. People suck your energy dry and they don’t like it. They feel like this puts you at a standstill within your own life. Blocking your ability to build your own stability. They view you as someone who forgets about their own foundation to be a foundation to others.

They view you as a very strong mother figure. A motherly energy to others as well as whatever abundance you’d like to build for yourself. However, they do think that this makes you a target of people who want to take from you and not give anything back. To them, you’re someone who has boundaries that are easily knocked over by what people say to you. Things that they say so that they can get access to your energy. And they view you as someone who’s easily defeated in conversation when people want to cause verbal conflict for you, simply because you try to assert your own opinions finally. They believe that you’re very easily silenced by others. There’s also a lot of mental defeat that you experience from your own conflicting thoughts about people who you’ve lost. You always seem to think that you just didn’t give these people enough love, without acknowledging the blind spot regarding how they were draining your energy as much as possible. I feel like even your inner child can see your motivations for taking on so many responsibilities for other people - and they believe that it’s because this is the way that you try to prevent people from leaving you. Even if they couldn’t really put this into their own words if they had to, they can see that you’re not respected by people because you don’t respect your own boundaries. That your care and work for other people isn’t respected. And that you don’t really respect yourself and what you need.

Extended Reading: What Would Your Inner-Child Like To Tell You?

Where To Find It:

Kofi (Individual Reading Purchase)

Patreon (Soul Tribe Advanced Tier)

• Pile Three •

Your inner-child views you as someone who’s an extremely good friend/partner. Someone who has genuine connections with others because you have a genuine connection with yourself. They also view you as someone who has very high standards for yourself as well as anyone who comes into your life. Not in a toxic way that puts unnecessary pressure on yourself or others. These high standards are here because you know what you do and don’t deserve from others, and you know what others do and don’t deserve from you. You’re a big visionary in relation to who you want to be, what type of people you want around you, and the type of life that you want to create. They also feel like you have a very strong connection with them too. They view you as someone who takes good care of them. These high standards are also here because you’re adamant on protecting what you’ve already manifested for yourself. Your stable foundation within self and your physical life too. You’re not letting anyone mess that up 😂.

They see your extremely strong boundaries with other people. Especially in relationships. It’s like you’re trailblazing through life by going after new opportunities and discovering new inspirations to follow, so if someone who you meet can’t fit into what you visualise for your life, then they’re not allowed within it. They view you as someone who also has created a happy foundation for either your home, your personal projects, or both. You’re someone who’s all about living life happily, finding things to celebrate, and working with others who are on the same wavelength as you to build a happy life together. They also think that you’re very welcoming to to other people. You could be a great host for others when they visit your home, or you’re just very welcoming to the right people when they come into your life. You’re willing to share your stability and what you value in your life with those who you feel deserve it.

Extended Reading: What Would Your Inner-Child Like To Tell You?

Where To Find It:

Kofi (Individual Reading Purchase)

Patreon (Soul Tribe Advanced Tier)

[palestaticexchange]

PALE STATIC EXCHANGE... 2!

i said i'd do this again~

Welcome to the Pale Static Exchange... Two!

A few people lamented they weren't able to make sign up for last year, since it was such a short timeframe. I have ~listened~, I have ~learned~ from the first exchange, and ~*HOPEFULLY*~ I have streamlined the experience for you all!

FAQ

ASKS

SIGN UP!

CALENDER

LORE

KOFI

So without further adieu, this is how it's going to work:

Fill in this form to be included in the draw.

The form will be active until the 8th of June 2024, at which point I'll post a link to an incognito draw website (unless results in THIS POLL indicate otherwise!)

Me and @koreplus will message half of you each, letting you know WHO your recipient is as well as their likes/ dislikes

As long as you provide me with a valid Tumblr URL that allows me to tag you then everyone will be tagged on the post when it goes live :)

Access to the likes/ dislikes form will then be distributed..:

The likes/ dislikes form:

When the draw went live last year, a participant - rightly - pointed out that posting a link to a spreadsheet listing everyone's likes/ dislikes may not have been the best idea; since the dislikes section allows participants to list potential triggers.

Since the draw was already live, I rectified this by deleting the post and making the document accessible ONLY through being sent a link. This worked perfectly well last year, however (if somebody wanted to be a grade-A prick) they could have taken that link and posted it anywhere.

I've put a lot of thought into it and come to the conclusion that the only *perfect* solution would be to do the entire draw process myself, then individually message everyone who their recipient is, as well as their likes/ dislikes.

Now.

I'd really rather not have to do that, as it's going to make the entire process a lot more involved on my end; there were 56 participants last year (including myself) and I expect that number to be higher this time around since people have been following this blog in the off-season. I am very depressed and very lazy disabled and work so hard and have no monies.

But for the love of god, frotting, AND communism: I WILL pull my thumb out my ass and do that if people prefer it: Answer a poll!

ANYWAY:

You have until August 1st 2024 to create something; be that art, writing, music, ect. You then post your work and @ tag @ your partner in it! You can also submit it to this blog, however I will try to share everyone's works regardless.

Due to time zones and life in general I'll give a day's grace period, but the cut-off will be August 5th (If you fill in the form then PLEASE do try to create something for your partner, even if it's something small) Obviously things come up, so if it's looking like you won't be able to create something then please get in contact ASAP so that I can sort something out.

[gomzdrawfr]

Hello everyone :D I am introducing kofi membership!

Here is the general overview of what my tier will offer.

Exclusive only for June Strawberry lemonade sign-ups! Custom welcome card :D

More details of my offers and benefits are listed here in this Google form which I highly recommend reading through and agreeing before signing up for the tiers, this is to ensure that both you and me understand what we are partnering up for!

I am looking forward to produce more contents and shenanigans with your support :D sharing this will help a lot! See you at Gomz’s Garden! 

This is something that I’ve been meaning to set up for awhile now but I wanted to make sure everything was set up properly before announcing it. I was also busy setting up enough contents to offer because there will be days/months when I will be busy (due to Uni and work) so I wanted to make it worth and ensure you have a good experience signing up for my membership.

Oh and my commissions are open too!! which has a 5% discount to all my members!

reblogs are appreciated :]

FAQ below:

Before you sign up, make sure to read up Kofi membership tiers information linked below which covers most questions and issues [tldr would highly recommend you have a kofi account instead of a guest account]:

For more information regarding $, refer this link and scroll all the way down [this covers upgrades, refund and cancellation of memberships]:

Why discord group? Kofi doesn’t have an app, therefore it can be quite hard to view my content easily, additionally organisation of contents in my gallery are quite messy(you’ll have to scroll through other content before seeing the newest one DESPITE the pictures being organized into folders) In short, it’s for easier access and archives purposes.

[blackcrowing]

Blackcrowing's Master Reading List

I have created a dropbox with pdfs I have gathered over the years, I have done my best to only allow access to documents which I found openly available through sites like JSTOR, Archive.org, or other educational resources with papers available for download.

That being said I ALSO recommend (I obviously have not read all of these but they are either in my library or I intend to add them)

📚 Celtic/Irish Pagan Books

The Morrighan: Meeting the Great Queens, Morgan Daimler

Raven Goddess: Going Deeper with the Morríghan, Morgan Daimler

Irish Paganism: Reconstructing Irish Polytheism, Morgan Daimler

Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom, Erynn Rowan Laurie

Celtic Cosmology and the Otherworld: Myths, Orgins, Sovereignty and Liminality, Sharon Paice MacLeod

Celtic Myth and Religion, Sharon Paice MacLeod

A Guide to Ogam Divination, Marissa Hegarty (I'm leaving this on my list because I want to support independent authors. However, if you have already read Weaving Word Wisdom this book is unlikely to further enhance your understanding of ogam in a divination capacity)

The Book of the Great Queen, Morpheus Ravenna

Litany of The Morrígna, Morpheus Ravenna

Celtic Visions, Caitlín Matthews

Harp, Club & Calderon, Edited by Lora O'Brien and Morpheus Ravenna

Celtic Cosmology: Perspectives from Ireland and Scotland, Edited by Jacqueline Borsje and others

Polytheistic Monasticism: Voices from Pagan Cloisters, Edited by Janet Munin

📚 Celtic/Irish Academic Books

Early Medieval Ireland 400-1200, Dáibhí Ó Cróinín

The Sacred Isle, Dáithi Ó hÓgáin

The Ancient Celts, Berry Cunliffe

The Celtic World, Berry Cunliffe

Irish Kingship and Seccession, Bart Jaski

Early Irish Farming, Fergus Kelly

Studies in Irish Mythology, Grigory Bondarnko

Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland, John Waddell

Archeology and Celtic Myth, John Waddell

Understanding the Celtic Religion: Revisiting the Past, Edited by Katja Ritari and Alexandria Bergholm

A Guide to Ogam, Damian McManus

Cesar's Druids: an Ancient Priesthood, Miranda Aldhouse Green

Animals in Celtic Life and Myth, Miranda Aldhouse Green

The Gods of the Celts, Miranda Green

The Celtic World, Edited by Miranda J Green

Myth and History in Celtic and Scandinavian Tradition, Edited by Emily Lyle

Ancient Irish Tales, Edited by Tom P Cross and Clark Haris Slover

Cattle Lords and Clansmen, Nerys Patterson

Celtic Heritage, Alwyn and Brinley Rees

Ireland's Immortals, Mark Williams

The Origins of the Irish, J. P. Mallory

In Search of the Irish Dreamtime, J. P. Mallory

The Táin, Thomas Kinsella translation

The Sutton Hoo Sceptre and the Roots of Celtic Kingship Theory, Michael J. Enright

Celtic Warfare, Giola Canestrelli

Pagan Celtic Ireland, Barry Raftery

The Year in Ireland, Kevin Danaher

Irish Customs and Beliefs, Kevin Danaher

Cult of the Sacred Center, Proinsais Mac Cana

Mythical Ireland: New Light on the Ancient Past, Anthony Murphy

Early Medieval Ireland AD 400-1100, Aidan O'Sullivan and others

The Festival of Lughnasa, Máire MacNeill

Curse of Ireland, Cecily Gillgan

📚 Indo-European Books (Mostly Academic and linguistic)

Dictionary of Indo-European Concepts and Society, Emily Benveniste

A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principle Indo-European Languages, Carl Darling Buck

The Horse, the Wheel and Language, David W. Anthony

Comparative Indo-European Linguistics, Robert S.P. Beekes

In Search of the Indo-Europeans, J.P. Mallory

Indo-European Mythology and Religion, Alexander Jacob

Some of these books had low print runs and therefore can be difficult to find and very expensive... SOME of those books can be found online with the help of friends... 🏴‍☠️

library genesis might be a great place to start... hint hint...

My kofi

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The Beautiful Boto

Also known as the Amazon river dophin or the pink river dolphin, the boto (Inia geoffrensis) is a species of toothed whale native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America. Because they reside mainly in rivers, lakes and mangroves, the boto occupies a large range; nearly 7 million square kilometers (435 thousand square miles). Despite being related to whales and dolphins, I. geoffrensis cannot tolerate saltwater and is only found in freshwater.

The Amazon river dolphin is the largest of the four river dolphin species, weighing in at 98-185 kg (215-407 lbs) and measuring 1 to 2.5 m (4-8 ft) in length. Males are larger than females, and are a bright pink to the females’ dull grey. A significant part of the length comes from the dolphin’s distinctive long snout, which is used to hunt for crustaceans and small fish. The boto’s body is designed to be highly flexible, which comes in handy when navigating through flooded forests. One adaptation in particular that makes I. geoffrensis stand out is the unfused neck vertebrae, which allows them to bend at up to a 90-degree angle. Botos also use echolocation to navigate murky river waters. which is enhanced by the large melon on their foreheads.

Breeding for the pink river dophin occurs between May and June, during the rainy season when flooding is at its peak. Males will fight for access to females, and will also perform courtship displays that involve carrying a number of objects-- like branches, fish, or even live turtles-- and slapping them into the water. Successful pregnancies last 11 months, and after giving birth mothers raise their young in the slow-moving waters of flooded forests. Weaning takes about a year, although mother-child pairs will often stay together for much longer. The average lifespan of the boto can be anywhere from 10 to 26 years, as they have no natural predators.

Outside the mating season, I. geoffrensis is a solitary creature. It’s rare to see groups of more than three at a time, and do not heavily defend set territories. However, they are very curious and have been known to readily approach canoes or play with debris in the water. Individuals have also been seen hunting fish in loose cooperation with other species like giant river otters (Pteronura brasiliensis). The bota is crepuscular, active mainly at dawn or dusk, and generally stay close to the surface of the water. Deep dives are rare, as they can only hold their breath for 110 seconds.

Conservation status: Hunting pressure and pollution, as well as dam building and deforestation, are major threats to the amazon river dolphin, which has been classified as Endangered by the IUCN. Conservation efforts are being made, but the species is difficult to keep or breed in captivity so most work is being done in the wild.

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a kofi!

Photos

Sylvain Cordier

Kevin Schafer

[wbasnfanzine]

Fans of Witherburn After School News:

Hi!! I'm Kya, and I'm the one managing the Tumblr account for the (currently in the works) 2024 WBASN Fan Zine. It's new project and a kind of confusing thing, even for me still, so here's a few pieces of basic info on how it's happening thus far, done in Q&A format:

What is the WBASN Fan Zine?

The WBASN Fan Zine is a project that a few like-minded friends and I have come together to bring to you. We all love Witherburn, and we wanted to find a way to give back to the creators and the community that have been here for us and given us a place to express ourselves for so long. This seemed like a good way to do that.

Who's working on it?

We currently have five cocreators for it (including myself), those being Wolf (@wolfatemybaby), Madi (@lwfllygndrfld), Jamie (@jamiegeode, Keely (@lukas-broken-bow), and me (@kyathedino)!

Are you accepting more cocreators?

That's a difficult one. I suppose the most straightforward answer is not necessarily? If you have ideas, feel free to shoot us an email or dm (all creative suggestions taken will be credited). And if you really, really want in on the project, then send us a message of any kind (email, dm, etc) and we will take it into consideration, though there is no promise of acceptance.

Where can I look for updates/to contact you?

Updates and public info on the project of any kind (including access info for the final version) can be found either on here, our tiktok, or our Instagram. Contact can be done primarily through our email. All of this is linked here, on our Carrd.

https://wbasnfanzine.carrd.co/

If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Either way, we hope to see you on the journey that this Zine takes us, however long that is (we don't have an official release date yet). There's a lot to be done, and a lot of awesome ideas going around right now, and we're still kind of figuring out how to organize everything.

If you want to help out a bit in streamlining the process, we also have a Kofi, which is on our Carrd as well, though donations, while appreciated, are not mandatory.

Regardless of if you end up contributing or not, we can't wait to show you what we have in store, so stay tuned!!

-The WBASN Zine Team

[glacierruler]

Making the Future

Please reblog my writing <3

Ao3

Masterpost

If you'd like a chapter out early, every $30 towards my kofi goal is an early chapter!

You can see the chapter schedule here

CWs: Fantasy Racism, Explosions

Taglist: @duck-in-a-spaceship @cutebisexualmess @oatmeal-stans-the-trash-rat @disco-and-vinyl @pandagobrr

Please tell me if you'd like to be added/removed!

Chapter 2

The next day, Fig was at their workshop, inspecting the robot. While they had looked at it yesterday, it had been a quick glance, and they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss anything that could give away their location.

After ten minutes of searching the thing, Fig couldn’t find any trackers, so they started to take it apart, carefully. Although they still weren’t sure of the best way to do it, since a robot is a rare find. Using their gloves, they donned their gas mask, and started unscrewing the robot. It was a long process before they could access the wires in the arm. Slowly, they started to try to figure out what the wires did. However, too late, they noticed that not all the wires were connected. And within a few minutes, the robot started to heat up.

‘So this is why this one was scrapped,’ they thought to themselves, before using the little magic they knew to protect themself from the blast.

As scorching heat emanated through the workshop, Fig couldn’t help but be grateful that they didn’t obey the laws, since they would be dead by now if they didn’t use any magic. Still, the heat hurt, and their ever painful legs only got worse with the horrid temperature. And now they couldn’t even use their walker, as, if it was still functional, it wasn’t safe to touch any of it for another few hours. It took a few minutes, but eventually the heat died down, and the robot was no longer shooting fire throughout the workshop. And Fig left, just in case someone saw it, just in case someone heard, just in case a Sentry found out.

Rushing away as fast as they could, albeit pretty slowly with their legs flarin up, they managed to find a rather large house in the woods. Looking around quickly, they figured out pretty quickly that it wasn’t abandoned. There were sheep in a nice pasture, and there were a couple fenced off pastures that were growing more grass. And there was, what they assumed to be an abattoir, a little ways off. While Fig was never a huge fan of them, there were a couple in town, but it did keep everyone as fed as they could be. (Although most of the food from the outskirts went to cities and surrounding areas. But it did keep people from moving out there too often, so Fig thought it was a win-win situation.)

“Who are you?” Came a thick, gruff, voice behind them. Jumping, Fig turned around to see an orc.

“Uh… I’m so sorry—”

“Why are you wearing a gas mask?”

“Right, um…” Fig wasn’t sure how to answer that without saying something incriminating. “It’s in fashion?”

“Is that why your clothes are singed too, is it also part of some fashion statement?” The orc sounded slightly amused, as if he no, they, found Fig’s answers amusing. (Fig really needed to get better at not gendering people they just met.)

Still, they didn’t have an answer for the orc that lived here, and it was a little hard to focus on figuring out a decent lie, when it was getting harder for them to keep standing by the second. The heat had really amplified their leg pain, and they didn’t have their walker, since it had been in the fire at their workshop. Which meant that there was a good chance that Fig would have to remake it, or at least remake the wooden seat.

The orc seemed to notice their unsteadiness, as they looked at them.

“Stay here. I’ll get you something to sit on. Mind you it’ll be uncomfortable,” And Fig just nodded, watching as they went into their house. As the orc came back, carrying two large wooden seats, Fig couldn’t help but be grateful, glad to sit down on something. Rather than being forced to stand through what was bound to be an awkward conversation.

“So,” the orc started to speak, after placing down the chairs, “what are you doing over in these parts of the woods. And none of that, ‘Fashion statement’ crap. You’re practically on fire, and hiding your face at that, might as well be honest.”

Fig wasn’t sure what to do, or how to lie their way out of this situation. But they certainly couldn’t say the truth. They didn’t want to risk someone going to the sentries and snitching on them.

“Look, I’m no snitch, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Could this orc read their thoughts?

“Why would I be worried about a snitch?” Their voice was too high pitched, there was no way this orc would believe them for a second. This thought was only proved to be correct when their companion raised an eyebrow at them.

“Want to try again?”

“Look, it’s really not that big of a deal…” Fig tried to search for something to say, something that wouldn’t land them in trouble.

“How about we start over. I’m Glorgol, Glorgol Oxcsham. I live here, in this wonderful, secluded area. In order to stay safe from the same sentries that you don’t want me telling about you.”

Fig was very glad for the mask right about now, as their face was beet red from being called out like that.

“Okay, um… I’m, uh… Look will what I say stay between the two of us?”

“I got no plans to tell noone.”

Fig knew they shouldn’t trust someone they just met, but there was no way they’d get out of this without telling them.

“I, okay, I was, I take scrap metals and devices, and…” Fig was trying to figure out the best way to put what they do into words, “and I invent things? Sort of? It uh, it didn’t go too well this time. My workshop blew up, meaning I’ll have to build a new one. I ran here because, well because it was the direction I ran. And I just happened to find your place here.”

“How do I know that you aren’t lying to me again?” Which was a fair question, Fig did try to get passed the weirdness of a wearing a gas mask by saying it was a fashion trend. (Seriously, a fashion trend? What were they thinking?)

“Uh, okay, Glorgol right,” at the orc’s nod, Fig kept talking, “I could show you the charred remains of the base. But, I should warn you, I have no idea if the sentries know about it with the explosion that kind of happened.”

“If we get close enough, the stench of charred whatever it was your workshop was made out of, should coat the air. Along with the lingering smell of smoke.”

Oh yeah, smoke smells, and so does burnt wood. Fig forgot that little fact on their run from the burning workshop.

“Right, well then, follow me!” Fig hopped of their chair as Glorgol followed them through the woods. Although, they were limping slightly, trying to use each leg as little as possible, since they both still hurt as if though something was stabbing them.

Fig could feel Glorgol staring at them, probably trying to figure out what was wrong with their legs. Which fair enough, even Fig wanted to know why their legs hated them. Still, the marched on in silence, until they smelled it, the suffocating smoke that Fig had escaped earlier.

“Alright, I believe you. Would you like to go back to my place?”

“I,” Fig probably shouldn’t trust them, but Glorgol hadn’t tried to kill them since they met, despite Fig’s trespassing, and they couldn’t exactly go home like this, “sure.”

Walking back, Fig couldn’t help but hope to be able to sit back down again. And soon. It had been ages since their legs had hurt this badly, and they didn’t know how much longer they could walk without collapsing. Still, Fig was a bit uncomfortable, sure Glorgol had been kind so far, but what if it was a ruse of some sort? They didn’t know this humanoid before today, could they really trust them?

Although, considering the compassion they had shown when Fig was having trouble standing up earlier, they felt guilty thinking Glorgol was going to harm them in some way. So they kept following them, trying to shake their anxiety, knowing that they could defend themselves on the extremely low chance that anything would actually happen.

******************

Fig felt a bit out of place as they sat on the seats in Glorgol’s kitchen. They weren’t sure what to do with anything. Should they talk or stay silent? Should they help with something or stay where they were?

Thankfully Glorgol broke the silence first.

“Are you going to take off that mask?”

“Oh, sure.” Taking off their mask, Fig sighed, the weight on their head no longer nearly as heavy.

“Still haven’t caught your name, if you’d be inclined to share it.”

“Oh, I’m Fig.”

“Fig, interesting name for an interesting lady.”

Wincing a bit, they couldn’t help but try not to sigh. This would either go well or horribly wrong.

“I, uh, I’m not a lady. Or a sir!” Rushing in that last bit so that Glorgol wouldn’t go that route either.

“Alright then, not a gal, not a lad. May I ask what you are?”

“Er… that’s, that’s a complicated matter for now. But I do use neutral pronouns, they/them and such.”

“Alright. Well in that case, I will divulge that I am a gent myself.”

Fig nodded, feeling relieved that the conversation went so well. Maybe it hadn’t been their best choice to start that conversation in the middle of nowhere, but they had been kind of exhausted with being gendered that really, it didn’t matter so much if the talk hadn’t gone well. (Although they were definitely anxious about it and could have been more tactful just in case, but Fig had never been one for tact).

Mind wandering onto the events of earlier today, they were hit with one thing.

“I don’t have a workshop anymore!”

[afeelgoodblog]

Best News of Last Week - December 11

1. Biden administration to forgive $4.8 billion in student loan debt for 80,300 borrowers

The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it would forgive an additional $4.8 billion in student loan debt, for 80,300 borrowers.

The relief is a result of the U.S. Department of Education’s fixes to its income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

2. Detroit on pace to have lowest homicide rate in 60 years this year

A partnership to reduce Detroit crime is being praised with the City on pace for the fewest homicides in 60 years.

"This is the day we’ve been waiting for, for a long time," said Mayor Mike Duggan. The coalition which includes city and county leaders that Detroit Police Chief James White formed in late 2021 to return the criminal justice system in Detroit and Wayne County to pre-Covid operations.

3. Dog that killed 8 coyotes to protect sheep running for Farm Dog of the Year

Over a year ago, Casper was stacked up against a pack of 11 coyotes, and he overcame them all to protect the livestock at his Decatur home. Now he needs your help.

Casper, the Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dog, needs the public to vote for him to become the American Farm Bureau's "Farm Dog of the Year: People's Choice Pup" contest.

4. Shimmering golden mole thought extinct photographed and filmed over 80 years after last sighting

De Winton's golden mole, last sighted in 1937, has been found alive swimming through sand dunes in South Africa after an extensive search for the elusive species.

5. About 40% of the world's power generation is now renewable

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have released their first joint report to strengthen understanding of renewable energy resources and their intricate relationship with climate variability and change.

In 2022 alone, 83% of new capacity was renewable, with solar and wind accounting for most additions. Today, some 40% of power generation globally is renewable, due to rapid deployment in the past decade, according to the report.

6. Jonathan the Tortoise: World’s oldest living land animal celebrates 191st birthday

The world’s oldest living land animal - a Seychelles giant tortoise named Jonathan - has just celebrated his 191st birthday. Jonathan’s estimated 1832 birth year predates the invention of the postal stamp, the telephone, and the photograph.

The iconic creature lived through the US civil war, most of the reign of Queen Victoria, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, and two world wars.

7. New enzyme allows CRISPR technologies to accurately target almost all human genes

A team of engineers at Duke University have developed a method to broaden the reach of CRISPR technologies. While the original CRISPR system could only target 12.5% of the human genome, the new method expands access to nearly every gene to potentially target and treat a broader range of diseases through genome engineering.

---

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation here:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog this post with your friends.

[tods-void]

For anyone who hates YouTube, the YT app and capitalism broadly, YouTube (the corp) has been waging a war on 3rd party apps to make sure their official app is the only way you can view YT content for a while.

If you're on a PC this isn't a problem but obviously we're not using our PCs all the time, especially when we're outside.

I'm sure if you've tried to open YT via your mobile browser you've noticed that the mobile version of the site is pretty dogshit. The options for video playback and playlists is limited. You can't shuffle your playlist, can't skip to the next song, can't loop a song and so on. This is intentional to, again, force you to use the official app. Where you have to either pay for premium or suffer through ads constantly.

In reply to this several people have developed their own YT clients that allow you to access the site's content without ads and without even needing to log in. Apps like NewPipe, Revanced, Incidious and so on. They offer a vastly better mobile experience, have all the options for video and playlist control you could want and are 100% free. Which means they undermine YT's business monopoly and no corpo scumbag would ever allow that.

For the last two weeks people using the 3rd party apps, myself included, have been experiencing problems with videos cutting out midway through and giving errors and as of yesterday the apps are unusable. Hopefully the people behind them figure out a solution and update them soon but I wanted to highlight YT's hostility towards all who reject their business model and their contempt for their users in general. They have a defacto monopoly as a platform. Sure, there are other platforms like it, but most of them are small and/or have a definite rightwing slant towards their content and moderation like Rumble. Not to say YT is any better but those are the platforms far right grifters champion.

Now you might say, well the ads are necessary cos that's how creators make money, to which I will point out that creators receive a fraction of the money each ad on their videos make. And unless you make the most boilerplate uncontroversial slop possible, there's every chance your video will get demonetized, which is the most capitalist realism kind of censorship I've ever seen. In truth creators make scraps which is why most of them have a Kofi or Patreon account where the bulk of their income actually comes from.

So yeah, tl;dr YT are scum, Google are scummer and Alphabet are the scummest. They don't deserve your money and if you want to support anyone, support individual creators through Patreon and the people who make free open source software that undermines YT.

[franzis-frantic-thoughts]

thanks for the updates from Maddie and Twitter! I can’t believe whats going on. The relaunch of Magnus in combination with stopping so many cool ongoing shows is so weird

You are very welcome! I actually revived my Twitter account to be able to check regularly for new posts, either from Maddy or others. There doesn’t seem to have been anything new in a few hours now, even if I personally missed it, I’d have heard about it via one of the multiple discords I’m on.

Yes, RQ has made incredibly strange decisions this past year (or even beyond that) which leave me as a fan - and highest tier Noble - incredibly frustrated.

When they shut the discord down, they said they’d reevaluate six months later. RQO recently “celebrated” its first death day. Personally, I don’t want RQO back. But I would have liked to have that promised reevaluation.

The reason the discord had to be shut down can apparently also be traced back to shit communication between RQ and the team of volunteer and unpaid mods.

When Chapter&Multiverse, Trice Forgotten, and Cry Havoc (Ask Questions Later) were announced in late 2021, they were projected to air within the first half of 2022. Instead, only C&M aired “on time”, Trice has a change in director and was delayed until summer, and Cry Havoc has now been pushed back until 2023. It’s great that they don’t want to burn out their cast and crew, but they’ve also been releasing Enthusigasm episodes twice a week and C&M main campaign and specials in parallel earlier this year. Clearly, someone didn’t think their schedule through properly.

Instead of making sure their new shows are taking off, they instead drag TMA’s corpse out of its grave. I love Magnus as much as the next person, it was an incredible show. Writing, acting, soundscaping… but the way RQ keeps pushing it into the limelight and down our throats to the detriment of their other shows (formerly only RQG and STL, but now even more shockingly also new shows like C&M and Trice), has fostered a real resentment towards TMA in me and others.

When the transcripts were put out, after literal years of delay, they were - and still are - full of errors, inconsistent, or incomplete. There have been no responses to feedback given via the appropriate feedback form, there have been no responses to emails, and there have been little to no corrections made to the transcripts, whether for old shows or new ones. Transcripts are Accessibility tools and should fulfil certain standards. Apart from that, the quality of these transcripts offends me on a professional level. RQ has referred to an agency multiple times in their updates. That agency clearly didn’t work to professional standards and RQ didn’t have any quality assurance process internally either. What an utter waste of (my and other patreons’) money.

Some of the TMA transcripts were apparently taken down this week for maintenance, which was ridiculous timing that made people think it was related to the ARG. Again: shit communication.

They’ve lost so many great people in the last two years: Auto and all the mods, Bryn, Mike, now Maddy. I didn’t listen to RQ podcasts, because they were RQ podcasts. I listened to them, because I enjoyed the content and creators. If the creators leave RQ, I’ll follow them to their next endeavours. Go check out @re-dracula for Karim, Jonny, Beth, Alasdair, Sasha, and Ben; @thekilda for Alasdair, Ben and Sasha; @faustiannonsense for Alasdair, Ben, Tim, and Jonny. I hear Mike is in Tiny Terrors. Sasha and Jonny create TTRPGs. Jonny just published his second book. Also check out everyone’s streams (I particularly enjoy Bryn and Auto struggling to solve puzzles together) and individual patreons and kofis.

Sorry this reply turned into a rant. I’m just fed up at the moment. I’ll go to bed and probably feel better in the morning.

[minerwarfare-suzuya]

A Scam and A Spiteful Client?

Mobox87 is a scam. Why do I say this? Well if we go back to previous posts talking about Mobox87's prices on her OCs and her Patreon subscription. We can recap some stuff that has been nearly lost when this blog almost got taken down from false reports made.

Now before further discussion. I do wanna state that these are old posts I'm linking. Some of these are likely dated and might not hold up well since Mobox87 likely changed her prices as time went by, which I'll be going over those changes.

Anyways let's bring up-

OC adoption price scam:

I have to say during the time that has passed. Mobox87 has made a better approach in selling off her OCs with prices now and I think this was something she took a good understanding out of the criticism thrown at her.

But of course, I still think the biggest gripe is the characters being sold in designs that look alike... Though that's not my only issue about these OC adoption sales.

My biggest issue has to be OCs being sold twice and I've been catching on to that with Miles buying OCs. I think it should be stated that once you buy that OC you should get the character completely and not have to be sold just one variant. Every version of that character design should be sold to you.

Except one thing I want to clarify is that Mobox87 didn't charge Miles $200. Miles offered her that amount and begged for the OC to be sold to him.

Honestly, Mobox87 should've already given him the character design prior to the first purchase of Oliv but no she took the cash because "She really loves money" (Who doesn't? Lol).

Other than that I think the biggest elephant in the room is still Mi-

Her Patreon subscription overpriced:

Okay, this obviously remains unchanged and I think it'll remain like that. Her Patreon is basically dead and it is currently left with an unfinished comic. Plus, you can just subscribe or donate to her Kofi for $5 and that's a far more affordable option that offers more considering Mobox87's activity on Kofi.

Either way, making only 1 subscription tier $70 for access to a patreon that has very little posts and an unfinished comic isn't worth it. You would totally need a lot more locked posts or content shared to want to pay that amount.

So-

We've talked about the issues with Mobox87 being a scam and we kinda do see that there's been some changes regardless of how Miles spends his money carelessly. Despite one thing-

The Spiteful Client

Yeah, I shadow dropped a post on Miles and made it private for awhile for a certain reason until now. I just think it's time to be full on more open to the fact that no one really accepts Miles'apology at all. I don't need to fake the funk with anyone and it's better to be honest about it.

Miles has not changed at all and has gone out of his way to bully people in private through direct messages.

To put matters even worse. Apparently he has resorted to now buying Mobox87's OCs to spite others from buying them. He has not done this one person but with two people which ironically Mobox87 knows about this and has taken Miles side.

It's no darn secret that Mobox87 would keep supporting Miles'bad behavior because his money is what gets her to hustle online.

So, there's NO POINT in announcing on the Affinity blog that you're selling OCs when it's basically being treated as a bid and that you let Miles still get the upper hand in buying your whole stocks.

There's no fucken sale going on at all! It's clear that your only buyer is going to be Miles and I think it's better off that you're honest about it.

Anyways, I think until then. This will be the second to last time I'll mention Mobox87 in drama since I do wanna talk about her in a more important post because there are some things that thegoldfiles (Moboxcritique) blog doesn't really talk about.

Until then I'll catch y'all later on talking about Arion since there're far more important things to talk about.

[madamlaydebug]

Libation ….Start the healing

[Water libation]

The world’s oldest telephone……… Make the call

By: Tobgi Kofi

When one pours Libation they are invoking, summoning, awaking the Ancestors and the Vodou....

There are many reasons why we Pour libation in African traditional Religions, honoring the ancestors and Vodou, asking for knowledge, protection, guidance and more. Before I embark on a long trip, I pour libation so that I am kept safe and so that my trip goes well, successful.....

Libation is the same as making a long distance call. The Ancestors are in the ancestral realm, They have lives much the same as we do. They are a considerable distance from us here on Earth. This system has been put in place by the creator so that we can at all times have immediate access to the Vodou and the ancestors.....

Have you ever been in your garden or basement and the phone rings? Generally you will stop what you are doing and answer the call, especially if you have reason to believe it’s coming from a loved one. Ever been sitting around waiting for an important call …..man, that can be torture when it either doesn’t come or it takes too long. ....

The ancestors are our family and they have been divinely entrusted with our spiritual development. They have a divine directive to watch over us and guide us but, How can they do so( guide us) if we don’t make the call. ....

We are not like the whites, we are divine beings who carry an actual piece of the supreme being inside of us, and that’s our Soul. Whites and non Africans don’t have a soul although they would like us to believe they do. We know different, the Vodou tell us the truth about the whites, that is why there is absolutely no excuse for Africans to be marrying or initiating whites into African religions not even allowing them to attend our ceremonies.....

The ancestors are tied to us in the same way a mother is tied to the child through the umbilical cord during pregnancy . The child is developing and needs the mother’s nurturing, feeding and so on.....

We are just like that child, we are still developing and we feed of the guidance we receive from our ancestors. A child developing inside the mother becomes malformed when the mother ingests foreign agents such as illicit drugs and bad food but a good diet keeps the growing fetus in balance. So does the African become mentally malformed or sick when we don’t commune by calling our ancestors through libation for balance.....

When balance is lost we are open to any and all sorts of mental illness ....

Having mental seizures trying to be like whites …marrying them, white thinking, materialism, family strife, lovers of porn, drugs…etc.....

Libation is the means by which we call the ancestors and the Vodou, thus allowing the family elders and Vodou to begin restoring balance to the individual or the community.....

I remember I once told a women that I was a Vodoun priest and she said ,” Oh you mean, that you worship Idols, fetish…oh my god” You like that?....

I responded by saying, I don’t worship Idols and the word fetish is a word the whites gave to our ancestral religious practice. The woman said, “ don’t you have carved images”? I said, Yes we carve images sometimes and sometimes the Vodou are in a pot or carved sticks figures or some other form but, I don’t worship any carved images. I know that when I go to that image or whatever form the Vodou wish to use to manifest their presence, I can pour libation on or before it and call the Vodou.....

It’s no different from you picking up a cell phone and calling your friend …the friend hears the call and responds by answering back.....

If you lived 200 years ago and were caught talking to a square 2x4 inch piece of plastic people would be afraid and think you were mad but, if they heard a voice come out of that piece of plastic they would burn you for being a witch. They just would not have understood the science behind the method of communication being used. Likewise those who criticize shrine veneration and libation don’t understand that we don’t worship the thing , we recognize it to be just that……. a thing , a tool, a phone if you will to call on our Vodou and ancestors.....

Our traditional phone’s technology (Science) however, is more sophisticated than modern phones ……..our technology is timeless.....

.. ..

libation can be poured on:

....

The ground....

On to a shrine....

On the ground in front of a shrine....

At the doorstep to a building....

On a living plant....

Into a receptable which on the floor symbolizing the ground....

On the street in front a venue....

OlOrisa_Olokun: Pouring libation....

Junior Member....

Pour libation, Talk to your ancestors.....

Tell them what’s on your mind.....

Tell them what you need....

Do it during times when you feel the urge.....

Stand outside alone and pour libation on the soil....

The main reason for our sickness is that we are a dis-eased people. There is a cancer growing in our people and it is consuming the culture from the inside out. In order to cure the cancer we must take medicine. The medicine for black folks spirit comes in the form of melanin the food of the gods. Our African bodies produce melanin every day. A healthy spirit produces healthy melanin. If the African spirit is polluted with the white man’s world view this will be manifest in the rejection of the nurturing African culture or in a corruption of the once clean traditions and a rejection of the ancestors. This is what has happened in African societies around the world. We have rejected Nanasom Nana meaning a venerated ancestor and som meaning to serve ( see: Nhoma, odwirafo.com). Returning to our ancestors and pouring libation is the first step to reversing the damage to ourselves and our Societies. Our Ancestors will then make sure that our melanin is clean ………unadulterated . Although we have had at least a 200 year disconnect in the phone line. We have the tools to reestablish the connection free of any charges. Once we start pouring libation to the ancestors we are in effect, re mending the broken lines that were severed during slavery and for the African still on the continent the lines were severed during colonialism. It’s simply. We do our part by waking the ancestors by calling on them and they will come and work on our behalf. We have only to make the call. In my personal case, I started calling them (via libation) and things started happening in my house like lights going on in a room as I walked towards the entrance. Other things happened like every night my TV down stairs would turn on at 10: O'clock PM

The ancestors will not hurt us, they will show us that they are there, that they have heard our calls. Once I mentioned to them that I recognized their presence during communication, the phenomena stopped. Things changed dramatically for me. I had previously been abusing drugs and could not stop. My ancestors came to me and performed a cleansing ceremony for me and I have been drug free ever since. They will do ritual in the ancestral realm that will impact on us in this physical realm. There is no problem that they can't help us with. The African comes equipted with all of the tools to keep balance in our lives. We have only to use them. Make the call.

The following is a libation I have used for years. I got it from Kwesi Ra Nehem Ptah Akan of odwirafo.com :

Nana Nyame, I show you this drink, but I do not attempt to offer it to you

Nana Nyamewaa, I show you this drink, but I do not attempt to offer it to you

Obosom of Sky/Thunder, accept this water and drink

Earth Mother, accept this water and drink

All of the Abosom, accept this water and drink 56

Matrilineal clan Ancestresses and Ancestors, accept this water and drink

Patrilineal clan protective Obosom, accept this water and drink

Spiritually Cultivated Ancestresses and Ancestors, accept this water and drink

Good Ancestral Spirits, accept this water and drink

I greet you all

I give you this offering

Please, show me truth

Yoooo.

Although the focus here is on Akan culture, the principles addressed

in this writing apply to all Afurakani/Afuraitkaitnit people and can

be translated into the various Afurakani/Afuraitkaitnit languages no

matter what group you are from. If you do not yet know your specific

abusua (clan) use the language of Kamit, for all

Afurakanu/Afuraitkaitnut are connected to this ancient language in

some manner. At length you will be guided to the knowledge of your

specific abusua by your own Nananom Nsamanfo. When you find out your

abusua you can then embrace your Ancestral language, study it and

utilize it in ritual.

Always use an Afurakani/Afuraitkaitnit language with ohwie and other

mpaebo (prayer/provocation), even if it is only a one-line mpaebo.

Your Nananom Nsamanfo know your desires, They see you, and understand

why you are coming to Them. Just as if you went to Ghana or any Afurakani country you me originally be from and did not

speak a word of the language, yet through body language and sincerity

the family you stayed with would be able to feel your spirit and get

you what you need – the Nananom Nsamanfo operate in the same manner.

They will effectively communicate with you through images, feelings

and you will effectively communicate with Them through thought-images

and feelings. They will speak to you in your/Their Ancestral language

and you will understand Them. They will also direct you to resources

so that you can learn the language. If you only know seven

Afurakani/Afuraitkaitnit words, use those as your ohwie and as your

mpaebo. Using the language of the akyiwadefo is projecting disordered

vibrations/energy to the Nananom Nsamanfo, and also back to yourself.

Recognize that we are not confined by the language of the akyiwadefo.

Your Nananom Nsamanfo will guide you, show you who you are and get you

what you need. Your Nananom Nsamanfo and the Abosom can and will

communicate with you by coming into your presence, to your spirit and

to your nkommere.

Make the call.........Let the healing begin....