I need to have a page number for catcher in the rye my quote
About Bussiness VAT
2024.05.17 10:53 Educational_Box9903 About Bussiness VAT
Let me introduce our background first. I recently established a company, Company A, whose main business is online sales through platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
Here are some of my questions regarding VAT. Please help me with the following:
If you can address our concerns, we are willing to consider deeper collaboration with you.
Have a great day.
submitted by Educational_Box9903 to askVATmate [link] [comments]
Here are some of my questions regarding VAT. Please help me with the following:
- I understand that if our sales revenue is below £90,000, we are not required to register for VAT. However, when selling on platforms like Amazon without a VAT number, they do not charge VAT on my sales, and I do not need to pay VAT to the tax authorities. However, Amazon charges VAT on services like product fulfillment and advertising. I have learned that if I apply for a personal label from the tax authority, I can be exempted from these VAT charges. What is this policy, and if I need to apply for a personal label, what documents do I need to submit?
- When my sales revenue approaches £90,000, I will apply for a VAT number. I understand that small businesses can enjoy a reduced VAT rate of 6.5% in the first year (for sales below £170,000, if I remember correctly). However, if my annual sales reach £500,000 after applying for a VAT number, will HMRC require me to pay back taxes at the standard rate? I understand that this is not necessary, but I must report at the standard rate in the second year. If I apply for the 6.5% reduced VAT rate, should I issue invoices to my customers at this rate, or should I issue invoices at the standard rate and claim a VAT refund from the tax authority?
- I intend to sell products like books, notebooks, and journals. According to HMRC's website, books can be zero-rated for VAT, but notebooks (with lots of blank pages rather than extensive illustrations or text) are subject to the standard VAT rate. However, the official description lacks clear quantitative criteria. My product is a notebook with custom content. Can I apply for an ISBN number and define it as a book to enjoy the zero VAT rate policy?
- Regarding safety label stickers, I did not find relevant information on the official website. However, in most countries, such safety promotional products are zero-rated for VAT. Can you analyze the VAT rate for such products in the UK? The product in question is a sticker with printed content such as "FIRE EXIT".
If you can address our concerns, we are willing to consider deeper collaboration with you.
Have a great day.
2024.05.17 10:05 MYSFITS_OFFICIAL Children of Sol 59
Subreddit Patreon
First Prev
Anglestan
Augustus 5, 1923
Facility 9, Mancheston
Colonel Jacobs
His hands flew through the folders General Jorgenson and Colonel Thatcher had. There were dozens of them, stacked upon each other all filed in alphabetical order. It had only been a few days since he had woken up from his coma and visited his home— now his mother’s grave. He clenched his fists at the thought. The grief and rage threatened to bubble and spill over once again. He took a deep breath and dragged out the exhale, almost to the point where he had emptied out his lungs.
He was the only one with clearance, and so he couldn’t disclose any of what he learned with his team. They would simply have to trust him and his judgment. Which he was sure they would do. His hands went over one of the folders skimming through it. There were multiple secret projects, but the ones with the most notes were Project S.T.A.R, Project L.U.N.A.R.I, Project R.E.V.I.V.E, Project D.A.W.N, and Project T.E.M.P.L.A.R.
The colonel decided to start with the most notes and papers. Project D.A.W.N.
He skimmed through the notes, reading through some of the details and highlighted words. Project D.A.W.N, the espionage project Thatcher had started placed two spies in Verlin who were to report directly to a Crescent general named Sienna Moretti who was apparently on humanity’s side.
So I was right. There was an espionage element. With the recent attacks and Thatcher’s death, however, it’s safe to assume that it had somehow failed. Either they got found out or they betrayed us. Both seem very likely, but if they were found out, it would be possible that they had died.
He read through all of it before setting the folder down. There were no new notes recently. He sighed and assumed that Project DAWN was a failure. Whether or not the agents were still alive and well, it was too risky to check if they had been compromised. It was better to assume that they had been and cut all contact. The only way to find out now was to go there himself and check. I can’t contact them again. There’s no telling if it would still be Moretti or the agents who would see my messages. It’s a big risk, and judging by the state of things, best to assume it failed.
He picked up another folder. This one had the label ‘under development’ on the folder. Project Templar. He opened the folder and was instantly met with a blueprint and drawings of a massive bipedal machine. It looked humanoid with strange proportions and was supposed to be standing at an impressive 30 meters, or 100 feet. The Titanic Engine Mech for Personal Land Assault and Reconnaissance.
It was apparently a joint project with the Church of Sol, utilizing new and advanced technologies he hadn’t heard of. A 203mm Gatling cannon on one arm, while the other had three different weapons. A massive firestarter that utilized a new type of fuel mixture that could theoretically spew flames a kilometer away using a high-pressure nozzle. The fuel was ignited using an electrical spark. The second weapon was a high-powered light weapon that fired a single powerful beam of focused light that was even further amplified by layers of focusing lenses that could increase its output several times. Its third weapon was… a dust domina?
Mark read through the specifications of the so-called ‘sand cannon’ weapon. It was a massive cannon that accelerated tiny particles several times. Each particle was to be electrically charged, and it would travel at immense speeds. Near impossible speeds. The resulting impact of a microscopic particle at such speeds would be enough to form a small crater and punch through armor like it was nothing. This weapon would fire multiple at the same time, which could literally eat away at anything on the opposing end.
In terms of secondary weapons, the titan had two missile launch chambers in front of its shoulder each containing about 40 missiles, and two massive howitzer cannons on top of it. Both are 800mm in caliber. It had massive stumpy legs that served as bunkers for a small platoon on each leg. Each leg had machine dominas and 155mm cannons. Its chassis held two nuclear reactors inside providing for its power and weaponry. Its armor was the thickest and most ridiculous he’d ever read. Two meters of heavy steel armor.
How far are we in terms of technology? This thing looks like it came out of an H.G. Wells sci-fi novel. He thought, shaking his head. It was over the top, but there was no denying its combat capabilities. If it was already under-developed then it must be the first prototype. This has already been approved. Guess I better see it for myself later and check how it's coming along. Construction apparently started just a few months before the invasion.
Next was project L.U.N.A.R.I. It was a project involving Six. “Huh,” he said, continuing to read on.
The Light Undone: Nocturnal’s Adaptive Resistance Initiative. As he read further, his eyes widened. The reason why Six was so special wasn’t just because of her immunity to all strigoi weaknesses, but because of her impressive ability to turn any true born strigoi like her. She could transfer her strain like any other strigoi and transform them into a version of hers. It however only seemed to work for naturally born strigoi. The new species of ‘half-breeds’ were called ‘Blessed Children’ as Thatcher had coined in the folder.
The plan was to turn all willing true-born hemolite strigoi into these blessed children. Able to withstand the sun. Immune to silver. Free from the dependency on blood. They could remove all the weaknesses of the strigoi and after the war— make it possible to integrate them into society as normal citizens living on the surface. The project folder also made mentions of a city-wide draft in Dante and highlighted the possibility of turning all Dantenite true born strigoi into these blessed children and renaming them as ‘Lunari’. A mix of the dark and the light. The light of Sol reflected in the children of the night.
“Thatcher, what the fuck have you been up to…” Mark whispered to himself.
While it was true that it could help in the war effort by utilizing Six and the dantenite population, it would also invite some unforeseen problems and consequences. Would humanity be okay with the Lunari? Would the world even be ready for them? Strigoi who were immune to the sun. They wouldn’t be impossible to kill, but they would be immensely more powerful if we were to take away their inherent weaknesses. This is a gamble. Its gain would only be seen during the war period, but its unintended effects on society could be catastrophic.
He frowned, setting the folder down. It was obviously Thatcher’s main plan; seeing as all her moves could be traced to the path of the eventual completion of this project. It seemed dangerous in the long run, but the duskwalkers and dantenites had been monumental in the war effort. Maybe it was the time the world started to accept them more. Isolation and segregation was definitely not the way to disperse fears and foster understanding.
If Thatcher thinks this is the next step forward… then I’ll put my faith in her plans.
Next up was Project S.T.A.R, or the Superior Tech and Adaptive Resistance. An upgrade to the current hemolite weapons and gear by using new researched studies. The Starfire Pattern Domina. The SFD-23 This thing features a new loading system and magazine, ditching the rotating cylinder most domina used, or the rotating helix magazine design of the current hemolite standard BM-16 domina.
The new domina had its magazine like a box… a strange design but it was certainly easier to handle than the bulky cylinders the helical mags used. In terms of ergonomics, it was smoother and fit more. Its placement however was on top of the domina, just above the barrel. Most of the weapon were to be made of lightweight polymers and the barrel itself were to be crafted out of reinforced aluminium. In addition to that, it had a 10-inch bayonet attached to it.
There were other new things as well, such as the composition of the bullet. Looking at the conceptual cross-section designs, Mark read through its description and how it would function. A .308 cased telescoped bullet covered in a silver jacket with break-away petals surrounding the main body. Inside the jacket was a penetrator core that was to be made of depleted uranium. It had a small amount of incendiary compound and… powdered white phosphorus behind an explosive compound. The thin silver jacket would deform and trigger the explosive compound inside the body. It would blow up causing massive internal damage and release the incendiary materials into the body with the flecks of powdered white phosphorus. The penetrator core could still potentially keep going and hit a second target, or punch through heavily armored targets.
Part of the new Project S.T.A.R was overhauling the armor and gear of not just the Hemolites but the Hunters as well. Starfire Mk 1. Carapace Armor. Carapace? It looked like plates of steel covered in a rubberized coat. It was supposed to be slipped on over the original hemolite body armor. It added a spring-loaded wrist blade to the gauntlet, a thicker coat made of resistant materials, and added extra padding for the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
However, the hemolites weren’t the only ones mentioned in the folder. It was to serve the Hunters as well. “Hunters…” Mark said. “August’s group is part of this initiative too.” He flipped through some of the pages. There were blueprints and drawings of an armored suit. A mechanized suit even smaller and more compact than the jotunn units. The Mark 1 STR battlesuit. It was supposed to hug the wearer’s frame and increase their overall power. It was supposed to be built of titanium alloy and a heavy steel frame with composite armor. It had a cooling system, life support systems that could recycle bodily fluids, and an exoskeleton frame that could increase the wearer’s strength and speed.
However, the real eye-opener was Thatcher’s notes. She had been ranting about the new human evolution, and how the Hunters were the first of the ‘Solari’. She wanted to enhance human genetics and push past the peak of human ability to reach greater heights. Implants and restructuring of the anatomy to make it more efficient. Using the blood of the goddess herself. She must have lost it. These are the ramblings of a lunatic. At least… if she didn’t mention the goddess. Why was the goddess important here?
The writings ended with the words: “See Project R.E.V.I.V.E, for more details.”
Mark eyed the final folder. His hands shook as he reached out to take it. Flipping it open, his hands nearly dropped it in shock. The goddess Helena was alive. There were pictures of her naked form floating in a giant tube of fluid. There were more of Thatcher’s ramblings and excited rants about the possibilities of such a discovery. Resurrection, Enhancement, and Veneration: Implementation of Visionary Evolution.
The goddess is alive?! According to the file, she’s currently under the Cathedral of New Lundun. Not only that, but the file also detailed the extraterrestrial tech that lay beneath the cathedral. So the goddess is real and she’s— not really a goddess, but rather, a vampyr who created herself a human body to stand in the sun, and decided that it wants to be on humanity’s side… what the fuck.
Mark’s frown and confusion only increased as he read on. Thatcher’s notes seemed to nearly descend into madness as she had written about creating ‘the first hundred’, alluding to the 100 members of the Hunters division. Her plan was to revive the goddess, and with her help and expertise in genetics— use her DNA to transform the Hunters into demi-humans. Super soldiers. Literal children of the goddess Helena. They would then don the STR battlesuits, the first of the superhuman warriors to defend humanity. Solari.
Their lightning-speed advancement into technology was heralded by studying the alien tech, which deepened the understanding of physics and engineering. Nuclear technologies, chemical warfare, new material sciences, the mechs, and walkers, it was spearheaded by trying to reverse-engineer technology centuries ahead of our own… for the past hundred years. It wasn’t completely stolen, however. More or less borrowed ideas that had been made into our own with our own designs and implements. Still, the speed at which the Church and the military had deciphered such advancements all by themselves was… impressive to say the least.
Still, the fact that the goddess was alive, and could be brought back was big news. Checking the file for details, he found that the previous general, Jorgenson, had already approved this project. It was their next step as soon as they returned from New Amsterdam; which never happened.
If Helena was alive, then she could end this war swiftly, or at the very least help greatly like she once did during the War of Darkness. Having the goddess back would throw a massive wrench in the Crescent’s plans. It would certainly be something they wouldn’t expect. Not even I expected this, since many sources say that the goddess had already ascended to watch over humanity, while conspiracy theorists claim she had died in battle and that the Church was worshiping a corpse. This could be the trick up our sleeves that no one would even consider.
The colonel quickly got up from his seat and gathered the main files he had read. He placed them in a bag and rushed outside of his office in Facility 9. He went over to a nearby room and flicked the lights on. “We need to go,” he said. In an instant seven hemolite soldiers got up from whatever they were doing and instantly stood in line.
“Sir! Whatever you need of us, sir,” the group said in unison.
They were Hemo-1. His former squad members. He had taken up Louis' suggestion that they be his personal security detail. It was a shame that he had basically placed the best hemolite team out of commission, but after all he had been through he convinced himself that he could be just a little selfish. He didn’t want to lose any more friends. Not on his watch. Not while he was in an office, and they were out fighting.
“We’re going to New Lundun. Better pack up, it’s going to be a long night.”
“Mark,” Olivia said.
Jacobs turned to her direction and gave her a nod.
“Colonel, sir, may I ask where in New Lundun?”
“Liv, you don’t need to do that with me. Please. I give all of you special permission,” the colonel groaned. “It’s so weird. I mean, ‘captain’ was bad enough, but now you’re acting like I’m an authority figure.”
“You… are, though,” Emma shrugged.
“I’m your friend, and Liv I’m literally your partner. Unless you have some kind of weird fetish, save it for later.”
Olivia grinned, shaking her head. “Duly noted!” she chirped.
“That’s better,” Mark chuckled. “Now come on, we have a cathedral to visit.”
“Uhh, I’m not sure if you noticed, but we’re kinda… strigoi?!” Louis groaned. “I’d burn the moment I step in that place! Plus, it’s coated in silver! Anything I even touch will give me burns!”
“Oh come on, Lou. You have fucking gloves on. As long as you’re not a clumsy dumbass you’ll be fine… oh wait.’
“Uh huh, just sayin’ what I think, boss.”
The group headed out and Mark said something on his radio. He then sat on the ground, making his joints pop. The rest of the squad shrugged and followed his example, sitting down on the grass and waiting for… nothing. Charles and Zach looked at each other in confusion. “Uh, sir?” they asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be heading out and traveling right now?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just waiting.”
“Foooor…?”
The colonel gave them a smirk as a loud noise began to make itself known. A hummingbird transport appeared out of the distance and stopped right above them, slowly descending into the grass. “Being colonel has its perks,” Mark said with a smile. He stood up and hopped inside the hummingbird as soon as it landed. “Come on now! We’ve got work to do! Last one aboard buys everyone food later!”
Emma zipped in before Mark could even finish his sentence, followed by Olivia, Phineas, Charles, Zach, and then Louis, who sadly took too long to process what the colonel said, and lagged behind.
“Aw, man! Fuck this shit.”
“Rules are rules, Lou. Prepare your wallet later.” Mark grinned.
With a smile, the colonel pulled Olivia to his side, who blushed for a moment before shaking her head. “Take us up! New Lundun Cathedral! How long would it take?” he asked the pilot.
“About an hour and a half!” The pilot replied. “Less if you want to get there as soon as possible!”
“Take your time! The night’s still young.”
The hummingbird started to lift up, taking them into the air. The group settled down in their seats and watched outside the open. Mark opened up a bag inside the hummingbird and took out some ear muffs built for a strigoi. Extremely loud noises were damaging for a strigoi’s enhanced hearing, so the military started implementing ear muffs for them after complaints from early deployments of the hemolite squads.
The trip didn’t take too long. In only an hour and twenty minutes they had arrived at the safe zone of New Lundun, heading straight for the cathedral. The night mass had just ended and people were leaving the cathedral. “Looks like we made it in perfect time!” Mark smiled. They hovered for a few minutes in the air before eventually landing down right in front of the statue of Helena.
As soon as they landed, the colonel and his group left the hummingbird. Mark instructed the pilot to wait for them. He went straight for the cathedral with his group following behind. He entered inside, clearing his throat. “Hello?”
“Well this is surely unexpected,” an old man said, walking up to greet them.
“Great Grandfather Aurelius. It’s uh, an honor.”
“Please. The honor is mine… I see you’re the new colonel. Yes, I’ve heard the news,” he said. “Would you mind telling me your name, young man? As well as your companions, if they feel so. I usually don’t allow duskwalkers here but, I have nothing against them. I’ll make an exception for your group.”
“Thank you, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “I am Colonel Mark Jacobs. These are my friends and security detail. Olivia, Zach, Phineas, Charles, Emma, and Louis.”
“I see, and what brings you here?”
“Since Thatcher’s demise, I was given access to her research and project folders upon taking up the title. I’ve learned about what’s under your cathedral,” Mark cleared his throat. “Would it be alright if we could see it? I’d like to check it for myself. Of course, under your permission and guidance, Great Grandfather.”
The church head looked from Mark to his companions. He pulled a slight frown and hummed. “Do these companions of yours have the clearance? Surely, we wish to keep our secrets hidden,” he said. Mark nodded.
“They do not have clearance to know what is in Thatcher’s folders and her findings,” the colonel nodded. “However, I give them permission to accompany me, and should they discover things for themselves, then you have my word and my trust that I can keep them from spilling state secrets.”
The Great Grandfather gave a short pause before ultimately relenting. “Very well,” he let out a sigh. “Follow me.”
Aurelius walked behind the altar and pulled the same lever, which opened the same staircase leading underground, where Jorgenson and Thatcher had once gone. “Over here, colonel,” he said. “I do not know you completely yet, but this is a big deal of trust I am giving you. Perhaps you would be the one to do things that Thatcher could not have.”
Mark nodded, he and his group followed the Great Grandfather down the staircase. It led down to a massive underground facility, with numerous priests, researchers, and scientists. Libraries, records, instruments, and artifacts of old. It was a treasure trove of learning.
“So,” Aurelius cleared his throat. “What would you like to know about?”
“This isn’t all of it,” Mark said. “Thatcher mentioned a living, breathing, Helena.”
His group behind him let out a soft gasp, but they tried their best to hide their surprise.
“Hm,” the Great Grandfather nodded. “Perceptive young man aren’t you? Very well.”
They were then led into another room, behind a set of heavy blast doors. If the whole group were trying to hide their surprise then, now they could barely contain it. Even the colonel stared awestruck at the things he had seen. Despite the near-magical objects around them, the true shock was the massive starship at the end of the hallway. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Aurelius said. “All of the goddess’ artifacts and items at our disposal, to use and learn from, to integrate into our own. This is why Anglestan is the most powerful nation in the UHT in terms of development. When it comes to industry, however, that would go to the UNA. But we share our secrets with them. All our advancements are handed to them first before any other nation.”
“This is all amazing, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “But this is not what I’m here for.”
“No, it’s not.” Aurelius nodded.
He led them to another room, one that was sterilized and sported advanced machinery. Things that Mark had never even seen. There were screens with luminous green texts that appeared in front of it. Large panels with numerous keys, levers, and dials. Graphs of all sorts and beeping monitors. In the center, was the very thing he had come all this way to confirm. A large cylinder filled with liquid, sporting tubes and pipes connecting to its base. Inside was a woman of large proportion. Four arms, two legs, and six wings. In her bare chest was a symbol of the sun that seemed to glow dimly.
“There she is, there’s you goddess.”
Neither Mark nor his group spoke a word. He walked up to it, eyeing the woman inside. It really is her. Down to the last details. Golden hair, six limbs, six folded wings, and she looks massive. Probably as big as her statue just outside the cathedral. This is it. The very goddess in the history books, the one spoken about in legends and the one worshiped in the Churches of Sol.
“Can we free her?” he said.
The Great Grandfather nearly choked on his spit upon hearing those words. “Free her?! That could kill her! We don’t even understand this technology, let alone control it!” he said pointing at the panels. “The machines you see here are the best and most advanced we have based on what we can reverse engineer, but even then, the consequences of tampering with its functions may be disastrous!”
“I understand, Great Grandfather,” Mark said. “But we are in a dire situation, and the goddess may be our hope of turning this around. Whatever secrets of her tech that you don’t understand, wouldn’t she be able to teach us directly? What good is she floating around in Sol knows what?”
“That is her miraculous healing fluid. She had already built this contraption centuries ago in case anything were to happen to her, that her body’s natural healing could not sustain,” Aurelius said. “During the War of Darkness, Helena was struck with a weapon so deadly, her very cells began to tear away. The Reaper. Dealt to her by Absolem the progenitor. Her flesh was peeling from her body, and she began to decay whilst she still breathed. She entered this contraption and gave strict instructions to the Great Grandfather at the time, not to interrupt the healing process. The machine that monitored her, however, began to fail over time.”
“So this… these screens and panels…”
“Is only what functions we can understand. We took it upon ourselves to rebuild and study it the best we could. What we have right now is only a cheap imitation of a technology we do not fully comprehend,” he said. “It took us decades to even figure out the fundamentals and create a working prototype of this machine. By some miracle, the goddess’ healing process had remained even while we replaced components of technology ahead of ours.”
“But you know how to free her, don’t you?”
“I… yes.”
“Great Grandfather Aurelius,” Mark began. “We can end this war. Imagine what we could do with the goddess fighting on our side. We could advance even further, we could finally end the bloodshed, and we can show humanity that there is still hope. Imagine how people all over the world would feel seeing as their goddess has returned.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm,” Aurelius said. “But it is simply too risky. The Church’s duty is to protect Helena and her legacy. We keep her alive, literally and figuratively. She nearly died the last time she was involved in a war. Would you risk losing the goddess?”
“Would you risk humanity losing?”
The Great Grandfather fell silent, looking back at Helena floating inside the tube, then to the panels that controlled it. He frowned and let out a long sigh. “The goddess said that we should not interrupt it. That it would end as soon as it was finished. Maybe we should trust her words.”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t spot a single blemish on the goddess. Not a single scratch,” he argued. “You said it yourself that the machine had begun to fail and you replaced components. How would you know that the thing that’s supposed to wake her up was not tampered with? Think about it. What you may think is a useless piece may be integral to the whole machine. Or maybe your replacements were not up to the task. Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean its functions have remained whole.”
“Young man, we simply cannot gamble with the goddess’ life here.”
“Have you no faith? Great Grandfather?”
Aurelius stepped back in shock. Mark’s companions looked at each other, clearly surprised as well. “Mark… I don’t think we should keep arguing with—” Olivia tried to say.
“No,” the colonel said firmly, cutting her off. “Great Grandfather Aurelius, do you think that Helena will not be able to pull through if we wake her? How long has it been? A century? How much longer will we wait? She may be immortal but humans aren’t.”
“I'm sorry, but the chances of failure are too high. The probability of her—”
“I don’t care about the probability! Would you rather put your faith in a statistic?!” Mark raised his voice. “I lost my mother to this war! My friends! My job! My eye, and almost my life! I’ve put mine on the line out there! You don’t know what it’s like out there! Was my mother’s death just a probability too? Was she just a statistic to you?! That as long as the numbers are good, no matter how many are lost, we are ‘winning’?!”
“Mark—!”
“No, Liv! He needs to know what’s really going on out there!” he spat. “Great Grandfather, with all due respect, but you don’t have a damn clue what it’s like to be in the field. You’re a man of faith, aren’t you? Take a risk. Everyone else has.”
Aurelius stood there, dumbfounded. He bit the inside of his cheeks and clenched his fists. “For your insolence, I would have had you flogged and stripped of your rank,” he glared at the young colonel. However, his features slowly softened, letting out a soft sigh. “But I have never seen such conviction. Mighty is your faith.”
The Great Grandfather moved over to the panels and reached into his robe, pulling out from around his neck a key with the symbol of the sun. He inserted it into the machine and turned. A beep sounded, right before Aurelius pulled a lever. In an instant, the fluid inside the glass chamber began to drain out into the tubes under it. Slowly, the chamber emptied and all that was left was the nude form of the goddess sitting in the glass.
“Did it work?” Louis asked, stepping forward and looking at the woman.
Aurelius stayed silent, his hands shaking in anticipation. Mark moved toward the glass chamber, when suddenly, the glass opened up like a door, releasing a fragrant mist. They stood there, watching for a whole minute. Nothing. At first nothing. The Great Grandfather looked like he was about to break down. His knees shook as he covered his mouth, thinking that he was responsible for the death of Helena.
That was when… a soft sound was heard. Movement. Olivia immediately went over to Mark and stood in front of him. Ready to protect him should anything happen. Slowly, the goddess moved more, her arms inched to the side.
Then, her eyes opened.
submitted by MYSFITS_OFFICIAL to HFY [link] [comments]
First Prev
Anglestan
Augustus 5, 1923
Facility 9, Mancheston
Colonel Jacobs
His hands flew through the folders General Jorgenson and Colonel Thatcher had. There were dozens of them, stacked upon each other all filed in alphabetical order. It had only been a few days since he had woken up from his coma and visited his home— now his mother’s grave. He clenched his fists at the thought. The grief and rage threatened to bubble and spill over once again. He took a deep breath and dragged out the exhale, almost to the point where he had emptied out his lungs.
He was the only one with clearance, and so he couldn’t disclose any of what he learned with his team. They would simply have to trust him and his judgment. Which he was sure they would do. His hands went over one of the folders skimming through it. There were multiple secret projects, but the ones with the most notes were Project S.T.A.R, Project L.U.N.A.R.I, Project R.E.V.I.V.E, Project D.A.W.N, and Project T.E.M.P.L.A.R.
The colonel decided to start with the most notes and papers. Project D.A.W.N.
He skimmed through the notes, reading through some of the details and highlighted words. Project D.A.W.N, the espionage project Thatcher had started placed two spies in Verlin who were to report directly to a Crescent general named Sienna Moretti who was apparently on humanity’s side.
So I was right. There was an espionage element. With the recent attacks and Thatcher’s death, however, it’s safe to assume that it had somehow failed. Either they got found out or they betrayed us. Both seem very likely, but if they were found out, it would be possible that they had died.
He read through all of it before setting the folder down. There were no new notes recently. He sighed and assumed that Project DAWN was a failure. Whether or not the agents were still alive and well, it was too risky to check if they had been compromised. It was better to assume that they had been and cut all contact. The only way to find out now was to go there himself and check. I can’t contact them again. There’s no telling if it would still be Moretti or the agents who would see my messages. It’s a big risk, and judging by the state of things, best to assume it failed.
He picked up another folder. This one had the label ‘under development’ on the folder. Project Templar. He opened the folder and was instantly met with a blueprint and drawings of a massive bipedal machine. It looked humanoid with strange proportions and was supposed to be standing at an impressive 30 meters, or 100 feet. The Titanic Engine Mech for Personal Land Assault and Reconnaissance.
It was apparently a joint project with the Church of Sol, utilizing new and advanced technologies he hadn’t heard of. A 203mm Gatling cannon on one arm, while the other had three different weapons. A massive firestarter that utilized a new type of fuel mixture that could theoretically spew flames a kilometer away using a high-pressure nozzle. The fuel was ignited using an electrical spark. The second weapon was a high-powered light weapon that fired a single powerful beam of focused light that was even further amplified by layers of focusing lenses that could increase its output several times. Its third weapon was… a dust domina?
Mark read through the specifications of the so-called ‘sand cannon’ weapon. It was a massive cannon that accelerated tiny particles several times. Each particle was to be electrically charged, and it would travel at immense speeds. Near impossible speeds. The resulting impact of a microscopic particle at such speeds would be enough to form a small crater and punch through armor like it was nothing. This weapon would fire multiple at the same time, which could literally eat away at anything on the opposing end.
In terms of secondary weapons, the titan had two missile launch chambers in front of its shoulder each containing about 40 missiles, and two massive howitzer cannons on top of it. Both are 800mm in caliber. It had massive stumpy legs that served as bunkers for a small platoon on each leg. Each leg had machine dominas and 155mm cannons. Its chassis held two nuclear reactors inside providing for its power and weaponry. Its armor was the thickest and most ridiculous he’d ever read. Two meters of heavy steel armor.
How far are we in terms of technology? This thing looks like it came out of an H.G. Wells sci-fi novel. He thought, shaking his head. It was over the top, but there was no denying its combat capabilities. If it was already under-developed then it must be the first prototype. This has already been approved. Guess I better see it for myself later and check how it's coming along. Construction apparently started just a few months before the invasion.
Next was project L.U.N.A.R.I. It was a project involving Six. “Huh,” he said, continuing to read on.
The Light Undone: Nocturnal’s Adaptive Resistance Initiative. As he read further, his eyes widened. The reason why Six was so special wasn’t just because of her immunity to all strigoi weaknesses, but because of her impressive ability to turn any true born strigoi like her. She could transfer her strain like any other strigoi and transform them into a version of hers. It however only seemed to work for naturally born strigoi. The new species of ‘half-breeds’ were called ‘Blessed Children’ as Thatcher had coined in the folder.
The plan was to turn all willing true-born hemolite strigoi into these blessed children. Able to withstand the sun. Immune to silver. Free from the dependency on blood. They could remove all the weaknesses of the strigoi and after the war— make it possible to integrate them into society as normal citizens living on the surface. The project folder also made mentions of a city-wide draft in Dante and highlighted the possibility of turning all Dantenite true born strigoi into these blessed children and renaming them as ‘Lunari’. A mix of the dark and the light. The light of Sol reflected in the children of the night.
“Thatcher, what the fuck have you been up to…” Mark whispered to himself.
While it was true that it could help in the war effort by utilizing Six and the dantenite population, it would also invite some unforeseen problems and consequences. Would humanity be okay with the Lunari? Would the world even be ready for them? Strigoi who were immune to the sun. They wouldn’t be impossible to kill, but they would be immensely more powerful if we were to take away their inherent weaknesses. This is a gamble. Its gain would only be seen during the war period, but its unintended effects on society could be catastrophic.
He frowned, setting the folder down. It was obviously Thatcher’s main plan; seeing as all her moves could be traced to the path of the eventual completion of this project. It seemed dangerous in the long run, but the duskwalkers and dantenites had been monumental in the war effort. Maybe it was the time the world started to accept them more. Isolation and segregation was definitely not the way to disperse fears and foster understanding.
If Thatcher thinks this is the next step forward… then I’ll put my faith in her plans.
Next up was Project S.T.A.R, or the Superior Tech and Adaptive Resistance. An upgrade to the current hemolite weapons and gear by using new researched studies. The Starfire Pattern Domina. The SFD-23 This thing features a new loading system and magazine, ditching the rotating cylinder most domina used, or the rotating helix magazine design of the current hemolite standard BM-16 domina.
The new domina had its magazine like a box… a strange design but it was certainly easier to handle than the bulky cylinders the helical mags used. In terms of ergonomics, it was smoother and fit more. Its placement however was on top of the domina, just above the barrel. Most of the weapon were to be made of lightweight polymers and the barrel itself were to be crafted out of reinforced aluminium. In addition to that, it had a 10-inch bayonet attached to it.
There were other new things as well, such as the composition of the bullet. Looking at the conceptual cross-section designs, Mark read through its description and how it would function. A .308 cased telescoped bullet covered in a silver jacket with break-away petals surrounding the main body. Inside the jacket was a penetrator core that was to be made of depleted uranium. It had a small amount of incendiary compound and… powdered white phosphorus behind an explosive compound. The thin silver jacket would deform and trigger the explosive compound inside the body. It would blow up causing massive internal damage and release the incendiary materials into the body with the flecks of powdered white phosphorus. The penetrator core could still potentially keep going and hit a second target, or punch through heavily armored targets.
Part of the new Project S.T.A.R was overhauling the armor and gear of not just the Hemolites but the Hunters as well. Starfire Mk 1. Carapace Armor. Carapace? It looked like plates of steel covered in a rubberized coat. It was supposed to be slipped on over the original hemolite body armor. It added a spring-loaded wrist blade to the gauntlet, a thicker coat made of resistant materials, and added extra padding for the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
However, the hemolites weren’t the only ones mentioned in the folder. It was to serve the Hunters as well. “Hunters…” Mark said. “August’s group is part of this initiative too.” He flipped through some of the pages. There were blueprints and drawings of an armored suit. A mechanized suit even smaller and more compact than the jotunn units. The Mark 1 STR battlesuit. It was supposed to hug the wearer’s frame and increase their overall power. It was supposed to be built of titanium alloy and a heavy steel frame with composite armor. It had a cooling system, life support systems that could recycle bodily fluids, and an exoskeleton frame that could increase the wearer’s strength and speed.
However, the real eye-opener was Thatcher’s notes. She had been ranting about the new human evolution, and how the Hunters were the first of the ‘Solari’. She wanted to enhance human genetics and push past the peak of human ability to reach greater heights. Implants and restructuring of the anatomy to make it more efficient. Using the blood of the goddess herself. She must have lost it. These are the ramblings of a lunatic. At least… if she didn’t mention the goddess. Why was the goddess important here?
The writings ended with the words: “See Project R.E.V.I.V.E, for more details.”
Mark eyed the final folder. His hands shook as he reached out to take it. Flipping it open, his hands nearly dropped it in shock. The goddess Helena was alive. There were pictures of her naked form floating in a giant tube of fluid. There were more of Thatcher’s ramblings and excited rants about the possibilities of such a discovery. Resurrection, Enhancement, and Veneration: Implementation of Visionary Evolution.
The goddess is alive?! According to the file, she’s currently under the Cathedral of New Lundun. Not only that, but the file also detailed the extraterrestrial tech that lay beneath the cathedral. So the goddess is real and she’s— not really a goddess, but rather, a vampyr who created herself a human body to stand in the sun, and decided that it wants to be on humanity’s side… what the fuck.
Mark’s frown and confusion only increased as he read on. Thatcher’s notes seemed to nearly descend into madness as she had written about creating ‘the first hundred’, alluding to the 100 members of the Hunters division. Her plan was to revive the goddess, and with her help and expertise in genetics— use her DNA to transform the Hunters into demi-humans. Super soldiers. Literal children of the goddess Helena. They would then don the STR battlesuits, the first of the superhuman warriors to defend humanity. Solari.
Their lightning-speed advancement into technology was heralded by studying the alien tech, which deepened the understanding of physics and engineering. Nuclear technologies, chemical warfare, new material sciences, the mechs, and walkers, it was spearheaded by trying to reverse-engineer technology centuries ahead of our own… for the past hundred years. It wasn’t completely stolen, however. More or less borrowed ideas that had been made into our own with our own designs and implements. Still, the speed at which the Church and the military had deciphered such advancements all by themselves was… impressive to say the least.
Still, the fact that the goddess was alive, and could be brought back was big news. Checking the file for details, he found that the previous general, Jorgenson, had already approved this project. It was their next step as soon as they returned from New Amsterdam; which never happened.
If Helena was alive, then she could end this war swiftly, or at the very least help greatly like she once did during the War of Darkness. Having the goddess back would throw a massive wrench in the Crescent’s plans. It would certainly be something they wouldn’t expect. Not even I expected this, since many sources say that the goddess had already ascended to watch over humanity, while conspiracy theorists claim she had died in battle and that the Church was worshiping a corpse. This could be the trick up our sleeves that no one would even consider.
The colonel quickly got up from his seat and gathered the main files he had read. He placed them in a bag and rushed outside of his office in Facility 9. He went over to a nearby room and flicked the lights on. “We need to go,” he said. In an instant seven hemolite soldiers got up from whatever they were doing and instantly stood in line.
“Sir! Whatever you need of us, sir,” the group said in unison.
They were Hemo-1. His former squad members. He had taken up Louis' suggestion that they be his personal security detail. It was a shame that he had basically placed the best hemolite team out of commission, but after all he had been through he convinced himself that he could be just a little selfish. He didn’t want to lose any more friends. Not on his watch. Not while he was in an office, and they were out fighting.
“We’re going to New Lundun. Better pack up, it’s going to be a long night.”
“Mark,” Olivia said.
Jacobs turned to her direction and gave her a nod.
“Colonel, sir, may I ask where in New Lundun?”
“Liv, you don’t need to do that with me. Please. I give all of you special permission,” the colonel groaned. “It’s so weird. I mean, ‘captain’ was bad enough, but now you’re acting like I’m an authority figure.”
“You… are, though,” Emma shrugged.
“I’m your friend, and Liv I’m literally your partner. Unless you have some kind of weird fetish, save it for later.”
Olivia grinned, shaking her head. “Duly noted!” she chirped.
“That’s better,” Mark chuckled. “Now come on, we have a cathedral to visit.”
“Uhh, I’m not sure if you noticed, but we’re kinda… strigoi?!” Louis groaned. “I’d burn the moment I step in that place! Plus, it’s coated in silver! Anything I even touch will give me burns!”
“Oh come on, Lou. You have fucking gloves on. As long as you’re not a clumsy dumbass you’ll be fine… oh wait.’
“Uh huh, just sayin’ what I think, boss.”
The group headed out and Mark said something on his radio. He then sat on the ground, making his joints pop. The rest of the squad shrugged and followed his example, sitting down on the grass and waiting for… nothing. Charles and Zach looked at each other in confusion. “Uh, sir?” they asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be heading out and traveling right now?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just waiting.”
“Foooor…?”
The colonel gave them a smirk as a loud noise began to make itself known. A hummingbird transport appeared out of the distance and stopped right above them, slowly descending into the grass. “Being colonel has its perks,” Mark said with a smile. He stood up and hopped inside the hummingbird as soon as it landed. “Come on now! We’ve got work to do! Last one aboard buys everyone food later!”
Emma zipped in before Mark could even finish his sentence, followed by Olivia, Phineas, Charles, Zach, and then Louis, who sadly took too long to process what the colonel said, and lagged behind.
“Aw, man! Fuck this shit.”
“Rules are rules, Lou. Prepare your wallet later.” Mark grinned.
With a smile, the colonel pulled Olivia to his side, who blushed for a moment before shaking her head. “Take us up! New Lundun Cathedral! How long would it take?” he asked the pilot.
“About an hour and a half!” The pilot replied. “Less if you want to get there as soon as possible!”
“Take your time! The night’s still young.”
The hummingbird started to lift up, taking them into the air. The group settled down in their seats and watched outside the open. Mark opened up a bag inside the hummingbird and took out some ear muffs built for a strigoi. Extremely loud noises were damaging for a strigoi’s enhanced hearing, so the military started implementing ear muffs for them after complaints from early deployments of the hemolite squads.
The trip didn’t take too long. In only an hour and twenty minutes they had arrived at the safe zone of New Lundun, heading straight for the cathedral. The night mass had just ended and people were leaving the cathedral. “Looks like we made it in perfect time!” Mark smiled. They hovered for a few minutes in the air before eventually landing down right in front of the statue of Helena.
As soon as they landed, the colonel and his group left the hummingbird. Mark instructed the pilot to wait for them. He went straight for the cathedral with his group following behind. He entered inside, clearing his throat. “Hello?”
“Well this is surely unexpected,” an old man said, walking up to greet them.
“Great Grandfather Aurelius. It’s uh, an honor.”
“Please. The honor is mine… I see you’re the new colonel. Yes, I’ve heard the news,” he said. “Would you mind telling me your name, young man? As well as your companions, if they feel so. I usually don’t allow duskwalkers here but, I have nothing against them. I’ll make an exception for your group.”
“Thank you, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “I am Colonel Mark Jacobs. These are my friends and security detail. Olivia, Zach, Phineas, Charles, Emma, and Louis.”
“I see, and what brings you here?”
“Since Thatcher’s demise, I was given access to her research and project folders upon taking up the title. I’ve learned about what’s under your cathedral,” Mark cleared his throat. “Would it be alright if we could see it? I’d like to check it for myself. Of course, under your permission and guidance, Great Grandfather.”
The church head looked from Mark to his companions. He pulled a slight frown and hummed. “Do these companions of yours have the clearance? Surely, we wish to keep our secrets hidden,” he said. Mark nodded.
“They do not have clearance to know what is in Thatcher’s folders and her findings,” the colonel nodded. “However, I give them permission to accompany me, and should they discover things for themselves, then you have my word and my trust that I can keep them from spilling state secrets.”
The Great Grandfather gave a short pause before ultimately relenting. “Very well,” he let out a sigh. “Follow me.”
Aurelius walked behind the altar and pulled the same lever, which opened the same staircase leading underground, where Jorgenson and Thatcher had once gone. “Over here, colonel,” he said. “I do not know you completely yet, but this is a big deal of trust I am giving you. Perhaps you would be the one to do things that Thatcher could not have.”
Mark nodded, he and his group followed the Great Grandfather down the staircase. It led down to a massive underground facility, with numerous priests, researchers, and scientists. Libraries, records, instruments, and artifacts of old. It was a treasure trove of learning.
“So,” Aurelius cleared his throat. “What would you like to know about?”
“This isn’t all of it,” Mark said. “Thatcher mentioned a living, breathing, Helena.”
His group behind him let out a soft gasp, but they tried their best to hide their surprise.
“Hm,” the Great Grandfather nodded. “Perceptive young man aren’t you? Very well.”
They were then led into another room, behind a set of heavy blast doors. If the whole group were trying to hide their surprise then, now they could barely contain it. Even the colonel stared awestruck at the things he had seen. Despite the near-magical objects around them, the true shock was the massive starship at the end of the hallway. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Aurelius said. “All of the goddess’ artifacts and items at our disposal, to use and learn from, to integrate into our own. This is why Anglestan is the most powerful nation in the UHT in terms of development. When it comes to industry, however, that would go to the UNA. But we share our secrets with them. All our advancements are handed to them first before any other nation.”
“This is all amazing, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “But this is not what I’m here for.”
“No, it’s not.” Aurelius nodded.
He led them to another room, one that was sterilized and sported advanced machinery. Things that Mark had never even seen. There were screens with luminous green texts that appeared in front of it. Large panels with numerous keys, levers, and dials. Graphs of all sorts and beeping monitors. In the center, was the very thing he had come all this way to confirm. A large cylinder filled with liquid, sporting tubes and pipes connecting to its base. Inside was a woman of large proportion. Four arms, two legs, and six wings. In her bare chest was a symbol of the sun that seemed to glow dimly.
“There she is, there’s you goddess.”
Neither Mark nor his group spoke a word. He walked up to it, eyeing the woman inside. It really is her. Down to the last details. Golden hair, six limbs, six folded wings, and she looks massive. Probably as big as her statue just outside the cathedral. This is it. The very goddess in the history books, the one spoken about in legends and the one worshiped in the Churches of Sol.
“Can we free her?” he said.
The Great Grandfather nearly choked on his spit upon hearing those words. “Free her?! That could kill her! We don’t even understand this technology, let alone control it!” he said pointing at the panels. “The machines you see here are the best and most advanced we have based on what we can reverse engineer, but even then, the consequences of tampering with its functions may be disastrous!”
“I understand, Great Grandfather,” Mark said. “But we are in a dire situation, and the goddess may be our hope of turning this around. Whatever secrets of her tech that you don’t understand, wouldn’t she be able to teach us directly? What good is she floating around in Sol knows what?”
“That is her miraculous healing fluid. She had already built this contraption centuries ago in case anything were to happen to her, that her body’s natural healing could not sustain,” Aurelius said. “During the War of Darkness, Helena was struck with a weapon so deadly, her very cells began to tear away. The Reaper. Dealt to her by Absolem the progenitor. Her flesh was peeling from her body, and she began to decay whilst she still breathed. She entered this contraption and gave strict instructions to the Great Grandfather at the time, not to interrupt the healing process. The machine that monitored her, however, began to fail over time.”
“So this… these screens and panels…”
“Is only what functions we can understand. We took it upon ourselves to rebuild and study it the best we could. What we have right now is only a cheap imitation of a technology we do not fully comprehend,” he said. “It took us decades to even figure out the fundamentals and create a working prototype of this machine. By some miracle, the goddess’ healing process had remained even while we replaced components of technology ahead of ours.”
“But you know how to free her, don’t you?”
“I… yes.”
“Great Grandfather Aurelius,” Mark began. “We can end this war. Imagine what we could do with the goddess fighting on our side. We could advance even further, we could finally end the bloodshed, and we can show humanity that there is still hope. Imagine how people all over the world would feel seeing as their goddess has returned.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm,” Aurelius said. “But it is simply too risky. The Church’s duty is to protect Helena and her legacy. We keep her alive, literally and figuratively. She nearly died the last time she was involved in a war. Would you risk losing the goddess?”
“Would you risk humanity losing?”
The Great Grandfather fell silent, looking back at Helena floating inside the tube, then to the panels that controlled it. He frowned and let out a long sigh. “The goddess said that we should not interrupt it. That it would end as soon as it was finished. Maybe we should trust her words.”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t spot a single blemish on the goddess. Not a single scratch,” he argued. “You said it yourself that the machine had begun to fail and you replaced components. How would you know that the thing that’s supposed to wake her up was not tampered with? Think about it. What you may think is a useless piece may be integral to the whole machine. Or maybe your replacements were not up to the task. Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean its functions have remained whole.”
“Young man, we simply cannot gamble with the goddess’ life here.”
“Have you no faith? Great Grandfather?”
Aurelius stepped back in shock. Mark’s companions looked at each other, clearly surprised as well. “Mark… I don’t think we should keep arguing with—” Olivia tried to say.
“No,” the colonel said firmly, cutting her off. “Great Grandfather Aurelius, do you think that Helena will not be able to pull through if we wake her? How long has it been? A century? How much longer will we wait? She may be immortal but humans aren’t.”
“I'm sorry, but the chances of failure are too high. The probability of her—”
“I don’t care about the probability! Would you rather put your faith in a statistic?!” Mark raised his voice. “I lost my mother to this war! My friends! My job! My eye, and almost my life! I’ve put mine on the line out there! You don’t know what it’s like out there! Was my mother’s death just a probability too? Was she just a statistic to you?! That as long as the numbers are good, no matter how many are lost, we are ‘winning’?!”
“Mark—!”
“No, Liv! He needs to know what’s really going on out there!” he spat. “Great Grandfather, with all due respect, but you don’t have a damn clue what it’s like to be in the field. You’re a man of faith, aren’t you? Take a risk. Everyone else has.”
Aurelius stood there, dumbfounded. He bit the inside of his cheeks and clenched his fists. “For your insolence, I would have had you flogged and stripped of your rank,” he glared at the young colonel. However, his features slowly softened, letting out a soft sigh. “But I have never seen such conviction. Mighty is your faith.”
The Great Grandfather moved over to the panels and reached into his robe, pulling out from around his neck a key with the symbol of the sun. He inserted it into the machine and turned. A beep sounded, right before Aurelius pulled a lever. In an instant, the fluid inside the glass chamber began to drain out into the tubes under it. Slowly, the chamber emptied and all that was left was the nude form of the goddess sitting in the glass.
“Did it work?” Louis asked, stepping forward and looking at the woman.
Aurelius stayed silent, his hands shaking in anticipation. Mark moved toward the glass chamber, when suddenly, the glass opened up like a door, releasing a fragrant mist. They stood there, watching for a whole minute. Nothing. At first nothing. The Great Grandfather looked like he was about to break down. His knees shook as he covered his mouth, thinking that he was responsible for the death of Helena.
That was when… a soft sound was heard. Movement. Olivia immediately went over to Mark and stood in front of him. Ready to protect him should anything happen. Slowly, the goddess moved more, her arms inched to the side.
Then, her eyes opened.
2024.05.17 09:47 Edwardthecrazyman Hiraeth or Where the Children Play: Oh, Dear Brother of Mine, How I Hate What I've Made You [12]
First/Previous
Gemma was right about the sky’s open night, and I could sympathize with her recollection of the beauty, but for me it must’ve been a greater tragedy—the young woman had only ever enjoyed the stars in the pits of Golgotha; I could, long before, drink in the sky at leisure. Cruel memories.
The night the Rednecks died was one of viscera, but before that it was coolness on the breeze, a warmth by the fires while John played his guitar and we had only just taken two dozen kegs of lager (personal reserves) from the Atlanta despot—the man that kept his subjects as slaves and not a person among the camp was left without budding intoxication. No matter the age, everyone was invited to be merry; if it was that children too faced the plight of a bad world, then so too should they reap the moments of plenty—or so the camp figured.
John had taken a group by the fires where wagons were drawn in interlocking semicircles for cover and Jackson sat beside the picker. Jackson was a man which normally preferred quiet reflection over boisterous singing and nearly never wore the band on his throat, and yet there he was belting out the chorus at the top of his lungs, tankard in hand, red cloth blazed around his neck—it was a contagion and those drunk enough for easier embarrassment sang proudly along:
“There is power, there is power in a band of working folk!
When we stand hand in hand,
That’s a power, that’s the power,
That must rule in every land!”
I’d taken to the outlying shadows with my back pressed against the gas-powered caleche, my own tankard in hand. I loved the warmth of that great big family, truly, but even in those days—and maybe it was that queer youthfulness which longed for individualism that made me that way then—I remained as distanced as possible when I could. I sipped the lager, it was a fine drink and my brother Billy, nearly as old as I was when I’d first taken up in the infantry, swaggered to stand beside me just as quiet for minutes and we looked at the stars and he asked me what it was like to kill a man.
“Is it hard?” he asked.
I nodded, “Sometimes.”
“Killing monsters ain’t so bad. Don’t know if I could do it to a person.”
“You could if they meant to kill you; or if they meant to do it to someone you cared about,” I promised him. In those days, spry, energized, I held no time for staring into abysses; though I still wasn’t a man fully, I pretended as one. It was about family, and it was about doing what was right—what’s right seemed to change, or I changed. The world felt stark with good and evil and even later I’d feel that sentiment well up in me, but if that’s true, I know I stand more on the latter and so I intentionally obfuscated it—this I know. If not, it might be too much to bear. I was required to lie to myself and even in knowing I lied, it was better.
Billy tugged on the red kerchief around his throat and asked me how it looked on him.
“Looks good,” I said.
“Don’t think I look stupid at all?”
I smiled over my drink, “You always look stupid.” I sipped. “The neckwear’s fine.”
“Give me a break,” said Billy; he investigated his own cup, gave it a swish with his wrist, watching its contents swirl. “Aren’t you ever afraid you’ll die?”
“Sometimes—nights like this—I wouldn’t mind it.”
“Really?” my brother asked.
“There’s always a chance of it. Every moment, I guess.”
He smiled. “I wish I had that confidence.”
“You’ll get it,” I returned his smile; it was true that he would gain the fighting spirit. It came to us all with time and reminiscing on the early days, I recall the grit and the hatred—there was learning there too though. Besides, I’d seen the squalors of a stationary man. The stagnation of a place, an unmoving home.
John put his guitar away and laughter erupted from the crowd from something said and Sibylle, cowboy hat cocked funny, traipsed across the camp to the open keg for a refill; the man there, tending the cylinders, was a man named Tandy (a foreigner and one unknown besides the way he smoked a skunk pipe and told wild stories). My mother leaned over while Tandy opened the spigot mouth on the keg, and she froze there, and I could see her there cut out forever against the light of the fires; I watched, and it came so suddenly that I couldn’t be sure what’d happened at all. It was so sudden that I couldn’t find my weapon and I couldn’t find even the courage to fight because in those moments it wasn’t courage I needed, it was grounds to understand.
Sibylle came apart in two pieces immediately, torn completely through and dust erupted as her legs struck the ground while her torso spun through the air like a top, a trail of liquid trailed after, caught in the blue of night so it shone as black; she couldn’t scream. Tandy was a statue. Before anyone could react, more flesh, other bodies, went up and there was all manner of limbs which filled the ground, and it is astounding how quickly a red mist forms across the ground during a massacre. Perhaps the wails of my comrades started before, perhaps others fell before Sibylle, but I could not comprehend the goings-on till I saw her drop the way she did.
Frail human screams rose on the night; I slammed to the ground, tankard gone away and hands scrambling in the dirt; I reached up blindly and yanked Billy to my level and his expression was one of innocence, panic, tears even. Glancing around, I saw the demons bolt from the pitch-black darkness on the edges of camp, mutants taking the fore while greater creatures lurked further back, some hurled whips of gliding metal which writhed over their heads when they stretched them out for a strike—alien—and they sliced directly through soft human bodies. Not even a cry escaped me, but Billy let go with it and I slapped my cupped hand over his mouth hard to hold the screams. His voice would not have been alone anyway, not alongside that startling cacophony. Amidst the cries of people, there were the cries of horses, of our hounds.
We rolled across the ground, slipped beneath the raised body of the gas-powered caleche, remained quiet in the dark, peeked out between the wheels.
“What’s happening?” Billy whispered through my fingers; I removed my hand from him and caught a glimpse of him framed in a square of firelight through the wheels—we lay there on our bellies and the left side of his face was glazed with dirt where I’d pulled him down.
“Shh,” I told him, “Shh, please. Please.” Not another word came while I pleaded with him, pleaded with the world to make this all a nightmare.
Through the haze and the running silhouettes painted black, I saw what might have been Jackson; he stumbled and in the moment that it took me to gasp, his head was gone from his body, his torso slid on as he collapsed, came to rest mere feet from the motor wagon. I told myself that it wasn’t him, but it probably was.
Some mutants lumbered through the camp like animated corpses, some leapt with wild energy or sprayed noxious fumes which lingered in the air; others still were amalgams of humanlike limbs themselves—fiends—exhausting terrible sounds, producing smells of sulfur, glistening with whatever liquids excreted from their oblong alien orifices. Demons ran amok, chanted in devil tongued languages, laughed madly at the destruction—others still, those which displayed some greater intelligence, broke into a song I could never hope or want to replicate; it seemed a unified damnation.
“Please,” I repeated in a whimper and Billy hushed me this time and I realized we were holding hands, squeezing for dear life as figures walked the camp, speared those half-alive, elected others for twisted carnality.
In darkness, in fright plainly, we scuttled from the recess of our hiding place, kept quiet, held to each other, and went into the wasteland where nothing was—every shadow was a potential threat, every second could’ve been the last. We were holding hands; then we weren’t.
Only a glance—that’s all I afforded my brother and nothing more—what a joke of a person I am! What a coward I was. Always.
Something got him in the dark and instead of dying alongside those I cared about, I went on, heartbeat driving me till it was all that I heard in my ears and my muscles ached and my chest heaved and sweat covered me, chilled me in the breeze of the night—it was only once I’d accepted the dark completely, crawled into a hollowed space of rocks along a squat ridge that I watched the demolished camp; it seemed no larger than a spark, but the creatures, fiends and others continued their war cries; never before had I witnessed demons participate in such an attack.
I watched till the sun came, till the fires became smoke, then I watched the band of hell creatures disband. The smell of sulfur remained in the air—copper too—and I stumbled back to the camp in a dreamlike daze, totally unbelieving of the things I saw. Among those dead on the ground, I could recognize none; among those piked from rear to shoulder, standing like morbid scarecrows where they’d been steadied against the ground, I could not want to recognize.
Many of the wagons were overturned, including the gas-powered caleche and I went to it; the metal of its body was warped but I fell to the ground by it and pushed my back against the exposed undercarriage, remained frozen there while examining the bodies, the terrible strips of skin which rested places like wet sheets of paper, the piles of bones removed and smashed and piled.
I cried so deeply that oxygen became a memory, and the shakes couldn’t be contained.
It was like that for so long, knees pulled up, face pushed between, and the wails came unafraid of whatever attention they might garner; there was no rationale, but I imagine if there had been, I would’ve welcomed death in that misery. It was a deep wound that not even my own cowardice would overcome for the sake of survival.
Unaware of my surroundings, not wanting to look up from the ground between my legs, the noise which had started out as imaginary became real and I raised my head then to listen better and wipe my sore eyes; it was the sound of clip-clop horse hooves and I mildly wondered if any of the animals had been spared. I stood and pivoted around the dead camp and there it was, a man on a painted horse with golden hair; he leisurely drove the mount through the place, maneuvering around pools of blood, clumps of body parts and upon seeing me, he smiled and offered a languid wave, keeping one of his gloved hands on the reins.
The man wore white and swished his hair back upon arriving directly in front of me. Ahoy, he offered kindly, Did you happen to see the other riders?
I shook my head, feeling numb.
Ah, he said, I could have sworn four other riders, at least, passed me on my way. His gray eyes examined the carnage. Shame. He shook his head. You are?
“H-harlan.”
He nodded and nearly offered an expression of genuine condolence before descending from the horse; the animal gave a gentle grunt and wandered away from its master to inspect a nearby group of the dead. The man offered his hand, and I took it in a shake. Mephisto, said the man. He flashed a smile again before his face grew serious. I’ve come to you to deal.
I shot him a questioning look, one of bafflement.
I heard your calls from far off. He nodded, removed a white handkerchief from his breast pocket and swiped it down his face. Hot out. He shrugged then replaced the cloth in his pocket. This, he motioned to the disarray of vehicles, of bodies, I can’t fix all this—it’s too much—but there’s a person you love, I know. I could bring them back.
“Doctor?” In retrospect it was such a naïve question.
He shook his head.
“Angel?”
He grinned and nodded, Sure.
“Demon?”
Undoubtedly. His eyes—pits of gray in that radiant face—nearly expressed solemness; he daintily shook the hair from his face and looked at his steed which sniffed a corpse. What’s the word, Harlan? There are others calling and I must be on my way soon—I can’t dally. There was a sharpness to the words. Can’t dally. We must convene soon, or I’ll mosey on.
I snorted back the clog in my nose from the tears and wiped my eyes with my sleeves. “Okay.”
Deal?
I nodded, “Deal.”
Sleep tonight, said Mephisto, Sleep and you’ll be rewarded in the morning.
“You said it’s a deal.”
He nodded and scanned the carnage before we matched gazes and then he said, Yes?
“What is it you want from me?”
Nothing you need now. He called the horse, and it came, and he swept his feet quickly from the ground and settled into position atop the animal. Sleep, Harlan. You won’t be bothered. There are worse things still over the horizon.
I watched him go till he disappeared and once he was gone, I couldn’t cry anymore and instead rummaged through the wagons for what I might carry; along the way I found John, face twisted but corpse intact. The body from the previous night that I’d guessed was Jackson couldn’t be determined but I found him nowhere else. I slid Sibylle’s holster from her hips, fell hard onto the ground and found that I could sob more. I took her cowboy hat, placed it on my head and held her pistol in one hand and the belt holster dangled from the other while I searched the other bodies; there were so many, but I could not find Billy.
Waiting for darkness, I took the spot where I rested, back against the caleche’s undercarriage, watched the sky and felt the gun in my hand; it was heavy. I put it to my head, closed my eyes, and whispered affirmations to myself then I put the pistol between my splayed legs, watched it still in the dirt, and pulled the hat down over my eyes but it did little for the smell. Though the brim of the hat cut the sky out, I watched the ground and saw circling shadows form overhead and heard calls of turkey vultures; they came to pick over the bodies. I withdrew my knees to my chest there again and laid my forearm across them and bit into my arm while closing my eyes. I had thought I was a man and for a time, maybe I was, but there in that miserable pit of despair I became a child again and if I’d become more delirious, I’m sure I might’ve called out for Jackson like it was a bad dream.
Into a fading stupor of sleep in the sun I went and when I awoke again it was dark and chilly and I was tired and hungry but too sick to eat and hardly strong enough to move; I looked at the gun and put it into its holster and left it there by the caleche. In the light of the moon and stars, I moved to gather a bolt of canvas; I unfurled the fabric and created a leaning shelter against the overturned vehicle and crawled into it. There was a hole in the canvas, and I peeked out at the stars.
Weeping came again, but not so uproarious; I was stuck there letting go of whimpers, lying on my back, feeling the tears trace in lines from the outer corners of my eyes to collect along my earlobes. In time, I fell to sleep again on the hard ground because the mourning had taken all else from me.
A pinpoint of sunlight broke my eyelids and I jerked awake and reached for the holster, but it was gone. So was the hat. I crawled from the leaning shelter and there he was.
Billy stood plainly among the dried, congealed blood-soaked field and he looked on to the horizon and all shadows were long in the midday sun which hung up there in a soft blue sky. Whether it be a dream or a spell, I couldn’t care—I charged to him and spun him so he faced me and though his face was plain and expressionless, I wrapped him into a forceful hug. He placed his hands on my back and gave a gentle squeeze; when I pulled from him, my hands on his shoulders, I saw he held Sibylle’s hat in his left hand, pinched by the brim; he’d already tugged her holster belt around his hips—he could have it all. I shook while holding him then let go to wipe my face.
“You’re alive,” I nodded.
He nodded without speaking then looked at the hat in his hand and placed it on his head and firmly pressed it down.
“Billy! Hell, you’re alive!”
The corners of his mouth twitched upward for a moment then he nodded again. “Yeah.” His eyes curiously searched our surroundings like he meant to take each detail in forever.
I slapped him on the shoulder and almost squealed. “Goddammit.” I wiped my eyes again and could do little to keep the excitement from exploding from me. “Oh, we should go. We should go on and get somewhere safe.”
He nodded toward the horizon, “’Lanta?”
“Sure.”
We packed and it was a like an ethereal phantom remained among us beside the quiet dead; turkey vultures cawed to break the silence, pecked where they pleased on the bodies, and I couldn’t want to fight them. I kept sidelong eyes on Billy with the ever-present worry that he’d vanish. Perhaps he was the phantom.
From the rear of the caleche, I removed a few sentimental books Jackson liked, essential cookware, and sparse rations for the trek. The last thing I grabbed was my shotgun and a bit of ammo.
As we set from the dead place, the terrible silhouettes that were cut from there on the horizon behind us grew in my mind with every backward glance—I wanted to fall to pieces, but I saw Billy walk alongside me and although contented is not the right word, it is the nearest. The steps of our boots were all that was heard because I could not fathom to pierce the space between us with words for fear that it would all end. It was a dream, surely. I’d lost my mind. With my hands thumbed into the straps of my pack, I saw I my hands still shook, and they would shake a lot longer—years and with memories too. The crunch of earth underfoot became a rhythm and instead of looking at my brother, I watched his shadow on the ground.
“Everyone’s dead?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah,” I repeated.
“How ain’t I? How ain’t you?”
To say that it was luck would’ve been too morbid. Instead of saying anything, I shrugged, kicked a loose stone, watched my feet some more, and felt a queasiness come over me. For the moment, the immeasurable deaths of those I’d left behind were forgotten in the company of my brother and a sickness welled up inside of me so suddenly that I felt that I’d fall to pieces at the slightest provocation. Finally, I did speak again, but only after steeling myself to the troubles, “Yeah, how are you alive?”
Billy shrugged at me then stumbled up a hill which overlooked trash wood wilderness where sticks lay twisted and bare and further on the sight of Atlanta was visible and I cupped a hand across my brow and Billy did the same and we looked on at the shadows of the place out there where strings of smoke rose from the skyline as a signature for the desolation of the city; it was dead. I felt it in my bones.
My hands were light while my head was heavy, my throat was dry, and the entire world seized in moments of stillness or perhaps it was my own vision which construed the world in that way; I took to the small hill which Billy had climbed and sat there and stared at the place between my feet to steady myself.
“Fire,” said Billy.
I nodded and nearly choked.
Leviathan—till then I had no belief in dragons—glided over the broken city, its winged shadow little seen but its voice was deep across the scene, letting go of roars which shook the ground. We hid among the trash wood and moved down the hill and watched the creature thrash in the air as if it was angry for its abominable life. Whatever millennia it spent in the pits of hell seemingly thrust upon it a love of destruction and pain.
My brother moved with a more assured stride and kept a cool distance and upon fleeing from the wreckage, from the outlying area of Atlanta and the place we’d left our family, he spoke little and watched me strangely whenever I took to melancholic fatiguing. We lit no fires for fear of what it could draw from the night so in the dark I’d see him watching some far-off place, maybe seeing through the reality which surrounded us, and he’d snap from it, catch my eye, and disappear for minutes to scan the perimeter of whatever place we stayed. Being alongside my resurrected brother was lonelier than I could bear, and I hoped he’d disappear for good or that I could work up the courage to end my own life. It was like purgatory explained in books and for a time, it felt endless; upon witnessing the destruction of Atlanta, we pushed to Marrietta, and it was much the same. As was Chatanooga, Nashville, Knoxville, Louisville, Charlotte. The ocean had risen so that Fayetville was gone underwater, and the Florida leg disappeared completely as far as I’m aware. I understood later that Memphis was overlooked and more places further west were alive too, but when we’d exhausted the south, we moved north and found strongholds of families or traders or even small groupings of civilization, but by and large we found nothing much in the two years that we hoofed it from place to place; it was my doing mostly—I wanted to find a place untouched by the mayhem in the area my family had once patrolled.
In retrospect, I am certain that Billy only stayed by my side for convenience; there wasn’t any of my brother left in the man that was my travelling companion for that time. He was a ghost of a person and Mephisto had preyed upon my desire in the worst moment of weakness in my life. There were nights—maybe we’d taken up in a natural alcove for shelter or we’d locked ourselves in some ancient structure for sleep—I’d watch Billy lay where he was, Sibylle’s hat and holster lying beside him, and I’d think of putting him down but he’d stir and in a brief shadow I’d see my brother as he’d been and withdraw to bury my face in fake sleep to be met with images of the night the demons attacked where I’d shake, sweat, and bite my lips so hard I’d drink blood.
Two years we marched around the Appalachians and in that time, I felt myself wither and disconnect.
Upon moving further north we met Indianapolis—that’s what it was called back then—and it was run by an older woman called Lady Lazarus; I reckon her father, affluent and dead, was a fan of Plath. Indianapolis was fortified more than most with its high walls, and its wall men, and its underground facilities which produced substantial ammunition. We—me and Billy’s revenant—were travelling with a group of traders we’d taken up with from out west; they called themselves wizards and although they seemed of the occult, their spirits discounted whatever suspicions I might’ve had of them.
I remember first pushing through that big gate; the town kept with it an indisputable malaise and though we were greeted at the gate by the leader Lady Lazarus—her brothers came along with her—and her jovial demeanor carried a certain infectious quality, I could not help but notice that the regular denizens maintained a healthy distance from their leader (the guards which followed the Lady everywhere probably had something to do with this).
Lady Lazarus touched each of our hands in greeting with enthusiasm and I could not help but notice how soft they were, how vibrant her eyes were, how much she smiled, and how beautiful she was given her age; already her head was fully gray.
Upon meeting each of us, going through the wizard traders first, she came to me, and Billy and she shook my hand then pivoted to Billy.
“Welcome. You can call me Lady.”
Billy caught her hand in his, held it longer than she’d intended so that they held eye contact, and he smiled broadly, tipped the cowboy hat on his head back to expose his smooth forehead and said, “And you can call me Maron, mam. You are quite a sight for a tired man.”
Though Maron—as he’d named himself—was more boy than man, Lady took a disturbed liking to him immediately and we prolonged our stay in Indianapolis after the wizards departed to head west.
Under the rule of Lady, Indianapolis was a theocracy, with her addressing the huddled masses at the steps of her grand abode, she’d preach for hours on sin and strife and quote her favorite passages; though reminiscent of my time with the Rednecks, I never found any truth or sincerity or freedom in her teaching—hers was more trouble, brimstone, fire and I’d had enough of that for a lifetime. Public execution was common. As was torture.
Maron distanced himself further from me, but I remained to keep an eye on him—it was not sentimentality but rather I existed without purpose and conjured some from watching my brother.
Often, Lady invited Maron to her private rooms and though the rumors and speculation ran the full spectrum of perverse speculation, every denizen feigned ignorance at her pregnancy.
Upon giving birth, the infant was malformed with two heads—her brothers took this as an omen and killed the child, put their leader in the stocks for months, and stripped her of dignity while the denizens did to her what they pleased.
Maron rose through the wall men while Lady’s brothers assumed control of Indianapolis and called themselves Bosses; in the time since Lady’s reign, the place was renamed to Golgotha for its closeness to a messiah.
I went west but always found myself drawn back to Golgotha because of some emptiness in me. It was only with Suzanne that I wanted something more and knowing them, I almost believed in a world like the one that children dream about. The world that Gemma and Andrew chased after when they left home, like the one Aggie talked about in her mother’s books. There’s a hopelessness in me that I’ll never be rid of. In the interim between our initial arrival to Golgotha and that flight from that terrible city, I cannot know how many people I sacrificed in convening with demons because I refuse to know because the number would destroy me. That is the worst of it; I do not even have courage enough to face myself or the actions of my past in any substantive way.
Mephisto tainted me so that I could speak with his kind as a dealmaker and the disease grew.
Billy or Maron or whatever he is should have been reaped long ago or better, I should never have brought that abomination alive. Such a cruel world where a deep longing like that can be inverted, weaponized. Me and him should both die; me and him should have died a long time ago.
First/Previous
Archive
submitted by Edwardthecrazyman to Odd_directions [link] [comments]
Gemma was right about the sky’s open night, and I could sympathize with her recollection of the beauty, but for me it must’ve been a greater tragedy—the young woman had only ever enjoyed the stars in the pits of Golgotha; I could, long before, drink in the sky at leisure. Cruel memories.
The night the Rednecks died was one of viscera, but before that it was coolness on the breeze, a warmth by the fires while John played his guitar and we had only just taken two dozen kegs of lager (personal reserves) from the Atlanta despot—the man that kept his subjects as slaves and not a person among the camp was left without budding intoxication. No matter the age, everyone was invited to be merry; if it was that children too faced the plight of a bad world, then so too should they reap the moments of plenty—or so the camp figured.
John had taken a group by the fires where wagons were drawn in interlocking semicircles for cover and Jackson sat beside the picker. Jackson was a man which normally preferred quiet reflection over boisterous singing and nearly never wore the band on his throat, and yet there he was belting out the chorus at the top of his lungs, tankard in hand, red cloth blazed around his neck—it was a contagion and those drunk enough for easier embarrassment sang proudly along:
“There is power, there is power in a band of working folk!
When we stand hand in hand,
That’s a power, that’s the power,
That must rule in every land!”
I’d taken to the outlying shadows with my back pressed against the gas-powered caleche, my own tankard in hand. I loved the warmth of that great big family, truly, but even in those days—and maybe it was that queer youthfulness which longed for individualism that made me that way then—I remained as distanced as possible when I could. I sipped the lager, it was a fine drink and my brother Billy, nearly as old as I was when I’d first taken up in the infantry, swaggered to stand beside me just as quiet for minutes and we looked at the stars and he asked me what it was like to kill a man.
“Is it hard?” he asked.
I nodded, “Sometimes.”
“Killing monsters ain’t so bad. Don’t know if I could do it to a person.”
“You could if they meant to kill you; or if they meant to do it to someone you cared about,” I promised him. In those days, spry, energized, I held no time for staring into abysses; though I still wasn’t a man fully, I pretended as one. It was about family, and it was about doing what was right—what’s right seemed to change, or I changed. The world felt stark with good and evil and even later I’d feel that sentiment well up in me, but if that’s true, I know I stand more on the latter and so I intentionally obfuscated it—this I know. If not, it might be too much to bear. I was required to lie to myself and even in knowing I lied, it was better.
Billy tugged on the red kerchief around his throat and asked me how it looked on him.
“Looks good,” I said.
“Don’t think I look stupid at all?”
I smiled over my drink, “You always look stupid.” I sipped. “The neckwear’s fine.”
“Give me a break,” said Billy; he investigated his own cup, gave it a swish with his wrist, watching its contents swirl. “Aren’t you ever afraid you’ll die?”
“Sometimes—nights like this—I wouldn’t mind it.”
“Really?” my brother asked.
“There’s always a chance of it. Every moment, I guess.”
He smiled. “I wish I had that confidence.”
“You’ll get it,” I returned his smile; it was true that he would gain the fighting spirit. It came to us all with time and reminiscing on the early days, I recall the grit and the hatred—there was learning there too though. Besides, I’d seen the squalors of a stationary man. The stagnation of a place, an unmoving home.
John put his guitar away and laughter erupted from the crowd from something said and Sibylle, cowboy hat cocked funny, traipsed across the camp to the open keg for a refill; the man there, tending the cylinders, was a man named Tandy (a foreigner and one unknown besides the way he smoked a skunk pipe and told wild stories). My mother leaned over while Tandy opened the spigot mouth on the keg, and she froze there, and I could see her there cut out forever against the light of the fires; I watched, and it came so suddenly that I couldn’t be sure what’d happened at all. It was so sudden that I couldn’t find my weapon and I couldn’t find even the courage to fight because in those moments it wasn’t courage I needed, it was grounds to understand.
Sibylle came apart in two pieces immediately, torn completely through and dust erupted as her legs struck the ground while her torso spun through the air like a top, a trail of liquid trailed after, caught in the blue of night so it shone as black; she couldn’t scream. Tandy was a statue. Before anyone could react, more flesh, other bodies, went up and there was all manner of limbs which filled the ground, and it is astounding how quickly a red mist forms across the ground during a massacre. Perhaps the wails of my comrades started before, perhaps others fell before Sibylle, but I could not comprehend the goings-on till I saw her drop the way she did.
Frail human screams rose on the night; I slammed to the ground, tankard gone away and hands scrambling in the dirt; I reached up blindly and yanked Billy to my level and his expression was one of innocence, panic, tears even. Glancing around, I saw the demons bolt from the pitch-black darkness on the edges of camp, mutants taking the fore while greater creatures lurked further back, some hurled whips of gliding metal which writhed over their heads when they stretched them out for a strike—alien—and they sliced directly through soft human bodies. Not even a cry escaped me, but Billy let go with it and I slapped my cupped hand over his mouth hard to hold the screams. His voice would not have been alone anyway, not alongside that startling cacophony. Amidst the cries of people, there were the cries of horses, of our hounds.
We rolled across the ground, slipped beneath the raised body of the gas-powered caleche, remained quiet in the dark, peeked out between the wheels.
“What’s happening?” Billy whispered through my fingers; I removed my hand from him and caught a glimpse of him framed in a square of firelight through the wheels—we lay there on our bellies and the left side of his face was glazed with dirt where I’d pulled him down.
“Shh,” I told him, “Shh, please. Please.” Not another word came while I pleaded with him, pleaded with the world to make this all a nightmare.
Through the haze and the running silhouettes painted black, I saw what might have been Jackson; he stumbled and in the moment that it took me to gasp, his head was gone from his body, his torso slid on as he collapsed, came to rest mere feet from the motor wagon. I told myself that it wasn’t him, but it probably was.
Some mutants lumbered through the camp like animated corpses, some leapt with wild energy or sprayed noxious fumes which lingered in the air; others still were amalgams of humanlike limbs themselves—fiends—exhausting terrible sounds, producing smells of sulfur, glistening with whatever liquids excreted from their oblong alien orifices. Demons ran amok, chanted in devil tongued languages, laughed madly at the destruction—others still, those which displayed some greater intelligence, broke into a song I could never hope or want to replicate; it seemed a unified damnation.
“Please,” I repeated in a whimper and Billy hushed me this time and I realized we were holding hands, squeezing for dear life as figures walked the camp, speared those half-alive, elected others for twisted carnality.
In darkness, in fright plainly, we scuttled from the recess of our hiding place, kept quiet, held to each other, and went into the wasteland where nothing was—every shadow was a potential threat, every second could’ve been the last. We were holding hands; then we weren’t.
Only a glance—that’s all I afforded my brother and nothing more—what a joke of a person I am! What a coward I was. Always.
Something got him in the dark and instead of dying alongside those I cared about, I went on, heartbeat driving me till it was all that I heard in my ears and my muscles ached and my chest heaved and sweat covered me, chilled me in the breeze of the night—it was only once I’d accepted the dark completely, crawled into a hollowed space of rocks along a squat ridge that I watched the demolished camp; it seemed no larger than a spark, but the creatures, fiends and others continued their war cries; never before had I witnessed demons participate in such an attack.
I watched till the sun came, till the fires became smoke, then I watched the band of hell creatures disband. The smell of sulfur remained in the air—copper too—and I stumbled back to the camp in a dreamlike daze, totally unbelieving of the things I saw. Among those dead on the ground, I could recognize none; among those piked from rear to shoulder, standing like morbid scarecrows where they’d been steadied against the ground, I could not want to recognize.
Many of the wagons were overturned, including the gas-powered caleche and I went to it; the metal of its body was warped but I fell to the ground by it and pushed my back against the exposed undercarriage, remained frozen there while examining the bodies, the terrible strips of skin which rested places like wet sheets of paper, the piles of bones removed and smashed and piled.
I cried so deeply that oxygen became a memory, and the shakes couldn’t be contained.
It was like that for so long, knees pulled up, face pushed between, and the wails came unafraid of whatever attention they might garner; there was no rationale, but I imagine if there had been, I would’ve welcomed death in that misery. It was a deep wound that not even my own cowardice would overcome for the sake of survival.
Unaware of my surroundings, not wanting to look up from the ground between my legs, the noise which had started out as imaginary became real and I raised my head then to listen better and wipe my sore eyes; it was the sound of clip-clop horse hooves and I mildly wondered if any of the animals had been spared. I stood and pivoted around the dead camp and there it was, a man on a painted horse with golden hair; he leisurely drove the mount through the place, maneuvering around pools of blood, clumps of body parts and upon seeing me, he smiled and offered a languid wave, keeping one of his gloved hands on the reins.
The man wore white and swished his hair back upon arriving directly in front of me. Ahoy, he offered kindly, Did you happen to see the other riders?
I shook my head, feeling numb.
Ah, he said, I could have sworn four other riders, at least, passed me on my way. His gray eyes examined the carnage. Shame. He shook his head. You are?
“H-harlan.”
He nodded and nearly offered an expression of genuine condolence before descending from the horse; the animal gave a gentle grunt and wandered away from its master to inspect a nearby group of the dead. The man offered his hand, and I took it in a shake. Mephisto, said the man. He flashed a smile again before his face grew serious. I’ve come to you to deal.
I shot him a questioning look, one of bafflement.
I heard your calls from far off. He nodded, removed a white handkerchief from his breast pocket and swiped it down his face. Hot out. He shrugged then replaced the cloth in his pocket. This, he motioned to the disarray of vehicles, of bodies, I can’t fix all this—it’s too much—but there’s a person you love, I know. I could bring them back.
“Doctor?” In retrospect it was such a naïve question.
He shook his head.
“Angel?”
He grinned and nodded, Sure.
“Demon?”
Undoubtedly. His eyes—pits of gray in that radiant face—nearly expressed solemness; he daintily shook the hair from his face and looked at his steed which sniffed a corpse. What’s the word, Harlan? There are others calling and I must be on my way soon—I can’t dally. There was a sharpness to the words. Can’t dally. We must convene soon, or I’ll mosey on.
I snorted back the clog in my nose from the tears and wiped my eyes with my sleeves. “Okay.”
Deal?
I nodded, “Deal.”
Sleep tonight, said Mephisto, Sleep and you’ll be rewarded in the morning.
“You said it’s a deal.”
He nodded and scanned the carnage before we matched gazes and then he said, Yes?
“What is it you want from me?”
Nothing you need now. He called the horse, and it came, and he swept his feet quickly from the ground and settled into position atop the animal. Sleep, Harlan. You won’t be bothered. There are worse things still over the horizon.
I watched him go till he disappeared and once he was gone, I couldn’t cry anymore and instead rummaged through the wagons for what I might carry; along the way I found John, face twisted but corpse intact. The body from the previous night that I’d guessed was Jackson couldn’t be determined but I found him nowhere else. I slid Sibylle’s holster from her hips, fell hard onto the ground and found that I could sob more. I took her cowboy hat, placed it on my head and held her pistol in one hand and the belt holster dangled from the other while I searched the other bodies; there were so many, but I could not find Billy.
Waiting for darkness, I took the spot where I rested, back against the caleche’s undercarriage, watched the sky and felt the gun in my hand; it was heavy. I put it to my head, closed my eyes, and whispered affirmations to myself then I put the pistol between my splayed legs, watched it still in the dirt, and pulled the hat down over my eyes but it did little for the smell. Though the brim of the hat cut the sky out, I watched the ground and saw circling shadows form overhead and heard calls of turkey vultures; they came to pick over the bodies. I withdrew my knees to my chest there again and laid my forearm across them and bit into my arm while closing my eyes. I had thought I was a man and for a time, maybe I was, but there in that miserable pit of despair I became a child again and if I’d become more delirious, I’m sure I might’ve called out for Jackson like it was a bad dream.
Into a fading stupor of sleep in the sun I went and when I awoke again it was dark and chilly and I was tired and hungry but too sick to eat and hardly strong enough to move; I looked at the gun and put it into its holster and left it there by the caleche. In the light of the moon and stars, I moved to gather a bolt of canvas; I unfurled the fabric and created a leaning shelter against the overturned vehicle and crawled into it. There was a hole in the canvas, and I peeked out at the stars.
Weeping came again, but not so uproarious; I was stuck there letting go of whimpers, lying on my back, feeling the tears trace in lines from the outer corners of my eyes to collect along my earlobes. In time, I fell to sleep again on the hard ground because the mourning had taken all else from me.
A pinpoint of sunlight broke my eyelids and I jerked awake and reached for the holster, but it was gone. So was the hat. I crawled from the leaning shelter and there he was.
Billy stood plainly among the dried, congealed blood-soaked field and he looked on to the horizon and all shadows were long in the midday sun which hung up there in a soft blue sky. Whether it be a dream or a spell, I couldn’t care—I charged to him and spun him so he faced me and though his face was plain and expressionless, I wrapped him into a forceful hug. He placed his hands on my back and gave a gentle squeeze; when I pulled from him, my hands on his shoulders, I saw he held Sibylle’s hat in his left hand, pinched by the brim; he’d already tugged her holster belt around his hips—he could have it all. I shook while holding him then let go to wipe my face.
“You’re alive,” I nodded.
He nodded without speaking then looked at the hat in his hand and placed it on his head and firmly pressed it down.
“Billy! Hell, you’re alive!”
The corners of his mouth twitched upward for a moment then he nodded again. “Yeah.” His eyes curiously searched our surroundings like he meant to take each detail in forever.
I slapped him on the shoulder and almost squealed. “Goddammit.” I wiped my eyes again and could do little to keep the excitement from exploding from me. “Oh, we should go. We should go on and get somewhere safe.”
He nodded toward the horizon, “’Lanta?”
“Sure.”
We packed and it was a like an ethereal phantom remained among us beside the quiet dead; turkey vultures cawed to break the silence, pecked where they pleased on the bodies, and I couldn’t want to fight them. I kept sidelong eyes on Billy with the ever-present worry that he’d vanish. Perhaps he was the phantom.
From the rear of the caleche, I removed a few sentimental books Jackson liked, essential cookware, and sparse rations for the trek. The last thing I grabbed was my shotgun and a bit of ammo.
As we set from the dead place, the terrible silhouettes that were cut from there on the horizon behind us grew in my mind with every backward glance—I wanted to fall to pieces, but I saw Billy walk alongside me and although contented is not the right word, it is the nearest. The steps of our boots were all that was heard because I could not fathom to pierce the space between us with words for fear that it would all end. It was a dream, surely. I’d lost my mind. With my hands thumbed into the straps of my pack, I saw I my hands still shook, and they would shake a lot longer—years and with memories too. The crunch of earth underfoot became a rhythm and instead of looking at my brother, I watched his shadow on the ground.
“Everyone’s dead?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah,” I repeated.
“How ain’t I? How ain’t you?”
To say that it was luck would’ve been too morbid. Instead of saying anything, I shrugged, kicked a loose stone, watched my feet some more, and felt a queasiness come over me. For the moment, the immeasurable deaths of those I’d left behind were forgotten in the company of my brother and a sickness welled up inside of me so suddenly that I felt that I’d fall to pieces at the slightest provocation. Finally, I did speak again, but only after steeling myself to the troubles, “Yeah, how are you alive?”
Billy shrugged at me then stumbled up a hill which overlooked trash wood wilderness where sticks lay twisted and bare and further on the sight of Atlanta was visible and I cupped a hand across my brow and Billy did the same and we looked on at the shadows of the place out there where strings of smoke rose from the skyline as a signature for the desolation of the city; it was dead. I felt it in my bones.
My hands were light while my head was heavy, my throat was dry, and the entire world seized in moments of stillness or perhaps it was my own vision which construed the world in that way; I took to the small hill which Billy had climbed and sat there and stared at the place between my feet to steady myself.
“Fire,” said Billy.
I nodded and nearly choked.
Leviathan—till then I had no belief in dragons—glided over the broken city, its winged shadow little seen but its voice was deep across the scene, letting go of roars which shook the ground. We hid among the trash wood and moved down the hill and watched the creature thrash in the air as if it was angry for its abominable life. Whatever millennia it spent in the pits of hell seemingly thrust upon it a love of destruction and pain.
My brother moved with a more assured stride and kept a cool distance and upon fleeing from the wreckage, from the outlying area of Atlanta and the place we’d left our family, he spoke little and watched me strangely whenever I took to melancholic fatiguing. We lit no fires for fear of what it could draw from the night so in the dark I’d see him watching some far-off place, maybe seeing through the reality which surrounded us, and he’d snap from it, catch my eye, and disappear for minutes to scan the perimeter of whatever place we stayed. Being alongside my resurrected brother was lonelier than I could bear, and I hoped he’d disappear for good or that I could work up the courage to end my own life. It was like purgatory explained in books and for a time, it felt endless; upon witnessing the destruction of Atlanta, we pushed to Marrietta, and it was much the same. As was Chatanooga, Nashville, Knoxville, Louisville, Charlotte. The ocean had risen so that Fayetville was gone underwater, and the Florida leg disappeared completely as far as I’m aware. I understood later that Memphis was overlooked and more places further west were alive too, but when we’d exhausted the south, we moved north and found strongholds of families or traders or even small groupings of civilization, but by and large we found nothing much in the two years that we hoofed it from place to place; it was my doing mostly—I wanted to find a place untouched by the mayhem in the area my family had once patrolled.
In retrospect, I am certain that Billy only stayed by my side for convenience; there wasn’t any of my brother left in the man that was my travelling companion for that time. He was a ghost of a person and Mephisto had preyed upon my desire in the worst moment of weakness in my life. There were nights—maybe we’d taken up in a natural alcove for shelter or we’d locked ourselves in some ancient structure for sleep—I’d watch Billy lay where he was, Sibylle’s hat and holster lying beside him, and I’d think of putting him down but he’d stir and in a brief shadow I’d see my brother as he’d been and withdraw to bury my face in fake sleep to be met with images of the night the demons attacked where I’d shake, sweat, and bite my lips so hard I’d drink blood.
Two years we marched around the Appalachians and in that time, I felt myself wither and disconnect.
Upon moving further north we met Indianapolis—that’s what it was called back then—and it was run by an older woman called Lady Lazarus; I reckon her father, affluent and dead, was a fan of Plath. Indianapolis was fortified more than most with its high walls, and its wall men, and its underground facilities which produced substantial ammunition. We—me and Billy’s revenant—were travelling with a group of traders we’d taken up with from out west; they called themselves wizards and although they seemed of the occult, their spirits discounted whatever suspicions I might’ve had of them.
I remember first pushing through that big gate; the town kept with it an indisputable malaise and though we were greeted at the gate by the leader Lady Lazarus—her brothers came along with her—and her jovial demeanor carried a certain infectious quality, I could not help but notice that the regular denizens maintained a healthy distance from their leader (the guards which followed the Lady everywhere probably had something to do with this).
Lady Lazarus touched each of our hands in greeting with enthusiasm and I could not help but notice how soft they were, how vibrant her eyes were, how much she smiled, and how beautiful she was given her age; already her head was fully gray.
Upon meeting each of us, going through the wizard traders first, she came to me, and Billy and she shook my hand then pivoted to Billy.
“Welcome. You can call me Lady.”
Billy caught her hand in his, held it longer than she’d intended so that they held eye contact, and he smiled broadly, tipped the cowboy hat on his head back to expose his smooth forehead and said, “And you can call me Maron, mam. You are quite a sight for a tired man.”
Though Maron—as he’d named himself—was more boy than man, Lady took a disturbed liking to him immediately and we prolonged our stay in Indianapolis after the wizards departed to head west.
Under the rule of Lady, Indianapolis was a theocracy, with her addressing the huddled masses at the steps of her grand abode, she’d preach for hours on sin and strife and quote her favorite passages; though reminiscent of my time with the Rednecks, I never found any truth or sincerity or freedom in her teaching—hers was more trouble, brimstone, fire and I’d had enough of that for a lifetime. Public execution was common. As was torture.
Maron distanced himself further from me, but I remained to keep an eye on him—it was not sentimentality but rather I existed without purpose and conjured some from watching my brother.
Often, Lady invited Maron to her private rooms and though the rumors and speculation ran the full spectrum of perverse speculation, every denizen feigned ignorance at her pregnancy.
Upon giving birth, the infant was malformed with two heads—her brothers took this as an omen and killed the child, put their leader in the stocks for months, and stripped her of dignity while the denizens did to her what they pleased.
Maron rose through the wall men while Lady’s brothers assumed control of Indianapolis and called themselves Bosses; in the time since Lady’s reign, the place was renamed to Golgotha for its closeness to a messiah.
I went west but always found myself drawn back to Golgotha because of some emptiness in me. It was only with Suzanne that I wanted something more and knowing them, I almost believed in a world like the one that children dream about. The world that Gemma and Andrew chased after when they left home, like the one Aggie talked about in her mother’s books. There’s a hopelessness in me that I’ll never be rid of. In the interim between our initial arrival to Golgotha and that flight from that terrible city, I cannot know how many people I sacrificed in convening with demons because I refuse to know because the number would destroy me. That is the worst of it; I do not even have courage enough to face myself or the actions of my past in any substantive way.
Mephisto tainted me so that I could speak with his kind as a dealmaker and the disease grew.
Billy or Maron or whatever he is should have been reaped long ago or better, I should never have brought that abomination alive. Such a cruel world where a deep longing like that can be inverted, weaponized. Me and him should both die; me and him should have died a long time ago.
First/Previous
Archive
2024.05.17 09:24 BryggerHeise Numerological day analysis of 17-5–2024 21/3 Insight; inner rising Sun/ Will to change; Conscious Decision
 | Inspired by Goodness, Benevolence, Humility and Beauty you want to gain Insight today as the high expression of your Will to change. submitted by BryggerHeise to numerology [link] [comments] 17-5–2024 21/3 Insight; inner rising Sun/ Will to change; Conscious Decision Spirit: 17 Goodness, Benevolence, Humility and Beauty Soul: 5 Expansion; Fullness; Inner Motivation; Adventure; Freedom; Order Body: 24 Day and Night; Light and Darkness The sum total of today is 21: Insight You want to gain insight through your spirit’s spiritual Goodness, Humility and Beauty, your soul’s Expansion, Order, Adventure and Freedom and your physical Ability to go through the Night to see the Light of a new day. Day of the \"Artist-Creator-Entrepreneur\" Archetype Pentagram Themes Achieving perfection today is driven by three major themes: ‘ Expansion of Self-Awareness’, ‘Focus-Fate’ and ‘Change-Transformation’ Blue/Red 24- Blue 7: Axis of Expansion of Self-Awareness: 24-7(9) Focus-concentration drives your expansion of self-awareness. In the quest to find the answer to whom you really are, your focus lies on what brings you closer to your Self. “What do I need to let go of because it does not bring me to the highest expression of myself, and what do I need to hold on to and further develop as it brings me the highest expression of myself?” Many a time you have to do what is difficult to do. The two driving forces are Day and Night, Light and Dark coming from the spiritual level to join with Ruler, Judge coming from the physical level. 24: Day and Night, Light and Dark This principle is best explained by Kahlil Gibran’s beautiful quote: Behind the veil of the night, lies the new dawn. You have to spiritually face your own inner darkness on order to emerge “reborn” into the light of a new day. It is the archetypal journey of the hero. 79: Ruler, Judge The ruler, judge has the great challenge to be either a wise and unconditionally loving or a judging in need of approval Ruler. Are you able to rule from a place of Love or do you need people to love you? It is easy to see that those on this path who do not want to face their inner darkness and want to stay co-dependent on others instead of becoming free, will need others to love and approve them. The balance of these two principles lies in their sum: Dissolution and Restart. This is a very restless energy as you constantly decide on new transformations, new beginnings. It takes the deep feminine energy to be able to rebuild again and again, thus expanding your self-awareness again and again. Blue 4- Red 1: The axis of Fate, Focus and Concentration: 4(6)- (9)1 Your inner awakening and leadership drives your quest for focus and concentration. Your inner leadership makes you decide what to hold on to and what to let go of. Focussing – thus avoiding Fate- is a dominant feature in your life. The two driving forces are Diplomacy and Fate coming from the emotional level to join with Universal Skills coming from the mental level. Your emotions are strong whilst your mind goes beyond the mere analytical thinking into universal wisdom. 46: Diplomacy and Fate It deals with balancing your Power with Form, which calls for diplomacy, because either the Force destroys the Form or opens the space to the Force to create something magnificent. 91: Factor of the Universe or Universal Skills Factor of the Universe gives you the tools to manage the process of balancing power with form. It can facilitate you to step out of the intellectual mind view into new advanced thinking. A willingness to transform is required. The balance of these two principles lies in their sum: the higher dimension of Vitality. What is bigger than a human’s vitality? Divine vitality. Once you hit the right balance on this axis you will experience a sense of heightened vitality in yourself and in the people and animals around you. (Especially animals pick up on this higher energy very quickly) Beware: Should you misuse your gifts and avoid focussing, the energy may turn against you, creating unexpected Fate and low Vitality. In this Pentagram after the central axis this axis is the second dominant one. Do take notice! Blue/Red 57 - Red 2: Axis of Change and Transformation: 57-(10)2 The expansion of self-awareness drives your change and transformation. The more profound answer you find to the quintessential question: WHO am I, the bigger the change and the transformation in your life. The two driving forces are Vital Basic Force coming from the physical level to join with Devotion or “I” Catastrophe coming from the spiritual level. The challenge therefore lies in combining a vibrant physical vitality with deep devotion and reconnection with the divine. The danger may be to either focus yourself completely on the physical world or to lose yourself in spiritual humbug. 57: Vital Basic Force Vital Basic Force is the physical level in the Pentagram. It is the ground we stand on, the world we see around us. It gives this strong grounded feeling: you know you physically exist. Your desire for Power, Glory and Honor is huge. 102: Devotion or “I” catastrophe: 1-0-2 is the Spiritual Triangle in the Pentagram. It calls for a Religio = Recollection of our spiritual origin and solidarity with the Divine Creation. Should a person not be spiritually “awakened”, this will lead to an “I” Catastrophe, when he only focusses on the outer things in life and there may be a tendency for addiction. The balance of the two principles lies in their sum: The conscious decision to live your essence (your salt) based on goodness, benevolence, humility and beauty and to become a channel for divine energy (legend of Saint-Germain). Levels of awareness Spiritual, mental and physical awareness is high today. Your spiritual awareness is obtained through the energy of ‘Day and Night, Light and Dark’ (confronting your inner Darkness, your ghosts, your demons, to see the light of a new day) and Devotion (surrendering to a higher Power, in whatever way you want to define it. It boils down to dissolving the ‘Ego’). Your mental awareness is obtained through Free Will, Free Thinking and the Factor of the Universe, universal skills. Your goal with these levels is to Intuitively show the Sun-Child in you, to be the public person who stands in the middle of attention and serves as a role model for others. It also means that you will have Powerful Insights, which you need to listen to and act upon and it entails facing and embracing temptations with a lot of self-awareness. Your physical awareness is obtained through Vital Basic Force and the Ruler, Judge. Its goal is to Intuitively live the Feminine Eros; Physically manifest Vitality and express Feminine Goodness, Benevolence, Humility and Beauty. Triangles Your spiritual, mental and physical awareness is further enhanced today by the triangle formed with the 1st principle. The spiritual and the mental triangle call for the higher dimension of your free will, the Divine Will. Let the Divine Will (or God’s Will) be your free will. (Note: only you know what that divine will is. Let nobody tell you otherwise). The physical triangle calls for the higher dimension of the ‘Human Animal’ or the ‘Sphinx’. The highest possible expression of the marriage between spirit and body. Quadrants The spiritual-physical quadrant, connecting the spiritual level to the physical level gives you this strong intuition to heal and aid, to intuitively connect with the ‘Holy Spirit’ (in whatever way you want to define Holy Spirit). Pentagon All the external points of the Pentagram carry numbers. This means that the masculine Pentagon is active today, enhancing your masculine capabilities. It comes with the energy of Mastering Inner Happiness. Note: If your birthday is today, the topics described above are your topics for 2024. Should a baby be born on this day, then today’s themes are the baby’s life-themes. See you (virtually) : (D) Arbeitskreis: 7. Juni Hybrid Zoom - Köln For a full explanation of the numbers and how to read the Pentagram have a look at my website: www.pentalogie.com |
2024.05.17 09:23 BryggerHeise Numerological day analysis of 17-5–2024 21/3 Insight; inner rising Sun/ Will to change; Conscious Decision
 | Inspired by Goodness, Benevolence, Humility and Beauty you want to gain Insight today as the high expression of your Will to change. submitted by BryggerHeise to NumerologyPentagram [link] [comments] 17-5–2024 21/3 Insight; inner rising Sun/ Will to change; Conscious Decision Spirit: 17 Goodness, Benevolence, Humility and Beauty Soul: 5 Expansion; Fullness; Inner Motivation; Adventure; Freedom; Order Body: 24 Day and Night; Light and Darkness The sum total of today is 21: Insight You want to gain insight through your spirit’s spiritual Goodness, Humility and Beauty, your soul’s Expansion, Order, Adventure and Freedom and your physical Ability to go through the Night to see the Light of a new day. Day of the \"Artist-Creator-Entrepreneur\" Archetype Pentagram Themes Achieving perfection today is driven by three major themes: ‘ Expansion of Self-Awareness’, ‘Focus-Fate’ and ‘Change-Transformation’ Blue/Red 24- Blue 7: Axis of Expansion of Self-Awareness: 24-7(9) Focus-concentration drives your expansion of self-awareness. In the quest to find the answer to whom you really are, your focus lies on what brings you closer to your Self. “What do I need to let go of because it does not bring me to the highest expression of myself, and what do I need to hold on to and further develop as it brings me the highest expression of myself?” Many a time you have to do what is difficult to do. The two driving forces are Day and Night, Light and Dark coming from the spiritual level to join with Ruler, Judge coming from the physical level. 24: Day and Night, Light and Dark This principle is best explained by Kahlil Gibran’s beautiful quote: Behind the veil of the night, lies the new dawn. You have to spiritually face your own inner darkness on order to emerge “reborn” into the light of a new day. It is the archetypal journey of the hero. 79: Ruler, Judge The ruler, judge has the great challenge to be either a wise and unconditionally loving or a judging in need of approval Ruler. Are you able to rule from a place of Love or do you need people to love you? It is easy to see that those on this path who do not want to face their inner darkness and want to stay co-dependent on others instead of becoming free, will need others to love and approve them. The balance of these two principles lies in their sum: Dissolution and Restart. This is a very restless energy as you constantly decide on new transformations, new beginnings. It takes the deep feminine energy to be able to rebuild again and again, thus expanding your self-awareness again and again. Blue 4- Red 1: The axis of Fate, Focus and Concentration: 4(6)- (9)1 Your inner awakening and leadership drives your quest for focus and concentration. Your inner leadership makes you decide what to hold on to and what to let go of. Focussing – thus avoiding Fate- is a dominant feature in your life. The two driving forces are Diplomacy and Fate coming from the emotional level to join with Universal Skills coming from the mental level. Your emotions are strong whilst your mind goes beyond the mere analytical thinking into universal wisdom. 46: Diplomacy and Fate It deals with balancing your Power with Form, which calls for diplomacy, because either the Force destroys the Form or opens the space to the Force to create something magnificent. 91: Factor of the Universe or Universal Skills Factor of the Universe gives you the tools to manage the process of balancing power with form. It can facilitate you to step out of the intellectual mind view into new advanced thinking. A willingness to transform is required. The balance of these two principles lies in their sum: the higher dimension of Vitality. What is bigger than a human’s vitality? Divine vitality. Once you hit the right balance on this axis you will experience a sense of heightened vitality in yourself and in the people and animals around you. (Especially animals pick up on this higher energy very quickly) Beware: Should you misuse your gifts and avoid focussing, the energy may turn against you, creating unexpected Fate and low Vitality. In this Pentagram after the central axis this axis is the second dominant one. Do take notice! Blue/Red 57 - Red 2: Axis of Change and Transformation: 57-(10)2 The expansion of self-awareness drives your change and transformation. The more profound answer you find to the quintessential question: WHO am I, the bigger the change and the transformation in your life. The two driving forces are Vital Basic Force coming from the physical level to join with Devotion or “I” Catastrophe coming from the spiritual level. The challenge therefore lies in combining a vibrant physical vitality with deep devotion and reconnection with the divine. The danger may be to either focus yourself completely on the physical world or to lose yourself in spiritual humbug. 57: Vital Basic Force Vital Basic Force is the physical level in the Pentagram. It is the ground we stand on, the world we see around us. It gives this strong grounded feeling: you know you physically exist. Your desire for Power, Glory and Honor is huge. 102: Devotion or “I” catastrophe: 1-0-2 is the Spiritual Triangle in the Pentagram. It calls for a Religio = Recollection of our spiritual origin and solidarity with the Divine Creation. Should a person not be spiritually “awakened”, this will lead to an “I” Catastrophe, when he only focusses on the outer things in life and there may be a tendency for addiction. The balance of the two principles lies in their sum: The conscious decision to live your essence (your salt) based on goodness, benevolence, humility and beauty and to become a channel for divine energy (legend of Saint-Germain). Levels of awareness Spiritual, mental and physical awareness is high today. Your spiritual awareness is obtained through the energy of ‘Day and Night, Light and Dark’ (confronting your inner Darkness, your ghosts, your demons, to see the light of a new day) and Devotion (surrendering to a higher Power, in whatever way you want to define it. It boils down to dissolving the ‘Ego’). Your mental awareness is obtained through Free Will, Free Thinking and the Factor of the Universe, universal skills. Your goal with these levels is to Intuitively show the Sun-Child in you, to be the public person who stands in the middle of attention and serves as a role model for others. It also means that you will have Powerful Insights, which you need to listen to and act upon and it entails facing and embracing temptations with a lot of self-awareness. Your physical awareness is obtained through Vital Basic Force and the Ruler, Judge. Its goal is to Intuitively live the Feminine Eros; Physically manifest Vitality and express Feminine Goodness, Benevolence, Humility and Beauty. Triangles Your spiritual, mental and physical awareness is further enhanced today by the triangle formed with the 1st principle. The spiritual and the mental triangle call for the higher dimension of your free will, the Divine Will. Let the Divine Will (or God’s Will) be your free will. (Note: only you know what that divine will is. Let nobody tell you otherwise). The physical triangle calls for the higher dimension of the ‘Human Animal’ or the ‘Sphinx’. The highest possible expression of the marriage between spirit and body. Quadrants The spiritual-physical quadrant, connecting the spiritual level to the physical level gives you this strong intuition to heal and aid, to intuitively connect with the ‘Holy Spirit’ (in whatever way you want to define Holy Spirit). Pentagon All the external points of the Pentagram carry numbers. This means that the masculine Pentagon is active today, enhancing your masculine capabilities. It comes with the energy of Mastering Inner Happiness. Note: If your birthday is today, the topics described above are your topics for 2024. Should a baby be born on this day, then today’s themes are the baby’s life-themes. See you (virtually) : (D) Arbeitskreis: 7. Juni Hybrid Zoom - Köln For a full explanation of the numbers and how to read the Pentagram have a look at my website: www.pentalogie.com |
2024.05.17 08:19 TheOGWet Selling 2-Day GA passes, Afterhours, and Hotel Room at Renissance or Maya
 | Selling the following for Day Trip 2024 (June 22nd & 23rd, 2024) in Long Beach, California: submitted by TheOGWet to Festival [link] [comments] 1. Two (2-Day) GA passes; 2. Two wristbands for the "official" Saturday night (6/22/24) after hours, located inside the Queen Mary; and 3. I also have hotel accommodations available at either Renissance and/or Maya, which I can transfer to you for way less than they are going for now. I've already confirmed with the hotels that I can transfer into your name. I booked a bunch of rooms for our group several months back, but a couple in our group had to drop out. Since everyone is flexible where they stay, I have a few different opitions, depending on your preferences, pocket book, and desired date(s) of stay. Since I booked these rooms a while back, I got better rates than the properties are currently offering because they are almost fully committed for both the 22nd and 23rd. Also, the room opitions I have are better than the remaining inventory they have left (i.e. bigger room size, ocean views, extra ammentities, extra occupancy, etc.). I have 1 or 2 night opitions available (for the 22nd and/or 23rd). Two queen beds or 1 King. I even have just Sat. (the 22nd) or just Sunday (the 23rd) opitions available if you are only looking to book 1 night. I have even cleared it with the properties that up to 4 people can occupy the rooms, so if you have a bigger group, it's not an issue. So, if you're looking to put together a sweet weekend, I can pretty much help you get everything you want and will be fair on pricing. Day Trip has a phenomenal lineup this year! I just want to say Cloonee killed it @ Stagecoach w/ Diplo last month! I would post prices, but since there are so many variables, I need to know what you want. Im not interested in haggling, so please dont go there. Once I know what you want I will put together a fair and reasonable quote for you. As far as the tickets for both the festival and afters, Frontgate has stated they plan to sends them out just before the actual event. So, if you buy from me, another individual, or from a 3rd party resale site, know that you won't actually get your tickets right away. However, I do not recommend you wait until FG releases them, as they will be much more expensive in the days right b4 the festival, than they are now. Having said that, I have developed a secure protocol over the years, to ensure a safe and seamless transaction for us both I am willing to do whatever I can to ensure you feel good and safe with the transaction, including involving a 3rd party, like a group admin to review the proposal for trade prior to you paying. You are also welcome to contact anyone on my friends list to get background on me and it's likely we might even share a friend or two. I will also be offering a few things to help facilitate a safe trade. I will provide you with: 1. Copies of my DL and passport; 2. Proof of purchase and once payment has been rendered, will provide you the item numbers associated with the tickets; and 3. I will draft a bill of sale, including delivery terms to your satisfaction. I am willing to sell any part of this package without requiring you to buy everything, so if you just want the after hours or want one of the rooms, but don't need the tickets, that's fine. I'm pretty confident that someone will want what you don't need, so, hmu asap! First come, first served. Please send me a PM with what you want and a phone number I can call you on to discuss things and answer any questions you may have. |
2024.05.17 06:57 IlikethequietZeppo Animagi (part of my book 3 no time turners rewrite)
Wood had been training the Gryffindor Quidditch team relentlessly at every free moment. Last night Wood had been running broomless drills between dinner and curfew. Once back in their common room he had tried to talk strategies using Ron's chess pieces, Harry had been King, George and Fred were bishops, the chasers were pawns, and Oliver was the Queen. Until Angelina Johnson had yawned, and explained that a good night's sleep was the the best strategy.
Harry stiffled a yawn in transfiguration. He found it hard to concentrate. For some unknown reason Harry began to think about werewolves. Were werewolves even real? He couldn't remember.
"Mr Potter!" Snapped Professor McGonagal. "Would you care to share what is so important it has taken all of your attention?"
"Werewolves" he answered before he could consider the question. "...and the difference between them, and the transfiguration when you turn into a cat."
"Animagus" Hermione coughed
"Animagus! That's it. I was trying to remember the word. Now that I have, I can leave this to consider later." Harry rambled.
Professor McGonagal stared her unblinking cat stare. Harry grew increasingly uncomfortable but decided not to say anything further.
"That, Mr Potter, is an interesting question. What is a difference between them?"
Hermione's hand shot up three inches higher than her natural reach.
Professor McGonagal continued to stare at Harry. Harry thought of the B grade horror films Dudley watched.
"Er..a werewolf is forced to transform on the full moon, and you... er... Animagus.... Animaguses? ....Animagi? ... an Animagus can transform.... at will?" Harry tentatively answered.
"Given your attention was diverted for seven minutes, I want seven factual points comparing werewolves and Animagi, handed to me by tomorrow's class."
"Are you giving me a detention?" Harry asked hopefully
"Not unless you fail to hand in an acceptable response to the question."
Harry's shoulders slumped. He would have to stop by the library and complete it in 'History of Magic'. He had hoped to get a nap in during Professor Binns class.
...
Harry asked Madam Pince for any documents on Werewolves and Animagi that were accessible to him. Soon she had compiled a stack of books for him, and oddly a copy 'Teen witch weekly' (issued monthly, but Hermione pointed out that if it was called 'Teen Witch Monthly' it would sound like a euphemism for a ladies time of the month. Ron had promptly dropped the magazine.). The issue of 'Topographical Habitat' made some sense, as it was purported to be a factual periodical about unknown magical tribes from around the world and rare fantasic beasts.
Hermione took the largest book from the stack, Ron took 'Topographical Habitat', and Harry flipped through 'Teen Witch'.
Hermione seemed somewhat impressed that Ron had at least taken the serious publication. Harry's own suspicions about Ron's choice appeared confirmed, when Ron blushed such deep scarlet, he could have been camouflaged next to Fawkes.
"100 ways to woo your wizard? Top 10 potions for a slimmer summer body? Love potions gone wrong, a young witch's horror? Who reads this trash?" Harry asked aloud.
Hermione didn't meet his eyes.
"I don't. Some of the other girls do. Apparently they can often have interesting articles, and they have a 'questions to the Sage Sisters' section where young witches can ask embarrassing questions they can't ask their parents or professors"
Hermione attempting to hide the red flush in her cheeks,nonchalantly flipped through the large book, seemingly unaware it was upside down.
"There must be a reason Madam Pince got it for you." She continued before turning the book right side up. "It's faster to get to 'W' for werewolves from the back" she explained without looking up.
Harry smiled.
"Take our quiz. Which Animagus are you?"
"That sounds highly inaccurate. I suppose you did say any documents..."
Harry pushed it to the side a little too far and it slipped off the edge of the table with three other books. Harry ducked down to tidy them up. He quickly slipped the magazine into his bookbag and picked up the other three books.
The three of them quickly found the pages with basic information on both, and a refence to the spell to become an animagus, but it was in the restricted section. Harry noted the book title down. Unfortunately there wasn't time to write down all the important bits. If he hurried, Harry thought he might just be able to mark down page numbers and book titles to find them on the next break.
"I wish I had access to a photocopier" Harry lamented.
"Just ask Madam Pince for a copy." Ron suggested
Madam Pince read through the pages quickly, and copied them. She redacted a few pieces of "restricted" information, including the name of the restricted book. Finally, a watermark charm indicating it was an authorised copy, before handing them the pages.
Hermione stared in awe.
"I need to learn that spell." She said as they raced to 'History of Magic'
"Yeah, it'd be super helpful." Replied Ron.
"How did you know what a photo copier was?" Harry panted as they sprinted up to the classroom
"A wha? You said copier. I assumed you wanted a copy. Name seemed pretty obvious."
During 'History of Magic' Harry propped open the text book and flipped to the quiz in the magazine. He readied his quill, but as it was a magical publication, you used your wand to tap the answer. After the result was given the pages would clear and the next person could take the test.
There were several disclaimers in fine print stating results were not guaranteed, and merely for entertainment purposes.
...
Which Animagus are you?
Question one:
Where do you live?
Harry tapped the box next to the UK.
The page shifted revealing the next question.
If you attend/ed Hogwarts, which house were you, or do you hope to be sorted into?
On the questions continued.
Pick a sport or activity
□Quidditch
□Spelunking
□Dueling
□Wrestling
□Spectating
Harry didn't even know what spelunking was. He assumed it was some obscure wizard sport, common elsewhere in the world. He picked Quidditch of course.
The questions were odd and seemed mostly irrelevant to animals, but finally he came to the results.
Red Kite
"Think it's broken mate" Ron whispered over Harry's shoulder "my dad found one of those at the ministry. It's a toy for muggle kids."
"It says its a bird of prey." Harry whispered back.
"Give it here so I can take it." Ron asked.
Harry carefully passed it over and started writing his comparison for McGonagal.
Ron grumbled when he was done.
"Still say its broken. I got goat."
"It's just a ridiculous quiz Ronald. Hardly likely to be accurate is it? Besides goats are excellent creatures. " Hermione reached over and took the magazine.
Soon she showed her own results.
"Utter nonsense. I got an octopus. I'd much rather be a goat, than an octopus." Hermione carefully showed the result page to Ron and Harry.
"Nah, that's way cooler than a goat." Ron sighed
"Imagine you turn for first time, no water in sight. Not very useful. Great, I could swim around the lake. I personally, have no desire to find myself in any way in the lake, or any other body of water bigger than a bathtub. Animagus forms are random, I have just as much chance of being a Blue Ringed Octopus, as I do a Fox. You wouldn't know what animal you'll get until to do the full spell. One reason why I'd not likely try to become an animagus." Hermione closed up the magazine, and returned to her classwork, except her classwork was for Arithmancy not history of magic.
When the class ended, Nevile came up to Harry.
"I took that quiz, or one like it ages ago. I was at St Mungos,... just waiting at the minor aliments clinic. I don't subscribe to 'teen witch' magazine or anything. I got a Honey Badger. I thought for sure it would mean I'd be in Hufflepuff. Do you think I could maybe,... maybe I could... borrow your magazine to see if I'd be something else now?" Neville shyly asked
"Go for it. This is just a library copy. Part of my extra homework McGonagal set me. I'll give it to you in our room"
At the end of class, Ron had a free class block. Oliver Wood had a copy of all the Gryffindor Quidditch team player's timetables, and he and Harry had a one on one training session during this free block. Hermione had an elective that Ron and Harry didn't take. In an attempt to delay the training session, Harry offered to walk with Hermione to the next class.
"Ron, do me a favour and talk Quidditch strategies with Wood. Maybe he won't notice I'm late. I need a few minutes to myself. Encourage him to get substitute players too. If he has more players to train then maybe he'll ease up on the rest of us." Harry sighed.
"Hermione mind if I accompany you to..." Harry paused not knowing what her next class.
"Ancient Runes" Ron said as he packed up his books.
"Actually, I've got Ancient....Runes. How did you know that Ron?"
"I spent long enough helping you shift your classes around, so you could do them all." Ron replied "Catch you two at lunch then. Do you think Wood would really listen to my strategies?"
"Percy apparently complained to Oliver that 'it was bad enough having a house full of Quidditch obsessed siblings, he could no longer handle it taking over their dorm room too.' I feel bad for their other roommates, having to deal with both Percy and Oliver. Anyway Percy must have mentioned you helping with Hermione's schedule, and treating it like a Quidditch league. I think Oliver will be quite keen to hear your opinion. If only to annoy Percy further."
"That's 'nough reason for me." Laughed Ron in response.
The trio split off at the staircase, with Ron promising to stall Oliver.
"So Vix, Octopus you say?"
Hermione glared at Harry
"Did you forget my name Harry?"
"You've only been my best friend for two years. Of course I forgot it, Vix. Must have been obliviated. You said you got a Blue Ringed Octopus."
"I did. It proves only that the quiz was nonsense."
"You got a small poisonous..."
"Venomous." She corrected
"Probably poisonous too. You got a small venomous octopus from Australia? I did a project on them in primary school. They live in Australian waters not anywhere near the U.K. The quiz asked your location, so you'd only get a creature that lived here. So why wouldn't you tell Ron you got a Fox?"
"How did you... I got an octopus you saw the results."
Harry gave no further reponse and waited for Hermione to come clean.
"Fine. I took the test multiple times. How did you know I got a fox?!"
"You said 'you had as much chance of being a Blue Ringed Octopus, as you did a Fox'." Harry shrugged. "You'd make a pretty good fox."
"Serves me right for choosing Australia as a location. I thought I might get a Koala or something cute. Instead I get a tiny but deadly octopus." She shook her head in frustration, frizzy hair flying everywhere.
"You would have have the fluffiest fox fur ever." Harry concluded. Hermione swatted him in the arm.
"It's still nonsense. Each animagus is completely random, as far as current research can tell. I'd probably get a hare, or a vole, or....or...an otter! Not something im currently planning to try."
"Only 'cause you don't know how." Which earned him another whack in the arm.
"Would you learn the spell?"
"If I could guarantee I'd get a bird, of any kind, hell I'd even take a bloody pigeon, absolutely. Only birds I'd say no to would be flightless birds"
"That's the problem isn't it. You could get anything. I wouldn't want to be a water animal, like a fish, or a rat like Ron's pet" She shuddered "or a bug. Can you be a bug?"
He shrugged
"If you could choose your form, I know, I know" he held his hands up before she could tell him off "but IF you could, what animal would make you say yes immediately?"
They walked in silence while she pondered the question.
"Not something people want to kill. Not a pest creature; rats, mice, insects, spiders, snakes. Nothing like that. Something strong, something friendly, something beautiful."
"So not a fox then?"
"No. Too many people trying to hunt them down."
"What about a horse?"
"Hmmm possibly."
"Do you think that most Animagi are Gryffindors, because it requires courage to go through with becoming an unknown animal?"
submitted by IlikethequietZeppo to HPfanfiction [link] [comments]
Harry stiffled a yawn in transfiguration. He found it hard to concentrate. For some unknown reason Harry began to think about werewolves. Were werewolves even real? He couldn't remember.
"Mr Potter!" Snapped Professor McGonagal. "Would you care to share what is so important it has taken all of your attention?"
"Werewolves" he answered before he could consider the question. "...and the difference between them, and the transfiguration when you turn into a cat."
"Animagus" Hermione coughed
"Animagus! That's it. I was trying to remember the word. Now that I have, I can leave this to consider later." Harry rambled.
Professor McGonagal stared her unblinking cat stare. Harry grew increasingly uncomfortable but decided not to say anything further.
"That, Mr Potter, is an interesting question. What is a difference between them?"
Hermione's hand shot up three inches higher than her natural reach.
Professor McGonagal continued to stare at Harry. Harry thought of the B grade horror films Dudley watched.
"Er..a werewolf is forced to transform on the full moon, and you... er... Animagus.... Animaguses? ....Animagi? ... an Animagus can transform.... at will?" Harry tentatively answered.
"Given your attention was diverted for seven minutes, I want seven factual points comparing werewolves and Animagi, handed to me by tomorrow's class."
"Are you giving me a detention?" Harry asked hopefully
"Not unless you fail to hand in an acceptable response to the question."
Harry's shoulders slumped. He would have to stop by the library and complete it in 'History of Magic'. He had hoped to get a nap in during Professor Binns class.
...
Harry asked Madam Pince for any documents on Werewolves and Animagi that were accessible to him. Soon she had compiled a stack of books for him, and oddly a copy 'Teen witch weekly' (issued monthly, but Hermione pointed out that if it was called 'Teen Witch Monthly' it would sound like a euphemism for a ladies time of the month. Ron had promptly dropped the magazine.). The issue of 'Topographical Habitat' made some sense, as it was purported to be a factual periodical about unknown magical tribes from around the world and rare fantasic beasts.
Hermione took the largest book from the stack, Ron took 'Topographical Habitat', and Harry flipped through 'Teen Witch'.
Hermione seemed somewhat impressed that Ron had at least taken the serious publication. Harry's own suspicions about Ron's choice appeared confirmed, when Ron blushed such deep scarlet, he could have been camouflaged next to Fawkes.
"100 ways to woo your wizard? Top 10 potions for a slimmer summer body? Love potions gone wrong, a young witch's horror? Who reads this trash?" Harry asked aloud.
Hermione didn't meet his eyes.
"I don't. Some of the other girls do. Apparently they can often have interesting articles, and they have a 'questions to the Sage Sisters' section where young witches can ask embarrassing questions they can't ask their parents or professors"
Hermione attempting to hide the red flush in her cheeks,nonchalantly flipped through the large book, seemingly unaware it was upside down.
"There must be a reason Madam Pince got it for you." She continued before turning the book right side up. "It's faster to get to 'W' for werewolves from the back" she explained without looking up.
Harry smiled.
"Take our quiz. Which Animagus are you?"
"That sounds highly inaccurate. I suppose you did say any documents..."
Harry pushed it to the side a little too far and it slipped off the edge of the table with three other books. Harry ducked down to tidy them up. He quickly slipped the magazine into his bookbag and picked up the other three books.
The three of them quickly found the pages with basic information on both, and a refence to the spell to become an animagus, but it was in the restricted section. Harry noted the book title down. Unfortunately there wasn't time to write down all the important bits. If he hurried, Harry thought he might just be able to mark down page numbers and book titles to find them on the next break.
"I wish I had access to a photocopier" Harry lamented.
"Just ask Madam Pince for a copy." Ron suggested
Madam Pince read through the pages quickly, and copied them. She redacted a few pieces of "restricted" information, including the name of the restricted book. Finally, a watermark charm indicating it was an authorised copy, before handing them the pages.
Hermione stared in awe.
"I need to learn that spell." She said as they raced to 'History of Magic'
"Yeah, it'd be super helpful." Replied Ron.
"How did you know what a photo copier was?" Harry panted as they sprinted up to the classroom
"A wha? You said copier. I assumed you wanted a copy. Name seemed pretty obvious."
During 'History of Magic' Harry propped open the text book and flipped to the quiz in the magazine. He readied his quill, but as it was a magical publication, you used your wand to tap the answer. After the result was given the pages would clear and the next person could take the test.
There were several disclaimers in fine print stating results were not guaranteed, and merely for entertainment purposes.
...
Which Animagus are you?
Question one:
Where do you live?
Harry tapped the box next to the UK.
The page shifted revealing the next question.
If you attend/ed Hogwarts, which house were you, or do you hope to be sorted into?
On the questions continued.
Pick a sport or activity
□Quidditch
□Spelunking
□Dueling
□Wrestling
□Spectating
Harry didn't even know what spelunking was. He assumed it was some obscure wizard sport, common elsewhere in the world. He picked Quidditch of course.
The questions were odd and seemed mostly irrelevant to animals, but finally he came to the results.
Red Kite
"Think it's broken mate" Ron whispered over Harry's shoulder "my dad found one of those at the ministry. It's a toy for muggle kids."
"It says its a bird of prey." Harry whispered back.
"Give it here so I can take it." Ron asked.
Harry carefully passed it over and started writing his comparison for McGonagal.
Ron grumbled when he was done.
"Still say its broken. I got goat."
"It's just a ridiculous quiz Ronald. Hardly likely to be accurate is it? Besides goats are excellent creatures. " Hermione reached over and took the magazine.
Soon she showed her own results.
"Utter nonsense. I got an octopus. I'd much rather be a goat, than an octopus." Hermione carefully showed the result page to Ron and Harry.
"Nah, that's way cooler than a goat." Ron sighed
"Imagine you turn for first time, no water in sight. Not very useful. Great, I could swim around the lake. I personally, have no desire to find myself in any way in the lake, or any other body of water bigger than a bathtub. Animagus forms are random, I have just as much chance of being a Blue Ringed Octopus, as I do a Fox. You wouldn't know what animal you'll get until to do the full spell. One reason why I'd not likely try to become an animagus." Hermione closed up the magazine, and returned to her classwork, except her classwork was for Arithmancy not history of magic.
When the class ended, Nevile came up to Harry.
"I took that quiz, or one like it ages ago. I was at St Mungos,... just waiting at the minor aliments clinic. I don't subscribe to 'teen witch' magazine or anything. I got a Honey Badger. I thought for sure it would mean I'd be in Hufflepuff. Do you think I could maybe,... maybe I could... borrow your magazine to see if I'd be something else now?" Neville shyly asked
"Go for it. This is just a library copy. Part of my extra homework McGonagal set me. I'll give it to you in our room"
At the end of class, Ron had a free class block. Oliver Wood had a copy of all the Gryffindor Quidditch team player's timetables, and he and Harry had a one on one training session during this free block. Hermione had an elective that Ron and Harry didn't take. In an attempt to delay the training session, Harry offered to walk with Hermione to the next class.
"Ron, do me a favour and talk Quidditch strategies with Wood. Maybe he won't notice I'm late. I need a few minutes to myself. Encourage him to get substitute players too. If he has more players to train then maybe he'll ease up on the rest of us." Harry sighed.
"Hermione mind if I accompany you to..." Harry paused not knowing what her next class.
"Ancient Runes" Ron said as he packed up his books.
"Actually, I've got Ancient....Runes. How did you know that Ron?"
"I spent long enough helping you shift your classes around, so you could do them all." Ron replied "Catch you two at lunch then. Do you think Wood would really listen to my strategies?"
"Percy apparently complained to Oliver that 'it was bad enough having a house full of Quidditch obsessed siblings, he could no longer handle it taking over their dorm room too.' I feel bad for their other roommates, having to deal with both Percy and Oliver. Anyway Percy must have mentioned you helping with Hermione's schedule, and treating it like a Quidditch league. I think Oliver will be quite keen to hear your opinion. If only to annoy Percy further."
"That's 'nough reason for me." Laughed Ron in response.
The trio split off at the staircase, with Ron promising to stall Oliver.
"So Vix, Octopus you say?"
Hermione glared at Harry
"Did you forget my name Harry?"
"You've only been my best friend for two years. Of course I forgot it, Vix. Must have been obliviated. You said you got a Blue Ringed Octopus."
"I did. It proves only that the quiz was nonsense."
"You got a small poisonous..."
"Venomous." She corrected
"Probably poisonous too. You got a small venomous octopus from Australia? I did a project on them in primary school. They live in Australian waters not anywhere near the U.K. The quiz asked your location, so you'd only get a creature that lived here. So why wouldn't you tell Ron you got a Fox?"
"How did you... I got an octopus you saw the results."
Harry gave no further reponse and waited for Hermione to come clean.
"Fine. I took the test multiple times. How did you know I got a fox?!"
"You said 'you had as much chance of being a Blue Ringed Octopus, as you did a Fox'." Harry shrugged. "You'd make a pretty good fox."
"Serves me right for choosing Australia as a location. I thought I might get a Koala or something cute. Instead I get a tiny but deadly octopus." She shook her head in frustration, frizzy hair flying everywhere.
"You would have have the fluffiest fox fur ever." Harry concluded. Hermione swatted him in the arm.
"It's still nonsense. Each animagus is completely random, as far as current research can tell. I'd probably get a hare, or a vole, or....or...an otter! Not something im currently planning to try."
"Only 'cause you don't know how." Which earned him another whack in the arm.
"Would you learn the spell?"
"If I could guarantee I'd get a bird, of any kind, hell I'd even take a bloody pigeon, absolutely. Only birds I'd say no to would be flightless birds"
"That's the problem isn't it. You could get anything. I wouldn't want to be a water animal, like a fish, or a rat like Ron's pet" She shuddered "or a bug. Can you be a bug?"
He shrugged
"If you could choose your form, I know, I know" he held his hands up before she could tell him off "but IF you could, what animal would make you say yes immediately?"
They walked in silence while she pondered the question.
"Not something people want to kill. Not a pest creature; rats, mice, insects, spiders, snakes. Nothing like that. Something strong, something friendly, something beautiful."
"So not a fox then?"
"No. Too many people trying to hunt them down."
"What about a horse?"
"Hmmm possibly."
"Do you think that most Animagi are Gryffindors, because it requires courage to go through with becoming an unknown animal?"
2024.05.17 06:34 aanand_ard You need to warm up before starting any topic
One trick I followed before studying any topic was to first randomly read a blog,editorial,article,journal or white paper related to that topic.These are very well written and make you comfortable with the topic.It is like having an appetizer before a meal makes you more hungry.After this if you study that topic you will better appreciate it and have a very nuanced intricate knowledge of it.
Many people just directly start the topic get bored after half a page and be like kal karenge vo kal aata nahi hai aur saal beet jaate hai.They enter a cycle/vortex of procrastination which eats away years
I will share an example from my prep. I was about to start the topic on poverty and income inequality for me it was quite boring given all those indexes etc.But then I read an article written by someone which I will quote below
"Why are the rich getting richer?
Think about it
The Answer is simple - P A P E R
As simple as that
Paper value is the world's fastest multiplier compared to Land or Factories or Machinery or Salary
Take Gautam Adani, Mukesh Ambani
How did their personal wealth grow by 800% and 4100% over the last decade?
Salaries?
Nopes
Bonuses?
Nopes
Dividends?
Nopes
Fixed Deposits?
Nopes
Land Investments?
Nopes
Paper Valuation of their Equities and Stock!!!!
Paper Wealth is why Byju Raveendran, the Oyo Founder , Ola Bhavish Agarwal are all Billionaires today
In the olden days
India didn't have a share market or had a very limited share market
Wealth was defined by Acreage of Land, Crop Yield, Savings in various accounts, Fixed Deposits, Size of Profits, Interest earned from various ventures, Factories etc.
The Rich thus grew rich at a lesser pace
It took time for your wealth to double
It took a lifetime for your wealth to quadruple
Today?
It takes one afternoon
Today someone makes a $ 150 Million offer to a startup and boom - the valuation rises from $ 60 Million to $ 800 Million
Thus the Founder who owns 40% of the Startup rises from $ 24 Million to $ 320 Million
It takes six months of trading to get your shares from ₹2100/- to ₹4000/- and double your entire net worth
Adani took a decade to increase his personal wealth by 41 times
The Poor, The Middle Class, The Upper Middle Class - they have no such master multiplier
The Poor become middle class with 15–16 years of education, a score of examinations, huge debt by their families or subsidies by the taxpayer and finally get a decent job and slowly move to low income or middle class
It takes 20–25 years for a generational transition and that too for the luckier ones
The Middle Class become upper middle Class by Shrewd Investments, Improved Skill Sets and Better opportunities
The Son of an Average B.A Father working as a Clerk who managed an IIT Seat is an example
Takes 20–25 years here too
From Upper Middle Class to Rich and Rich to Super Rich
That's entirely about Paper
Stock Options (Paper) Equities (Paper) Derivatives (Paper) Futures (Paper) Debentures (Paper) Paper can take you from rich to super rich or upper middle class to rich in a tenth the time it takes you to reach there with salaries and bonuses
That's why so many people talk of Billions and Millions today
Most of them hold paper
The Paper may a Gem of an investment but may also be a bloated whale carcass of an massively overvalued entity
Once you are rich - you become richer only because of PAPER
You sell Daddys Land for ₹50 Crore, you become rich
Yet that ₹50 Crore has to become ₹100 Crore only by being invested in Paper
Today the whole world revolves around paper and nobody knows how valuable the paper truly is
So nobody knows how big a Billionaire someone truly is
So frankly are the rich truly becoming richer or poorer?
Nobody knows
Meanwhile Middle Class or Low Income, they grow through Savings and Salaries and Term Investments and Gold and Land - all of which are clear transparent indicators of growth or prosperity"
After reading this article I could better appreciate reasons for inequality etc.I did this for every topic i studied.Hope this helps.You can reach out to me if you need any help🙂.
submitted by aanand_ard to UPSC [link] [comments]
Many people just directly start the topic get bored after half a page and be like kal karenge vo kal aata nahi hai aur saal beet jaate hai.They enter a cycle/vortex of procrastination which eats away years
I will share an example from my prep. I was about to start the topic on poverty and income inequality for me it was quite boring given all those indexes etc.But then I read an article written by someone which I will quote below
"Why are the rich getting richer?
Think about it
The Answer is simple - P A P E R
As simple as that
Paper value is the world's fastest multiplier compared to Land or Factories or Machinery or Salary
Take Gautam Adani, Mukesh Ambani
How did their personal wealth grow by 800% and 4100% over the last decade?
Salaries?
Nopes
Bonuses?
Nopes
Dividends?
Nopes
Fixed Deposits?
Nopes
Land Investments?
Nopes
Paper Valuation of their Equities and Stock!!!!
Paper Wealth is why Byju Raveendran, the Oyo Founder , Ola Bhavish Agarwal are all Billionaires today
In the olden days
India didn't have a share market or had a very limited share market
Wealth was defined by Acreage of Land, Crop Yield, Savings in various accounts, Fixed Deposits, Size of Profits, Interest earned from various ventures, Factories etc.
The Rich thus grew rich at a lesser pace
It took time for your wealth to double
It took a lifetime for your wealth to quadruple
Today?
It takes one afternoon
Today someone makes a $ 150 Million offer to a startup and boom - the valuation rises from $ 60 Million to $ 800 Million
Thus the Founder who owns 40% of the Startup rises from $ 24 Million to $ 320 Million
It takes six months of trading to get your shares from ₹2100/- to ₹4000/- and double your entire net worth
Adani took a decade to increase his personal wealth by 41 times
The Poor, The Middle Class, The Upper Middle Class - they have no such master multiplier
The Poor become middle class with 15–16 years of education, a score of examinations, huge debt by their families or subsidies by the taxpayer and finally get a decent job and slowly move to low income or middle class
It takes 20–25 years for a generational transition and that too for the luckier ones
The Middle Class become upper middle Class by Shrewd Investments, Improved Skill Sets and Better opportunities
The Son of an Average B.A Father working as a Clerk who managed an IIT Seat is an example
Takes 20–25 years here too
From Upper Middle Class to Rich and Rich to Super Rich
That's entirely about Paper
Stock Options (Paper) Equities (Paper) Derivatives (Paper) Futures (Paper) Debentures (Paper) Paper can take you from rich to super rich or upper middle class to rich in a tenth the time it takes you to reach there with salaries and bonuses
That's why so many people talk of Billions and Millions today
Most of them hold paper
The Paper may a Gem of an investment but may also be a bloated whale carcass of an massively overvalued entity
Once you are rich - you become richer only because of PAPER
You sell Daddys Land for ₹50 Crore, you become rich
Yet that ₹50 Crore has to become ₹100 Crore only by being invested in Paper
Today the whole world revolves around paper and nobody knows how valuable the paper truly is
So nobody knows how big a Billionaire someone truly is
So frankly are the rich truly becoming richer or poorer?
Nobody knows
Meanwhile Middle Class or Low Income, they grow through Savings and Salaries and Term Investments and Gold and Land - all of which are clear transparent indicators of growth or prosperity"
After reading this article I could better appreciate reasons for inequality etc.I did this for every topic i studied.Hope this helps.You can reach out to me if you need any help🙂.
2024.05.17 06:27 HopefulHarmonian Essay: Harry’s compliments and appreciation of Hermione (compared to Ron’s)
A common claim in HP fandom is that Harry doesn’t appreciate Hermione enough. A weirder assertion I sometimes see is that Ron compliments or appreciates Hermione more than Harry.
Admittedly, Hermione does a lot for Harry throughout the books, and he doesn’t always express his thoughts directly to her. Nevertheless, there are many passages where Harry directly compliments Hermione (often using words of very high praise), as well as quite a few where he expresses his admiration of her to other people.
This essay will explore those complimentary passages from the books. I won’t include simple expressions of gratitude (though those exist too between Harry and Hermione), nor will I recount here the many passages where Harry merely thinks highly of Hermione or appreciates her without saying anything aloud. Frankly, that would make this essay much too long, and I want to focus on real compliments and praise.
After we’ve explored how Harry compliments Hermione along with her reactions, we’ll take a look at how Ron tends to praise Hermione, as well as the different way she reacts to both boys. Not surprisingly to most readers here, we’ll see that Harry is the boy Hermione truly loves praise from. Unfortunately in Ron’s case, his compliments almost never land well (if they land at all).
I’m going to keep the commentary shorter here on many passages, as this is primarily intended to be a list to demonstrate just how much Harry appreciates Hermione and thinks highly of her. Nevertheless, we’ll see a number of patterns emerge as we go through.
Still, the two of them go back and forth about it in a cute way, as Hermione then says “Me!” and proceeds to implicitly compliment Harry’s friendship and bravery further.
I mention this latter detail of the back-and-forth because it gets mirrored four years later, except this time with Harry being the one to say, “Me?” See OotP15:
But I already skipped over another moment a few chapters earlier in OotP9:
For the present, let’s just note that Harry is feeling very emotional and is about to launch himself into one of the longest internal monologues in the books, feeling quite down about himself. Yet he still finds the strength to tell Hermione how “brilliant” he thinks she is. Even if he’s hurting and can’t even look at her, he wants her to know he’s proud of her.
This isn’t the only place where Harry spontaneously feels the need to give Hermione compliments even under less-than-ideal circumstances. He seems to place great importance in ensuring that Hermione knows how highly he thinks of her. We particularly see this later in the series. In HBP25, Hermione basically accuses Harry of being mildly sexist because he refuses to take her theory seriously that the “Prince” (the former owner of the potions book) might have been a woman:
For example, in DH9, in the scene after the trio was attacked by Dolohov and Rowle, Harry calls her “brilliant” for casting a memory charm:
Moreover, we can see how much this means to Hermione at that moment, as she smiles in gratitude at Harry, in contrast to her tear-streaked face.
Later in DH, after Hermione was tortured at Malfoy Manor, we again see Harry expressing his understanding and gratitude for Hermione when he first talks to her (DH24):
And these are far from the only times Hermione’s quick thinking saves the day. A few months earlier, she once again apparated Harry (and Ron too) away in mid-air to escape Luna’s father’s house, coming up with a detailed plan in a matter of seconds to hide Ron while exposing Harry during the escape (for strategic reasons). Harry then agrees Hermione is a genius and tells her doesn’t know what they’d do without her (DH22):
This is a pattern we see repeatedly in the books, where Ron’s praise is ignored in favor of Harry’s. Perhaps the clearest example is in HBP9:
Meanwhile, poor Ron is off to the side, looking “slightly disgruntled” when Hermione shushes him in class for a similar remark.
I drew on a list of Ron compliments created by Ron/Hermione shippers here, but the original list only gave Ron’s lines, without Hermione’s reactions, which I’ve restored below. (The reason for the omission of Hermione’s responses will soon become clear.)
Ron first shows genuine admiration for Hermione back in PoA15 when she slaps Draco and then storms out of Divination. However, the first time Ron actually tries to express this appreciation verbally probably happens in OotP12:
This is far from the only time Hermione will ignore Ron’s occasional kind words, because she clearly knows it’s unusual behavior. She tells us this directly (OotP14):
Ron’s attempts at recognizing Hermione’s achievements also look very different from Harry’s. In HBP5, when Hermione is worrying about her O.W.L. exam performance, Ron does acknowledge Hermione’s academic performance a couple times, in passages that Ron/Hermione fans will point to as evidence of his supposed admiration.
Yet they don’t come off as compliments. They are aggressive and exasperated and almost making fun of Hermione at the end. And look how Hermione reacts:
Harry would have just clapped her on the back and called her “brilliant” or something, to which she’d probably smile in reply. Harry doesn’t share Hermione’s level of academic dedication, but he still appreciates it, rather than trying to shame Hermione for being an overachiever. Yet Ron manages to make her uncomfortable in several different ways in this scene, even as he recognizes how well she would do.
And we’ve only started on the types of negative reactions Hermione has to Ron’s attempts at recognizing her achievements. In HBP21 after apparition practice in Hogsmeade, Ron cuts in to call her performance “perfect”:
Admittedly, Ron appears to realize some of his failings and makes an attempt in Deathly Hallows, reading the Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches book and trying to learn how to compliment a girl. It unfortunately doesn’t go quite smoothly for Ron at first (DH7):
This kind of dual reaction from Hermione is usually the best Ron can hope for. Unlike Hermione’s instant smiles and happiness from Harry’s compliments, she views Ron with suspicion. Hermione always appears to keep in mind that Ron’s pleasant reactions are atypical and thus not to be trusted. We see this again as Hermione enters before Bill and Fleur’s wedding, wearing a lovely dress (DH8):
Admittedly, Ron was a bit right in that scene to acknowledge that Hermione almost never recognizes his achievements. Yet in the wedding scene, we see Hermione throw that verbal dig back at Ron, effectively taking what appears to be a more sincere compliment from Ron and undermining it. She’s telling him (and the reader) that he doesn’t generally find her attractive and wouldn’t typically say such a nice thing to her.
In effect, she’s somewhat begrudgingly smiling while taking a swipe at Ron’s more typical behavior.
There’s really only one time in all of the books that I have found where Hermione actually reacts positively (without qualification) to Ron’s praise. That occurs in DH9 after she reveals how she had packed so much in her beaded bag in preparation for the Horcrux hunt and emergencies:
And even this one pleasant moment between Ron and Hermione is immediately undermined a few pages later:
We can start with the scene that inspired Slughorn in the quotation discussed above, where Ron was disgruntled at Hermione’s ecstatic reaction to Harry’s compliment. See HBP4:
Ron never has a comparable passage in the books. Many of his compliments or nice moments are very situational with Hermione, not spontaneous praise. This is probably one reason why Hermione also shushes Ron when he tries to echo Harry later with Slughorn: she knows if Harry said something, he meant it and wasn’t just trying to flatter her or be nice because of the situation.
The best Ron can manage on a couple occasions are vague acknowledgments to Harry about Hermione. Such as CoS14:
Meanwhile, Harry simply cannot stop himself from saying how amazing Hermione is. As far back as CoS2:
Harry can’t even let the Quidditch team think he was smart enough to come up with the Impervius Charm for his glasses (originally during the Quidditch match back in PoA9). When Angelina proposes using the spell again in OotP18, Harry simply has to give Hermione credit:
This reflex Harry has to praise Hermione comes up in the strangest places, getting him into arguments with his love interests. When Cho brings up the jinx that resulted in Marietta’s outbreak of pimples, Harry can’t help contradicting her (OotP28):
Just as in Quidditch with his glasses, Harry can’t help acknowledging Hermione’s brilliance, even with another girl he likes. He could have been a little more diplomatic with Cho in disagreeing with her, but instead his reflex is to defend Hermione.
Perhaps the most absurd moment of praise for Hermione randomly comes up as Harry’s breaking up with Ginny (HBP30):
And instead the first words from Harry’s lips are to acknowledge how smart Hermione is. He’s breaking up with his girlfriend… and praising another girl’s intelligence? I know Harry can be rather thick sometimes, but this is not the thing to do in the middle of a break-up. It’s no wonder Cho was so jealous of Hermione.
Ron’s efforts at compliments are nothing like that, unfortunately. We might even feel a bit bad for him when he does begin to make an effort in DH, as it’s clear Ron is never going to have the impact on Hermione that Harry’s compliments do.
I mentioned at the outset that there are many people who say Harry isn’t appreciative enough toward Hermione. It’s true that we don’t hear him say it aloud all the time, particularly in the early books. Yet it’s very clear even in the first book that Harry thinks Hermione is a better wizard than he is. And he doesn’t hesitate to tell her, or to announce it to Dobby in CoS.
As the series progresses, Harry’s outward appreciation increases, to the point where we see him calling her “amazing” and “incredible” and the “best in our year,” terms that he only ever says about Hermione. Perhaps even more importantly, we see that Hermione knows how special she is to Harry, how sincere his compliments are, as we see her repeatedly responding with emotional smiles and even a “radiant expression” to these words.
I didn’t even explore most of the passages where Hermione praises or compliments Harry in the books (and there are plenty more of those too), but we can see the strength of Harry and Hermione’s friendship and care for each other. They both strive to raise each other up, especially in stressful times when they need it the most.
I’d like to acknowledge members of the HMS Harmony Discord server for their support and suggestions. Specifically, thanks to Jiraffas for suggesting an essay on this topic. Thanks for Dragonfly for convincing me to include a section on Harry complimenting Hermione to other people and for reminding me of the Angelina moment in OotP. In general, I’m grateful for the discussion and commentary from the Harmony community.
If there are any moments you think I missed, please point them out in comments! I’d like this essay to be a resource for those who want to debunk fandom claims concerning Harry’s supposed lack of appreciation toward Hermione.
submitted by HopefulHarmonian to HPharmony [link] [comments]
Admittedly, Hermione does a lot for Harry throughout the books, and he doesn’t always express his thoughts directly to her. Nevertheless, there are many passages where Harry directly compliments Hermione (often using words of very high praise), as well as quite a few where he expresses his admiration of her to other people.
This essay will explore those complimentary passages from the books. I won’t include simple expressions of gratitude (though those exist too between Harry and Hermione), nor will I recount here the many passages where Harry merely thinks highly of Hermione or appreciates her without saying anything aloud. Frankly, that would make this essay much too long, and I want to focus on real compliments and praise.
After we’ve explored how Harry compliments Hermione along with her reactions, we’ll take a look at how Ron tends to praise Hermione, as well as the different way she reacts to both boys. Not surprisingly to most readers here, we’ll see that Harry is the boy Hermione truly loves praise from. Unfortunately in Ron’s case, his compliments almost never land well (if they land at all).
I’m going to keep the commentary shorter here on many passages, as this is primarily intended to be a list to demonstrate just how much Harry appreciates Hermione and thinks highly of her. Nevertheless, we’ll see a number of patterns emerge as we go through.
Harry’s direct compliments
Let’s begin with one of the most well-known interactions in the early books between Harry and Hermione (PS16):Hermione’s lip trembled and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.There’s not much new to say about this passage—Harry is about to go on alone, putting himself in great danger. Hermione’s lip trembles in emotion, and she embraces Harry for the first time in the books, praising him as a “great wizard.” And yet, Harry claims he’s simply not as good as Hermione.
‘Hermione!’
‘Harry – you’re a great wizard, you know.’
‘I’m not as good as you,’ said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.
‘Me!’ said Hermione. ‘Books! And cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery and – oh Harry – be careful!’
Still, the two of them go back and forth about it in a cute way, as Hermione then says “Me!” and proceeds to implicitly compliment Harry’s friendship and bravery further.
I mention this latter detail of the back-and-forth because it gets mirrored four years later, except this time with Harry being the one to say, “Me?” See OotP15:
‘Harry, you’re the best in the year at Defence Against the Dark Arts,’ said Hermione.We know of Harry’s prowess at DADA. Can anyone forget the insanely powerful Patronus Harry conjured at the end of PoA, which Hermione noted was “very, very advanced magic”? It’s again cute that they get into a disagreement, both modestly trying to one-up the praise of the other here while claiming they themselves aren’t the best.
‘Me?’ said Harry, now grinning more broadly than ever. ‘No I’m not, you’ve beaten me in every test –’
‘Actually, I haven’t,’ said Hermione coolly. ‘You beat me in our third year – the only year we both sat the test and had a teacher who actually knew the subject. But I’m not talking about test results, Harry. Think what you’ve done!’
But I already skipped over another moment a few chapters earlier in OotP9:
[Ron] dashed from the room, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.The circumstances are complicated here, because Harry’s feeling really conflicted about not getting a prefect’s badge. He doesn’t want to look at Hermione, because I think he feels like she’d be disappointed in him, as she was so enthusiastic about the idea of being prefect with him a few minutes before. I analyzed this whole section in greater depth in another essay, so I won’t get into all of that here.
For some reason, Harry found he did not want to look at Hermione. He turned to his bed, picked up the pile of clean robes Mrs Weasley had laid on it and crossed the room to his trunk.
‘Harry?’ said Hermione tentatively.
‘Well done, Hermione,’ said Harry, so heartily it did not sound like his voice at all, and, still not looking at her, ‘brilliant. Prefect. Great.’
‘Thanks,’ said Hermione. ‘Erm – Harry – could I borrow Hedwig so I can tell Mum and Dad? They’ll be really pleased – I mean prefect is something they can understand.’
For the present, let’s just note that Harry is feeling very emotional and is about to launch himself into one of the longest internal monologues in the books, feeling quite down about himself. Yet he still finds the strength to tell Hermione how “brilliant” he thinks she is. Even if he’s hurting and can’t even look at her, he wants her to know he’s proud of her.
This isn’t the only place where Harry spontaneously feels the need to give Hermione compliments even under less-than-ideal circumstances. He seems to place great importance in ensuring that Hermione knows how highly he thinks of her. We particularly see this later in the series. In HBP25, Hermione basically accuses Harry of being mildly sexist because he refuses to take her theory seriously that the “Prince” (the former owner of the potions book) might have been a woman:
‘Listen, Hermione, I can tell it’s not a girl. I can just tell.’Harry’s “stung” that Hermione would think of him as sexist, but he’s specifically disappointed because he knows how brilliant and clever Hermione is. He thinks she’s amazing and incredible and the best in his year at school. I wonder if this passage leads Harry to reflect a bit on how he may not always voice his opinion to Hermione enough, as there’s a marked change in DH, where Harry more frequently tells Hermione directly how highly he thinks of her.
‘The truth is that you don’t think a girl would have been clever enough,’ said Hermione angrily.
‘How can I have hung round with you for five years and not think girls are clever?’ said Harry, stung by this.
For example, in DH9, in the scene after the trio was attacked by Dolohov and Rowle, Harry calls her “brilliant” for casting a memory charm:
She took a deep, calming breath, then pointed her wand at Dolohov’s forehead and said, ‘Obliviate.’Later, after Harry and Hermione escape Nagini’s attack at Bathilda Bagshot’s house, Harry calls her “incredible” (DH18):
At once, Dolohov’s eyes became unfocused and dreamy.
‘Brilliant!’ said Harry, clapping her on the back. ‘Take care of the other one and the waitress while Ron and I clear up.’
‘You’re still really angry at me, aren’t you?’ said Hermione; he looked up to see fresh tears leaking out of her eyes, and knew that his anger must have shown in his face.As in the OotP passage where Harry is feeling depressed about the prefect’s badge, here Harry isn’t really ready to talk. His wand is broken, he was injured by Nagini, and he spent the night having visions of Voldemort killing his parents. It’s not at all an exaggeration to say this is probably the most dire part of Harry’s journey in the books. And yet he still values Hermione enough not only to agree to talk when he’s not ready, but also to immediately forgive her and call her “incredible” for her quick thinking the previous night.
‘No,’ he said quietly. ‘No, Hermione, I know it was an accident. You were trying to get us out of there alive, and you were incredible. I’d be dead if you hadn’t been there to help me.’
He tried to return her watery smile, then turned his attention to the book.
Moreover, we can see how much this means to Hermione at that moment, as she smiles in gratitude at Harry, in contrast to her tear-streaked face.
Later in DH, after Hermione was tortured at Malfoy Manor, we again see Harry expressing his understanding and gratitude for Hermione when he first talks to her (DH24):
Harry had walked up several steps before stopping and looking back.Harry calls her “amazing,” and once again Hermione smiles in reply. I should also pause here to note that these superlatives aren’t common for Harry. In fact, they’re unique to Hermione. Harry doesn’t call anyone else “amazing” or “incredible” anywhere in the books.
‘I need you two, as well!’ he called to Ron and Hermione, who had been skulking, half-concealed, in the doorway of the sitting room.
They both moved into the light, looking oddly relieved.
‘How are you?’ Harry asked Hermione. ‘You were amazing – coming up with that story when she was hurting you like that –’
Hermione gave a weak smile as Ron gave her a one-armed squeeze.
And these are far from the only times Hermione’s quick thinking saves the day. A few months earlier, she once again apparated Harry (and Ron too) away in mid-air to escape Luna’s father’s house, coming up with a detailed plan in a matter of seconds to hide Ron while exposing Harry during the escape (for strategic reasons). Harry then agrees Hermione is a genius and tells her doesn’t know what they’d do without her (DH22):
‘You’re a genius,’ Ron repeated, looking awed.I’d note another detail here. Ron does compliment Hermione too in this passage, calling her a “genius” multiple times. Yet it’s only once Harry finally tells her how much she means to him that Hermione “beams” in reply. (In a previous essay, I examined how frequently Hermione “beams” at Harry, much more than anyone else.)
‘Yeah, you are, Hermione,’ agreed Harry fervently, ‘I don’t know what we’d do without you.’
She beamed, but became solemn at once.
This is a pattern we see repeatedly in the books, where Ron’s praise is ignored in favor of Harry’s. Perhaps the clearest example is in HBP9:
[Slughorn:] ‘Oho! “One of my best friends is Muggle-born and she’s the best in our year!” I’m assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?’Harry had already praised Hermione to Slughorn privately (a fact we’ll come back to), but hearing this praise from Harry causes Hermione to turn toward Harry with a “radiant expression,” overwhelmed with joy at the idea that Harry thought of her as the “best in the year.” (The word choice of “radiant” here is rather special for JKR, as I’ve noted in a previous essay.)
‘Yes, sir,’ said Harry.
‘Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger,’ said Slughorn genially.
Malfoy looked rather as he had done the time Hermione had punched him in the face. Hermione turned to Harry with a radiant expression and whispered, ‘Did you really tell him I’m the best in the year? Oh, Harry!’
‘Well, what’s so impressive about that?’ whispered Ron, who for some reason looked annoyed. ‘You are the best in the year – I’d’ve told him so if he’d asked me!’
Hermione smiled but made a ‘shush’ing gesture, so that they could hear what Slughorn was saying. Ron looked slightly disgruntled.
Meanwhile, poor Ron is off to the side, looking “slightly disgruntled” when Hermione shushes him in class for a similar remark.
Ron’s compliments to Hermione
Unfortunately for Ron, Hermione’s reaction in the Slughorn scene is typical. We’ve seen Hermione repeatedly smiling and looking radiant at Harry’s compliments, as well as reacting by praising him in return. Ron, on the other hand, is almost exclusively met with tepid if not outright negative reactions from Hermione even when he says nice things about her.I drew on a list of Ron compliments created by Ron/Hermione shippers here, but the original list only gave Ron’s lines, without Hermione’s reactions, which I’ve restored below. (The reason for the omission of Hermione’s responses will soon become clear.)
Ron first shows genuine admiration for Hermione back in PoA15 when she slaps Draco and then storms out of Divination. However, the first time Ron actually tries to express this appreciation verbally probably happens in OotP12:
[Hermione:] ‘About You-Know-Who. He said his “gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust –”’Although this isn’t a direct compliment, we’re told that Ron is actually looking at Hermione “in admiration.” Unlike his more typical annoyance with her, he’s actually impressed here by her memory. And yet Hermione responds with “asperity,” harshly putting him down for not listening better. When Ron gets defensive and tries to react, Hermione “loudly” talks over him and essentially ignores Ron completely.
‘How do you remember stuff like that?’ asked Ron, looking at her in admiration.
‘I listen, Ron,’ said Hermione, with a touch of asperity.
‘So do I, but I still couldn’t tell you exactly what –’
‘The point,’ Hermione pressed on loudly, ‘is that this sort of thing is exactly what Dumbledore was talking about. You-Know-Who’s only been back two months and we’ve already started fighting among ourselves. And the Sorting Hat’s warning was the same: stand together, be united –’
This is far from the only time Hermione will ignore Ron’s occasional kind words, because she clearly knows it’s unusual behavior. She tells us this directly (OotP14):
‘OK, write that down,’ Hermione said to Ron, pushing his essay and a sheet covered in her own writing back to Ron, ‘then add this conclusion I’ve written for you.’Ron was trying to thank her for help with his homework, but Hermione recognizes this praise as obviously transactional. She has noticed he’s only nice to her when she does things for him, but otherwise his “normal” behavior toward her is a bit rude. (As a sidenote: we’ve already seen Harry repeatedly refer to Hermione as “brilliant.” Ron, in contrast, does call Hermione sort of “brilliant” twice, both times sarcastically referring to theories or ideas he thinks are ridiculous. See CoS13, DH25.)
‘Hermione, you are honestly the most wonderful person I’ve ever met,’ said Ron weakly, ‘and if I’m ever rude to you again –’
‘– I’ll know you’re back to normal,’ said Hermione.
Ron’s attempts at recognizing Hermione’s achievements also look very different from Harry’s. In HBP5, when Hermione is worrying about her O.W.L. exam performance, Ron does acknowledge Hermione’s academic performance a couple times, in passages that Ron/Hermione fans will point to as evidence of his supposed admiration.
Yet they don’t come off as compliments. They are aggressive and exasperated and almost making fun of Hermione at the end. And look how Hermione reacts:
‘Hermione, will you shut up, you’re not the only one who’s nervous!’ barked Ron. ‘And when you’ve got your ten “Outstanding” O.W.L.s ...’So yes, Ron acknowledges her achievements here, but he does so in the process of telling her to “shut up,” barking at her, and then becoming “exasperated” at her personal goals. I think we can all take a step back and acknowledge that Hermione is a fairly extreme perfectionist, and her level of anxiety at potentially “failing everything” comes across as weird and a bit irrational. Still, rather than helping her “calm down” (as many Ron/Hermione fans would say Ron does), Ron exacerbates Hermione’s level of disquiet, causing her to become “hysterical” and then later embarrassed, reacting in a “small voice.”
‘Don’t, don’t, don’t!’ said Hermione, flapping her hands hysterically. ‘I know I’ve failed everything!’
[…]
‘I – not bad,’ said Hermione in a small voice.
‘Oh, come off it,’ said Ron, striding over to her and whipping her results out of her hand. ‘Yep – nine “Outstandings” and one “Exceeds Expectations” in Defence Against the Dark Arts.’ He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. ‘You’re actually disappointed, aren’t you?’
Hermione shook her head, but Harry laughed.
Harry would have just clapped her on the back and called her “brilliant” or something, to which she’d probably smile in reply. Harry doesn’t share Hermione’s level of academic dedication, but he still appreciates it, rather than trying to shame Hermione for being an overachiever. Yet Ron manages to make her uncomfortable in several different ways in this scene, even as he recognizes how well she would do.
And we’ve only started on the types of negative reactions Hermione has to Ron’s attempts at recognizing her achievements. In HBP21 after apparition practice in Hogsmeade, Ron cuts in to call her performance “perfect”:
‘Good one,’ said Harry. ‘How’d you do, Hermione?’Ron’s praise is undermined with the dismissive “whatever the hell it is,” once again making it clear that he doesn’t value Hermione’s attention to detail and high standards. Hermione’s response is, reasonably, then to simply ignore Ron.
‘Oh, she was perfect, obviously,’ said Ron, before Hermione could answer. ‘Perfect deliberation, divination and desperation, or whatever the hell it is – we all went for a quick drink in the Three Broomsticks after and you should’ve heard Twycross going on about her – I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t pop the question soon –’
‘And what about you?’ asked Hermione, ignoring Ron.
Admittedly, Ron appears to realize some of his failings and makes an attempt in Deathly Hallows, reading the Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches book and trying to learn how to compliment a girl. It unfortunately doesn’t go quite smoothly for Ron at first (DH7):
Hermione made purple and gold streamers erupt from the end of her wand and drape themselves artistically over the trees and bushes.Ron arguably is trying here, but as we know from OotP, Hermione knows Ron’s more typical reaction toward her is rudeness. Hence we see her a “little confused” yet still somewhat pleased.
‘Nice,’ said Ron, as with one final flourish of her wand, Hermione turned the leaves on the crab-apple tree to gold. ‘You’ve really got an eye for that sort of thing.’
‘Thank you, Ron!’ said Hermione, looking both pleased and a little confused. Harry turned away, smiling to himself. He had a funny notion that he would find a chapter on compliments when he found time to peruse his copy of Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches […].
This kind of dual reaction from Hermione is usually the best Ron can hope for. Unlike Hermione’s instant smiles and happiness from Harry’s compliments, she views Ron with suspicion. Hermione always appears to keep in mind that Ron’s pleasant reactions are atypical and thus not to be trusted. We see this again as Hermione enters before Bill and Fleur’s wedding, wearing a lovely dress (DH8):
‘[…] wow,’ [Ron] added, blinking rather rapidly as Hermione came hurrying towards them. ‘You look great!’Note the “though she smiled” qualification here, which is pointing out that Hermione’s reaction is not exactly positive and arguably unkind. Hermione is here making a reference to an earlier conversation after the Seven Potters. When Tonks mentioned how “great” Ron was stunning a Death Eater, Hermione reacted positively with “you did?” Hermione was sincerely proud of Ron at that moment, hugging him, and yet Ron reacted with the phrase “Always the tone of surprise,” rejecting her and breaking off from her embrace.
‘Always the tone of surprise,’ said Hermione, though she smiled.
Admittedly, Ron was a bit right in that scene to acknowledge that Hermione almost never recognizes his achievements. Yet in the wedding scene, we see Hermione throw that verbal dig back at Ron, effectively taking what appears to be a more sincere compliment from Ron and undermining it. She’s telling him (and the reader) that he doesn’t generally find her attractive and wouldn’t typically say such a nice thing to her.
In effect, she’s somewhat begrudgingly smiling while taking a swipe at Ron’s more typical behavior.
There’s really only one time in all of the books that I have found where Hermione actually reacts positively (without qualification) to Ron’s praise. That occurs in DH9 after she reveals how she had packed so much in her beaded bag in preparation for the Horcrux hunt and emergencies:
‘I told you at The Burrow, I’ve had the essentials packed for days, you know, in case we needed to make a quick getaway. I packed your rucksack this morning, Harry, after you changed, and put it in here ... I just had a feeling …’We see her here at least giving Ron a “small smile,” though she quickly turns to Harry, more concerned again about him. Still, it’s a legitimate positive reaction to a compliment from Ron. We shouldn’t have to pause and reflect on that so much, except for the fact that this is a rather unique occurrence. Every other time Ron says something nice about Hermione, she ignores it, gets annoyed, dismisses it, gets suspicious or confused, or has some other negative reaction like we saw.
‘You’re amazing, you are,’ said Ron, handing her his bundled-up robes.
‘Thank you,’ said Hermione, managing a small smile as she pushed the robes into the bag. ‘Please, Harry, get that Cloak on!’
And even this one pleasant moment between Ron and Hermione is immediately undermined a few pages later:
Ron struggled for a moment before managing to extract his wand from his pocket.Yes, Ron was happy for a moment and praised Hermione for packing his stuff, but it turns out she did it wrong in Ron’s eyes. She packed the wrong jeans, and Hermione reacts very negatively, telling Ron to shove his wand up his arse. Hermione here must feel like Ron is conforming to the behavior she described back in OotP—he’s only nice until he turns back to his “normal” negative behavior toward her.
‘It’s no wonder I can’t get it out, Hermione, you packed my old jeans, they’re tight.’
‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ hissed Hermione, and as she dragged the waitress out of sight of the windows Harry heard her mutter a suggestion as to where Ron could stick his wand instead.
Harry complimenting Hermione to other people
We don’t really have space here to investigate the many other times Harry thinks highly of Hermione, is grateful for her, or appreciates some aspect of her in his internal thoughts. But it’s perhaps useful to end this exploration by noting how many other times Harry still manages to praise Hermione verbally, unprompted, to other people.We can start with the scene that inspired Slughorn in the quotation discussed above, where Ron was disgruntled at Hermione’s ecstatic reaction to Harry’s compliment. See HBP4:
[Slughorn:] ‘Your mother was Muggle-born, of course. Couldn’t believe it when I found out. Thought she must have been pure-blood, she was so good.’Note that there’s really no good reason for Harry to praise Hermione so specifically and highly here. Slughorn was discussing Lily, and Harry could have simply countered with the fact that he had talented Muggle-born friends too. Yet he singles out Hermione to compare to his mother’s talent and goes further—calling her the best student in his year.
‘One of my best friends is Muggle-born,’ said Harry, ‘and she’s the best in our year.’
Ron never has a comparable passage in the books. Many of his compliments or nice moments are very situational with Hermione, not spontaneous praise. This is probably one reason why Hermione also shushes Ron when he tries to echo Harry later with Slughorn: she knows if Harry said something, he meant it and wasn’t just trying to flatter her or be nice because of the situation.
The best Ron can manage on a couple occasions are vague acknowledgments to Harry about Hermione. Such as CoS14:
“What does she understand?” said Harry distractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.Not exactly a compliment, but this one makes lists of Ron’s compliments sometimes, just because it’s so rare for Ron to say something even this nice about Hermione. Even when Ron is clearly impressed by Hermione slapping Draco and then storming out of Trelawney’s class in PoA15, the most he can manage to say to Harry is:
“Loads more than I do,” said Ron, shaking his head.
‘Some day Hermione’s having, eh?’ Ron muttered to Harry, looking awed.We’re told that Ron’s “looking awed” here, but he still can barely say anything directly praiseworthy about her.
Meanwhile, Harry simply cannot stop himself from saying how amazing Hermione is. As far back as CoS2:
‘Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby ... Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew ...’Remember when we saw that Hermione tried to compliment Harry and tell him he was a great wizard in PS or the best in DADA in OotP? Harry couldn’t help deferring to Hermione, trying to praise her as better. The same thing happens when Dobby speaks of Harry’s “greatness” here—and Harry immediately thinks of the greatest person he knows: Hermione Granger.
Harry, who was feeling distinctly hot in the face, said, ‘Whatever you’ve heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I’m not even top of my year at Hogwarts, that’s Hermione, she –’
But he stopped quickly, because thinking about Hermione was painful.
Harry can’t even let the Quidditch team think he was smart enough to come up with the Impervius Charm for his glasses (originally during the Quidditch match back in PoA9). When Angelina proposes using the spell again in OotP18, Harry simply has to give Hermione credit:
[Angelina:] ‘[…] Harry, didn’t you do something to your glasses to stop the rain fogging them up when we played Hufflepuff in that storm?’It’s not exactly a compliment, but it just shows yet again how much he wants everyone to know how amazing Hermione is.
‘Hermione did it,’ said Harry. He pulled out his wand, tapped his glasses and said, ‘Impervius!’
This reflex Harry has to praise Hermione comes up in the strangest places, getting him into arguments with his love interests. When Cho brings up the jinx that resulted in Marietta’s outbreak of pimples, Harry can’t help contradicting her (OotP28):
‘That was a really horrible trick of Hermione Granger’s,’ said Cho fiercely. ‘She should have told us she’d jinxed that list –’Cho is actually quite insightful about the role of Hermione in Harry’s life here. She earlier got jealous when Harry prioritized Hermione on Valentine’s Day, and now she gets annoyed at how “brilliant” Harry considered “darling Hermione’s idea.”
‘I think it was a brilliant idea,’ said Harry coldly. Cho flushed and her eyes grew brighter.
‘Oh yes, I forgot – of course, if it was darling Hermione’s idea –’
Just as in Quidditch with his glasses, Harry can’t help acknowledging Hermione’s brilliance, even with another girl he likes. He could have been a little more diplomatic with Cho in disagreeing with her, but instead his reflex is to defend Hermione.
Perhaps the most absurd moment of praise for Hermione randomly comes up as Harry’s breaking up with Ginny (HBP30):
‘I never really gave up on you,’ [Ginny] said. ‘Not really. I always hoped ... Hermione told me to get on with life, maybe go out with some other people, relax a bit around you, because I never used to be able to talk if you were in the room, remember? And she thought you might take a bit more notice if I was a bit more – myself.’Think about what’s going on in this moment. Ginny just admitted how strong her feelings for Harry are, that she “never really gave up” on him, from when she was a young girl. She’s effectively trying to inform him of her commitment, of his status as her first love. If Harry had deep feelings for Ginny, we might expect him at this point to recognize how long Ginny had cared, how much she had tried to learn to be “herself” around him, to get him to notice her.
‘Smart girl, that Hermione,’ said Harry, trying to smile.
And instead the first words from Harry’s lips are to acknowledge how smart Hermione is. He’s breaking up with his girlfriend… and praising another girl’s intelligence? I know Harry can be rather thick sometimes, but this is not the thing to do in the middle of a break-up. It’s no wonder Cho was so jealous of Hermione.
Conclusion
Once again, as in many of my other essays, I think we can see patterns emerging around Harry and Hermione’s unique relationship. We see them repeatedly praising each other spontaneously. And Harry can’t help but blurt out how brilliant Hermione is to other people, even in situations where it’s arguably inappropriate.Ron’s efforts at compliments are nothing like that, unfortunately. We might even feel a bit bad for him when he does begin to make an effort in DH, as it’s clear Ron is never going to have the impact on Hermione that Harry’s compliments do.
I mentioned at the outset that there are many people who say Harry isn’t appreciative enough toward Hermione. It’s true that we don’t hear him say it aloud all the time, particularly in the early books. Yet it’s very clear even in the first book that Harry thinks Hermione is a better wizard than he is. And he doesn’t hesitate to tell her, or to announce it to Dobby in CoS.
As the series progresses, Harry’s outward appreciation increases, to the point where we see him calling her “amazing” and “incredible” and the “best in our year,” terms that he only ever says about Hermione. Perhaps even more importantly, we see that Hermione knows how special she is to Harry, how sincere his compliments are, as we see her repeatedly responding with emotional smiles and even a “radiant expression” to these words.
I didn’t even explore most of the passages where Hermione praises or compliments Harry in the books (and there are plenty more of those too), but we can see the strength of Harry and Hermione’s friendship and care for each other. They both strive to raise each other up, especially in stressful times when they need it the most.
If there are any moments you think I missed, please point them out in comments! I’d like this essay to be a resource for those who want to debunk fandom claims concerning Harry’s supposed lack of appreciation toward Hermione.
2024.05.17 05:54 Thubanstar Open Forum Friday: Friday, May 17, 2024 - Little Things
 | submitted by Thubanstar to Snorkblot [link] [comments] You bring me joy. Good morning, good evening, and everything in between! Welcome to our Open Forum Friday where we open up the discussion board for any topic for anybody (rules and exceptions apply). Way back almost a quarter of a century ago, Prince Charles had a hissy fit because he could not get ahold of Hellman's mayonnaise for his egg sandwiches. I remember this because I'm the same way. It's not a sandwich to me without mayo, preferably Hellman's. I won't die without Hellman's, but I'll hate that sandwich as I chew. Sometimes, I do a little mind exercise with myself. I imagine what six things, which are not essential to survival but important to me, I would want most if they disappeared. When it comes to the small stuff, we tend to take it for granted, until we can't get it. So, this is my list of small stuff I feel I need.
Basically, we all need shelter of some kind, food, clean water, and somewhere we can go to safely dispose of different wastes to survive. But I'm telling you, even in a survival situation, I would miss my trivial pleasures just as much if not more so than things I actually need to live. What little things would you miss the most if they were gone? **************************** We had 30 entries for this past week's theme of RIDE. My favorite three were;
This next week, I want you to go wild, I want you to run free, I want you to go BANANAS. I hope you find the thought a-peel-ing. Sorry, that was my best BANANA pun. BTW, I'm going to make a tradition of quoting Essen's statement in the last OFF. It goes thusly- "If you have something you wish to write about, send us a message with your OFF article. (No promises as in if or when it will be posted!) You can always post your own "Member Essay", here on Snorkblot." That's it for this week, folks! Have a great weekend and I'll see you in the threads. |
2024.05.17 05:42 Lonely_Code Let’s talk about the realties of the ongoings with GenderGP
TL;DR - Stop letting cis people hold all the power over your access to care. GenderGP has failed our community and that’s it.
Like the title says, let’s talk about GenderGP.
Not about the information I can’t share due to contractual obligations, but the things I can that are a public detriment and largely ethical issues that impact your continuity of care and community safely.
I’m really not interested in someone here gaslighting what all my colleagues went through, telling us to get over it, move on, and enabling Helen to continue what she’s doing with zero accountability.
So please, don’t belittle the absolutely horrific experience we went through because bootlicking Helen sounds more favourable.
In January 2024, we had enough staff. There had been large hiring in the fall to accompany the increase of received pathways. Nine new staff had been taken on from October to December. The majority being community members themselves. The workload was manageable with proper leadership and guidance.
Let’s remember that our community already deals with significant socioeconomic factors that make it difficult to find jobs at all. The large majority of us were passionate about this area of work, both because we had lived experiences, and because we wanted to make a difference in what we couldn’t achieve in public healthcare with the prevalent systemic issues. Many of us had multiple jobs or were going to school as well.
We were contractors (the people remaining still are) with limited rights. We knew what that meant. Our contracts stipulated that if we were to have our contracts ended, OR if we decided to leave the company, we’d need to give or be given 60 days notice. We could be terminated for a number of reasons, none of them listed on the contracts stated for “restructuring.” Note: all of the new contracts after spring do not have this clause, they can fire people without notice or reason, and already have.
Our entire functionality of services - from the portal that was used, CRM that existed, records, etc., was absolutely outdated, there is no denying that. There were a lot of places to pull information from that made tasks difficult. But all of the teams knew their roles and where to get the information so that while things could be improved, at least they could continue to run as they were in the meantime. We all know mistakes happen and that it’s shit when they do, but at least we could make it right the best way we could.
GGP had already dumped significant money into developing a Salesforce tool for all your CRM needs. It was getting to a point it could have been functional and ready to launch to improve everything I stated above. There was an entire experienced IT/systems development team that existed to get this prepared over the last two years. Public emails were already going to patients from the application to update details, this isn’t unknown information.
Instead of that being finalised, Helen fired the entire systems team without warning, leaving everything to do with Salesforce fucked over because no one who remained knew anything about maintaining it. She also fired the entire media and marketing team mid-last year.
She had teams that could do everything you can possibly think of that is going to shit right now.
Late last year, we all did employee surveys about our working experiences and motivation to stay with the company. The results were glowing, we were content. There would always be things we wanted to change, but that exists with any company. It’s not an attack to make suggestions, if we stay complacent in anything, it makes us ignorant to what can improve and that’s it. And as community members with lived experiences, of course we had things we’d like to change.
We were told another employee survey would be sent out in the new year, and then, all the below happened before it came out.
In late January we were told we needed to start using the Healthy Hormones website in everything we did. From the prescriptions team using it to ensure bloods were up to date, to pathology using it answer any and all questions from the page that existed, to queries using it to direct people there. And to be clear, we already did these things, it's not like the tools didn't already exist. This slowed down everyone’s work significantly, which in hindsight, feels entirely intentional at this point because then she can go and proclaim that: “Oh shucks, these changes were awfully necessary, can’t you see!”
It slowed us down because none of us were trained on any of it (new tools, website in general) and even though we all knew the answer to the situation or things being asked, they didn’t exist on the Healthy Hormones pages. So, then we would need to raise that it didn’t exist, or that a tool wasn’t accurate, or whatever the fuck else, and then wait to get a response about how to respond. A response we already knew, had accurate protocols for, and could even provide an answer ourselves if she wanted it so badly on the Healthy Hormones page. But nah, we had to wait for her to pump out a ChatGPT produced answer to advise because she thought we were idiots.
And what did ChatGPT produce? Things like claiming Spironolactone isn’t a diuretic or that GGP doesn’t prescribe diuretics, or that etc etc etc. We had clinical providers feeding us ChatGPT content to respond with instead of individually responding to patients about their results and concerns, taking zero responsibility for their tailored needs.
Oh, right, but Helen will point and say that all those posts were created by a licensed professional, so obviously it makes it a-okay then. Sure, let’s ignore that just because she signs off on something doesn’t make it any better when it has clearly not been reviewed properly. Not to mention the largely confusing non-sensical descriptions on posts that are inaccessible, ableist, and don't answer questions as they pertain to the service.
We know that ChatGPT is ethically harmful. We know that AI in general is going to cause ramifications in healthcare unregulated. We aired out concerns on this. We were ignored.
It was very clear that us needing to send everything and anything through to be put on some new website we weren’t even made aware of, was with the intention of likely getting rid of us. When raised, our HR team told us: “No, no, we’ll make sure everyone is redeployed, or that the low performers will be the only ones offboarded! Everything is totally fine.”
(Note: Yes, yes, never trust HR, many of us were well aware of this and did not put much stock in anything they said - which as of writing this, two of the three were fired too, so, fuck us all I guess.)
Now, there is something to be said about positives related to automation. There are ways to code forms to produce the data we need to properly advise on. There was a way for Helen to go about this entirely, that she was informed on by people with these expertise, that she ignored. There were way more logical ways of going about literally everything she did. However, the ethical aspects that pertain to patient centered care impose a level of responsibility that Healthy Hormones, GGP, and Helen proclaim to no longer take.
Any manner of gender affirming care should have the final treatment recommendation oversight of a qualified professional or multi-disciplinary team of qualified professionals that:
Ofc, one day the ideal world would be largely OTC HRT (remember HRT is easier to manage than diabetes and many, many other conditions), but most people aren’t ready to have that conversation.
So, with all that in mind, back to the continued fuckery of earlier this year.
Member Enrolment which was the team that used to process new intake forms and liaise internally with clinical staff to ensure any concerns were medically assessed. Their entire team was destroyed in February, without warning.
Yes, they did struggle with the ongoing forms received. However, other teams were able to shift over advisors to be able to accommodate and if there hadn’t been so much uncertainty in everything Helen was doing from the top, that could’ve been easily rectified with a change management process. Many things were easily rectified by simply utilising the people she already had and caring that they had opinions that mattered. Other teams were also in a positive position metrics-wise to be able to send advisors over to assist with the uptick.
But instead of fixing a super easy problem, she decided to make it infinitely worse and told the Member Enrolment team, without warning, in the middle of a random work day in February that they were no longer enrolment advisors and were being “redeployed” to other teams, with no training. A team of +10 people suddenly without homes and no proper HR protocols followed to ensure this didn’t completely destroy people’s morale.
We were lied to, repeatedly.
One second, HR is telling us (and if I’m being honest, I don’t blame any of them - Helen is a fucking rollercoaster and was likely changing things every two seconds and they were just the scapegoats) there is a rollout plan for the next bunch of quarters into next year and that the only time anyone would potentially lose their jobs is at the end of every quarter and it would be based on performance.
In this same messaging, we’re finally finding out (even if it was literally already launched and being used) GGP is being separated into three entities (this was posted on Healthy Hormones too). GGP would be about a community hub space, Healthy Hormones would be about facilitating the automation of care and where people were getting information, the Health & Wellbeing Directory would be a place for a host of new session types and the opportunity for us to move over and that the great majority of us would continue to have jobs.
We were a little over 100 people at the start of 2024. Over 50% of that number was the entirety of the Healthcare Admin teams - the people who handled new enrolment, general enquiries, prescriptions, pathology, learning and development, and medicines management with partners. Everyone else was the Clinical + Wellbeing Team - so our psychologist, counsellors, doctors, wellbeing advisors (people who do the Follow Up Sessions, previous Ask Us Anything) and nurses.
The next second, we’re being told that a number of people would be imminently offboarded, a number somewhere in the double digits. We were told it could be anyone from the most recently onboarded staff, part timers, or based on poor performance. Immediately, all of our teams grew frantic about the uncertainty and (un)shockingly morale continued to plummet.
(I should also say that the internal structure of GGP was Helen > Head of Healthcare / HR > Team Managers > Team Leads, and no one from TM/TL level was being told anything or was invited way too late to meetings weeks after decisions had been apparently made that impacted the teams)
Next we’re filling out the next employee survey and trying to air our concerns about AI from a community perspective and that we feel entirely uncertain about our prospects because the messaging has been vague and it seems to be changing very quickly. We just wanted clarity, communication, and empathy so we could return to a state of functional across the teams instead of all of our mental wellbeing's tanking. We never found out the results of the survey, despite being told we would, likely because it did not make Helen look great compared to the previous one.
When the firings suddenly weren’t happening for when we thought they were, the shit show burst.
Without warning, multiple changes happened in quick succession. We came into work on a Monday and had no access to responding or sending messages in the communication tool. We had no access to new patient files or even what was going on with issued prescriptions from the new page (a new page we weren’t even told was launching). We could barely advise on the old messages that asked about all these new changes because of this. We asked, over and over, to be able to do our job and handle complaints, for this access. Helen refused and refused to properly tell us what the fuck was going on.
From January to mid March, we were dragged through a clusterfuck of uncertainty, enormous stress, and being gaslit every day. Every day we were being pummeled with unclear information, changing guidance, thinking we would be fired, etc. Then, silence.
On March 15th, 2024 - 47 of the remaining 87 staff were fired. The entire healthcare admin team that I expanded on earlier was completely fired. We had a brief chance to review the post that went on our internal HQ page, telling us it wasn’t our fault and they wished us the best for anyone who was no longer required. Then, we’re all being removed without getting to say goodbye except for HR calls if we wanted them with two people most of us barely knew. Many of us had been there for years. It didn’t matter.
Then, Helen is on a call that same morning with the clinical and wellbeing team telling them that the whole reason this is happening is because of internal errors that the entire team she just fired were doing. She didn’t even tell them how many people were fired. And (contrary to the HQ post) stated that this needed to happen because of it and that automation would prevent errors. That her random group of data analysts (roles she never positioned to team members she already had) that were the HR Talent Lead’s family members in the Phillipines were replacements for us when she hadn’t even trained them properly to do prescription lines. That this was all for the greater good.
Helen is sitting there telling everyone to get on board and be positive in everything they do and say, or go. It's not about honesty or transparency, it's about who is desperate enough to stay for a paycheque because they have no alternatives. The majority of us have not been able to find work.
Nevermind that all of the protocols that existed internally were approved and maintained by her. That she is the one responsible and signed off on any issues that existed for all the tools we had internally that told us what prescriptions to issue, what to look for on blood test results, how to advise, etc. Nevermind that all we did was follow her instruction. No one was going lone wolf. Mistakes were outliers, not the norm. They happen with any company. There was a means to improve what her concerns may be, without decimating the company and ongoing care. Instead, she made us all look like the problem because a mirror is too hard to find.
I don’t know what I want from this post. I adored the job I did as much as I hated it from a capitalistic part of wishing public healthcare was good enough we didn’t need this at all. I gave my all to my job. It made me feel fulfilled. I have been heartbroken for months about all of this. I have had my mental wellbeing deteriorate to a point of resurgence of conditions I haven’t had in decades.
I wasn’t ignorant to who Helen was, I knew that there was a certain greed that Helen exudes in everything she does. She has multiple family members and their friends employed with the company that weren't amongst the ones fired, it’s not hard to deduce that money is the main factor for why GGP is the way it is now. I just thought that at some level, she did care about us based on everything she puts out publicly.
I just wish the community understood they deserve better instead of letting Helen get away with this. I also wish if we were going to media about this, it wasn’t the Times or whoever else that has a very clear agenda on how to paint our community’s needs.
Stop giving all the power to cis people who don’t care about you. Helen cares about money. She is a performative ally at best but a viper behind closed doors. She is a licensed doctor, with an investor on her shoulder telling her he’ll make her millions so she can continue to be the scummy landlord, multi-villa-having cretin that she is.
She doesn’t care about the opinions of her staff because she considers herself superior. She will not accept opinions that oppose hers and will bully, undermine, or ostracise you for speaking up. She treated all of the healthcare advisors like we didn’t know fuck all and only ever considered the doctor who agreed with her as anyone worth having an opinion. Her ego has gotten to such a point she truly thinks she’s our community’s saviour. Stop allowing her to have this complex.
She knows damn well how to ensure patient safety is maintained and how to implement healthcare projects properly, she just doesn’t care. She wants guaranteed money, fast, regardless of the consequential outcome.
She was fully informed about every single issue that is happening now. She was told how this should have been refined before large scale launching. She already had staff that were all experts about what she is doing now that could’ve helped make this successful. She was told by many people, many people who even left before this year, that this was not the way to go. She treats our healthcare like she owns a candy shop, from the way shit’s phrased on the website, to the infantilising way she looks at complaints or our community in general.
She deserves to be held accountable without destroying private care at the same time.
Continuing to let her hold all the cards, is deteriorating the validity of private healthcare in the UK/EU. Policy makers will continue to hold her as an example set that private healthcare is dangerous, rather than turning a light on the fact that public healthcare is the thing that is killing our community.
She doesn’t deserve your respect, she doesn’t deserve your money, help the other companies thrive if you have the money to spend on them, but stop enabling Helen at every turn.
submitted by Lonely_Code to GenderGP [link] [comments]
Like the title says, let’s talk about GenderGP.
Not about the information I can’t share due to contractual obligations, but the things I can that are a public detriment and largely ethical issues that impact your continuity of care and community safely.
I’m really not interested in someone here gaslighting what all my colleagues went through, telling us to get over it, move on, and enabling Helen to continue what she’s doing with zero accountability.
So please, don’t belittle the absolutely horrific experience we went through because bootlicking Helen sounds more favourable.
In January 2024, we had enough staff. There had been large hiring in the fall to accompany the increase of received pathways. Nine new staff had been taken on from October to December. The majority being community members themselves. The workload was manageable with proper leadership and guidance.
Let’s remember that our community already deals with significant socioeconomic factors that make it difficult to find jobs at all. The large majority of us were passionate about this area of work, both because we had lived experiences, and because we wanted to make a difference in what we couldn’t achieve in public healthcare with the prevalent systemic issues. Many of us had multiple jobs or were going to school as well.
We were contractors (the people remaining still are) with limited rights. We knew what that meant. Our contracts stipulated that if we were to have our contracts ended, OR if we decided to leave the company, we’d need to give or be given 60 days notice. We could be terminated for a number of reasons, none of them listed on the contracts stated for “restructuring.” Note: all of the new contracts after spring do not have this clause, they can fire people without notice or reason, and already have.
Our entire functionality of services - from the portal that was used, CRM that existed, records, etc., was absolutely outdated, there is no denying that. There were a lot of places to pull information from that made tasks difficult. But all of the teams knew their roles and where to get the information so that while things could be improved, at least they could continue to run as they were in the meantime. We all know mistakes happen and that it’s shit when they do, but at least we could make it right the best way we could.
GGP had already dumped significant money into developing a Salesforce tool for all your CRM needs. It was getting to a point it could have been functional and ready to launch to improve everything I stated above. There was an entire experienced IT/systems development team that existed to get this prepared over the last two years. Public emails were already going to patients from the application to update details, this isn’t unknown information.
Instead of that being finalised, Helen fired the entire systems team without warning, leaving everything to do with Salesforce fucked over because no one who remained knew anything about maintaining it. She also fired the entire media and marketing team mid-last year.
She had teams that could do everything you can possibly think of that is going to shit right now.
Late last year, we all did employee surveys about our working experiences and motivation to stay with the company. The results were glowing, we were content. There would always be things we wanted to change, but that exists with any company. It’s not an attack to make suggestions, if we stay complacent in anything, it makes us ignorant to what can improve and that’s it. And as community members with lived experiences, of course we had things we’d like to change.
We were told another employee survey would be sent out in the new year, and then, all the below happened before it came out.
In late January we were told we needed to start using the Healthy Hormones website in everything we did. From the prescriptions team using it to ensure bloods were up to date, to pathology using it answer any and all questions from the page that existed, to queries using it to direct people there. And to be clear, we already did these things, it's not like the tools didn't already exist. This slowed down everyone’s work significantly, which in hindsight, feels entirely intentional at this point because then she can go and proclaim that: “Oh shucks, these changes were awfully necessary, can’t you see!”
It slowed us down because none of us were trained on any of it (new tools, website in general) and even though we all knew the answer to the situation or things being asked, they didn’t exist on the Healthy Hormones pages. So, then we would need to raise that it didn’t exist, or that a tool wasn’t accurate, or whatever the fuck else, and then wait to get a response about how to respond. A response we already knew, had accurate protocols for, and could even provide an answer ourselves if she wanted it so badly on the Healthy Hormones page. But nah, we had to wait for her to pump out a ChatGPT produced answer to advise because she thought we were idiots.
And what did ChatGPT produce? Things like claiming Spironolactone isn’t a diuretic or that GGP doesn’t prescribe diuretics, or that etc etc etc. We had clinical providers feeding us ChatGPT content to respond with instead of individually responding to patients about their results and concerns, taking zero responsibility for their tailored needs.
Oh, right, but Helen will point and say that all those posts were created by a licensed professional, so obviously it makes it a-okay then. Sure, let’s ignore that just because she signs off on something doesn’t make it any better when it has clearly not been reviewed properly. Not to mention the largely confusing non-sensical descriptions on posts that are inaccessible, ableist, and don't answer questions as they pertain to the service.
We know that ChatGPT is ethically harmful. We know that AI in general is going to cause ramifications in healthcare unregulated. We aired out concerns on this. We were ignored.
It was very clear that us needing to send everything and anything through to be put on some new website we weren’t even made aware of, was with the intention of likely getting rid of us. When raised, our HR team told us: “No, no, we’ll make sure everyone is redeployed, or that the low performers will be the only ones offboarded! Everything is totally fine.”
(Note: Yes, yes, never trust HR, many of us were well aware of this and did not put much stock in anything they said - which as of writing this, two of the three were fired too, so, fuck us all I guess.)
Now, there is something to be said about positives related to automation. There are ways to code forms to produce the data we need to properly advise on. There was a way for Helen to go about this entirely, that she was informed on by people with these expertise, that she ignored. There were way more logical ways of going about literally everything she did. However, the ethical aspects that pertain to patient centered care impose a level of responsibility that Healthy Hormones, GGP, and Helen proclaim to no longer take.
Any manner of gender affirming care should have the final treatment recommendation oversight of a qualified professional or multi-disciplinary team of qualified professionals that:
- Take your full medical history into consideration, especially any new medication or changes,
- Review your care goals and any gaps that you feel are creating barriers to achieving the results you desire,
- Review abnormalities in test results that could be attributed by your HRT to advise,
- Ensure you are providing informed consent to any changes that impact your ongoing care (ie. an opt-out from changes in services like automation, or sudden changes that impact how you receive your prescriptions that could create health concerns from unexpected withdrawal of hormones),
- Provide surveys about ongoing patient experiences and addresses areas of improvement,
- Produce records and data requests promptly to be GDPR compliant, and
- Address formal issues you have related to concerns with the facility management or ongoing care services in a timely fashion.
Ofc, one day the ideal world would be largely OTC HRT (remember HRT is easier to manage than diabetes and many, many other conditions), but most people aren’t ready to have that conversation.
So, with all that in mind, back to the continued fuckery of earlier this year.
Member Enrolment which was the team that used to process new intake forms and liaise internally with clinical staff to ensure any concerns were medically assessed. Their entire team was destroyed in February, without warning.
Yes, they did struggle with the ongoing forms received. However, other teams were able to shift over advisors to be able to accommodate and if there hadn’t been so much uncertainty in everything Helen was doing from the top, that could’ve been easily rectified with a change management process. Many things were easily rectified by simply utilising the people she already had and caring that they had opinions that mattered. Other teams were also in a positive position metrics-wise to be able to send advisors over to assist with the uptick.
But instead of fixing a super easy problem, she decided to make it infinitely worse and told the Member Enrolment team, without warning, in the middle of a random work day in February that they were no longer enrolment advisors and were being “redeployed” to other teams, with no training. A team of +10 people suddenly without homes and no proper HR protocols followed to ensure this didn’t completely destroy people’s morale.
We were lied to, repeatedly.
One second, HR is telling us (and if I’m being honest, I don’t blame any of them - Helen is a fucking rollercoaster and was likely changing things every two seconds and they were just the scapegoats) there is a rollout plan for the next bunch of quarters into next year and that the only time anyone would potentially lose their jobs is at the end of every quarter and it would be based on performance.
In this same messaging, we’re finally finding out (even if it was literally already launched and being used) GGP is being separated into three entities (this was posted on Healthy Hormones too). GGP would be about a community hub space, Healthy Hormones would be about facilitating the automation of care and where people were getting information, the Health & Wellbeing Directory would be a place for a host of new session types and the opportunity for us to move over and that the great majority of us would continue to have jobs.
We were a little over 100 people at the start of 2024. Over 50% of that number was the entirety of the Healthcare Admin teams - the people who handled new enrolment, general enquiries, prescriptions, pathology, learning and development, and medicines management with partners. Everyone else was the Clinical + Wellbeing Team - so our psychologist, counsellors, doctors, wellbeing advisors (people who do the Follow Up Sessions, previous Ask Us Anything) and nurses.
The next second, we’re being told that a number of people would be imminently offboarded, a number somewhere in the double digits. We were told it could be anyone from the most recently onboarded staff, part timers, or based on poor performance. Immediately, all of our teams grew frantic about the uncertainty and (un)shockingly morale continued to plummet.
(I should also say that the internal structure of GGP was Helen > Head of Healthcare / HR > Team Managers > Team Leads, and no one from TM/TL level was being told anything or was invited way too late to meetings weeks after decisions had been apparently made that impacted the teams)
Next we’re filling out the next employee survey and trying to air our concerns about AI from a community perspective and that we feel entirely uncertain about our prospects because the messaging has been vague and it seems to be changing very quickly. We just wanted clarity, communication, and empathy so we could return to a state of functional across the teams instead of all of our mental wellbeing's tanking. We never found out the results of the survey, despite being told we would, likely because it did not make Helen look great compared to the previous one.
When the firings suddenly weren’t happening for when we thought they were, the shit show burst.
Without warning, multiple changes happened in quick succession. We came into work on a Monday and had no access to responding or sending messages in the communication tool. We had no access to new patient files or even what was going on with issued prescriptions from the new page (a new page we weren’t even told was launching). We could barely advise on the old messages that asked about all these new changes because of this. We asked, over and over, to be able to do our job and handle complaints, for this access. Helen refused and refused to properly tell us what the fuck was going on.
From January to mid March, we were dragged through a clusterfuck of uncertainty, enormous stress, and being gaslit every day. Every day we were being pummeled with unclear information, changing guidance, thinking we would be fired, etc. Then, silence.
On March 15th, 2024 - 47 of the remaining 87 staff were fired. The entire healthcare admin team that I expanded on earlier was completely fired. We had a brief chance to review the post that went on our internal HQ page, telling us it wasn’t our fault and they wished us the best for anyone who was no longer required. Then, we’re all being removed without getting to say goodbye except for HR calls if we wanted them with two people most of us barely knew. Many of us had been there for years. It didn’t matter.
Then, Helen is on a call that same morning with the clinical and wellbeing team telling them that the whole reason this is happening is because of internal errors that the entire team she just fired were doing. She didn’t even tell them how many people were fired. And (contrary to the HQ post) stated that this needed to happen because of it and that automation would prevent errors. That her random group of data analysts (roles she never positioned to team members she already had) that were the HR Talent Lead’s family members in the Phillipines were replacements for us when she hadn’t even trained them properly to do prescription lines. That this was all for the greater good.
Helen is sitting there telling everyone to get on board and be positive in everything they do and say, or go. It's not about honesty or transparency, it's about who is desperate enough to stay for a paycheque because they have no alternatives. The majority of us have not been able to find work.
Nevermind that all of the protocols that existed internally were approved and maintained by her. That she is the one responsible and signed off on any issues that existed for all the tools we had internally that told us what prescriptions to issue, what to look for on blood test results, how to advise, etc. Nevermind that all we did was follow her instruction. No one was going lone wolf. Mistakes were outliers, not the norm. They happen with any company. There was a means to improve what her concerns may be, without decimating the company and ongoing care. Instead, she made us all look like the problem because a mirror is too hard to find.
I don’t know what I want from this post. I adored the job I did as much as I hated it from a capitalistic part of wishing public healthcare was good enough we didn’t need this at all. I gave my all to my job. It made me feel fulfilled. I have been heartbroken for months about all of this. I have had my mental wellbeing deteriorate to a point of resurgence of conditions I haven’t had in decades.
I wasn’t ignorant to who Helen was, I knew that there was a certain greed that Helen exudes in everything she does. She has multiple family members and their friends employed with the company that weren't amongst the ones fired, it’s not hard to deduce that money is the main factor for why GGP is the way it is now. I just thought that at some level, she did care about us based on everything she puts out publicly.
I just wish the community understood they deserve better instead of letting Helen get away with this. I also wish if we were going to media about this, it wasn’t the Times or whoever else that has a very clear agenda on how to paint our community’s needs.
Stop giving all the power to cis people who don’t care about you. Helen cares about money. She is a performative ally at best but a viper behind closed doors. She is a licensed doctor, with an investor on her shoulder telling her he’ll make her millions so she can continue to be the scummy landlord, multi-villa-having cretin that she is.
She doesn’t care about the opinions of her staff because she considers herself superior. She will not accept opinions that oppose hers and will bully, undermine, or ostracise you for speaking up. She treated all of the healthcare advisors like we didn’t know fuck all and only ever considered the doctor who agreed with her as anyone worth having an opinion. Her ego has gotten to such a point she truly thinks she’s our community’s saviour. Stop allowing her to have this complex.
She knows damn well how to ensure patient safety is maintained and how to implement healthcare projects properly, she just doesn’t care. She wants guaranteed money, fast, regardless of the consequential outcome.
She was fully informed about every single issue that is happening now. She was told how this should have been refined before large scale launching. She already had staff that were all experts about what she is doing now that could’ve helped make this successful. She was told by many people, many people who even left before this year, that this was not the way to go. She treats our healthcare like she owns a candy shop, from the way shit’s phrased on the website, to the infantilising way she looks at complaints or our community in general.
She deserves to be held accountable without destroying private care at the same time.
Continuing to let her hold all the cards, is deteriorating the validity of private healthcare in the UK/EU. Policy makers will continue to hold her as an example set that private healthcare is dangerous, rather than turning a light on the fact that public healthcare is the thing that is killing our community.
She doesn’t deserve your respect, she doesn’t deserve your money, help the other companies thrive if you have the money to spend on them, but stop enabling Helen at every turn.
2024.05.17 05:20 AliceStanleyJr "I Hate My Reflection for Years and Years": TTPD & Sylvia Plath’s “The Magic Mirror"
Introduction: The Mysterious Double Album
I’ll always remember 2 AM on April 19th 2024. I was in my pjs, alone, on my balcony, fresh off my first listen to Taylor Swift’s album The Tortured Poet’s Department. After sufficiently enjoying my solitary experience, I took to the internet to see what the masses were saying…when Swift dropped a whole second album: The Tortured Poets Department Anthology. Swift, a master of both Easter egging surprises for her fandom and practicing the number one rule of business (give the people what they want!), had been hinting at something “double” for months. Most significantly, while accepting her Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, she flashed a “peace sign.” That damn peace sign haunted the fandom for months. Swift’s corporate social media account, u/TaylorNation, used peace sign emojis and called attention to the number two whenever possible (ie teasing the album 22 days out etc.). There were also many “2”s present in in the promotional “experiences” leading up to the album release date—including statues of peace signs at the TTPD interactive experience at The Grove in LA. As usual, some Swifties went bonkers with their theories (or “clowning” as outlandish theorizing is referred to in the community). I myself couldn’t help but believe some concept of doubling would be significant in TTPD, but I couldn’t have guessed a full DOUBLE album (Swift’s capitalization). What an absolute treat. Mother was, as they say, mothering.
…Only the two mania didn’t seem to end post-drop. If anything, the two mania heightened. The albums were not just surprises in themselves, they were full of mystery. They seemed to reference multiple relationships, cryptic narratives, allusions to Swift’s previous songs, allusions to iconic poets, and very often, twins. The sleuthing type of Swiftie (full disclosure, moi) dove in deep. We gathered where we do—on Twitter, on TikTok, on Reddit (my preferred sandlot). And as we obsessed over every lyric, literary allusion, and video clip, Swift, our self-appointed “chairman” seemed to encourage us. Swift added a TTPD set to her Eras tour in Paris. Afterward, she posted a collection of photos to Instagram. The second photo of the post is Swift onstage, in a sparkling showman’s outfit, flashing two fingers.
Initial Tortured Poets and Sylvia Plath Connections
Swift has always been an incredible poet, but that’s not necessarily how the world saw hesees her. Swift is a pop star, specifically, Swift was a young girly pop star, most known for her tabloid romances and dramas, which she would (allegedly) write about in her music. Swift’s work has been labeled as “confessional” since her first album, which included songs she openly said were about boys at her high school. I offer this context (or, lore) to explain why I began seeing connections to TTPD in Sylvia Plath’s “confessional” work.
Of course, the theme of TTPD is tortured poets, so many avid literary Swifties have enjoyed seeking connections between Swift’s new songs and iconic poetry. No connections are overt, but some seem to be more likely than others. Namely, there’s been much discussion of Virginia Woolf thanks to the song “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”(perhaps a riff on the Edward Albee play title). Other Swifties have found possible lyrical links to Mary Shelley and Charlotte Bronte. Swift herself references Patti Smith and Dylan Thomas in the album’s title track.
I remembered a third poet in relation to Smith and Thomas: Sylvia Plath, obviously an all timer of a tortured poet. I remember hearing an anecdote that she had been obsessed with Thomas and stalked him outside the Chelsea Hotel (also named in the TTPD title track). I did a quick skim of Plath’s Wikipedia to confirm and then started noticing many possible connections to TTPD and Plath’s life.
In the “Fortnight” music video, Swift acts out being institutionalized for insanity and getting electric shock treatment—two significant experiences in Plath’s life. Plath was also coupled with a deeply problematic man, Ted Hughes. Plath fell in love with Hughes for his artistic talent before he revealed himself to be an unsupportive parter, ultimately cheating on Plath with a younger woman. The narrative is not too dissimilar to the narrative about Swift’s alleged ex Matty Healy, as seemingly told in TTPD. (Of course, we don’t know the true subjects of Swift’s songs—if they’re even actually confessional—but some key hints point to Healy. Whether those hints provide actual context to Swift’s life or to the story Swift is telling of her life, one cannot know.) Finally, several of TTPD songs reference a latent desire for suicide (“I might as well die / it would make no difference” etc.). Okay, post-“finally,” these are stretches, but, I’ll note anyway: one of Plath’s most famous collections of poems is titled Ariel, but an alternate title was Daddy. There are connections to both words in TTPD via the song “But Daddy I Love Him.” The title is a line from the Disney movie The Little Mermaid (which features the main character Ariel, a mermaid, caught between two worlds). Extra clowning: some people (hi, I'm people) believe Swift’s 1989 costume for her first Paris concert was an allusion to Ariel: a pink crop top and a seafoam skirt.
As I dug into Plath's life, I couldn’t help but also see similarities to Swift's life. Both women were prolific writers from a very young age. Also, although possibly obscured through artistic license, both women were/are known to write about their own lives. (Plath was apparently encouraged by her professors Robert Lowell and Anne Sexton to write from her experience. I cannot help but tie in Swift’s “The Manuscript” lyric “the Professor said to write what you know.”) Both Plath and Swift expressed/express their depression via their writing, but if you only knew them from their public personas, you’d never guess the depths of their struggles. It seems both Plath and Swift lived/live double lives. Plath was actually fascinated by the concept of doubles. In fact, the concept of doubling was the topic of Plath’s college thesis paper “The Magic Mirror.”
The Magic Mirror and TTPD
Plath’s college paper is sadly not available to the general public. (It had a limited print run in, you guessed it, 1989.) But! I was able to read a few texts about the thesis, and the amount of possible TTPD references is astounding.
Since we can’t directly analyze Swift’s work via Plath’s directly, I’d like to share several key quotes from the most telling article I could find about the “The Magic Mirror”: “Sylvia Plath’s Magic Mirror” by Kelly Coyne (May 2018, The Los Angeles Review of Books). (To be noted, Coyne has also written about Swift, in her article “Growing Up In Taylor Swift’s America” in December 2023 on Literary Hub—a fabulous read!)
Early in her article, Coyne sets the scene for Plath's thesis:
“Her undergraduate thesis, which she wrote as a senior at Smith College...is titled “The Magic Mirror: A Study of the Double in Two of Dostoevsky’s Novels.” “The Magic Mirror” explores literary doubles made up of a character’s repressed traits, and, as the double grows in power, it heralds the protagonist’s death. Citing Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Plath argued that the choice to create a double works to “reveal hitherto concealed character traits in a radical manner” and simultaneously exposes the driving conflicts of the novel housing that character. Her thesis claims that both Ivan, of The Brothers Karamazov, and Golyadkin, of The Double, have attempted to repress troubling aspects of their personalities, resulting in the double.”
Immediately, I imagine the two versions of Swift from the “Anti-Hero” music video. One Swift is real, true, sensible. The other is a pot-stirring, self-esteem destroying, alcoholic. During Eras, the huge Swift (monster on a hill) screams and stomps around in the background while the real, true Swift smiles and dances in a sparkle dress onstage. The fandom seems to be referring to these two Swifts as Taylor Swift and TAYLOR SWIFT (TM). Folks have theorized Post-Malone in the Fortnight music video is not necessarily a lover, but a twin, or double, of Swift. This theory is enhances by the Eras visuals during that song, specifically two dancers walking away to the back of the stage, but then becoming one.
More Coyne: “Plath, quoting Dostoyevsky in her thesis, noted that Ivan’s double, Smerdyakov, is “wrinkled” and “yellow.” The distinct differences in appearance between originator and double, she continued, are meant to reflect the protagonist’s mental state and cultural status.”
First of all, yellow. In the Gaylor community, folks have often theorized yellow symbolizes being closeted—a reading based on the symbolic coloring in the 1999 film …But I’m a Cheerleader. However, one need not be a Gaylor to consider the importance of yellow to Swift’s storytelling. Most recently, Swift performed “my tears ricochet” at Eras in a bright yellow dress, as her dancers were dressed for a funeral. Following Coyne’s analysis of Plath's analysis of Dostoyevsky, one could guess Swift is teasing a death of some version of herself.
Coyne discusses how Plath clearly used a “double” of herself to write The Bell Jar. Plath herself spent a summer in New York interning for Mademoiselle. The protagonist in TBJ, Esther, spends a summer in New York interning at a magazine too. To go even further down the rabbit hole, Esther also doubles herself, frequently expressing normalcy on the outside and despair on the inside. On the book's first page, Esther tells her audience, “I was supposed to be having the time of my life.” (Again, I cannot help but hear a Swift echo of, “I can read your mind / she’s having the time of her life” from “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” about smiling through her depression.) Coyne makes many more references to mirrors and concealing in The Bell Jar, Ether’s split (and sadness) gets worse and worse the more she hides who she is from others. Notably, at a low point, Esther hides under her mother’s bed. (And Swift sings of a post-heartbreak depression, “Afterwards she only ate kids' cereal / And couldn't sleep unless it was in her mother's bed.”)
Coyne writes about the “imprisoned” aspect of doubles: “The wound from which Esther tries, and fails, to hide chimes with the inescapable, colonizing double, and Plath’s language again illustrates its penal nature: it is inside Esther, but it traps her like a jail cell.” (Again, I cannot help but see references to “Fresh Out the Slammer”, “The Smaller Man Who Ever Lived,” and the TTPD Eras visuals of cages and cell lighting.)
Coyne, on Plath’s doubles’ names, something Swift has not ever used (or so we think): “From her conception of The Bell Jar all the way to its final revisions, Plath suffered an exhausting amount of anxiety over its heroine’s name.” Plath wrote to a friend, “‘I’ll have to publish it under a pseudonym, if I ever get it accepted, because it’s so chock full of real people I’d be sued to death’...Indeed, this wasn’t mere paranoia; she did have to change her protagonist’s name at the instruction of her editor for legal reasons.”
Coyne continues, “Most novelists likely have concerns about being associated with the characters to whom they give life, especially the ugly ones, and especially when the character resembles its author. Yet what is unique about Plath’s case is her knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings and implications of her choice to push Esther away, and the hold this knowledge assumed on Plath’s work and life. Another look at The Bell Jar with a consideration of Esther as Plath’s double tangles the issue even further, and Plath drops clues for this kind of reading throughout the novel. Esther, for example, sits down to write her own novel and recounts, “My heroine would be myself, only in disguise. She would be called Elaine. Elaine. I counted the letters on my fingers. There were six letters in Esther, too. It seemed a lucky thing.” Not coincidentally, Plath’s first name has six letters as well.” Again, Plath was in a bizarre double infinity loop (like the loop on the Eras stage in “Down Bad”?). Plath was concealing her double, the protagonist in her novel, who was concealing her double, the protagonist in her novel.
Coyne wraps up her findings: “In her thesis, written nearly a decade earlier, as she turned 22 — the year after her first documented suicide attempt — Plath claimed, quoting Otto Rank:
In such situations, where the Double symbolizes the evil or repressed elements in man’s nature, the apparition of the Double “becomes a persecution by it, the repressed material returns in the form of that which represses.” Man’s instinct to avoid or ignore the unpleasant aspects of his character turns into an active terror when he is faced by his Double, which resurrects those very parts of his personality which he sought to escape. The confrontation of the Double in these instances usually results in a duel which ends in insanity or death for the original hero.”
Coyne seems to argue Plath believed an artist's double has the power to become bigger than the artist herself, ultimately killing her. Is TTPD Swift's predetermination of, hopefully, her her double's death instead of her own?
In Conclusion: Plath to her Mentor, Dessner on Swift
Who knows what TTPD is really truly about, and who knows if we ever will.
The biggest Easter egg, hiding in plain sight, is that the album is titled THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. There’s no apostrophe after “poet.” Nor is there an apostrophe after the “s” in “poets.” The department does not belong to a poet or to a collection of poets. It is a department OF tortured poets, perhaps two, to be exact. …or perhaps the album indicates the departure of the tortured poet...and her double.
I’ll sign off with two final quotes from my research:
According to Coyne, three months before Plath died by suicide, she had written a mentor about her second (obviously unfinished) book. Plath wrote, “It is to be called “Doubletake”, meaning that the second look you take at something reveals a deeper, double meaning […] it is semi-autobiographical about a wife whose husband turns out to be a deserter and philanderer although she had thought he was wonderful & perfect.”
According to Aaron Dessner’s TTPD release Instagram post: ”Keep searching and you'll find some new detail, layer or sliver of meaning with each listen.”
SUBREDDIT PS! Shout out to Expensive_Succotash5 for noting the TTPD intro poem's reference to being out of the oven, could be an allusion to Plath's death. Also shout-out to Good-Amphibian-7993 for this connection to a photo of Plath with a rose, not unlike Swift's album rose art.
submitted by AliceStanleyJr to GaylorSwift [link] [comments]
I’ll always remember 2 AM on April 19th 2024. I was in my pjs, alone, on my balcony, fresh off my first listen to Taylor Swift’s album The Tortured Poet’s Department. After sufficiently enjoying my solitary experience, I took to the internet to see what the masses were saying…when Swift dropped a whole second album: The Tortured Poets Department Anthology. Swift, a master of both Easter egging surprises for her fandom and practicing the number one rule of business (give the people what they want!), had been hinting at something “double” for months. Most significantly, while accepting her Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, she flashed a “peace sign.” That damn peace sign haunted the fandom for months. Swift’s corporate social media account, u/TaylorNation, used peace sign emojis and called attention to the number two whenever possible (ie teasing the album 22 days out etc.). There were also many “2”s present in in the promotional “experiences” leading up to the album release date—including statues of peace signs at the TTPD interactive experience at The Grove in LA. As usual, some Swifties went bonkers with their theories (or “clowning” as outlandish theorizing is referred to in the community). I myself couldn’t help but believe some concept of doubling would be significant in TTPD, but I couldn’t have guessed a full DOUBLE album (Swift’s capitalization). What an absolute treat. Mother was, as they say, mothering.
…Only the two mania didn’t seem to end post-drop. If anything, the two mania heightened. The albums were not just surprises in themselves, they were full of mystery. They seemed to reference multiple relationships, cryptic narratives, allusions to Swift’s previous songs, allusions to iconic poets, and very often, twins. The sleuthing type of Swiftie (full disclosure, moi) dove in deep. We gathered where we do—on Twitter, on TikTok, on Reddit (my preferred sandlot). And as we obsessed over every lyric, literary allusion, and video clip, Swift, our self-appointed “chairman” seemed to encourage us. Swift added a TTPD set to her Eras tour in Paris. Afterward, she posted a collection of photos to Instagram. The second photo of the post is Swift onstage, in a sparkling showman’s outfit, flashing two fingers.
Initial Tortured Poets and Sylvia Plath Connections
Swift has always been an incredible poet, but that’s not necessarily how the world saw hesees her. Swift is a pop star, specifically, Swift was a young girly pop star, most known for her tabloid romances and dramas, which she would (allegedly) write about in her music. Swift’s work has been labeled as “confessional” since her first album, which included songs she openly said were about boys at her high school. I offer this context (or, lore) to explain why I began seeing connections to TTPD in Sylvia Plath’s “confessional” work.
Of course, the theme of TTPD is tortured poets, so many avid literary Swifties have enjoyed seeking connections between Swift’s new songs and iconic poetry. No connections are overt, but some seem to be more likely than others. Namely, there’s been much discussion of Virginia Woolf thanks to the song “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”(perhaps a riff on the Edward Albee play title). Other Swifties have found possible lyrical links to Mary Shelley and Charlotte Bronte. Swift herself references Patti Smith and Dylan Thomas in the album’s title track.
I remembered a third poet in relation to Smith and Thomas: Sylvia Plath, obviously an all timer of a tortured poet. I remember hearing an anecdote that she had been obsessed with Thomas and stalked him outside the Chelsea Hotel (also named in the TTPD title track). I did a quick skim of Plath’s Wikipedia to confirm and then started noticing many possible connections to TTPD and Plath’s life.
In the “Fortnight” music video, Swift acts out being institutionalized for insanity and getting electric shock treatment—two significant experiences in Plath’s life. Plath was also coupled with a deeply problematic man, Ted Hughes. Plath fell in love with Hughes for his artistic talent before he revealed himself to be an unsupportive parter, ultimately cheating on Plath with a younger woman. The narrative is not too dissimilar to the narrative about Swift’s alleged ex Matty Healy, as seemingly told in TTPD. (Of course, we don’t know the true subjects of Swift’s songs—if they’re even actually confessional—but some key hints point to Healy. Whether those hints provide actual context to Swift’s life or to the story Swift is telling of her life, one cannot know.) Finally, several of TTPD songs reference a latent desire for suicide (“I might as well die / it would make no difference” etc.). Okay, post-“finally,” these are stretches, but, I’ll note anyway: one of Plath’s most famous collections of poems is titled Ariel, but an alternate title was Daddy. There are connections to both words in TTPD via the song “But Daddy I Love Him.” The title is a line from the Disney movie The Little Mermaid (which features the main character Ariel, a mermaid, caught between two worlds). Extra clowning: some people (hi, I'm people) believe Swift’s 1989 costume for her first Paris concert was an allusion to Ariel: a pink crop top and a seafoam skirt.
As I dug into Plath's life, I couldn’t help but also see similarities to Swift's life. Both women were prolific writers from a very young age. Also, although possibly obscured through artistic license, both women were/are known to write about their own lives. (Plath was apparently encouraged by her professors Robert Lowell and Anne Sexton to write from her experience. I cannot help but tie in Swift’s “The Manuscript” lyric “the Professor said to write what you know.”) Both Plath and Swift expressed/express their depression via their writing, but if you only knew them from their public personas, you’d never guess the depths of their struggles. It seems both Plath and Swift lived/live double lives. Plath was actually fascinated by the concept of doubles. In fact, the concept of doubling was the topic of Plath’s college thesis paper “The Magic Mirror.”
The Magic Mirror and TTPD
Plath’s college paper is sadly not available to the general public. (It had a limited print run in, you guessed it, 1989.) But! I was able to read a few texts about the thesis, and the amount of possible TTPD references is astounding.
Since we can’t directly analyze Swift’s work via Plath’s directly, I’d like to share several key quotes from the most telling article I could find about the “The Magic Mirror”: “Sylvia Plath’s Magic Mirror” by Kelly Coyne (May 2018, The Los Angeles Review of Books). (To be noted, Coyne has also written about Swift, in her article “Growing Up In Taylor Swift’s America” in December 2023 on Literary Hub—a fabulous read!)
Early in her article, Coyne sets the scene for Plath's thesis:
“Her undergraduate thesis, which she wrote as a senior at Smith College...is titled “The Magic Mirror: A Study of the Double in Two of Dostoevsky’s Novels.” “The Magic Mirror” explores literary doubles made up of a character’s repressed traits, and, as the double grows in power, it heralds the protagonist’s death. Citing Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Plath argued that the choice to create a double works to “reveal hitherto concealed character traits in a radical manner” and simultaneously exposes the driving conflicts of the novel housing that character. Her thesis claims that both Ivan, of The Brothers Karamazov, and Golyadkin, of The Double, have attempted to repress troubling aspects of their personalities, resulting in the double.”
Immediately, I imagine the two versions of Swift from the “Anti-Hero” music video. One Swift is real, true, sensible. The other is a pot-stirring, self-esteem destroying, alcoholic. During Eras, the huge Swift (monster on a hill) screams and stomps around in the background while the real, true Swift smiles and dances in a sparkle dress onstage. The fandom seems to be referring to these two Swifts as Taylor Swift and TAYLOR SWIFT (TM). Folks have theorized Post-Malone in the Fortnight music video is not necessarily a lover, but a twin, or double, of Swift. This theory is enhances by the Eras visuals during that song, specifically two dancers walking away to the back of the stage, but then becoming one.
More Coyne: “Plath, quoting Dostoyevsky in her thesis, noted that Ivan’s double, Smerdyakov, is “wrinkled” and “yellow.” The distinct differences in appearance between originator and double, she continued, are meant to reflect the protagonist’s mental state and cultural status.”
First of all, yellow. In the Gaylor community, folks have often theorized yellow symbolizes being closeted—a reading based on the symbolic coloring in the 1999 film …But I’m a Cheerleader. However, one need not be a Gaylor to consider the importance of yellow to Swift’s storytelling. Most recently, Swift performed “my tears ricochet” at Eras in a bright yellow dress, as her dancers were dressed for a funeral. Following Coyne’s analysis of Plath's analysis of Dostoyevsky, one could guess Swift is teasing a death of some version of herself.
Coyne discusses how Plath clearly used a “double” of herself to write The Bell Jar. Plath herself spent a summer in New York interning for Mademoiselle. The protagonist in TBJ, Esther, spends a summer in New York interning at a magazine too. To go even further down the rabbit hole, Esther also doubles herself, frequently expressing normalcy on the outside and despair on the inside. On the book's first page, Esther tells her audience, “I was supposed to be having the time of my life.” (Again, I cannot help but hear a Swift echo of, “I can read your mind / she’s having the time of her life” from “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” about smiling through her depression.) Coyne makes many more references to mirrors and concealing in The Bell Jar, Ether’s split (and sadness) gets worse and worse the more she hides who she is from others. Notably, at a low point, Esther hides under her mother’s bed. (And Swift sings of a post-heartbreak depression, “Afterwards she only ate kids' cereal / And couldn't sleep unless it was in her mother's bed.”)
Coyne writes about the “imprisoned” aspect of doubles: “The wound from which Esther tries, and fails, to hide chimes with the inescapable, colonizing double, and Plath’s language again illustrates its penal nature: it is inside Esther, but it traps her like a jail cell.” (Again, I cannot help but see references to “Fresh Out the Slammer”, “The Smaller Man Who Ever Lived,” and the TTPD Eras visuals of cages and cell lighting.)
Coyne, on Plath’s doubles’ names, something Swift has not ever used (or so we think): “From her conception of The Bell Jar all the way to its final revisions, Plath suffered an exhausting amount of anxiety over its heroine’s name.” Plath wrote to a friend, “‘I’ll have to publish it under a pseudonym, if I ever get it accepted, because it’s so chock full of real people I’d be sued to death’...Indeed, this wasn’t mere paranoia; she did have to change her protagonist’s name at the instruction of her editor for legal reasons.”
Coyne continues, “Most novelists likely have concerns about being associated with the characters to whom they give life, especially the ugly ones, and especially when the character resembles its author. Yet what is unique about Plath’s case is her knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings and implications of her choice to push Esther away, and the hold this knowledge assumed on Plath’s work and life. Another look at The Bell Jar with a consideration of Esther as Plath’s double tangles the issue even further, and Plath drops clues for this kind of reading throughout the novel. Esther, for example, sits down to write her own novel and recounts, “My heroine would be myself, only in disguise. She would be called Elaine. Elaine. I counted the letters on my fingers. There were six letters in Esther, too. It seemed a lucky thing.” Not coincidentally, Plath’s first name has six letters as well.” Again, Plath was in a bizarre double infinity loop (like the loop on the Eras stage in “Down Bad”?). Plath was concealing her double, the protagonist in her novel, who was concealing her double, the protagonist in her novel.
Coyne wraps up her findings: “In her thesis, written nearly a decade earlier, as she turned 22 — the year after her first documented suicide attempt — Plath claimed, quoting Otto Rank:
In such situations, where the Double symbolizes the evil or repressed elements in man’s nature, the apparition of the Double “becomes a persecution by it, the repressed material returns in the form of that which represses.” Man’s instinct to avoid or ignore the unpleasant aspects of his character turns into an active terror when he is faced by his Double, which resurrects those very parts of his personality which he sought to escape. The confrontation of the Double in these instances usually results in a duel which ends in insanity or death for the original hero.”
Coyne seems to argue Plath believed an artist's double has the power to become bigger than the artist herself, ultimately killing her. Is TTPD Swift's predetermination of, hopefully, her her double's death instead of her own?
In Conclusion: Plath to her Mentor, Dessner on Swift
Who knows what TTPD is really truly about, and who knows if we ever will.
The biggest Easter egg, hiding in plain sight, is that the album is titled THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. There’s no apostrophe after “poet.” Nor is there an apostrophe after the “s” in “poets.” The department does not belong to a poet or to a collection of poets. It is a department OF tortured poets, perhaps two, to be exact. …or perhaps the album indicates the departure of the tortured poet...and her double.
I’ll sign off with two final quotes from my research:
According to Coyne, three months before Plath died by suicide, she had written a mentor about her second (obviously unfinished) book. Plath wrote, “It is to be called “Doubletake”, meaning that the second look you take at something reveals a deeper, double meaning […] it is semi-autobiographical about a wife whose husband turns out to be a deserter and philanderer although she had thought he was wonderful & perfect.”
According to Aaron Dessner’s TTPD release Instagram post: ”Keep searching and you'll find some new detail, layer or sliver of meaning with each listen.”
SUBREDDIT PS! Shout out to Expensive_Succotash5 for noting the TTPD intro poem's reference to being out of the oven, could be an allusion to Plath's death. Also shout-out to Good-Amphibian-7993 for this connection to a photo of Plath with a rose, not unlike Swift's album rose art.
2024.05.17 04:46 Background_Beat2982 Ever felt like a co-worker wants to sabotage you? Or just doesn’t want to see you do better than them?
I made a previous post sort of explaining the co-workers I have. Back story, I got assigned with a lit atty who is fairly new and is learning the ropes. The firm I work at is fairly small. The majority of ppl know each other from a previous firm or are related, just somehow connected in general. Anyways (x) person is a case manager who has been for over 4 years (quote on quote) I was promoted to case manager w/i a year that I started. I was crushing it! All on my own, from the intake to facilitating settlement , x-person even came into my office said “it’s embarrassing that you’re doing better than me” Made some organizational changes once my numbers weren’t high enough but recently moved back to a case manager for the lit atty. lit atty & x person are SUPER close. Apparently, lit atty and x person would basically talk shit about how I wasn’t doing this or that right. Ex. For a CD, we would just send it bare bones but with lit atty, he likes to add more personalization to the CD (which no body in the office never has done) I like it bc I am learning how to do so but ig he just got frustrated that I didn’t do it to their standard. Anyways,x person is the type of peep who kisses ASS bro to the upper management. I have worked under her before and we have bumped heads bc she wouldn’t want to step in as a case manager when needed! It was so frustrating. Anyways, me and lit atty had a convo yesterday & kind of talked it out. Lit atty mentioned that x person said that “she trained me on how to do tasks but would do it herself since I couldn’t do it right” I straight up told him I have NEVER done any docs for x person. I did all the grunt work he hated to do (take client calls who were upset,3P/1P calls, handle PD issues etc) he was confused but I’m glad I clarified. Anyways, I end up telling lit atty that he had a bias with x person since they know each other & that frustrates me bc I KNOW they talk shit. I told lit atty to speak to me instead of x person b/c obviously you can believe the person you know. I could have gone down to his level and tell lit atty “well, I heard that x person was lazy af from the last job, he couldn’t do this or that” but I didn’t. Idk, it just baffled me that x person would say that. Mind you, I was doing better than x person for 4-5 months before the organizational change happened! Another example was when a provider asked for PL and I asked x person if I was okay to send. Says nah but then proceeds to email them back giving the PL & cc’ing managing attorney. Like wtf. It’s small situations like that where x person wants to seem like the person who takes all the credit. It’s frustrating b/c I did all the work just for him to take credit for the $$ at the end, I know that x person hates that I have an office and honestly, it’s kind of funny. He mentioned how I would feel if I moved back to the cubicles (when I was moved back to the intake/treating person) and I say why? I would want the managing attorney to tell me, not him. He has the tendency to try to do shit around the office just for the fuck of it, like dude, worry about your damn cases. Idk. I want to say something but nah, I’d rather let my work speak for itself. It just sucks that I get the feeling that he wants me to fail , doesn’t want to see me succeed in being a CM. I feel like he deliberately does not want me to learn things so that I don’t improve. Idk, am I over thinking it? I hate how I felt after lit atty told me.
submitted by Background_Beat2982 to paralegal [link] [comments]
2024.05.17 04:43 MelodramaticCrap So, Let’s Talk About DA4 and the Boxed Vinyl Set [da4 spoilers]
I don’t recall exactly when it launched for preorders, but the Bioware blog wrote a page on the 4LP box set on June 21, 2023. Before I get into the artwork, the bonus track D’read Koda is of particular note. See the Blog here:
DRAGON AGE SELECTIONS FROM THE VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK 4LP BOX SET – Official BioWare Gear Store
D’read Koda
Please check the D’read Koda track on YouTube if you haven’t already! To my ear, it sounds like a creepy lullaby with a crescendo at the end. The singing sounds like a warning of what’s to come. Or perhaps even a lament of what was loss. The final chanting sounds is a nice touch to my ears. The name itself appears to be a homage for our dear Egghead. Although, it perhaps may refer to something or someone else. In any case, a coda is described as the end of a musical piece. I have no musical training whatsoever, so I can’t comment too much on this. In any case, I wonder where we’ll here this. I personally like the idea that it will play at some point when initially booting up the main menu. I hope it’s part of a dynamic piece where it’ll lead into an alternative version of the song. Alas, I have had a taste of Borislav Slavov’s compositions and I wish there were more dynamic music in videogames.
Now Onto the Artwork!
The artwork is stunning even upon first glance. The images on the Bioware blog are a bit too small to really examine, thankfully, another redditor made a post showing more of the art here:
Vinyl Box Set Photos [no spoilers] :
https://preview.redd.it/4hsv9uj8hw0d1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f7b3e27c49f752d4bf6bb0f64103ab8abbda9bd
I could very well be blind, but I was unable to find a post discussing the vinyl’s art in detail. From what I have read, and personally endorse, the artwork depicts Arlathan/the Black City. Given the lore Bioware has been teasing with trailers and books, this seems to be the likely answer. But hey, if anyone else wants to talk about this.
The first image shows a grand structure in the center. There’s always a change this is wrong, but let’s call it Arlathan. My eyes perceive the archway at the ground floor as a person’s figure. Their hat is pointed downwards like a V. Assuming this is one, I’m unable to place if this is one of the Evanuris. My best guess is Mythal because it looks like one of the murals in the temple of Mythal in DAI. I can’t discredit that I’m simply seeing what I’d like to, especially because it showed her dragon form. And pretty much all dragons have a curvature to their head.
Mythal's Dragon Mural
Naturally, there’s a pretty notable dragon at the top of the vinyl art. The autumnal growth at the sides forms the dragon’s wings. I see some dark and light lines but not to the extent of the “veins” in the second image. An eclipse (?) sits behind the dragon’s neck. I’m not too certain if there’s a particular meaning behind this imagery or if it’s only meant to be evocative. What looks like a mage highlighted in blue stands at the bottom rocks. Perhaps it’s Solas, perhaps not. Although, I find it interesting that the head of the staff matches the V that can be seen on the figure’s head.
Onwards to the More Fun Image!
https://preview.redd.it/p9wa109mhw0d1.jpg?width=3279&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5c6b963f42a71946e595787c92c3004bd7e1206
The dragon is still very much there, only now it sports an interesting set of jutted horns by the maw. Even the tongue appears to slither from its jaw. Unless it’s a disturbing mouth monstrosity like the Mother has. Instead of the orange leaves we saw earlier, the wings now appear to consist of grotesque flesh. White “veins” are more easily seen on the wing’s interior. Given the combination of flesh and veins, I believe this is meant to represent the darkspawn taint. This might be the transformation of a dragon into an archdemon. There are certainly theories out there that the archdemons are actually the Evanuris or parts of the Evanuris but I can’t do it justice.
The city, Arlathan, has darkened and is now crumbling. The archway is missing, replaced by a weird vulva looking hole with pink tendrils stretching outwards. The tendrils make me think of the red lyrium veins we’ve seen before. Honestly, it leans towards the Lovecraftian and it makes me excited to see DAD get creepy. The top of the building (previously a spade) stands out. I can only see a woman stretching her arm upwards. The crumbling looks like her head got chewed off by the archdemon. Then again, that’s one weird looking neck lol. Once again, I’m thinking this figure is meant to be Mythal. Particularly, after she was betrayed by the other Evanuris. This would certainly be interesting if the archdemon is supposed to resemble Elgar’nan. The placement could make sense since it would depict the All-Father and All-Mother. I think Elgar’nan spoke the last line in the Thedas Calls Dragon Age Day trailer, so he may very well fit here.
You can also see 6 elven heads lined across the wings. I recognize the top right one as Ghilan’nain based on concept art that we’ve seen. ~~I totally did not write all of this simply because I saw her head~~ This seems to imply that the other 5 would then likely also be Evanuris. The numbers tally, if we subtract Fen’Harel from the group. I really can’t decipher the other gods, so hopefully there’s someone out there who can better identify them. Finally, the eclipse has revealed itself into a full-blown sun. An intriguing contrast to the destruction in the rest of the image. And look, no more egghead!
There’s obviously quite a bit going on here, but this is what I’m able to see. Granted, this all has been discussed before but the art makes for fun discussion. Anyone else want to share their thoughts on the artwork? What are some things you’re hoping to see in DAD? Look, I’m yet another person in a DAD drought and desperately need something to cling to before the summer reveal. ~~Manifesting a cinematic and gameplay trailer for summer game fest~~
TLDR: I believe we’re looking at the corruption of Arlathan by red lyrium (?) before it’s shown as the Black City. The dragon that may or not be Elgar’nan has transformed into what appears to be an archdemon. The blighted city crumbles after the betrayal of Mythal. Evanuris! (I did not mean to write an essay oops)
submitted by MelodramaticCrap to dragonage [link] [comments]
DRAGON AGE SELECTIONS FROM THE VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK 4LP BOX SET – Official BioWare Gear Store
D’read Koda
Please check the D’read Koda track on YouTube if you haven’t already! To my ear, it sounds like a creepy lullaby with a crescendo at the end. The singing sounds like a warning of what’s to come. Or perhaps even a lament of what was loss. The final chanting sounds is a nice touch to my ears. The name itself appears to be a homage for our dear Egghead. Although, it perhaps may refer to something or someone else. In any case, a coda is described as the end of a musical piece. I have no musical training whatsoever, so I can’t comment too much on this. In any case, I wonder where we’ll here this. I personally like the idea that it will play at some point when initially booting up the main menu. I hope it’s part of a dynamic piece where it’ll lead into an alternative version of the song. Alas, I have had a taste of Borislav Slavov’s compositions and I wish there were more dynamic music in videogames.
Now Onto the Artwork!
The artwork is stunning even upon first glance. The images on the Bioware blog are a bit too small to really examine, thankfully, another redditor made a post showing more of the art here:
Vinyl Box Set Photos [no spoilers] :
https://preview.redd.it/4hsv9uj8hw0d1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f7b3e27c49f752d4bf6bb0f64103ab8abbda9bd
I could very well be blind, but I was unable to find a post discussing the vinyl’s art in detail. From what I have read, and personally endorse, the artwork depicts Arlathan/the Black City. Given the lore Bioware has been teasing with trailers and books, this seems to be the likely answer. But hey, if anyone else wants to talk about this.
The first image shows a grand structure in the center. There’s always a change this is wrong, but let’s call it Arlathan. My eyes perceive the archway at the ground floor as a person’s figure. Their hat is pointed downwards like a V. Assuming this is one, I’m unable to place if this is one of the Evanuris. My best guess is Mythal because it looks like one of the murals in the temple of Mythal in DAI. I can’t discredit that I’m simply seeing what I’d like to, especially because it showed her dragon form. And pretty much all dragons have a curvature to their head.
Mythal's Dragon Mural
Naturally, there’s a pretty notable dragon at the top of the vinyl art. The autumnal growth at the sides forms the dragon’s wings. I see some dark and light lines but not to the extent of the “veins” in the second image. An eclipse (?) sits behind the dragon’s neck. I’m not too certain if there’s a particular meaning behind this imagery or if it’s only meant to be evocative. What looks like a mage highlighted in blue stands at the bottom rocks. Perhaps it’s Solas, perhaps not. Although, I find it interesting that the head of the staff matches the V that can be seen on the figure’s head.
Onwards to the More Fun Image!
https://preview.redd.it/p9wa109mhw0d1.jpg?width=3279&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5c6b963f42a71946e595787c92c3004bd7e1206
The dragon is still very much there, only now it sports an interesting set of jutted horns by the maw. Even the tongue appears to slither from its jaw. Unless it’s a disturbing mouth monstrosity like the Mother has. Instead of the orange leaves we saw earlier, the wings now appear to consist of grotesque flesh. White “veins” are more easily seen on the wing’s interior. Given the combination of flesh and veins, I believe this is meant to represent the darkspawn taint. This might be the transformation of a dragon into an archdemon. There are certainly theories out there that the archdemons are actually the Evanuris or parts of the Evanuris but I can’t do it justice.
The city, Arlathan, has darkened and is now crumbling. The archway is missing, replaced by a weird vulva looking hole with pink tendrils stretching outwards. The tendrils make me think of the red lyrium veins we’ve seen before. Honestly, it leans towards the Lovecraftian and it makes me excited to see DAD get creepy. The top of the building (previously a spade) stands out. I can only see a woman stretching her arm upwards. The crumbling looks like her head got chewed off by the archdemon. Then again, that’s one weird looking neck lol. Once again, I’m thinking this figure is meant to be Mythal. Particularly, after she was betrayed by the other Evanuris. This would certainly be interesting if the archdemon is supposed to resemble Elgar’nan. The placement could make sense since it would depict the All-Father and All-Mother. I think Elgar’nan spoke the last line in the Thedas Calls Dragon Age Day trailer, so he may very well fit here.
You can also see 6 elven heads lined across the wings. I recognize the top right one as Ghilan’nain based on concept art that we’ve seen. ~~I totally did not write all of this simply because I saw her head~~ This seems to imply that the other 5 would then likely also be Evanuris. The numbers tally, if we subtract Fen’Harel from the group. I really can’t decipher the other gods, so hopefully there’s someone out there who can better identify them. Finally, the eclipse has revealed itself into a full-blown sun. An intriguing contrast to the destruction in the rest of the image. And look, no more egghead!
There’s obviously quite a bit going on here, but this is what I’m able to see. Granted, this all has been discussed before but the art makes for fun discussion. Anyone else want to share their thoughts on the artwork? What are some things you’re hoping to see in DAD? Look, I’m yet another person in a DAD drought and desperately need something to cling to before the summer reveal. ~~Manifesting a cinematic and gameplay trailer for summer game fest~~
TLDR: I believe we’re looking at the corruption of Arlathan by red lyrium (?) before it’s shown as the Black City. The dragon that may or not be Elgar’nan has transformed into what appears to be an archdemon. The blighted city crumbles after the betrayal of Mythal. Evanuris! (I did not mean to write an essay oops)
2024.05.17 04:39 Hawaii-Pistol Really, Bungie Store? Really? 1 year just wasted
 | Hi, submitted by Hawaii-Pistol to destiny2 [link] [comments] About 10 hrs ago, Bungie Store just told me that my order has been 'lost' and they're willing to refund. The problem is, I've been waiting this reward for over a YEAR. https://preview.redd.it/nn36a7dwhw0d1.png?width=2922&format=png&auto=webp&s=7d01012fd7e36b972a8ae64c19879945b052fc6d Here's the history. *Sorry for the bad English, I'm not native :( The order was made in April, 2023. June 2023, Bungie asked me to change the personalization since Korean is invalid for it. Hello Guardian,I replied; Hello.In Jan 4, 2024, weather gon crazy so I wanted my jacket BAD. So I made the inquiry if my jacket is shipping or not. Hi, I want to track down my orders. Is my package on the way? If it is, please tell me how to track the post. (+ post number)And they didn't reply for around a week. In Jan 10, 2024, they said; Hi H---n, Thank you for contacting the Bungie Store. We are happy to assist. The shipping estimate for this preorder, as stated on the product page, is 6-8 months from the date of purchase.In last week of Feb 2024 - As expected, and sadly, no shipping infos nor packages arrived to me. At this moment, I was upset so much so I almost yelled at them. Yo seriously, where the hell is my jacket???????And they told me like; Hi There,*In April, I told them to check the delivery but they gave me exactly same answer. Eventually, through March and April, May has come. Cruel, cruel month. It's already past a year from the order date. So I got worried and panicked, what if my order gone wrong? Bad feelings were punching my brains and heart. Hello,Aaaaaand they got me THIS BS. Hi H---n, Thank you for contacting the Bungie Store. Sadly, it seems your order has been lost. We would like to provide a full refund for your order pending your confirmation. We apologize for the situation. Regards, Chr----an Bungie Store Merchandise Support1 year of craving damn jacket just blew up by 5 sentences. I knew there would be a problem with my product, but still I got extremely disapointed. What?????I don't think they will send me a jacket, eventually I will get a refund. But still this is utterly unpleasant experience 'cos the RoN jacket seems to be very cool and I played the raid mission many times only for it. For all Guardians outside of EU and US, just buy the merchs in Ebay or somewhere else. It's much safer, faster than Bungie Store. Good grief. |
2024.05.17 04:00 AutoModerator The r/KDRAMA GUIDE -- Info, Resources, FAQs, and More
Welcome to KDRAMA, a community where kdrama watchers gather to discuss their favorite dramas!
This KDRAMA Guide is an automated weekly post that introduces our community features, resources, rules, and answers some FAQs. Use this guide to help you navigate around our community and find resources easily!
Full Rules and Policies
We are an actively moderated community, please review our full Rules and Policies before participating in our community. Content and conduct that violates our Rules and Policies will be removed.
Note that the sidebar rules widget in New Reddit contains only a very abbreviated version of our full rules, please do not rely on them to contest any moderation actions, use our full Rules and Policies.
Browsing the Subreddit
Our subreddit is most optimized for browsing on desktop in New Reddit where we make maximize use of the sidebar to share the most updated information and resources (eg. schedule of On-Air discussions, links to most commonly used resources and featured posts), we encourage newcomers to view our subreddit on desktop to see all the information. Additionally, due to problems with official Reddit mobile apps, some of the links we have in the sidebar or posts do not work on mobile. If you are having trouble accessing links, please switch to desktop access.
We strongly recommend browsing our community feed sorted by new to see the latest discussion posts.
To view all resources in and information about our subreddit, see our wiki.
Note: /KDRAMA measures time in KST - Korean Standard Time (UTC +9) so all references to time or date relate to that time-zone.
There are consequences for what you post. Remember that others do not have to tolerate insults, harassment, racism, sexism, or any other types of negative behavior. While we are not a support subreddit, we aim to be supportive of each other in our love for kdramas.
Before participating within our subreddit, please read our conduct Policies, Rules, and Reddiquette to understand what type of civil behavior and discourse is expected in our community. Also read our When Discussions Get Personal for explanations and tips to maintain civil discourse within our community and elsewhere in life.
Let's all live by the Korean proverb 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다 -- If the outgoing words are beautiful, then the incoming words will be beautiful, too.
Scheduled Recurring Discussions
Our scheduled posts consists of two types: themed and free-for-all. Themed discussions cover a variety of topics frequently discussed by kdrama watchers. Free-for-all (FFA) discussion posts are our general chat discussion posts where as long as you abide by our conduct rules and Reddiquette, you can share whatever you like, including content completely unrelated to kdramas. See full detailed explanations of our scheduled posts.
On-Air Discussions
On-Air Discussions are dedicated weekly discussion posts for currently airing dramas. They are hosted by volunteers from the community to create a dedicated space each week to discuss what has happened in that drama for that week. On-Air drama discussions reduce clutter on the front page of the subreddit by centralizing discussion and all related content, such as news updates, previews, interviews, behind the scenes videos, etc.. For currently airing dramas with On-Air discussions, no other discussion posts are allowed, see our full Rules for details.
A schedule of current On-Airs can be seen in our sidebar. See the latest On-Air discussions and here is our On-Air Discussions Roster, which links all our previous On-Air discussions.
Want to learn more about our On-Air Discussions system? Feel passionately about an upcoming drama and want to host its weekly On-Air Discussions? See our full explanation, guidelines and policies on On-Air Discussions here.
Drama Reviews
We welcome well-written detailed drama reviews. Reviews should be for completed series only -- that is the series has finished airing all of its episodes and the reviewer has watched the entire drama. Reviews where the reviewer has not fully completed the drama will be removed. For those that just want to write a short blurb about a drama, feel free to share in any of our weekly discussion threads instead. See our tips on how to write a helpful review.
Reviews are moderated according to our moderation guidelines for reviews for content. Other rules and policies, such as On-Air or review megathread rules, still apply. Notably, reviews are subject to moderation for frequency under our Rehashed Discussions rule.
Fanart And Memes
We have a Designated Day, currently every Tuesday from 00:00-23:59 KST (UTC +9), on which we allow our members to attempt to share one (1) self posts of either qualified Fanart or Memes on KDRAMA. Fanart and meme posts are not permitted outside of Designated Days. Please review our Designated Day rules fully before submission.
News
We are not a news oriented subreddit though they are permitted as posts with restrictions on type of and source of news. Please fully review our Rules and Polices on news items before submission. If you are seeking to be kept updated with any entertainment news other than official casting news, we strongly recommend you seek out other sources beyond our subreddit such as Soompi.
OST And Promotional Material
We only allow official OSTs and promotional material (previews, teasers, posters) in our subreddit with restrictions on frequency and airing status of dramas. Please fully review our Rules on OSTs and promotional material before submission. There are post title requirements, please follow them.
Our subreddit has certain filters in place to identify submissions that potentially require moderation action.
If you have made a post and it does not immediately show up in the community feed, it is possible that the post has been filtered out. Please DO NOT make reposts or immediately contact the moderation team for review of your post. Filtered posts automatically enter our moderation queue and will be reviewed by a moderator. Please allow at least 24 hours for moderation action to be taken. If no further moderation action has been taken on your post (either approval or removal with notice) after 24 hours, please contact the moderation team via Modmail for assistance.
How Do I Seek Clarification About Or Contest A Moderation Action?
If you have received a removal comment from a human moderator (not AutoModerator) and wish to seek clarification or contest the removal, reply to the comment left by the moderator. Do not send private messages or chats to individual moderators about moderation actions, we consider such behavior moderator harassment. See our Policies for more information.
Note, do not reply to AutoModerator comments, the moderation team does not receive notifications for replies to comments left by the Automoderator.
What Are Moderators And What Do They Do?
Moderators are users that help manage a subreddit community by moderating the content that is allowed in the community, establishing and communicating relevant rules and policies, and engaging with other community members. More Detailed Explanation
How Do I Customize My User Flair?
Customizable user flairs are enabled in our community (the little banner following usernames). User flairs are subreddit-specific and can be used to show off your personality or favorite dramas. Our User Flair Guide shows you how to set your user flair on desktop in both Old and New Reddit.
How Do I Make Spoiler Tags?
Hate being spoiled? So do we, which is why we ask our community to use spoiler tags abundantly in order to prevent this. Reddit formatting allows for a few different ways to create spoilers. See our Spoiler Tag Tutorial to learn how do make them.
How Do I Format Things In Markdown?
Need help formatting? Want to know how to do italics and superscripts and bold things? Check our Formatting and Markdown Guide.
What Are The Dramas In The Banner?
Info here.
Where Can I Find All Subreddit Resources?
On New Reddit sidebar, we have linked the most used resources. Otherwise our wiki landing page has links to and brief explanations of all the resources in our community.
Is There A Subreddit Discord?
Yes, here.
See our non-exhaustive list of legal streaming sources from around the world where you can watch kdramas. We also have a list of popular official Youtube channels for webdramas.
Please note that linking, mentioning, or promotion of any illegal sources (eg. non-licensed streaming sites, torrent sites, personally uploaded videos, download links, etc.) is strictly prohibited and will result in an immediate ban. Promotion includes soliciting users to PM for links to illegal sources.
What Dramas Should I Watch?
If you are looking for your next drama, check out our sister sub kdramarecommends, the single best place to ask for kdrama recommendations. You can ask for recommendations based on your preferences or you can ask if a drama you are considering is worth watching. Check their Getting Started Guide before you post to familiarize yourself with that sub, and their Recommendations 101 to help you craft the perfect recommendation request post. If you don't know where to start or want to browse past recommendations, check out the awesome What to Watch Next wiki for our complete archive of recommendations gathered over the past years.
Note, drama recommendation requests are not permitted as self-posts in KDRAMA. Posts will be removed and redirected to kdramarecommends.
Is There A Site For Tracking Dramas?
A popular site used by many kdrama watchers for tracking dramas is MyDramaList -- the site has profiles of dramas, actors/actresses, and drama reviews/ratings.
I'm New To Kdramas, What Basics Should I Know?
For new watchers of kdramas, we strongly recommend taking a read through our basic FAQ, our KDRAMAS 101, and our Glossary as a starting point to get to know and understand kdramas better.
submitted by AutoModerator to KDRAMA [link] [comments]
This KDRAMA Guide is an automated weekly post that introduces our community features, resources, rules, and answers some FAQs. Use this guide to help you navigate around our community and find resources easily!
Full Rules and Policies
We are an actively moderated community, please review our full Rules and Policies before participating in our community. Content and conduct that violates our Rules and Policies will be removed.
Note that the sidebar rules widget in New Reddit contains only a very abbreviated version of our full rules, please do not rely on them to contest any moderation actions, use our full Rules and Policies.
Browsing the Subreddit
Our subreddit is most optimized for browsing on desktop in New Reddit where we make maximize use of the sidebar to share the most updated information and resources (eg. schedule of On-Air discussions, links to most commonly used resources and featured posts), we encourage newcomers to view our subreddit on desktop to see all the information. Additionally, due to problems with official Reddit mobile apps, some of the links we have in the sidebar or posts do not work on mobile. If you are having trouble accessing links, please switch to desktop access.
We strongly recommend browsing our community feed sorted by new to see the latest discussion posts.
To view all resources in and information about our subreddit, see our wiki.
Note: /KDRAMA measures time in KST - Korean Standard Time (UTC +9) so all references to time or date relate to that time-zone.
Participating & Posting In Our Subreddit
Participating
Our community strives to be a friendly and safe space where our community members can participate and enjoy discussions about kdramas. To that end, we ask participants to be kind to each other, by remembering the human both behind and on the screen -- including the actors and actresses and staff members that makes the drama. Harassment, threats, bullying, personal attacks, racism, hate speech, and other similar negative behaviors are prohibited in this subreddit.There are consequences for what you post. Remember that others do not have to tolerate insults, harassment, racism, sexism, or any other types of negative behavior. While we are not a support subreddit, we aim to be supportive of each other in our love for kdramas.
Before participating within our subreddit, please read our conduct Policies, Rules, and Reddiquette to understand what type of civil behavior and discourse is expected in our community. Also read our When Discussions Get Personal for explanations and tips to maintain civil discourse within our community and elsewhere in life.
Let's all live by the Korean proverb 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다 -- If the outgoing words are beautiful, then the incoming words will be beautiful, too.
Posting
New to our community and daunted by our Rules and Policies for posting? The best way to start your interaction with our community is by participating in our scheduled posts or On-Air Discussions. There's at least one per day of the week so that there is always a post you can participate in. These posts are very friendly and community-oriented -- a great way to dip your toe into conversations without the pressure of making a post. This will help newcomers to our subreddit get a better feel for the style and type of discourse in our community, which may be much more actively moderated in comparison to other spaces.Scheduled Recurring Discussions
Our scheduled posts consists of two types: themed and free-for-all. Themed discussions cover a variety of topics frequently discussed by kdrama watchers. Free-for-all (FFA) discussion posts are our general chat discussion posts where as long as you abide by our conduct rules and Reddiquette, you can share whatever you like, including content completely unrelated to kdramas. See full detailed explanations of our scheduled posts.
| Weekly Scheduled Posts | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| AM | - | - | Who, What, Where Is It? | Throwback Thursday 2.0 | - | Late To The Party | Eun Sang's Sleepy Sunday Soliloquy (FFA) |
| PM | Monday Madness (FFA) | Kim Tan's Talk Time (FFA) | What Are You Watching | Kim Tan's Talk Time (FFA) | Weekend Wrap Up (FFA) | Things I Spotted This Week | - |
| :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
| Monthly Scheduled Posts | Top 10 Kdramas (7th) | Kdramas Made Me Do It (10th) | Refund My Time (14th) | Yes, No, Maybe (21st) | Dramas I Have Dropped (28th) | - | - |
| - | For all the list makers among us. List your favourite dramas - you choose the number and the category. | Share our joy and embarrassment at all the things Kdramas “made” us do. | Lament about a drama we wish we'd never watched -- one that makes us want a refund of our time. | Present a short review and a "final verdict" on whether we would recommend the dramas we've watched this past month to others. | Discuss the dramas that didn't win you over in the past month. | - | - |
| :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
| Quarterly Scheduled Posts | Best OST | Streaming Services | Make A Wish | Watching Habits And Advice | - | - | - |
| - | 4th of March, June, September & December | 11th of January, April, July, & October | 1st of February, May, August & November | 25th of March, June, September & December | - | - | - |
| - | Discussion of the OSTs that we love and just can't get out of our heads. | Discussion of everything related to legal streaming services. Share your experiences and ask for help finding the best one in your region. | Share one's aspirations about dream or alternate casting, remakes, adaptations, and creative writing. | For reflecting on one's watching habits and advice for how to choose which dramas to watch. | - | - | - |
| :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
| Biannual Scheduled Posts | Share Your Kdrama Related Resource | - | Check Out Our KDRAMA Resources | - | SPOTLIGHT ON | - | - |
| - | 18th of March & September | - | Posted on a 6 monthly cycle | - | Posted on a 6 monthly cycle | - | - |
| - | Share, promote, and discover other subreddits and resources related to kdramas. | - | Series highlighting various resources of our subreddit. | - | Series which highlights dramas of certain genres / themes. | - | - |
On-Air Discussions are dedicated weekly discussion posts for currently airing dramas. They are hosted by volunteers from the community to create a dedicated space each week to discuss what has happened in that drama for that week. On-Air drama discussions reduce clutter on the front page of the subreddit by centralizing discussion and all related content, such as news updates, previews, interviews, behind the scenes videos, etc.. For currently airing dramas with On-Air discussions, no other discussion posts are allowed, see our full Rules for details.
A schedule of current On-Airs can be seen in our sidebar. See the latest On-Air discussions and here is our On-Air Discussions Roster, which links all our previous On-Air discussions.
Want to learn more about our On-Air Discussions system? Feel passionately about an upcoming drama and want to host its weekly On-Air Discussions? See our full explanation, guidelines and policies on On-Air Discussions here.
Drama Reviews
We welcome well-written detailed drama reviews. Reviews should be for completed series only -- that is the series has finished airing all of its episodes and the reviewer has watched the entire drama. Reviews where the reviewer has not fully completed the drama will be removed. For those that just want to write a short blurb about a drama, feel free to share in any of our weekly discussion threads instead. See our tips on how to write a helpful review.
Reviews are moderated according to our moderation guidelines for reviews for content. Other rules and policies, such as On-Air or review megathread rules, still apply. Notably, reviews are subject to moderation for frequency under our Rehashed Discussions rule.
Fanart And Memes
We have a Designated Day, currently every Tuesday from 00:00-23:59 KST (UTC +9), on which we allow our members to attempt to share one (1) self posts of either qualified Fanart or Memes on KDRAMA. Fanart and meme posts are not permitted outside of Designated Days. Please review our Designated Day rules fully before submission.
News
We are not a news oriented subreddit though they are permitted as posts with restrictions on type of and source of news. Please fully review our Rules and Polices on news items before submission. If you are seeking to be kept updated with any entertainment news other than official casting news, we strongly recommend you seek out other sources beyond our subreddit such as Soompi.
OST And Promotional Material
We only allow official OSTs and promotional material (previews, teasers, posters) in our subreddit with restrictions on frequency and airing status of dramas. Please fully review our Rules on OSTs and promotional material before submission. There are post title requirements, please follow them.
FAQs
About Subreddit
Why Is My Post Not Showing Up?Our subreddit has certain filters in place to identify submissions that potentially require moderation action.
If you have made a post and it does not immediately show up in the community feed, it is possible that the post has been filtered out. Please DO NOT make reposts or immediately contact the moderation team for review of your post. Filtered posts automatically enter our moderation queue and will be reviewed by a moderator. Please allow at least 24 hours for moderation action to be taken. If no further moderation action has been taken on your post (either approval or removal with notice) after 24 hours, please contact the moderation team via Modmail for assistance.
How Do I Seek Clarification About Or Contest A Moderation Action?
If you have received a removal comment from a human moderator (not AutoModerator) and wish to seek clarification or contest the removal, reply to the comment left by the moderator. Do not send private messages or chats to individual moderators about moderation actions, we consider such behavior moderator harassment. See our Policies for more information.
Note, do not reply to AutoModerator comments, the moderation team does not receive notifications for replies to comments left by the Automoderator.
What Are Moderators And What Do They Do?
Moderators are users that help manage a subreddit community by moderating the content that is allowed in the community, establishing and communicating relevant rules and policies, and engaging with other community members. More Detailed Explanation
How Do I Customize My User Flair?
Customizable user flairs are enabled in our community (the little banner following usernames). User flairs are subreddit-specific and can be used to show off your personality or favorite dramas. Our User Flair Guide shows you how to set your user flair on desktop in both Old and New Reddit.
How Do I Make Spoiler Tags?
Hate being spoiled? So do we, which is why we ask our community to use spoiler tags abundantly in order to prevent this. Reddit formatting allows for a few different ways to create spoilers. See our Spoiler Tag Tutorial to learn how do make them.
How Do I Format Things In Markdown?
Need help formatting? Want to know how to do italics and superscripts and bold things? Check our Formatting and Markdown Guide.
What Are The Dramas In The Banner?
Info here.
Where Can I Find All Subreddit Resources?
On New Reddit sidebar, we have linked the most used resources. Otherwise our wiki landing page has links to and brief explanations of all the resources in our community.
Is There A Subreddit Discord?
Yes, here.
About Kdramas
Where Can I Watch Kdramas?See our non-exhaustive list of legal streaming sources from around the world where you can watch kdramas. We also have a list of popular official Youtube channels for webdramas.
Please note that linking, mentioning, or promotion of any illegal sources (eg. non-licensed streaming sites, torrent sites, personally uploaded videos, download links, etc.) is strictly prohibited and will result in an immediate ban. Promotion includes soliciting users to PM for links to illegal sources.
What Dramas Should I Watch?
If you are looking for your next drama, check out our sister sub kdramarecommends, the single best place to ask for kdrama recommendations. You can ask for recommendations based on your preferences or you can ask if a drama you are considering is worth watching. Check their Getting Started Guide before you post to familiarize yourself with that sub, and their Recommendations 101 to help you craft the perfect recommendation request post. If you don't know where to start or want to browse past recommendations, check out the awesome What to Watch Next wiki for our complete archive of recommendations gathered over the past years.
Note, drama recommendation requests are not permitted as self-posts in KDRAMA. Posts will be removed and redirected to kdramarecommends.
Is There A Site For Tracking Dramas?
A popular site used by many kdrama watchers for tracking dramas is MyDramaList -- the site has profiles of dramas, actors/actresses, and drama reviews/ratings.
I'm New To Kdramas, What Basics Should I Know?
For new watchers of kdramas, we strongly recommend taking a read through our basic FAQ, our KDRAMAS 101, and our Glossary as a starting point to get to know and understand kdramas better.
2024.05.17 03:11 iReaddit-KRTORR A general short non-specific MOBA guide
Just wanted to help maybe new people on generally the phases of a MOBA and what you generally should do. I’m not really going to get into role specifics, because that’s a lot, but generally I wanted to help maybe newer people. Feel free to add or disagree in comments
EARLY GAME - The Lane-ing / Rotating Phase
Generally at this point in the game, unless you are jungle (but that’s an expert role anyways) you should be last hitting minions, placing wards, and generally trying to stay in lane as much as you can.
You need to find opportunities to back and build items, but then you return and continue trying to “win” your lane.
There’s always a chance the jungler will try and rotate on you so keep an eye out for your wards (or lack of)
Minion control is a pivotal part of MOBAS so during this phase. Pushing up can give you the opportunity to back and buy items or get a buff, but purposefully allowing minions to push up (not killing as quickly) can also provide you and the jungler an opportunity to gank. All lanes have to make this decision. Just know everything cuts both ways. You pushing up also means you can be ganked (which is why vision is important.)
Oh and if you’re a little more advanced, you can pay attention to other lanes and rotate when you have the opportunity (like when you’ve taken out your lane or they’ve backed etc) to help others win their lane. Again I’d consider this a little more advanced because I’d rather you win your lane than failing to win mine lol likely a discussion point here but 🤷
MID-GAME - more rotating and more grouping
Okay so the early game tactics are still a thing but the mid game is kind of a period of transition. Normally it starts when 1/2 towers fall and it provides other lanes the opportunity to transition and group more often.
This is where you have to start looking more heavily on other lanes. If you’re on the winning side (have less towers down) this might look different from when you’re on the losing side.
A rule of thumb I’ve heard for most roles is follow your enemy that’s the same role. If you’re carry and the enemy one has gone mid, then you should rotate if it makes sense - you can also choose to push the tower. Normally if it looks like my team is winning the exchange I’ll push. If not, I’ll rotate. But it’s not a cut and dry rule. If the whole team is fighting for T1 mid and you have the opportunity to take a T2 or Inhib - for me that’s the play, even if you have to give one life.
This is the time in the game where decisions matter and where things can feel freestyle-ly. This is where strategic grouping matters too. This is when folks will take objectives, ward/deward more heavily, and generally be more open to team fights.
LATE / END GAME
This is usually marked by proximity to full build or once 1-2 inhibs start to fall.
Honestly this is the group up, offense/defense phase. AS A TEAM you need to decide if you’re staying back or pushing up. You have to choose if you wanna team fight or not. There may be some opportunities for smaller 1v1/2 fights but mostly the teams are looking to overwhelm with numbers. You have to decide as a team which fights are worth it vs not. Death timers are MUCH more unforgiving here so even 1 person dying can feel like a huge disadvantage.
Late mid game to early end game is where I see people screwing up. Mostly because people don’t acknowledge defense as an option. If you have an inhibs or multiple down, your priority needs to be defense and vision or at least someone needs to be on minion duty. The “win-ions” are real lol
——
Okay obviously I left out a ton but I hope this helps a little. This could be pages if I included role specific stuff but I hope this paints a picture of the difference phases of the game. This is applicable on any MOBA really.
submitted by iReaddit-KRTORR to PredecessorGame [link] [comments]
EARLY GAME - The Lane-ing / Rotating Phase
Generally at this point in the game, unless you are jungle (but that’s an expert role anyways) you should be last hitting minions, placing wards, and generally trying to stay in lane as much as you can.
You need to find opportunities to back and build items, but then you return and continue trying to “win” your lane.
There’s always a chance the jungler will try and rotate on you so keep an eye out for your wards (or lack of)
Minion control is a pivotal part of MOBAS so during this phase. Pushing up can give you the opportunity to back and buy items or get a buff, but purposefully allowing minions to push up (not killing as quickly) can also provide you and the jungler an opportunity to gank. All lanes have to make this decision. Just know everything cuts both ways. You pushing up also means you can be ganked (which is why vision is important.)
Oh and if you’re a little more advanced, you can pay attention to other lanes and rotate when you have the opportunity (like when you’ve taken out your lane or they’ve backed etc) to help others win their lane. Again I’d consider this a little more advanced because I’d rather you win your lane than failing to win mine lol likely a discussion point here but 🤷
MID-GAME - more rotating and more grouping
Okay so the early game tactics are still a thing but the mid game is kind of a period of transition. Normally it starts when 1/2 towers fall and it provides other lanes the opportunity to transition and group more often.
This is where you have to start looking more heavily on other lanes. If you’re on the winning side (have less towers down) this might look different from when you’re on the losing side.
A rule of thumb I’ve heard for most roles is follow your enemy that’s the same role. If you’re carry and the enemy one has gone mid, then you should rotate if it makes sense - you can also choose to push the tower. Normally if it looks like my team is winning the exchange I’ll push. If not, I’ll rotate. But it’s not a cut and dry rule. If the whole team is fighting for T1 mid and you have the opportunity to take a T2 or Inhib - for me that’s the play, even if you have to give one life.
This is the time in the game where decisions matter and where things can feel freestyle-ly. This is where strategic grouping matters too. This is when folks will take objectives, ward/deward more heavily, and generally be more open to team fights.
LATE / END GAME
This is usually marked by proximity to full build or once 1-2 inhibs start to fall.
Honestly this is the group up, offense/defense phase. AS A TEAM you need to decide if you’re staying back or pushing up. You have to choose if you wanna team fight or not. There may be some opportunities for smaller 1v1/2 fights but mostly the teams are looking to overwhelm with numbers. You have to decide as a team which fights are worth it vs not. Death timers are MUCH more unforgiving here so even 1 person dying can feel like a huge disadvantage.
Late mid game to early end game is where I see people screwing up. Mostly because people don’t acknowledge defense as an option. If you have an inhibs or multiple down, your priority needs to be defense and vision or at least someone needs to be on minion duty. The “win-ions” are real lol
——
Okay obviously I left out a ton but I hope this helps a little. This could be pages if I included role specific stuff but I hope this paints a picture of the difference phases of the game. This is applicable on any MOBA really.
2024.05.17 03:04 AdditionalWar8759 Balancing Act: Episode from May 16th , “Tom Schwartz: VPR Reunion and Plans for the Hiatus”
Sandoval Redemption Arc (Timestamp: 3:43) - Luke: Man, you did great this season though. I feel like there were a number of episodes that you absolutely carried, man. You did the dirty work at times that you had to do, 100%. - Schwartz: Luke, that is the hottest and only time I've ever heard a take like that in my life. I feel like I was kind of like a background character this season. - Kristen: No I don’t think so - Luke: You were absolutely essential to get through to people. You were the bridge that needed to happen. - Kristen: It's always your comic relief too. It's so refreshing. - Schwartz: On that note, Luke, to piggyback off or to continue that thought, I read the comments sometimes. For the most part, I stay out of the comments, but I like to see what's going on in there. And I saw a lot of people saying, we don't want a Sandoval Redemption story. - Schwartz: Ew, stop trying to shove a Sandoval Redemption story down our throats. And I don't know, man, maybe I'm too close to Tom or the whole situation. But I never saw this as a Tom Sandoval Redemption season. - Schwartz: I don't think he got a Redemption arc. I think he was just trying to reinstill a little humanity in someone that was like on the fucking edge of losing his mind. And I'm not here to evoke sympathy for Sandoval, but like I'm just saying, like the guy was on the edge. - Schwartz: He went to a very dark place. And yeah, I watched this entire season. I guess, I guess, I don't know, I didn't see it as a as Bravo trying to shove a redemption story down anyone's story at all. I thought it just trying to add some nuance and like a little civility to it. - Luke: There was nothing you could do. It was the story. You know, it's like it picked up so quick after the scandal broke. So what are you going to do? I mean, no one wanted to be around Tom about Sandoval. So I mean, it's kind of the real dynamic. And that's the whole point of it. - Kristen: For me, I think the quote unquote like redemption arc when I watched it, it wasn't about you. And at points, it wasn't even about Sandoval. I think it was the Lala of it trying to like, I don't know, it was like it just felt it didn't feel very authentic at times with Lala and kind of being Sandoval or like even Scheana. - Kristen: I know Scheana struggled a lot, though, but like, just certain times I felt like, because it wasn't you shoving Sandoval down people's throats, there were other people doing it and it felt like less genuine. But I don't think that you did. - Kristen: I think this is the first time not only on Vanderpump Rules, but really, since I've known you, that I've seen you kind of stand up to him and say like, this is like not you stopped sugarcoating shit. You weren't hurtful, but you just had to be more stern with him. - Schwartz: Well, there was some tough love. In order, it's like, dude, we put a hefty sum, you know, like I try not to think like this because it's not healthy, but you know, I could have bought a beautiful home, a nice appreciating asset and sat back and just chilled out. - Schwartz: But you know, I decided to open a bar and I'm taking ownership of it. But it's like when you do that, you put everything on the line for it, then all of a sudden, the brand name is, you know, severely jeopardized because of someone else's actions. It's hard not to be bitter. - Kristen: But of course, of course, but I think time does heal. And I think is from what I've seen, like there were definitely moments and I even said this on Watch What Happens Live when I was on it, like that I saw the glimpses of like a genuine old Tom who was really feeling his feelings. - Kristen: And even though a lot of people maybe didn't want to believe him, like I could see the difference and I genuinely believed his apologies and I do understand also that like it gets to a point where you do feel so beat down because I've been in that position obviously in the past, where it's like how many more times can I say I'm sorry? - Kristen: Where you kind of just get really frustrated, where it's like what the fuck else can I do? Do you want my firstborn child, like you guys, I'm eating shit a little bit. I just think the problem was Ariana wasn't ready and too many people weren't letting that go. And I think that's what it appeared to be. Like they're going to figure that out. She'll figure that out in her own time. - Kristen: I think when she has, I think this hiatus you guys are having is going to be really helpful for everyone to heal and move on and like live their own lives. - Kristen: So then hopefully you guys come back for a season 12 and we get to watch something more fresh, not like, okay, jump back in, no, we just did the reunion, but now a month later, we're going to keep talking about it again. Everyone's still kind of in the same place, you know?
The show taking a break (Timestamp: 8:15) - Schwartz: But yeah, I think that was beautifully stated. I think people need a little break. I think the show, I like that we're actually taking a little breather that is postponed. - Schwartz: I don't know what the future of the whole looks like, but maybe I'm delusional, but I feel like we're just gearing up for a whole new chapter. I don't know. I think the show needs to breathe a little bit. - Schwartz: There's some overexposure. I think there's some you know what of all fatigue, and it's like it got a little dark. Usually, the show has always been 100% authentic. Doute, you lived it with me. We were friends before the show. I think it was always more levity to it. It just got a little bleak, a little dismal for me the past few years. But I don't know. I think everyone's healing. - Schwartz: That was my mantra for the season, but no one wanted to hear it. Forgiveness is healing.
How the reunion was different (Timestamp: 9:04) - Kristen: At least for part one of the reunion, and I've heard some of you guys talk about this, I think the girls on Watch What Happens Live, that it wasn't as heated of a reunion as it has been in the past. It wasn't screaming and shouting and threatening to fight and things like that, which makes it so much more interesting because it's hard to hear. - Schwartz: I think so too. I love nuance and civil conversation. I'm intrigued by that. Of course, I like drama. I like a little blow up, a meltdown here and there, a mic rip, a signature Kristen Doute mic rip. - Kristen: Oh, totally. - Schwartz: But yeah, we had a pretty civil discourse. I don't want to make it sound boring because it was raw and intense. And I think just seeing some of the sentiment on Twitter and stuff, I think it's like you got to admire Lala's propensity to show up and do the work, do her job. - Schwartz: But at the same time, when you explicitly talk about it as if it's a job, it inherently detracts from the reality. So it's like Doute and Luke, you've been doing it long enough now. It's like an unspoken rule in the biz. - Schwartz: You have to be radically honest, remove your filter, and you have to bring it. But in talking about that and breaking the fourth wall, I don't know, lately I've been feeling like it's jeopardizing the authenticity of it. Because these are our real lives, we're not acting, we're not making up storylines. - Kristen: No, I agree with you about the Lala thing. And I think I've even maybe not explained it in the best way where I've said on our podcast recapping it, it felt like no one else wanted to talk about whatever the thing was like calling Rachel or certain moments or go have hot dogs with Jo. I guarantee that every other female cast member was like, hell no. - Kristen: And so Lala was like, I'll fucking do it. And so that's what I think to listeners, to you guys, like what we're trying to explain about reality TV. The job of it is being authentic and you can't have these conversations privately about Girl Joe or about this or that whatever. - Kristen: And then when the cameras are up, go, no, we're not doing that because essentially it means like, oh, the audience will rip us apart because we can't do that. You know what I'm saying? And so the job that Lala did is just saying the things that were already being said behind, like off camera. - Schwartz: Totally. - Kristen: So I do get her a lot of credit for that. - Schwartz: Me too. Lala brings it without a doubt. You know, she's a star on the show, but you know, it's like when you talk about it explicitly, I think, I don't know, in my mind, I worry that it jeopardizes the autisticity, but there's no doubt about it. Lala shows up. It does the work. - Schwartz: And it's like, the thing is a lot of those conversations are conversations you should have. They're like healthy, therapeutic conversations, ones that you would just rather put off. Let's talk about it a month, three months from now, maybe never, preferably sweep it under the rug, say la vie. - Schwartz: But like, you know, short term, it's like we live almost in a condensed time scale when we do reality TV. And it's as awful as some of those conversations are to have. It's like long term, they're usually therapeutic and probably healthy. - Schwartz: But like in Ariana's case this year at the reunion and everything, in like the grey walling and stuff, and just given that it was like this national global sensation, I think her not wanting to have that conversation with Tom at the end, I think it was earned. But you know, I also see other people's viewpoint, like, you know, we've all had to have such horribly uncomfortable conversations. But anyways, I think it seems polarized online. - Kristen: Of course it does - Schwartz: I think it was earned from Arianna, yeah.
What was it like watching the final act of the show together, live on stage, and then immediately having to talk about it? (Timestamp: 12:47) - Schwartz: I think I cried. It didn't feel like a finale finale to me, but it just it felt like a retrospective. And it got me, I don't know, got me feeling all kinds of nostalgia, you know, we've had like, we kind of even know some of us were in our 30s, we kind of grew up on television, you know, it's like, um, yeah, I don't know. - Schwartz: We really did. And like, we've forged really deep, meaningful friendships. Kristen, you're the second person I ever met in Los Angeles, you know, I love you. You're my family. - Kristen: Love you. - Schwartz: And yeah, it got me feeling a lot of feels.
What are going to do since you aren’t filming this summer? (Timestamp: 20:18) - Schwartz: I'm going to start sidequesting. You know what I mean? I don't know if you remember, Kristen, but before the pandemic, I was getting to the point where I was just confident enough to DJ in the bars. - Schwartz: I want to be able to DJ in my bars. I'm not trying to be like superstar DJ. I just want to be able to DJ in my bars. We're kind of relaunching our whiskey, which I'm super stoked about. We're going to be doing some bottle signings next week. We got distribution in California, which is cool. - Schwartz: I'm going to travel for the first time in my life. I'm planning on playing the World Series of Poker, Kristen, you know, I'm an avid poker player. - Schwartz: Also, this is another dream that I think is finally coming to fruition. I have property in Florida. I'm finally going to build a house for my family there and I have like this little pond. - Schwartz: I've been working out like every day eating healthier and I'm reading a little bit again. I stopped reading for like the past four years.
Jo (Timestamp: 30:25) - Kristen: And I don't want to give this too much attention because I feel like this clip as we're speaking is going to end up on an Instagram Live very shortly. But I just want to say that I, as of her last Instagram Live or whenever that was, you let me read your text to her in its entirety. - Kristen: And my frustration lies in that she was cherry picking bits and pieces and not reading the context behind these things, leaving out things that you said that were very kind, as well as leaving out things that you had to call her out on that frustrated you. And we're not going to say what those things are because that's between the two of you. And we're not going to pull out Jo by talking more about that. - Kristen: But I just want people to know that because everyone's like, well, what happened? What's the main thing? And why did it turn this way so quickly? - Kristen: So I think, is that fair to say that you explained yourself in a very lengthy way and said everything you had to say. And it was you that sent the text. - Schwartz: Yeah, it was firm, but constructive. And yeah, it felt like a major violation when she went and read that. And she cherry picked it to fit her narrative online. And like, I get it. She's going through some feelings, like she's hurt a little bit. You know, like, I know I'm very familiar with the feeling of being rejected. - Schwartz: But it's like, the reasons I pulled away from Jo are very valid and she has to respect those. Like she just, I mean, yeah, I'm not going to get into it because I don't want to do that to her. But like she's she's she's told some egregious lies that I found out and I've debunked and I've called it. - Schwartz: I've called her out on a few of them. But some of them are just so uncomfortable to bring up that I never addressed it. It just we were it just I knew at a certain point that I had to pull away from her. - Schwartz: And, you know, hopefully she can respect that I just it does feel like a violation when she goes on there. And it's like she's kind of spinning this narrative like she's a victim. I played her. - Schwartz: And it's like, poor Jo, I'm like, it's just I don't know, man. I get it that her feelings are hurt. But like if I was to talk about the reasons why I separated from her, which are very valid, I think everybody would be singing a different tune online and like, okay, my god, I'm sorry, I judged you Schwartz. - Kristen: And I will say some of those reasons are reasons why I would not redevelop my friendship with her. Like meaning I've been through some of the things, the lies that you've been through as well. So I just wanted to make that crystal clear for people that I think you handled it so incredibly well. - Kristen: You placed a very intelligent and healthy boundary for yourself, for your relationship, for your mental health, for your sanity, really, so you can have a really healthy, productive, awesome summer. You don't have to film. You don't need all this extra drama in your life. You're just trying to like move on to bigger, better, more positive ways of living, you know? - Schwartz: Yeah, I'm like I'm drama fatigued. And it's like, honestly, maybe it wouldn't have escalated to that. But like over the like while the show was airing, people were continually sending me clips and memes. - Schwartz: Oh my god, she was saying she's making me look bad. And people are rallying against you, you know, Team Jo. And I'm just like, I ignored it for so long. - Schwartz: And I think I just hit my breaking point that day. And there's some other things that happened with my family that I found out that I was very unhappy about. And anyways, anyways, so yeah, I just I cut her off. I blocked her. I don't harbor any resentment. I'm not like harboring ill. - Schwartz: I don't want, you know, I'm not sending bad vibes out there or whatever. - Kristen: Totally. It's just a boundary. - Schwartz: I wish her well, but yeah, she's not in my life in any capacity anymore and never will be. - Luke: Last question about on this topic. Have you seen Baby Reindeer? - Schwartz: No, I have not seen Baby Reindeer. - Luke: Are you familiar with what it is? - Schwartz Vaguely. - Kristen: You need to watch it though. - Luke: It's worth it. - Schwartz: I don't know. But anyways, I'll leave on a positive note, you know, anyways, yeah, no hard feelings no hard feelings at all.
Sandoval and Schwartz living situation (Timestamp: 45:30) - Schwartz: Well, listen, it's kind dynamic right now. I'm thinking about downsizing slightly, maybe a cool little lot. First of all, I've always wanted to live in a loft, a cool artist loft. - Schwartz: I found a really cool one in the valley. I was thinking about possibly downsizing while I build my house in Florida, just to cut costs a little bit. The optics of me moving in with Sandoval are not good for my personal growth and everything. - Schwartz: I also don't mind helping my friend out because I don't know exactly what's going to happen with the house, but I know his mortgage is going to be a lot more should he get to keep the house. I don't mind helping my buddy out either. It's like I'd rather give him some of my money, have a little backyard, a pool, and chill out there while I build my house in Florida, but it for sure wouldn't be anything long term. - Schwartz: As much as we love each other, and we've had very healthy conversations about this. We're like, dude, I don't really want to live with you. He's like, I don't want to live with you either, but I'm thinking it would be fun one last time before we get too old, we get hitched, have kids. Maybe it'd be fun to live together, but it's like, my god, the sentiment online is like, ew, don't do it, loser.
***end of recap
submitted by AdditionalWar8759 to vanderpumprules [link] [comments]
The show taking a break (Timestamp: 8:15) - Schwartz: But yeah, I think that was beautifully stated. I think people need a little break. I think the show, I like that we're actually taking a little breather that is postponed. - Schwartz: I don't know what the future of the whole looks like, but maybe I'm delusional, but I feel like we're just gearing up for a whole new chapter. I don't know. I think the show needs to breathe a little bit. - Schwartz: There's some overexposure. I think there's some you know what of all fatigue, and it's like it got a little dark. Usually, the show has always been 100% authentic. Doute, you lived it with me. We were friends before the show. I think it was always more levity to it. It just got a little bleak, a little dismal for me the past few years. But I don't know. I think everyone's healing. - Schwartz: That was my mantra for the season, but no one wanted to hear it. Forgiveness is healing.
How the reunion was different (Timestamp: 9:04) - Kristen: At least for part one of the reunion, and I've heard some of you guys talk about this, I think the girls on Watch What Happens Live, that it wasn't as heated of a reunion as it has been in the past. It wasn't screaming and shouting and threatening to fight and things like that, which makes it so much more interesting because it's hard to hear. - Schwartz: I think so too. I love nuance and civil conversation. I'm intrigued by that. Of course, I like drama. I like a little blow up, a meltdown here and there, a mic rip, a signature Kristen Doute mic rip. - Kristen: Oh, totally. - Schwartz: But yeah, we had a pretty civil discourse. I don't want to make it sound boring because it was raw and intense. And I think just seeing some of the sentiment on Twitter and stuff, I think it's like you got to admire Lala's propensity to show up and do the work, do her job. - Schwartz: But at the same time, when you explicitly talk about it as if it's a job, it inherently detracts from the reality. So it's like Doute and Luke, you've been doing it long enough now. It's like an unspoken rule in the biz. - Schwartz: You have to be radically honest, remove your filter, and you have to bring it. But in talking about that and breaking the fourth wall, I don't know, lately I've been feeling like it's jeopardizing the authenticity of it. Because these are our real lives, we're not acting, we're not making up storylines. - Kristen: No, I agree with you about the Lala thing. And I think I've even maybe not explained it in the best way where I've said on our podcast recapping it, it felt like no one else wanted to talk about whatever the thing was like calling Rachel or certain moments or go have hot dogs with Jo. I guarantee that every other female cast member was like, hell no. - Kristen: And so Lala was like, I'll fucking do it. And so that's what I think to listeners, to you guys, like what we're trying to explain about reality TV. The job of it is being authentic and you can't have these conversations privately about Girl Joe or about this or that whatever. - Kristen: And then when the cameras are up, go, no, we're not doing that because essentially it means like, oh, the audience will rip us apart because we can't do that. You know what I'm saying? And so the job that Lala did is just saying the things that were already being said behind, like off camera. - Schwartz: Totally. - Kristen: So I do get her a lot of credit for that. - Schwartz: Me too. Lala brings it without a doubt. You know, she's a star on the show, but you know, it's like when you talk about it explicitly, I think, I don't know, in my mind, I worry that it jeopardizes the autisticity, but there's no doubt about it. Lala shows up. It does the work. - Schwartz: And it's like, the thing is a lot of those conversations are conversations you should have. They're like healthy, therapeutic conversations, ones that you would just rather put off. Let's talk about it a month, three months from now, maybe never, preferably sweep it under the rug, say la vie. - Schwartz: But like, you know, short term, it's like we live almost in a condensed time scale when we do reality TV. And it's as awful as some of those conversations are to have. It's like long term, they're usually therapeutic and probably healthy. - Schwartz: But like in Ariana's case this year at the reunion and everything, in like the grey walling and stuff, and just given that it was like this national global sensation, I think her not wanting to have that conversation with Tom at the end, I think it was earned. But you know, I also see other people's viewpoint, like, you know, we've all had to have such horribly uncomfortable conversations. But anyways, I think it seems polarized online. - Kristen: Of course it does - Schwartz: I think it was earned from Arianna, yeah.
What was it like watching the final act of the show together, live on stage, and then immediately having to talk about it? (Timestamp: 12:47) - Schwartz: I think I cried. It didn't feel like a finale finale to me, but it just it felt like a retrospective. And it got me, I don't know, got me feeling all kinds of nostalgia, you know, we've had like, we kind of even know some of us were in our 30s, we kind of grew up on television, you know, it's like, um, yeah, I don't know. - Schwartz: We really did. And like, we've forged really deep, meaningful friendships. Kristen, you're the second person I ever met in Los Angeles, you know, I love you. You're my family. - Kristen: Love you. - Schwartz: And yeah, it got me feeling a lot of feels.
What are going to do since you aren’t filming this summer? (Timestamp: 20:18) - Schwartz: I'm going to start sidequesting. You know what I mean? I don't know if you remember, Kristen, but before the pandemic, I was getting to the point where I was just confident enough to DJ in the bars. - Schwartz: I want to be able to DJ in my bars. I'm not trying to be like superstar DJ. I just want to be able to DJ in my bars. We're kind of relaunching our whiskey, which I'm super stoked about. We're going to be doing some bottle signings next week. We got distribution in California, which is cool. - Schwartz: I'm going to travel for the first time in my life. I'm planning on playing the World Series of Poker, Kristen, you know, I'm an avid poker player. - Schwartz: Also, this is another dream that I think is finally coming to fruition. I have property in Florida. I'm finally going to build a house for my family there and I have like this little pond. - Schwartz: I've been working out like every day eating healthier and I'm reading a little bit again. I stopped reading for like the past four years.
Jo (Timestamp: 30:25) - Kristen: And I don't want to give this too much attention because I feel like this clip as we're speaking is going to end up on an Instagram Live very shortly. But I just want to say that I, as of her last Instagram Live or whenever that was, you let me read your text to her in its entirety. - Kristen: And my frustration lies in that she was cherry picking bits and pieces and not reading the context behind these things, leaving out things that you said that were very kind, as well as leaving out things that you had to call her out on that frustrated you. And we're not going to say what those things are because that's between the two of you. And we're not going to pull out Jo by talking more about that. - Kristen: But I just want people to know that because everyone's like, well, what happened? What's the main thing? And why did it turn this way so quickly? - Kristen: So I think, is that fair to say that you explained yourself in a very lengthy way and said everything you had to say. And it was you that sent the text. - Schwartz: Yeah, it was firm, but constructive. And yeah, it felt like a major violation when she went and read that. And she cherry picked it to fit her narrative online. And like, I get it. She's going through some feelings, like she's hurt a little bit. You know, like, I know I'm very familiar with the feeling of being rejected. - Schwartz: But it's like, the reasons I pulled away from Jo are very valid and she has to respect those. Like she just, I mean, yeah, I'm not going to get into it because I don't want to do that to her. But like she's she's she's told some egregious lies that I found out and I've debunked and I've called it. - Schwartz: I've called her out on a few of them. But some of them are just so uncomfortable to bring up that I never addressed it. It just we were it just I knew at a certain point that I had to pull away from her. - Schwartz: And, you know, hopefully she can respect that I just it does feel like a violation when she goes on there. And it's like she's kind of spinning this narrative like she's a victim. I played her. - Schwartz: And it's like, poor Jo, I'm like, it's just I don't know, man. I get it that her feelings are hurt. But like if I was to talk about the reasons why I separated from her, which are very valid, I think everybody would be singing a different tune online and like, okay, my god, I'm sorry, I judged you Schwartz. - Kristen: And I will say some of those reasons are reasons why I would not redevelop my friendship with her. Like meaning I've been through some of the things, the lies that you've been through as well. So I just wanted to make that crystal clear for people that I think you handled it so incredibly well. - Kristen: You placed a very intelligent and healthy boundary for yourself, for your relationship, for your mental health, for your sanity, really, so you can have a really healthy, productive, awesome summer. You don't have to film. You don't need all this extra drama in your life. You're just trying to like move on to bigger, better, more positive ways of living, you know? - Schwartz: Yeah, I'm like I'm drama fatigued. And it's like, honestly, maybe it wouldn't have escalated to that. But like over the like while the show was airing, people were continually sending me clips and memes. - Schwartz: Oh my god, she was saying she's making me look bad. And people are rallying against you, you know, Team Jo. And I'm just like, I ignored it for so long. - Schwartz: And I think I just hit my breaking point that day. And there's some other things that happened with my family that I found out that I was very unhappy about. And anyways, anyways, so yeah, I just I cut her off. I blocked her. I don't harbor any resentment. I'm not like harboring ill. - Schwartz: I don't want, you know, I'm not sending bad vibes out there or whatever. - Kristen: Totally. It's just a boundary. - Schwartz: I wish her well, but yeah, she's not in my life in any capacity anymore and never will be. - Luke: Last question about on this topic. Have you seen Baby Reindeer? - Schwartz: No, I have not seen Baby Reindeer. - Luke: Are you familiar with what it is? - Schwartz Vaguely. - Kristen: You need to watch it though. - Luke: It's worth it. - Schwartz: I don't know. But anyways, I'll leave on a positive note, you know, anyways, yeah, no hard feelings no hard feelings at all.
Sandoval and Schwartz living situation (Timestamp: 45:30) - Schwartz: Well, listen, it's kind dynamic right now. I'm thinking about downsizing slightly, maybe a cool little lot. First of all, I've always wanted to live in a loft, a cool artist loft. - Schwartz: I found a really cool one in the valley. I was thinking about possibly downsizing while I build my house in Florida, just to cut costs a little bit. The optics of me moving in with Sandoval are not good for my personal growth and everything. - Schwartz: I also don't mind helping my friend out because I don't know exactly what's going to happen with the house, but I know his mortgage is going to be a lot more should he get to keep the house. I don't mind helping my buddy out either. It's like I'd rather give him some of my money, have a little backyard, a pool, and chill out there while I build my house in Florida, but it for sure wouldn't be anything long term. - Schwartz: As much as we love each other, and we've had very healthy conversations about this. We're like, dude, I don't really want to live with you. He's like, I don't want to live with you either, but I'm thinking it would be fun one last time before we get too old, we get hitched, have kids. Maybe it'd be fun to live together, but it's like, my god, the sentiment online is like, ew, don't do it, loser.
***end of recap
2024.05.17 02:37 walesenglandoz Flight Cancelled and not told about it
Hi,
_____________________________ Edit : Cheap Website is kiwi. Insurer is Freely.
Itiinerary was : Adelaide, Dubai, London, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangkok, Singapore, Denpasar, Adelaide (unexpected sto in Jakarta between Singapore and Denpasar). Singapore to Denpasar was Batik/Lion air and onwards from Denpasar was Virgin but ended up buying a Jetstar ticket)
___________________________
(Sorry if this is a bit long)
TLDR; Being fobbed off by airline, flight website and insurance company after flight was cancelled causing next leg to be missed while on backpacking trip.
A family member who is based in Australia went travelling to Europe and Asia for 6 months or so. They booked flights through a cheap website that strung together multiple individual flights for each leg of their journey and supplied one itinerary.
There were multiple stops in various places, especially on the 5 or 6 weeks it was planned for the return to Australia. In the lead up to the first flight and during the trip, they sent multiple updated itineraries as the scheduled flights changed and at one point needed input to select an alternate flight for one part of the return leg. This is important.
On the home straight, my family member arrived in Singapore to be told the flight he was booked on (to Denpasar) had been cancelled some time before. He had not been informed of this and the flight on his itinerary simply didn’t exist any longer. The ground crew at Singapore for the airline did their best and got him on a flight to Jakarta and then one to Denpasar. Unfortunately, the flight to Denpasar from Jakarta (he wasn’t originally scheduled to go to Jakarta at all) was delayed and he missed the next flight (with a different airline) on to Australia. The airline for the flight to Australia simply weren’t interested. He had missed his flight and it was nothing to do with them.
He was stranded in Denpasar. He tried to contact the cheap website via their app and it would not work. The chat function logged him in then recycled him out back to the start page. He could not phone anyone. After spending the night in the airport wondering what to do, he booked the next available flight home and paid on a credit card. The cost him over $400 for a one way ticket.
The issue we have is trying to get someone to take responsibility. The cheap website where he bought the original flights is saying the airline should have told him the flight was cancelled (although they had informed and managed multiple other changes during the whole trip). They say he should have contacted them via the app or phone which he was unable to do when stranded.
His insurance company has rejected the claim as it is ‘additional expenses’ and ‘reasons’. The quoted various policy entries and exclusions but the position I would take is that he has incurred additional expenses due to circumstances outside his control and this is exactly why you buy insurance.
The airline has stopped responding and won’t explain the cancellation or the delay from Jakarta to Denapasar after multiple emails an being pushed from one department to the next.
Does anyone have any advice on the way forward here? It’s a lot of effort for not much return but it just feels wrong that these companies screwed up and can just wash their hands of it. If the cheap website had told him of the flight cancellation and booked him on another flight beforehand, it would have all been fine. He wasn’t on a tight itinerary.
The responses we get from the insurance company, cheap flight website and the airline are all just fob offs and don’t take into account the points made or accept any responsibility. Its infuriating!
Any ideas?
submitted by walesenglandoz to travel [link] [comments]
_____________________________ Edit : Cheap Website is kiwi. Insurer is Freely.
Itiinerary was : Adelaide, Dubai, London, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangkok, Singapore, Denpasar, Adelaide (unexpected sto in Jakarta between Singapore and Denpasar). Singapore to Denpasar was Batik/Lion air and onwards from Denpasar was Virgin but ended up buying a Jetstar ticket)
___________________________
(Sorry if this is a bit long)
TLDR; Being fobbed off by airline, flight website and insurance company after flight was cancelled causing next leg to be missed while on backpacking trip.
A family member who is based in Australia went travelling to Europe and Asia for 6 months or so. They booked flights through a cheap website that strung together multiple individual flights for each leg of their journey and supplied one itinerary.
There were multiple stops in various places, especially on the 5 or 6 weeks it was planned for the return to Australia. In the lead up to the first flight and during the trip, they sent multiple updated itineraries as the scheduled flights changed and at one point needed input to select an alternate flight for one part of the return leg. This is important.
On the home straight, my family member arrived in Singapore to be told the flight he was booked on (to Denpasar) had been cancelled some time before. He had not been informed of this and the flight on his itinerary simply didn’t exist any longer. The ground crew at Singapore for the airline did their best and got him on a flight to Jakarta and then one to Denpasar. Unfortunately, the flight to Denpasar from Jakarta (he wasn’t originally scheduled to go to Jakarta at all) was delayed and he missed the next flight (with a different airline) on to Australia. The airline for the flight to Australia simply weren’t interested. He had missed his flight and it was nothing to do with them.
He was stranded in Denpasar. He tried to contact the cheap website via their app and it would not work. The chat function logged him in then recycled him out back to the start page. He could not phone anyone. After spending the night in the airport wondering what to do, he booked the next available flight home and paid on a credit card. The cost him over $400 for a one way ticket.
The issue we have is trying to get someone to take responsibility. The cheap website where he bought the original flights is saying the airline should have told him the flight was cancelled (although they had informed and managed multiple other changes during the whole trip). They say he should have contacted them via the app or phone which he was unable to do when stranded.
His insurance company has rejected the claim as it is ‘additional expenses’ and ‘reasons’. The quoted various policy entries and exclusions but the position I would take is that he has incurred additional expenses due to circumstances outside his control and this is exactly why you buy insurance.
The airline has stopped responding and won’t explain the cancellation or the delay from Jakarta to Denapasar after multiple emails an being pushed from one department to the next.
Does anyone have any advice on the way forward here? It’s a lot of effort for not much return but it just feels wrong that these companies screwed up and can just wash their hands of it. If the cheap website had told him of the flight cancellation and booked him on another flight beforehand, it would have all been fine. He wasn’t on a tight itinerary.
The responses we get from the insurance company, cheap flight website and the airline are all just fob offs and don’t take into account the points made or accept any responsibility. Its infuriating!
Any ideas?
2024.05.17 02:20 kinesthetical_ Conductor's "critiquing" is going too far and nothing can be done
My instrument is piano. I'm the primary (only) pianist in my university's large ensembles. It's my first year here.
Ever since I started, my conductor has been singling me out almost exclusively for smaller mistakes than any other musician in the orchestra makes. I'm usually the only member that gets called out by name, too. He calls out other members by section and chair number. It's basically every rehearsal. He usually just does things like calling me to meet him in his office in front of everyone or he makes me repeat sections over and over again, stalling rehearsal. Issues are typically really minute things like expression or blend. It doesn't matter if trumpet 1 missed a whole section, it's me that needs to be singled out.
At the end of last week I was given 8 movements of piano-heavy chamber music to have had ready by Tuesday (2 days ago). The book is about 30 pages, rounded down. It is meant for 2 pianos, but every other pianist refused the part, so I had to find a way to play both parts with 2 hands. I did my best and got it as presentable as possible in the amount of time I had. I have about 5 other projects I was working on so I did have to do a bit of prioritization. Tuesday rehearsal was fine but about 10-ish minutes was spent singling me out and making me rerun sections I didn't get perfect.
(The other musicians have 12 pages of music on average)
This last rehearsal, my conductors critiquing got so bad that I cried. I felt bad about not being strong enough to take it or good enough at my instrument to avoid it. It was bad enough that some seniograduate members came to me after rehearsal and told me they felt sorry for me. It was nice, they told me that they thought that what he was doing was wrong and that it was going too far. At least no one thinks I suck at my instrument. It's weird though because the fact that it was acknowledged makes it actually feel real. It's somehow worse for me because I can't just fix the problem by practicing more. I can't do anything about it at all. I can't stand up for myself at all. It's hard to explain. No one else in my orchestra can stand up for me either. I don't know what to do.
All I want to do is play my instrument, it is my favorite thing in the entire world. I love playing with other people. I am scared that if I tell my conductor I feel badly about the way I am being treated, I will no longer be prioritized and I will no longer be given new music.
submitted by kinesthetical_ to orchestra [link] [comments]
Ever since I started, my conductor has been singling me out almost exclusively for smaller mistakes than any other musician in the orchestra makes. I'm usually the only member that gets called out by name, too. He calls out other members by section and chair number. It's basically every rehearsal. He usually just does things like calling me to meet him in his office in front of everyone or he makes me repeat sections over and over again, stalling rehearsal. Issues are typically really minute things like expression or blend. It doesn't matter if trumpet 1 missed a whole section, it's me that needs to be singled out.
At the end of last week I was given 8 movements of piano-heavy chamber music to have had ready by Tuesday (2 days ago). The book is about 30 pages, rounded down. It is meant for 2 pianos, but every other pianist refused the part, so I had to find a way to play both parts with 2 hands. I did my best and got it as presentable as possible in the amount of time I had. I have about 5 other projects I was working on so I did have to do a bit of prioritization. Tuesday rehearsal was fine but about 10-ish minutes was spent singling me out and making me rerun sections I didn't get perfect.
(The other musicians have 12 pages of music on average)
This last rehearsal, my conductors critiquing got so bad that I cried. I felt bad about not being strong enough to take it or good enough at my instrument to avoid it. It was bad enough that some seniograduate members came to me after rehearsal and told me they felt sorry for me. It was nice, they told me that they thought that what he was doing was wrong and that it was going too far. At least no one thinks I suck at my instrument. It's weird though because the fact that it was acknowledged makes it actually feel real. It's somehow worse for me because I can't just fix the problem by practicing more. I can't do anything about it at all. I can't stand up for myself at all. It's hard to explain. No one else in my orchestra can stand up for me either. I don't know what to do.
All I want to do is play my instrument, it is my favorite thing in the entire world. I love playing with other people. I am scared that if I tell my conductor I feel badly about the way I am being treated, I will no longer be prioritized and I will no longer be given new music.
2024.05.17 02:11 JohannGoethe Have an objection to EAN theory? Then reply or comment in civil manner and you will get a coherent response. Otherwise you will get the ghost 👻 (no reply, temp ban, or perm-ban).
 | Abstract submitted by JohannGoethe to Alphanumerics [link] [comments] (add) Overview A perm-banned user who messaged (16 May A69) mod-mail: Since you quoted Wallis Budge for support of Horus being the first god, why don't you tell me what page I can find it on? Are you afraid of me looking at the context?My reaction: 👻 (no reply). Other Original perm-ban message to this user: https://preview.redd.it/8yfpjdu2mv0d1.jpg?width=890&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6829d90640d17db19d196c5a5282c8c0bb11c535 Notes
|
2024.05.17 01:42 softtechhubus Discover the Secret to Building Profitable Affiliate Stores in Minutes with Automation
 | https://preview.redd.it/ijya3oy7kv0d1.png?width=1663&format=png&auto=webp&s=a8d4135f9f1c44300212d6ca1f6cc11c2a711c4b submitted by softtechhubus to u/softtechhubus [link] [comments] IntroductionIn the world of affiliate marketing, the ability to create profitable online stores can be a game-changer. However, the process of building these stores from scratch is often riddled with challenges, from time-consuming content creation to complex technical barriers. That's where the power of automation comes into play, revolutionizing the way affiliate marketers approach their businesses.Imagine being able to establish a fully functional, content-rich affiliate store in mere minutes, without the need for extensive technical knowledge or hours of tedious work. This is the promise of automation, a solution that streamlines the entire process, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – driving traffic and maximizing your earnings. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the struggles of traditional affiliate store creation, the benefits of automation, and introduce you to a groundbreaking tool that promises to change the game forever. Get ready to unlock the secret to building profitable affiliate stores with unparalleled efficiency and ease. The Struggles of Traditional Affiliate Store CreationContent Creation: Time-consuming and Requires ExpertiseCreating high-quality, engaging content for your affiliate store is a time-consuming and often daunting task. From researching and writing product descriptions to crafting compelling sales copy, this process demands a significant investment of time and expertise. Without a solid content strategy in place, your store may struggle to attract and retain visitors, ultimately impacting your potential for success.Technical Barriers: Need for Coding or Technical SkillsSetting up an online store can be a technical minefield for those without coding or web development experience. From configuring hosting and domain settings to integrating payment gateways and optimizing for search engines, the technical aspects of store creation can quickly become overwhelming. This barrier to entry often discourages newcomers and limits the potential for growth.Product Selection: Difficulty in Choosing the Right ProductsChoosing the right products to feature in your affiliate store is crucial for maximizing your earning potential. However, navigating the vast landscape of available products and determining which ones resonate with your target audience can be a daunting task. Without a strategic approach, you risk promoting products that fail to generate substantial sales and commissions.Traffic Generation: Challenges in Driving Visitors to the StoreEven with a well-designed affiliate store, attracting a steady flow of targeted traffic is a significant challenge. From search engine optimization (SEO) to paid advertising and social media marketing, implementing effective traffic generation strategies requires a deep understanding of various marketing channels and techniques. Without a consistent stream of visitors, your store's potential for success remains limited.Affiliate Link Management: Complicated and Prone to ErrorsManaging affiliate links can be a tedious and error-prone process, especially as your store grows and the number of products increases. Ensuring that each product is accurately linked to the correct affiliate program and tracking the performance of these links can quickly become overwhelming. A single mistake in link management can lead to lost commissions and hinder your overall profitability.The Power of Automation in Affiliate MarketingIn the face of these challenges, automation emerges as a powerful solution, offering a range of benefits that can revolutionize the way you approach affiliate marketing and build profitable online stores.Efficiency: Save Time and ResourcesBy automating repetitive tasks and streamlining processes, you can significantly reduce the time and resources required to create and maintain your affiliate store. From content generation to product integration and link management, automation takes care of the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus your efforts on more strategic aspects of your business.Consistency: Automated Processes Ensure Uniformity and ReliabilityAutomation ensures consistency across your store, eliminating the risk of human error and inconsistencies that can arise from manual processes. With automated systems in place, you can rest assured that your store's content, product descriptions, and affiliate links are consistently accurate and up-to-date, providing a seamless experience for your visitors.Scalability: Easily Manage Multiple Stores and ProductsAs your affiliate marketing business grows, the ability to manage multiple stores and products becomes increasingly challenging. Automation empowers you to scale your operations effortlessly, enabling you to add new products, create additional stores, and expand your reach without being bogged down by time-consuming manual tasks.Introducing ShopBuildr AIIn the evolutionary terrain of affiliate marketing, a revolutionary tool has emerged, promising to transform the way you approach store creation and management. Introducing ShopBuildr AI, a game-changing solution that harnesses the power of automation to build profitable affiliate stores in minutes, without the need for extensive technical knowledge or tedious manual processes.Overview: What is ShopBuildr AI?ShopBuildr AI is a cutting-edge software that combines advanced automation capabilities with seamless integration, enabling you to create fully functional, content-rich affiliate stores in a matter of minutes. This powerful tool eliminates the traditional barriers to entry, empowering both novice and experienced affiliate marketers to unlock new levels of success and profitability.Key Features:Automated Store CreationWith ShopBuildr AI, the process of building an affiliate store is reduced to a few simple clicks. Say goodbye to the time-consuming tasks of manually setting up pages, configuring layouts, and integrating various components. ShopBuildr AI takes care of it all, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – promoting your products and driving sales.No Need for Amazon APIUnlike many other affiliate store builders, ShopBuildr AI does not rely on the Amazon API, eliminating the potential for API restrictions or limitations. This innovative approach ensures that your store remains fully functional and accessible, regardless of any changes or updates to Amazon's policies.Integrated with ChatGPT for Content GenerationOne of the standout features of ShopBuildr AI is its seamless integration with ChatGPT, the cutting-edge language model developed by OpenAI. With this integration, you can generate high-quality, engaging content for your store with just a few prompts. Say goodbye to the struggles of writing product descriptions, sales copy, and blog posts from scratch.Over 100 Done-For-You ProductsTo kickstart your affiliate marketing journey, ShopBuildr AI comes preloaded with over 100 high-converting products across various niches. This diverse selection allows you to hit the ground running, saving you valuable time and effort in researching and curating products for your store.Automatic Insertion of Product Images, Descriptions, and Affiliate LinksOnce you've selected the products you wish to feature, ShopBuildr AI takes care of the rest. It automatically inserts high-quality product images, compelling descriptions, and correctly formatted affiliate links, ensuring a professional and cohesive presentation throughout your store.Custom Ad Code and Opt-in Box IntegrationTo maximize your earning potential, ShopBuildr AI allows you to seamlessly integrate custom ad codes and opt-in boxes directly into your store. This feature enables you to monetize your traffic through various channels, such as display advertising or email list building, further enhancing your overall profitability.Step-by-Step Guide to Using ShopBuildr AIBuilding a profitable affiliate store with ShopBuildr AI is a straightforward process that anyone can follow, regardless of their technical expertise. Here's a step-by-step guide to getting started:Step 1: Install the SoftwareThe first step is to install the ShopBuildr AI software on your WordPress site. This process is designed to be user-friendly, with clear instructions and a simple installation wizard. Whether you're a WordPress pro or a complete beginner, you'll find the installation process to be a breeze.Step 2: Upload Your ProductsOnce the software is installed, it's time to choose the products you want to feature in your store. ShopBuildr AI comes preloaded with over 100 high-converting products, so you can get started right away. However, if you prefer to add your own products, the software makes it easy to upload and integrate them into your store.Step 3: Let ShopBuildr AI Take OverWith your products loaded, the real magic begins. Simply click the "Build Store" button, and ShopBuildr AI will take care of the rest. It will automatically create your store pages, insert product images and descriptions, add affiliate links, and integrate any custom ad codes or opt-in boxes you've specified.In a matter of minutes, you'll have a fully functional, content-rich affiliate store, ready to attract visitors and start generating commissions. Benefits of ShopBuildr AIWhile the features and ease of use of ShopBuildr AI are impressive, the real power of this tool lies in the benefits it offers to affiliate marketers of all levels, from complete beginners to seasoned professionals.Newbie Friendly: No Prior Experience NeededOne of the biggest advantages of ShopBuildr AI is its accessibility to newcomers in the world of affiliate marketing. With its automated processes and user-friendly interface, you don't need any prior experience or technical expertise to build a professional-looking affiliate store. This level playing field opens up new opportunities for anyone looking to tap into the lucrative world of affiliate marketing.Fast Setup: Create a Store in MinutesTime is money, and ShopBuildr AI understands this concept well. By automating the entire store creation process, you can have a fully functional affiliate store up and running in a matter of minutes. This unparalleled speed and efficiency allow you to focus your efforts on other critical aspects of your business, such as driving traffic and optimizing your marketing strategies.Increased Commissions: Promote Unlimited Products for Higher EarningsWith ShopBuildr AI, you're no longer limited by the number of products you can effectively promote. The software's ability to seamlessly integrate and manage an unlimited number of products means you can diversify your offerings and maximize your earning potential. By featuring a wide range of high-converting products, you increase your chances of attracting a broader audience and generating substantial commissions.Support and Updates: Continuous Improvements and Customer SupportThe team behind ShopBuildr AI is committed to providing ongoing support and regular updates to ensure that the software remains at the forefront of affiliate marketing innovation. With dedicated customer support and a roadmap of exciting new features and enhancements, you can rest assured that your investment in ShopBuildr AI will continue to pay dividends for years to come.Real-World ResultsWhile the features and benefits of ShopBuildr AI are compelling, nothing speaks louder than real-world results. Let's take a look at some case studies and testimonials from affiliate marketers who have experienced the power of this revolutionary tool firsthand.Case Studies: Examples of Successful Affiliate Stores Created with ShopBuildr AIStephanie's Wellness StoreStephanie, a busy mom and health enthusiast, had always dreamed of starting her own online store promoting natural wellness products. However, the thought of creating content, setting up a website, and managing affiliate links seemed daunting. That's when she discovered ShopBuildr AI.Within a few hours, Stephanie had a fully functional affiliate store featuring a wide range of high-quality wellness products. The automated content generation and seamless integration of affiliate links saved her countless hours of work. Today, Stephanie's store is thriving, and she's able to balance her passion for healthy living with her family responsibilities. Mike's Tech Gadget EmporiumMike, a tech-savvy entrepreneur, had been struggling to keep up with the ever-changing world of consumer electronics. His affiliate store was outdated, and the process of manually updating product information and affiliate links was becoming increasingly time-consuming.After implementing ShopBuildr AI, Mike's store underwent a complete transformation. The software's automated product updates and affiliate link management ensured that his store was always up-to-date with the latest offerings. Mike's commissions skyrocketed, and he was able to focus his energy on expanding his marketing efforts and driving even more traffic to his store. Testimonials: User Experiences and Feedback"ShopBuildr AI has been a game-changer for my affiliate marketing business. I went from struggling to keep up with content creation and product updates to having a fully automated, high-converting store in no time. The software is incredibly user-friendly, and the support team is always there to help. Highly recommended!" - Jessica K., Affiliate Marketer"As a complete beginner in affiliate marketing, I was intimidated by the thought of building an online store from scratch. ShopBuildr AI made the process so simple and straightforward. Within a few clicks, I had a professional-looking store filled with engaging content and high-quality products. I can't thank the team enough for making this possible." - David L., Newbie Affiliate Marketer "I've tried various affiliate store builders in the past, but none of them came close to the level of automation and efficiency offered by ShopBuildr AI. The seamless integration with ChatGPT for content generation is a real game-changer, and the ability to manage unlimited products has opened up new possibilities for my business." - Emily R., Experienced Affiliate Marketer ConclusionIn the evolving world of affiliate marketing, the key to success lies in embracing innovation and leveraging the power of automation. By harnessing the capabilities of ShopBuildr AI, you can revolutionize the way you approach store creation and management, unlocking new levels of efficiency, scalability, and profitability.No longer will you be bogged down by time-consuming content creation, technical barriers, or the challenges of product selection and affiliate link management. With ShopBuildr AI, you can build a fully functional, content-rich affiliate store in minutes, without the need for extensive technical expertise or tedious manual processes. Whether you're a newcomer to the world of affiliate marketing or a seasoned professional, ShopBuildr AI offers a solution that empowers you to achieve your goals with ease. Imagine the possibilities when you have a powerful, automated tool at your fingertips, capable of handling the heavy lifting while you focus on driving traffic, optimizing your marketing strategies, and maximizing your earning potential. Don't let the traditional struggles of affiliate store creation hold you back any longer. Embrace the future of automation and unlock the secret to building profitable affiliate stores effortlessly. With ShopBuildr AI, the path to success has never been more accessible. RecommendationIf you're serious about taking your affiliate marketing business to new heights, we highly recommend investing in ShopBuildr AI – the ultimate affiliate store builder. This cutting-edge software is currently available at an exclusive launch pricing, making it an absolute must-have for anyone looking to streamline their operations and maximize their earning potential.But that's not all. ShopBuildr AI also comes with a robust 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring that you can try the software risk-free and experience its transformative power firsthand. Don't miss this opportunity to revolutionize your affiliate marketing journey and start building profitable affiliate stores with unparalleled ease and efficiency. Take action today and secure your copy of ShopBuildr AI. Your journey towards scalable success in the world of affiliate marketing starts now. Discover the Secret to Building Profitable Affiliate Stores in Minutes with Automation IntroductionIn the world of affiliate marketing, the ability to create profitable online stores can be a game-changer. However, the process of building these stores from scratch is often riddled with challenges, from time-consuming content creation to complex technical barriers. That's where the power of automation comes into play, revolutionizing the way affiliate marketers approach their businesses.Imagine being able to establish a fully functional, content-rich affiliate store in mere minutes, without the need for extensive technical knowledge or hours of tedious work. This is the promise of automation, a solution that streamlines the entire process, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – driving traffic and maximizing your earnings. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the struggles of traditional affiliate store creation, the benefits of automation, and introduce you to a groundbreaking tool that promises to change the game forever. Get ready to unlock the secret to building profitable affiliate stores with unparalleled efficiency and ease. The Struggles of Traditional Affiliate Store CreationContent Creation: Time-consuming and Requires ExpertiseCreating high-quality, engaging content for your affiliate store is a time-consuming and often daunting task. From researching and writing product descriptions to crafting compelling sales copy, this process demands a significant investment of time and expertise. Without a solid content strategy in place, your store may struggle to attract and retain visitors, ultimately impacting your potential for success.Technical Barriers: Need for Coding or Technical SkillsSetting up an online store can be a technical minefield for those without coding or web development experience. From configuring hosting and domain settings to integrating payment gateways and optimizing for search engines, the technical aspects of store creation can quickly become overwhelming. This barrier to entry often discourages newcomers and limits the potential for growth.Product Selection: Difficulty in Choosing the Right ProductsChoosing the right products to feature in your affiliate store is crucial for maximizing your earning potential. However, navigating the vast landscape of available products and determining which ones resonate with your target audience can be a daunting task. Without a strategic approach, you risk promoting products that fail to generate substantial sales and commissions.Traffic Generation: Challenges in Driving Visitors to the StoreEven with a well-designed affiliate store, attracting a steady flow of targeted traffic is a significant challenge. From search engine optimization (SEO) to paid advertising and social media marketing, implementing effective traffic generation strategies requires a deep understanding of various marketing channels and techniques. Without a consistent stream of visitors, your store's potential for success remains limited.Affiliate Link Management: Complicated and Prone to ErrorsManaging affiliate links can be a tedious and error-prone process, especially as your store grows and the number of products increases. Ensuring that each product is accurately linked to the correct affiliate program and tracking the performance of these links can quickly become overwhelming. A single mistake in link management can lead to lost commissions and hinder your overall profitability.The Power of Automation in Affiliate MarketingIn the face of these challenges, automation emerges as a powerful solution, offering a range of benefits that can revolutionize the way you approach affiliate marketing and build profitable online stores.Efficiency: Save Time and ResourcesBy automating repetitive tasks and streamlining processes, you can significantly reduce the time and resources required to create and maintain your affiliate store. From content generation to product integration and link management, automation takes care of the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus your efforts on more strategic aspects of your business.Consistency: Automated Processes Ensure Uniformity and ReliabilityAutomation ensures consistency across your store, eliminating the risk of human error and inconsistencies that can arise from manual processes. With automated systems in place, you can rest assured that your store's content, product descriptions, and affiliate links are consistently accurate and up-to-date, providing a seamless experience for your visitors.Scalability: Easily Manage Multiple Stores and ProductsAs your affiliate marketing business grows, the ability to manage multiple stores and products becomes increasingly challenging. Automation empowers you to scale your operations effortlessly, enabling you to add new products, create additional stores, and expand your reach without being bogged down by time-consuming manual tasks.Introducing ShopBuildr AIIn the evolutionary terrain of affiliate marketing, a revolutionary tool has emerged, promising to transform the way you approach store creation and management. Introducing ShopBuildr AI, a game-changing solution that harnesses the power of automation to build profitable affiliate stores in minutes, without the need for extensive technical knowledge or tedious manual processes.Overview: What is ShopBuildr AI?ShopBuildr AI is a cutting-edge software that combines advanced automation capabilities with seamless integration, enabling you to create fully functional, content-rich affiliate stores in a matter of minutes. This powerful tool eliminates the traditional barriers to entry, empowering both novice and experienced affiliate marketers to unlock new levels of success and profitability.Key Features:Automated Store CreationWith ShopBuildr AI, the process of building an affiliate store is reduced to a few simple clicks. Say goodbye to the time-consuming tasks of manually setting up pages, configuring layouts, and integrating various components. ShopBuildr AI takes care of it all, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – promoting your products and driving sales.No Need for Amazon APIUnlike many other affiliate store builders, ShopBuildr AI does not rely on the Amazon API, eliminating the potential for API restrictions or limitations. This innovative approach ensures that your store remains fully functional and accessible, regardless of any changes or updates to Amazon's policies.Integrated with ChatGPT for Content GenerationOne of the standout features of ShopBuildr AI is its seamless integration with ChatGPT, the cutting-edge language model developed by OpenAI. With this integration, you can generate high-quality, engaging content for your store with just a few prompts. Say goodbye to the struggles of writing product descriptions, sales copy, and blog posts from scratch.Over 100 Done-For-You ProductsTo kickstart your affiliate marketing journey, ShopBuildr AI comes preloaded with over 100 high-converting products across various niches. This diverse selection allows you to hit the ground running, saving you valuable time and effort in researching and curating products for your store.Automatic Insertion of Product Images, Descriptions, and Affiliate LinksOnce you've selected the products you wish to feature, ShopBuildr AI takes care of the rest. It automatically inserts high-quality product images, compelling descriptions, and correctly formatted affiliate links, ensuring a professional and cohesive presentation throughout your store.Custom Ad Code and Opt-in Box IntegrationTo maximize your earning potential, ShopBuildr AI allows you to seamlessly integrate custom ad codes and opt-in boxes directly into your store. This feature enables you to monetize your traffic through various channels, such as display advertising or email list building, further enhancing your overall profitability.Step-by-Step Guide to Using ShopBuildr AIBuilding a profitable affiliate store with ShopBuildr AI is a straightforward process that anyone can follow, regardless of their technical expertise. Here's a step-by-step guide to getting started:Step 1: Install the SoftwareThe first step is to install the ShopBuildr AI software on your WordPress site. This process is designed to be user-friendly, with clear instructions and a simple installation wizard. Whether you're a WordPress pro or a complete beginner, you'll find the installation process to be a breeze.Step 2: Upload Your ProductsOnce the software is installed, it's time to choose the products you want to feature in your store. ShopBuildr AI comes preloaded with over 100 high-converting products, so you can get started right away. However, if you prefer to add your own products, the software makes it easy to upload and integrate them into your store.Step 3: Let ShopBuildr AI Take OverWith your products loaded, the real magic begins. Simply click the "Build Store" button, and ShopBuildr AI will take care of the rest. It will automatically create your store pages, insert product images and descriptions, add affiliate links, and integrate any custom ad codes or opt-in boxes you've specified.In a matter of minutes, you'll have a fully functional, content-rich affiliate store, ready to attract visitors and start generating commissions. Benefits of ShopBuildr AIWhile the features and ease of use of ShopBuildr AI are impressive, the real power of this tool lies in the benefits it offers to affiliate marketers of all levels, from complete beginners to seasoned professionals.Newbie Friendly: No Prior Experience NeededOne of the biggest advantages of ShopBuildr AI is its accessibility to newcomers in the world of affiliate marketing. With its automated processes and user-friendly interface, you don't need any prior experience or technical expertise to build a professional-looking affiliate store. This level playing field opens up new opportunities for anyone looking to tap into the lucrative world of affiliate marketing.Fast Setup: Create a Store in MinutesTime is money, and ShopBuildr AI understands this concept well. By automating the entire store creation process, you can have a fully functional affiliate store up and running in a matter of minutes. This unparalleled speed and efficiency allow you to focus your efforts on other critical aspects of your business, such as driving traffic and optimizing your marketing strategies.Increased Commissions: Promote Unlimited Products for Higher EarningsWith ShopBuildr AI, you're no longer limited by the number of products you can effectively promote. The software's ability to seamlessly integrate and manage an unlimited number of products means you can diversify your offerings and maximize your earning potential. By featuring a wide range of high-converting products, you increase your chances of attracting a broader audience and generating substantial commissions.Support and Updates: Continuous Improvements and Customer SupportThe team behind ShopBuildr AI is committed to providing ongoing support and regular updates to ensure that the software remains at the forefront of affiliate marketing innovation. With dedicated customer support and a roadmap of exciting new features and enhancements, you can rest assured that your investment in ShopBuildr AI will continue to pay dividends for years to come.Real-World ResultsWhile the features and benefits of ShopBuildr AI are compelling, nothing speaks louder than real-world results. Let's take a look at some case studies and testimonials from affiliate marketers who have experienced the power of this revolutionary tool firsthand.Case Studies: Examples of Successful Affiliate Stores Created with ShopBuildr AIStephanie's Wellness StoreStephanie, a busy mom and health enthusiast, had always dreamed of starting her own online store promoting natural wellness products. However, the thought of creating content, setting up a website, and managing affiliate links seemed daunting. That's when she discovered ShopBuildr AI.Within a few hours, Stephanie had a fully functional affiliate store featuring a wide range of high-quality wellness products. The automated content generation and seamless integration of affiliate links saved her countless hours of work. Today, Stephanie's store is thriving, and she's able to balance her passion for healthy living with her family responsibilities. Mike's Tech Gadget EmporiumMike, a tech-savvy entrepreneur, had been struggling to keep up with the ever-changing world of consumer electronics. His affiliate store was outdated, and the process of manually updating product information and affiliate links was becoming increasingly time-consuming.After implementing ShopBuildr AI, Mike's store underwent a complete transformation. The software's automated product updates and affiliate link management ensured that his store was always up-to-date with the latest offerings. Mike's commissions skyrocketed, and he was able to focus his energy on expanding his marketing efforts and driving even more traffic to his store. Testimonials: User Experiences and Feedback"ShopBuildr AI has been a game-changer for my affiliate marketing business. I went from struggling to keep up with content creation and product updates to having a fully automated, high-converting store in no time. The software is incredibly user-friendly, and the support team is always there to help. Highly recommended!" - Jessica K., Affiliate Marketer"As a complete beginner in affiliate marketing, I was intimidated by the thought of building an online store from scratch. ShopBuildr AI made the process so simple and straightforward. Within a few clicks, I had a professional-looking store filled with engaging content and high-quality products. I can't thank the team enough for making this possible." - David L., Newbie Affiliate Marketer "I've tried various affiliate store builders in the past, but none of them came close to the level of automation and efficiency offered by ShopBuildr AI. The seamless integration with ChatGPT for content generation is a real game-changer, and the ability to manage unlimited products has opened up new possibilities for my business." - Emily R., Experienced Affiliate Marketer ConclusionIn the evolving world of affiliate marketing, the key to success lies in embracing innovation and leveraging the power of automation. By harnessing the capabilities of ShopBuildr AI, you can revolutionize the way you approach store creation and management, unlocking new levels of efficiency, scalability, and profitability.No longer will you be bogged down by time-consuming content creation, technical barriers, or the challenges of product selection and affiliate link management. With ShopBuildr AI, you can build a fully functional, content-rich affiliate store in minutes, without the need for extensive technical expertise or tedious manual processes. Whether you're a newcomer to the world of affiliate marketing or a seasoned professional, ShopBuildr AI offers a solution that empowers you to achieve your goals with ease. Imagine the possibilities when you have a powerful, automated tool at your fingertips, capable of handling the heavy lifting while you focus on driving traffic, optimizing your marketing strategies, and maximizing your earning potential. Don't let the traditional struggles of affiliate store creation hold you back any longer. Embrace the future of automation and unlock the secret to building profitable affiliate stores effortlessly. With ShopBuildr AI, the path to success has never been more accessible. RecommendationIf you're serious about taking your affiliate marketing business to new heights, we highly recommend investing in ShopBuildr AI – the ultimate affiliate store builder. This cutting-edge software is currently available at an exclusive launch pricing, making it an absolute must-have for anyone looking to streamline their operations and maximize their earning potential.But that's not all. ShopBuildr AI also comes with a robust 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring that you can try the software risk-free and experience its transformative power firsthand. Don't miss this opportunity to revolutionize your affiliate marketing journey and start building profitable affiliate stores with unparalleled ease and efficiency. Take action today and secure your copy of ShopBuildr AI. Your journey towards scalable success in the world of affiliate marketing starts now. |