Latest Posts by jocastasilver - Page 3

These screenshots are hilarious.

Knights of the Old Republic + The Onion headlines, part 2

And Nonbinary people, genderqueer people and genderfluid people can also be bisexual.

you know bi girls aren’t diet wlw right? being attracted to men doesn’t decrease their attraction to women and they can love women just as strongly and the same goes for bi men not being mlm lite

It is restored content. 

Just another day on the Ebon Hawk. 

Beautiful Atton Rand fanart. 

The Fool

So true. 

Come on there are no fanfiction from the Age of X serie ? Nothing ? But what about the perfect chemistry between Justin and Mae ? 

Yikes! I knew Augustus made Cleopatra out to be an evil homewrecker, but this just takes the cake for ridiculous rumors. 

I've read in several scholarly articles that ancient Egyptians perfected the art of flipping crocodiles on their backs and having sex with them to ensure good fortunate and prosperity in their lives. Is this... is this true? Did ancient Egyptians actually fuck Nile Crocodiles? Further, did Cleopatra actually use bees for sexual pleasure? I understand bestiality was still punishable by death in Egypt for most of its history but - are these things really true?

No. No they’re not.

Freedom of Religion Means ALL Religions Not Just Christian Sects!

I respect Christian Dominionists’ right......to shut the fuck up about how we fallen away from being a “Christian nation”. The only reason we have “Under God” in our pledge was to show we were different from those “Godless communists”. Y’all need to re-read the First Amendment, which says that Congress shall not favor a particular religion over another. 

DNI: Christian apologists. 

My patron goddess!

Just some

✨🔥 Vesta vibes🔥✨

“Cough” shitty Catholic apologists “cough”.

felt inspired to make this after reading some of the comments on my post about liking history

I’m a bit disappointed I missed this festival. 

Antinous Festival of the Nile Inundation remix image by honorthegods.

Today, July 25, the modern cult of Antinous celebrates the festival of the Inundation of the Nile. The annual flooding of the Nile had failed in the two years preceding the death of Antinous. Famine was a threat to northern Europe, Africa, and the Near East, regions which relied on imports of grain from Egypt. The year following Antinous’ death, the inundation of the Nile was restored and even exceeded prior levels, an occurrence believed by some at the time to have been a miracle brought about by the recently deified Antinous.

Hail to you, O Nile! Hail, holy waters of life!  Mysterious is your issuing forth from the darkness, on this day whereon it is celebrated!

Hail to you, O Hapi! You bring water to the fields which Ra created! By your command, the land is fertile! Food is abundant, and the people are strong!

Hail, Antinous, deified by the Nile!  You hear the prayers of all those who call out to you, and relieve the afflictions of those in need!

_____________________________________________________________

Remix elements: 

Statue of Osiris-Antinous 2nd century CE: adapted from Allan Gluck via Wikimedia Commons (X). Image license:  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Sunset on the Nile: https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-xtksu

A romantic Sydrian fanart. 

Sydney and Adrian from Vampire Academy/Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

“Moroi shied from the sunlight but as I watched Sydney, I knew without a doubt that humans had been made for the sun.”

-Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4)

Instagram | Redbubble

Because Sydney is a badass secret agent. 

Marcus: So you're telling me that you broke into Alchemist headquarters to steal information, and you didn't get caught?

Sydney:

I agree strongly with all of this OP. 

Community?

Several pagan/polytheist blogs have recently considered why our various online communities too often fall apart, and have been discussing ideas to help them stay together. 

It seems to me that burnout and conflict are the two main factors impacting community cohesion, so I’ll address each of those in turn.

Burnout

Our tumblr communities are voluntary associations without formal leadership and often without stated goals. I often see around 1-3 individuals actively welcoming newcomers, answering questions, and creating in-depth content. They eventually experience burnout and become less active, move to another blogging platform, or simply vanish. Some of that might due to changing circumstances (school, job, health, family, etc.) or having a change of interest, but comments indicate there’s definitely a feeling of being under-valued. Interestingly, some of the steps that could be taken to help community helpers feel appreciated may also help build community cohesion.taking responsibility,

Recognition. When we interact, we don’t always treat the other person as a real human member of our community with a life beyond the tumblr dash. We often expect entertainment, information, and quick answers. Reblogs and likes are the minimum one should do to acknowledge the content one values.Taking a moment to say “hello”, to introduce oneself, to ask how their day or a project is going lets the other person know they’re being seen, not just being regarded as a sort of Alexa. When we reblog or reply to someone, we can thank them for having made a really good comment or post, appreciate their art, or mention the wonderful items in their online shop. In short, we can treat each other with the kindness and courtesy we treat rl friends and associates, not just as faceless entities behind the screen.

Focus. We can take the time to read and digest posts and comments, and refrain from responding heedlessly. Someone recently took me to task about a small detail in a post about an Athenian festival. I pointed out that they were saying exactly what I had said in the post. They cut off the discussion without an apology.

Apologize. It takes courage to admit mistakes. Shame often leads people to deleting posts and trying to forget about the whole thing. Making a good apology - taking responsibility, acknowledging the offense, expressing remorse, and making amends - shows depth of character. Apologies can save relationships, and a community is, after all, a web of relationships.

Service. Everyone in a community has something to offer, and anyone can help answer questions! Just about everyone in the Hellenic community can direct newbies to theoi.com, share their favorite shop(s), art, poems, etc., and post about their gods. In fact, our community depends on as many of us doing these things as possible!

Support. We know who the content creators are - we see their names regularly. People don’t always have the energy to admit they’re feeling overwhelmed. When we don’t see them as often, it’s time to send a message: “How’s it going?” “Anything I can do?” “I admire your dedication.”  We can’t reach them by baking cookies or brewing tea, but we can post things they might like, answer some of those posts asking for help, offer a prayer for them. There’s an idea: how about praying for our community?

 Conflict I should be an expert in conflict by now..but I keep falling into it. Let me count…I’ve alienated at least 4 people on tumblr whom I previously regarded as friends, and there’s probably many more. Maybe you’ll be able to learn something positive from my lapses in judgement. Try to view disagreements as kindly as possible. 

Sometimes there is wisdom in scrolling past. Not everything is a problem, and not every problem, dear reader, is your problem. Our pagan religious communities intersect with the interests of people following tags for ancient history, mythology, witchcraft, feminism, and fandoms, just to name a few. A little self-control can go a long way to averting conflict.

Try to assume the best. This relates to the previous point, but I’m thinking more about my specific communities. Sometimes tumblr eats part of a post, sometimes a key word or sentence is accidentally omitted. No one has encyclopedic knowledge of a subject, and even those with Ph.Ds can miss something (which is why peer review exists). Gentle inquiry and correction is one of those things that can help preserve relationships and community.

Think of the impact on your community.  Again, relates to the previous point. Is it ever worth embarrassing a member of one’s community? When online forums first started, people were encouraged to observe a “5-minute rule”, an “hour rule”, or a “24-hour rule” to think over a reply before sending. There are times when a diplomatically-worded private message might save feelings all around. There are times when one realizes no input is really necessary. 

But, face it, there are times when something (such as white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia) needs to be confronted, must be dealt with immediately, and sometimes it falls squarely on your shoulders to do it. When that happens, say a prayer for guidance, and speak for justice. When you see someone standing up against hate, please message them your support and volunteer to step in - if you have the spoons and if they need a break. It will be greatly appreciated.

Offer - or seek - mediation. Someone from the community once selflessly stepped in to mediate a conflict in which I was embroiled. It didn’t save the relationship, but the community was spared from seeing the train wreck. Those with conflict resolution training and have the energy to offer help are doing the gods work in volunteering to help the parties involved. In fact, it would be of benefit to our communities if more of us would take a little time once or twice a year to read up on, or refresh ourselves in, techniques for settling disputes.

Though we all value the concepts of kharis/hospitium/ma’at which are intrinsic to our religious practices, I think we also get so caught up in the fun of scrolling that we often forget that virtue and justice are just as important for online interactions as in our other relationships. Because we follow bloggers whom we too often know only by name, it’s easy to become a consumer of other people’s time and effort. Because we can’t hear tones of voice or see expressions, it’s easy to overlook signs of burnout and to misread the intentions of the person behind the keyboard. 

But maybe, if we try to maintain awareness of the communities we say are important, and respect the people behind the usernames, we might be able to maintain the vitality of our communities, support those who create content, and remain inviting to newcomers for many years to come.

These are my thoughts. Please share yours!

Back When I Worked as a Waitress

Manager: You can't wear that.

Me: My pentacle...?

Manager: Your necklace, yes.

Me: It's a religious thing. Plus, I wear it under my shirt most of the time. It just falls out every now and again.

Manager:You still can't wear it.

Me: What about Suzy McChristianson over there with her cross necklace?

Manager: That's different.

Me: It literally isn't though.

I’ve been here before, and it was amazing. There’s also the remains of an Ancient Roman bath house and the foundation of the barracks that would have housed the soldiers.  

Caerleon Roman Amphitheatre Photo Set 2, Caerleon Roman Fort, South Wales, 22.9.18.

LOL. 

marcus aurelius really out here saying “sex is cool and all but have you tried philosophy”

Bloodlines Characters in Quarantine

-Sydney: Follows all the quarantine safety protocols and only goes out when absolutely necessary. She has a list of educational tv shows, and apps for Declan. 

-Adrian: Is definitely sliding back into his drinking heavily habit, but is refraining from utilizing spirit for Sydney’s sake.

-Jill: Worries about her human friends, bingewatches her favorite tv shows, and occasionally provides her sister Lissa with some insightful ideas. Misses Eddie a lot, and Zoom calls him once a week. 

-Eddie: Is paranoid about accidently bringing home the virus, and has enough hand sanitizer for the whole neighborhood. Teaching Declan is the highlight of his day. 

-Angeline: Is going stir crazy about being locked up, but isn’t willing to put her friends in danger. 

-Trey: Spars with Angeline to cheer her up, and figures this mess will blow over someday. 

-Sonya: Is assisting humans in uncovering a cure for the virus, but has to be reminded to rest occasionally. 

Vampire Academy Characters In Quarantine

-Lissa: Reads all the latest research papers and makes a lovely speech recommending all Moroi practice social distancing. Is struggling to maintain a solid work/life balance. 

-Christian: Makes terrible jokes to cheer Lissa up, and ensures she doesn’t forget to eat food, drink blood, and get some sleep.

-Rose: Is going crazy from being in quarantine and feels pissed she can’t kill this motherfucking virus. 

-Dimitri: Spars with Rose to help with her frustration and is learning to knit. His first knitting project is a scarf for his mother. 

-Mia: Is paranoid that she’s going to get the virus even though Moroi are immune, and prays REALLY hard that a vaccine is coming ASAP even though she’s not normally religious. 

-Abe: Is secretly funneling some of his money to help research a cure and/or a vaccine for the virus. 

This is so beautiful.

Have you played the hidden object games series “Dark Parables”? I’ve been hooked on the series for two weeks now that I felt like painting Flora’s guardians hehehe

HOPA Games Representation

This message is for Big Fish and the gaming companies it represents. I’m a queer woman who enjoys playing HOPA games, but is disappointed to see NO LGBT+ representation in them. I understand it would difficult for companies working in places that are hostile towards LGBT+ people to include some (e.g. Russia), but would request that y’all have companies that aren’t make an effort to include us. I shouldn’t have to resort to headcanons to see people like me in HOPA games. 

Furthermore, I would like express disappointment in the paltry amounts of POC representation in HOPA games. Some of said representation may have been problematic. 

In a nutshell please try to do better representation wise and hire more POC and LGBT+ people to work on your games. 

So true. 

“Incredible,” Justin thought. “They punish their women for what sounds like male weakness to me.”

In which Richelle Mead writes a complex male character who sleeps around without being a sexist asshole.

You and she work well together, no surprise since you’re meant for each other–and I don’t just mean in the romantic way you keep botching up. You’re a team, a good one. You watch out for each other, and that’s good. But that doesn’t mean you’re meant to do every single little thing together. Yes, you have a shared destiny, but you have an individual one, and so does she.

Magnus the Raven, The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead (pg. 307)

"You want the truth, Servant of Truth? The truth is when you banish the gods from the world, they eventually come back-with a vengeance. Humans can't stay away from gods. Gods can't stay away from humans. It's the natural order of things."

Geraki, Gameboard of the Gods

We’re all pieces on a game board, Dr. March, and some of us are more powerful than others. You. Me. Her. We’re the ones the gods want. We’re the ones they’re fighting over.” “And I suppose you consider yourself the king on this board?” “You must not have played chess in a while. The king is the weakest piece in the game.” He gave Justin a level look. “The queen’s the strongest.”

Richelle Mead, Gameboard of the Gods (via mashamorevna)

Prayers were dead songs lodged in my head, soothing, routine words that meant less to me than they should have.

The autobiography of Allegra Byron. In Almost Famous Women. By Megan Mayhew Bergman. (via iferuniversity)

This is sad. 

John Keats: Local bitch decides to daydream instead of getting a degree

John Keats:... I'm the local bitch

LOL.

LOL=Leaping off lanista

Is Your Child Texting About Ancient Rome?

OMFG= oh, my fire's gone! (thanks Crassus)

WTF=where's the flammeum? (seriously, I'm about to get married here)

SMH= Someone marry her (off)

IDC= I'm dating Cleopatra

IDK=I'm dating Kleopatra (but spelled in the original Greek way)

BTW= Bring the wine (they're probably texting a slave)

LMAO= let's murder an official

GTG= get the garum

IKR- I killed the republic

Especially if they are badass warrior women. 

*takes a deep breath in* i just love bi women

Bi people and genderfluid people being told to “pick a side”, or being told we can’t possibly understand ourselves. 

I’m bisexual and I’m feeling solidarity in this Chili’s tonight