Thank You For Writing This @slatestarscratchpad.

Freshwater fish of Vietnam

Music is gorgeous

Cécile Chaminade Thème varié, Op.89 (1898?)

Marc-André Hamlin, piano

[Franz von Stuck, Dancers]

Watercolour magic

A Beginner’s Guide for Feminist Fantasy

First off, we have Gail Carson Levine. She writes children lit, her most famous is Ella Enchanted aka the best retelling of Cinderella ever. This is an objective fact, not an opinion*. Her books are witty and her main characters don’t fall into the trope of “strong female character” and are all unique. They have relationships with other women. The romances are well developed, but still allow room for character development, setting, and plot. 

Tamora Pierce has created two different worlds: Circle of Magic and Tortall, both incredibly flushed out worlds and have multiple series set in both. She has mainly female protagonists, some are WOC and others are queer, and they all have amazing story arcs. In the Tortall series, each woman gets her own series and develops so much. 

Malinda Lo writes high fantasy books (and some scifi) and it’s very gay. They are very clear cut stories, with beautiful writing and plays on well known tropes in the fantasy genre. Her books feature WOC as well and she is still writing new books, although some of her newer ones are sci fi and realistic fiction. 

Robin McKinley writes beautifully written books, almost all with female leads. They center around female relationships and most are retellings of fairy tales. Most are high fantasy, but a few are urban fantasy. They are pretty open ended, and finish with a lot of unanswered questions, which I find refreshing. 

Kirsten Cashore only has three books out, but they are perfect for entering into the fantasy world. Her series can all be read as standalones, but best read in order of publication. Her books feature WOC and queer women, with healthy romantic relationships and politics and friendships. 

*jk, you can have your own personal fave

Keep reading

herb masterpost

master post of herbs <3 if anyone has any new herbs that they’d like me to add, comment / repost and i’ll add suggestions!

acacia : protection, psychic powers, money and love spells adam & eve roots : love, happiness adders tongue : healing african violet : spirituality, protection agaric : fertility agrimony : protection, sleep ague root : protection alfalfa : prosperity, anti-hunger, money alkanet : purification, prosperity allspice : money, luck, healing almond : money, prosperity, wisdom aloe : protection, luck aloes, wood : love, spirituality althea : protection, psychic powers alyssum : protection, moderating anger amaranth : healing heartbreak, protection, invisibility, anemone : health, protection, healing angelica : exorcism, protection, healing, visions anise : protection, purification, youth apple : love, healing, garden magic, immortality apricot : love arabic gum : spirituality, purify negativity and evil arbutus : exorcism, protection asafoetida : exorcism, purification, protection ash : protection, prosperity, sea rituals, health aspen : eloquence, anti-theft aster : love avens : exorcism, purification, love avocado : love, lust, beauty bachelor’s buttons : love balm, lemon : love, success, healing balm of gilead : love, manifestations, protection, healing bamboo : protection, luck, hex-breaking, wishes banana : fertility, potency, prosperity banyan : luck, happiness barley : love, healing, protection basil : love, exorcism, wealth, flying, protection bay : protection, psychic powers, healing, purification, strength bean : protection, exorcism, wart charming, reconciliation, potency, love bedstraw, fragrant : love beech : wishes beet : love belladonna : astral projection benzoin : purification, prosperity bergamot, orange : money, success be-still : luck betony, wood : protection, purification, love birch : protection, exorcism, purification and cleansing bistort : psychic powers, fertility bittersweet : protection, healing blackberry : healing, money, protection bladderwrack : protection, sea spells, wind spells, money, psychic powers bleeding heart : love bloodroot : love, protection, purification bluebell : luck, truth blueberry : protection blue flag : money bodhi : fertility, protection, wisdom, meditation boneset : protection, exorcism borage : courage, psychic powers bracken brazil nut briony : image magic, money, protection bromeliad : protection, money broom : purification, protection, wind spells, divination buchu : psychic powers, prophetic dreams buckthorn : protection, exorcism, wishes, legal matters cabbage : luck cactus : protection, chastity calamus : luck, healing, money, protection camellia : riches camphor : chastity, health, divination caper : potency, lust, luck carawy : protection, lust, health, anti-theft, mental powers cardamon : lust, love carnation : protection, strength, healing carob : protection, health carrot : fertility, lust cascara sagrada : legal matters, money, protection cashew : money castor : protection catnip : cat magic, love, beauty, happiness cat tail : lust cedar : healing, purification, money, protection celandine : protection, escape, happiness, legal matters celery : mental powers, lust, psychic powers centaury : snake removing chamomile : money, sleep, love, purification cherry : love, divination chestnut : love chickweed : fertility, love chicory : removing obstacles, invisibility, favors, frigidity chili pepper : fidelity, hex breaking, love china berry : luck, change chrysanthemum : protection cinchona : luck, protection cinnamon : spirituality, success, healing, psychic powers, lust, protection, love cinquefoil : money, protection, prophetic dreams, sleep cloth of gold : understand animal languages clove : protection, exorcism, love, money daffodil : love, fertility, luck daisy : lust, luck damiana : lust, love, visions dandelion : divination, wishes, calling spirits datura : hex breaking, sleep, protection deerstongue : lust, psychic powers devils bit : exorcism, love, protection, lust devils shoestring : protection, gambling, luck, power, employment dill : protection, money, lust, luck dittany of crete : manifestations, astral projection dock : healing, fertility, money dodder : love, divination, knot magic dogbane : love dogwood : wishes, protection dragons blood : love, protection, exorcism, potency dulse : lust, harmony dutchmans breeches : love ebony : protection, power echinacea : strengthening spells edelweiss : invisibility, bullet-proofing elder : exorcism, protection, healing, prosperity, sleep elecampane : love, protection, psychic powers elm : love endive : lust, love eryngo : travelers luck, peace, lust, love eucalyptus : healing, protection euphorbia : purification, protection eyebright : mental powers, psychic power fennel : protection, healing, purification fenugreek : money fern : rain making, protection, luck, riches, eternal youth, health, exorcism feverfew : protection fig : divination, fertility, love figwort : health, protection flax : money, protection, beauty, psychic powers, healing fleabane : exorcism, protection, chastity foxglove : protection frankincense : protection, exorcism, spirituality fumitory : money, exorcism fuzzy weed : love, hunting galangal : protection, lust, health, money, psychic powers, hex-breaking gardenia : love, peace, healing, spirituality garlic : protection, healing, exorcism, lust, anti-theft gentian : love, power geranium : fertility, health, love, protection ginger : love, money, success, power ginseng : love, wishes, healing, beauty, protection, lust goats rue : healing, health goldenrod : money, divination golden seal : healing, money gorse : protection, money gotu kola : meditation gourd : protection grain : protection grains of paradise : lust, luck, love, money, wishes grape : fertility, garden magic, mental powers, money grass : psychic powers, protection ground ivy : divination groundsel : health, healing hawthorn : fertility, chastity, fishing magic, happiness hazel : luck, fertility, anti-lightning, protection, wishes heather : protection, rain making, luck heliotrope : exorcism, prophetic dreams, healing, wealth, invisibility hellebore, black : protection hemlock : destroy sexual drive hemp : healing, love, vision, meditation henbane : love attraction henna : healing hibiscus : lust, love, divination hickory : legal matters high john the conqueror : money, love, success, happiness holly : protection, anti-lightning, luck, dream magic, balance honesty : money, repelling monsters honeysuckle : money, psychic powers, protection hops : healing, sleep horehound : protection, mental powers, exorcism, horse chestnut : money, healing horseradish : Purification, Exorcism horsetail : Snake Charming, Fertility houndstongue : tying dog’s tongues houseleek : luck, protection, Love huckleberry : luck, protection, dream magic, hex breaking hyacinth : love, protection, happiness hydrangea : hex breaking hyssop : purification, protection indian paint brush : love iris : purification, wisdom irish moss : money, luck, protection ivy : protection, healing jasmine : love, money, prophetic dreams jobs tears : healing, wishes, luck joe-pye weed : love, respect juniper : protection, anti-theft, love, exorcism, health kava-kave : visions, protection, luck knotweed : binding, health ladys mantle : love ladys slipper : protection larch : protection, anti-theft larkspur : health, protection lavender : love, protection, sleep, chastity, longevity, purification, happiness, peace leek : love, protection, exorcism lemon : longevity, purification, love, friendship lemongrass : repel snakes, lust, psychic powers lemon verbena : purification, love lettuce : chastity, protection, love, divination, sleep licorice : love, lust, fidelity life everlasting : longevity, health, healing lilac : exorcism, protection, beauty lily : protection, breaking love spells lily of the valley : mental powers, happiness lime : healing, love, protection linden : protection, immortality, luck, love, sleep liquidamber : protection liverwort : protection liverwort : love looestrife : peace, protection lotus : protection, lock-opening lovage : love love Seed : love, friendship lucky Hand : employment, luck, protection, money, travel mace : Psychic Powers, Mental Powers maguey : Lust magnolia : Fidelity mahogany, Mountain : Anti-Lightning maidenhair : Beauty, Love male Fern : Luck, Love mallow : Love, Protection, Exorcism mandrake : Protection, Love, Money, fertility, health maple : Love, Longevity, Money marigold : Protection, Prophetic Dreams, business and Legal Matters, Psychic Powers marjoram : Protection, Love, Happiness, health, Money, Healing master Wort : Strength, Courage, Protection mastic : Psychic Powers, Manifestations, lust may Apple : Money meadow Rue : Divination meadowsweet : Love, Divination, Peace, happiness mesquite : Healing mimosa : protection, love, prophetic dreams, purification mint : money, love, luck, healing, exorcism, travel, protection mistletoe : protection, love, hunting, fertility, health, exorcism molukka : protection moonwort : money, love moss : luck, money mugwort : strength, psychic powers, protection, prophetic dreams, healing, astral projection mulberry : protection, strength mullein : courage, protection, health, love, divination, exorcism mustard : fertility, protection, mental powers myrrh : protection, exorcism, healing, spirituality myrtle : love, fertility, youth, peace, money nettle : exorcism, protection, healing, lust norfolk island pine : protection, anti hunger nuts : fertility, prosperity, love, luck oak : protection, health, money, healing, potency, fertility, luck oats : money olive : healing, peace, fertility, potency, protection, lust onion : protection, exorcism, healing, money, prophetic dreams, lust orange : love, divination, luck, money orchid : love oregon grape : money, prosperity orris root : love, protection, divination palm, date : fertility, potency pansy : love, rain magic, love, divination papaya : love, protection papyrus : protection parosela : hunting parsley : love, protection, purification passion flower : peace, sleep, friendship patchouly : money, fertility, lust pea : money, love peach : love, exorcism, longevity, fertility, wishes pear : lust, love pecan : money, employment pennyroyal : strength, protection, peace peony : protection, exorcism pepper : protection, exorcism peppermint : purification, sleep, love, healing, psychic powers pepper tree : purification, healing, protection periwinkle : love, lust, mental powers, money, Protection persimmon : changing sex, healing, luck plot weed : protection pimento : love pimpernel : protection, health pine : healing, fertility, protection, exorcism, money pineapple : luck, money, chastity pipsissewa : money, spirit calling quassia : love quince : protection, love, happiness radish : protection, lust ragweed : courage ragwort : protection raspberry : protection, love rattlesnake root : protection, money rhubarb : protection, fidelity rice : protection, rain, fertility, money roots : protection, power, divination rose : love, psychic powers, healing, love, divination, luck, protection rosemary : protection, love, lust, mental powers, exorcism, purification, healing, sleep, youth rowan : psychic powers, healing, protection, power, success rue : healing, health, mental powers, exorcism, love rye : love, fidelity saffron : love, healing, happiness, wind raising, lust, strength, psychic powers. sage : immortality, longevity, wisdom, protection, wishes sagebrush : purification, exorcism st. johns wort : health, power, protection, strength, love, divination, happiness sandalwood : protection, healing, exorcism, spirituality sarsaparilla : love, money sassafras : health, money savory, summer : mental powers scullcap : love, fidelity, peace senna : love sesame : money, lust shallot : purification skunk cabbage : legal matters slippery elm : halts gossip sloe : exorcism, protection snakeroot : luck money snakeroot/black : love, lust, money snapdragon : protection solomons seal : protection, exorcism sorrel wood : healing, health southern wood : love, lust, protection spanish moss : protection spearmint : healing, love, mental powers spiderwort : love spikenard : love squill : money, protection, hex breaking star, anise : psychic powers, luck stillengia : psychic powers straw : luck, image magic strawberry : love, luck sugar cane : love, lust sumbul : love, luck, health, psychic powers sunflower : fertility, wishes, health, wisdom sweetgrass : calling spirits tamarind : love tamarisk : exorcism, protection tansy : health, longevity tea : riches, courage, strength thistle : strength, protection, hex breaking, healing thistle, holy : purification, hex breaking thistle, milk : snake enraging thyme : health, healing, sleep, psychic powers, love, purification, courage ti : protection, healing toadflax : protection, hex breaking toadstool : rain making tobacco : healing, purification turmeric : purification turnip : protection, ending relationships urva Ursa : psychic workings valerian : love, sleep, purification, protection vanilla : love, lust, mental powers venus flytrap : protection, love vervain : love, protection, purification, peace, money, youth, chastity, sleep, healing vetch, giant : fidelity vetivert : love, hex breaking, luck, money, anti-theft violet : protection, luck, love, lust, wishes, peace, healing wahoo : hex-breaking, courage, success walnut : health, mental powers, infertility, wishes wax plant : protection wheat : fertility, money willow : love, divination, protection, healing wintergreen : protection, healing, hex breaking winters bark : success witch grass : happiness, lust, love, exorcism witch hazel : protection, chastity wolfs bane : protection, invisibility wood rose : luck woodruff : victory, protection, money wormwood : psychic powers, protection, love, calling spirits yarrow : courage, love, psychic powers, exorcism yellow evening primrose : hunting yerba mate : fidelity, love, lust yerba santa : beauty, healing, psychic powers, protection yew : Raising the Dead yohimbe : love, lust yucca : transmutation, protection, purification

**some of these herbs ARE toxic. i didn’t mention which ones were/weren’t, please do some further research before consuming any of these herbs!!** 

And this is how I nose.

Emilia Dziubak  -  https://www.facebook.com/EmilkaDziubak/?ref=page_internal  -  https://emiliaszewczyk.blogspot.com.es  -  https://www.instagram.com/emilia.dziubak

Page 2 has been updated! Still can’t express how excited I am for this comic!

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Guoshi Fang Xin

To help move away from summary and toward ANALYSIS, it’s important to incorporate strong verbs into your writing when discussing the writer’s rhetorical choices. Below is a list of verbs that are considered weak (imply summary) and a list of verbs that are considered strong (imply analysis). Strive to use the stronger verbs in your essays to help push yourself away from summary and toward analysis: ex “The writer flatters…” NOT “The writer says…”

Weak Verbs (Summary):

says 

explains

relates 

states 

goes on to say 

shows 

tells 

this quote shows

Strong Verbs (Analysis):

Argues, admonishes, analyzes, compares, contrasts, defines, demonizes, denigrates, describes, dismisses, enumerate, expounds, emphasizes, establishes, flatters, implies, lionizes, lists, minimizes, narrates, praises, processes, qualifies, questions, ridicules, suggests, supports, trivializes, vilifies, warns       

Powerful and Meaningful Verbs to Use in an Analysis (Alternatives to Show): 

Acknowledge, Address, Analyze, Apply, Argue, Assert, Augment

Broaden

Calculate, Capitalize, Characterize, Claim, Clarify,Compare, Complicate, Confine, Connect, Consider, Construct, Contradict, Correct, Create, Convince, Critique

Declare, Deduce, Defend, Demonstrate, Deny, Describe, Determine, Differentiate, Disagree, Discard, Discover, Discuss, Dismiss, Distinguish, Duplicate

Elaborate, Emphasize, Employ, Enable, Engage, Enhance, Establish, Evaluate, Exacerbate, Examine, Exclude, Exhibit, Expand, Explain, Exploit, Express, Extend

Facilitate, Feature, Forecast, Formulate, Fracture

Generalize, Group, Guide

Hamper, Hypothesize

Identify, Illuminate, Illustrate, Impair, Implement, Implicate, Imply, Improve, Include, Incorporate, Indicate, Induce, Initiate, Inquire, Instigate, Integrate, Interpret, Intervene, Invert, Isolate

Justify

Locate, Loosen

Maintain, Manifest, Manipulate, Measure, Merge, Minimize, Modify, Monitor

Necessitate, Negate, Nullify

Obscure, Observe, Obtain, Offer, Omit, Optimize, Organize, Outline, Overstate

Persist, Point out, Possess, Predict, Present, Probe, Produce, Promote, Propose, Prove, Provide

Qualify, Quantify, Question

Realize, Recommend, Reconstruct, Redefine, Reduce, Refer, Reference, Refine, Reflect, Refute, Regard, Reject, Relate, Rely, Remove, Repair, Report, Represent, Resolve, Retrieve, Reveal, Revise

Separate, Shape, Signify, Simulate, Solve, Specify, Structure, Suggest, Summarize, Support, Suspend, Sustain

Tailor, Terminate, Testify, Theorize, Translate

Undermine, Understand, Unify, Utilize

Validate, Vary, View, Vindicate

Yield