yes 2020 has sucked like a ravenous kirby but in november we finally get to vote that hateful orange turd out of office so eyes on the prize ya’lls
My body is so needy, like madam I just fed you like 7 hours ago and now you want more food??? Unreal
dear people with OCD: the next time you have spiraling & intrusive thoughts, what-ifs, or catastrophizing scenarios, I am sending a cardigan-wearing 46-year old NYU professor directly into your brain and he says "Aaaaand scene!!!" and he claps his hands slowly. and he says "Wow. Wow. Powerful stuff. Evocative imagery. A little bit post-modern, a little bit hysterical realism in the vein of Don Delilo but let's pause right here." and you will recognize your thoughts as a perplexing avant-garde film shown to an audience of 15 liberal arts students who are now trying to get a good grade and sleep with their professor.
Gonna post this thing from comments because it’s too beautiful 😭🙏🏻
A glass that pushes cat off of counters
I need to just express my appreciation for the Six of Crows duology and it’s ending. Not only does the hero’s story begin and end with plague, one of which controls him and the other controlled by him, not just that. His motif, his insistence that he’s a monster. The story told by the two books starts and ends with Kaz employing the same tactic to win: when everyone knows you’re a monster, you don’t have to do every monstrous thing. He’s done some horrific stuff over the course of the books, and we, the readers, start to get comfortable with him, to understand his backstory, even excuse his behavior. It isn’t until the end of the second book that we are confronted with the idea that Kaz may be beyond saving, and not until later do we find out that yes, he is human, yes, he is worth saving. AND, his story begins and ends with an innocent little boy on the brink of death for a crime he didn’t commit, and the choice Kaz makes to spare him, so the cycle of hardening children ends with him. Anyway, the parallels in just his story are amazing, so they needed a rant. I’m sure more will follow.
jewish culture is constantly having the v'ahavta stuck in your head
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It isn't letting me comment, so I'll reblog with my answers. To be clear, I'm not an expert of any sort in folklore, Jewish or otherwise, but I have some sources that might be helpful.
If you're looking for non-fiction, I would start with Rootsmetals, an instagram activist/educator. Her recent posts are all I/P focused and I think she is incredibly biased, so I wouldn't cite her on anything like that, but her earlier posts about Judaism on her website can provide a good starting point to help you figure out which parts of Jewish folklore you like best and want to research more. Here are some:
https://www.rootsmetals.com/blogs/news/ancient-jewish-magic?_pos=14&_sid=7224c01f1&_ss=r
https://www.rootsmetals.com/blogs/news/judaism-vampires?_pos=6&_sid=7224c01f1&_ss=r
https://www.rootsmetals.com/blogs/news/judaism-witches?_pos=2&_sid=fe71083eb&_ss=r
https://www.rootsmetals.com/blogs/news/the-jewish-soul?_pos=22&_sid=bf015af62&_ss=r
https://www.rootsmetals.com/blogs/news/a-history-of-jewish-dance?_pos=2&_sid=d8de33d9b&_ss=r
Once you have more specific topics in mind, you can hopefully do some digging on those!
If you're looking for fiction, she also has a book of Jewish fairytales (https://www.amazon.com/Witches-Escaz%C3%BA-Other-Jewish-Fairytales/dp/B09JVFR7R2). I also highly recommend Burning Girls and Other Stories by Veronica Schanoes, especially the stories "Among the Thorns," "Lily Glass," and "Burning Girls," although these stories are all pretty dark, so be careful, especially if violent antisemitism is triggering for you. This author also has a page of other fiction books of Jewish folklore (https://electricliterature.com/stories-books-about-jewish-magic-folklore-mythology/).
And of course, feel free to message me or send me an ask if you want any help researching :)
I’m a Jew who is interested in learning more about Jewish folklore and Jewish folk practices, as I am super interested in Jewish spirituality and mysticism but am not at a point in my life where it would be appropriate to do anything with Kabbalah. Does anyone have any good resources for that? I’ve been trying to avoid sources that are basically Jewish things repackaged as new-age/pagan.
(In case it’s relevant for FOR, I am Ashkenazi)
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she/her, 🩷🧡🤍, ✡️, student of medieval & judaic studies
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