One of the most frightening experiences during Mass Effect was when Shepard chose to destroy the relay in the Batarian cluster. I thought the decision to only be a rich story's tragedy, until I tripped out by the sudden appearance of seeing red everywhere when Shepard was talking to her shipmates. I know the red was my own eyes playing tricks on me, but the reality of such a mass murder really fucking sucked.
So, Shepard's stoicism was a bit too much, because a scene of Shepard balling their fucking eyes out was sorely needed. Especially, when they were with their lover. The writers really missed out on such a catharsis; especially, when they take their storytelling seriously.
I guess one can only avoid reality and poor decisions for so long before it appears in the escapism.
Reminder to people upon gaining power it took Hitler only 57 days to dismantle German democracy and declare himself dictator and start purging the "undesirables"
I’ll teach you to jump on the wind’s back and then away we go.
- J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
‘Those who don’t jump will never fly’ is a dictum drilled into me from an early age. It’s one I took literally when I learned when parachuting and then later dabbled in sky diving, well before I went into the British army as a combat pilot.
Skydiving provides a unique combination of adrenalin-fuelled exhilaration and perfectly calm tranquillity. While in free fall it’s all about the rush - but once the parachute opens and your heart rate steadies, you’ll take a moment to gaze around you and see the whole world in a new light. It’s beautiful up there, and the experience is about as close to actual flying as humans can actually get.
To the skydiver, ‘flying’ in a plane is akin to ‘swimming’ in a boat. As someone who has flown helicopters I would quible with that simple characterisation but eventually I’m okay to acknowledge there is some truth behind it.
As someone who used to parachute and sky dive as a recreational past time, I can empathise with those skydivers who live for the wind whipping past as they plummet toward the earth during free fall, and the thrill of floating on the air currents once their ‘chutes are safely open. They live on the edge, though not in danger - amid the elements, but not at their mercy.
In skydiving, it is the fear response that gradually weakens. During the precipitous descent, the amply tested parachutist can savour the thrill rather than endure the panic. You may never get rid of the butterflies, but you can teach them how to fly in formation.
[image description: a digital art rendered in a semi realism style depicting a brown skinned, fancy shawl pow wow dancer. they sit down with their left knee propped up and their left arm resting on their knee. They have dark blue, black, and yellow colored regalia. They wear thin blue hair wraps around their braids, a yellow beaded choker, a yellow beaded headband, and blue beaded earrings with yellow accents. Their under dress has medium sleeves and is a shiny, dark fabric that glitters blue and purple in the light. a yellow shawl with a multicolored heart design rests on their right leg, with black fringes. a circular cropped image of an eastern tiger swallowtail resting on green leaves is overlaid next to the fancy shawl dancer, who's regalia and beadwork designs mimic the butterfly wings. end image description.]
"send me a butterfly or moth species and I'll draw a fancy shawl dancer inspired by it" art request series is back up & open again!
Eastern Tiger swallowtail fancy dancer for @crowtoed!
I think the moon laughs a little whenever someone laughs at the reminder of the moon's presence.