yo sometimes i just forget leafy sea dragons exist and just
i share a planet with these funky little men?? i feel HONORED
d e v o n
Not today Justin

No title available

祝日 / Permanent Vacation

Love Begins
will byers stan first human second

Janaina Medeiros
Stranger Things
dirt enthusiast

Kaledo Art

No title available
NASA
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
todays bird

Kiana Khansmith

Product Placement
$LAYYYTER
Sade Olutola
occasionally subtle
almost home

seen from Türkiye
seen from United States

seen from Canada

seen from South Korea

seen from Vietnam

seen from Saudi Arabia
seen from Puerto Rico
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Finland

seen from Malaysia
seen from Singapore

seen from United States
seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from Türkiye

seen from South Korea
seen from Australia
seen from Singapore
@thelastoftheflyinggraysons
yo sometimes i just forget leafy sea dragons exist and just
i share a planet with these funky little men?? i feel HONORED
(via /r/oddlysatisfying)
where the superhero and villain have a common friend that they have to hold it together for
“claire is getting married next week”
“i can reschedule the death ray”
“OH CAN YOU?”
“Aha! I have foiled your evil plan! Now the restaurant will be sa— wait, is this that place that fired Hannah?”
“Yeah, and they were all dicks to her about it.”
“Oh, right. Well… guess I can let you destroy it a little.”
“I’ve defeated you! Now tell me where you’ve taken Matt!”
“What? MATT’S MISSING?”
“Wait. You’re not the one who trashed his apartment?”
“For God’s sake, Caroline, you should’ve just texted me about this. Gimme my phone, I gotta make some calls.”
Which of your ocs are like this?
The sum of these posts makes it look like they have multiple friends in common, and I’m wondering what the group chat is like.
Matt, Hannah, and Claire’s groupchat: Why don’t they just fuck already???
points at obi-wan’s dislike of politicians, palpatine being the sith master and the chancellor at the same time, and obi-wan’s strength in the unifying force
My conservative family members seeing me taking up embroidery:
One week later when I post the finished project:
I had to reblog this as soon as I stopped laughing
I give anyone reading this permission to use my grave to lie to cops
When I was younger I used to be part of the “only-reads-complete-fics crowd” but as I’m getting older I’m realizing how powerful it can be to have consistent things to look forward to…
All the ppl in the tags laughing abt how fic updates aren’t consistent are cowards. I aim to be subbed to at least 365 fics. One for each day of the year. And that’s just my starting point. Your inbox? Empty. Barren. Fallow. Mine? Bountiful. Overflowing. A cornucopia of ripe treats awaiting my tender consumption. I wade through honey-rich excess while you starve of your own volition.
“I wade through honey-rich excess while you starve of your own volition”.
This line is the sexiest way to say “You fucked up” that I have ever read. I have to start using this in my life when pointing out the follies of others.
I love that voodoo that you do.
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It looks so grumpy and perplexed! Like “ I was GOING to unleash watery chaos but now I kind of just want more hugs? ”
Bless! 💕
Once again, a gem is hidden in the tags
100 drones giving a light show!
© 2019 Firefly Drone Shows, LLC
holy shit this is the fireworks of the future….. fireworks are so so bad for the environment and trigger people and make pets run away from home but THIS is such a great alternative it gives all the fun flashy lights without the smoke and the terrifying booms and the litter AND its more versatile and can do more fun things
Imagine someone from the 1500’s seeing this shit.
*sees this before my entire town gets wiped out by missiles*
Megamind once again ahead of its time
if you’re having a bad day, here’s a cute little marching band
It just keeps going and getting better. *^^*
Me two minutes ago: “cry with joy? an animation of cats playing instruments made someone cry with joy?”
Me now: (sobs into a tissue) “OH MY GOD THAT ONE IS PLAYING TWO RECORDERS AT THE SAME TIME” (blows nose)
CAT PARADE IS BACK
I just saw the duck for the first time :’)
Oh god, watch it, please! This thins is like audio-visual antidepressants. it’s so innocent and joyful and uncomplicated, and just the right level of interesting to hold your attention and let you slip into a happy little place inside your brain. This video has stopped me from having panic attacks, I swear.
so was anyone going to tell me that they’re attempting a live action of homestuck or did i have to find that out through a destiel post too
Fighting Styles: Azula
Today I’m going to take an in-depth look at Azula’s fighting style, which, after much debate between myself and my Sihing and Sidi, has been identified as a mix of Northern Shaolin and Chaquan/Chachuan (查拳). I’m mainly going to focus on Chaquan/Chachuan, because Northern Shaolin refers to a ton of different styles, and thus is not as easily defined, and Chachuan is what makes Azula’s fighting style unique in comparison with other firebenders. So let’s get started, shall we?
First, what exactly is Chaquan/Chachuan?
Chachuan (The Cha Family Fist) is a substyle of Changquan (長拳), a Northern style which literally translates into “The Long Fist”. Changquan is one of the most popular styles of kung fu in China, due to the “showiness” of its acrobatic forms, and is often performed at tournaments. While it does not technically fall under the category of “Northern Shaolin”, since it did not originate directly from Shaolin, Changquan contains many elements in common with Northern Shaolin styles, due to the constantly evolving nature of kung fu in China throughout history. It is said that the alleged creator of Changquan, Emperor Zhao Kuangyin, was greatly influenced by Shaolin styles, and the resulting prevalence of Changquan in turn greatly influenced the Northern Shaolin styles.
The four families of Changquan are: Cha (The Cha Family/Muslim Fist), Hua (The Hua Family/Flower Fist), Pao (The Cannon Fist), and Hong (The Red Fist). Azula specifically uses the Cha Fist (which itself is split into three different families of Zhang [faster, more agile, more compact], Li [more upright, more comfortable, more graceful], and Yang [more powerful, more continuous, and more direct], but due to the limitations of her fighting animations I cannot discern exactly which family style she uses).
The most notable contribution of Chachuan is the form known as Tantui, or the “Springing Legs” form. Many styles of kung fu, including Northern Shaolin, have incorporated Tantui (or some version of it) into their core curriculum. In fact, it is so ubiquitous, that the Chinese Government adapted the original Cha 10-Road Tantui System as the basis for the contemporary sport of wushu. Though the Tantui System has been adapted into the curriculum for many different styles, and nowadays can be considered a style of its own, the Cha Tantui remains unique due to its irregular, off-beat rhythm and angular strikes, as well as frequent angle changes, which are the defining characteristics of Chachuan.
Other notable characteristics include:
1. Balanced use of both hands and feet
2. Heavy emphasis on a strong offense, as well as numerous counter-attacks, because Chachuan relies on a strong offense to provide defense…
(…which coincides with Azula’s general style of fighting…)
3. Swift, forceful, and economical strikes, usually delivered at angles
4. Wide extension of the limbs, to maximize the space between the body and the fist, keeping attackers at a safe distance
5. Arms outstretched and striking in two different directions, in order to increase the user’s awareness of their surroundings and their effectiveness versus multiple combatants
6. Sweeping blows, from both hands and feet (Azula is a big fan of the low sweeping kick in particular, which she performs at least 3 times during the series)
7. Impressive acrobatic kicks and leaps (The 10-Road Springing Legs Form provides the basis for this.)
8. High degree of maneuverability, in contrast with more grounded forms like Tai Chi and Hung Gar
Chachuan is a style that is noted for its extreme beauty, elegance, and grace, as well as its acrobatic nature, versatility, and combat effectiveness. During the Tang Dynasty, it was the martial art of choice employed by soldiers in the Imperial Army due to its ability to fend off multiple opponents.
Unlike Northern Shaolin, where nearly every strike is delivered with a high degree of power, Chachuan’s forms and attack sequences are performed in continuous waves, with each movement leading into another, coalescing into a single (or multiple, depending on the situation) powerful strike(s) at the end.
Like any seasoned Chachuan user, Azula attacks in waves. She favors quick strikes that produce smaller bursts of flame, which usually culminate in one large burst at the end. The idea behind this is to chip away at your opponent’s weak spots with quick, soft blows, then finish them off with one or more hard blows at the end. The same applies to Azula, who likes to finish her fights with lightning generation (a Northern Shaolin form, but she performs it with the movement style of a Chachuan user).
The odd rhythm of Chachuan lends to its general unpredictability, and, along with a number of “sneaky” moves, makes it one of several styles (such as Drunken or Monkey) that actively relies on deception to evade and quickly dispatch its opponents. Graceful, quick movements transition abruptly into powerful strikes, interspersed with steady stances and sudden stops. It has been said that Chachuan users are like candles blowing in the wind; dancing gracefully one second, but still and steadfast the next. Any time a Chachuan practitioner is standing still, you’d best be prepared to defend, dodge, or block yourself against a series of incoming attacks.
Because it is a physically demanding art form that requires a high level of flexibility, Chachuan users must begin training at a very young age, and most competitive performers of the art are quite youthful. It is also a popular style among young girls and women.
Chachuan is one of the few martial arts in the world which remains relatively unchanged over the course of time. It is a style that embodies contradiction and balance, and has been heralded as vigorous, yet precise, graceful and authoritative, elegant but forceful. In combat, skilled Chachuan practitioners must be extremely efficient, due to the high physical demand the acrobatic style places on its user. The prodigious skill required of a Chachuan practitioner, along with its renowned beauty and effectiveness, make it the style perfectly suited for Azula’s personality.
Random Notes:
The first form of Chachuan is called muzi (母子) or “Mother and Son”. The form Azula demonstrates as a child during “Zuko Alone” is very reminiscent of this form. Foreshadowing of her lingering resentment towards Ursa and Zuko, perhaps?
Interesting to note is that from Season 3 onwards, Azula begins wearing heavy armor. This would likely have impeded her ability to perform Chachuan to her full capacity, causing her to tire more quickly than normal.
Though Chachuan and Northern Shaolin have similar moves, the execution style overall is different. You can see the difference between the way Zuko bends and the way Azula bends. Zuko’s strikes tend to demonstrate a noticeable exertion of force and power (heavily external hard blows), whereas Azula’s strikes exert force abruptly and unexpectedly. Another noticeable difference is in the posture; while Zuko’s stances tend to be more upright, like most Northern Shaolin stances, while Azula’s stances more often include angles or leaning due to the elements of Chachuan in her style. (If you’re interested in seeing the differences in these two forms, watch a video of the Tantui form as performed by a Northern Shaolin practitioner and a Chachuan practitioner.)
Chachuan is called The Muslim Fist because it was allegedly founded by Cha Shang Mir, a Muslim General in the Chinese army, and was predominantly taught to and practiced by Muslims in ancient times. Nowadays, it is one of the more popular styles of Changquan taught in China, though it is still extremely popular among the Northern Islamic population.
The style of Chachuan is deeply rooted in Northern Chinese-Islamic philosophy and spirituality. Its key principle is the idea of achieving harmony and balance by embodying contrasting elements. When Azula is “off” in Sozin’s Comet (Zuko subtly noting her loss of sanity and inner balance), her fighting style suffers considerably.
And that’s the long summary of a short glimpse at Chachuan. If you want moves like Azula, go out and learn some Cha Fist!
Since I have exactly zero knowledge of martial arts, this post was very eye-opening.
so ive been watching atla and (book 3 spoilers)
i just want to point out that prince sozin and avatar roku had such a realistic friendship because when roku gets bummed out he couldnt work up the courage to talk to the girl he likes, sozin just straight up just starts putting grass on roku’s face for no reason at all other than the innate urge to rip up grass and put it on someone and roku just lets him
if that isnt friendship i don’t know what is
ishvalan elric brothers au??