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Monsterology

@surroundedbyselcouth / surroundedbyselcouth.tumblr.com

Ramblings on myth, monsters, magical books, and the miscellany between. And science. 

A faerie introduces himself. Then, holding out a hand, asks, “And your name, please?”

And, like a fool, you give it to him.

I got asked for clarification on this (but can’t reblog that particular post cuz on mobile), which I’m more than happy to provide.

In this post, a faerie is asking for ‘your’ name. The way he is wording it, however, and the accompanying beckoning motion, makes it seem as though he is asking for you to physically hand your name over. Which, because of how some faeries operate, he is.

In this instance, saying your name aloud to the fae would be literally giving your name over to him, the exact consequences of which are left up to the imagination–usually, a fae even knowing your name gives it some measure of power over you, but giving something your name would likely let it completely take over your life.

In this instance, the wording you want to use is something like “I will not give you my name, but I will tell you that it’s [name].” Alternately, you can just lie to him.

Might i suggest the less direct yet still name-preserving “you may call me…”? It dodges the request while still giving an answer of a name, which does not even have to be yours, but any name you feel like telling the fae they can use to refer to you. I would recommend “Ainsel”.

Glad Tumblr is still dispensing useful real-life tips

catch me straight up handign over my birth certificate fae’d be doin a better job at my life than me

“yeah go ahead and take it from here lol good luck”

Original caption:

Noctilucent clouds (NLC’s) are one of nature’s most fascinating and intriguing astronomical phenomena. They are very elusive and only form when the right conditions are met. They are made of tine ice crystals that strangely appear in the summer in the northern hemisphere, when the lower part of our atmosphere is at its warmest and the upper part at its coldest because of gas expanding upwards. Around the summer mesopause, if temperatures drop below minus 120 Celsius, the rare moisture present can aggregate onto dust particles and nucleate, forming the ice particles visible in noctilucent clouds. However NLC’s are visible only when the light hits these crystals with the right scattering geometry.

Advice for anyone who wants to get into birding!

  • You don’t have to travel far or go to super remote places to see good birds. That’s one of the great things about them! Birds are very accessible (too accessible) wildlife. You can see cool species doing cool things at your local park, wooded lot, retention pond, or landfill.
  • Don’t feel like you have to shell out for super expensive binoculars/scopes/cameras/etc, especially when you’re just starting out. 
  • NEVER make eye contact with a wild bird
  • Your local Audubon chapter or other bird club can be a great resource for learning local hotspots, and building up your ID skills. These clubs are usually happy (desperate) for new blood
  • Wear body armor no less than 4 inches thick. Kevlar highly recommended
  • A good field guide is a must have. Even experienced birders keep one on hand for reference. There are also great bird ID apps. I use Merlin myself
  • If a bird’s shadow passes over you, you must burn all your clothes and purify your body immediately.
  • I always recommend visiting bodies of water for novice birders. First, they’re great places to see wildlife in general. But mostly it’s that wading birds and waterfowl are big, easier to ID, conspicuous, usually stationary, and the nearby water is convenient for emergency purification rituals.
  • Yes, they are watching you too.
  • Remember, birds are wildlife and can easily become stressed out. Please give them their space, especially in the spring and summer breeding season.
  • Birds do not have teeth. If you see one grinning at you do not trust it, it is a trick!