why are you stil here?

Finding a good new theme can be hecka hard so here’s a thing to make it easier 

HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE are a bunch of easy, clean themes

HERE and HERE are whole networks of theme makers you can look through

HERE is a blog that makes themes and has a bunch of helpful tips and tutorials and has a bunch of other resources

HERE is where you can search for themes with specific aspects (lots of links, different sidebars,etc). It also has tutorials and other resources

HERE and HERE are a ton of updates tabs

HERE and HERE are masterposts of awesome sidebar/updates tab images

If those fail, go to your favorite blog/s and click on the credit (usually located in the bottom right corner). It will take you to the theme creator. Then look through their other stuff. If you liked one of their themes, you’ll probably like another! 

From a purely utilitarian point-of-view, Sirius is not the person who does the most for Harry. He’s also reckless, far from a perfect role model, and has enough latent issues to play mental health bingo.

But he’s the one adult in Harry’s life that prioritizes Harry’s safety and happiness over literally anything else.

Sirius has spent years in Azkaban knowing Pettigrew is still out there. But what pushes him over the edge and prompts him to stage an escape? Finding out that Pettigrew going to be at Hogwarts with Harry.

So he breaks out of Azkaban. He evidently goes straight to Little Whinging to check on Harry, since he turns up in Surrey only days after he had escaped from a prison in the middle of the North Sea. Not to speak to Harry, not to explain himself. Just to “catch a glimpse of him.”

For his part, Harry is far more open with Sirius than with any other adult. He feels as though he can talk to Sirius. Despite his reckless tendencies, Sirius listens to Harry’s thoughts and feelings patiently and without judgement.

It’s Sirius who Harry chooses to tell about his scar hurting at the beginning of GoF and about seeing Mr. Weasley’s attack from Voldemort’s perspective. Sirius is also privy to mundane things like Harry’s life with the Dursleys and Harry’s fight with Ron.

In the Department of Mysteries battle at the end of OP, Sirius speaks to Harry three times. And all three times are variations of “get out of here.”

I know. I found a pile of papers of mine from my teen years and into my early twenties recently, and there were so many stories begun, so many first pages of novels never written. I’d start them, and then I’d give up because they weren’t as brilliant as Ursula K Le Guin, or Roger Zelazny, or Samuel R Delany, and anyway I wasn’t actually sure what happened next.

I was around 22 when I started finishing things. They weren’t actually very good, and they all sounded like other people, but the finishing was the important bit. I kept going. A dozen stories and a book, and then I sold one (it wasn’t very good, and I had to cut it from 8,000 words to 4,000 to sell it, but I sold it). I probably wrote another half-dozen stories over the next year, and sold three. But now they were starting to sound like me. 

Think of it this way: if you wanted to become a juggler, or a painter, you wouldn’t start jugggling, drop something and give up because you couldn’t juggle broken bottles like Penn Jillette, or start a few paintings then give up because the thing in your head was better than what your hands were getting onto the paper. You carry on. You learn. You drop things. You learn about form and shape and shade and colour and how to draw hands without the fingers looking like noodles. You finish things, learn from what you got right and what you got wrong, and then you do the next thing.

i don’t even know where to begin with french…i love learning languages so much, i really wish my parents had started me when i was younger. i started taking french in seventh grade but i really hope to spend a semester abroad in france & visit senegal when im older. however, french can get super crazy with accents and hard pronunciation and fancy vocab, which can get really confusing, so here’s a masterpost w all of the french resources i’ve gathered :) 

where to start

duolingo aka the most amazing free language learning program ever

rosetta stone- i’ve heard really great things about this program, but it is not free 

bonjour- this website is rlly helpful & even if you’re already in a french class like me, you can find lots of resources for when you’re confused :) plus it’s free!!

babbel- they have programs for beginners + advanced 

grammar + spell check

bonpatron-  grammer + spell check

languagetool- grammar + spell check

reverso- grammer + spellcheck

how to change the spellcheck language on word

dictionaries

collins

word reference (this is my personal favorite, i highly recommend it + it is so much better than google translate & much more reliable!!) 

larousse

linternaute

linguee (this one is probably my second favorite)

you can get word reference (free!!) on the app store, as well as linguee (which i think is free as well??)                               

phonology

french vs english phonology

french pronunciation for beginners

pronunciation chart

guide to french pronunciation

exercises you could try

+ more practice

the ultimate guide to french pronunciation w videos!!

10 pronunciations you won’t learn in school

ok so i just found out the other day that if you’re on flashcards on quizlet & you press the little speaker icon it will say the word for you!! this has been super helpful on my auditory quizzes + generally getting a feel for the pronunciation of words. but i wouldn’t say it’s too reliable so definitely check out these other resources (link to quizlet) 

grammar

passe compose help (past tense)

passe compose w/ avoir

passe compose w/ etre

passe compose practice (+ more)

imparfait vs passe compose 

a helpful post explaining imparfait vs passe compose

intro to accents

type french accents w/o a french keyboard (just copy/paste into your document)

how to put accents on letters

noun gender

7 tips on learning french grammar

grammar practice

conjugation practice

how to conjugate 

french grammar masterpost

music

these are a few of my favorites:

stromae- hip hop//electronic but i still like his music

maitre gims- rapper but he sings quite a bit in his songs 

joyce jonathan- omg her songs are so cute please go listen

christophe mae-can we just talk about his song “tombe sous le charme” i love it + he sort of reminds me of jack johnson 

vianney!!- guys “je te deteste” is my favorite song on my french playlist right now. the sophomore that sits next to me in our french class recommended him to me & i can’t stop listening 

christine & the queens

also check out these links for more music:

universal music france

this post with french music recommendations

my post on music//podcasts for learning languages (lots of people have been recommending artists which has made this post so much better so please message me if you have any other recommendations or questions!!)

8tracks- french music

other stuff to listen to//watch

french youtubers

10 podcasts for french learners

the ten best tv shows to watch for french learners

ok don’t throw anything at me but watching peppa pig in french is actually a good method (i don’t remember who suggested this to me but thank you so much @ whoever it was) 

easy to understand french movies

news + culture

savoirs

euronews

1jour1actu

l’humanite

multilingual books

some blogs (not on tumblr) in french + about french culture (frenchcrazy, i learn french, oui, c’est ca, french together, fluentfrenchnow)

my tips

definitely keep a vocab notebook where you can either paste vocab lists or write them in on your own

listen to french music. find your own favorite artists. and tell me, so i can put them in here. but seriously, go do it & get those phrases + pronunciations stuck in your head!!

making quizlets for vocab will benefit you more than just using someone else’s

find friends in your class to help (if you’re in highschool, upperclassmen are a blessing pls go ask them questions if you’re lost in class), the senior that sits next to me is really good at conjugating, and i’m pretty good at remembering vocab so we make a great team

find/join a study group!! the freshman girls in my french class made a group chat & we all send links to quizlets/other resources & help each other with homework 24/7

ask questions/do speaking exercises during class. trust me, you will benefit from it. plus, having your teacher correct you on your pronunciation during class is much less embarrassing than getting an F on that speaking test 

french help on tumblr

this french idiom masterpost

more french resources

french grammer masterpost

if you’re still looking for help, definitely check out the tag #langblr

or ask me a question here

or send me a message

or ask any studyblr studying french :))

my posts

essay masterpost

studying when ill masterpost

music resources for language learners

studying a foreign language

Here’s the thing about when, uh, What’s New Pussycat plays over and over and over and over and over again. The second time it plays, your immediate thought is not ‘hey someone’s playing What’s New Pussycat again.’ It’s ‘hey, What’s New Pussycat is a lot longer than I first thought. The third time it plays you’re thinking maybe someone’s playing What’s New Pussycat again. The fourth time it plays you’re either thinking ‘whoa someone just played What’s New Pussycat FOUR TIMES or at least someone played it twice, and it’s a really long song.’ So the fifth time is the kicker, alright? 

Now, John and I we’re watching the entire diner at this point, alright? Most people have gotten wind as to what’s going on. And we’re staring at this one guy and he’s sitting in like a booth with his stupid kids jumping around, and he’s like staring at his coffee cup like this, and he’s been onto us since the beginning. And he’s sitting there, and his hand is shaking, and he had this look on his face like, aw, like he had just gotten his thirty day chip from anger management. And he’s staring like this, and the fourth song fades out. It’s dead quiet. Then, I don’t know if you know this, but the song begins very quietly…

BWAAAH BWAAAAAH WHAT’S NEW PUSSYCAT and he goes GOD DAMN IT and pounds on the table, silverware flies everywhere, and it was fantastic. But a word about my best friend John and what a genius he was because when we first walked into the diner, okay? When we first got there and I’m punching in the What’s New Pussycats alright? I’ve punched in like 7 at this point then John says to me ‘hey hey hey before you punch in another What’s New Pussycat let’s drop in one It’s Not Unusual.’

Oh yes. That is when the afternoon went from good to great. After seven What’s New Pussycats. In a row - It played seven times. Suddenly - Dum da dum, IT’S NOT UNUSUAL and the sigh of relief that swept through the diner. People were so happy. It was like the liberation of France. You know for years scientists have wondered can you make grown men and women weep tears of joy by playing Tom Jones’s It’s Not Unusual and the answer is yes you can. Provided that it is preceded by seven What’s New Pussycats. It’s true. Dead honest.

And on the other hand. When we went back. Holy shit. It’s Not Unusual fade out. It’s dead quiet. BWAAAH BWAAAAH WHAT’S NEW PUSSYCAT people went insane. People went out of their minds. No one could handle it. No one could handle it. And they were surrounded by this seemingly indifferent staff that was just like ‘yup some crap as always.’ 

Fantasy AU It was a blessed new dawn. My eyes cracked open, I drank a potion at the tavern, and headed to the local guild to grab a quest.

Victorian England AU It was a grim and rainy night. I awoke and drank down a bottle of good ol’ whiskey and took a puff of my pipe before heading down to the precinct. Somebody’s been murdered.

Edgy AU The morning was as dark as my soul. I was already awake. I gulped down a cup of murky water and went to work, where I kick puppies for a living. If you can call my miserable existence “living”.

The AU Where That One Character Didn’t Die It was a beautiful morning. I woke up in the arms of my 100% alive best friend who’s now also my husband. We ate breakfast together and he wished me a good day before I headed out.

Highschool AU The alarm clock rang. Oh no, I was gonna be late for the first day of school! I quickly gulped down the breakfast my mom made me and headed to catch the bus.

College AU The alarm clock rang. Oh fuck, I was gonna be late for my afternoon lectures. I quickly grabbed my clothes and fucked off to class before my dorm mate/girlfriend woke up.

Medieval AU The sun did shine on that fateful day, as I woke from my slumber and walked out of my chambers and down to the court, where mine father was examining a list of possible suitors.

Space AU Captain’s log, Stardate 2217.5. It is day 1023 of our 20 year mission to explore new worlds and expand the frontier into the unknown depths of space. I’ve taken my nutrition pills and I am ready for today’s adventure.

Pirate AU Captain’s log, January 29th, 1717. Yesterday I thought would be my final log, as my ship sunk to Davey Jones’ locker. But behold, as I was having my last meal, a beautiful maiden, half woman and half fish rescued me from the depths.

Space Pirate AU Captain’s log, 29.01.3017. The galactic authority were on my tail, nearly got us last night. I didn’t get much sleep. The ship’s kitchen system is busted too, so no breakfast either. Still, I’ve got alien hotties to mack on.

Wild West AU Another sunny day in the Mojave. Five-Foot Joe is still out there. A kind lady gave me a jug of milk because I helped herd her cows. I didn’t stick around for her to thank me though. My work is never done.

Post-Apocalyptic AU I woke up today, I don’t know what day it is. It’s cold. I slept inside the remnants of an old hotel last night. We were safe from the Creeps there, but I don’t know how long I can keep this group together without food.

Prehistoric AU Gobrak find meat last night. Eat good. Gobrak find new meat today. Gobrak eat good. Gobrak go hunting.

With each split, the soul is divided into two, correct? Half goes into the Horcrux, half stays in the body? So by the Battle of Hogwarts, only 0.78 percent of Voldemort’s soul actually remains in Voldemort.

Yet he still manages to wreak all the havoc he does.

Voldemort was a monster of a man, his soul was twisted and sick and terrible, but it was strong. It had to be to survive the creation of so many Horcruxes. An awful awful soul, but a strong one, if 0.78 percent could still cause so much misery.

But that isn’t even the important thing. The important thing is that Harry was the last Horcrux. And just like every other Horcrux, half the soul was what remained of Voldemort that had to go into hiding after the night in Godric’s Hollow. 

But the other half? The other half went into Harry.

Harry was as much Voldemort as Voldemort was. 

Harry had the same amount of Voldemort in him that killed Cedric and so many others after his return. Who had Dumbledore killed and marked Draco Malfoy, a sixteen year old boy. Who did everything we see Voldemort do within the time period of the books. All that was done on 0.78 percent of a soul

The same amount of the same soul that was in Harry.

The Harry that wasn’t broken by Vernon and Petunia’s treatment of him. The Harry that rocked up to Hogwarts as one of the most famous individuals in the wizarding world and found his best friends in two children who were, in their own ways, sort of social outcasts. Who risked his life to save his best friend’s little sister, who wouldn’t allow his father’s best friends to become killers, who fell for a girl and still wanted to share the victory with the boy said girl was in love with. Who saw a bully and a tyrant and said no, it’s not ok, me and my friends won’t stand for this no matter how much you threaten us and punish me. Who tried so hard to save the one member of real family that was his and his alone (yes the Weasley’s were definitely his family, but they were Ron’s family first and foremost). Who managed despite the terror of what he’d just been through to offer some words of comfort to a mentor reliving the worst hell of his life. Who lost that mentor but refused to give up the loyalty he still had to him, even if it meant giving up his home, the girl he’d fallen in love with, his life. Who put it all aside to save the world when the other half of the soul that had taken up residence in him was causing all this chaos, destruction and pain.

Harry has just as much Voldemort in him as Voldemort, but not only did he eventually triumph over the Dark Lord—he fucking flourished on the way.

Now we’ve already established that Voldemort’s soul—even 0.78 percent of it—was pretty damn strong.