She is magique

in media, we often see the main heroine reject “girly” things in order to participate in an intellectual/sporty activity that is associated with men. they don’t care about clothes or makeup and they absolutely hate the idea of shopping. femininity and girliness are often looked down upon because they are considered as stupid. in “the queen’s gambit”, i thought it was incredibly refreshing to see that the main heroine, beth harmon, fully embraces her “girlier” side while completely demolishing every single one of her rivals in chess. 

Tateishi Tetsuomi - Spring, 1973.

The original tweet summarizes it pretty well. Fanfic tends to be popular among certain types of neurodivergent people (aka people most likely to read excessively as a child, and have burnout as an adult) for the same reasons that we tend to hyperfixate–neurochemical signaling (I hope I’m using that phrase correctly). What I mean is, for people who are really dependent on changes in dopamine/serotonin/neurotransmitter levels, who have low levels or wonky neural reward systems (perhaps the most common types of neurodivergence)…people like us rely on dependable external sources of those neurochemicals. In order to function, we spend a lot of our free time trying to level out our brain chemistry using things that can reliably bring us a steady stream of joyful moments (rewards) without costing too much of the mental effort that is already in short supply. 

significantly: the investment of reading has to be balanced with a steady “return on investment”–and this return has to start fairly quickly. because again, we don’t have a lot of attention/energy to invest on tiring things. we have perpetual “low batteries” in that regard.

that doesn’t mean these stories are “simple,” or that they lack complexity or value–only that the reward has to come in short regular intervals, and it has to have a low “upfront cost.” which is why fanfic stories are so perfectly formulated for neurodivergent readers–they are often beautifully written, but skip a lot of the upfront costs (of introducing new characters, of world-building, of getting the audience emotionally connected to the story elements).

the nature of fanfiction is that the reader has a pre-existing relationship with this world and these characters. that–combined with the shorter average length of fics–means that fan fics very quickly start “rewarding” the reader in a way that traditional fiction struggles to. that’s not a bad thing! and maybe it’s something more traditionally published writers should be paying attention to.

Acorn-Luck, wisdom, youth, personal power               

Allspice- Money, Lck, Treasure, Determination

Almond- Wisdom and fruitfulness. Helps one

overcome a dependency or addiction

Aloe-Protection, Luck. Place at a grave to bring peace.

Anise-helps ward off evil, find happiness, prevents 

nightmares, good in bath spells.

Apple- Love, Immortality, Friendship, Healing. Apples

make good offerings, especially at Samhan

Apricot- Love and attracting love. 

Asparagus- masculan sex magick

   Bamboo- Hex breaking, wishes, luck.

Banana- fertility, potency, prosperity

Basil-Love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, protection

Bayleaf-Good fortune, success, strength, purification

Beet- Love. Juice can substitute blood in rituals.

Birch-Protection, Exorcism, Putification

Blackberry-Healing and money. Berrys are sacred.

Blueberry-Protection from enemies. Can cause confusion if you throw one in the path of an enemy

    Cabbage- Fertility, Profit, good luck, lunar magick

Cactus- Chastity, banishing, protection

Carnations-Strength, healing, enhancing power, achieving balance. Burn to enhance creativity

Carrot- Lust, fertility, abundance

Catnip-Love, beauty, happiness, attracts spirits. Sacred

 to cat deities and animal magick. 

Cedar- Confidence, strength, protection, healing. Berries are good for anti theft spells and warding off snakes

Celery- Mental power, lust, male potency

Chamomile- Love, healing, reduce stress. Drink tea in 

meditation, to destress and to get a restful sleep.

.Cherry-love, divination, happiness

Chili pepper- fidelity, love, breaks hexes

Chives- protection and weight loss

Chrysanthemum- protection, grow in your 

garden to ward off evil

Cilantro- brings peace to the home and helps 

attune one with their soul

Cinnamon- Spirituality, success, healing, power, love,

 luck, strength, and prosperity.

Clove-love, money, protection

Clover- fidelity, money, luck. Love, success

Coconut- Chastity, protection, purification

Coffee- Helps dispel nightmares and negativity, helps 

overcome internal blockages, provides peace of mind and grounding. 

Corn- Protection, divination, good luck

Cotton-rain, protection, luck, healing. 

Cucumber-chastity, fertility, healing

Cumin- fidelity, protection, and theft prevention

Curry- protection. Burn curry powder to keep evil forces away.

Cypress- death and mourning, stimulates healing and helps one overcome the pain of grief

   Daffodil- Love, Luck, and fertility

Daisy- innocence and innocent love. Associated with children and newborns

Dandelion- healing, purification, wishes, and spirit work

Elderberries- sleep, releasing enchantments, protection against negative people and the temptation to harm others. Note, every part of this plant is poisonous.

Elm- love, protection from lightning. 

    Fennel seed- imparts strength, vitality, and sexual virility  and masculinity. 

Feverfew- protects against sickness and accidents. Use for healing spells. 

Frankincense- Successful ventures, cleansing, purification, productivity, concentration and meditation. 

    Garlic- healing, protection, repels vampires, purifies spaces and objects.

Ginger- Draws adventure and new experiences. Promptes sentuality, confidence, and success

Grape- fertility, money, mental strength

Grapefruit- cleansing and purification

   Hibiscus-attracting love, lust, and dreams

Hollyhock- Increases the flow of money, aids in financial flourishing.

Honey- for attraction, solar magick, and sweetness. 

Honeysuckle- Draws money, success, and quick abundance. Aides confidence and persuasiveness. 

 Ivy- Protection, healing, fertility, love.

   Jasmine- ideas,  Divination, charging, attracting a soulmate, can induce sleep and dreams. 

Juniper- promotes healing and good health, attracts healing energies and protects against theft

   Lavender- Peace, love, protection, healing, sleep, purification, and healing from depression

Lemon- cleansing, purification, removal of blockages, dealing with pain

Lemon Balm- Love, Success, Healing, spiritual growth and development. Use in healing spells for mental illness

Lemongrass- psychic cleansing and opening, use in lust potions

Lettuce- Divination, sleep, lunar magick, sex magick, love spells

Lilac- Wisdom, memory, luck, spiritual aid

Lily-renewal, rebirti, marriage, prosperity,the life cycle, death.

Lime-purification, protection, promotes tranquility, strengthens love.

    Maple-Love, money, longevity, luck

Marjoram- Cleansing, Purification, dispelling negativity, strengthening love, infuse in bath spells to aid grief

May Flowers- attracts adventure and chaos into your life

Mint- energy, communication, and vitality. Use in healing spells and place on alter to attract good spirits. 

Morning Glory-Binding, banishing. Note, this plant is poisonous. 

Mugwort- Lust, fertility, helps ease backaches and cure disease. 

Mustard Seed- Courage, faith, and endurance.

    Narcissus-  calms vibrations, promotes harmony and peace of mind. 

Nutmeg- Money, prosperity, luck, curse breaking

   Oak- wisdom, strength, to preserve youth, and increase attraction. strengthens unity, The most sacred tree.

Oatmeal- for worship, use in offerings.

Olive-Fidelity, peace, marriage, healing, potency and lust

Onion- Prosperity, stability, endurance, banishing bad habits. 

Orange-love, luck, divination, happiness, self confidence, blessing

Orchid- Concentration, strengthen memory, focus and willpower

Oregano- Joy, strength, vitality and energy.

Palo Santo- if you’ve been cursed use this herb to break it.

Paprika-Add to spell to energise it. Throw into someone’s yard to cause them problems.  Parsley- Calms and protects the home, draws prosperity and financial increase, restores a sense of well being.

Peach- Fertility, Love, Wisdom. Peach Pits ward off evil, increase love and fertility. 

Peas- Money, love

Pecan-Employment, success, security, career success. 

Pepper- courage, banishing negative vibrations. Carry to ward off jealousy.

Peppermint-healing, cleansing, purification. Burn to clear out sickness and keep under your pillow for prophetic dreams. 

Pine-promotes clean breaks, new beginnings, prosperity and success. 

Pineapple- Luck, Money, and chastity. 

Pumpkin- Health, spirit work, and lunar magick

   Raspberry- Healing, Protection, and love. Use to reduce pain during pregnancy and bathe in raspberry to keep a relationship alive.

  Rice- rain, fertility, protection

Rose- love, divine love, self love, friendships, domestic relationships and domestic peace. 

Rosemary- good health, love, good memory, prevents nightmares, wash in rosemary before healing rituals

   Sage-purification, dealing with loss and grief, improves mental stability, burned for cleansing and purification

Sandalwood- Protection, healing, clears negative energy, making wishes

Salt-purification, grounding, protection magick and circle casting

Spearmint-healing, love, protection while sleeping. Burn for healing respiratory conditions.

Strawberry- Attracts success, good fortune, and favorable circumstances.

Sugar- love spells, to bring sweetness to a sintuation, sex magick

      Tea-courage, strength, divination, use as a base for potions. 

Thyme- Loyalty, love, affection, grief, courage, purification, use in baths to cleanse and ward off nightmares.

Tomado- use in love spells

     Vanilla-Love, Lust, passion, restoring lost emotions and energy. Increases mental strength. 

Vinegar- banishing, binding, averting evil

   Walnut- access to divine energy

Infographic of the history of psychedelia in the 1960s, done in Illustrator. I designed the entire infographic, including the lettering (except for the body text) and the portraits.