lifeofpatterns

[lifeofpatterns]

my friends, it is not illegal to recognize there are problematic elements to the content you enjoy. it’s called critical thinking. you can enjoy something and not turn a blind eye to the shit wrong with it. 

[lifeofpatterns]

It's like we all collectively forgot as a society that friendship and just connection in general takes effort. Even if you meet someone you immediately click with, it takes hanging out about 20 times (!) to become friends. And guess what, some of those 20 meetings might be awkward or unimpressive.

We all want to reap the benefits (having a friend circle, having a partner, getting married) without doing the work (going to events, interacting with people, learning to handle conflict maturely, dating). Myself included. If I could, I'd never leave the house or go on another mediocre date again... except, that's part of the process.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, the cure to the loneliness epidemic is touching some grass and building tolerance for tedious in-person interactions.

[lifeofpatterns]

We've chosen the right people!

Exactly, Mr. Tennant 🫡

[lifeofpatterns]

[lifeofpatterns]

A spoon's only objective in life is to make soup go upwards, and it knows this. That's why when you put one under a running tap it blasts the water way high. The spoon thinks there's suddenly TONS of soup to deal with and it freaks out.

[lifeofpatterns]

[lifeofpatterns]

things that made me stop wanting to die that require no effort whatsoever

change the color used to highlight text on your laptop

move the pictures on your wall

stack whatever clutter is in your room into piles even if you don’t have time to clean it all

slightly vary your commute, even just by one street

change where you sit and scroll aimlessly on your phone even if it’s only to the chair in your room instead of your bed

drink water or juice out of a wine glass in the morning because nothing is real

shower with the lights off, without music

buy $3 flowers at trader joe’s—they look bad next to the more expensive ones but they look so good in your room

start typing things you don’t post into your notes. your thoughts can be worth documenting even if you don’t deem them worth sharing

wake up super early just once. you don’t have to make it a habit it’s just extra satisfying to go to bed that night

listen to the entirety of your favorite album from 2015

[lifeofpatterns]

To 18 year old me:

I’m 29 now. Yes I made it. Who would have thought. I certainly didn’t.

Yes, I got my degree. I’m now on my third course. Yeah idk how I managed it either. You can stop trying to prove yourself now. You’ve done enough, I promise.

Yes, I have a wife now. Yep, an actually real life WIFE. Yes, my family accepted her into the family. Don’t worry too much about the one that didn’t.

No, I never went back there. I’m sorry. We keep moving forwards.

You actually learned how to drive! Yes I know it’s bad for the environment. We had to do it to get work though. Yeah I know that sucks. Blame global capitalism.

Your dad is dead and you had complicated feelings about it. That’s okay. The inheritance was nice.

You’re still smoking hot. You dye your hair bright pink just like you always wanted. Later on you dye it red and forget what your original colour ever looked like. You get to modify your appearance as much as you want because it’s YOUR body.

Sorry to flex but I have my own house?! Thanks inheritance.

You have an amazing career full of highs and lows. You’ve already helped lots of people, probably more than you think. Don’t worry about that one micromanager, she helps you learn how NOT to be.

Don’t pick up that habit. The one you’re thinking about… don’t. Talk to someone instead I beg.

Skip the CompHet phase. Please.

Don’t beat yourself up for your CompHet phase. You can blame society for all that.

Get yourself into therapy. Yes it’s okay to need help. No you’re not too good for it. No you’re not too bad for it. Stop tying yourself up in knots.

Go OUT. Like out out. That’s how you meet people and live LIFE.

You never grow out of your weirdness. In fact you embrace it now. You don’t have to quit fandom and your interests just because you grow up. You don’t have to leave tumblr.

Fandom is way better now because you can analyse everything you watch to the most minute detail (thanks degrees!!)

Have more fun at uni, I beg. Like actual fun.

Get help around your fear of emails and phone calls, this holds you back more than you think it will. You should also know it’s OK to ask for help, it doesn’t make you stupid.

Maybe stop over sharing on the internet. I mean, you still do it on tumblr sometimes but stay away from other sites lol. Touch some grass once in a while. I mean it.

Being assertive is hard when you don’t know who you are… but you WILL feel it in your gut when something is wrong. Go with that as much as you can. Your instincts are usually right.

Lots of love, future me.

[lifeofpatterns]

I see the original post going around every so often and it saddens me a little that it's never accompanied by this thread explaining why it's completely understandable how a child would arrive at these spellings in accordance with english phonetics

[lifeofpatterns]

But that makes the winter SO MUCH worse! When the sun sets around 4, or maybe even 3:30...

I can’t do this, y’all, I can’t do this.

[lifeofpatterns]

“Why should rich people pay more” because fuck ‘em

“So you are okay for paying more when you have money” I am not excluded from ‘fuck ‘em’ when relevant

[lifeofpatterns]

weird how nothing about u is like, too small or too dumb to know bc it all comes together to become YOU. sending your friend a picture of your favorite snack is saying something important whether u realize it or not. wheres that palahniuk quote

[lifeofpatterns]

Be gay do crime but in Barvaria and we're putting these everywhere

[lifeofpatterns]

The most popular browsers in different countries in 2012 and 2022.

by @theworldmaps_

[lifeofpatterns]

You're doing amazing & you can do this!

I wrote a few thousand words of the next LRHWY chapter but I’m stuck now. Wanting to write 10 different fics (I have a problem, okay??). Someone send motivation or I shall perish under the weight of my ambitious list of WIPS

[lifeofpatterns]

A brief moment of rationality from the bird place.

[lifeofpatterns]

“I have never met anyone who resisted my charms a much as you do,” Magnus groans. 

“Believe me, it’s very difficult for me to do that,” Alec replies. 

“Then why?” Magnus inquires.

“You know.”

“Your husband doesn’t have to know,” Magnus answers but then a disgusted expression appears on his own face. “Okay fine. That was wrong. I’m sorry.”

“I know. That isn’t you.”

“How would you even know?” Magnus rolls his eyes. “You don’t know me.”

Alec gives him a small smile. It’s difficult to watch Magnus like this. Even if this isn’t his Magnus—he’s Magnus. And Alec is in love with all versions of his husband.

Past. Present. Future. 

Magnus is Magnus. 

But there is something about this version of his Magnus that gnaws at Alec’s chest, ripping his heart up. 

“What? You don’t like this version of me?” Magnus huffs. “The future Magnus you know must be quite better.”

“It’s not that. You have to believe me,” Alec pleads.

There’s not much of a difference. Just that this Magnus is in more pain than Alec would ever like him to be—which is basically no amount. 

“Why would you travel through time just to come here? To this century?” Magnus raises an eyebrow. “There is nothing good about this year. Or decade.”

You’re here. Alec wants to say. But he can’t tell Magnus that. He doesn’t want to tell Magnus about them.

Yet. 

It feels slightly wrong. To barge in on his past, when he is at his most vulnerable and talk about a life that is still decades and decades away from him. 

“I don’t understand you, shadowhunter,” Magnus exhales. “How are you so—“ Magnus stops mid-ay. 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”

“Maybe,” Magnus snaps and it shuts Alec up. He’s never at  the end of this. Then Magnus lets out a breath. “I apologise.” 

“It’s okay.”

“Tell me something good about the 21st century.”

Alec thinks for a moment. There are a lot of things he wants to tell. 

Magnus asks him a few more other questions but Alec knows he’s abiding the most important one.

“You can ask me, you know?”

“Ask what?”

“If you’re happy in the future?” Alec breathes. 

Magnus’s eyes widen at the words. Before he chuckles drily. 

“Fine. I’ll bite. Am I happy?”

It takes him barely a second to answer. Maybe less. “Incredibly. You have evetyhin you ever wished for.”

“You do not know what I truly wish for, darling,” Magnus huffs. 

“I do.” “How?”

“Everyone wants that.”

Magnus chuckles that. “So, you’re saying that my deepest desires are nothing special. Good to know.”

Alec finally closes the distance between them and asks for Magnus’s hand.  “You are so happy in the future. Most of the time, I think. And I wish you could only believe how special you are to someone. How you are their everything.” 

----Time travel one-shot