#I got my life back

[tariah23]

Oh…. Well, it’s over for Crunchyroll I guess

[eydilily]

gem n joel the strongest duo (family) that you are

and of course. her

[paperwhite91]

About two and a half years ago, I made a life changing decision. After almost two years of Covid lockdowns, seven years of poor mental health and a deep hatred of the direction my life was going, I consulted my doctor about Bariatric surgery. It was the absolute last resort, something I adamantly did not want but something needed to change. I’ve been heavy all of my adult life but being locked in, away from the world took its toll and I ballooned to over 350 lbs. Mind you, I am 6 feet tall & big boned but at 30 years old, I was in constant pain. Severe back pain, that was “blamed” on my weight (let’s ignore the fractured disk and mass on my spine…that can’t possibly cause pain, right?); severe plantar fasciitis and swelling in my feet. I avoided mirrors, especially when naked bc I hated my body.

There is a horrible misconception about Bariatric surgery. It is NOT the easy way out. It is NOT permanent. I spent nine months taking classes in nutrition, meeting with dietitians, social workers, nurses and psychologists to get to the bottom of my eating disorder (yes, obesity is an eating disorder whether society wants to admit it or not). When I was finally approved, I couldn’t wait! Yes, surgery is drastic and risky, but I was a walking time bomb. All my labs all came back “normal” but how long would that last?

July 21, 2022 I started three weeks of a strict, liquid only diet. The shakes tasted like shit…basic nutrients to keep me alive and shrink my liver. Although I was supposed to drink four a day, by the end I was lucky to get one in me a day. I definitely took eating for granted. August 13 was my surgery date and I had already lost 32 lbs in those three weeks.

After surgery was worse. First week, liquid diet, watered down beverages, no solid foods. Slowly, I introduced new foods and learned my new stomach. I had a laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve….my stomach is the size and shape of a small banana).

At the two year mark, I am down almost 95 lbs and about 40 lbs away from my goal. To say I’ve had an easy go since surgery would be inaccurate. I suffer from frequent acid reflux (>1% of sleeve patents get it…yay me), dumping syndrome and other side effects BUT, I would do it again in a heartbeat. My back pain is gone (still have arthritis and a mass on my spine but the nerve pain is gone); the swelling and plantar fasciitis are gone. My self esteem and mental health better (not perfect, but significantly better).

To anyone who feels trapped in their body, I see you. It takes immense courage to seek help but the benefits are worth it! I have my life back! I have a better job and a brighter outlook in my future. It can be done.

[ghosted-jazz]

I hope they got that microwave in the break room

Bonus version with different outfit colours:

[kyri45]

I saw this image while practicing drawing monkeys the other day and now with MK getting babyifyed all I can think of is him clinging onto Wukong or Macaque like this LOL

Couldn’t decide who he would cling to until I had a vision.

Shadowpeach Bio Parent AU (PREV / FIRST / NEXT )

Speedpaint under the cut

[elsaclack]

Yeah okay so like I said in the tags of the last post I’m rising from my tumblr grave to say that the ban on TikTok is symptomatic of a MUCH larger and more terrifying problem. Because yes, on its surface it’s silly dances and asmr and cooking videos and whatever, but in truth and at its core, TikTok single-handedly revolutionized the way 170 million Americans communicated with each other AND the rest of the world. Non-Americans love to point out how America-centric Americans are, but fail to realize that we are purposefully raised in an isolated, insulated environment where we are told from basically day 1 that America Is The Best and not to even bother taking a look around because it’s all downhill from outside of here. TikTok has, for MANY Americans, single-handedly destroyed that notion and allowed them (us!!) to broaden our world-view and realize that actually, things are better in other countries, and it did so in a kind, empathetic, and compassionate way.

And yeah most people wake up to the truth of that on their own as they get older, but holy shit!! The VAST majority of the Americans on TikTok are millennials and gen z (and even some older gen alpha)!! People who are becoming disillusioned with “The American Dream” (said with the HEAVIEST sarcasm) while they’re still school-aged or are just entering young-adulthood!! People who are entering - or TRYING to enter - the American workforce who suddenly have an unfiltered window into non-American lives and are wondering why tf we’re struggling and penny-pinching and toeing the line of poverty while our rich elected officials sit around and fight and argue over everything that actually matters to the citizens they supposedly represent and get richer all the while. THAT is why they’re banning the app, and that fact alone should terrify every single American citizen.

Not to mention the precedent it sets for other social media platforms!! You think some nebulous, unproven, and unfounded “threat to national security” will stop with TikTok?? They’ve already censored Adult Material on tumblr, who’s gonna stop them from coming back and doing it again or getting rid of it altogether for the exact same reason? It’s a blatant act of censorship and a direct attack on the American first amendment right to free speech.

NOTHING radicalized me the way tiktok did. I watched people in my life who were STAUNCH Trump supporters in 2016 AND 2020 wake up to the truth and vote blue for the first time in their lives BECAUSE OF TIKTOK, and did so with al the nuanced understanding that even Democrats are severely failing this country, but are at least better than the alternative. That level of awareness and presence in the average US citizen scares American politicians.

The fact that the vast majority of them - including the ones loudly opposing the ban!! - bought stock in Meta BEFORE the ban was legalized/upheld by the Supreme Court?? That Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk were legally allowed to lobby congress to ban TikTok when BOTH stood to DIRECTLY financially gain from their biggest competitor being banned in the US and are guilty of unethically gathering data and selling it to MULTIPLE third parties?? The fact that Trump is now teasing that he may or may not intervene to save TikTok when he was the one who talked about banning it in the first place AND ALSO OWNS HIS OWN COMPETING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM??

It’s the burning of Alexandria. It’s the loss of a significant chunk of culture. It’s the sharp and sudden loss of contact with the rest of the world for more than half of all American citizens. It’s the loss of $240 BILLION dollars in the GDP when the country is already TRILLIONS of dollars in debt. And on an individualistic level, it’s the loss of millions of small businesses and primary income streams for so many individuals and families who found their primary audience on TikTok. Is the app perfect? HELL no. Are there significant changes needed to make it a safe environment for all users? ABSOLUTELY. But that can also be said of ANY social media platform. TikTok openly fostered connection and communication and creativity and compassion that is completely unique to that platform! It made so many people - myself included!! - feel less alone. I get the feeling I know what the general consensus is about TikTok on this site, but the ban on this app should scare the shit out of everyone.

[secret-bastard-daughter-of-wdf]

[dextheartist]

Just bros being bros

[bixels]

Scary Sunset.

I'm concepting things way outta order in this story, but I'm sure you can piece things together. Context is for a storybeat where, after defeating and capturing Adagio (thus having all three sirens in her possession), Sunset enacts her revenge plot to release the sirens on Canterlot as Thea discovers she's been manipulated. In a confrontation, the two scuffle and fight over the siren orbs while Sunset struggles with her conflicting wants and emotions.

[noka-exe]

different eras

[kelddaa]

mornings in the desert

[eydilily]

would you bite the hand that feeds you?

[that-tall-queer-bassist]

hey, just as a btw, a fic or a series not uploading for a year doesn't mean its abandoned.

Sometimes the authors have shit going on, other wips, or! it just needs to sit and marinate for a bit. Collecting all the flavor and details it wouldn't have otherwise.

it's okay for updates to take a while.

And if you're impatient? Why not leave a nice comment telling us (the author(s)) what you love about the fic or series? say that you love it, and are "waiting eagerly for the next chapter" and/or that you "would love to see x or y happen because it would mean-"

This could be a new fandom vibe because of all the "i have to drop this while people are still interested" energy, but its not universal, and i don't believe its good for the fandom ecosystem.

Have patience, and have compassion. Remember that authors are human and these fics? (or comics, animatics, whatever) This is our art. We care about it just as much, if not more than you.

[fauvester]

something something seeing things through different eyes

[favoure]

"do the opposite of what people tell you to do"