#IF YOU ARE NOT IN A MENTAL STATE TO ENGAGE WITH IT OVER THE INTERNET YOU DO NOT HAVE TO

[wolftoes]

It's okay to ignore politics for the sake of your own mental health. It's okay to pretend current events aren't happening to preserve your own happiness for longer. It's okay to not be active on or aware of these things 100% of the time.

[nenelonomh]

brain rot makes me angry

brain rot, according to newport institute, is a slang term used to describe the silly or less valuable content online, the negative effects that can come from spending too much time online, and the negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by excessive exposure to low-quality internet content, especially in niche communities. it highlights how exposure to low-quality or superficial content can impact our thoughts and language.

in the short term, brain rot can lead to decreased cognitive function. when we consume too much low-value content, it can make it harder to concentrate on more demanding tasks. emotionally, silly or trivial content might lead to a less engaged or emotionally flat state, affecting your mood and overall mental well-being. additionally, constant scrolling and exposure to pointless content can result in mental fatigue, leaving you feeling mentally drained and less motivated to tackle more meaningful activities.

over the long term, brain rot can have more severe implications. a steady diet of low-quality content can erode critical thinking skills, making it harder to engage in deep and meaningful analysis. spending too much time in specific online communities can also alter your perceptions, warping your view of the world and normalizing certain behaviors or opinions that might not be healthy. furthermore, constant exposure to bite-sized content can reduce your attention span, making it more difficult to engage with longer, more complex material. this can impact your ability to learn and be productive, as you may find it challenging to focus on tasks that require sustained attention.

it's important to balance your digital diet with high-quality and meaningful content to maintain a healthy mind. by being mindful of the content that we consume and taking steps to limit exposure to low-value material, we can protect our cognitive and emotional well-being.

let me leave you with these: ndtv article, stopdoomscrolling-cafe

have you noticed these effects in your own experience or observed them in others?

❤️nene

[genderkoolaid]

sorry if you've talked about it already, but what is it that makes KOSA's idea of online safety wrong? I don't know much about the bill, what does it intend to do?

What do you think is a good way to protect kids from things like online predators or just seeing things that they shouldn't be seeing? (By which I mean sex and graphic violence, things which you'd need to be 16+ to see in a movie theater so I think it makes sense to not want pre-teens to see it)

From stopkosa.com:

Why is KOSA a bad bill? KOSA uses two methods to “protect” kids, and both of them are awful. First, KOSA would incentivize social media platforms to erase content that could be deemed “inappropriate” for minors. The problem is: there is no consensus on what is inappropriate for minors. All across the country we are seeing how lawmakers are attacking young people’s access to gender affirming healthcare, sex education, birth control, and abortion. Online communities and resources that queer and trans youth depend on as lifelines should not be subject to the whims of the most rightwing extremist powers and we shouldn’t give them another tool to harm marginalized communities.  Second, KOSA would ramp up the online surveillance of all internet users by expanding the use of age verification and parental monitoring tools. Not only are these tools needlessly invasive, they’re a massive safety risk for young people who could be trying to escape domestic violence and abuse.

I’ve heard there’s a new version of KOSA. What’s the deal? The new version of KOSA makes some good changes: narrowing the ability of rightwing attorneys general to weaponize KOSA to target content they don’t like and limiting the problematic “duty of care. However, because the bill is still not content neutral, KOSA still invites the harms that civil rights advocates have warned about. As LGBTQ and reproductive rights groups have said for months, the fundamental problem with KOSA is that its “duty of care” covers content specific aspects of content recommendation systems, and the new changes fail to address that. In fact, personalized recommendation systems are explicitly listed under the definition of a design feature covered by the duty of care in the new version. This means that a future Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could still use KOSA to pressure platforms into automated filtering of important, but controversial topics like LGBTQ issues and abortion, by claiming that algorithmically recommending such content “causes” mental health outcomes that are covered by the duty of care like anxiety and depression. Bans on inclusive books, abortion, and gender affirming healthcare have been passed on exactly that kind of rhetoric in many states recently. And we know that already existing content filtering systems impact content from marginalized creators exponentially more, resulting in discrimination and censorship. It’s also important to remember that algorithmic recommendation includes, for example, showing a user a post from a friend that they follow, since most platforms do not show all users all posts, but curate them in some way. As long as KOSA’s duty of care isn’t content neutral, platforms will be likely to react the same way that they did to the broad liability imposed by SESTA/FOSTA: by engaging in aggressive filtering and suppression of important, and in some cases lifesaving, content.

Why it's bad:

The way it's written (even after being changed, which the website also goes over), it is still possible for this law to be used to restrict things like queer content, discussion of reproductive rights and resources, and sexual education.

It will restrict youth's ability to use the Internet independently, essentially cutting off life support to many vulnerable people who rely on the Internet to learn that they are queer, being abused, disabled, etc.

Better alternatives:

Stop relying on ageist ideas of purity and innocence. When we focus on protecting the "purity" of youth, we dehumanize them and it becomes more about soothing adult anxieties than actually improving the lives of children.

Making sure content (sexual, violent, etc.) is marked/tagged and made avoidable for anyone who doesn't want to engage with it.

Teach children why certain things may be upsetting and how best to avoid those things.

Teach children how to recognize grooming and abuse and empower them to stop it themselves.

Teach children how to recognize fear, discomfort, trauma, and how to cope with those experiences.

The Internet makes a great boogeyman. But the idea that it is uniquely corrupting the Pure Innocent Youth relies on the idea that all children are middle-class suburban White kids from otherwise happy homes. What about the children who see police brutality on their front lawns, against their family members? How are we protecting them from being traumatized? Or children who are seeing and experiencing physical and sexual violence in their own homes, by the parents who prevent them from realizing what's happening by restricting their Internet usage? How does strengthening parent's rights stop those kids from being groomed? Or the kids who grow up in evangelical Christian homes and are given graphic descriptions of the horrors of the Apocalypse and told if they ever question their parents, they'll be left behind?

Children live in the same world we do. There are children who are already intimately aware of violence and "adult" topics because of their lived experiences. Actually protecting children means being concerned about THEIR human rights, it means empowering them to save themselves, it means giving them the tools to understand their own feelings and traumas. KOSA is just another in a long line of attempts to "save the children!" by dehumanizing them and giving more power to the people most likely to abuse them. We need to stop trying to protect children's "innocence" and appreciate that children are already growing, changing people, learning to deal with discomfort and pain and the weight of the world the same as everyone else. What people often think keeps kids safe really just keeps them ignorant and quiet.

Another explanation as to why it's bad:

[waistdoll]

I am new to jirai kei, but I just wanted to know some tips and other things I should be educated on in the subculture 🩷 I just don't want to come off as ignorant because Im new 🫶 so do you have any tips or things I should know? ⁠♡

TW: harmful behavior, s*x work, mentions of self-h*rm, i will try to talk about the differences, the stereotypes and the reason behind them, having the "jirai kei" as a main subject.

୨ৎ if you want to know more about the girly kei style you can ask me too!! like brand recommendations, tips on buying from japan, japanese clothes size, makeup, etc.

but please, keep in mind that:

• jirai kei 地雷系 (lifestyle) and dark girly kei (style that some of the jirai girls use) are two separated things and you can be jirai without using the style and you can use girly kei without identifying as jirai.

tl;dr: the western / social media vision of jirai is totally wrong. jirai kei in Japan isn't a style at all; jirai kei is a lifestyle that is seen as "unhealthy".

the term jirai kei came from “地雷系”. translates to “landmine-type”, not the literal meaning as “landmine”, is a japanese slang for "trigger" "red flag" “地雷を踏んだ”, meaning “i stepped on a landmine”. in reference to a person, a “landmine” is someone that’s so easily triggered over minor things that they keep exploding on others with abusive behavior, so you need to be as careful as if you were walking around a minefield.

this meaning has been around for about a decade, primarily used in dating advice articles about how to recognise “red flags” in a partner.

"but OP, it isn't a style?"

in those dating stereotypes, even the most arbitrary traits were considered red flags and wearing dark alternative fashion is already enough to have someone considered a potential landmine, the style in question is called dark girly kei. (style used by many jirai kei girls)

around 2020, jirai kei didn’t have any associations with any particular fashions or interests, but when a popular japanese makeup vlogger started a “psycho girlfriend” dress-up challenge and called the final look a landmine-type cosplay. she contributed to the stereotype that the landmine-types were often fans of dark girly fashion, every influencer was getting in on the trend, and cosplaying as a landmine-type psycho girlfriend, generally also tagging with “yandere”, then a lot of influencers did the challenge and lots of girlykei brands started to use the "jirai kei" terminology to sell more.

"why would someone call themselves jirai knowing that it means "psycho woman" in other words?? wouldn't it be romanticizing?"

popularly, there's a lot of people who call themselves jirai kei knowing about the difference of jirai & girlykei because of their mental conditions, i, myself use jirai kei to feel a little better about my mental state and to connect to other people who struggle the same as me, even if they stopped calling themselves jirai they wouldn't stop their unhealthy behavior, they're not mentally ill because of jirai, they're jirai because of their mental illness. the spaces for real mentally fucked people in the internet are so few, these people that are called "psycho bitches" exist and they shouldn't feel bad about being like this, they are the people who most struggle with all of it and it's their business if they want to call themselves it. telling people to not use the jirai kei term will not stop them to engage on harmful behavior, at the end those people are still mentally ill and have more problems than the terminology they use. might be thinking the "jirai antis" are some sort of saviors or something like that, if you really want to help those people don't blame it in the community and style they've found themselves.

all jirais don't have the same behavior even if all of them have a fucked mental state, some of them might be posting self-harm for validation, some are obsessed with their s/o, some doing sex work for attention, some of us has violent thoughts and bpd, some of us are just neurodivergent, or have depression, etc, is a form of venting/expression, and venting ≠ encouraging someone.

some info:

• the term hadn't changed its meaning, please don't act like it's some sort of "feminist movement" or even empowering.

• part the association of girly kei with harmful behavior is related to "toyoko kaiwai" (トー横キッズ) who's around Kabukicho, many of the members have been wearing various dark j-fashion styles before the "psycho girlfriend dress-up challenge" became a trend. they're credited as the reason for why those styles are associated with the landmine stereotype to begin with. they're been connected to under*ge pr*stitution, dr*g ab*se, public self-h*rm, murd*r and theft.

they are around age 9-24, (firstly known as toyoko kids, but like, there's a lot of adults in this) they're often privileged children who were convinced to get away from home by bad influences. and many members have died or been hospitalized as a result. for more info search the Japanese spelling on any japanese news site, or their signature hashtags on social media:

#/toho横界隈

#/トー横界隈

#トー横

recently, their former leader “Howl”, died by suicide while waiting in custody for a trial, (<- click for more info) -> (also here) for convincing minors to run away from home in order to “work” for him and dress in a way he finds attractive.

all these minors he "convinced" are victims, you can use the style without agreeing with this behavior and be jirai without agreeing with this, they're all manipulated children and it isn't their fault.

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

maggots, i tried entering the ofmd fandom

TW: REALLY, THIS IS DARK. PLEASE WATCH YOUR MENTAL STATE. PLEASE. I NEED A HUG AFTER THIS.

Guys, you told me it would be fine. I honestly was not prepared for the bloodshed. I've never seen a physical manifestation of a fandom before quite like this. I clicked the our flag means death hashtag and:

There is a post about the political ideologies, or assumed ones, of the cast/crew, and the reblogs there include disturbingly specific death threats towards the fandom.

There are several iterations of the timeline of the production of the third season. People are crying over how close they got to a third season.

There is an eerie sense of a thriller movie around some of the posts that is actually unnerving. Something about the timeline not adding up, missing facts and sources being cited.

A few posts are piping up with a happy things, such as they are, like the actors having had a career boost due to OFMD. It feels like a snatch of song heard in the trenches.

One post is advising tumblr residents on how to enter Twitter, including reassurance and directions of how to start if they are rightfully scared of twitter.

I found one post about a playmate and a lesbian fight going down. That's it. That's the only thing about the plot I found.

When I say I don't know about things, I really mean it. I've put a shield between myself and media, and I don't let myself have opinions on things I don't understand. This is because there is enough bloodshed in my head without allowing the shitstorm outside to enter. So I have no idea what these posts are referring to. I have no idea what to do here.

A side note for those who feel guilty not actively engaging in media and current issues because of things they are going through in their personal lives, have this from a novel that I was writing:

Anyway, I'm so dazed from the painkillers.

Internet parents, good omens fandom, maggots, please someone quite literally come get me, I'm scared. *holds out arms for a hug*

[ariel-seagull-wings]

@themousefromfantasyland @the-blue-fairie @thealmightyemprex @piterelizabethdevries

"I've always been a big fan of Ke$ha. The music of her early years was like a gateway for me letting myself to like Top 40.

I was a huge fan of her aesthetic of this flagrant shameless image... it was fun, it let you feel like being broke and young and partying all the time was aspirational.

It felt like a pass not to care about the world. At least as long as her music was on.

But then, years pass and it comes out that all of those party girl songs were made during years of physical and emotional abuse by her producer, that the party girl image was a construct that she didn't really have control over and maybe even didn't really like.

And knowing that in a world where otherwise I would still play the hell out of those Ke$ha early years music, it just doesn’t feel the same anymore.

I want to go back to the way her music made me feel in 2010, just unapologetic and dumb and glittery, but even though I want to, I can't.

Because now I know the circunstances under which that music was made.

And if you watch a piece of media, had an emotional reaction, whatever it was, and then learned that the context involved a certain level of exploitation, it changes the way you view the media, wheter you want it to or not.

Maybe Harper Lee's old age and deteriorating mental state were exploited by her publisher, in order to knock out a quick sequel to an American Classic before the door closed.

Maybe Ke$ha's party-girl image was carefully crafted by a sexually abusive iron-fist producer who had 100% control of her public image.

Maybe a lot of the art you consume, or even that you love, only exists because a person or people, or an entire island nation, were exploited by more powerful business interests.

But, that's capitalism.

Profit driven exploitation doesn't always have the last word.

Ke$ha's still locked into a contract with the label that enabled her abuser, but at least he's not there anymore?

And there are elements of the Hobbit Law that are up for repeal now that Labour is back in power, particularly the bit about outlawing collective bargaining, which to me is the most heinous part.

But these are only half measures, particularly the Hobbit Law repeal, which itself is no guarantee. I reached out to several people affiliated with the various New Zealand film guilds, but none are making comments to the media about the law until the law gets repealed.

If it does get repealed...

If you discover that a brand or company, like a bank or something, did something bad or unethical, it isn’t surprising. People just kind of shrug and go, yep that's how banks roll.

And maybe you'll close your account and go to a different bank, but the reality is that you probably don't care enough to even do that much, because unethical multinational corporations doing terrible things to people in the name of profit is just, kind of, the world.

You don’t have the brain space to care about all of them. We pay monopolistic cable companies for internet access, we have 401ks run by morally bankrupt hedge fund managers that we will never know, we still buy IPhones, we still buy cheap clothes while paying vague leap service to the knowledge that people are being exploited somewhere so we in America can boss Siri around.

In some ways we engage with a multitude of brands and corporations every day that someone, somewhere is getting exploited by, often cruelly so.

But media is different. Media is personal.

Media is designed to provide an escape, to stir emotions, to inspire.

The film industry is by no means the industry with the highest incidence of sexual harassment, but people care more about it when it gets exposed in the film industry, because the film industry creates media that hits emotional nerves.

And then when we find out that something we loved was made by someone who said or did bad things, it's like betrayal.

When people ask wheter is moral to separate art from the artist, or in this case, product from multinational conglomerate, what they're really asking is:

'How can I go back to consume media like I did when I was a kid? When the most context I had or cared about was who the author of my favorite book was, or why I like this actor, or what Ke$ha's real name and birthday is.'

But as an adult, you're expected to be an ethical consumer of media.

And it's somewhat inevitable that some people resent that, because consuming media the way children do is comforting.

Consuming media like The Hobbit as an adult is complicated and in this day and age, it's hard to do so innocently.

And I totally understand wanting to return to that innocence, and I don’t really have an argument against that worldview other than... that's adulthood."

(LINDSAY ELLIS: THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED AUTOPSY (PART 3/2)- THE DESOLATION OF WARNERS )

[bethanydelleman]

Hi! Love your blog :) I saw your previous reply about Jane Austen and cognitive neuroscience and it reminded me of a question I have about Persuasion that still haunts me, which I can't seem to find a definitive answer for on the general internet. So after Louisa is injured, its like she undergoes a pretty massive personality shift, leading up to her falling in love with Captain Benwick etc. My question is, is that change (in your opinion) supposed to be a mental trauma reaction, or more of a physical trauma reaction? Like are we supposed to infer that the brain tissue injury changed her or is it more like, she was in mental shock and also an invalid with plenty of time to brood on her role in things and that's what resulted in her being in a state of mind to love some poetry & Benwick? I do wonder if the total personality change is temporary or permanent, because sometimes people who undergo near-death experiences often have mental trauma-based reactions including apparently 180 degree personality shifts, but those don't last and as they heal from the trauma, they become closer to their older selves. In Louisa's case that would make for an interesting dynamic in her married life with Benwick if she goes back to her earlier personality eventually.

I personally think Louisa and Benwick's marriage is the most questionable one in all of Austen's works! Forget age gaps, no one should be getting married a few months after major brain trauma... I mean unless they were already engaged... maybe.

These are the two quotes about Louisa after the injury that are important here:

She saw no reason against their being happy. Louisa had fine naval fervour to begin with, and they would soon grow more alike. He would gain cheerfulness, and she would learn to be an enthusiast for Scott and Lord Byron; nay, that was probably learnt already; of course they had fallen in love over poetry. The idea of Louisa Musgrove turned into a person of literary taste, and sentimental reflection was amusing, but she had no doubt of its being so. The day at Lyme, the fall from the Cobb, might influence her health, her nerves, her courage, her character to the end of her life, as thoroughly as it appeared to have influenced her fate.

and

He answered rather hesitatingly, “Yes, I believe I do; very much recovered; but she is altered; there is no running or jumping about, no laughing or dancing; it is quite different. If one happens only to shut the door a little hard, she starts and wriggles like a young dab-chick in the water; and Benwick sits at her elbow, reading verses, or whispering to her, all day long.” Anne could not help laughing. “That cannot be much to your taste, I know,” said she; “but I do believe him to be an excellent young man.” “To be sure he is. Nobody doubts it; and I hope you do not think I am so illiberal as to want every man to have the same objects and pleasures as myself. I have a great value for Benwick; and when one can but get him to talk, he has plenty to say. His reading has done him no harm, for he has fought as well as read. He is a brave fellow. I got more acquainted with him last Monday than ever I did before. We had a famous set-to at rat-hunting all the morning in my father’s great barns; and he played his part so well that I have liked him the better ever since.”

So firstly, Louisa was already into the navy and Wentworth, she has retained that interest. However, we will recall that Louisa's interest in the navy sprang to life in moments after meeting the handsome captain. But she's 19 years old, so sudden interests in things that a handsome guy likes are perfectly normal! I'm sure she's learned to appreciate poetry in all the time she had to be quiet and still.

Secondly, what Charles observes is likely lingering effects of brain trauma or what we might call post-concussion syndrome (Louisa had a worse injury than what is commonly called a concussion). Louisa's brain is still healing. She will probably begin to dance again at some point, depending on what damage is long lasting. This is the tricky thing with brains, permanent damage can be extremely varied. One person ends up with aphasia (trouble speaking), another with ataxia (trouble with muscle coordination), and a third with memory problems and so on. However, Louisa is young and her brain is still plastic (adaptable); hopefully she will recover completely without deficits.

Lastly, I included the part about Benwick being a great rat-hunter because we have to remember, he's not all poetry. He is in the navy, he is apparently competent to be promoted so early and we know he has a good fortune. He's a good guy, he's passionate, I'm sure he wants to make his wife happy.

So... I think they'll be fine. Louisa was going to mature no matter what, Benwick is a good person, and they will grow more alike. If not, navy wives weren't always able to travel with their husbands, so Benwick might be away for long periods of time and Louisa might be home with the kids.

But I still advise anyone to wait at least a year before marrying after a major brain trauma! (semi-expert advice, don't sue me)

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

What could i do to help him if my gallifreyan has a hearts attack?

Disclaimer: This strategy is not suitable for humans. Follow the directions as stated by your human medical people: The Resuscitation Council UK - How to do CPR link

🚨 Immediate Actions for a Gallifreyan Hearts Attack

Secure the Scene: First, ensure the environment around you and your Gallifreyan friend is safe. Look out Daleks or any other environmental hazards that could pose additional threats.

Initial Response: Engage with your Gallifreyan friend by asking, 'How are you feeling?' and gently shake their shoulder while inquiring, 'Can you hear me?' This might help gauge their level of consciousness.

Seeking Bystander Assistance: When dealing with a Gallifreyan hearts issue, getting bystander help is key, but remember, a human ambulance won't cut it for their unique biology. If able, ask around for anyone with knowledge of alien medical care to assist, and direct others to help keep the area clear or communicate with specialised medical teams using any advanced tech you have. It’s all about finding the right support while ensuring everyone understands/remains unaware of the patient as a non-human.

Recognising Cardiac Arrest: Check for the two hearts' rhythm and normal breathing patterns. The absence of these signs indicates cardiac arrest, but if there's a pulse and they're breathing, proceed with a systematic ABCDE assessment.

Here are a normal set of life signs for reference.

Respiration Rate (breaths per minute) - 5-10

Supplemental Oxygen (cannula/mask etc. in use?) - No

Temperature (orally) - 15.1-19°C / 59.1-66.3°F

Systolic BP (top figure from blood pressure) - 151-240

Heart rate (individual) - 45-90

Level of consciousness - Alert

CPR Adaptation for Gallifreyans: If you suspect a cardiac arrest:

Perform 5 compressions over the left heart (from the patient's PoV), maintaining a depth of 5-6cm.

Switch and perform 5 compressions over the right heart (from the patient's PoV) with the same depth.

Administer 2 rescue breaths.

Keep this going until they have signs of consciousness or until medical help arrives. If you tire, find someone to swap out with to maintain good quality CPR.

Precordial Thump Strategy: If one heart seems to have stopped and you don't have a defibrillator, deliver two precordial thumps. One should be on the chest over the affected heart, and the other on the back, aligning with the heart. This method is slightly unconventional but might kickstart the heart again in urgent situations.

When Help Arrives: When Gallifreyan or similarly equipped medical responders arrive, provide them with a quick but comprehensive overview of the situation. Your actions and the information you've gathered can be crucial for the next steps in the patient's care.

🤖 Additional Tips

Stay Calm: Your calmness can help keep the Gallifreyan calm.

Telepathic Assistance: If you're skilled in telepathy, offering a soothing mental presence can help stabilise them.

Emergency Kit: Always keep a Gallifreyan medical kit nearby.

🚑 Post-Emergency Care

Once the immediate threat is over, following up with a specialised Gallifreyan medic is vital. Your Gallifreyan might need specific treatments to fully recover and prevent future incidents.

Remember, while these steps provide a general guide, each situation is unique. Always prioritise professional medical advice when available.

Related:

Gallifreyan Assessment Scoring System (GASS): Guide for assessing vital signs.

ABCDE Assessment: Guide for quickly assessing and treating a sick Gallifreyan.

Sepsis Emergency Response (SER): Guide for identifying and treating sepsis.

Hope that helped! 😃

More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[anothertickleblog]

☆ important info please read☆

This blog is currently being run on: queued posts This is a secondary account, so my likes will come from my primary account which is @8pit ── .✦

*click for better quality* More about me, information + interaction rules below the cut ⋆✮↪

About Me ✎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

General Stuff I'm a 23 y/o Non-Binary Switch Mixed Race (Black + White) Im neurodivergent, have several mental illnesses and a chronic pain condition (so clearly thriving)

Interests: *It's important to note I don't really have a "favorite character", have never been in a fandom, don't understand kinning and find it hard to open up about the stuff I like* That being said here's some stuff I like lol: Shows: Pushing Daises, Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me, Psych, Adventure Time, Regular Show Movies: Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Robot Dreams, Basically Any Muppet Movie, Pom Poko, Various Internet Stuff: Dropout TV, 17776, Blind Alley, MBMBAM+TAZBalance Music: toooooo many just ask me Currently Reading: Hollow Kingdom ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ

Blog Info ✎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ This is a SFW tickle blog (if you hadn't noticed) I don't care who interacts with posts as long as you're not being weird/creepy I do care who interacts with me though so do not send messages or asks if - You are under 18 - Your age is not stated in your bio - Your blog is empty

Speaking of asks I ask that you -Not tease me over anon -Not spam me with asks

I'm very friendly and you can message me if you wish! But I cannot promise I will answer as I am frequently not up to talking to people If you do want to message me I only ask that you: -Say something more than just "Hi", a brief introduction is enough -Not try to roleplay or get me to tease you

*Remember we are strangers. So engage with me like you're making a new friend at a coffee shop ๋࣭ ⭑⚝

Again I reserve the right to chose who I interact with and it is not a comment on you, I hope you'll be understanding of these rules and we can all have a nice time <3

That's all for now ᯓ★

- Grey :]

[iciatheguardess]

Hiiii it’s meeee elsie

conflicted Elsie

Look, you know as well as I do that I love TAOCC to freaking death

but like

I may have to partially step away from it after the current arcs are over.

these goofy goobers took over my life for the last three-ish months, and while I’ve had an amazing time, it’s…caused me to neglect other parts of my life, and restrict myself more than I should when it comes to how I am on this site. I’ve stated my intention to try and branch out multiple times but I never go through with it because I just…I have things to write here! I can’t! And yeah it’s fun but sometimes I get hurt even if people don’t mean to, like, I’ve gotten legitimately ill from this once or twice.

But I feel like even trying to step away a bit is somehow abandoning all of you or betraying your trusts. I want to stay friends with you guys, but my actual life and Irlsie has to come first most of the time, because I am not JUST Elsie, if that makes any sense. Elsewhere is and was always meant to be a sona for some interaction, maybe some friendos, but nothing this…involved, because I can’t put all of my social effort onto the internet because no matter what I do, the internet is not a completely genuine place, and I’ve accepted that. There are some parts of my personality I just don’t use. You don’t really ever see calm Elsie or mental illness Elsie or sappy Elsie, maybe once or twice, and that’s intentional. This is Writing Elsie’s blog, lol, but there’s other Elsie that needs to be allowed to exist outside of the internet, and I can’t neglect her or my actual life for the sake of this.

I honestly don’t know what to do here. I love these characters on a very personal level, and have poured my heart into them, and I don’t want to straight up leave them. Even only partially separating myself seems kinda pointless because I know what happens when someone gets really behind on the lore and has to be caught up on even just a day’s events to explain why Character A looks like this now or Character B is referencing this event, etc. etc.

But there’s a point where it’s not healthy anymore. Where things reach a place where I have to admit that this can’t be my entire life anymore. And I’m not entirely sure what on earth I should do about it…

If I do somewhat step back, it’ll probably be right after the vacation arc ends. i’m gonna pour my fluff loving heart and soul into that thing, don’t you worry. But you shouldn’t expect another dungeon or something like that from me unless I have a VERY good reason and a well formulated plan. Yes, I’ll probably still engage in shippery and fluff, as well as analysis, but mostly within the bounds of characters and dynamics we’ve already established, and not much farther than that. My one exception to the “after the vacation arc” rule would probably be Yelena’s arc, because of how long things in that section tend to take, for various reasons. Yelena’s arc is barely started, and stuff takes possibly days to move even a few hours in-universe. Sooooo….yeah, I wanna finish that, I’ve put too much work into it already to just stop it.

…dang this was only supposed to be a paragraph…

…pls halp, I have no idea what to do lol.

Ok. I've read over this a couple times.

First off, I'm talking to you as L here, and not Star. I am very, very proud of you for acknowledging this and understanding that this is getting unhealthy. I think it's very smart that you dont want to neglect your yourself irl and the fact you're saying this, and saying exactly what you'll be doing, I'm really proud of it.

To give you a clear answer, if it's going to help you irl then I think stepping back is smart. Especially from the trauma and angst, because that stuff hurts a LOT and it can be really, really detrimental and negatively affect irl things. What I DONT think is that it's betraying anyone. You need to be able to put yourself and your needs first in order to be your best self, and everyone understands that you can't be on tumblr 24/7 because, well, that's really really really really unhealthy and not good. I'm really glad you're telling me about this though so I, and everyone else who sees this, knows.

TAOCC is really great but there's a LOT of heavy things on here and with everything going on, it can be super weighing and really affect people irl. I can speak from experience because honestly, I'm in a similar situation. I won't speak much about that though. It's definitely addictive and can get really really unhealthy if you let it, and honestly it's not hard to let it.

I want you to do whatever you feel is best for you, no matter what that entails. Fei and Tails and Xeya and Kumo and so many others and I love you so much and do NOT want you neglecting yourself and your life irl for this- it's meant to be entertainment, not a lifestyle.

I think it's smart to finish Yelena's Arc before partially stepping back. And I think it's even smarter to not want to do another dungeon, because that whole thing was a massive angst-fest and I think it negatively affected people more than they care to admit. Shippery and fluff and minor things is a good boundary.

I'll wrap this up now, but again, I'm in full support of this decision because I want you to be at your best. You're right, you're not just Elsie. And it's not fair for you to only be Elsie when you're so much more than that. If stepping away from tumblr will help you take care of the other parts of your life that we aren't involved in or aware of, then please do so because no part of you and your life should be sacrificed for the sake of entertainment.

Again, I'm really, really proud of you for admitting this.

Please know we'll always support you and you're super important to all of us, so don't ever feel bad for putting your needs first. Irl things should always come first.

But no matter what always remember:

WE LOVE YOU SO SO SO MUCH AND YOURE SUPER IMPORTANT AND WE WANT THE BEST FOR YOUUU ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Everything I said is applicable for everyone else reading this too. Taocc is fantastic and we love it but it shouldn't completely take over your life. It's okay to take a break or step back fully if it means the best for your health and irl life. Please remember to take care of yourselves- and everything that Elsie talked about here is FANTASTIC self care. It may be hard, but it's also the best decision she can make for herself and may be the best decision for others too.

Alright- I think I covered everything. Don't ever feel like you're betraying us Elsie- it's not betrayal, it's self care. We'll still be here for you, always. Never forget that ❤️❤️❤️

[turtlesandfrogs]

Ok, it's 3 am* and I'm only awake because I got real thirsty, but-

Look at the characteristics of 'Flow', this mental state that is this cool thing people talk about as being a desired state, and one of the things you want in your life and in your job:

The activity is intrinsically rewarding.

There are clear goals that, while challenging, are still attainable.

There is a complete focus on the activity itself.

People experience feelings of personal control over the situation and the outcome.

People have feelings of serenity and a loss of self-consciousness.

There is immediate feedback.

People know that the task is doable and there is a balance between skill level and the challenge presented.

People experience a lack of awareness of their physical needs.

There is strong concentration and focused attention.

People experience timelessness, or a distorted sense of time, that involves feeling so focused on the present that you lose track of time passing.

Now, consider a definition of hyperfocus, something I regularly experience as an ADHDer:

Hyperfocus is characterized by an intense state of concentration/focus.

When engaged in hyperfocus, unrelated external stimuli do not appear to be consciously perceived; sometimes reported as a diminished perception of the environment. {including for me and a lot of other people, the stimuli of needing to pee, needing to drink, needing, to eat, needing to move....}

To engage in hyperfocus, the task has to be fun or interesting.

During a hyperfocus state, task performance improves.

Do these not resemble each other? A lot??? Like, a lot, a lot? Now granted, I find it a lot easier to hyperfocus than that first list above would suggest, since I do it accidentally.

Like, neurotypical advice for neurotypical people is to find a job that allows you to experience flow, and to actively seek out this experience. And then they turn around and are grumpy at us???? For not hearing them when we're engrossed in a task?

Rude.

*it was 3 am when I stated, but then the internet went out

[nenelonomh]

the effect of what (and how) you eat

okay, this is a big topic. and so this is a long post. i'm going to be going over the effect of what you eat and why it's important to think about what foods you are consuming. don't worry! i do my research-- at the end of the post will be a few resources, and i'll show where i've gotten my information.

lots of dietary advice is available over the internet, but often the people absorbing the information do not understand the why. knowing where your information is coming from,, and not believing everything you read online is key to actually maintaining a good, healthy diet.

before you read: TRIGGER WARNING THERE IS MENTION OF EATING DISORDERS,,

let's start with this: like everything in this age, food is a double-edged sword. overconsumption and underconsumption can both kill you. what you eat; how you eat--it can help or hinder whatever your goals may be.

here's the effect/s: the connection between diet and mental health is profound. while we’ve long understood that diet plays a crucial role in overall health, emerging research in the field of nutritional psychiatry sheds light on how what we eat directly impacts our emotional well-being and mental state.

the brain-gut connection: the gut is closely linked to the brain. trillions of living microbes in our gut have essential functions, including synthesizing neurotransmitters. these neurotransmitters send chemical messages to the brain, regulating sleep, pain, appetite, mood, and emotions.

to improve your gut health, here's what you can do:

by eating a varied diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, essential nutrients are provided which feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut. high fibre foods promote gut health by supporting good bacteria.

fermented foods, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso are rich in probiotics—live beneficial bacteria that boost gut health. kombucha (a fermented tea) is another option.

avoiding reducing processed foods can reduce the diversity of good bacteria in your gut. when i say processed foods, i'm referring to ultra-processed foods, for example, fried foods and frozen meals. they may be easy and cheap, but they include preservatives, artificial colouring, chemical flavouring and texturing agents. all of which our bodies are not made to consume. it's ignorant to tell you to avoid processed foods at all costs. that's not realistic, and a horrible mindset. instead, you should manage your intake. enjoy treats every now and then and don't punish yourself for it.

hydration is key to a healthy gut. water supports digestion and nutrient absorption.

stress management, eating well and exercise can also help your gut microbiome's health.

by having a healthy gut microbiome, you are helping your body to have lower chronic inflammation, have regular bowel movements and more effectively absorb nutrients. therefore, you will have a stronger immune system, have clearer skin and support your digestion and metabolism.

why eating protein matters: proteins are made of amino acids, which serve as the fundamental building blocks for various structures in our bodies. these amino acids are essential for forming enzymes, hormones, tissues, and DNA. protein is vital in maintaining and building muscle mass. when activities like strength training and physical exercise are engaged in, protein helps build and repair the muscles.

hemoglobin, a protein in our red blood cells, transports oxygen from our lungs to other tissues. without adequate protein, oxygen delivery would be compromised. antibodies, which defend against infections, are made of proteins. a well-functioning immune system relies on sufficient protein intake. collagen, a protein, maintains the integrity of our skin, hair, and nails. adequate protein supports healthy skin elasticity and wound healing.

the recommended dietary intake for protein relies on factors such as age, weight, height, gender, activity and overall health. remember that individual needs can vary, so consulting with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian is advisable to determine your specific protein requirements.

many diets exist that cut out entire macronutrients (keto for example) but that is not the way. each macronutrient has great importance in helping the body function.

carbohydrates are the body's (including the brain) preferred energy source. they enable muscle contraction during exercise and even at rest. carbs maintain body temperature, support heart function, and aid digestion.

the keto diet comes from the belief that when carbohydrates are not providing energy (are not being consumed), the body will use reserved energy stored in lipids (fat). while this is true, this diet is not maintainable-- it throws the body out of whack, storing more energy to maintain homeostasis.

fats provide energy and are essential for hormone production. they contribute to cell growth, brain health and vitamin absorption.

our brain is composed of ~60% fat. fats are essential for neurotransmitter production, affecting mood, cognition, and hormonal signalling. cholesterol, often associated with heart health, is a precursor for steroid hormones (testosterone, estrogen, progesterone). without adequate cholesterol, our body cannot produce these essential hormones.

effects of diet on mood: firstly, going long periods without eating can cause a drop in blood sugar levels, leading to tiredness and irritability. secondly, consuming excessive amounts of food can make you feel tired and lethargic.

choosing the right carbohydrates can help maintain blood sugar levels. our brain primarily runs on glucose (obtained from carbohydrate-rich foods). you can opt for slow-release carbohydrates to maintain steady energy levels. slow-release carbohydrates (a.k.a low GI food) provide a more sustained and gradual release of energy compared to other carbohydrates. examples include fruits, vegetables, whole grains (grainy bread, brown rice, oats) and sweet potatoes. high GI foods rapidly spike blood sugar levels due to their quick digestion and absorption.

going too long without eating can lead to low blood sugar levels, resulting in irritability and fatigue. overeating to discomfort can also leave you feeling tired and lethargic. consistent, moderate-sized meals help maintain stable blood sugar levels and promote an even mood.

i know, overeating is an issue that one cannot simply 'turn off'. it's important to know the psychology, and if you struggle with it--please talk to a health professional.

here is what i can tell you about overeating:

overeating is typically a learned behaviour and habit. certain foods are associated with pleasure and reward. when enticing food is encountered, we engage in eating behaviour and immediately experience pleasure. this reinforces the habit, making it challenging to change.

overeating may be serving as a coping mechanism for emotions. when feelings of sadness, disappointment, frustration, or even joy arise, someone may turn to food. emotional eating provides temporary relief, reinforcing the behaviour.

the first delicious bite triggers pleasure, satiates our appetite, and improves our emotional state. our memory associates this reward process with eating, leading us to continually seek that pleasure. this is due to immediate reward.

people with eating disorders may disregard their health, body, body image and lifestyle goals. they use food as a way to punish themselves and gain control over their life. restrictive eating disorders can lead to 'binging behaviour'. bingeing serves as a way to numb emotions. anxiety, stress, and depression can trigger binge behaviours. consuming certain foods or substances (like junk food or alcohol) releases dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter. this chemical rush can lead to physical addiction, reinforcing bingeing. a culture (unfortunately which is abundant in the world today) that emphasizes consumption as a measure of worth can contribute to bingeing. messages about thinness, drinking, and material possessions can drive these behaviours.

i hate that i am having to say this but alcoholism is bad. and caffeine addiction is bad. in no way is harming your health aesthetic or 'a vibe'.

limiting caffeine and alcohol can also improve mood. again, i'd like to stress that there is never going to be one perfect diet, and allowing yourself to enjoy whatever food you like is perfectly fine- as long as you are doing so in moderation.

everything is a balance.

resources/further reading, to end: Fat Requirements For Optimal Hormonal Health - Clean HealthHow Dietary Fat Benefits Hormones - Women's International Pharmacy (womensinternational.com) The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between - Harvard HealthDietary fats | healthdirectMacronutrients: Definition, importance, and food sources (medicalnewstoday.com)Know Your Macros-Why Macronutrients Are Key to Healthy Eating | Cedars-SinaiWhy the Proper Balance of Macronutrients is Vital for Good Health - Functional Diagnostic Nutrition What Is Protein & Why Do You Need It? (eatingwell.com)Protein: Why Your Body Needs It (webmd.com)Protein | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthBinge-Eating Disorder (Compulsive Overeating) | Psychology Today AustraliaThe Psychology Behind Binge-Watching | PsychregBingeing: Why It Happens and What You Can Do About It (greatist.com) Understanding Overeating: The Psychology Behind It - Listen-HardWhy stress causes people to overeat - Harvard HealthThe Truth About Overeating | Psychology TodaySlow-release carbs list (medicalnewstoday.com)Why understanding carbs (and how to count them) matters | Diabetes UK Food and your mood - Better Health ChannelHow food can affect your mood | Nutrition AustraliaStress-related stomach pain: When to see a doctor - UChicago MedicineWhat Is Gut Health? A Comprehensive Guide to Digestive Wellness | U.S. News (usnews.com)Why Gut Health Matters More Than You Think | Well.Org Probiotics: What They Are, Benefits & Side Effects (clevelandclinic.org)Probiotics: What You Need To Know | NCCIH (nih.gov)What should I eat for a healthy gut? - BBC FoodLet’s Eat: How Diet Influences the Brain (brainfacts.org)

i know the fact that the resources are one big block may be annoying, but i don't have the commitment to in text reference lmao. hours of research and writing for a blog post, yes, but in text referencing is just too far.

i hope you learnt something

❤️joanne

[a-really-good-lawyer-abandoned]

Something I never see people talk about (which could be because I simply haven't come across it) is how rough forming a new hyperfixation can be, especially a core hyperfixation.

I've loved Star Trek for years. But for whatever reason, it wasn't until a couple years ago that something in my brain *clicked* and it became a new core hyperfixation.

In some ways it was better than past such hyperfixations because there is so much Star Trek out there to consume, between shows and films and then the fandom content because this fandom has been alive and well for over 50 years, gave birth to modern fandom.

But that didn't change the fact that, for the ensuing six months, it consumed my life - and not in the fun, tongue-in-cheek way we say 'this fandom consumes my life', like semi-hyperbole.

When I say it consumed my life, I mean it was near non-stop hyperfocus for months.

My apartment was constantly a mess, same as my sense of time. My sleep schedule was constantly erratic. I was often dehydrated, had frequent headaches, often found myself shaking from all the adrenaline surges. I dropped fifteen pounds almost without noticing (weight I shouldn't have dropped).

I was always drained, always disoriented, always distracted. It didn't feel good. Really, it felt distinctly bad, and I felt completely out of control to make it stop. If I made myself ignore the media and fic and fan art and all of that, it just meant I sank into myself, got lost in my head for hours on end.

After the first two months it began to gradually, slowly ease up, and when I hit around six months it stopped feeling like I was being dragged along and started to feel the way I want when it comes to hyperfixations - it was fun, mood-boosting. Engaging with it improved my mental health, instead of causing it, along with my physical health, to deteriorate.

That was probably the worst 'epsiode' I've had, but I've had them several times. The one when I developed the Daredevil hyperfixation thankfully lasted only two months, same as when it was FMA:B and BBC Merlin, and...three months, I think, for Star Wars? The one that got closest was Smallville, my first fandom hyperfixation, though I imagine some of that had to do with it coming out when I first had regular internet access. That one was maybe four or five months, and was dragged out by the fact that I was in high school so I was 'forced' away from it all by the anxiety of college applications and AP exams and all that fun stuff.

I love having these things. They've been good for me, for my emotional welfare - have helped me survive so much. I never regret that initial rough aspect, not that I've ever had the power to do things differently.

But it is rough, and one of the aspects of neurodivergence I've had the most trouble explaining to neurotypical people. They see it as simple obsession or addiction, something that I fell into and need to take steps to pull myself out of, rather than something that my brain just does at the drop of a hat and which won't stop until I go through that process. Trying not to, trying to mitigate it, just ends up dragging that process out. It can't be reduced or bypassed. It's just part of how my brain works.

And people trying to interfere with that, to 'fix' that by making me pay attention to other things, giving me tasks, whatever it may be - it does nothing to change it. If anything, it makes the whole thing much more destabalizing, in ways that can have major consequences for my state of mind, and I've had the experiences to prove it.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, but I just...wanted to put it out there. I think there can be shame attached to this reality - shame I've felt, and which I've come to recognize originates from neurotypical social expectations and a lack of understanding.

If this is something you've dealt with and have been shamed for, I hope this post can give you some comfort. It isn't a failing, isn't deviant, isn't indulgent. It just is, and you aren't bad or broken or weak because of it.

[randomscpventblog]

Honestly it really saddens me that when I look back at my scp album (I make albums for every main fandom I’m in) all that comes to mind is how much mental distress the whole of the fandom caused me, my friends, and so many others. Seeing as Bright is still my comfort character everyone’s insistence on completely erasing him triggered my OCD so badly that I spent days, if not weeks, archiving everything in pictures, google docs, and files that I would check repeatedly multiple times a day and I was well off compared to others who suffered much worse mentally, I still have an unanswered ask in my inbox from an anon who wanted to unalive themselves due to feeling like they lost their comfort character(Bright) and I still have no idea how to respond to that.

I literally joined the fandom because I was under the assumption that since it was a Creative Commons community this type of drama and erasure wouldn’t happen since there was no company or person being directly financially compensated for anything. So I figured no one would have an issue supporting anything on the wiki but it appears I was wrong obviously. The whole Bright can’t be separated from his author argument is still absolutely ridiculous as well as anyone can engage in disgusting roleplay with any character.

But back to the fandom, the wiki users and Scp content creators dropping the character and acting all morally superior was incredibly gross and performative considering most of them were around when AdminBright was still active on the wiki and had nothing to say or qualms about using the character until AB was banned and people started turning it into an issue. Then there was DJK, who still has allegations of sleeping with a freshly turned 18 y/o and attempting to provide them with alcohol, who decided to use the lists deletion to try and get clout with his own character. Which so many people decided to switch over too completely ignoring the fact that DJK was complacent in ABs predatory behavior on the wiki and that DJK himself also has allegations against him. The only silver lining to Shaw is that one of AB’s victims is working with DJK which in its own way is odd considering how they were brought on to work on Shaw with DJK who as previously mentioned also has allegation’s of predatory behavior against him.

The fandoms response wasn’t much better you had people switching over to Shaw which they only used as a rename instead of as their own character which was what the victim wanted as they don’t want Shaw simply being a repaint of Bright. You had people here on Tumblr demonizing Bright fans for not being able to move on from the character like they were, because they somehow assumed that just because they were able to detach themselves from the character that everyone else could too, completely ignoring the fact that most Bright fans are young, mentally ill, and/or neurodivergent. Those same people would use the excuse of trying to protect the victim’s feelings and mental state’s, again completely ignoring the fact that their causing thousands of other people so much pain and distress all over using a character. Then you had people fear mongering and accusing Bright fans of potentially giving AB new victims with their usage of the character which makes no sense considering AB has completely disappeared from the internet and I doubt them flaunting the fact that they created a niche character on the internet is going to be impressive enough to get them any irl victims.

All in all this has to be one of the most distressing fandom experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ve been in a lot of fandoms. Literally the only good part was the friends I’ve made along the way, and they were the only reason I remained in the fandom for so long. Due to this experience this will be the last fandom I’ll ever join that’s a community lead fandom, because for as bad as your usual fandoms can be at least people understand how to separate the work from the company’s that create them.

[gowns]

ok last post for the day but did you know that literally unpacking your repression will cure you?

i've been unpacking the word and the concept of "repression" for the past 11 months and it has taken me on a journey that has just. literally repaired holes in my brain

and i didn't even know i was repressed. i thought i was "normal" and knew about all the edges and sides of myself

but it turns out that there was more to discover. and i have resolved to never be so set in stone again, so sure of what i know and don't know, how i identify, how i operate, how i navigate

your body and life and mind are all very malleable, expandable; you can be so much stronger, so much more confident, than you are now. even if you think you're already strong and confident

you don't know what you don't know...

--

the biggest reoccuring issue that i see on the internet is people posting with such authority, being so sure that they're right, even when they're speaking from a very narrow point of view, and have had a sheltered, judgmental upbringing. so they're just projecting their very limited experience on everything else. i know because i used to be guilty of that too.

but now i'm so... like, i am so fulfilled, so happy, and in a constant state of open curiosity, closer to zen than i have ever been before.

and i had to get there through being dragged through gravel at the bottom of a pit; i had nightmares about demons coming through screens, false reality, eyes following me everywhere. this is a really personal note here. you might not resonate with this. but i think that "madness" or nightmares can sometimes be a signpost of something else that's bothering you. i know that i was flagging to myself that the internet and television and etc, while it is very entertaining, it's also literally false reality, like, you could waste your whole life caring about tweets and hot takes and shit. i could just work on my little computer then watch tv and sleep and that would be my whole life. but it was all a coping mechanism for an unfulfilled life.

so then -- what is it that would make for a fulfilled life? even if it feels scary, out of reach, impossible; even if it feels shameful (not from a real sense, i.e. harming someone else, but from an imaginary sense, like "i don't know why, but when i think about this thing that doesn't hurt anyone, i feel sick, like i shouldn't do it, but i want to do it, i feel like i have to do it"--)--

i think there is soooo much repression out there, because we're just steeped in it. and there's the repression that you know about, then a whole shadowy area of your mind that's the repression you're not even conscious of. and maybe sometimes things lash out from those shadows; you project things onto other people, carry grudges, can't feel satisfied with anything, etc

i've dealt with a lot of depression and anxiety and intrusive thoughts and so on, and a lot of it just.......... stopped. over the past year. from unpacking the repression

(i also feel personally that a lot of people who subscribe to conservative ideologies are repressed on some level. and in my mental mind map, there's "repression" < - > "trauma" < - > "isolation" with lines pencilled in heavily between each of them)

and it's like... you open yourself up to yourself, you open up to other people more, you become more engaged in your community, build better friendships, etc.

because it's like repression is poison in the soil... and the more we get rid of that shit the more we can grow, open up, more things grow..

it's just one word, it can mean different things to different people, but i think we could all attack it with the same woodpecker-like ferocity that i am attacking my own repression. you know? then it would be like. oh shit. i had a tool of imperialism and colonialism and white supremacy and heteropatriarchy and protestant / catholic control just festering inside of me for years. damn. good thing i got it out!

[insert-witty-user-name-here]

10+ Good Things Biden has Done: Healthcare, Housing, and LGBTQ+ Edition

Just a list of 10+ good things Biden has done in the last 4 years because I’ve been hearing too much rhetoric that it doesn’t matter who you vote for. It does make a difference. 

Find more 10+ good things here, here, and here.

Increased access to healthcare and specifically codified protections for LGBTQ+ patients against discrimination. (x) 

Strengthened women's reproductive rights by increasing access to reproductive health care, improving confidentiality to protect against criminalization for patients receiving reproductive care, and revoked Medicaid waivers from states that would exclude providers like Planned Parenthood, and more. (x)

Expanded healthcare and benefits for veterans through the PACT Act (x)

Cemented protections for pregnant and postpartum workers through the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. 

Improved access to nursing homes for those who receive Medicaid services and established, for the first time, a national minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes to ensure those in their care receive sufficient support.  (x) 

Lowered healthcare costs for those with Medicare which capped insulin for seniors at $35 a month, made vaccines free, and capped seniors’ out of pocket expenses at the pharmacy through the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Fully vaccinated 79% of American adults against COVID-19 (I know this is old news now this is a big deal) 

Banned unfair practices that hide housing fees from renters and homebuyers when moving into a new home (x) 

Reduced the mortgage insurance premium for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages and clarified that inflated rents caused by algorithmic use of sensitive nonpublic pricing and supply information violate antitrust laws. (x) 

Increased protections for those saving for retirement from predatory practices. (x)

Helped millions of households gain access to the internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program. (x) 

Restored net neutrality (net neutrality is a standard which ensures broadband internet service is essential and prohibits interna providers from blocking, engaging in paid prioritization, and more.) (x)

Increased protections for loan holders as well as increased access to loans (x)

Cut fees that banks charge consumers for overdrawing on their accounts. (x)

Reaffirmed HUD’s commitment to remedy housing discrimination under the Fair Housing Act (which was– surprise, surprise– halted under the Trump administration). (x)

Required the U.S. federal government and all U.S. states and territories to recognize the validity of same-sex and interracial civil marriages by passing the Respect for Marriage Act, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.

Reversed Trump’stransgender military ban.

Proposed investments in a lot of programs including universal pre-k, green energy, mental health programs across all sectors, a national medical leave program for all workers and more. (x) 

Last… let’s also not forget all the truly terrible things Trump did when he was in office. If you need a reminder, scroll this list, this one mostly for giggles + horror, for actual horror about what a Trump presidency has in store, learn about ‘Project 2025’ from the Heritage Foundation. I know this post is about reasons to vote FOR Biden but let’s not forget the many, many reasons to vote for him over Trump.

Looking for more?

10+ good things Biden has done in education and immigration

10+ good things Biden has done in the justice and courts system

10+ good things Biden has done in climate and labor

A few other notes

Voting for Biden or Trump shouldn’t be the only reason you vote. You know what elections have more power over your life? LOCAL elections. If you’re not feeling jazzed about Biden… vote for someone really cool running for mayor, or your rep, or on your school board and then begrudgingly vote for Biden. 

A reminder that if someone online is trying to discourage you to vote there’s a good chance they are a paid actor to do so. Voter suppression was a well-documented tactic during the 2016 election and I’m sure the trolls are out in force again. 

Check your voter registration here, make a plan to vote, and encourage your friends to vote as well. 

All in all, yeah… there’s a lot of shitty things still happening. There’s always going to be shit but things aren’t going to change on their own. And that change starts (it certainly doesn’t end) with voting. 

Go vote in November.