#Therapy is expensive and tumblr is free

[razette]

I created a tbr list of books I think I want to read. However, I know as I add books I think i might be interested in I will also be overwhelmed by the choices. I also know that i infinitely prefer certain genres and would happily read those exclusively. This is at odds with my goals to read broadly across subjects and genres.

So, all the books I think I wanna read go on the big list. then i designed a little graph that will help me stay on track with my broader goals by making sure I include a variety of books on that list and help me break that list down in to smaller more manageable chunks.

Which feels really neurotic, to me, because i assume (with 0 research or really any basis in reality at all) that no one does this or needs to. BUT that doesnt matter if it helps pave the way for results.

[vimesbootstheory]

after exactly (ok, one day off) a year in business, my lil speech therapist practice is officially keeping me in the black!

[hemerasiae]

ever think about how lonely neve is at her core? how she is a self-fulfilling prophecy of loneliness since she keeps everyone at an arms length so she can’t lose them? what it means for a person so motivated by love and compassion to isolate and deny themselves the basic need of intimate connections? the deterioration over time which has led to cynicism masking a fragile heart?

[robinniko]

i love every couple months i say i should go to therapy, and i just don’t

[emotionaldisaster909]

ah yes it was the power of love and utter rage at my own brain’s dumbfuckery

[vveirdvvitch]

yellow and fffuscia

You are absolutely correct!! My psychic dick is enormous!!!

I have seen many therapists in my life and I really probably should see another unfortunately I live in the USA and it’s impossible to see one unless you got the good insurance.

[caelus-the-lothrat]

If you aren't reading/writing fanfiction at boring family functions, you aren't living life to the fullest.

Am I sat at a family event writing/reader fan fiction outside while they’re inside?

Yes. Yes I am

[razette]

Hm. Watching my grandmother struggle with changes as her age catches up with her does leave me feeling a kind of way. She is in quite good health despite developing some new issues. Shes living well; shes just getting old.

I spent a lot of time thinking about dying. at some point it just seemed natural to read a little about grief too. but just recently realized that I might live to have a life. what a completely novel idea.

She is, i can see, lonely in a way that only being old can make you. I dont think its something we can talk about; its the sort thing i think I can only help by being around and staying close. I just grew up enough to realize how young i am, but not enough to talk about it. I think her kids are probably the better age for that, but frankly i dont know any of them well enough to say if they even could. and their lives seem so full. compared to mine. compared especially to hers.

the human condition is kinda hard isnt it.

[emersonfreepress]

help i'm alive

So! Long time, no see. 2023 was a whole goddamn lot lol

I don't have a demo update to share yet, but that's because I had to scrap nearly everything I managed to write during a very, very, very bad stint of writer's block last year. I hadn't even realized it had been a block like that until I went over my work so far last month and realized it was bad -- like, trust me; a slog to read that didn't even sound like me. It's been extremely frustrating but I've finally broken free of that and it's been easy and actually fun to write again for the first time in actual years. I just hate giving updates that have no actual news in them. And I really had nothing to share other than: I deleted thousands of words and feel so much better now 😅

Anyway, little about my demo plans have changed: I'm still putting out the Chapter 3 demos in Choicescript/on Dashingdon and then will be going dark to move things over to Twine. Where I am in the process right now is... feeling like 35% done with the overhauled version of this chapter and 50% done for the next demo update.

As far as asks, I'm... not really sure what to do?? I believe I've read them all (I love you guys), but so much time has passed since getting most of them that I'm not sure if it's, like... still pertinent??? To go back and answer them?? I suppose some of them like character asks could be, but all the nice messages of support -- that feels weird since I've practically ghosted this blog since August! Idk. Y'all tell me what to do with 'em and I'll do it. Maybe I should make a poll.

Uh... that's really all there is to say regarding the game! I've added some personal stuff after the cut, but if you're done here: Thanks for reading and sticking around. It means the world, for real.

So what has occupied my time all this time? Doctor, therapy, money, and friends. And improv! But especially the first two. There was a lot of non-writing related stuff fucking up my ability to focus and write, so hopefully with my mind and body both feeling a lot better, I can get back to being present and active with the game. I didn't realize how physically unwell I was until last year and it's been like... life-long issues I've been treating. It turns out it's not normal to feel exhausted enough to sleep at any given time, at all times, for your whole life! wow!!

I also uninstalled Tumblr from my phone back in February, so you could say I'm sort of generally focused on offline life. (And what an interesting coincidence that my writer's block dissipated shortly after that...) I also just moved!! The last two weekends have been so expensive and stressful -_- But I can't even compare the old place to the new. We're basically paying the same price for idek how much more space. The cats are so happy; which means the house humans get to be happy.

My schedule is finally freed up from constant medical shit (there was a 3-month stretch this winter with multiple doctor appointments literally every fucking week 🙃🙃🙃). My mental health is doing a lot better -- literally incomparably better compared to where I was this time last year. There's live comedy now (which I dabble in, to be clear lol), but I've finally found myself able to like... balance it all. The physical and creative energy that goes into it all, anyway. The lovely thing about improv is that you kinda just show up and do your thing -- it doesn't cut into my writing time so much as it costs energy. Unless I end up in this comedy debate show thing next month, which I am very excited to give up writing time for

So like... Life is life-ing and I'm just vibing. Or something? I'll be around.

Thank you all again so much for your interest, support, patience, and readership <3

[nanamineedstherapy]

Crack Extended Cut: Third Wheeling Your Own Marriage

F!Non-Sorceress CEO Reader x Gojo Satoru x Nanami Kento

A/N: Hello. This is not a drill. Nor is it essential to the main plot. This is the DLC side quest that unlocks when your marriage turns into a corporate hostage situation and your therapist writes war reports in scented ink. I present to you: the fic where your postpartum calendar has more kill zones than a military campaign. This oneshot contains: A tactical NanamiA feral Gojo who thinks “time” is a suggestion A reader held together by caffeine and spite And a support staff that deserves a collective raise and possibly divine intervention No plot, just vibes. No fantasy, just Gojo accusing your babies of tax fraud. Reblogs > therapy. Comments > hydration. I crave chaos like Gojo craves unregulated sugar intake. Now enter the battlefield responsibly. Tuesdays only.

Previous Oneshot Chapter [Tumblr/Ao3] | Main Series [Tumblr/Ao3]

Pre-Shoot: Vogue Verification Interview Recording —Not For Public Release

Int. Briefing Room—Late night.

A silent camera blinked in the corner like it had seen things it wasn’t ready to process. This wasn’t the real interview—just a “vibe check,” according to the email. A pre-verification to confirm nobody would say anything libelous, horrifying, or Gojo-related on camera.

The staff had been summoned. Not invited. Summoned. Like spirits.

A whiteboard stood at the front of the room, bleeding unhinged red ink:

Nanami-San’s Postpartum Operations & Domestic Warfare Protocol (V.17.6.4B)

Below it:

Postpartum Infantry: Rules Of Engagement

Weapons Free = Tuesdays Only —underlined three times.

Keji stood beside it like a grim-faced ghost from a failed banking career. He flipped through a leather-bound operations manual with a pen clenched between his teeth and the eyes of a man who had held your hair back while you vomited from prenatal vitamins and regret.

Someone had left a half-eaten mochi on a legal folder. Someone else held up a single baby sock with tongs, like it was evidence from a crime scene.

“If I don’t make it out of this,” Keji muttered, “delete my browser history and feed Takahashi. Norwegian sardines only. Room temp. Sprinkled with shame.”

The door hissed open with the threat of management.

Enter: Nanami Kento.

Tactical trousers. Black turtleneck. Sleeves rolled with Swiss-watch precision. The expression of a man prepared to deliver disappointing performance reviews and execute people over misfiled invoices.

He didn’t say a word. Just dropped a laminated master schedule onto the polished walnut table like a war crime.

The staff exhaled collectively, like they'd been holding their breath since week 12 of your pregnancy.

Behind him: Gojo Satoru.

He strolled in late, sipping an electric blue drink from a child’s sippy cup shaped like a bear. No shoes. Chest visible under open robe, sweatpants. One sock had a hole in the toe. His hair looked expensive, and his smirk said he knew it.

He radiated power, chaos, and the energy of someone who didn’t believe in chairs.

“Who moved my peach gummies?” he asked the room, deadpan. “Someone’s lying. I can smell fear.”

And then, you.

Barefoot. Hoodie stretched over a bump that could clear a subway seat in under four seconds. Pajama pants. Laptop under one arm, half-eaten protein cookie in the other. You weren’t late, just existing on your own non-Euclidean timeline now.

Your posture: collapsing. Your dignity: questionable. Your husbands: problematic.

Nanami cracked a pointer stick against the table like a courtroom gavel. “The schedule is sacred. That includes hydration windows and postnatal exorcism rotations.”

Gojo leaned toward the baby monitor mounted on the wall, whispering like it was a co-conspirator. “I’m going to teach them to cry in Morse code. Every blink means ‘fart.’”

You sank into a chair like you’d been shot. Your laptop slid out of your arm. You didn't flinch as Keji caught it. Your head lolled sideways—Nanami caught it with the side of his neck without looking, like this happened three times a day.

“I don’t know either of these men,” you told the camera, voice flat as you yawned. “I met them on Craigslist. They won’t leave.”

Gojo gave the camera a peace sign with one hand while texting with the other. "She's lying. I was advertised as a limited-edition collectible. Fully poseable with infinite attachments. No refunds."

Nanami didn’t look up. “No perfume in the nursery. No microwave-heated formula. And under no circumstances is anyone allowed to call the pacifier a ‘binky.’ This is a Japanese household. Not a sitcom.”

CUT TO: Staff lineup; each stood like extras in a corporate thriller that got too real too fast. Their vibes screamed “LinkedIn Premium” with undertones of “We were not trained for this.”

Int. Staff Conference Room—Pre-Shoot Day (Camera: Silent, Judgmental)

STAFF ROLL CALL:

Cursed-Artifact Housekeeper (¥20M+)

Ex-Vatican restorationist. Has opinions about demons. Dusts while muttering “Dies irae.” Once threw bleach on a haunted Fenty gloss. Still invoices Nanami in Latin.

Pregnancy-Specific Chef (¥35M+):

Michelin-starred. Male. Korean-Mexican fusion. Wept when Gojo requested “a smoothie that tastes like unresolved childhood abandonment.” Currently sourcing artisanal wasabi for anti-nausea tea. May be possessed.

Cybersecurity Lead (¥40M+):

Ex-CIA. Latina trans woman. Tatted in binary. Regularly hacks into Gojo’s fanmail database to block “OnlyFans” proposals. Helped Madame leave the country overnight (husbands suspect her involvement but are too terrified of looking her in the eye). Quietly reroutes paparazzi drones and blocks fans mailing Gojo erotic origami and “used sanitary products.” (You had given then strict instructions to never Gojo be traumatized like that. And that was the most important rule.) She and Madame share silent eye contact whenever the men get unhinged now, which screams, “Let the men speak, but never trust their judgment.”

Smart-Home Engineer (¥38M+):

Filipino. Nonbinary. Built a Wi-Fi stabilizer that prevented the twins from toggling Doomsday Mode via uterus kicks. Also installed a voice-activated "Nanami Cooldown Mode." It just plays whale sounds. Doesn't work. They now live under the table during briefings, taping baby-proof foam strips to every sharp corner like it’s an active warzone.

Sommelier/Other Butler (¥20M+):

Ex-mistress handler. Moroccan. Mastered in tea ceremonies. Now curates Gojo’s obsession with bubblegum candy-flavored tequila with real sake. Hasn’t spoken to Nanami since the “your scotch lacks character” incident. Passive-aggressive tray clinks intensify weekly.

Family Assistant (¥80M+):

Ex-G7 UN Summit Logistics Head. Japanese Female. Ex-JSDF Special Forces. Trained in executive protection and electronic countermeasures.

Now manages three calendars:

—Wife’s Business affairs

—Nanami’s postnatal defense doctrine

—Gojo’s untraceable activities (e.g., “baby yoga raves” and “hibernation days”)

Never blinks. Might be legally dead inside. Files tax returns in combat boots.

Gojo Whisperer (¥25M+):

Ex-BTS manager from Busan. Korean, 22/Male. Fluent in TikTok, baby psychology, and tactical concealer.

Stops Gojo from buying entire candy factories "for the babies." Sometimes, a budget magician when Gojo needs to be distracted. Manages his spontaneous "daddy-dates" (he keeps trying to drag Madame to onsen trips).

Falsifies ¥10M+/week expense reports to keep Gojo’s sugar empire hidden from Nanami; wife continues to spoil him.

Has a licensed industrial-grade taser for when Gojo gets the zoomies. (Gojo is yet to figure out which one of his spouses gave him that.)

Authorized to use it when Gojo hits Mach 3 after fruit snacks.

They all stared at the camera with thousand-yard stares. One was sweating so hard his collar had fused to his neck. Another mouthed the word “help” while clutching a binky like a rosary.

Keji—the Head of Ops—looked up from the whiteboard of doom and met your eyes with bleak hope.

“Is it too late to transfer to the Shibuya branch?”

“No one survived the Shibuya branch,” Nanami said dryly.

Gojo added, “And they didn’t even have your beloved Madame to save you.”

Keji rolled his eyes and sighed; this was just the prep day.

Camera: Blinking like it wanted to quit.

Sound: Still muted.

Vibes: War.

You were half-asleep in a hoodie and pajama pants, laptop now balanced on your bump, chewing your fourth protein cookie with the same energy as a raccoon mid-heist. Your head rested on Gojo’s shoulder until you leaned the wrong way, and Nanami instinctively caught it against his neck without looking up. They knew it before you, that the third trimester had you either climbing the walls or falling asleep mid-walk.

Keji looked haunted, eyes hollow as he addressed the camera. "Last week, Nanami-san asked me if I could calculate the milk-to-curd ratio in breast milk. I said no. He said he was ‘disappointed but not surprised.’ I haven’t known peace since."

Across the room, Gojo glared at the entire staff with a sort of whimsical malice that made the power flicker. "If any of you so much as breathe weird around my wife," he said slowly, “I will erase your entire bloodline from history like Thanos, but hotter and funnier.”

You, mid-cookie, squinted. "Who laminated the poop log?"

Nanami, without even glancing up from the documents, replied simply, "For consistency."

The family assistant looked directly into the camera. Her voice was calm, but her eyes screamed war trauma. "I used to negotiate nuclear ceasefires. Now I track nipple balm expiration dates."

Nanami clicked his pen like it was a detonator. "Moving on: Emergency protocol in case of Gojo malfunction."

Keji, smiling at the camera, said, "I am the malfunction protocol."

Nanami had already moved on. "All visitors are now subject to background checks. That includes the lactation consultant and the diaper delivery guy. One of them may be a c-user."

The staff, in perfect sync, turned toward the camera and said as one, "We live in hell."

You, sipping matcha like it was a tranquilizer, gave a wistful smile. "I love them. I also want to strangle them both with my display cable."

Gojo, suddenly grave, spoke with the conviction of a cult leader. "Our babies are probably going to burp a 7.5 on the Richter scale. They're strong. Like me."

Keji, tapping the whiteboard with the air of someone losing grip on reality, muttered, "Next slide."

You addressed the camera, monotone. "I founded a trillion-plus-dollar gaming company. I hold three postgraduate degrees. My CHRO made Forbes under 25. And I’m in a mandatory tactical briefing about... pacifiers."

Nanami, flipping to the next chart, continued unfazed. "Section 4A. Microwave usage is strictly forbidden. All formula is to be temperature-verified manually. Twice."

Gojo mock-whispered, "He once used a laser thermometer on me when I had a fever. Told me I was ‘not up to code.’"

Your eyes met the cybersecurity lead’s across the room. No words were exchanged. Just silent recognition. Mutual war veterans.

Keji, meanwhile, tried to quietly staple two copies of the Emergency Latch Failure Flowchart, but the staple jammed. He stared at it like it just insulted his mother.

Gojo, now sideways in a chair chewing a Pocky stick like a cigarette, asked, "Hypothetical. What if the babies explode? Not in a ‘haha’ way—but like biblically."

Nanami didn’t even pause. "I’ve accounted for it."

Gojo tilted his head slowly towards you and slid his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose with a single finger. Smirked. Then leaned into your space with that familiar looseness in his spine and a dangerous glint behind his lashes and stole a quick kiss. “...Okay.”

Before you could stop it, your lips twitched. A smile slipped through. You tried to bury it in your matcha, but your eyes were already shining.

Gojo noticed. Of course he did.

His grin curled, already leaning in for another kiss—

—but Nanami, still reading, extended one arm with clinical practice and shoved Gojo back into his chair without so much as a glance. Then, in the same fluid motion, he pulled you to his side by the curve of your waist like it was procedure. Like you hadn’t already been sitting close enough to share body heat.

You inhaled. Subtle. His cologne—woodsmoke, vetiver, clean linen. Your eyes were half-lidded before you caught yourself.

Nanami was aware. Didn’t comment. He merely flipped a page.

Just then, the sommelier entered with a lacquered tray of wine samplers resting on pastel bunny-shaped coasters. Gojo perked up. Your eyes narrowed.

You turned to Nanami. Gaze sharp. Daring him. Try it. Challenging him to drink so you can fight him today. Right now infact. Your hormones were jumping up and down to square up.

The sommelier, reading the room perfectly, murmured, "Non-alcoholic. For scent pairing analysis."

You sipped one, internally deflated that you couldn’t fight Nanami, and deadpanned, "Tastes like passive aggression and unpaid emotional labor."

Nanami exhaled slowly and rubbed his temple with the pad of his thumb. “The twins’ feeding chart is now synced to the smart-home alert system. There is no excuse for missed warm-up times.”

Under the conference table, the smart-home engineer gave a thumbs-up, fully tangled in foam strips and headphone cables.

Gojo raised his hand. “Follow-up: Is warm subjective?”

Nanami didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

You tried to keep a straight face. You failed. Again.

Then, you turned to the camera, whispering, "They built a failsafe so I wouldn’t scream when the doorbell rings. I haven’t turned it off in six weeks."

Gojo suddenly yelled, "Question! If I accidentally ordered ten pounds of mango mochi, does that violate the 'no sugar after 3PM' clause?"

Nanami replied instantly, "Yes."

Gojo grinned, leaping up from his chair, and ran outside. "Good. It’s here."

Moments later, a scream echoed from the front door. Gojo re-entered the room, triumphant, robe flapping on top of his bare chest, mochi bag in hand.

The Gojo Whisperer stormed in behind him. "Sir, please stop chasing couriers with your robe open."

Nanami, without blinking, stated, "This is why we have tasers."

Keji looked into the lens and grinned. "I’m considering faking my own death. Not out of fear. Just boredom."

The whiteboard cleared as a new slide clicked into place.

Emergency Infant Power Surge Protocol: Level Orange

An ominous illustration of a baby surrounded by flames. Possibly prophetic.

Nanami, completely unbothered, said, "Drills begin Monday."

Gojo, now lying flat on the floor with his legs perched on a chair, muttered, "If I die in this meeting, bury me in the nursery. Tell the babies I tried."

You, now chewing the mochi Gojo gave you, eyes glazed, said, "I told Business Insider I was on sabbatical. This is not a sabbatical. This is a hostage situation with burp cloths."

Keji, with full deadpan gravitas, yanked the lever labeled ‘Practice Fire Only.’ "Meeting adjourned."

[Camera: Still Rolling]

[Tension: Unresolved]

[Vibes: Maximum]

[End Pre-Shoot Briefing]

A/N: Thank you for surviving this HR-compliant fever dream masquerading as domestic fluff. If you’re wondering whether the weapons are metaphorical, I’m legally not allowed to confirm. This fic was brought to you by: * A passive-aggressive butler with unresolved scotch trauma * A cybersecurity goddess who blocked Gojo's unsolicited foot pic subscribers * A sommelier with a vendetta and an exorcist who beefs with haunted lip gloss * And one extremely tired wife who never asked for twins, two husbands, or Tuesday warfare Leave a comment or reblog with: Your favorite cursed staff member What you think Gojo’s sippy cup drink was made of Whether Nanami has ever smiled in this scene (answer: no, but lie to me) Reblog if you'd hire the Gojo Whisperer. Comment if you'd run. Bookmark if you're also third-wheeling your own relationship bcs he won't stop hanging with his homies. Tag yourself. I'm the smart-home engineer living under the table.

Previous Oneshot Chapter [Tumblr/Ao3] | Main Series [Tumblr/Ao3]

Next Chapter Group Chat: Dad Crimes 💀 (Anon) [Tumblr/Ao3]

All Works Masterlist

Beta - @blackrimmedrose

[heavenlyshadowhunter]

I survived

I am being so brave today (going to a club with friends even though i can't stand loud noises)

[mintharaworshipper]

BG3 headcanons (modern AU)

My brain is full of headcanons and I need to get them out!

Shadowheart: She’s an English teacher. Always advocates for her queer students, who see her as a refuge. Loves sweets and pastries and is always carrying a snack in her backpack. Dyes her hair once a month, different colour every time. Chronically online, Tumblr and Twitter user, has the best taste in memes out of all the gang. Writes poetry and fan fiction. Grew up in a cult and lives with religious trauma, but she goes to therapy and does her very best.

Astarion: He’s a lawyer, of course. Has an impeccable aesthetic in his instagram profile, with a defined palette. Very good taste in clothing. He was physically and emotionally abused by his stepfather when he was a kid and hasn’t really worked through this trauma (Shadowheart always encourages him to go to therapy). Very close friends with Shadowheart.

Minthara: Lawyer, but has specialised in finance and has rapidly climbed the financial ladder via questionable methods. CEO of a major company. Impeccable taste in fashion. Vegan. Has a section in her closet filled with BDSM paraphernalia. Everything she owns is expensive. She’s the daughter of a powerful senator who was very emotionally abusive to her growing up. Staunch defender of capitalism. Wakes up naturally at 5 am. Does yoga and tai chi.

Lae’zel: She’s in the air force, has wanted to be since she was a girl. She’s in the spectrum and has only recently realised. Her special interests are planes and meteorology. Wakes up very early to run 10k. Extremely mindful about her eating, every meal is perfectly balanced for her specific nutritional needs.

Karlach: Non-binary. P.E teacher, works at the same school as Shadowheart and that’s how they met and started dating. Loves large dogs. They are a personal trainer on the side. Loves going to the gym and is very supportive of new people. Friends with Wyll since high school.

Jaheira: Anthropologist, environmental and anti-gentrification activist. Has lived in her neighbourhood forever and hates that it’s getting gentrified. Being a local icon and leader, a few political parties have tried to get her to run for office but she always refuses because she doesn’t trust the establishment. Has been arrested multiple times at demonstrations. She’s so devoted to her activism that she has neglected her children at times. Chain smoker.

Halsin: Environmental lawyer. Has worked in multiple NGOs. Has been to therapy. Single, not for a lack of suitors, but because he wants to find a life partner. Has been a vegetarian for decades. Has a bear tattoo.

Wyll: Entrepreneur. Devoted to The Grind™. Has taken classes on gender politics. Goes to the gym with Karlach and uploads mirror selfies. Has asked Minthara to be his mentor but she keeps refusing. Has also been to therapy.

Gale: Successful academic. Has been going through a terrible divorce with another famous and powerful academic. Excellent cook, makes his own sourdough bread. Likes the finer things in life.

Bonus: My OC, Ramona

Literature major but has no academic ambition whatsoever. She does know a lot about it and runs a literature club for troubled teenagers with Shadowheart.

Was working as a barista when she met Minthara and was immediately enthralled.

Has shared a flat with Shadowheart since uni, and they’re best friends.

She’s easily the funniest one in the gang.

Always manages to get free stuff or discounts just because of how nice and persuasive she is.

Excellent liar (white lies, mostly).

Wears recycled clothing almost exclusively, which Minthara hates.

Everyone hated Minthara when they first started dating but over time, as she changed, they managed to put up with her, even growing fond of her (most of them).

I’ve been trying to write some fics but I can’t seem to find the courage to. I enjoy coming up with headcanons more

[amandas-ipodx]

Hi friends!

It’s suicide awareness month if you’re not already aware. I beg you to check up on your friends. About 50,000 people took their lives last year. You never really think about it until it’s one of your friends or family. Also remember to take care of yourself. You matter! It might not seem like it sometimes, but I promise the world needs you, your friends need you, your family needs you. You are fully capable of doing whatever you want in life.

Your mental health is so important. I know that therapy can be expensive or it’s just hard to find the right therapist, but there’s lots of alternative resources. Here on tumblr there the Koko bot! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used the Koko bot. It’s genuinely a really good tool if you need to talk someone, but can’t talk to somebody that you know. If you have a friend you feel safe opening up to, talk to them! Don’t worry about worrying them, they care about you. There are also ways to get free online sessions with better help. (I believe)

Taking care of yourself doesn’t always mean those things though, it could be like sitting down and watching your favorite movie or playing video games with your friends. Doing things that make you happy in general! Last year I found that movement would always help me get my mind of things. I would force myself to go on walks or do just dance when I got really tangled in my thoughts. Lots of the really generic things have helped me like, coloring, going for walks, playing video games. Anything that would distract me.

I’m still working on getting better! Not everyone is perfect. The best thing you can do is be kind. Kind to yourself and kind to others. It doesn’t cost anything to be kind, to listen. Be there for yourself. Be there for your family. Be there for your friends, you don’t know how much it means to them. 

That’s it for my yapping guys! I hope everybody has a wonderful evening and stays safe tonight. much love! ♡︎

[kcdragons]

It's been a while since I've given an update on my medical fiasco. Guess now's as good a time as ever

Background for new followers or anyone who missed it: For the past year or so I've been struggling with hip pain that no doctor I went to could find an answer for. It took them nearly that full year to finally figure out the issue and I had surgery to resolve it almost 3 months ago (I've been out of work since the surgery) -- This issue has cost me several thousand dollars to resolve between numerous tests/scans that showed nothing, the surgery itself, a ridiculous amount of physical therapy both before and after the surgery (still ongoing), and my shitty insurance

I am officially back at work as of last week (with short shifts for the time being)

In addition to all of this my computer also decided to up and die on me last weekend. The motherboard, CPU cooler, and graphics card all need to be replaced. Luckily my local repair shop found me a new motherboard, but it's going to be a bit more expensive than I was expecting to replace, and I haven't even started looking at a new cooler or graphics card yet.

All of this to say I'm still struggling financially. So if you'd like to help me out by tossing me a few dollars on ko-fi I'd be very grateful. Feel free to leave me your Tumblr url (so I can tag you) and an art request if you donate as well!

I've also got a PayPal and Venmo if ko-fi isn't your style

It's been kind of a crazy year and a quarter. Here's hoping this is the end of expensive things happening to me for a while

[tvmicroscope]

Hello again. I know you will send an email when a new post comes up but I am here checking anyway. Another question/comment. When Wilhelm visits our favorite therapist for the first time, he's wearing a VERY EXPENSIVE sweatshirt with a small heart with eyes on it. Is he signaling to the therapist his status/wealth? Is he 'wearing his heart on his sleeve' (chest)? There are brands on clothing sprinkled throughout but that sweatshirt stood out to me. And we never see it again. makes you wonder...

Thank you very much for your kind ask.

If it’s okay, I’m going to answer the question about Wilhelm’s clothes below and first reply to your question about my substack project.

My most recent post would be the one about the ‘Clementine’ Metaphor. (I don’t know if you’ve read that one. If you have and I’m somehow mixing something up, please forgive me. It’s hard to keep track of everyone.)

The ‘Clementine’ Metaphor post deals with the question of why there are so many satsumas/clementines/tangerines associated with Simon (and with a surprising number of other characters) and what they all mean.

As for any new posts, I’m currently working on two posts at the same time:

One will be a regular post (free for everyone to read) on yet another metaphor

One will be a paid-subscribers-only post

Please rest assured that the overwhelming majority of my substack articles on ‘Young Royals’ will remain FREE for everyone to enjoy, read, discuss and comment on. I will also NEVER retroactively paywall anything that’s currently free and I will never paywall the comment button. (I find a lot of this paywalling thing really, really weird, to be quite frank.)

The only (!) exception to not paywalling anything will be the occasional bonus post for my paid subscribers (basically a post every couple of weeks as a little dessert treat for them). I will make sure that these bonus posts are both a bit different and outside the usual chain of argument, so people who only read the free ones won’t feel like they are missing out on anything. Nobody should feel that there are any weird gaps in the chain of metaphors we’re discussing. There won’t be any missing links in the chain, so to speak. The bonus posts will be strictly additional info.

(Phew, I feel I should maybe make this a separate post and pin it at the top of my tumblr as soon as I work out how to do that.:D)

Anyway, as I said, I’m currently working on two things. I hope to get them both posted over the weekend, but one or the other might be a couple of days late. (It’s difficult to write two things at the same time.)

Now, as for your question about Wilhelm’s hoodie in that therapy scene…

Just so we’re on the same page, we’re talking about this one here, right?

You know…that is a great, great question!:) And you’ve got very sharp eyes because this, indeed, is a deeply meaningful costuming choice! This hoodie is a visual metaphor.

And no, I don’t think it has anything to do with the old saying about ‘wearing one's heart on one's sleeve’. If anything Wilhelm is doing quite the opposite in that scene: He’s not opening up to his therapist. We can see that both in the metaphorical subtext (remember the ‘Clementine’ metaphor: there is a whole bowl of unpeeled clementines in the therapist’s office in that scene, and it tells us that nothing is okay in that sense) and in the plain text (in the literal layer of the script): Wilhelm doesn’t want to open up. He’s not ready for that step yet.

(As I pointed out in the ‘Clementine’ metaphor article, though, there’s also a single apple placed among all the clementines in that bowl, and seeing as apples are symbols signifying temptation, I’d say that Wilhelm is at least tempted to say something…somewhere in the back of his mind.)

Anyway, so the heart on his chest is definitely not so much about ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve’, it simply means that Wilhelm is here because his problem relates to the heart. It’s because of ‘matters of the heart’ that he ended up in the therapists office, in the first place. In other words, it’s the fact that he loves a boy, but isn’t allowed to love him.

Which leads me to the next point: Why is this hoodie a visual metaphor?

Well, because it shows us more than just the heart image on Wilhelm’s chest. It also tells us what awful, horrible contradiction, what polarity, what faultlines there are in Wilhelm’s life: The hoodie is expensive, insanely expensive as a matter of fact. It reeks of wealth and privilege and high status and everything that makes it so impossible for Wilhelm to pursue that relationship with said boy that he loves. In other words, the hoodie is a contradiction in and of itself – just like Wilhelm’s life at that point, his emotional inner life, his psychological outlook on life, his mental health related life, his love life. In all of that, there’s a contradiction between the heart (the things that he actually wants) and the wealth/privilege (his background that forces him to deny himself these exact things). And he wears that contradiction on his very body, i.e. it’s plain for the therapist to see; it’s obvious, and Wilhelm carries is everywhere with him, wherever he goes, stands, sits or lies: it’s written all over him.

And all of that is encompassed in just one piece of clothing, which makes this hoodie a really good visual metaphor and an excellent costuming choice.

Anyway, thank you again for dropping by. I very much appreciate your kind words. My inbox is always open for lovely asks such as yours. Thank you for reading and letting me know you enjoy what I write.:)

[cordate-chordata]

Currently closed!

Due to some high dentist and therapy bills, along with some smaller vet blls, the regular costs of keeping pets afloat, and the expenses of fixing my turtle's pond, I decided to open up art commissions again. So:

Lamniform(a) / Cordate-Chordata / Anton / Katrin / Shad 's Art Commissions

The following prices are for pieces with one character. Additional characters cost extra. All prices can vary depending on complexity

Sketches: Bust €2 - Halfbody €3 - Fullbody €4

Coloured cleaned up sketches: Bust €7 - Halfbody €10 - Fullbody €15

Monochrome painting: Bust €30 - Halfbody €50 - Fullbody €70

Lined with flat colours: Bust €30 - Halfbody €50 - Fullbody €70

Lined, coloured, and shaded: Bust €35 - Halfbody €57 - Fullbody €80

Colour painting: Bust €50 - Halfbody €75 - Fullbody €80

Backgrounds cost extra depending on complexity. Abstract shapes as bg are free.

I'll also do scenery drawings without anyone in them, if you think my skills are up for the task.

Payment via Paypal

What I will draw: - humans - animals (existing and extinct) - fantasy/sci-fi creatures, monsters, aliens, etc. - anthros - mecha - mobians (Sonic the Hedgehog characters) - nudity - nsfw* - gore**

What I will not draw: - *certain fetishes: diaper, scat, fat fetishes and related forms of inflation (includes most forms of vore) - **snuf - discriminatory content - anything I tell you I won't draw

I would prefer not to work for racist, queerphobic, anti alterhumanity, anti endogenic plurality people, and if those labels fit you, you probably don't want my work.

Please keep in mind that I have a full-time job and many mandatory „freetime“ duties. Commissions might take a while!

Contact me... Per e-mail: kschachenhofer@gmx.at On Tumblr: @cordate-chordata ; @nioice On Twitter / X: @ lamniforma On Discord: Lamniform

Sharing and recommending is lovely and appreciated.

Thank you for reading!