#a really good exercise outside my comfort zone

[aneacc]

.❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。 A lil flower Shop .❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。 

Inspired by jodihippler flower shop miniatures

[tardis--dreams]

After over 3 weeks of unsuccessfully checking several department stores that promised to have one, i Finally managed to find a body shop around here AND it had the banana conditioner i wanted so so badly. Life is good sometimes

[agirlwithglam]

Prioritising: how to prioritise + use it effectively to take control of your life.

Hi girlies🐩💗 So yesterday i was incredibly lazy and unproductive and pathetic. I didn’t do any work and i was mostly on the screens. The worst part about it is that it was unintentional. Meaning that if it was planned as a “off day” bc i did a bunch of work that week, it would be fine. But it wasn’t planned. And it felt utterly horrible.

So i decided to take control of my life because i have no one to blame but MYSELF. I am in complete control of myself so now i am going to use that to my best advantage. It’s time to…

✨prioritise what matters✨

This is a step-by-step guide to how to prioritise what actually matters to you and then acting on it. So without further ado, lettuce(random pun sorry) begin :)

Step 1: figure out whats important to you/ your goals.

What’s important to you in life? Is it being online and scrolling on your phone all day? Or is it getting good grades, staying healthy and happy? What is it? Identify this first.

For me, its:

Time with loved ones

Enough sleep

Good grades + being smart & educated

Looking and feeling good + taking care of myself

Having hobbies & skills

God

This is the first step to learning how to prioritising things. It’s not about doing a bunch of hard work for something that you dont even care about, it’s so that you can do a bunch of hard work for something you do care about, so you’re working towards a goal.

Step 2: make an action plan to achieve/ accomplish these.

So now that you know whats really important and what matters to you (aka your goals), create some bullet points/ things you can do to achieve those goals.

For example;

Goal: spending more time with loved ones

Spend time with my sibling

Talk more to my parents

Call grandma / friends

Goal: getting high grades + being smart & educated

Study study study. Study for tests at least a week in advance

Read a lot. Not just what you normally read, read outside your comfort zone! (So for me this would be history, classics, arts & fashion, etc.)

Listen to podcasts about different things

Goal: feeling & looking good + taking care of myself

Wash hair 2x a week

Skincare

Pamper yourself + self care days

Exercise

Going outside/ walking

Posture!! (Calling YOU out)

Final: execution

Once you know these mini goals/ habits/ steps you need to take, then its time for the most important part:

Execution.

Doing all this, is completely USELESS if you don’t apply it to your life. So now it’s time to actually do it.

“B-b-but i dont have time!”

Um okay.. but you have time for scrolling? Use this thing i once heard called “time stealing”.

Whenever you catch yourself scrolling or doing something unintentionally unproductive, then stop yourself and use that time instead on doing something that moves you towards your goal.

Having the steps you can take to reach those goals written down somewhere means that whenever you feel bored or need something productive to do, you have those things to go to!

Xoxo, Vanilla.

[khaire-traveler]

🛡️ Subtle Athena Worship 🗡️

Engage in arts and crafts, especially crocheting, weaving, and pottery

Read books you enjoy; try reading The Odyssey

Keep a picture of her in your wallet

Have a candle that reminds you of her (no altar needed)

Wear jewelry that reminds you of her

Have imagery of spears and shields around

Have a snake or owl stuffed animal

Invest in your schooling; studying, doing homework, working hard

Participate in voting, if you can

Try to think outside the box for solutions to problems

Take care of yourself physically, especially with movement or exercise

Dancing to music, especially music that empowers you

Write stories of your own

Learning self-defense, weapons included or not

Bird-watching and star-gazing

Support humanitarian efforts abroad or locally

Drink calming or meditative tea

Meditate out in the sun or under the full moon

Go outside of your comfort zone; try new things that will ultimately be good for you

Play D&D (yes, really)

Take good care of your body; drink lots of water, eat three meals a day, try to eat well, etc.

Practice restraint and patience, especially with people who annoy the shit out of you

Practice standing up for yourself

Assert your boundaries clearly; learn what your boundaries are

Play with your dog or cat, if you have one, especially activities that get you moving, too

Wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable

Prioritize your well-being

Cook with olive oil, if able

Make a list of your personal goals; achieve them one step at a time

Celebrate your accomplishments; acknowledge your strengths

Sharpen your mind; play memory or mentally stimulating games

Take regular breaks from screens; be sure to go outside throughout the day for some fresh air

Spend time with loved ones

Drink soothing beverages; herbal teas, hot chocolate, whatever else there is, etc.

Make a list of your passions and actively pursue them

Learn more about yourself; try new hobbies, express yourself in new ways, pay attention to what brings you joy, etc.

Write down quotes you hear and enjoy

-

May add more later on! For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Athena. Hope this is helpful, and take care, y'all! 🩵

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

[iluvaobesegaki4694]

FF7 Turks in a relationship

Don't ask me why I decided to write this, I was just feeling really lonely and was like what would my bots be like as a bf?

Rufus

at best I don't think he would be a good bf. why? I feel like before his father passing he more or less acted really entitled and manipulative, he probably has had a few pass relationships (his first one being the worst one and kind of making him the way he is) that messed up either because he was too pushy or just... no that's just it. I feel like though he has more negatives he definitely has a loving side, he would always buy you the most expensive gifts, and occasional dates; though you probably wont see him often since he's the boss of shinra.

Tseng

Tseng is a die heart lover boy!!! he loves spending time with you, though he doesn't show it outside. I believe he often keeps to the stern and well spoken personality, when outside but at home he's all over you, hugs are his favourite. He's mostly like this because he for the most part doesn't get time to spend with you due to always being on a mission or being at work. Though when he's around you he makes sure you have the most nutritious food, and get good exercise. When Tesng is home, I feel like he would make different types of teas for you depending on what you need, for example when you need help with your insomnia, he makes you camomile tea, and gives you a nice back massage.

Rude

he's supportive. makes sure to bring you up every day, trust me the only times you don't get a message from him in the morning, is when he's in a different time zone, and doesn't want to wake you up with his messages. At the beginning he was really hesitant to make any moves on you but grew more comfortable as time went on, I know for a fact that he loves to show you off and make sure to make you food when he is at home. For reference, he loves making spicy food, and anytime your ill, he asks Tseng for some advice on what teas you should drink to help make you feel better.

Reno

HE IS SO HAPPY! he loves you so much, be ready for many phone calls and him talking you none stop, about anything and everything, I feel like most of your calls would be silent, since he doesn't have much to talk about (since he just called you an hour ago) but he defo loves to have your presence around him. When he is home, he loves to give you deep hugs, and back massages, mostly cause of your perfume; must i add that he sprays your perfume on his jumper when he hasn't seen you for a while? When it comes to food, I don't think he likes to cook, hell when he was training to become a Turk he defo spent most of his time eating ramen noodles, and the leftovers of what rude makes. So he's so happy when you cook, or even when you two get take always, be ready for snuggles and a couple of love kisses since he loves to do movie nights at home.

Cissnei

She's a reader... why is this relevant? because you and her going on library dates, and book shopping galore. She loves to write you little poems about you or read out poems about her day, though for the most part she won't share them with anyone else; but you. in terms of work, she keeps relatively active and doesn't go on many extensions, so most of her time is spent at the office working, if she gets off early, she will meet you at your office with a cupcake, or cookie for you to eat. she likes hugs, but prefers to kiss and hold you, but the way she most shows her affection is by doing you hair, since she loves to take care of her own hair skin; so be ready for a lot of hair masks, and face masks.

OKAY BONUS

Elena

Personally, I feel as if Elena would be super shy, and closed off in a relationship, even though she is amazing I feel like she has a lot of stress due to being, mind you, ONLY 18! so i feel like homegirl defo needs her positive affirmation, when it comes to the relationship. She isn't much of a cooker, so when it comes house shores she would do the cleaning/washing meanwhile you would cook, or she would get a take away. She spends most of her time working, since she tries really hard to prover herself, and doesn't want to be overlooked due to her age and gender, so a lot of the time you would find her passed out on her laptop in YOUR hoodie. when on a mission she often tries to text you to make sure your up, and have an explanation on what she's doing as well as what your plans are for the rest of the day (bonus she has a cat that you look after when she is away). Finally, she doesn't often go on dates with you, but when she does she spends SOOOOO much money, why? because she wants to go to the fun fair, especially winter wonderland, which is her favourite! she loves the warm coco, the smell of cinnamon and most importantly looking into your eyes, if you two ever got married, she would definitely propose to you here.

BONUS: she listens to Airplane mode when she's thinking of you.

[princesssascha]

Summer Glow Up Action Plan (1/3 - Health)

As I mentioned in my previous post, we are going to have the best summer of our lives.

I was depressed for years, but during the summer, in just 2 months I became truly unrecognisable.

I did it unintentionally, but I believe I cracked the code to glowing up insanely fast. That is, if you're willing to get out of your comfort zone for a few weeks. But what's worse? Being uncomfortable for 2 months doing something that is good for you OR suffering for years? I'll let you answer that for yourself.

Thanks to my experience I made an action plan to make this summer even better and I'd love to do it together with YOU.

1. Mental Health

If your soul is shattered, your body will reflect that. By taking care of your mind you will automatically want to take care of yourself in every other way. Not because you think you're not pretty enough or smart enough, but because you deserve to be healthy and educated.

Get out of your comfort zone

Whatever that is. Last year I went abroad all by myself. I was so insecure about my English and I was soo socially awkward, but I did it. And when I tell you it was the most special feeling in the world. It was stressful at first, but I came back as a new person. I think it was the main factor that contributed to my mental glow up.

Obviously, you don't have to travel to a different country to glow up, but think about what's something you'd like to try that you're afraid to do. Maybe it's bungee jumping, going out to a restaurant alone, coming up to someone on the street. It is supposed to make you uncomfortable, it's called exposure therapy and it is really one of the best things that I have ever stumbled across.

Meditate

It's popular for a reason. Quiet your mind, control your breathing. You can also do yoga, as it requires the same things as meditation, however you also get physical exercise! Start with 5-10 minutes a day and work your way up to whatevers comfortable for you. You can try guided meditation/yoga for beginners.

Go outside

There's a reason why people tell you it's so important.

First, you get physical exercise, you get fit, you get healthy and everyone's happy.

Like actually happy. Physical exercise (the kind you enjoy ofc!) and being outdoors is proven to be good for your mental health. So go out. You can go somewhere crowded or somewhere isolated like a forest. You can take your pet on a walk if you have one.

Self development content

Especially YouTube, I get that some people can't get themselves to read books, but nowadays there are so many ways to educate ourselves. I will mention this topic again in this post, but I love watching YouTubers that post self development & mindset videos.

My favourite YouTubers are:

TheWizardLiz,

Mae Alice Suzuki,

Tam Kaur

If you like reading I recommend Brianna West, she's incredible.

Affirmations

I am such a fan of affirmations! If you feel bad about yourself start affirming the opposite? You feel insecure? "I am confident" etc. You don't want to affirm out loud. You can do it in your mind or listen to affirmation tapes. Even if you don't feel like it's doing anything KEEP PERSISTING! Your mind will conform.

2. Physical Health

This chapter focuses on health, not beauty, although they are connected. If you're unhealthy you won't be that attractive, because we find health attractive. So here I'll share more advice on being healthier rather than getting a sexier body. Healthy>sexy because HEALTH is SEXY!!

Vitamins and supplements

You can't be healthy if you have a vitamin deficiency. Get a blood test and start taking supplements for what you need.

Here's a little cheat sheet, although please do your own research to be safe and be mindful of what dosage you can ingest!!

Visit a doctor regularly!

If you are getting a disease it's important to diagnose it as soon as possible. In some cases it could save your life!

You need to go to your doctor at least once a year, but you should visit them at least twice a year and whenever you have any concerns. That includes a dentist, gynecologist, dermatologist etc. Although I understand not everyone has free healthcare and there are many reasons why it could be difficult for you to get there, at least go to one doctor once a year or when you suspect something is wrong.

Check up on yourself every month

Of course, you're not gonna go to the doctor every month, so it's important to do a little check up yourself every month. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

- what does your skin look like?

Are there any new moles? Maybe some spots? Just because you have a mole doesn't mean it's dangerous, but a mole could turn into skin cancer, so please be careful! Here are a few tips for recognising if a mole is actually a melanoma:

Melanoma is more likely the paler you are, but no matter what your skin color is you should always wear at least SPF30, although the higher the better. If sunscreens are too greasy for you or leave a whitecast I recommend Missha All-around safe block

Look at your skin, did anything strange appear? Something that wasn't there before? Don't forget about the inside of your mouth or between your toes. Although not very common, melanoma can also appear in your eye, in which case you need to contact a doctor ASAP!!

oral health

I don't think I need to tell you to wash your teeth, but I will still share some tips for those pretty teeth:

Oil pulling: get a spoonful of coconut oil and oil pull for 10-20 minutes. After that rinse your mouth thoroughly.

Wash your teeth for at least 2 minutes after every meal and after waking up, HOWEVER if you eat something acidic wait for at least 30 minutes until you wash your teeth. If you can't wash them rinse your mouth with water, but you should still wash them when you get home.

Use a tongue scraper! Like one of those steel/metal ones and scrape that bad boy. It is honestly disgusting how much bacteria sits on your tongue. There are also 2in1 tongue scrapers and flosses but it won't scrape anything off, so save your money. Also, only use flosses when necessary.

CHECK FOR CAVITIES!!

Seriously! I don't think it needs any explanation. Open your mouth and show your teeth. Look at how they look. If there's anything concerning contact your dentist.

skincare

Although it also suits the beauty part, what we find beautiful is just healthy. No skin conditions, clear glowy skin. What skin concerns do you have? Acne, hyperpigmentation, redness etc. Visit a dermatologist or find some skincare yourself, although do it carefully. Just because something is trendy doesn't mean it's good. Everyone's skin is different, so be mindful.

Also, there are different kinds of pimples, so check which types you have and how you can heal them. You can have just one or multiple kinds.

One universal thing: SPF! CANT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!

haircare

Just like with skincare, healthy hair is what we find beautiful. That's why I emphasize health so much. If you're healthy you are beautiful.

I won't talk about styling right now as it has nothing to do with health, but haircare is 80% of the job.

Is your hair greasy or dry? Keep in mind it can be both, your scalp could be greasy but your ends could be dry. Do you have thick hair or thin hair? Curly or straight? If you bleached your hair it means your hair is damaged (because it's dead), but your hair can be damaged nonetheless, so think about what you need and find products that were made for your concerns.

Learn how to wash your hair correctly. A lot of you guys don't know how to do it. Just because you rub shampoo on your head doesn't mean you're doing it right. And when you're not it could do more harm than good. I recommend theblowoutprofessor on YouTube, he explains it well.

Healthy eating

This is a pretty obvious one so I won't get into details, however if you guys want me to make a post dedicated to healthy eating lemme know in the comments!

Eat veggies and fruits, limit Ur sugar intake. Don't starve yourself, you'll have uncontrollable cravings and you'll get it all back.

move your body

Although good for you both mentally and physically, it's important to choose something you like. Here are my favourite forms of physical activity:

Dancing,

Yoga,

Pilates,

Walking,

Horse riding.

If you don't have a favourite right now, experiment. It doesn't have to be expensive, there are many sports that you can do at home with no equipment.

Try to move for at least 30 minutes/day.

[nitewrighter]

I realize I'm saying "Step outside your reading comfort zone, step outside your reading comfort zone" over and over again and people might actually be interested in doing that, but might not know where to start, or really where their 'reading comfort zone' ends. Well, the good news is, there's a lot of "book bingos" and other reading challenges on library websites and blogs all over the place that have plenty of prompts for books it might not occur to you to read--I'd say like exercise though, you obviously don't want to immediately force yourself to read something you know is going to make you miserable.

Like if you say, "Well I've never read a biography before, so I grabbed this giant fucking brick on President Warren G. Harding, but it was boring and it sucked. Oh well, I tried. Back to fanfiction." Like, come on, there's no way in hell you were engaging in good faith there. There really is a lot of accessible nonfiction out there, if you're willing to look, and also don't be afraid to ask your local librarian for help. Also even if you're a grown-ass adult, please don't feel ashamed about reading non-fiction adapted for younger readers to ease yourself into it. Podcasts and media communities can also help steer you to nonfiction subjects so that you're springboarding from something you know you're interested in, to something you wouldn't usually read--I got steered to "Frozen In Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition" and have added Jean Genet to my To-Read list because of the Terror fandom.

Also short story collections and essay collections are your friends!! You don't have to complete those cover to cover! You can bounce around as you need and it's still different enough content and style for your brain to form new neural pathways! You can give your brain tiger a pumpkin full of meat for enrichment while still being ADHD as hell!

Stepping outside of fictional genre comfort zones can also be a trickier bird, but there are ways to go about it! If you're interested in tackling a classic, there are a lot of substacks which can often come with their own respective communities to help keep you motivated through the drier parts. Like, yeah those communities might not be as big of a phenomenon as Dracula Daily, but it really does help to have buddies to discuss the book as you go along. Like, yeah I'm currently behind in my reading of Moby Dick, but I'm still motivated to keep going because I want to catch up with the rest of the Whale Weekly crowd. There are also a lot of book list communities that group books by their respective tropes and structures and can allow you to ease yourself to new subject matter. Don't be embarrassed to make "short reads/quick reads" a search criteria when browsing books, as well.

Anyways, what I'm saying is, going outside of your reading comfort zone doesn't mean immediately throwing yourself in the deep end, it can be as simple as engaging with an interest you already know you have, in a text format you wouldn't usually work with. Or vice versa!!

[valfreyarbor]

Hello! You left a comment on my post about deities related to death, and after seeing it, it feels a lot like my situation at the moment. So, if you don't mind of course, would you like to explain perhaps part of your practice or how these deities have helped you become calmer with this topic, presumably? You obviously don't have to do anything outside of your comfort zone ^^

Oh my goodness gracious a real person in the world who’s interested in my spirituality?!? Somebody pinch me. And warning this is gonna be long, so if you don’t wanna read it all there’s a TLDR at the bottom.

To talk about my relationship with Hel, I should start with how I got into paganism in the first place. On my 20th birthday I started having multiple panic attacks a day about my mortality, non-existence, dying, the whole process, etc. I tried talk therapy, exercising, researching the latest life-extending healthcare and body preservation options.

THEN I finally started taking anti-depressants, and that got the multiple a day down to daily/every other day. But something was still missing, because it felt like just a numb acceptance of everything.

My husband (boyfriend at the time) was really big into developing your own spirituality and finding your own path outside of institutions, and inspired by him I decided to read into neopaganism/wicca/the goddess movement+hypothesis. One night after reading through all sorts of theories as to who this multi-syncretic goddess figure could be, I decided to stop reading and start meditating about it.

I lit a candle and started to whisper these goddess names softly. Hekate, Inanna, Morrigan…and something was different about Freyja. Thought at the time she was the deity I knew least about from a pantheon I felt no connection to, my entire body got goosebumps and the candle infront of me flickered beyond it’s normal pattern. Finally, the taste of a spiritual experience.

Reading about her after that experience was really engaging and enlightening, and I was so comforted to read about folkvangr. It seemed like this heavenly field of an afterlife that I could be swept up into and away from…whatever else there was to death in Norse paganism. And to know what I felt like Freyja was “saving” me from, I started to read not only about the goddess Hel as we understood her from a historical side, but also from a neopagan perspective to see what others thought of her and her realm. Highly recommend Ocean Keltoi’s video about her, because it opened my mind to showing her respect in the same way you might any other grim reaper figure, but with much more kindness and understanding to the downtrodden. I mean, the myths say she herself was put into the position of guarding for this realm because her and her siblings were being punished for the crime of being born. A deity with a myth like that sounds like she’d be understanding of what it’s like to be “cast out” of anywhere, and leaving the realm of the living is the ultimate “cast out” we all face.

So I started to pray for every dead bug, roadkill carcass, and cemetery I passed by. And it was a really simple call: “Hel hold them.” And a couple months after that, was when I first encountered her.

I was packing up from an AirBnB stay and I stopped to notice a bug in the hallway. It was buzzing around in a circle on the cold cement ground, and when I looked up and away, I saw her for just a second:

She was quietly standing beside the bug covered in a long, black cloak that obscured the walls around her. Underneath the hood I could see that her face was not exactly split in half like popular depictions, but it exhibited two characteristics at the same time. Soft and aged? Dark and sunken in as well as…lightened? Pale wrinkled skin that was supple around her cheeks and gaunt/shadowy by her eyes and neck. It was like she could have been 19 or 109 at the same time, but again I only saw it for a second before the vision disappeared. It very well could have been a trick of my eyes and brain, and I won’t deny that. But if there really was something behind it…then I know what I saw. And thinking now on it I treat this as an important lesson for the foundation of my faith in her: she’s there with everyone who passes. Even the bugs. No one ever faces their “casting out” from the living realm truly alone.

A couple months after that I had a dream that I was walking in a barren wasteland with tattered clothes, and in my arms I was carrying a dead black puppy. And normally I’m quite put off by dead bodies, quickly saying my prayer and driving/walking on after. But this dog….i looked at it and I just felt so much sorrow, but also love. Deep, unconditional and unbound love. I stroked his fur gently, kissed his head and cradled him until I found a soft spot on the ground to rest him. I was crying in the dream but not from fear, from the overwhelming serenity of this specific grief. A goodbye with true closure. I woke up crying from that dream.

A month after that, I had another dream of two puppies playing, this time one black and one white. I was accompanied by an old man in a wide hat, carrying a staff. He explicitly told me that what I was watching is a metaphor for the relationship between Hel and Baldur, and that they became playful friends after she welcomed him into his domain. I woke up from that dream not crying, but just…amazed. That confirmed to me that I was being called to a specific pantheon to use in order to identify these new energies I felt and understood.

And I guess as a last note: I was an atheist from ages 10-21. Even when I was calling out names and I felt the goosebumps, I wasn’t entirely sure of what I was experiencing. And maybe these dreams aren’t coming from anything other than my brain. But the serenity, the peace, the acceptance that I feel radiating from me when I wake up from these dreams have healed me more than anything else I’ve ever tried. I only listed a couple here but there’s more.

So TLDR: Start praying for roadkill, keep a dream journal and thank you for asking me anything at all! Best of luck with your journey trying to figure this all out too, it isn’t easy ✨🖤✨

[makethemhoesmad]

Sorry this took me a minute to officially get out and so sorry if it’s bad. This is my first time actually releasing my writing for anyone to read other than me. It’s also kinda short because 1) I only worked on it for around a weekish and the latest episode parts of the night 2) I really wanted to get at least the prologue out before the end of the week which I did so yay me! But honestly if you have any tips, critiques or recommendations for the next part I will really appreciate it!! Enjoy lovelys🫶

🪐

(this has also not been proof read or really edited once I officially finish part one I will probably re-do this I have just been busy and wanted to get this done. I’m also not 100% sure about the title so if you have a opinion on that lmk babe)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take me home

prologue: Beginning of the end

Pairing: paige bueckers x Azzi fudd

Themes: promptly fluff

Warnings: none that i’m aware of!

June 26th 2018

(Paige’s pov)

It was the final week of the rounds for try-outs for team USA when we were split into two teams that we would be on this week. Some of the girls on my team I recognized from the previous try-out days.

There was one girl I didn't recognize, but she was pretty good from what i’ve seen. There wasn't any denying she was going to make the team. As I watched the girl walk over to the water table I had convinced myself to go and talk to her.

“Hey i’m paige” I extend my hand out giving the briefly smaller girl, who’s currently sliding on the jerseys we got during the beginning of try-outs.

"Oh" The girl slightly jumped. "Um sorry hi, Azzi" She smiled reaching her hand out to meet mine.

Her smile immediately lights up the room instantly causing me too return one to the slightly shorter girl. Once our hands meet the feeling of warmth they bring to my normally cold hands, and the instant feeling of comfort she brings me.

"-uh Paige?" Bringing me back from whatever I was a soft, and gentle voice calling out my name.

"Sorry, zoned out for a minute" I responded with a reassuring smile trying not to make it awkward. "But uh, Azzi like Jennifer Azzi?"

"Yeah, actually it is" Her comforting smile now bigger than before she explains while I just listen throwing in my thoughts here and there to keep our conversation afloat. But before I knew it, it had already been fifteen minutes and we were about to start practicing.

"-But uh fun fact! you’re the first person outside of my family to know where I got my name from" The now grinning girl confessed as we were walking to the baseline.

By the time we reached the other side of the court we then started running simple exercises and drills. Which had eventually got tiring enough before coach had finally ended today’s session.

"Okay ladies good practice, remember to get some rest and be prepared for tomorrow we will be splitting up starting tomorrow. And I believe that is all I have for you, you are dismissed" Coach explained for the following day officially ending practice.

Before leaving I caught up to the girl currently walking ahead of me before stopping her. "I think it's cool you know" I looked at the girl in front of me with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Your name. I think it's cool that you're named after someone that good" I couldn't help but smile at the girl before walking out of the arena in the hot summer air.

ahh! it’s finally out once again i’m sorry if it didn’t reach any expectations so please please let me know your thoughts and would appreciate your feedback! bye babe🫶

ong rhis is amazing

[nerdieforpedro]

Day Two - Butterflies with Marcus Pike and Female Reader

Word Count: 648

Warnings: one curse and Marcus Pike in plaid

Notes: I remember painting a butterfly in an art class years ago (like 10+ maybe). It was fun and then the professor went into the symbolism behind them in art, which was pretty cool Reminded me of that - hope and transformations which can happen in therapy or outside of it.

Main Masterlist / March Spring Prompts 2024 / Writing Challenges

It was an exercise in capturing beauty. That’s what the therapist told you at least. You’ve never excelled at drawing, painting or any type of art that has to do with manipulating materials. Give you a pen, piece of paper and you’ll make some magic happen on a page, but not with watercolors. Your therapist who you’ve been seeing for the last few months encouraged you to try something new – out of your comfort zone, but not too crazy. They asked you to pick something and bring in what you had created, no matter what appearance it took on. Your art isn’t great, but you and your therapist talk about the colors, what it means to you to have made it. You told them that you were happy to have physically made something and didn’t expect to use such bright colors with the reds, oranges and yellows. Usually, you’re more in the cool color family. It feels good and you have a pep in your step once you leave the office. So much of a pep that you nearly drop your artwork in the hallway while you’re on your way out.

A tall man in a plaid shirt with a white t-shirt underneath and jeans catches it. You might have started at him a bit too hard to have noted what he was wearing head to toe. He asks if you’re alright and smiles, why did he do that? His mere presence is already making your brain malfunction. 

“Christ on a fucking cracker…” It’s said loud enough that you see him blink. It would be wonderful if you could fade away right now. “I-I am so…it was a rough appointment.” A lie would work right now. Blame it on therapy, you’re in a great mood you just need a logical reason for staring and cursing at this very handsome nice man. 

“Ah, I’m sorry you’re having a rough day. Did you do the art exercise too? Oh wait..” His smile went to a frown, “you don’t have to answer that. Your day is bad enough without reliving it right?” He scratches his arm, he might be nervous too, though he likely thinks you’re an unhinged woman. If he does, what’s to lose now?

“I did. I don’t mind sharing. It was my favorite part. It’s always the debriefing and deconstruction that takes the fun out of things.” Turning your piece around, you proudly showed it off. Two orange butterflies are on a blade of grass near a daisy (the only flower you can draw and still tell what it is). The upper one had more red in it and the lower one had more yellow. It’s simple, but the first thing you’ve painted since high school. He appeared to be giving it careful consideration and it made you giggle. It’s not like a museum piece or even talent at a high school or college art show. It’s from your one-time painting class. He clapped his hands and you jumped; it was louder than you expected. 

“Sorry about that. It’s beautiful. Do you know why the therapists keep asking us to paint butterflies?” It appeared he may have an answer that you therapist didn’t cover, and even if he didn’t, you’re listening because he called your art beautiful. No matter if he’s just being nice or not, it was sweet. You shook your head. 

“My therapist said it was a good exercise for trying new things. I haven’t really been too open to doing so.”

He thinks for a moment. You were expecting the answer right away. Maybe he’s building tension. “My name’s Marcus. Maybe we should discuss it over some lunch? It might take a little while. Do you have any plans?” None that can’t be done another day. 

“No, where were you thinking of eating lunch?” Looks like the butterfly painting is leading to new experiences indeed.

[tigreblvnc]

JUJUTSU KAISEN MATCHUP — @miauchu

Your match is...

— Maki Zenin

✦ There are two types of matchups that I tend to naturally make: the complementary duo or the similar duo.

✦ Typically, you and Maki corresponded to the similar duo.

✦ Honestly, I find that you have a lot in common! And little differences here and there that spice up your duo because, even though you have your habits, I think you also need a little external push to motivate you to step out of your comfort zone.

✦ "I am very intense when it comes to feeling my emotions, although I don’t show it on the outside. I prefer to be seen as put together and in control, even when I am not." That's very Maki-coded. You see it in the series and even more in the movie, where she takes on a lot to never worry her peers. There's a strong desire to hide her vulnerabilities because she doesn't want to disappoint others and, more importantly, she doesn't want to disappoint herself.

✦ "I channel these emotions into art, which is probably why I am creative." On her side, she tends to relieve pressure through martial arts, exhausting herself with physical exercise.

✦ "I will stop when I notice it is unproductive and I am willing to apologize just for the sake of peace, but admitting I was wrong is hard." Really similar. And I even think you’re the type to keep pushing, even when you’ve reached your limits.

✦ I also think you share the trait of wanting to prove something to people, even if it means going at your own pace. Maki wants to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer just to annoy her family and prove that they were wrong to underestimate her, and that she will surpass what others predicted for her.

✦ There’s also the sarcastic side, throwing sassy remarks during a fight, with a smirk. Maki isn’t afraid of anything and knows how to jump into the fray first; the fact that you like to practice all kinds of sports and activities made me think of her tendency to broaden her skill set to adapt to as many situations as possible.

✦ Maki is demanding, assertive, but loyal and fair. She has very strong principles and knows how to take the time to do things and to wait for her surroundings to mature, without rushing. This is even truer when you realize that one of the kanji in her name means "zen."

✦ "This stubbornness pushes me to constantly prove people wrong when they tell me I can’t do something or if something is impossible." This reminded me a lot of Maki, who was always told by her family that she would never amount to anything. That she would never achieve anything because she doesn't have Cursed Energy. In the end, she proves her ability to change things.

✦ This year, your school sent you to Tokyo Jujutsu High for your exchange semester. There, you will learn the basics of the art of Jujutsu Sorcerers. Japan being a country you have never visited before, you have no reference points, and the arrival at the airport is rough. But it’s new, it’s a culture very different from Germany; it excites you, your heart is racing, and you want to explore every corner you see.

✦ Once you arrive at the school, Gojo introduces you to your classmates: Inumaki, Panda, Yuuta, and Maki.

✦ Very naturally, Maki takes the lead to show you around the school, and to show you the dorms where you drop off your suitcase. Maki is not very talkative, but you sense something strong and reassuring about her. You know you can trust her.

✦ The days pass by, you acclimate to the country, your surroundings, and the challenging but fascinating courses.

✦ But there are times when you struggle to keep up with the pace. Times when your body reminds you of its limits.

✦ One day, while practicing your art in the forest surrounding the school, your power source refuses to release.

✦ You push, but nothing happens: you’re exhausted.

✦ At the end of your strength, you let yourself fall to the ground. Good thing no one is around to see this, right?

✦ Too bad: a gaze has been fixed on you for five minutes.

✦ Maki’s silhouette emerges from the foliage. She smiles at you, placing a carefully wrapped bento on a nearby tree stump.

✦ "Training hard, I see." She sits down next to you. "I prepared something for you, let me know what you think."

✦ "Where are the others? Why aren’t you with them?" you ask.

✦ "They’re goofing off on the athletic field. They can survive without me for more than five minutes. And you, why are you all alone?"

✦ "I’m developing my technique."

✦ "I see. Is it working?"

✦ Her smile doesn’t fade, and you understand that she knows it’s not: it’s not working.

✦ "Take a break, Nichu."

✦ "What’s inside?" you ask, holding the lunchbox.

✦ "Curious? Open it!"

✦ You unwrap the cloth covering the box, discovering a portion of brown rice, grilled chicken, a hard-boiled egg cut in half, steamed vegetables, a handful of edamame, soy sauce, and a few apple slices.

✦ Your eyes light up at the thoughtful gesture.

✦ "It’s light but filling. You should be able to get back to it soon."

✦ "Thanks, Maki. I didn’t know you could cook."

✦ "Well, neither did I. Let’s say it was a first. So, is it good?"

✦ There was a smile on your lips, the kind that appears when someone has managed to touch your heart.

✦ "Really good. I’ll have you try my country’s cuisine, you’ll see, it’s a different story."

✦ "Oh yeah? How about a little endurance race to see who will cook dinner tonight, sound good?"

✦ Of course, it sounds good. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll pretend to lose this time around.

A word about your match: You'll be delighted (or maybe not) to learn that I actually considered Sukuna at certain points in your bio! But well, we've seen better examples when it comes to understanding other people's emotions.

© TIGREBLVNC 2024 | INTERESTED IN A MATCHUP EXCHANGE? CHECK THIS.

[superfluouskeys]

For the fic writers questions! 1, 5, 31, and 35!

Thank you friend!!!!!!!!!

1.Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

POV character is going through some shit and introspecting about it At Length

Near-comical levels of mutual pining

I physically cannot stop myself from making at least one weather/seasonal metaphor

5. Share one of your strengths.

I think I do a very good job of capturing character voices and establishing character through dialogue -- it's something I worked on a lot in my formative years so it comes pretty easily to me now! Downside, the lines WILL haunt me if I feel I made a wrong word choice LOL

31. Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?

I'm actually kind of a stickler for canon! If I choose to change or disregard something I've usually put a lot of thought into it. (Unless it's one of those things where the writers "confirmed" something in an interview no one watched or something like that LOL) Whenever possible I'd prefer to reinterpret what canon gives me over completely disregarding it. A lot of my earliest fanfic was literally just painstakingly reinterpreting every line of a canon scene, which was just what I enjoyed doing but I think was also incidentally a really good writing exercise. People say things they don't really mean all the time, so it's surprisingly easy to justify a lot!

35. Would you ever kill off a canon character?

I thought about it and realized I've been doing this a lot lately lol! I've tbh never really been shy about killing characters. Possibly because an incident involving grief I wasn't able to process was a huge motivator for me to start writing a lot in my formative years, so it's always been a major theme in my stories, either explicitly or implicitly.

I remember specifically a moment when I was working on The Prisoner and thinking about the then-ubiquitous "bury your gays" trope and ultimately decided to rescue a character I had intended to kill off and instead explore how she learned to live on after everything she'd been through, and I think that was a major turning point for me in being much more intentional with how I dealt with and framed character deaths in my stories. But I'm still usually down LOL, I think outside of a few horrifically overdone and deeply unsatisfying tropes a character death when done well can be really impactful and even necessary to the story.

Fic Writer 40 Questions

[timevir]

2024 - A New Timevir

This post contains some words about the loss of death.

Writing is a very fun hobby that I've done for as long as I can remember. It probably started as written exercises and fanfiction during childhood. It transformed into intricate worldbuilding as I was introduced to the hobby of tabletop roleplaying. In recent years, I've written interactive fiction, scripts, novels and sourcebooks.

But one constant caveat is that I almost never shared my work. It was an enjoyable process to convert thoughts and feelings into substantative manifestations in the physical realm. Yet despite many coworkers, friends and family members asking about them, I'd always give the same answer of "it's personal and not worth sharing".

I thought about why I was doing this, and noticed I have been living the life of an observer. I enjoy the detail of the world around me, and paying attention to things that others would consider irrelevant. I would even deliberately put myself out of my comfort zone if it meant putting myself in a location that I could see something new. If there was an interesting protest in the city I was living in, if there was a strange, dangerous event occurring in the vicinity or if there was an unusual experience or location to be discovered, I'd happily waltz in and act like that I was meant to be there. During the riskier parts of youth, it even meant a bit of trespassing, but I stopped doing that after a few dangerous close calls.

What I was not doing as an observer was manifesting that in the world. Many of my projects would be built, some even to completion, and then they'd sit in a box, frozen and inaccessible through their obscurity. Nothing I made ever felt like it was deserved observation compared to the rich tapestry of the world around me. Even in the rare moments I found pride in something, it would soon feel obsolete compared to some next logical alternative.

A lot of my life has been spent on "the grind". Work had seemingly crept its way into absorbing the free energy I had in an addictive loop. At first, it was merely a way of ensuring survival and trying to get out of school debt. It took the majority of my late 20s to get out of school debt, a feat I was able to just reach before my 30th birthday. A few more months, and I had a decent emergency fund and a "real" disposable income, assuming I wasn't going to try and buy a house (which to be honest, isn't an exciting proposition at the moment. Real estate trends caused by high demand have made housing costs extortionate, but that's a discussion for another time).

Work is of course necessary for human survival. Indeed, if we took a snapshot of lives lead across history, nearly everyone has had to contribute in some way to their communities for them to function well. The meaning of work has shifted through the various periods of history significantly, but its goals have remained the same. What is implictly understood, even if not necessarily well recorded, is that there was a whole tapestry of living that existed outside of these actions that could mean vastly more to the people that lived around them. While much of these ideas have persisted through the passing of cultural works, very rarely have we got a good snapshot of the life of any specific individual, even if they potentially had amazing tales to tell.

Identity has slipped through my fingers somewhat accidentally. It had felt much easier to sacrifice every bit of effort to accumulate knowledge, resources and a position of comfort than it took to stand for anything. At first I may have resisted the ideas of exaggerating an accomplishment, or cutting on the quality of a product to create it faster, but those values became too easy to discard when reward was on the table. But if anyone were to ask me about the morals of the situation from the outside, I'd remark a half-mealed "it depends" which really meant nothing beyond the acknowledgement strong values had merit and self-interest could get in the way.

It seemed like the intelligent thing to do because the things that were remembered across time were great accomplishments, long standing monuments and the best and worst of events moulding humanity's timeline. It was easy to mistake what was memorialized for what was important in life. It then followed that if memorialization was an ultimate goal, that the best way to do so was to accomplish some great feat was to set yourself up with as much power as could be wielded, a good proxy for which was money, before putting all that strength into ventures in the hope that something would hit and a legend would be born.

It is possible I could have remained trapped in that vicious craving for objectives if it wasn't for a life shattering event at the end of 2023. It was at this time that my younger brother died unexpectedly in his mid twenties. A whole life was potentially ahead of him, but it was cut short at almost no notice. My relatively normal family crumbled into chaos and it was shattered.

In the emotional fallout, I looked again at what I had done. Of course I did not regret unburdening myself from debt, or succeeding at a career. But in all the push for an abstract notion of success and legend, I had lost an invaluable voice that could never be replicated. My brother had lived his life to his fullest in his time on Earth. He had moved country, he had found love and friendship, and he had ideas of a future. Seeing these wither into tears, memories, and finally a grave, made me realise in the end that a memorial would not make up for the moments that would never be had again.

My new year's resolution for 2024 is to try to reestablish a voice. To truly live in the world and not merely plan a story for my death. To make sure that my friendships and bonds remain strong and not let them disappear due to the inconvenience of maintenance. To stand for something and not just exist in the pursuit of convenience.

One way I am going to test myself on this goal is to try to make sure I write something down each week. Something public. It won't necessarily be something profound, but at least it may prevent me from slipping back into forgetting about the things that really matter. Perhaps it is better to exist in the world than merely drift through it.

[ablogmadebyjose]

PSA CAMPAIGN | BELL LET'S TALK MENTAL HEALTH ILLUSTRATION

Topics of interest

Propaganda | Manifest, distort, manipulate

Typically a familiar style of messaging of mine, wouldn't push that many boundaries that I've attempted before.

Culture Jamming | Mockery, anti-capitalism, mass media

Also another style of messaging I tend to lean towards, for this instance I haven't created a design criticizing a corporation yet, could be a great exercise to tackle my usual form of narrative and pointing it towards capitalism.

PSA Campaign | Informative, spread awareness, do good

Never attempted before, a bit outside my comfort zone as it would have to take my usual narratives and bring it into a more positive light. This would also be a good chance to start illustrating since there a lot of PSA campaigns that use illustrations instead of photos and type to spread awareness.

CHOSEN TOPIC -> PSA CAMPAIGN

This is it, the final three weekly explorations! Although I really wanted to attempt propaganda, I believe the decision to only being able to work with PSA campaigns will benefit me in the long run and ensure that my batch of designs/illustrations are unique from one another. My goal for these last three weekly explorations are to ensure that they visually and compositionally look different from the past 7 I've posted. So it felt great to power on my drawing tablet and actually illustrate for once.

Creative Concept

Despite never having experience with designing or illustrating a piece of work for a PSA campaign, it never felt too distant from what I have had previously designed (whether that be in school or for clients). However, it did take some time to figure what I was actually going to inform the viewer of. Throughout last week Mackenzie allowed me to take a sneak peek of her illo, during that week I was helping her with her process and giving critiques when needed. At the end I was really inspired by her design this week and the messaging it has. So, I decided to base mine of mental health and how sometimes when you're online you never really know if someone is doing okay. I've been a huge follower of Bell Let's Talk as I think it's a great resource for those that are struggling with mental health and is fighting for the overcoming of the stigma when it comes to mental health. I thought this was the perfect time to incorporate their logo within the composiotion as the subject matter suited the organization.

Description

With the goal that I've set on myself for these last three explorations, that meant that I'll have to be full on illustrating or incorporating other elements that aren't just type and images with a bit of illustrating. For this week I wanted to keep it flat yet convey depth the shading technique that I used, my reasoning behind that is based on corporate art styles and the more (subtle) recent shift towards blending 2D flat styles with 3D shading.

Since this is based on mental health online, I added elements that symbolize the presence of the internet. Such as the pop up window in the middle of the composition representing Facebook with a dark blue and grey colour scheme and a cursor to guide the eye towards that same popup element. Texture was added by me with a brush rather than texture overlays to give it more of a grunge and "real" aspect to the design.

There are tiny little things I would add to this illustration that I may add and repost later on but for now I think it gets the message across. Definitely a bit more illustrative than last time but a solid start to inspire me to push even harder for the final two illos.

KEYWORDS FOR INSPIRATION

Stranded

Isolate

Forward

Dry

Pit

Tear/Shed

ROUGH -> PROCREATE

FINAL -> PROCREATE + ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

[kindheart525]

How do Red Cedar, Minted Glacier and the children of Obbi, Rainier and Polly cope with the death of their lovers/parents?

Btw, I love how much thought goes into this interesting and fun AU!

Thank you so much!! I’ve been having a ton of fun with this AU; it really lets me go outside of my usual comfort zone in tone and characterization and I’m really loving the exercise.

Red Cedar’s whole family has a pretty long history with the Apples, with her father’s friendship with Bright Mac, her mother’s friendship with Applejack, her sister’s relationship with one of the (surviving) Apple cousins, and her own relationship with Rainier. So, after a number of their loved ones get taken from them by this horrible evil, it’s no question that the two families would join forces. Cedar is treated by the Apples like one of their own just as much as her own parents love her, so she has a lot of support. Which she’ll need since she was most likely pregnant with at least one of her and Rainier’s children when he died (not sure which one but there aren’t 14 of them in this au). She’s absolutely devastated without Rainier, but she hardly has to parent alone with the whole family helping her.

Minted Glacier and Cherry Berry Sherbet would get a very large inheritance from Polly no question, but of course no amount of money can fill the hole he left with his absence. Mint would become very paranoid knowing his husband was murdered by such a powerful evil, and he would probably become an extremely private individual in an effort to protect himself and CheBe even though that evil is gone. But he would also want to do some good with all the money that he’s been left with. In the spirit of Polly’s philanthropy career but in a way that is much more concretely helpful, he would donate much of his fortune to help the families of all the others that were killed, like he would appreciate being done for him if he had any financial need. Of course he keeps enough for himself and CheBe (and his sister and parents too) to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, but the vast majority of that money is donated to a selfless cause.

As I get to Obsidian, I should explain that the timeline of the horror AU is a little different from the timeline of the original Auraverse. In the OG universe, Obbi and Yngvlid don’t get together until Obbi’s son Volcanic Jasper is about 12-13 years old, but there’s no way Iolite would wait that long to start killing. So, Yng and Obbi get together much earlier in Jasper’s life (which works because they knew each other for much longer anyway). Also, I like to think Iolite spent some time isolating herself as the evil gradually took over her mind, giving Crash enough time to at least get Obbi pregnant even if he doesn’t get much time with his son after that. After both Crash and Obbi are dead, Yngvlid sends the young and orphaned Jasper to live with his Uncle Mountain Peak to keep him safe on the off chance that there’s still any lurking evil watching her. Since Mounty is permanently single, she believes he has the lowest risk of attracting any of Iolite’s wrath, if she did have any power to resurrect Sombra-style.

[leonisdumbasallhell]

How do you write like that?? Your writing is so good, it's insane! (Also do you have tips for writing better?? /gen)

hajkshjkasdhj ahhhhh thank you!!! I try very hard to make my writing interesting lol. As for tips on writing better, my best advice is really just to read more? Like legit, I just started reading more and also reading weirder stuff. I've been reading a lot of indie horror short stories and books recently, and there's some wild shit people do with language. I also recomend consuming stuff outside your comfort zone. So like if you read a lot of fanfic, try reading some published works, if you read a lot of romance, try reading some horror. I think pushing your own boundaries is really good for expanding your writing. (don't hurt yourself, obvs, but if you feel a little uncomfortable, you're probably doing something right. Sometimes when I write, my goal is specifically to push my own boundaries and make myself uncomfortable)

Also! when I say read, I don't just mean consuming the narrative (tho that's important to learning how narratives work) I also mean paying attention to the structure of the prose. How are the words tied together? How are they used? How is the author expressing their meaning? I think reading poetry can also help with that, because Poetry is about the interplay between sound and meaning, where the emphasis is often put more on the way the words sound, and less so on the meaning. Prose is more about meaning, but there's a lot of overlap and intermingling between prose and poetry, and that's where I tend to write. When I read, I pay attention to how things sound and how context changes meanings. I also??? Love off beat and batshit similes and metaphors?? The House on Mango Street has some just. Wild similes that you read and go. Huh. Yeah. That doesn't make sense but it so does. and I love that shit.

My next tip is to just like. Write more. And to push yourself to explore your writing. Do writing exercises, write poetry, write descriptions of spaces you exist in (I love doing environmental description and doing still lives in writing is super helpful for that) I think also just like. Let yourself play. Have fun. Writing, especially fanfiction, is a game. We're playing. Don't take it too seriously and embrace the weird and things that don't work. Sometiems shit that shouldn't work Does, and thats the best thing.

if y'all got writing questions I would love to answer, cause I love talking abt writing ajkhsdhjkajkd