#afraid of balloons

[globophobicligyrophobiccontent]

I'm not ready for my birthday

Since I started doing exposure therapy, and learning how much balloons can take, and how far can I go(Not a lot but enough for a globophobic), I wanted to have balloons at my birthday, not a lot, just some symbolic ones laying here and there.

I never had latex balloons at my birthdays, they're a little of a taboo topic for me in public and specially around my family, so I'm making my birthday a little private this year, and at a friend's house so my family doesn't know this and starts thinking I'm already over my phobia, wich I'm obviously not. I just wanna feel like a normal birthday for once, and I don't know if I'll have this chance in a while, so I'm doing it.

But lately, my brain is playing tricks on me and I'm started to doubt about this. I trust my friends and they won't do anything to scare me, that's a fact, but still, I can't control my overthinking.

Me and my 2 best friends are decorating, I'm in charge of the balloons so I know they won't be big, but what if they insist in helping? I'm not ready for people I know handling balloons.

And with that comes point 2, my boyfriend and friends touching the balloons, just imagining it makes me shiver so much.

Since this is part of my exposure therapy, I can touch them without fear, but I'm not comfortable with other people in general handling balloons, and I know my friends won't pop them, I'll still have them, I know I'm safe, but the feeling of watching friends, partners, or people you trust in general with balloons still icks me the wrong way, the fact that they can normally play or touch balloons makes me feel a little betrayed, it's a feeling hard to explain. I won't stop them unless they're trying to pop them because there's no danger.

So that's it, I just wanted to rant about this since it's almost just two weeks away from my birthday and time flies.

[sanniewriteshere]

It all depends on the color of the glass you're looking through 🎈🎨🖌️

Fluff and Comfort, a little bit of hurt in the middle

Type of relationship: Teacher and student (Non-Romantic)

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Femenine (Protagonist)

CW: Balloons / Loud Noises

Another day at the Academy.

After a few months of what happened at the Area Zero, things really calmed down for good.

The Gym Inspection went easy as cake, and the Academy Ace Tournament was really fun! Everyone agreed that they should do it again.

The Pokédex kept going on really well, but between adventure and exploration in this rich region, it's always good and relaxing to go back and take some classes at the academy and learn something new, or it wasn't going to be that easy this time?

It was a rainy day. Not a big storm, but wet enough to make everyone wanting to go outside think twice.

Juliana arrived just in time for Art class, one of her favorite subjects! Not that she doesn't like the other subjects, she learned a lot in every class, but Arts had something special on it, a special spark that can't be calculated or interpreted sometimes, like a Pokémon battle.

Also, Hassel, the teacher, was amazing on his job, you can see wonder in the eyes of his students, how he can bring a lot of emotions during the classes, even himself being a little emotional.

Juliana takes a seat on the first row as always, so that way she can listen better to the teacher.

"Hello again class. As everyone can see, today is not the most perfect of days, in fact, today I was planning an outside class to sketch some Pokémon, but sometimes plans change, and we have to adjust ourselves to the situation, like when we colour a drawing outside the line by accident. We can focus on the mistake and abandon the piece, or work or way through it and give or masterpiece a new perspective. There's always something we can do to work out weaknesses and turn them into virtues, or not. Not every work of art is a masterpiece, but it truly helps changing the color of the glass you're looking through."

Hassel always knew how to phrase his classes, always inspiring and uplifting. Almost as if his words alone made the rain stop and make a rainbow cross the academy.

"But enough talking, and since we're touching the subject of imperfection, let's start our class of today. Look at this sculpture of Professor Gibble I made, it's simple and not perfect, sometimes it's ok to take our time and learn from our mistakes, simple sculptures like this can be relaxing and entertaining. Can someone tell me what it's made from?"

Juliana take a good look at it, the gritty but light texture guve you a slight idea of what could it be.

"Paper mache?" Juli says, with a doubt in her mind.

"Yes! Very well Juliana, looks like you're an art expert. Paper mache is an easy way to represent something without a lot of materials, we only need for in this case: Paper, glue, water and, a balloon"

"A B-balloon?!" Juliana thinking inside herself, almost jumping when she heard the teacher say that cursed word, making a little frown.

Juliana has faced a lot if dangers on her treasure hunt: Dangerous Pokémon bigger than everyone could imagine, Rebellious students, strong trainers, fallen down to the Banned Paldean Crater, saw beast from other times, and even her Pokémon and her battled aggressive AI robots with bravery an strength, but nothing like that scared her as much as a silly balloon, one of her most embarrassing secret.

Of course, how the newly announced Champion of Paldea, who helped save the region from an ecological catastrophe, could be scared of balloons? That was inconceivable, no one has to know, just imagine a rumor like that spreading through the school? Nobody would take her seriously anymore.

Juliana was on the clouds overthinking about the stupid loud noise they make when they pop, almost not hearing how Hassel was explaining something about making a good paste for smother results. Her heart was rushing, but she was sitting still in place, no were to go, and the rain still pouring without signals if stopping

"Before we start you can choose one of you Pokémon partners to use as an example, or making by memory if you prefer it that way."

One of Juliana's Pokéballs started moving alone, making her alert again, and one of her Pokémon came out of her pokéball. Her old partner, already knew a lot about her since they've been in adventures for a long time, so the Pokémon must have feel the emotions of their trainer and just sit on her lap to help her calm down.

The time started to pass and she has barely started, scared to make a rough movement in case something accidentally pops her balloon.

*POP* A balloons popped making only Juliana jump, but her Pokémon help her calm down before it's too late and the classes notices.

"Haba! I was working with that! Don't bit the balloon again!" One of her classmates is reprehending his Fuecoco, who must have mistaken the balloon for food. "Cocooo..?" The Pokémon felt a little confused about what happened.

Some short laughs, including from the teacher, can be heard across the room. "No laughing matter..." Though Juliana.

"That's what I was talking about when I mentioned mistakes, everyone can make one, but we don't have to let them discourage us, we have to learn from them. Tell me, was something you wanted to improve from your sculpture?" Asked Hassel. "Well, actually yes, the face was looking weird, I wanted to start again but the the glue was drying up and it was a little late..." "Good then, start again, use what you learned to improve your craft, and let's feed this hungry fella.." Hassel offered a berry to the Fuecoco, wich happily munched while his trainer worked again in peace.

Juliana wasn't herself, and the clock was going extra slow today, it was hard to concentrate with all of the noise on the background, she barely made the base of the head and couldn't get through the class. Her Pokémon stayed by her side the whole time, being a good model and letting being pet whenever Juliana was feeling nervous.

*DING-DONG DING-DONG, DING-DONG DING-DONG*

The bell indicating the class was over scared Juliana a little, but at least the suffering ended ended.

"It looks like our time is over, I hope you learned st least one thing new today. And don't worry if you didn't finish your pieces, you can come back and finish them whenever you like".

While Juliana was quickly putting her thing in her backpack, she hears a familiar voice calling her name. "Miss Juliana..." Hassel say across the classroom. "Oh no, did he noticed?!" Juli thought scared "Can you help me with sort paperwork here for a moment?" Hassel pointed to a chair at his sides of his table, where mixed art projects and teacher's stuff was scattered. "Y-yes, sin problema! Coming!" Said with a little of relief on her voice. She let her Pokémon by her side, still doing it's work of a companion in case of a panic attack.

"Please help me sort this papers, put the drawings by this side and the notes here, inside this binder" Said Hassel, while waiting for the last students to retire from the classroom. Juliana takes the seat and begins to work, her Pokémon on her lap taking a nap and and working as a weighted blanket to help it's trainer.

Minutes later, the last students left the class with his Pokémon, their steps can be heard in the distance. Time for Hassel to make his movement.

"So, miss Juliana, how was the class today?" He asked. Juli waked up, she was daydreaming again, as a copping mechanism to evade her surrounding when she was scared.

"Huh... Great! It was an amazing class as always!" Juliana answers, but, this answer sounds very... automatic to Hassel, who has seen this studen in better days.

"Did you sleep well last night? I suppose, the melody of the rain help everyone sleep... And what about breakfast? Aren't you hungry?"

"Hmmm... No... I mean, Yes! I ate a sandwich this morning" Juliana starts to doubt, so she shots "Why are you asking?"

"Hmmm, for nothing, it's just, that it's... weird I think it's the word? It's very unlikely to see my best student so down like this". Juliana straights her back and wakes up fully, noticing that there's no one in the room, just she and her teacher.

"No no no, I'm fine, I had a good sleep and ate well this morning, I'm completely fine" She said with an awkward smile trying to hide her nerves.

"Are you sure?" Asked the teacher "You barely worked on your sculpture today, usually you're one of the first in finish, and look at your work today" Hassel pointed to her 'Pokémon sculpture' on Juliana's working table, was barely resembling her Pokémon, but missed a lot of details and color in comparison to the work of other classmates. "I know I said you should take your time, but this isn't like you..."

Juliana barely looks at it, and then barely looks at his teacher in the face, almost fully evading them "Yeah yeah I'm fine, I think it was the weather".

Hassel had his doubt of the answer "Ok, I believe you, but please remember, everything I do it's for the greater good of my students, if there's something wrong that you want to tell me, please let me know so I can help, ok?" Juliana looks down at her Pokémon, and her mon looks back at her. "Ok, thanks you, I'll have that in mind..." She said while organizing the last papers.

What they both, teacher and student didn't notice while chatting, is that one Skwovet has entered in the classroom and by accident, like the Fuecoco earlier, the little guy bitted one of the balloon mistaking it for a berry.

*POP*

"AAAAAHG" The once relaxed Juliana screams, jumps and hugs her Pokémon very close to her, starting to hyperventilate.

"Here you are Cheeks! Excuse me! Sorry, for bothering, he gets intro frenzy mode when he's hungry and runs away" One student enters the class to pick up his Pokémon and quickly goes away, closing the door.

"Don't worry, be careful next time!" Said Hassel quickly before looking back at you.

"Oh Juliana, are you ok my child?!" Hassel looks worried, putting his hands on her shoulders to try to ground her.

After petting her partner and looking like the area is clean now, Juliana calms down.

"Y-yes I'm f-fine, everything fine now!" She looks to the other side, embarrassed, to evade a possible judgemental or funny looks from the teacher.

"I'm sorry for my intromission, but, were the, balloons bothering you during the class?" Hassel says in the sweetest and calmest voice possible, to avoid loosing confidense from his student.

"No nonono not possible! Me? The newest champion of Paldea? Scared of balloons?! No way! It was a confusion! Eeemmmm... Thissss, this little guy just bite me! Y-yeah that's it!" But when she looking down at her lap, wanting for an excuse, Juliana's Pokémon wasn't there! Instead, it was now in the middle of the middle of the classroom playing with one of the balloon on the ground, chasing it around the room.

"*Eeeeeeek* Nononono buddy come here come on left that there please!" A scared Juliana covers her ears with her hands while calling her Pokémon back at her side.

*Fliiiiiiiiiu* Hassel whistles slow a quiet, calling the attention of the Pokémon and making it sit right at his side.

"Hmmm, who said that the dragon tamer's whistle would work on this friend huh?..."

Both teacher and student can feel the awkwardness filling the air. Juliana looks to her side to avoid crossing his eyes, crossing her arms and resting them on the table, while Hassel pets the Pokémon.

"...Excuse me again, but... Are you sure there's nothing you what to tell me? I understand if you don't want to say anything, I can't force you to talk, of course, but I always believe in confidentialit-"

"OK FINE YOU WIN!" Juliana can't take it anymore and screams "Yes, I'm scared of the balloons! I hate the loud noise they make, they make me uncomfortable, I couldn't finish my job because of that!" Hassel can feel in his student's voice a great weight being release, like something you hide for long time, feeling that he already knew very well.

"It's ok, you can laugh, I'm used to it, just please don't tell it to anyone, I can't imagine if people knew about this.... *Sniff* Embarrassing for a champion..." Juliana felt more relief, but sad by the way she had to tell this to her teacher.

"*Sniff* Sorry, I'm sorry, I made this awkward, I know this isn't the way..." Juliana looks embarrassed.

"Please, young Juliana, don't be sorry, I understand, it's something you can't control..." "I'm... I'm the one who should be sorry, for making you go through..." The teacher apologize "No please, don't say that, there's no way you could tell.."

"Yes, of course..." Said Hassel while thinking about that day when a Driftloon scared you, or the tender but skittish way you leave your Flamigo squeaky clean, as if the Pokémon themselves could pop at any moment.

"Don't worry, this conversation will remain between us, and please let me always have an eye on you in case you need help" "Y-yes! Thanks professor Hassel!" Juliana exclaimed more happy than before.

"Thank you... " Juliana wakes up and hugs her teacher, who is almost crying again, but recompose himself to look more professional.

"I have to mention, you still have to finish your work, I hate leaving work unfinish" Hassel says making Juliana shiver "But do not worry, well work together on that" Juliana gaves an awkward smile, hopping that doesn't mean what she think she means.

*EXTRA*

Of course, being at the Art class, means Juliana wasn't alone, Penny was also there, but because of her fear and because Penny usually sits in the back, Juliana didn't notice her this time.

When Hassel called Juliana after class, she wanted to gossip on what about he said to her, so Penny activate the Cassiopeia program in Juliana's SmartRotom and heard the whole conversation. EVERYTHING.

Wanting to test a theory, Penny sends a Team of Pokémon to Nemona ask her to "test the power of this team". Nemona was always happy to help, and Knowing Penny isn't the best fighting, she innocently accepts.

The team was: A Flamigo, a Jigglypuff, a Driftloon.

One by one the Pokémon goes to battle, Juliana being very nervous, makes her Pokémon do weird combo attacks.

[stil-lindigo]

lead balloon (the tumblr post that saved me)

if this comic resonated with you, it would mean the world to me if you donated to this palestinian family's escape fund.

--

no creative notes because this isn't that kind of comic.

I know I don’t owe any of you anything but I still felt compelled to write about my long term absence. And I feel far enough away from the dangerous spot I was in to be able to make this comic. I have a therapist now, and she agreed that making this could be a very cathartic gesture, and the start of properly leaving these thoughts behind me. I am still, at seemingly random times, blindsided by fleeting desires to kill myself. They’re always passing urges, but it’s disarming, and uncomfortable. I worry sometimes that my brain’s spent so long thinking only about suicide that it’s forgotten how to think about anything else. Like, now that I've opened that door for myself, I'll never be able to fully shut it again. But I’m trying my best to encourage my mind in other directions. We'll see how that goes.

I am still donating all proceeds from my store to Palestinian causes. So far, I've donated over $15K, not including donations coming from my own pocket or the fundraising streams which jointly raised around $10K. In the time since I made my initial post about where this money would be going, the focus has shifted from aid organisations to directly donating to escape funds.

If you'd like to do the same, you can look at Operation Olive Branch, which hosts hundreds of Palestinian escape funds or donate to Safebow, which has helped facilitate the safe crossing and securing of important medical procedures for over 150 at-risk palestinians since the beginning of the genocide.

[idkimnotreal]

one of my first memories that i relate to autism is being at daycare at like age 4 and it's after some party and the caregiver lady had us kids play with the balloons and burst them at will, since they would be cleaning it later anyway, and we were kinda helping with that but having fun, and i noped and i crouched and covered my ears and screamed while the other kids wreaked havoc around me in the room.

that's all i remember. i don't remember the teacher's reaction. likely my parents were told about this. this is one of the things that makes me baffled that i was never diagnosed as a kid, not even with asperger's which was common in the 2000s, but instead only misdiagnosed with ocd (i'm a boy, or assigned male; borderline would make sense but they don't (mis)diagnose boys with that).

[banqanas]

takahide being afraid of a balloon

makocchan covering his ears before anything even happens

everyone else screaming except for keito

this was made for me. thank you rampfan

[askinanimateinsanityrebootau]

Will call you out as I please Balloon.

Who would you have teamed up with if Suitcase hadn't latched onto you?

Inanimate Insanity: Reboot

Ep 1: Lost and Found

Part 8!

We're racking up the teams! What we're not racking up though...is asks. I am willing to make certain panels that do not have an ask attached to them in the same way the first one doesn't; I'm not being picky with ask either it's just that there is only two left. I do have anonymous enabled, so don't be afraid to ask anything! You'd be surprised what I can work with.

First/Last/Next

[finrays]

Laughingly explaining to your roommate’s guests that you’ve hated fireworks and balloons popping and other loud bangs vehemently ever since you were a kid, and suddenly getting your mind hole blasted by realizing that hey, maybe… maybe all those fireworks shows you spent with your teeth clenched in fear and discomfort and your hands clapped over your ears as a kid meant… you had a sensory issue???

[danothan]

watched blue beetle, here are my thoughts as someone who knows jaime from animated media but not yet the comics! (spoilers)

[ballercollective]

Been seeing this float around and needed to voice my opinions Bonuses: Know more about: Bomb Similar Personality: Paintbrush

[coquelicoq]

i have so many strategies and policies for writing work emails. and the thing is i used to think they were all super self-evident, until i started training people who did not do ANY of this and it all had to be explained. i was like, i don't know why clients love me, maybe because i'm adorable? but then i discovered i actually had to tell my coworkers to say "thank you" in emails and was like hmmm. maybe it's because i'm adorable AND i say thank you in emails. further research is needed.

[globophobicligyrophobiccontent]

I know I abandoned this post a little a lot, sorry about that, I wasn't feeling creative enough to write or update, but I'm back now, I think I got what it takes again!

I'll start with simple things with creative liberty and I have a request, sorry it took this long! I didn't check the request box in a while since nobody sent anything. Also planning to rebrand the blog, just to change the image, wash the face.

Also, I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'm really happy and excited for my birthday! I'm planning to do it on my friends house, so I can put... wait fo it ...

Balloons

Weird, right? Well, the thing is, that I did a little bit of exposure, and I can handle balloons pretty well now, I still can stand the popping, but it's an advance.

The thing is, if I use balloons to decorate at my house, my family probably will just ignore that I'm still scared of the popping and stuff, and also, make jokes about how I used to be scared, in good font, but still, it hurts a little.

So if I make my birthday at my friend's house, I can make it a little more secret and personal. My friends know about my phobia and they're really respectful and understand my steps, so I can trust them with that.

Nothing too big, just some here and there to make one of my childhood dreams come true: to have a "normal" birthday, if normal means have some balloons.

Well, I think that's all for now, if you took the time to read, thanks! I will update more soon.

[dormiloncito]

you guys know a lot of info abt me from my random rants but here's a good one: did you guys know i'm scared of balloons

[mabsolgirl]

my AU of an AU within an AU Just the current references, the logo I made, and some misc sketches

[ndcgalitzine]

Lee Jae Wook || Marie Claire Korea Pop Quiz 2019 - 2020

[jrueships]

yes. often. i think diggs Every day of My Life (/neg) (/unfortunate) (/nonpos)

i-

[quackle]

The fear challenge itself is pretty decent. It’s the character that are overall boring. While Wayne is decent (Fear to fight his best friend.) the other three are too basic.

I wish the challenge have two parts: The first part is their surface fear like what they fear (Snake, Lightning and Spider) and the second part is their inner fear (Things like fear to be betrayed or being along.)

But yes, it’s really is a lost opportunity for not having Damien here. I also want Scary Girl to be here as I am curious what’s she fears?

YEAH like there was potential in the challenge itself! it's just... the stuff they presented along with the character arcs each character was going through was so, well, boring.

when you compare that ep to something like the face your fears ep in season 1, you notice how bland it is. i suppose the ep would hit different if you liked that whole priya vs julia with caleb as the middleman plot, but for people like me, i was hoping to get more focus on the fears themselves. and like you said, some form of combination of surface level and inner fears, that would have been so interesting. or at least (once again) focus more on the fearsssss.

i'll never get over damien not being in that ep tho. like that opportunity was RIGHT there 😭 at least if he got eliminated in that ep he would have some more substance to his arc.