#and I’m like I know <3 I pursue my creative and intellectual pursuits in my free time <3

[shishiikura]

Very difficult to have a conversation with this coworker who must always mention something she saw on tiktok

[mbti-notes]

Hi. INTP writer here. I care about creating diverse personalities for my many characters. When I discovered MBTI theory I was both shocked and pleased to see them spread across these various categories. I almost covered the 16 types in more or less depth and MBTI descriptions and explanations confirmed what I intuitively guessed and re-made. The only type which seems to elude me 100% is the ISFP... I now understand how they work, but still no ISFP character appears under my pen. (1/3)

[con’t: The thing is, when I write from a well-crafted character’s viewpoint, I get totally depersonalized. I started thinking as I never thought before, making connections I never made ‘by myself’, understanding reactions that were puzzling to me when being my INTP-self. Same for emotions. I’ve a hard time connecting to my own emotions in the moment; yet I feel my characters’ feelings while writing, choking on tears, feeling their psychological pain. It’s both disturbing and satisfying in a way  Yet I’m concerned about how depersonalized I can get. I realized I’ve a tendency to lose sight of myself in front of difficult people I’m busy trying to understand to the point of not getting they are crossing my boundaries since I’m not ‘there’ anymore to enforce them. It makes me ambivalent to determine if it’s a gift or a curse, or both, or a curse masquerading as a gift. It makes me wonder if I’m finding myself when writing, or drifting further away from myself in self-erasure.]

What you are describing is the potential danger of using the inferior function before one is developmentally ready for it. There’s some safety in using inferior Fe in creative pursuits because it’s not “real”, it’s not really you. But as soon as the emotions get too real, you “depersonalize”, because dominant T doesn’t really want to know what it’s like to use F for real as it could easily lead to inferior grip and dominant annihilation, as already explained in the Type Development Guide. The general principle of type development is balance; extremes tend to come when you aren’t aware of improper function use and you unwittingly take things too far, sometimes with negative consequences such as disastrous inferior grip behavior (e.g. not setting proper emotional boundaries). 

One of the most important lessons of type development involves understanding that every coin has two sides, every human trait has advantages and disadvantages. Growing a deep understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each of your functions helps you know when using them is appropriate or inappropriate such that you can optimize your function use. Type development is best pursued in accordance with the order of the functional stack; it can be harmful to get ahead of oneself or to lie to oneself about one’s true state of development, which Ns are generally inclined to do because they often struggle to form a realistic conception of their own capabilities. Due to inferior Fe, Ti doms easily fool themselves into believing that they are good at understanding people when they’re not. Due to being IN, INTPs often don’t realize that mere intellectual play is not at all the same as practical knowledge. The proof is in the pudding: If you really understood people well (i.e. objective Fe use), you’d know how to handle people of every stripe, and you wouldn’t have the problem you described.

When a person hasn’t grasped the above lesson, they tend to remain at low levels of ego development. An egocentric person is only able to recognize their own advantages and, through observing differences, other people’s disadvantages, which means that they are completely blind to their own disadvantages and cannot see any advantages in anyone who is not like them. This has very negative implications: 1) when you can’t recognize your own shortcomings, you can’t address them properly and then close off the most important avenue for realizing your potential, and 2) when you can’t recognize other people’s advantages, you won’t be able to respect and validate them and then fail to connect with them, thereby closing off the other important avenue for learning about yourself.

[dailynarutoimagines]

SHISUI'S NATAL CHART

Ok so my math skills suck but I tried my best to figure out a way to find the estimated year Shisui was born. If anyone has a better method let me know.

Kurama attacked Konoha 12 years before the start of the series (1999), and by some number crunching I’m estimating that Shisui was at least 10 by the time that happened, so 1999 - 12 - 10 = 1977. Also, general consensus is a 1-3 year margin of error for the Naruto timeline.Shisui was thus born October 19th, 1977.

(When I calculate Itachi’s age against this it doesn’t work but it is within that 1-3 year margin of error so I’m running with it)

Now the time if his birth we can never determine, and as I’ve said before the time of birth is super critical for an accurate reading. So here’s what I’ve devised to determine the hour of birth:1977 was the year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac, and within that system there are certain hours of the day attributed to each sign. In this case, the Snake rules over the hours of 9AM - 11 AM. And since YOU @catch-a-star-wish-from-afar and I decided Shisui was born at night…but my system disagrees…and I’m stubborn as a mule…I’m gonna go with 9 AM birth time as it’s only a little bit after sunrise lolOK ENOUGH OF MY RANT LET’S GET ON WITH THIS

Chart from alabe.com/freechart

Ascendant - Sagittarius

High-spirited with a magnetic personality, Shisui excelled at first impressions and was very personable, warm, and cheerful, reflected in the general cheeriness of Sagittarius’s power as a Fire Sign. Likely to have strong thighs and great at running (look at that Body Flicker go). Shisui is also someone who needs a great deal of freedom in his life in order to feel complete.

Sun Sign - Libra - 11th House

Social, diplomatic, harmonious, and fair-minded, Libra makes sense for Shisui for his ability to see both sides of the equation and their respective values. He thrives within the bounds of relationships, which become supremely important in his life as his Libra sun falls into the 11th house of groups, social life, and causes for society. In essence, Shisui feels most at peace when he is with others, whether it be close relations, his friends, or authorities. He expresses himself best when interfacing with others; alone time is difficult for Shisui as it’s not in his nature, he always needs at least one person in order for him to be comfortable. Truly Shisui is quite the socialite

Moon Sign - Capricorn - 2nd House

Shisui manages his inner life scrupulously. Daily routines like morning, evening, and dietary habits are regulated and strict; he doesn’t mind monotony in favor of stability. He is also mentally tough, and can survive many kind of environments, even those hostile to him personally. He presents himself to those close to him as unwavering, steady, and reliable. It’s likely that Shisui is stubborn, however, but not enough to make him closed off to new ideas. He also has an emotional yet practical intuition that makes him very aware of himself and how he interfaces with the world on a soul-deep level.

Mercury Sign - Libra - 11th House

Communications and transportation logistics are talents of Shisui, especially concerning groups of people. He is fast and efficient in the relay of information, and loyal to his friends, colleagues, and social causes that will cause progressive change. Shisui’s biggest strength, however, is his diplomacy - even keeled even in the most stressful of situations, Shisui can sit at a table and negotiate tensions to a calmer state. Within the bounds of socializing, Shisui’s mentality is remarkably clear and steady, choosing rationale over emotional compulsion, and yet showing a great flexibility with others.

Venus Sign - Libra - 10th House

Shisui is likely to be a romantic sort, seeking fair play and harmony in a relationship above all else. He’s known to be thoughtful of his partner, albeit somewhat indecisive about bigger issues such as commitment. Perceptive about the nature of romantic love, Shisui’s known around the village to be a sort of psychic match-maker - albeit he really doesn’t mean to; he’s just observant! He’s also quite famous for being diplomatic with women, and many men come to him for advice, so much so he wonders if he missed his calling. 

Mars Sign - Cancer - 8th House

This man has a high sex drive, and always makes the first move. But he only does so with those close to him who he has an emotional attachment too. Open towards all kinds of sexual adventures, Shisui is likely to be into some kinky shit, seeing limitations on sex to be nothing but restraining. Very intimate and considers sexuality a pinnacle of the bonding experience, and will be very forward to obtain that. Personally, he is assertive about his emotions and family or relatives, acting as a sort of leader or figure to look up to within the clan. However, he can be prone to impulsive monetary investments on behalf of the clan; Cancer tempers this with an intuitive-ness and fruitfulness that could make him an excellent forecaster in how the Clan or Village invest in things such as property.

Jupiter Sign - Cancer - 8th House

Good fortune smiles upon Shisui in terms of his time and energy put into personal and family collateral, emotional bonds, and future generations. Lucky and prosperous, it’s likely Shisui would come to own a house young, especially for the purpose of raising a family. His personal wealth will bloom alongside those close to him. He focuses on nurturing the younger generation to pursue their dreams and desires. Prone to self-absorption on a grand scale, Shisui would have to rely heavily on his other astrological influences and 8th House rendering of Jupiter to avoid grandiose pictures of himself.

Saturn Sign - Leo - 9th House

A Leo in Saturn is a disciplined self; restraint and modesty are key to Shisui’s life. He carefully delegates power, leadership, and creativity, choosing those who are similar to himself. A stubborn, strong-willed approach to all manner of intellectual pursuits, logic, and the principles of life can keep Shisui occupied within his mind for days, paying little regard to how others both see him or their life path. Careful moderation of his ego will develop with maturity.

Uranus Sign - Scorpio - 11th House

Shisui tends to gravitate towards altruistic peers, preferring progressive company where he can be educated and even enlightened by those around him. He envisions a world where everyone can be equal, where everyone is fed and there is no pain. This makes Shisui rather hardened to the reality of society, and yet he still aims to achieve change in what is deemed unchangeable by culture.

Neptune Sign - Sagittarius - 1st House

Dreams of expanding moral conclusions close to him, as well as digging for the truth of hidden things. He is not afraid to travel far to find answers; this is how Shisui explores not only what’s around him but what’s within him too. Exploration for clues lie not just in the physical realm but in the metaphysical, as Shisui delves deep within himself to see what he can find.

Pluto Sign - Libra - 10th House

Transformative powers in the more practical realms of career, Shisui aims to refine his public image by challenging and even bringing down old traditional laws and norms, especially those surrounding diplomacy and law. Harnessing the power of Libra and Pluto together brings a powerful revolutionary desire in Shisui to change systemic diseases in society and the government for a more just, harmonious world.

North Node - 10th House

Incredible success in career, renown for his abilities and jobs well done, Shisui finds fame quite fast in his life.

South Node - 4th House

Obligations to family may become a hardship for Shisui. He feels the need to adopt strays within the clan to take care of them, but moderating that desire is important for Shisui to have a healthy interaction with the clan.

- Admin Rhia

[parallaxreaction]

Planting a seed

A couple years ago, I decided to re-introduce myself to programming/development. I'd had exposure to front-end web development and design, but I think when I was younger (especially pre-uni) the idea of actually programming intimidated me, like it was something only really smart people did, and even then, you had to be well off (i.e. have had access to computers at home growing up. It didn't help that the resources/community around programming weren't what they are now). Nonetheless, the idea of programming as a creative act - the idea that I could use logic and language to build things - was always appealing to me. However, this interest took a back burner to academic pursuits for a number of years. I dabbled in front-end development again while working in oil and gas (since it was relevant to my job at the time), but only in a limited way (and there wasn't really much programming involved), since I was still in school and (at the time) committed to the academic track.

Fast forward to 2013-ish, when I started dabbling in the field again, after working a couple of contracts and unfulfilling and/or precarious jobs post-university. Due to financial constraints and disability-related reasons, I couldn't see myself going back to the emotional and financial shitshow of university to pursue credentials, no matter how much I genuinely loved the world of "pure" intellectual activity. I remember at the time feeling like the gates to academia had been closed off forever (mostly because I couldn't afford to go back, as the institution had sucked dry the non-trivial amount of money I had earned working in oil and gas) - but I had no idea what to do next. Without university, I didn't know who the hell I was, or what being "successful" looked like, or even if there was anything worth doing that wasn't academia. At the same time, my particular ennui was perfectly in step with that of hordes of millennials, who had done the "right thing" by going to university, and finding themselves on the other side of that experience with a ton of debt, working mundane jobs for which they were horribly overqualified.

Somewhere in the midst of that, I started to write tiny programs. In 2015 I took courses from Dr. Charles Severance's Python for Everybody track on Coursera. It was obvious the prof put a lot of thought into making the course accessible to nonprofessionals without dumbing down the material. I had done a few Codecademy tracks and tried other MOOCs at that point, but something about Dr Chuck's approach resonated with me. I was always somewhat dismayed with the copy-paste style of so many introductory tutorials, but this course eschewed that kind of superficiality, while progressing in a thoughtful way. It advanced quickly enough to keep my interest, and because the earlier lectures, textbook chapters and exercises provided a solid grounding in each topic, I felt prepared to tackle more the complex ideas as they were introduced (some courses introduce too much complexity too quickly (without adequately covering fundamentals), which can get frustrating. Others were too elementary/boring for me, since I had some exposure to the subject). He also steps through all the code examples, so students understand what’s happening line by line - this is extremely helpful as the code gets more complex, and helps students learn to read and think about programs they encounter. This was the first course that really helped me feel grounded in the fundamentals, that introduced me to the problem solving and debugging skills I now use all the time when I write programs. Through these courses, I gained a sense of efficacy and mastery, which fuelled my interest and motivated me to keep going.

But I think what also kept me going was something more fundamental. Like I said, I always appreciated programming in a formal sense, kind of like how a person can appreciate the beauty of math, even if it can sometimes be intimidating. I think the cold, specific syntax, the tractability within the complexity of logical systems - offered a kind of reprieve from the uncertainty of the post-uni world. If the foreseeable future seemed to consist of economic precariousness punctuated by contract work, the IDE was a gateway to a world where there was some kind of meaningful correlation between effort and outcome. If I worked at the problem, eventually the error messages would go away and the program would work. What's more, I could even improve the program, write different programs to solve the same problem, and at the same time deepen my understanding of language constructs and idioms. Line by line, I was solving a (small) problem - but also carefully crafting a solution, putting something into the world that didn't exist before. In some sense, it didn't matter how much things were imploding around me, I could open up a command prompt and explore this complex, yet fascinating world - and because it was inherently logical, learn to understand it, learn to make my way through it. Those little programs helped me rediscover the creative drive, curiosity and sense of efficacy that I thought I'd lost.

And now, two-ish years after writing these programs, I'm working in the industry, programming in a limited way, but still programming. I'm surrounded by incredibly smart people who give zero fucks about credentials, bureaucracy, and hierarchy, and are willing to teach me anything I'm willing to put in the effort to learn. When I worked in creative and academic fields, "do it for the love" was often (but not always) used to justify all kinds of bullshit, poverty wages, and emotional strain. Now I can do what I love, but actually make enough money to live my life. I no longer feel ashamed to have a disability that sometimes makes it hard for me to do things the way everyone else can - I have a surprising amount of leeway to work in my own way, as long as I get things done. For the first time in my life, I'm part of what feels like an actual meritocracy, and not an institution biased around reproducing the privileges of the people who started out ahead.

I'm not sure what the point of all this was. It was kind of neat to see a memory of an old program I wrote pop up in my Facebook feed, and recall how this all began - with tiny programs I wrote 2+ years ago. Dr Chuck’s courses (and others, like Rice University’s Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python) planted a seed, and through that I was able to improve my life. There were a lot of other pieces (esp. support I got from others, help from my sister to help me get back on my feet and try to make a new career for myself, Chic Geek mentorship, etc., and just a lot of hard work along the way). Suppose the point is, if there's someone out there in a rut and looking to do something different (that thing doesn't have to be programming), than hopefully this modest story gives that person some inspiration to try. <3