#check the website for local groups

[katbuchm]

Shut Up and Write was an absolute lifesaver for me. The format is fantastic for getting your writing in, no matter how the rest of your week looks. I wrote two of my three books basically at SUW meetups, and at our local one we have other authors, a storytelling Youtuber, a circling cast of phd students, journallers, people who just need to get their emails done for the week, DMs writing their next adventures, you name it.

I genuinely cannot recommend Shut Up and Write highly enough. It is a fantastic model for getting stuff done.

NaNo Alternatives

Okay, real post time (but keep those boops booping) - You want to do NaNoWriMo tomorrow, but you don't want to go anywhere near the main organization and their website. Here's a list of alternatives you can try:

Rogue Writers - International group launched to provide an alternative for writers. Their website has challenges, free tools, and more.

myWriteClub - Word tracking tool.

Novlr - A writing app designed to help you meet your writing goals.

WriteTrack - Word tracking tool.

Shut Up and Write - Find in-person or online groups to write together with!

NoQuWriCo - A November writing challenge with tools, tips, and encouragement to make it through the month!

Writing Month - Write. A Month. Do It.

Your local library - If you did NaNo events through your library, chances are they're still doing it this year. Make sure you check in with all the resources you've used in the past, as they're likely still around.

Whatever you decide to do tomorrow, good luck! And remember, if you want to still use the NaNo website but don't like their AI policies and the rest of it, just don't give them money! Laugh to yourself, evilly, as you update your word count. It's very validating.

(Now back to booping.)

[5-htagonist]

i love art, im very grateful for adderall for gifting me with the executive function, ease of prioritization, and clearness of thought <3

[reasonsforhope]

"Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old running for Congress in Illinois’ 9th congressional district, isn’t shy about her belief that politicians need to do things differently.

“We have a representation problem,” the first line of the “About” page on her website reads.

“As in, about half of Congress are millionaires and people born before the Moon landing. And that's part of the reason we're in this mess: Our leaders are out of touch.”

A journalist, social media influencer, and political commentator that GQ called “a lefty,” with a mission to revitalize the Democratic party, Abughazaleh built a following online before she launched her campaign in March of 2025. 

But now, she’s leveraging her platform — and campaign dollars — to help people in her community before ballots are even filled in.

“My congressional campaign is feeding people right now,” she starts in a recent TikTok video. 

“Part of the reason I decided to run was because I saw how much money gets wasted in politics, and I thought, ‘What if we spent it differently?’”

She adds that the campaign is focused on “direct action and mutual aid,” emphasizing that she wanted her run for office to be “dual-purpose,” in which she can get her message out and help people in the process. 

It’s a stark pivot from the traditional way of campaigning in the United States, which often includes pricey fundraising galas, attack ads, big billboards, and perhaps the most criticized and unpopular feature: massive donations from private businesses and interest groups. 

Abughazaleh has publicly congratulated the former incumbent of this seat — 80-year-old Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who has held the title since 1999, the year Abughazaleh was born — for her “decades of service.” 

Rep. Schakowsky will not seek reelection, but Abughazaleh called for others to run, hoping to participate in the “first competitive Democratic primary in the District since 1998.”

Abughazaleh has also shared that the average donation her campaign receives is $31. And according to GQ, 1,000 people signed up to volunteer for her campaign within a week of her initial announcement.

And while that volunteering does include marketing, canvassing, and getting the word out, it mostly adds up to actual on-the-ground volunteer work to help people in the local community.

“Our kick-off event, for instance, didn’t charge $500 a plate,” Abughazaleh shared in her TikTok. “People just had to bring a box of pads or tampons, which were donated to Chicago’s period collective. By the end of the night, we had gathered over 5,600 period products, which went to people who can’t afford them.”

Most recently, the campaign hosted a food drive for a local community fridge program.

“We asked folks to come out and donate food in exchange for a campaign yard or window sign,” Abughazaleh said. “And by the end of the day, we were able to fully stock the empty pantry and fill the fridge with frozen meals, produce, and eggs. That’s feeding people right now.”

“Don’t worry, we checked to make sure this is legal," she added. "And it is."

The campaign has also launched a High School Public Serve Grant program that encourages local youth to submit ideas for how to make the community better, and Abughazaleh’s campaign will support it with money, materials, volunteers, and her online platform...

“Something you’ll rarely see is concrete help in their communities during the campaign,” she said. “And frankly, to me, that just seems stupid. Not only do you get to help people — supposedly what you’re running to do — but it also shows what you’re about, instead of just providing lip service.” ...

“If every campaign adopted this model, then we wouldn’t be wasting money every single cycle. Every city, town, and village across America would be improved by their election process, and I think it would also get people more involved,” she said.

“We have local folks who have never voted in an election, but they joined our volunteer Discord server because they want to help, they feel like they have something to vote for.”

For those who might be inspired enough to run for office with this model, she says: Full steam ahead.

“Frankly, I would love it if other campaigns took our model. Use it, pretend it’s yours, I don’t care!” she wrapped up her TikTok. 

“Pair with organizations in your community that have been doing the work, talk with local experts, and try to spearhead any initiatives you can to show your values and help your constituents. It’s really that easy.”

-via GoodGoodGood, May 14, 2025

[half-orq]

Gonna rant for a second I've been anti-audible for a while --well over a decade, though it wasn't always a position of "Fuck Amazon" --I didn't see the point of paying for access to 1-3 audiobooks per month when I was reading that in a week for free from my library. Did I have to wait sometimes? Sure. but also I was reading 1-3 audiobooks in a week. There were other audiobooks to listen to in the week while I waited --and so I listened to my less popular series while waiting for the more popular series. (for context, the time I'm taking about I was working at a bakery that allowed me to have headphones in, as there were never customers (we worked in a warehouse and shipped to stores and restaurants) so I was listening to 40 hrs a week plus commute times, plus times when I was playing the sims) But what I especially hate is audible exclusives. I had (wrongly) assumed that if a book was audible exclusive, there would be no way to get the book in other formats elsewhere. I run a book club. We democratically select the books for the next year, as long as they are within a few guidelines (we have length requirements within the founding guidelines, we must be able to source them through the public library with the help of the ILL specialist, and I research each book for things like content, pacing, heaviness --so we don't have two slow somber books in a row, mostly, but also so I don't have more than one horror novel in a year type thing. Keeps the books interesting, and keeps the choices balanced.)

One book, requested last year by three members and so very much quickly made the list, ended up being an audible exclusive. I did not check for audible exclusivity when I was making the list --my club wanted to read a book, and I could see that we could get copies of the book, confirmed by the ILL specialist. Great!

Except!!! Except this is an accessibility issue. If someone, for any given reason, needs an audiobook to access this book club (as I often do as someone with adhd for ease but do not need need. I can get by with no audiobook if I must, but if someone has vision issues, well.). If someone needs it and does not want to or have the ability to pay for an audible subscription, they are locked out of that month's book club.

And man that fucking sucks.

[inkskinned]

i got rickrolled today but it didn't work because i have adblocker installed, so youtube just told me i violated the terms of service. yesterday i was trying to edit a picture as a joke for my girlfriend, and google made me check a box to prove i'm human because i wasn't "searching normally".

it isn't just that capitalism is killing fun and whimsy, it is that any element of entertainment or joy is being fed upon by this mosquito body, one that will suck you dry at any vulnerability.

do you want to meet new friends in your city? download this app, visit our website, sign up for our email list. pay for this class on making a terrarium, on candlemaking, on cooking. it will be 90 dollars a session. you can go to group fitness, but only under our specific gym membership. solve the puzzle, sign up for our puzzle-of-the-month-club. what is a club if not just a paid opportunity - you are all paying for the same thing, which makes you a community.

but you're like me, i know it - you're careful, you try the library meetings and the stuff at the local school and all of that. the problem is that you kind of want really specific opportunities that used to exist. you are so grateful for libraries and the publicly-funded things: they are, however, an exception - and everything they have, they've fought tooth-and-nail to protect. you read a headline about how in many other states, libraries have virtually nothing left.

do you want to meet up with your friends afterwards? gift your friends the discord app. you can choose to go to a cafe (buy a coffee, at least), a bar (money, alcohol) or you can all stay in and catch a movie (streaming) or you can all stay in bed (rent. don't get me started) and scream (noise complaint. ticket at least).

you want to read a new book, but the book has to have 124 buzzwords from tiktok readers that are, like, weirdly horny. you can purchase this audiobook on audible! your podcast isn't on spotify, it's on its own server, pay for a different site. fuck, at least you're supporting artists you like. the art museum just raised their ticket price. once, they had a temporary exhibit that acknowledged that ~85% of their permanent art galleries were from cis white men, and that they had thousands of works by women (even famous women, like frida! georgia o'keefe!) just rotting in their basement. that exhibit lasted for 3 months and then they put everything away again.

walmart proudly supports this strip of land by the street! here are some flowers with wilting leaves. its employees have to pay out-of-pocket for their uniforms. my friend once got fined by the city because she organized a community pick-up of the riverfront, which was technically private property.

no, you cannot afford to take that dance class, neither can i. by the way - i'm a teacher. i'm absolutely not saying "educators shouldn't be paid fairly." i'm saying that when i taught classes, renting a studio went from 20 bucks an hour to 180 in the span of 6 months. no significant changes to the studio were made, except they now list the place as updated and friendly. the heat still doesn't work in the building. i have literally never seen the landlord who ignores my emails. recently they've been renting it out at night as an "unusual nightclub; a once-in-a-lifetime close-knit party." they spent some of those 180 dollars on LEDs and called it renovating. the high heels they invite in have been ruining the marley.

do you want to experience the old internet? do you want to play flash games or get back the temporary joy of club penguin? you can, you just need to pay for it. i have a weird, neurodivergent obsession with occasionally checking in to watch the downfall and NFT-ification of neopets. if i'm honest with you all - i never got into webkins, my family didn't have the money to buy me a pointless elephant. people forget that "being poor" can mean literally "if i buy you that toy, i can't afford rent."

you and i don't have time to make good food, and we don't have the budget for it. we are not gonna be able to host dinner parties, we're not made of money, kid. do you want some kind of 3rd space? a space that isn't home or work or school? you could try being online, but - what places actually exist for you? tiktok counts as social media because you see other people on it, not because they actually talk to you.

there was a local winter tradition of sledding down the hill at my school. kids would use pizza boxes and jackets and whatever worked, howling and laughing. back in september, they made a big announcement that this time, rules were changing, and everyone must pay 10 dollars to participate. when im not scared shitless, i kind of appreciate the environmental irony - it hasn't gone below 40. so much for snow & joyriding.

i saw a bulletin for a local dogwalking group and, nervous about making a good first impression, showed up early. the first guy there grimaced at me. "sorry," he said. "there's a 30-dollar buy-in fee." i thought he was joking. wait. for what? the group doesn't offer anything except friendship and people with whom to walk around the city.

he didn't know the answer. just shrugged at me. "you know," he said. "these days, everything costs money."

[ms-demeanor]

How to avoid sharing Social Media Scams in the Wake of a Disaster

The world is full of disasters. It is also full of people who have learned to profit off of disaster. It is an unfortunate fact of life in the modern social media/online environment that in order to avoid spreading scams, you have to make a continuous effort and you have to be cynical.

There are a lot of wonderful, well-meaning people in the world who want to help everyone who asks for it. Unfortunately, those people are easy to scam.

These are some rules to prevent you from either falling victim to scams or from passing scams along to other people.

These are not suggestions, these are not things to take into consideration, the rules listed here are RULES that you need to adopt in order to keep from spreading scams on social media.

Rules:

Never, ever share screenshots of fundraisers or resources that you haven’t verified yourself. If you see a screenshot of, say, the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds Instagram announcing that they will be accepting evacuees with RVs, you go find the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds website, you find the social media linked on their website, and you check that the post you’re seeing actually came from the entity it’s claiming to. Once you have proved that the post actually came from the entity it’s claiming to, double check that entity with a couple of verifiable sources. So, for instance, if I was checking on the Guitar Center Music Foundation I’d check Guitar Center’s website and maybe I’d look for news articles about donations from the foundation. If I was looking up the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, I’d look for a local newspaper calendar of events that linked to the fairgrounds or would check the city websites in the area and search “fairgrounds” on them. I would not share a link to a social media page for an organization until I was 100% certain that it was actually associated with the organization. You shouldn’t either. If you see a post that claims to come from a specific group but all you have is the screenshot of the post, go find the group’s website and if it all checks out you may share it IF AND ONLY IF you add the link to the post. And if a post has a link already, click through it and STILL check that everything looks okay.

Never give money or information to someone with a free email address. This sucks. I know. But if the group you’re looking at only has a gmail address or a protonmail you have no way of knowing if they’re legitimately associated with the organization at a glance. And even if they ARE associated with the organization, the free email account demonstrates a lack of planning/commitment that has troubling implications for the handling of your money or data.

Do not share screenshots of “resources,” headlines, social media posts, or news articles. I’m done with screenshots. Screenshots are easy to fake and almost always remove context from the discussion. A standalone screenshot isn’t information, it’s a trap to get you to share something without thinking. Do not *trust* screenshots of “resources,” headlines, social media posts, or news articles. Always assume a screenshot is faked unless you have found the original post yourself. A screenshot isn’t a “resource” it is an un-source, it is intentionally removing information from the viewer and we are well past the time when people should have understood that sharing screenshots without a link to the original text in context is never, every trustworthy.

Do not give money or information to accounts without a history. This may mean individual social media accounts, or it may mean a shiny new mutual aid project that popped up near your house. It’s unfortunate that people have their accounts deleted, it’s unfortunate that new orgs have trouble finding support, but the likelihood that a new account is a scam is simply too high to trust your money or information with it. If someone is asking for money or offering help on an account that hasn’t posted for years, or that suddenly changed all its content, or that has only existed for a month with no links to other, older sites and socials, you shouldn’t trust that account.

Okay, those are the RULES. Those are the lines you draw in the sand. The TL;DR version is this:

Don’t share posts you haven’t personally verified

Don’t give money or information to accounts with generic email accounts like gmail

Don’t share or trust screenshots that have no links or further context

Don’t give info or money to brand new accounts

I absolve you of any guilt you have surrounding this. You want to share that post to help a stranger but they have only had an account for a week. You want to spread that resource, but unfortunately it is only available as screenshots of an anonymous instagram account. You think that perhaps that mutual aid group really can help people, but the only way contact them is to put your info into a google form and send an email to their gmail account. That post seems really helpful, but actually you can’t find anything that suggests that the Mt. Pacifico Aquatic Center exists outside of this twitter account. No more guilt! Guilt be gone! You do not have to feel bad for not sharing these things, or not reaching out, or not giving money because doing so would be irresponsible and would put other people at risk of being tricked by scammers or wasting what money they can donate on a potential fraud.

Now, some tips:

Always, always, always take at least ten minutes to think about giving someone money or your information online. Read the post that moved you, then re-read it, then go sit away from it for ten minutes and think about it. There’s a good chance you will still want to give, or sign up, but ten minutes away will give you a chance to consider if there are any red flags in the post that inspired you.

Independently search everything you’re going to share. Go outside of social platforms and check on search engines. Check Wikipedia. Look up the website and send a while clicking around. Go on a *different* social media platform and check their account.

Just straight up search “[SUBJECT] Scam” before you do anything. See if this thing you’re looking at is actually an old scam that’s revamped for a new disaster. See if you can find an explanation of how something might be a scam or risk in a way that you didn’t understand before.

Get used to getting away from social media. Go check websites.

Learn domain name syntax. “musicfoundationguit.arcenter.com” is a bullshit scam. “guitarcenterfounditaon.org” is a bullshit scam. “guitarcenter-foundation.org” is a bullshit scam. The actual domain is “guitarcenterfoundation.org” and the link to the correct page isn’t going to be “guitarcenter.foundationfires.org” it’s going to be “guitarcenterfoundation.org/fires”  

Tips for Orgs:

If you do not want your org to look like a scam you are going to have to put some effort into it. Unfortunately this will probably also require at least a little bit of money; I know it’s hard to get money together at the beginning, but it will pay off in the long run.

Invest in a domain and hosted email. You can get relatively inexpensive hosted email through most domain registrars and even if you only get one email address for your domain you can forward it to all the free gmail and protonmail accounts you want. But buy a domain, set up a simple website, and get an  info@[yourdomain].com email set up because you don’t want people emailing “MyOrgInfo@gmail.com” because it’s super fucking easy for a 1337 hax0r like me to set up “YourOrgTeam@gmail.com” and scam the people who want to reach out to you.

Make a blog on your actual website, not on a social media site. A blog means that you can make regular posts and establish a history to prove that you are real and you do real stuff; it will also help with SEO and help to ensure that when people search for your org YOU are what comes up. Keeping up calendars of previous activities with links to those activities is also good.

Set up social handles on all the sites you use, make a “socials” page on your website, and link to your handles so that people can verify if you’re the one posting something. If you don’t make it extremely easy to find your socials, that means it’s extremely easy to set up fake accounts claiming to be you. Then put the link to your website in the bio on your socials.

If you are offering something or holding a fundraiser or doing anything on your social media page, link it back to your website. If you have an IG post offering resources, you should include a url for your site in each image. If you share a photo on twitter with the info for a march, that should link back to your website with more info about the march. If you post a fundraiser on tumblr you need to link the fundraising page of your website on that post.

If you absolutely positively cannot set up a website and a real-ass email address, set up a linktree, choose a primary social media to post on that all the others refer back to, and very explicitly state what your email address is and that you do not have other email addresses somewhere that's difficult to miss. Build a history of posts and link to other orgs that you work with or any writeups or stories about your events or projects. The point of all of this is making yourself easy to verify. "northfullertonfnb@gmail.com" sucks but it sucks a lot less if it's in the bio of "@northfulltertonfnb" and that page has a two year history of posting meal share schedules and menus.

In conclusion, don't share things that you haven't personally checked. When in doubt, it is always safer not to share.

[ruffboijuliaburnsides]

Yeah. Which I referenced when I said "the shambling corpse that didn't really care about how it had actively contributed to child endangerment" before I even mentioned AI.

Welp, NaNoWriMo (the organization) is apparently shutting down. And while I am sad in a way (I literally met my wife through a NaNo kickoff event, and have written SO much over the years thanks to the organized NaNo event), frankly the NaNo I loved died years ago.

I'm frankly glad that the shambling corpse that didn't really care about how it had actively contributed to child endangerment, and supported "authors" using generative AI is finally being put down.

[withbroombefore]

I saw a poll earlier about participation in regular in-person activities, with numbers that make me wonder if a lot of people don't know what the options are or how to find them. Here are some that I have always found welcoming to new people; for me, these are ways to leave my apartment and get some human interaction without having to make much conversation (there is a reasonable amount of that if you want it, but since it's understood that you are there to do an activity, the thing you are doing is the point rather than pure socializing). A search for "[activity] [location]" should tell you what's available in your area.

Contra dancing: This goes at the top and gets explanation because it's my favorite. I grew up doing this and love it very very much; I always look for local dances when I move somewhere new. Most dances are very beginner-friendly (though there are some exceptions), and zero dance experience is required to participate. Many will include a lesson for beginners in the half-hour before the main event starts, and there are always instructions throughout the evening. You truly do not need to know anything going in. The convention is to switch partners throughout the night, and it's completely okay to attend alone and ask people you don't know to dance. Try Contra Dancing has a search tool by zip code. Typically $8-15.

Community theatre tech: Acting is an option if that's your thing, but in my experience, tech is easier if you're looking for an activity because there's not usually competition--you often can just volunteer without needing to worry about auditions or casting. Roles like run crew (where you move set between scenes and such) don't require any prior knowledge, and plenty of the other tasks can be learned with a little training. If you turn up reliably, the word will spread--good techies are invaluable. Free to participate.

Community band or chorus: Prior experience in playing an instrument is necessary for the band; for singing, it depends on the type of chorus. Some are auditioned, others are just thrilled by any participation. May require dues.

Shapenote singing: A more niche one and another of my personal favorites (I ignore the religious lyrics and treat them as poetry). This can take some time to pick up, but many places have a small monthly sing that is very welcoming to new people. fasola.org has lots of information about the tradition and where to sing. Free, optional donations accepted.

Library events: Find your local public library's website and look for a calendar or events page to see if anything appeals. Typically free.

Crafting groups: Yarn stores and other craft supply places often have regular open gatherings (typically free) and/or classes (may cost money for teaching and supplies).

Games: If you have a local game store, check their website for events. Or search "[location] [chess club]" or whatever is your thing. Usually free.

Dance: Depends on what is available in your area. A studio where I am has a monthly swing dance, with beginner lessons before, for $10.

Sports: I don't really do these but they presumably exist and can be found like the other things.

The important thing is to just go do the thing. It will probably feel awkward the first time--that's normal! These are all spaces where the point is for people to show up and participate. They want you to be there, and they want you to come back! Otherwise they can't keep existing. Several of these (contra dancing, shapenote, a lot of crafting groups) are especially excited about new people and younger participants and will be thrilled to teach you how to do the thing. And the only way to make it feel comfortable is to plow through the first awkwardness and go back until you decide if you actually enjoy it or not. When you find a thing you like, keep going, and after a little while you end up with a community of people to see regularly who share your interests. This is what humans are supposed to do.

[yourfaveisintersex]

asking from a place of humility and genuinely wanting to know better/more, what does better care for intersex people look like? what actionable items can those of us who aren’t as directly affected by medical intersexism push for to increase quality of life for intersex people? if i were to have a child who came out intersex, are there safety plans i could put in place with our birth care team to prevent my baby from suffering genital mutilation? i don’t want my allyship to start and stop with “ur valid uwu,” i want to really meaningfully help intersex people, and i just feel lost on where to even start. i have really mild PCOS and aside from having more masculine features and some pain from cysts i otherwise function as a perisex person, but i want to do more to help.

(i also don’t mean to act like you the operator of this blog specifically have all the answers, i’m very open to hearing the opinions of other people, you just came across as knowledgeable and i thought you might possibly have some insight.)

Hoohkay this is gonna be a long one, especially because I asked for some help from InterACT's Discord server InterSpace to make a comprehensive answer! I'm also going to tag @interactyouth and @dhddmods as recommended by 'em for you to possibly check out, the first being... well. Duh. It's THE intersex youth advocacy group in the US of A, and the latter because I was told they're really passionate about ending all forms of IGM— and doing general activism. Hope y'all don't mind!!

Here's some more InterACT specific resources before I start getting into the meat & potatoes under a cut, to fill this out a little and make sure in case I miss anything, you might find it in any of these links.

Advocating Health Equity for Intersex Individuals by the HHS (link), hosted by InterACT as Trump's administration has removed it from the HHS's website

The Fight Must Include Intersex Rights brochure (link)

Know Your Rights: A Guide For Parents (link)

InterACT Legislative Toolkit (link) — In regards to legislation, InterACT recommends you work with an organization instead of doing so independently, as they've been doing it longer knowing the right arguments, and you can get the right context and support from an organization.

Obligatory "PLEASE add onto this post if you have something you want to share" especially because anon invites others' opinions, and I do too because I'm not a monolith nor do I know everything.

Claps my hands together, alright! Now that those have been dumped, let's get into a more personal answer, what I would say.

BODILY AUTONOMY! A LOOOOOOT OF ADVOCACY FOR BODILY AUTONOMY!! Would probably be my first point. It's something that's often ignored or disrespected in intersex populations, whether that be IGM as mentioned, but also just being able to choose what treatment you do or don't get. This should not only be applied to intersex people too, as this overlaps with those who are disabled and or have chronic illnesses (or anyone else who deserves a say in their medical treatment, which might as well be everybody!), especially when less-educated people believe most if not all intersex variations are disorders, and "disorders need to be fixed".

And in lieu of that bodily autonomy bit and choosing your treatment, I have a personal note that I believe people should be able to choose their hormones— both transgender and intersex people, or hell people not of either group and just want a different hormonal profile for whatever reasons. It's depressing that people assigned female are forced on estrogenizing treatments and assigned males forced on androgenizing treatments even if it makes them feel physically miserable, with no choice unless you do some finaggling about it or you go through the rigamarole of gender-affirming HRT treatment, IF that's even possible in your locale! I vividly always recall an intersex person on here, dabwax, how she was rejected on testosterone BY A NON-BINARY DOCTOR because she identifies as a cisgender woman, and had to struggle to get postmenopausal testosterone medicine. That's not okay, and shouldn't happen to anyone!

As another point to help, DO NOT SHUT UP ABOUT INTERSEX EXISTENCE!! We are often pathologized as mentioned above, as being disordered, broken, in need of "fixing" (which just means looking as perisex as possible). Or people spreading falsehoods on what intersex is. Learn what common misconceptions and stereotypes are and challenge them! Challenge the use of the H-slur and fu-slur, challenge the "um actually intersex people prefer DSD and are still male or female" TERF brainrot! Be loud and be an asshole about your advocacy and make people aware WE EXIST! (and you exist too. you'd be welcome into the InterSpace server for your PCOS as a variation (yes, even if its mild) and they could help you more with advocacy if you'd like 🫶 I link the discord server in my FAQpost!)

The more people know about intersex existence in its truth the more people who can fight for our rights, to not have our bodily autonomy violated as patients, to challenge false assumptions about others' bodies, to have more people realize they may fall under the catagory of intersex (because a lot of intersex people don't know it, even if they have a diagnosis, due to the pathologizing of intersexuality as a "problem needing to be fixed" and the sheer erasure of it), to BELIEVE OUR VOICES AND OUR EXPERIENCES AND NOT DISMISS US!! which is honestly another point to be brought up because oh my god perisex people erase and dismiss us so fucking much it's Unreaaalll you correct someone about their intersexism and they get mad at you like YOU'RE the unreasonable one. Like stop using AGAB as progressive versions of male or female. Stop that. Annoys the shit out of me AGAB doesn't inherently imply someone's body parts or life experiences I keep correcting people on it and they get pissy at me if I keep seeing people do that I'm gonna go crazy insane PLEASE call more people out on these misconceptions and not let people brush off intersex folks as an afterthought pleaseplease please

[themonkeylikecreature]

how to get shit done politically

Find a group for people in your area who agree with you on issue (check discord, reddit, local college groups, religious centers, your friend group, and annoyingly facebook is very good for this)

Keep track of laws being voted on or passed in your local state/city (this also works to sway your representative for national laws)

Find a law you would like to be passed or not be passed that is being voted on

Post in group found above that said law is being voted on, a link to the reps website and phone number, and optionally a script as to what to say

Hopefully convince a 1-20 people to contact them

Because so few people participate in local politics, that is probably enough people to get them to do the thing you want (number needed depends on population)

Enjoy the changes to transportation / police / homelessness/ education policy/ local laws/ air quality/ environmental issues/ so many other things

(Bonus step, follow your state/city in tumblr tags, and post to tumblr as well, and maybe we can turn this website into a place you can get actual actionable steps)

[recurringwriter]

okay with the shutdown of NaNoWriMo, which many of us saw coming and many of us were already making new communities last year at this time, this is your sign to go to your local library and join or start a writing group. using your library if there's one available to you is good for the entire community and they will be able to get you in touch with other like-minded people, publishing and editing resources, heck, even bookbinding machines if you're lucky! go check out your local branch website or drop in in-person and talk to them, and see what they can offer. libraries and writers need each other. nano needed your money, but you don't need nano to find a writing community.

[disappearintothegrey]

kitten // noah sebastian

Summary - A little trip to a local cat cafe ends with more than you bargained for. But, you'd do anything for Noah.

warnings - none. tooth-rotting fluff.

first one-shot in my random Noah Sebastian one-shot series. i am working on two requests, and my requests are currently open. you can also find this cross-posted on ao3 within the series. thanks for reading ♥

~~~~~

It all started as a light-hearted plan. Seriously. 

The guys had just gotten back from a small tour run, taking one day to rest at their shared home. Folio and Jolly were busy playing some game on Folio’s XBOX, which Noah and I watched on boredly. Jolly had just killed Folio in-game, a competitive war about to erupt before Nicholas busted into the living room, pure glee on his tan face. 

“Guys, guys!” Nicholas was vibrating with excitement, and I moved my eyes to him questioningly. I could hear Noah snicker under his breath beside me, watching on in amusement.

“What’s up?” Noah inquires, “You literally look like you’re going to explode at any moment,” He jokes. 

“Guess what just opened down the street?!” Nicholas exclaims, his phone screen thrust in their faces, “We have to go!” 

Despite Nicholas’ shaky hands, I was able to make out the words “CAT CAFE GRAND OPENING” on his screen, and my eyes lit up, “You guys have a cat cafe!” I cheered, and Nicholas dropped beside me on the couch to let me go through the cafe’s website, and I squealed, “They have kitties!” 

“It is called a cat cafe, babe,” Noah teases, dodging the slap that came towards his shoulder.

“We have to go,” Nicholas begs, and I can see the desperation on his face.

“It sounds fun, we should go tomorrow,” I chime in, smirking at the disdain on the other three's faces. But it was nothing compared to the giddy smile that was all over Nicholas’ features, “Pleaseeeeeee?” I whine, hitting Noah with pleading eyes. 

Noah’s eyes narrow, almost glaring at me, “Don’t use that face against me,” He warns, but I don’t let up, “Sage,” He groans, pleading with his eyes.

“Fine, stop looking at me like that,” Noah concedes, falling back against the couch in defeat. I squeal, and Nicholas cheers as he schedules us a time-frame for tomorrow. 

Folio and Jolly exchange amused glances, returning to their game once Nicholas disappears back to his room. Noah is glaring at me, and I know I’m in for it later. I smile, leaning in to give him a quick kiss, muttering a thanks against his lips before I get to my feet and head to our bathroom. I can feel his fond eyes on my back, hearing him return to bickering with Folio and Jolly on the game. 

—

“Oh my god look at them!” I coo, spotting all the little kitties playing with each other and other patrons as we walk into the cafe, Nicholas visibly freaking out beside me, “I have to play with them all,” 

The guys are all talking amongst themselves as Nicholas checks us in, all of us being given a bag of treats and stickers that read our appointment end time. With all the house rules said to us, the front-desk employee lets us in and Nicholas immediately heads for this pair of black kittens napping on a small tree. 

I can feel Noah’s hand on my lower back, and he gives me a gentle push, making me look up at him to find him already looking down at me with a grin, “Go on, go play. I’ll get us coffees,” He offers, and I squeal, kissing him quickly before departing from the other guys. 

Nicholas is busying himself petting the awakening kittens, one of them crawling into his lap and curling up in a little ball. Folio found himself an adult ginger kitty–well actually, the orange boy found him first–, sitting criss-cross on the tile floor and letting the cat climb his legs and nuzzle his nose into his chin. Jolly and Noah were ordering the group lattes, talking amongst themselves as they wait for the beverages to be made. 

I look around the cafe, seeing cats and kittens of all sizes and colors playing and sleeping. Other patrons are happily using the toys to lure the cats in, but my eyes were drawn to a small tabby kitten, nestled inside a pumpkin house, sleeping soundly in the corner of the room. I smile to myself, walking up slowly to the house and sitting down in front of it, peering inside to see two olive eyes sleepily looking back at me.

“Hi there, baby,” I whisper, “You are so beautiful,” I say soothingly, the kittens fur long and luscious, black, brown, and grey in tone. The hair peaks on her ears are long and pointed, and her large paws tell me she’s a Maine Coon. 

With a stretch, the kitten stumbles out of the house, meowing up at me as she sits down in front of me, cleaning the sleep out of her eyes with her paws. I snap a few pictures on my phone, extending my hand to let her sniff my skin curiously. Her wet nose touches my knuckles, before her head pushes into my palm, demanding head scratches. I oblige, scratching her temple and behind her ears before petting down her spine, the soft fur under my fingers feeling like a cloud. 

“Aren’t you just the sweetest?” I ask, and the kitten follows it up by crawling up my crossed legs, settling in the crook of my thighs. I audibly awe, immediately letting her curl into a ball and stroke her fur. 

“Looks like you found a friend,” I heard above me, and I glance up to see Noah peering at us fondly, his eyes sparkling with affection, “Got you a pumpkin spice,” He announces, setting down the iced latte on the little table beside us, dropping down to sit criss-cross beside me. 

“Thanks,” I kiss his cheek, smirking at the pink that comes over his cheeks, “Look at her,” 

Noah glances down at the sleeping kitten, and I notice immediately how his eyes soften and he’s reaching out to pet her head. She lets out a content meow, and he literally coos, making my heart melt. That warm, sweet boy I fell for is coming out, no longer hidden by his “hard” outer shell. I feel the kitten stirring, Noah’s fingers gently caressing her fur, and her purring is so loud I can hear it. 

“She likes you,” I whisper, and he just smiles at me, going to take his hand back. 

“She’s just tired,” He replies, sipping from his latte. 

I shook my head, and the kitten took notice that she was no longer being pet, her eyes peeking open and a disgruntled meow escaping her tiny throat. I chuckle, scratching underneath her chin, her eyes slipping closed at the sensation as she purrs against my fingertips. Noah’s hand sneaks over to pat at her head, and he grabs at the small collar wrapped around her neck, looking at the ID tag curiously. 

“Hello there, Clementine,” He says softly, and her ears perk up at the sound of her name, tiny eyes glancing at Noah from my lap, “What a pretty name for a pretty girl,” He coos, and she meows in response, getting to her feet and climbing over to his arms. 

I see him visibly melt the moment she makes herself comfortable in his arms, nuzzling up to his chest. Noah’s brown eyes are filled with affection, tattooed fingers gently stroking her fur. With her little head perched on his forearm, she drifts off into a nap while he gives her pets. He’s too enthralled with her to notice I got up, snapping sneaky photos of them before going to sit with Nicholas, who was still playing with the pair of black kittens. 

He gives me a smile, his eyes searching for Noah, but his grin grows even wider when he sees his best friend huddled up with Clementine in the corner of the room, “Looks like he found someone special,” Nicholas comments, “This is Oreo and Twix,” He introduces the kittens, who meow at their name. 

I give the kittens a scratch, my eyes never wavering from Noah, “He’s gonna fall in love with her,” I comment, a little sad, “Too bad we can’t take one home,” 

Nicholas gives me a mischievous glance, “Who says we can’t?” 

I met his gaze, confused, “We can?” 

“Like any of us are gonna say no to a cat. Plus, Harper would love the company,” He replies. 

I nod, glancing back to Noah, who’s now leaned against the wall with Clementine curled into his neck, his eyes closed as he cuddles with her. I can’t wipe the dopey grin off my face, and it’s then when I decide to start plotting. 

—

“Time to go, baby,” I say quietly, approaching Noah as he’s looking sadly at Clementine. 

Noah sighs, kissing the kitten’s head softly, placing her back in her pumpkin house, but she cries out in protest, reaching out for him. He looks heartbroken, the look of disdain on his face undeniable, “I’m sorry sweet one, we have to go. I’ll come see you again,” He promises, “If you’re here next time,” And I would be lying if I said my heart didn’t break at the sound of his voice. 

Clementine continues crying as we walk out, her little face appearing in the windows of the cafe, Noah forcing himself to look away from her as he grabs my hand and presses forward. My heart couldn’t take it anymore, so I suddenly stopped and pretended to gasp. 

“I think I left my phone in there, I’ll be back!” I announce, turning to walk away, “Go ahead and get in the car,” 

Noah just nods, following the guys to their car as I run inside the shop, greeting the same front-desk employee, “Please tell me I can adopt Clementine,” I ask hurriedly, glancing behind me, “My boyfriend fell in love with her and I really wanna surprise him with her,” 

The employee smiles at me, bending down behind her desk to hand me a clipboard, “Fill out this paperwork, and then I need a valid driver's license to file,” She starts, “And then she’ll be all yours to pick up tomorrow morning,” 

After paperwork and $65 later for her adoption fee, Clementine was officially ours. I thanked the employees and raced outside, hopping in the car, “Sorry, they had to look for it,” 

Nicholas looks at me in question, but stays quiet. Noah’s looking out the window, looking for Clementine in the cafe’s windows as Jolly flips the car into park. I slide my fingers into his, giving his hand a squeeze as he lets out a sad sigh. He leans his head on my shoulder, playing with the sleeve of my shirt as he sulks. 

Little does he know, tomorrow morning, his whole day would brighten up. 

—

The next morning, I woke up extra early, making sure Noah stayed asleep as I slipped out of bed, getting dressed and heading out the door. My first stop was Petco, buying Clementine a litterbox, food and water bowl, toys, a bed, and scratching post. I would let Noah pick out her cat tree, I decided, grabbing her food and litter as well. 

After Petco, I headed straight for the cafe, parking right up front and carrying in the carrier I just purchased, the same employee giving me a warm smile, “She’s all ready for you, follow me,” 

I follow her into the cafe, but into a different room, where little Clementine is waiting for me on a cat tree. She meows loudly at me, clearly remembering my scent as I stroke her head, the employee getting the carrier situated for her while I pet her, “You’re coming home to see your new daddy,” I tell her, getting a meow back. 

Clementine’s placed in the carrier, wrapped up on a blanket with treats and a toy, the employee giving me one last smile, “She’s all yours! Congratulations!” 

“Let’s go home baby girl,” I tell her through the carrier, leading us out the door and securing her in my car with the seatbelt. 

The drive home was short, Clementine meowing at the bumpiness of the car ride while I tried to soothe her with my voice. I parked the car as fast as I could, carrying her in and making Folio carry in her supplies as I snuck inside. Nicholas is sitting on the couch, his eyes lighting up, “No way,” 

“Ssh, I don’t want her to start yelling,” I whisper, letting Nicholas see her through the carrier’s gated door, “Gonna sneak upstairs and put her on my pillow,” 

Nicholas grins at me, giving me a supportive wave as he goes to help Folio, and I carefully descend upstairs, opening our bedroom door to find Noah still fast asleep, facing my side of the bed with the blankets pulled to his waist. Quietly, I bend down to open her carrier, scooping her out and placing her on the pillows in front of him, letting her sniff the air. She puts her wet nose against Noah’s cheek, and he flinches, his eyes fluttering open to spot the tabby kitten staring at him curiously. 

“Clementine?!” He yelps, staring at her as if she wasn’t real, before he notices me standing behind them, recording the whole thing, “No way,” He replies, sitting up and grabbing Clementine, “No way!” 

“She’s all yours, Noah,” I tell him, sitting down beside them as he strokes her fur and coos in her ear, “I just couldn’t leave her there after watching you fall in love with her. You needed each other,” I finish, and Noah’s face is lit up with gratitude and love. 

He leans in to give me a kiss, holding my cheek with his free hand, “I don’t deserve you, thank you for her,” He says, giving me another kiss before pulling away, “Ready to go explore your new home?” He asks Clementine, who just meows in response as he hops out of bed and trots out of the room. 

No, Noah, it’s me who doesn’t deserve you. But Clementine? She deserves you. 

[tearsofastraeax]

THE FIRST TIME - prologue

🎀 stalker!könig x cam girl!reader tags: 18+ (no explicit smut in this one, but there's mention of tits and dicks so be warned), voyeurism, (online) stalking, reader is a cam girl & könig is insane :)

The first time König saw you he felt like the world stopped turning. Like every single person around him just stopped moving altogether. He never believed in love at first sight, never liked any of that romantic crap, never cared for anyone that way. 

But then he saw you. You looked so beautiful, just standing there, browsing through the indie section at the run-down vinyl store in the city. He barely ever went there, but he picked up cigarettes from the kiosk across the street and had some more time on his hands, so he trailed inside the small store. 

He immediately pressed his body into a corner of the store, absentmindedly letting his fingers skim through vinyls he couldn’t give less of a shit about. Instead, he stole glances at you. He noted the way your beautiful hair was swept over one shoulder and fanned out over your back. The way your dazzling eyes never left the rows and rows of old and dusty vinyls. The way a broad smile stretched across your lips when you found what you were looking for all this time and an excited little laugh left your pouty mouth. 

He could have melted on the spot right then and there. It only took one look, and he knew he could never forget about you, never want another. 

When you left the store, he waited before following you. Even though his tall statue was a sight to behold, his military training allowed him to blend in, to know how to follow someone without arousing suspicion. 

He needed to know more about you - something, anything. So, eventually, he ended up at your house, staring at you through the window. He tried to take in as much as he could, any crumbs of information to know more about you. 

That evening, when he arrived at his place, he immediately began to work behind his laptop. He scoured local Facebook groups, looked through social media profiles, and even retraced your address in hopes of finding you. And so he did, after painstaking research your name was right there. A satisfied smile grew on his lips as he finally skimmed through your social media accounts. He took his research very seriously, finding old pictures, friends, and family in the process.  

Till he found an account with your face under an obviously fake name. 

He couldn’t believe his eyes, there you were, your sweet face, with those beautiful eyes and those sinful lips. You stared back at him, a smile on your face, your hands gently wrapped around your barely covered tits. You were wearing a stunning bra, just straps of leather that could barely cover your nipples. 

It felt like he was gaping at his laptop screen for hours, his growing cock straining painfully against his pants. And then he got into motion, the next half an hour spent discovering your cute little alter ego, the social media and OnlyFans accounts to promote yourself online and the star of the show, your account on a sleazy cam girl website. 

He was so incredibly excited, so needy, and desperate to see you. A message in all caps on your profile read ‘online every day at 8 pm’. His heart hammered in his chest, 1 more hour and he would see you. See how you would undress for him and touch yourself for him.  

He tightened his hands into fists, hunger racing through his veins. He could barely fucking think straight, his cock aching with desire. But he couldn’t do it, he wanted to save himself for you. He wanted to cum only when he could see you, you deserved it - his full commitment, because you were the only thing that mattered now.

check out the stalker!könig masterlist for more

[nanowrimo]

🎉 NaNoWriMo is here! 😱 ✍️

Here are some tips on making sure you're all set for success these first few days:

1. Make sure you've set your goal for November! 

You can do this by clicking on your main dashboard. You'll see buttons to either join with a new novel or join with an existing novel.

2. Update your word count! 

When you're knee deep in writing, you might forget to update your word count! Remember to update it when you can, since it helps you track your goals for the month. If you need help updating your word count, check out our FAQ!

3. Connect with other writers! 

Find and join your local region on the NaNoWriMo website to connect with other writers in your area. You can even join multiple regions! You can also create or join a private writing group of up to 20 people. We've shared some tips on what makes a good writing group!

4. Join a NaNoWriMo event!

We're kicking off November 1st this year with a series of Write-Together-A-Thon livestreams where published authors share writing prompts and we all write together on YouTube. Plus, you can check out other virtual events happening through the rest of the month!

5. Have fun writing!!!! 

No matter what happens during this month, just know you already have whatever it takes to bring your story to life. You got this!! 💖

[stealingyourbones]

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!!!

Reminder to all that May 3rd is Free Comic Book Day!! Be sure to ask your local comic store in America if they’re participating! I’ve also seen local bookshops or libraries also participate, take a peek at their socials and see if you can get some comics! The event has a website that doesn’t show many of the locations but it may show some in your area that are participating!

Rule of thumb for free comic book day etiquette: bring cash. The point is to not only encourage people to read comics and for comic companies to promote upcoming stories but to also for the event providers to promote their own store in the event (if it’s a shop and not a library that is. In that case check out a library book. Support your local library.)

Purchasing comics isn’t necessary but it’s recommended. If you don’t know what comics to get in general or the concept seems daunting here’s some ways I like to shop for comics:

choose a character/group that you think is cool. Thumb through the comics and find a cover that looks neat. If you’re unsure if it’s good: consult the internet. Type in the comic issue and add “review” to the end of your search and see if the general consensus is positive.

Omnibuses. They’re the graphic novel collections of comic runs. They’re more than individual comics but if you want to get an entire run it’s cheaper in the end.

the $1 bin. A decent amount of comic shops will have a 25¢, 50¢, or $1 comic bin of comics that are not in the best shape. They’re still readable and can contain hidden gems.

If anyone wants comic recs for characters so they can look for a particular comic run this weekend please send me a DM and I’ll be more than happy to help!

[eightbitpale]

Hi y’all. This is a little more real than the usual kind of stuff I post on this blog, and I’m quite possibly doxxing myself here, but it’s important. This is a message to everyone, but ESPECIALLY to my fellow Aussies — please pause and read for just a minute.

Victoria Park (also known by its Turrbal name, Barrambin) is a massive green space in the heart of Brisbane city. Before colonisation, it was a gathering place for a number of local indigenous peoples. Since then, it’s been a landfill, an army base, and a golf course. In the last five years, the Brisbane City Council have been carrying out a master plan to restore the park by reintroducing native plants and wildlife, reopening the waterways, and inviting the community back into the park in a way that honours it’s importance as a First Nations site.

I’ve lived in Brisbane since I was born, and Barrambin has been a part of my whole life. My parents took me on hikes there when I was a kid. My highschool graduation was held at the old golf club’s events centre. Throughout university, my friends and I gathered there to study, have picnics, play sports, make art.

The LNP, Australia’s conservative party, just announced their decision to raze Barrambin to the ground to make way for a new Olympic stadium. Let me be clear: the stadium does not need to go there. It’s a contrarian move that goes against the previous government’s commitment to preserving the park, and it’s been widely criticised by indigenous leaders and environmental advocates.

As a queer woman who believes in human rights, there’s a lot about the LNP that make me angry. But this feels tragically tangible. It’s a fucking outrage, and we shouldn’t ignore it.

The website linked above is for an activist group called Save Victoria Park. They’ve been active since 2020, and they’re currently rallying to try and prevent the LNP with going though with their plan. They have a gofundme, and a number of resources for other ways you can help. I’ve worked with them before in my capacity as a community artist, and they do real and meaningful work.

Please check them out and share this around. And if you’re a Brisbane local, come to Barrambin while you still can.

I’m tagging the few auspol accounts that I know, sorry if its annoying. @auspolmemes @auspoliticspixie @batshit-auspol @offical-auspol