#every year i learn something new and become more capable and confident and that’s so fun!!

[monstroushellbride]

i’ll be 25 in less than a month!! which means i’m even closer to 30!!

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I am genuinely so proud of my wife for becoming a crafts person over the last few years.

Like, I was always a crafts person. I was an arts and crafts kid. My parents sent me to classes or summer camps or after-school clubs pretty much continuously from when I was about 5 years old, and over the years I did metalsmithing, stained glass, polymer clay sculpting, loom weaving, oil painting, charcoal drawing, clothes-making & tailoring, carpentry, woodcarving, macrame, miniatures, beading, jewelry-making, basket weaving, leatherworking, paper-making, bookbinding, papier mache, decoupage, sand sculpting, and probably more that I'm forgetting. There was never a day in my life while I was growing up when my entire bedroom floor wasn't taken up by 2-5 different ongoing art projects. As an adult, it's given me the firm confidence that I can walk up to pretty much any crafting skill, and get the hang of it, and enjoy doing it.

My wife never had that. She wrote, but that was really her only artistic outlet. Art & craftsmanship were just not any of her business. She always expressed admiration for my gumption when it came to making things with my hands, usually with a "bigger idiots than me have done it" attitude, but she was certain she'd be bad at it if she tried it, and that she wouldn't have fun. As evidence, she would offer every time in her life when she had attempted to learn a craft, and didn't have fun, and all the Arts And Crafts kids picked it up a lot faster than her.

Which like - yeah! Learning how to do a new craft is a skill all on its own! Fine motor control is a skill developed over time! So is spatial reasoning, and materials intuition! She wasn't just 'trying to learn wreath-making,' or whatever, she was trying to learn how to learn how to make something with her hands AND wreath-making, at the same time, so of course it would take her longer than the kids who already had the first part, and of course it would be more frustrating for her. I knew she wasn't uniquely bad at crafts: she just didn't know how to approach picking them up, because she was never encouraged to learn.

And then the pandemic hit.

And while we were all trapped inside and going insane in new and exciting ways to all of us, she tentatively decided to pick up embroidery. She probably wouldn't stick with it, she explained: she'd probably be bad at it. It probably wouldn't be fun. But she thought embroidery was pretty, and literally what else did she have going on?

And then she did stick with it. For over a year. And she got pretty good at it! She embellished a baseball hat for her sister with cactuses and wildflowers from where they grew up which came out adorable. She made an embroidered portrait of one of our friends' cat that they still have displayed in their entryway. And she discovered - and remarked on it often, with mild surprise - that she was having fun. She'd say a lot of stuff like "this stitch was so frustrating at first, but now that I get it I really like doing it," or "I kept getting this tangled but I've figured it out now. I just needed to relax."

Then she took up pottery. We did that as a couple for about a year, too. Now she's a knitter.

And it's just been so great, to see her eyes light up when she sees a sweater she likes, and hear her say, "I could make that!" She's slowly let go of the perfectionism that I think holds a lot of people back from doing crafts: that dismay when you make a mistake which leads to discarding a whole project, or starting something over. More and more she's taking on the veteran crafter attitude of "oops lol, whatever I'll just keep going." She's picking things up faster. She's taking pleasure in learning incremental steps. She's started to see crafting as something that relaxes and engages her, instead of as something inherently frustrating. I've gotten to watch her learn to find joy in making something with her hands. I always knew she was creative and artistic and capable of learning how to do anything. It's been so much fun to watch her start to take that on as part of how she sees herself.

We have this running joke about how she will prematurely declare herself to be in an era. Like, she'll go swimming twice and announce that she's now in her "swimming era," and then never go swimming again. Or she'll make one smoothie, buy a bunch of fruit, and declare that we are now in a "smoothie era," and then a week later we have to throw out a bunch of fruit that's gone bad.

The other day (while she was knitting, and I was sitting on the couch next to her doing crochet), she went, "I feel like I've gotten - like, I'm a bit crafty these days, I think. Like, I've done a couple of different crafts, and gotten pretty good at them. I think this is now, kind of, you know...something that I can say that I do."

I supplied that I would even go so far as to say that she was in her "crafting era."

Her eyes widened. "It's an era?"

I pointed out that it was something she'd been doing pretty much continuously for the last three and a half years. That feels like the start of an era to me.

"Yes," she decided. "It's an era. This is my crafts era. I'm a crafts person now."

She's planning to make me a sweater with a duck on it for fall.

[skyahri]

Blind |Naruto Men X Uchiha!Reader| HC

Characters: Kakashi Hatake, Shikamaru Nara, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju

Summary: How they handle their partner losing their sight due to the effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Warnings: Mentions of fem, but not very relevant. Mentions of war and loss of sight.

- - - - -

Kakashi Hatake

He knew the day would come when the Sharingan would take your vision, but he didn't know it'd be so soon.

There were no other eyes available to you at the moment, so eternal was not an option.

Not that'd you do it anyway. It was highly against your beliefs to partake in the Uchiha nonsense that was eye swapping.

Something that drew Kakashi towards you in the first place.

You'd been preparing for this day since you first awakened your mangekyo.

You'd memorized the layout of your apartment, practiced roaming the village in a blind fold, and learned braille.

You'd been coping well, Kakashi... not so much.

He couldn't deal with the knowledge that you'd sacrificed your vision for the sake of the village.

You'd given up everything during your years as a shinobi, and this was the icing on top of the cake.

He'd watch you every day.

Watch you drag your hands across the walls of your apartment. Watch you walk a bit too far past the stall in the market. Watched you struggle to do simple things like grocery shopping.

Over time, you'd become worse and worse at eye contact, and that ate him alive.

There were no more longing looks or sneaky glances. Even your attempts to appear as if you could see were slowly declining, and it dampened his mood every time.

He felt as if he'd failed you. If only he'd been stronger, you wouldn't have had to overuse your doujutsu.

But he stayed quiet because you seemed happy. You were alive and safe and happy, and that's all he could ask for.

Shikamaru Nara

After the war, your vision had completely vanished. There were no blurry shapes or deaf perception problems because there was simply no sight.

There was no time to prepare. You hadn't planned on having to use the mangekyo so much in battle, and the price was astronomical.

He tried to help where he could, but you were being stubborn, constantly rejecting any aid he tried to provide.

"Just let me-"

"I told you I can do it myself."

"No, you can't, just let me-"

And that's when he felt the sobs rack through your body. Tears quickly fell down your face and your hands couldn't keep up.

He sighed and forced everything out of your hands.

"I can't do anything anymore."

"That's not true."

You scoffed, a bitter laugh leaving your lips.

"I can't go grocery shopping or cut fruit or put dishes away without running into everything or breaking something or,"

"Give it time. It'll get better."

"Two weeks ago, I was a shinobi. Today, I'm just a blind girl who can barely feed herself."

Shikamaru wasn't sure what to do. Strategy was easy becausebit was all factual. Feelings, though? So many variables he didn't know where to start.

He confided in Kakashi at some point, but wasn't too pleased with the advice he got it.

"Let her figure it out. She's a smart girl."

Despite thinking it was a stupid suggestion, he listened.

Slowly, over time, you'd regained your confidence and became the capable person you had previously been.

Doesn't stop Shikamaru from uncharacteristically babying you sometimes, though.

Sasuke Uchiha

He offered you his eyes, but you declined.

You weren't fond of Uchiha tradition despite being raised by it. Taking his eyes just felt like you'd be starting the new age Uchiha clan off on the wrong foot.

So you chose blindness.

It was difficult at first, but you quickly learned to get around and help yourself with little to no issue.

You'd gone from stumbling around the kitchen to making yourself breakfast within a few months.

Living with out sight wasn't too bad, and you'd grown accustomed to it. You felt like you'd made the right decision.

Until your first son was born.

It wasn't the parenting aspect that you found difficult, it was the emotional one.

When Sasuke told you your son looked just like Itachi, you knew you'd have to see for yourself.

So, you allowed Sakura to do the transplant.

Within seconds after the bandages were off and you had time to adjust to light, your sight was fully restored.

Sasuke brought in your baby, and wouldn't you know it? He looks exactly like Itachi.

The sharingan is based on strong emotions, yeah? Maybe you can base it on love in the new Era.

Naruto Uzumaki

Unlike the others, Naruto finds the whole eye transplant thing horrendous.

"What do you mean by that, huh? You freaks just trade eyes like around? That's the worst thing I've ever heard."

Although he wasn't happy with your newfound loss of sight, he wasn't one to label anything as a downside.

A setback? Sure. Negative? Never.

Hes overall very patient about it, even if in the moment he gets a little ahead of himself.

He's always forgetting that you're blind, so he'll ask you to look at things all the time.

"Hey, what's this?"

You just shrug. He may or may not bring your hand to the object to get a feel, but he mostly just gets embarrassed and drops it.

It honestly hadn't really dawned on him until he asked you to go train with him and you'd refused.

Sure, you could overtime work yourself up to be a shinobi again, but at this point in your life, that just wasn't the dream anymore.

Madara Uchiha

He thinks you're being stupid.

This world is all about power and you're choosing to be blind?

Idiotic.

You may be his wife, but he ignores you for quite some time after you make it clear there will be no eternal in your future.

It's an easy justification for him; he doesn't mingle with the weak.

Life gets pretty lonely after he decides to completely shut you out. Yeah, he sees Hashirama and makes his round through the compound, but it's not the same.

It isn't until he sees you in the village, going about life as you had months ago, that he starts to think maybe he was too hasty.

After all, he had married you for many reasons, and a big one was how skilled you were at adapting.

That night, when he finally returns home, he decides to sleep in your marital bed, not in the guest room.

The next day, he joins you for breakfast.

He came home early from his duties for the first time in a while.

He even started speaking to you once again.

You don't say anything right away. You know how he is about changing his mind, and you aren't willing to push your luck.

Things slowly get better over the span of a few weeks, and that's when you decide it's time to question him.

"I take it you've come to terms with my decision?"

"Of course not. I still think you're a fool."

Just the answer you'd expect.

"But I have missed you dearly."

You smile at him.

Hashirama Senju

The eternal was never something either of you had considered, so when your vision eventually dulled, it was fully expected.

Times were peaceful at the moment, so he had no need to worry for your safety.

You were almost always near someone willing to lay their life down for you- himself, Tobirama (reluctantly), or Madara - so there truly was no need to stress.

He helped as much as he could while also attending to his duties as Hokage.

Unlike Naruto, he had true patience. He happily held your hand every step of the way.

It wasn't long before your life was back on track, no longer burdened by the anxiety that came with cluelessness.

While Hashirama had preferred it never come to this in the first place, he was happy that things had worked out as best as they possibly could.

[riizebabie444]

𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🩶

🩶 ─── in this reading, we will explore the qualities of the careers and fields you are best suited for, suggested careers for you and other career messages meant for you.

🩶 ─── picking your pile: take a deep breath and allow your soul to centre itself. when you feel your mind balanced and cleared, allow yourself to be drawn to an image. your eyes may gravitate to one, or you may close your eyes and feel which image is calling out.

🩶 ─── be sure to check out my other readings and don’t forget to share and give feedback. disclaimer: all readings done are for entertainment only. please do not use my tarot readings as a replacement for legitimate advice.

🩶 ─── masterlist. paid readings. exchange rules.

donations. games/events. feedback.

🩶 𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚

this is a random message but it is very clear. for some or most of you, the career or field you are wishing to go into at the moment, or the one you are already in, is the right one for you. there is also a message to explore your creative potential. it doesn't necessarily mean creating art like music, writing, paintings etc (although that may be true for some of you) it could also mean creative problem solving, a job which requires you thinking outside the box. working in a field where things are done differently to others in the industry. the image i have in mind is google. they do a lot to encourage creativity and the birth of new ideas. you'd fit best in a career which nurtures and encourages your creative side.

it's also best to be in a career where there is the opportunity to grow in every aspect, and to further your position over the years. for example, i don't think you'd feel comfortable and happy in a job where you stay in the same position for years doing the same thing every single day. some people are happy in those jobs. they like the stability and routine. however, you need a job where you can always learn new things and progress. i'm seeing progression is also important to you. it's important to go into a job where you have more opportunities to climb up the ladder, and it doesn't even need to be all about promotions. a job where you regularly switch tasks, or have new projects to work on. as long as you aren't doing the same things every day, you should avoid jobs which do.

a job where you can express the qualities of success and confidence. where you can prove to yourself and others that you are fully capable. it could also be a career which puts you in the public eye. something that makes you feel seen and appreciated. again, promotions are here. you want a job where you can progress to high places. perhaps even becoming a figure of leadership and authority. you may not be confident about such a position right now but when you find something you love and excel in, you would be the right fit for a leader. and for a number of you, caregiving roles may be good for you. it could be anything from nursing to therapy.

okay so here is where it gets a bit negative. with the three of swords you may experience job losses, or disappointment in being rejected from jobs. it could also indicate that you may end up stuck in a very stressful job and toxic work environment. you want to avoid places like that. however, i believe some of you may need to experience it in order to know what is the right or wrong job and workplace for you. and for a number of you i get the message that even though it is difficult and stressful, and the workplace is not good for your mental health, it will not last. you will find a better job or get promoted and belong in a much better space. so if you ever find yourself in that position, have hope that it will improve. i think it is also a message, especially if you are a leader, to not allow a toxic work environment to foster as it is your duty to ensure it is safe and healthy for everyone to work in.

enterprises might also be something you would work well in. i'm seeing representing small or local businesses, as well as larger corporations for a number of you. it could also be setting up your own business. for some of you, you may have a typical job in mind in order to pay your bills and support a family, but deep down you have a dream of having your own business or brand. at one point or another, you might be torn between keeping your job to pay your bills or leaving it all behind and investing in your own business. i think either is fine, however, for most of you who this applies too, the message is to find a balance between the two. you can work full time and have a passion project/business on the side. work on it slowly and over the years it will blossom, i'm hearing. it is crucial you do not pick between the two and instead find a balance.

to add the obvious, you may dream of being your own boss. and i think you would do amazing things as a leader, however, you still need some sort of discipline or balance from elsewhere. if you're your own boss for too long, you can easily get lazy and complacent. so it is important for you to keep a job elsewhere to ensure you don't lose routine or dedication.

one last message is to expect times of change in your career as much as you should expect times of stagnation. any job you have, you will experience boredom at times and excitement at other times. you need to hear this. jobs are not one dimensional. you should expect many things from your career, both good and bad. so don't get your hopes up too high and don't get too disheartened when things don't go your way.

suggested careers/fields: project manager, hair dresser/hair salon owner, investments, influencer, working up the ladder, franchise owner, higher education, professor, networking, entrepreneur, business law, accountant for local businesses, nursing, social worker, therapist, counsellor, childcare, HR, arts and fashion, selling and/or creating luxury goods, beauty guru, acting, admin, consulting, writer, researcher.

cards: high priestess, the empress, six of wands, three of swords, two of pentacle, wheel of fortune

🩶 𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙤

i'm immediately hearing decision making. for some of you, a job where you can make the decisions would be good however for most, i am seeing that you may not fit best in careers where important decisions fall in your lap. to get one thing straight, every career will involve decision making at one point or another. but some careers involve very important decision making and i believe when you have too many important decisions to make on a regular basis, you can become very stressed. perhaps you are an indecisive person. overall, i think working in a position that requires heavy decision making would not be the best. however, if you are working with others to make decisions, i think it would be a good career for you.

for most of you, if not all, you will find success in the career of your taking. and for a lot of you, the cards are representing another person in regards to your career. a colleague or a business partner. if you dream of being your own boss, perhaps you would do well sharing this dream with someone else. it could also be a colleague. your career will lead to you meeting someone important. or vice versa, you will meet someone and they will help you get a really good job, the job of your dream. of course be careful, because people who help others often want help in return later down the line.

communication is a key theme here. a job which requires you to communicate your thoughts and ideas. for example, sharing stories as a writer, or even as an academic writer sharing research, or in law by communicating and mediating for your clients. i think for some of you, you would like a position of power. and for others you may not. for those who do, you would do well to use your power and authority for others rather than not doing so. you'd find more fulfilment and success by helping others. and mediating also. taking on communication responsibilities for third parties would be a good career for you. for example, an agent who helps people find jobs and corporations to find employees. hosting job interviews for the people you work for. even ghost-writing, communicating on behalf of the client. again with law. you may also enjoy the feeling of being responsible for transfers, employees, assets, moving companies. anything that involves moving one thing from one place to another.

i'm seeing disputes/conflict. perhaps you may deal with this a lot in your work environment or otherwise, it could mean your career typically involves this. i'm seeing HR settling an issue between employees. things like that. you might naturally be drawn to conflict or drama, and if not you are just interested in it. therefore, a position which allows you to be involved in it as an outsider would be interesting to you. there would always be something new to keep you on your toes. and you would feel very gratified after helping others solve their problems. in environments where there is lack of communication and poor leadership, you would fit in well in the role of solving these issues. it's very much a behind the scenes job but it is incredibly valuable to companies.

you need a job which will not disturb your work life balance. it's best to only take on a career which does not require you to work overtime, or where workload leaks into your private time and life. it is important to have a job where you can work hard, but only within the working hours. a job where you can give fair and honest work and feel appreciated enough to have your own time to spend with loved ones and yourself.

a job where you can always remain unbiased. you may feel uncomfortable picking sides so a place which encourages objectivity would be a good fit for you. you might also enjoy jobs in health and fitness. somewhere that encourages others to do their best. teaching, also. law and order are important also.

a slow paced environment would be perfect for you. fast paced might lead to high levels of stress. so slow paced is better. successful careers are built over time. you're not too fussed about seeing amazing results straight away because you know the best results always come after long and consistent efforts. so jobs which require you to be very patient would be good. you expect all of your work to pay off in the future. because of this, i also thing agricultural industries may be good. the final message is to not be swayed by other people's thoughts and opinions. there may be some people who have hidden motives with you and your career. you may struggle to make good decisions and not know who to trust which may end up with you trusting the wrong people. be careful, and hone in on your intuition because it will help you in the most crucial times of your career.

suggested careers/fields: animal care, justice system, politics, judge, lawyer, sales person, guidance counsellor, public speaking, doctor (not specifically medical but in other fields), self-employed, problem solving, mediator, HR, teacher, auditor, law, financial institutions, health and fitness, farming, gardening/landscaping, charity worker, social worker, engineer, scientist, STEM, activist, telecommunication, journalism, trading, public relations, events manager, customer service, liaison.

cards: the magician, the sun, two of swords rv, five of swords, justice, seven of pentacles, high priestess rv

🩶 𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚

overall, this pile feels quiet and mellow. so i think calm jobs that don't involve too much excitement would be good for you. a job that doesn't require far too much effort from you, but you still know exactly what you are doing in the job. which is funny because most of the cards suggest otherwise, but the vibes i'm feeling are different. i randomly heard "beware of snakes" so maybe it is that you want to avoid bad vibes from others. you want to do well and have the personality and potential to perform incredibly (it is represented by the two aces and the magician) but you are afraid of attracting jealousy from others. most of you may believe in nazar, or the evil eye. you want to do well quietly, staying humble and not gaining too much attention from others.

you might want to avoid the overly friendly workplaces, the companies that tell you "we're all like family" because odds are your coworkers will be all up in your business when you don't want them to be. and more often that not, they may not like to see of hear about you doing well. of course, you can choose whichever company you want yo work for, this is all subjective. however, the message is strong here to not let coworkers get too close. if you feel like you need to be cautious, do not doubt it at all. jobs where you can work independently or remotely may be good for you. i think you enjoy the responsibilities and the isolation you can get from those jobs. you can really focus on your own work instead of worrying about socialising and networking (which are important, don't get me wrong but i think you are not the type of person to be heavily involved in such activities).

technology and IT. jobs where you're required to use your brain. you need mental and intellectual stimulation so jobs which require lots of brainwork would be great for you. also jobs which require you to have a sharp and quick mind, and even a quick tongue. a job where you need to respond quickly, on the spot. maybe as a lawyer or judge. i think you are the type of person who tends to avoid making decisions but i believe the best career for you would involve you needing to make decisions as a part of it.

i also see jobs where you can provide stability for others as well as providing stability for yourself. this could mean that setting up your own business to help or guide others would give you a lot of satisfaction. such as a personal trainer, life coach, dietician etc anything that will allow you to improve the lives of others. you could even be thinking of starting your own sales company. i'm seeing a position where you are calm, smart, and powerful. logical and rational, and also honest. key organisational abilities here, like secretarial duties. a job where you can keep things organised tightly.

there is a huge duality here. like, i see you craving to be a bold and confident person in your ideal job, someone who is admired by others but in reality you are afraid to be that person. maybe you are not used to being in the spotlight and you're not ready to start now. so you must find a balance between the two. you can be confident without needing to be in the spotlight. i think your biggest fear in regards to career is conflict. you want to avoid uneasy workplace relationships. you don't want to be too close with your coworkers but at the same time you don't want to be left out. you want to perform well and show off how good you are at what you do but you're terrified of other people being jealous of you. there's not much i can say other than jealousy is often rooted in workplaces. no matter where you work, there will always be others who are jealous of you, some places more than the next. however, what matter the most is your own comfort and confidence. don't admit to defeat out of fear of others. if you love a job. go for it. i'm literally hearing it right now. don't let your fear of others hold you back, but always be careful about what you share.

suggested careers/fields: IT, psychiatry, surgeon, engineer, affiliate marketing, life coach, personal trainer, fertility, army and police, investigations, detective, guide, translator, business job, nine to five, desk job, logistics, bargaining, vlogger, running your own business, innovation, writer, interior design.

cards: ace of swords, ace of pentacles, the magician, king of swords, five of swords, two of swords, nine of wands

🩶 𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧

i cannot say this first paragraph is for all of you however, it will resonate with some of you. the career you have in mind right now, or the one you are currently in, is not the right one for you. i see there needs to be some change or transformation in your career. of course it is not easy to just change career. but if you feel this message is for you, it might be worth looking into a new career which is more worth your time and effort. there is a decision that needs to be made. if you're thinking of switching careers/field, this paragraph and reading is definitely for you.

overall, i'm seeing two different sides to this pile. one side is an authoritarian side, position of power and respect. while the other is more caring and nurturing. your ideal career could be either of those, or both. i see a number of you preferring to be in a job with explicit structure. a jobs that tells you what you need to do. so you know what you need to do every day and there is no confusion over tasks or responsibilities. but at the same time, you want to have some freedom. every day cannot be the same or you'll get bored. that is why is see jobs involved in childcare. you know your responsibilities in regards to caring for children, but with children, no day will be the same. this could also be caring for animals, elderly people, people with disabilities or other vulnerable people.

and although jobs where you can connect with children would be good, any job which can allow you to connect with others in general is a good choice. particularly, partnerships. a business partnership would be great as you can connect with others as well as structure your own enterprise. and since you rely on a structure from others to keep you in order, having other people work with you in an enterprise can keep you in line. also, if you know about the principal agent theory, i think you would perform well as an agent. you do well when performing tasks on behalf of a principal. in addition, when you are working for someone else, you know what you are doing, and what you need to achieve in order to satisfy them. whereas if you are working entirely for yourself, you might often feel confused about what needs to be done.

practical jobs which require thinking (but not too much thinking) would be great for you. you like to be actively involved, both physically and mentally, in your work which means repetitive jobs that have you on autopilot most of the time would be too draining and unsatisfying for you. but still, i think you would greatly appreciate professional settings and/or professional boundaries. i believe some of you may also work well in a field which is somehow connected to your past. for example, if you grew up with financial difficulties, you would be most satisfied in finance. or if you had a difficult childhood, then you would enjoy giving care to children. if you really enjoyed school, you might be most comfortable working in a school. it's that kind of theme and is entirely subjective to your own experiences. but something from your childhood connecting with your career is relevant.

one message here is to let go of insecurities and jealousy and imposter syndrome. because you want to be the best of the best, and you compare yourself to others a lot. you might often feel inclined to outdo others. it's a normal feeling, but the cards here are saying to let go of those thought habits. it will not bring you anything good. building up a successful and stealthy career for yourself will greatly be based on creating a foundation from your values as well as your passion. so don't sabotage yourself or others for your own success. keep in line with your morals. spiritual guidance also comes up here. so perhaps seek some in order to overcome these traits, and maybe consider it as a part of your career.

i can't tell your stance on risk, i feel it is a mixed bunch here. some of you may like taking risk while others do not. if you feel like a career which involves risk is something you are interested in, the cards do tell you that it is a very important decision, however, you must make calculated risks. don't just take the leap of faith. you need a thorough plan. i also see something creative, like art or writing, maybe even food. take it as it resonates and if you feel attracted to pile one also, give it a read because that is the creative pile.

suggested careers/fields: hierarchy, desk job, large corporations, teaching, childcare, primary school, paediatric, healthcare, hospital, banking, army, tax, career advisor, funeral director, financial advisor, insurance, software engineer, therapist, lecturer, spiritual guide, bookkeeping, church, electricity/energy, power plants, technology, chef.

cards: the lovers, death, king of pentacles, six of cups, four of pentacles, the hierophant, the fool, two of swords

© riizebabie444 — all rights reserved. please do not copy, steal, repost or translate my readings on any site. any act of which will be classed as plagiarism.

[web-novel-polls]

WN Women Bonus Polls #3: Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

[Propaganda below] - Major Spoilers Warning!

Han Sooyoung / Han Suyeong from ORV / Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Submission 1: I can't even begin to explain the real reason so I'll just. She's everything. Consumes my every waking thought. Someone else please take the lead and add propaganda for me

Submission 2: 

Han Suyeong is a writer. She is cunning, self-serving and confident. Her avatar skill allows her to divide herself into as many copies as she pleases, and each copy can look like anyone. Her only weakness is that if she loses the copies, she loses memories. She initially starts as an antagonist who is not afraid to murder some people on her way to the top. She gradually bonds with the main character due to their shared knowledge and shared love of stories. *MAJOR spoilers for manhwa readers* She gradually becomes one of the three main characters. She is one of the two people from the main cast to become a constellation (god-like beings living off stories). She spearheads the attempts to rescue the one person who matters most to her, even when it is impossible. Even when everyone else has given up years ago. She dooms whole universes and all their people for her one person. She sacrifices everything.

Wiki Link

Jang Hayoung from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint / ORV

[No Propaganda prepared]

Wiki Link 

Additional Propaganda: 

Propaganda for Jang Hayoung: Transwoman, universe-hopper, canonically the prettiest character. Personifies one of the themes of the book. You can't know anyone just by looking from the outside; or more spesifically - you can't ever know anyone fully. The inside of their heads will always be a mystery for you. You can't ever know if they receive the words you say and the actions you do as you intended them. You can't ever know how the things you do affect another person. You can't ever know them.   But it's worthwhile to try anyway. 

Jung Heewon from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint / ORV

“Just because I am a murderer doesn’t mean I want to keep killing. I don’t want to be a monster.” - Jung Heewon, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Chapter 31 

Jung Heewon rights forever and ever. She’s so funny and cool and witty and funny and good and kind. I’m not far enough or eloquent enough to explain why she’s the best, so here’s another quote: 

“They lived their whole lives inside the cages of their worldview, only to be used by the invaders from the outside. Demanding such people to be brave was the very act of violence itself. Jung Heewon wanted to tell them; tell them that they didn’t have to fight, that she’d do something to resolve this by herself, somehow.” - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Chapter 395 (Tumblr)

Wiki Link 

Lee Jihye from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint / ORV

Submission: 

Lee Jihye is boisterous, a little childish and even abrasive. She brags, jokes around, gets into teenage hijinks. But under the surface there is a great deal of survivor's guilt, self-loathing and insecurity. She is a traumatized teenager who killed her best friend to live, and has to live with that for the rest of her life. She is an incredibly talented swordsman and a general capable of turning a battle around all on her own. And a girl just trying to learn how to survive.

Wiki Link

Lee Sookyung from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint / ORV

[No propaganda prepared]

Wiki Link 

Uriel from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint / ORV

[No propaganda prepared]

Wiki Link 

Additional Propaganda 1: Cheerful and kind personality, amazing powers for smiting evil, huge rpf shipper. Think fujoshi but for people you actually know in real life 😂

Additional Propaganda 2: Member of the Absolute Good constellations, ships the main character with the protagonist. About to bankrupt her constellation paying for new content for her ship 😉

Yu Sangah / Yoo Sangah from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Submission: 

Yu Sangah is a intelligent and hardworking woman with a vast array of skills, which are sadly not optimized for surviving the apocalypse. But there is nothing she can't learn if she puts her mind into it, and soon enough she is a powerful force to be reckoned with.  She has the best interpersonal skills of the main cast and a vast array of knowledge. Her fighting style is graceful, athletic and utterly brutal. She wields dual daggers and threads.  All the while she remains the moral heart of the group, a steadfast support to her friends, and a capable leader in her own right. 

[lgchyun]

CASTING CALL 016: nknd audition COUNT: 984 words

entering the room for the private interview, hyun bowed at seo youngjae politely. he was nervous. this was an open audition for a new boy group and hyun wanted to join this group--any group that would take him. debut was the ultimate goal for any trainee and as he entered his third year of trianing, he wanted to reach that goal more than ever. "hello sir, i'm third year trainee, yoo hyun."

seo youngjae asked first, "so yoo hyun, why are you interested in being in NEWKIDS NEWDREAMS?"

"becoming an idol has been my goal since i auditioned for legacy. becoming a part of this new group will help achieve that goal." he stated. debuting as an idol was one of his biggest dreams since he was young and a central focus while at legacy. "i also think cementing myself as part of the original lineup of a group will show my commitment to wanting that group to succeed" during his time at legacy he had seen many of their groups go through lineup changes, but he hoped that he could prove as a stable force in a new group. "i also believe my skills and talents can add positively to this group if i am added to it. i will work hard to ensure that i am always making positive contributions to any lineup i am a part of." [88 words of dialogue]

he then asked, "considering the current confirmed members, what can you add to the formation ON AND OFF stage if you are picked?"

"on stage: i have and continuing to work hard to become a well rounded performer. i want to be someone that can form into any role thrust onto me. recently, i have been spending time and energy working on my rap abilities, in order to grow more as an on stage performer." he responds, knowing that he has the capabilities to become a better and more useful performer to any lineup he could be added to.

"and off-stage?" seo youngjae repeated.

he took a moment to consider the question. wasn't the on stage performance the most important part? "off stage...i think, well, i've also trained in modeling so i think that could service my future group well. it's something that i am very interested in pursuing and could help boost a group's notoriety and fame." he thought that might too not be enough. "in terms of the group dynamic, i'm on the more...shy and quiet side, but i think i could add a calming and mature energy to the group, to help balance out any stronger personalities." he stated. [123 words of dialogue]

taking note of his response, seo youngjae continued, "which skill (singing, dancing, acting, modeling, instrument...) do you want to be known for and why?"

"since i was a kid, i've wanted to dance. it is what drew me to wanting to be an idol and a passion i've pursued wholeheartedly while being a trainee." he began, wanting to show that his focus and passions lied in dancing. "i've continue my growth in the dance field at every opportunity, including expanding my skills into learning how to choreograph routines. i'm most confident in street style dances, but i have done my best to learn all manners of styles that would be useful in an idol group." he realized he hadn't really answered the question in his rant about loving dance. "so, dancing, would be my answer. i want to be known as a talented and versatile dancer." he concluded. [95 words of dialogue]

once hyun was finished, seo youngjae continued with his next question, "what kind of concept are you good at and what kind are you bad at?"

"i've always preferred darker, more intense concepts from idols and artists i'm a fan of." but that didn't seem to be the concept of this new group and he wanted to get into this new group if he could, "but really any concept that allows me to put full force into my performances, i enjoy. even if it's not a concept i personally enjoy in my free time, i can still enjoy performing something new. i really enjoy any concept that is fun and challenging to dance to is always what draws me to it." he quickly added, wanting to seem like he would be a good fit for this group. "i don't back away from a challenge." he finished, hoping that maybe the coach would want to hear that. [78 words of dialogue]

"finally, what kind of group would you ideally want to be part of and why?" hyun looked at the older man confused, so the manage added, "for example: self-composing or self-content making type of group. or a group known for high performance or live vocals, etc."

hyun nodded, understanding what seo youngjae was asking but unsure of how to respond. when he thought of a future group he would want to be apart of, his mind didn't immediately turn towards the content or performances. he generally thought of concepts that he enjoyed, music styles he would want to perform, activities he would want to do outside of just performing. but it was an important part of a group's identity. "i really enjoy performing, so being a part of a group that is known for energetic and intense performances is important to me. even if it's not something the group is 'known' for, i hope that my performances can help us be known for it." he answered. performing was a central part of being an idol. hyun thought a group should have that down that aspect down first before focusing on other aspects. "being able to put on a good show is something i've admired about senior groups." he added, specifically thinking about how groups like type zero had been able to wow him as a fan and trainee. [76 words of dialogue]

[meeeeeeese]

Time to introduce my Thief: Captain 'Powderkeg' Rowan, ship captain, pirate hunter and former slave.

Rowan's origin is a bit of a mystery, even to himself, as he was kidnapped in a pirate raid at a young age and forced into slavery aboard one of the pirate fleets menacing the sea of sorrows. Due to the young age at which he was taken and the trauma associated with the event he has little memory of his parents, his home or even his last name. He was branded with a slave tattoo and forced into hard labour, doing whatever the pirates didn't feel like doing themselves. His early years were hard, but they would have been a lot harder had it not been for the ships quartermaster, an aged norn woman who was always kind to him, let him take his time cleaning storerooms and pretending not to notice when he pinched some extra food.

One day when he was ordered to once again clean the gunpowder storage, the quartermaster locked the door behind her and said "from today on, rough seas will spill several barrels of gunpowder, and you be cleaning them, every day. That's what you'll say if anyone asks you why you're spending so much time in here." Before he could respond she threw a dagger at his feet before exclaiming "come on, attack! Show me what you can do!". She began to train him, spending an hour every day showing him how to fight in the ways of the thief. Several years passed, and he spent every moment that no one was looking to practice the moves he'd been taught. With each training session he began to feel more confident, more defiant, less accepting of his lot in life and soon, he began to dream of freedom from the ship that he'd been confined to for so long.

However, as he was first starting to dream up a potential plan of escape he was woken up in the middle of the night by his mentor, dressed differently than usual, instead of her usual loose fabrics she was clad in tight leather, the lower half of her face hidden by a mask. She knelt down and spoke. "Don't say anything, no one can know this talk happened." She sighed, " Rowan, I have to go away now, I wish I could have spent more time teaching you but it seems that time is something I'm in short supply of right now. Listen to me, you're going to escape this life of slavery, you're more than capable of it. When you do, head to Lion's Arch, theres an apple seller there. Show him this" and she placed a small seal next to his head, "and he'll be able to help you." She got up to leave, paused, and briefly turned back to place a dagger next to the seal "may snow leopard guide you" then she turned away, muttered something under her breath, and shadowstepped away.

The seal had a symbol of three linked circles emblazoned apon it. Rowan didn't know it yet, but it was the symbol of the order of whispers. The following morning the ship was abuzz with rumours that the ships quartermaster had absconded with several pieces of Orrian treasure. Luckily, no one paid attention to the slave boy swabbing the decks and, taking her words to heart, he started to develop a plan to escape. He struck while the pirate were in port, with a sit of stolen lockpicks he broke into the gunpowder storage, and lit the fuse before booking it off the ship, the pirates didn't spend much time chasing him before they were distracted by a massive hole being blasted in their ship.

He did as the quatermaster instructed, seeking out the apple seller ,learning about the order of whispers and finding out that he was trained by one of their covert agents. He spent some time working with them, enjoying his new life as a free man and building up wealth to buy his own ship, because while he got one ship, there were entire fleets of pirates looting, pillaging and enslaving others just like him. When he had enough money, he left active duty in the order to buy a ship and hire a small crew, becoming a privateer focused on taking up bounties on notorious pirates.

While happy with his crew and adventurous life, he still wishes he could discover where he comes from, meet his parents or at least learn about them. Most of all, he wants to find his mentor again to thank her, as the order wasn't keen on disclosing the status of agents without an active need to know.

[demoiselettes]

Hello-hello! May I ask for a matchup? Thank you very much in advance If you do end up doing one for me, I appreciate your hard work:)

To kick this off, my mbti is constantly changing but I think the closest one is ISFP. I am described by others as a little intimidating If you do not interact with me. But when you get to know me I am very sweet and caring. I am full of ideas and jokes. Whenever I am in the mood I crack jokes all the time. If I were to describe myself, I'd say I am a bit irresponsible and forgetful and I am quick to give up. I have a lot of philosophical thoughts and live to study human nature. I know a lot of psychologists and overall educated people who I can talk to for hours about the universe, spirituality, mental disorders etc. I have a lot of trouble with my self image, that is why I try to appear a little more closed off and intimidating in a confident way. I faced a lot of bullying from my peers as a child, so I learned to do so.

My height is 170 cm and I have long black hair. I constantly dye my hair and cut/extend it. I try to change my style all the time, every year I am a new person:) Currently I am more into Korean Street fashion. I am 18 years of age. I am a female, sexuality is omnisexual. I really like anything to do with art and video games, as well as learning languages and about cultures. I will soon travel to South Korea hopefully! I dislike most milk produce.

My hobbies are crafting, drawing, producing music and drumming! I don't really have a favorite type of music, but I often listen to Ukrainian music or Vocaloid. My love language is physical touch and words of affirmation. My preferred is probably quality time and words of affirmation. I prefer to touch people instead of being touched. I don't really know what else to add... I'm not very physically active at all? The most I do is a stretch when I stand long hours. Also I'm very jumpy, a random sound can cause me to launch myself 10 feet in the air. Oh! And my favorite color(s) are purple and gold!

I think that's about it, thank you very much in advance! I hope this was not too much information, I mostly copied from other matchups😅

Eventide

I match you with Zenitsu Agatsuma!

•When Zenitsu first met you, he was scared.

•As mentioned, he also felt intimated when he first came across you.

•However, he knew by the sound that you gave off that you were a kind soul.

•Despite his reluctance, he brushed aside the intimidating vibe you give off, and attempted to get close to you.

•Once he got comfortable around you and realized your true self, he.. starts to propose to you. A lot.

•There’s a marriage proposal everyday and maybe he’s stopped asking other women to marry him.

•Since you tend to be forgetful, Zenitsu takes it upon himself to be by your side, reminding you of important details. He really enjoys doing that because he knows he’s helping you and perhaps getting closer to you by doing so.

•Zenitsu himself is someone who is rather quick to give up, thinking that he’ll never amount to anything.

•But when everytime you give up on something, he becomes more motivated to accomplish his goals so as to inspire you to do the same. He knows you’re capable of doing it, and he doesn’t want you to make the same mistakes he did.

•Your interest in philosophy, human nature and the likes fascinate him.

•Even if he isn’t much verser in those fields, he can find himself listening to you talk about those for ages. It’s a cute sight, and Tanjiro often finds himself smiling at that. (He can smell the love and happiness coming from his friend.)

•Zenitsu loves it whenever you dye your hair. He might even give you suggestions on which color to go for! Whatever look you’re rocking is good for him anyway thinks to him you’re a goddess.

•Every year is a new person of you, and every year is another load of compliments from Zenitsu.

•Your ambition to learn new languages is something he finds cute and he tries to learn whatever language you’re interested in alongside you to be able to compliment(read: flirt with) you.

•He loves whatever crafts you come up with. If they are little decoration props, he’ll carry them with him or leave them in the room he usually rests in when he is healing at the Butterfly Estate.

•And, oh boy, you like producing music? Zenitsu is someone who can play the shamisen very well, you two have a blast with the masterpieces you create.

•Zenitsu is very affectionate and clingy, but he understands that you don’t like being touched. (At the beginning you might have to wack him a few times to make him understand.)

•He, however, never stops you from giving him hugs, holding his hand, etc..

•His in heaven whenever you touch him even in a feathery way.

•He tries to get you to perform easy physical activities, since he worries about your health but he never forces you since he, himself, complains a lot whenever he has to train and he doesn’t wanna be a hypocrite.

•You are jumpy, Zenitsu is jumpy, phew.

•He gets easily startled as well, and for your sake, he tries to put his keen sense of hearing to good use by being very aware of potential triggering sounds and all and he warns you beforehand if something which he deems to be startling is about to happen.

•I feel like Zenitsu, much like Mitsuri, would be a bit self-conscious of his hair color.

•But hey..you like gold! Granted, his hair isn’t gold-colored, but it’s yellow(or blond) and he often asks you if you like it. (Fully expects compliments.)

•He often calls you ‘wifey’ or Marlow-chan. And when he sees you it’s like- ‘marlow-chaAAANNN-‘

•You both bring out the best in each other, and your relationship is one of the sweetest.

[archangelmacaron]

I woke up painfully early again, so I guess my New Year's musings can go here.

It's really strange to think about how, not even a year ago, I wasn't writing or drawing at all. I hadn't seriously sat at a keyboard for years, and hadn't picked up a pencil for even longer than that. I always loved writing, but I just didn't feel like I had much to say. I've always felt confident in my ability to write fanfiction believably, but original stories seemed so far beyond me. I tried to write something once dealing with my grief of losing someone important to me, but even then, the problem was I was too focused on what other people would think of it--and this was before the word 'problematic' was thrown all over the internet. 'Is this character too mean? is this one too much of a 'mary sue'? She's sixteen and he's an ancient fae, is that too much of an age gap!?' (Even back then, it was a human-inhuman relationship, although the characters were all human-looking--something I'm a little bored by now, if I'm honest!) I really didn't get very far in this... and I'm almost positive I unthinkingly deleted all copies. My biggest mistake was I felt I needed to write in order--so of course I'd get stuck! I think it was Calvin Wong who said, drastically paraphrasing, 'painters don't start by always painting the top left corner blue, why is writing different?' I cannot explain what a breakthrough it was to understand that I didn't have to write scene A, then B, then C, etc--I could write scene D or even M or Z, whatever came to me at that moment, and go back and loop them together--or discard them if they no longer fit. There really are no rules.

My other major breakthrough was realizing I didn't want to write about human relationships. I actually can pinpoint when that occurred, after playing a few seasons of Noel TMF, I started to feel hungry for something, some specific story with specific dynamics, but I couldn't say what. After being unable to find something that hit that spot, I realized it was up to me to create it myself. I sat down one day and started to write for myself only. I never intended to share it with anyone, and that was very freeing--especially as literally all of my artistic work for years was made to be shared, it didn't have meaning otherwise. It's not really an art form I would do 'just for me.' Noel wasn't the only inspiration here. A few years ago, The Ancient Magus' Bride came out, and I cannot overstate the impact that had on me. Chise and I went through almost the exact same thing which just blew my mind. I cannot describe how cathartic it was to read the words 'I don't forgive you' about such a situation. Watching her learn and grow and become happy meant so much to me, and while back then, I would never have considered myself capable of writing such a story myself, now I know it's what I want to do. I want to help someone else, the way that helped me understand recovery is possible no matter what you've been through, no matter how cursed you feel. Sometimes, I do still feel cursed, it's like people drag that curse back to me, like I can't escape it--which was why I was struggling so hard this month. I had to understand that the familial relationships I craved my entire life were not the familial relationships I was ever going to have, and let that dream go.

And so, I set out to write my own stories of healing and understanding and mystery and just a touch of horror. And I haven't been able to stop since. I'm not sure if, by excitedly looking forward to writing every day, to write something that 'hit the spot' I was seeking, that I trained myself into needing to write every day--I know that's how it worked for drawing, a habit is much more important than motivation! I think the final reason I write so much is, well, you! The support and enthusiasm from this handful of people who read my stories, starting with fanfic, and then actually caring about my original content, has blown my mind. The burst of joy I get from reading a comment--any comment--is one of the best feelings of my life. Even a 'like' on a post excites and inspires me to keep sharing, and even thinking that I'd like to reach more people for whom my stories 'hit the spot.' This is long, so maybe my art musings can be done another day. Or maybe I can go back to work on writing, after all, I really love it now! Thank you again for all your support. That matters, far more than you might think. I hope I keep creating things that make you smile!

[90363462]

media.giphy.com

Start Your Sex Life Off Right This Year With These 12 Themes

I've got 12 ways to make the sex that you're having even better this year!

Shellie R. Warren

Jan. 28, 2022 06:58PM EST

Whew. The more that I read, write and talk about sex, the more I realize that there will never be a time when I’ll learn all that there is to know. And honestly, that’s kind of what I like so much about it — sex has got layers and layers and even more layers to it. So, let’s use that to our advantage in 2022 by making this the year that we’re absolutely determined to have some of the best sex EVER, starting with implementing some monthly themes; ones that can help us to experience more when it comes to how we see ourselves, how to please our partner and how to enjoy sex on a whole ‘nother level!

JANUARY: Purging

Let me tell it, one of the main reasons why a lot of New Year’s Resolutions don’t work is because people try and implement new habits before purging out some of the old mindsets that caused the bad/unhealthy/counterproductive patterns in the first place. Sex fits into this point. Whether it’s poor sexual communication, faking orgasms, fantasizing about past sexual partners (while you’re engaging with your current sexual partner), getting horrible sex-related advice from other people, being too hard on yourself when it comes to your body image, or lack of sexual confidence (check out “10 Sensuous Ways To Boost Your Sexual Self-Esteem”) — whatever the case may be, use the first month of this year to really purge (to rid, clear or free) whatever you think is hindering you from having the best sex life possible. 

If you need a little help with narrowing down what those things may be, “The Art Of Sex Journaling (And Why You Should Do It)” and “Why 'Vaginal Mapping' Needs To Be Part Of Your Healing Journey” may be able to help you out.

FEBRUARY: Stamina

Here’s what’s a trip about this point. Whenever I’m in my sessions with couples, it’s not just the wives who talk about wishing that their husbands lasted longer. Once husbands get their second wind (with round two), a lot of them say that their wives become worn out quicker than they would like to as well. It’s actually pretty Google-able that men only need around five minutes to climax while we sit somewhere at around 20 (including foreplay). Yet who said that sex — especially when it’s really good sex — shouldn’t go for longer than even that? This is where stamina comes into play. Not just physical stamina (check out “We’ve Got Some All-Natural Ways To Increase Stamina & Sensitivity”) but mental stamina too (check out “What Exactly Is 'Orgasmic Meditation?”). 

By honing in on ways to make sex last longer, it can help you and your partner to learn more about each other’s sexual needs and how to make sex about more than just “reaching the mountaintop” at the end. This includes all kinds of sex, by the way; not just intercourse (check out “12 Things You Should Do During Oral Sex (That You Probably Aren't),” “Want To Have Hotter Oral Sex? STOP Doing These 8 Things.,” “Are You Ready To Amp Up Your Oral Sex Game? Try This.,” “If Your Man Sucks At Oral Sex, This Is Probably Why,” “How To Make Him Better At Oral (Without Putting Him On The Spot)” and “Sooo...What If You HATE Oral?”).

MARCH: Daily Sex

So, here’s a question. When’s the last time you had sex, every single day, for a month straight? Whenever I’m dealing with a sexless couple (who is physically capable), this is oftentimes what I will recommend. The reason why is because, while there are dozens of reasons for why people in long-term relationships allow sex to become less of a priority, one of the main ones is they have simply stopped being intentional about it. It’s hard to get into the habit of treating something like it’s absolutely essential if it’s a part of your daily routine, so why not use the first month of spring to either get your sex life back on track or to find new ways to get closer to your partner by committing to some sort of sexual activity, every single day of March (and yes, I know that it’s 31 days)? 

If you need a little help figuring all of this out, “Having Sex Every Day. For A Month. Straight. Can Transform Your Marriage.,” “10 Simple Ways Married Couples Can Make More Time For Sex,” “How To Make Sex Easier (& More Fun) When You've Got Kids,” “Why Couples Should Engage In 'Midnight Sex' More Often,” “Here’s How To Make Morning Sex...Sexier,” and “The Truth About Period Sex” can offer up a few insights.

APRIL: Nostalgia

When it comes to the definitions of nostalgia, one that I personally like a lot is “a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life.” That said, isn’t it interesting that when we talk about taking walks down memory lane on the romance tip, recreating first dates immediately comes to mind but not really recreating first sexual experiences? When it comes to the first time you had with your partner, what are your favorite memories about it? When it comes to the best sex you’ve ever had with your partner, what qualifies it to have that title? 

Setting the stage for some of your moment cherished and treasured times, sending each other random texts and emails to talk about it, returning to the “scene of the crime” by booking the exact same reservation in a hotel room that brings a big smile to your face — make that the theme for April. It will help to cultivate warmth and familiarity that can set the stage for May.

MAY: Experimentation

Aside from the fact that experimentation can help to keep boredom from settling into your sexual relationship, there are other benefits that come with trying things that you’ve never done before, entertaining ideas that you’re super curious about, and/or doing certain things that you haven’t experienced with your current partner as of yet. Sexual experimentation strengthens communication. Sexual experimentation helps you to learn more about your (and his) erogenous zones (check out “So, What If ‘Typical Erogenous Zones’ Annoy TF Outta You?”). Sexual experimentation can tear down walls of fear or intimidation that you may have about certain acts or activities. Sexual experimentation can intensify your orgasms. Sexual experimentation can introduce you to a side of yourself you may not have known existed — because you never really experimented before.

One of the best ways to get this month going is to either create or share your sexual bucket list with your partner. And because this month is all about experimentation, try doing the things (on his list as well as yours) that challenge you the most…first. You know, one of the best things about experimenting, sexually, is it’s all about trust — and the more you trust your partner, in every facet of your relationship, the better your relationship will become over time.

JUNE: Nudity

There is something special about people who don’t mind having sex in the daytime or with the lights on. Whether they realize it or not, it conveys a level of self-confidence that only makes sexual interaction that much better…and hotter. Besides, it’s absolutely no secret that most men are stimulated visually, and trust me, it’s also the case that we tend to be WAY HARDER on our bodies than they are about them (men tell me this all of the time). So, meet up for midday sex and refuse to close your blackout curtains. Cook dinner sometimes with nothing or only panties on. If you’re not sleeping naked already, what the heck is holding you up? 

If it’s been a minute since you’ve TOTALLY DISROBED (because I know people who like to keep something on during sex, every single time) or even took off your wig or weave (I also know men who have NEVER seen their partner’s natural hair) — it’s June which is the first month of summer. It’s hot, so why not use this as an opportunity to wear as little as possible, for as long as possible. Your partner won’t complain one bit. I can promise you that.

JULY: Orgasms. Lots and Lots of Orgasms.

Since I’ve been writing for this platform, there really is no telling how many articles I’ve written on orgasms. The reason why I’m so passionate about making sure that we tackle this particular topic, just as thoroughly as possible, is because if there is one thing that all women deserve to have, as much as absolutely possible, it’s orgasms. Not because sex can’t be good without them but because if you’ve ever had one before, you know the kind of true fulfillment an orgasm can bring. So yeah, in the month when fireworks are going off more than any other time of the year, strive to have as many orgasms as possible. Can’t think of a more satisfying way to live life. Can you?

AUGUST: Dirty Talk

Personally, my top love language is words of affirmation, so it doesn’t shock me in the least that I am a HUGE fan of dirty talk. I mean, HUGE. If you want a scientific reasonfor why a lot of us are turned on by “dirty” words, it’s because hearing them stimulates the part of our brain that brings us to physical sexual arousal; this makes complete and total sense when you consider the fact that the biggest sex organ that all of us have is our brain. That said, just like there are some people who hate kissing(what in the world?), I know some who aren’t turned on by, as Kelly Rowland once put it, verbal “Motivation” either (again, what in the world?).

Still, if you’re someone who doesn’t participate in dirty talk because you are self-conscious or scared of “not doing it right,” this month has your name written all over it. Start off my reading erotica with your partner (take turns with chapters). Verbally describe what you like doing to him and what you like him to do to you. Talk about the last sexual memory you have that drove you up the wall in the best way possible. Think about the words that you like to hear most when you’re aroused and ask him to whisper them during copulation. Amp up your sexting game (check out “Let's Talk About Sext: 30 Sexts You Can Send To Bae Right Now”).

If you’ve never really done much dirty talking before, I get how the thought of it could make you a little shy. Look at it this way, though — if you’re comfortable with letting someone literally enter you, stepping out of your comfort zone to verbally “go there” shouldn’t seem quite as frightening or frustrating. I don’t know one man who hates some nasty dialogue. And personally, I can’t think of one way that dirty talking would make sex worse instead of better.

SEPTEMBER: Mindfulness

When you get a chance, check out “How About Having A 'Mindful Orgasm' Tonight?.” Something that I have always been a fan of is mindfulness because it’s all about 1) staying in the moment; 2) being self-aware; 3) getting still; 4) remaining focused; 5) becoming curious; 6) being attentive and 7) getting out of your head and enjoying things as they come — and how can any of this not be the recipe for great sex? So y’all, September is pretty simple. Get together with your partner to discuss things that you both can do, sexually, that check off the boxes of what it means to be mindful. 

Take all of the clocks out of your bedroom. Talk about what your deepest sexual desires and urges are. Do some deep breathing and mutual massaging. Be intentional about not allowing anyone or anything to distract you while you’re cultivating intimacy with your partner. Explore each other. Ask non-triggering sex-related questions that you’ve always been wanting the answers to. Pay attention to your partner’s responses and reactions to different things that you do. Don’t overthink your actions or techniques — just have fun. Sexual mindfulness is pretty underrated but it shouldn’t be. Use this entire month to make it something that you become a lasting fan of.

SEPTEMBER: Mindfulness

When you get a chance, check out “How About Having A 'Mindful Orgasm' Tonight?.” Something that I have always been a fan of is mindfulness because it’s all about 1) staying in the moment; 2) being self-aware; 3) getting still; 4) remaining focused; 5) becoming curious; 6) being attentive and 7) getting out of your head and enjoying things as they come — and how can any of this not be the recipe for great sex? So y’all, September is pretty simple. Get together with your partner to discuss things that you both can do, sexually, that check off the boxes of what it means to be mindful. 

Take all of the clocks out of your bedroom. Talk about what your deepest sexual desires and urges are. Do some deep breathing and mutual massaging. Be intentional about not allowing anyone or anything to distract you while you’re cultivating intimacy with your partner. Explore each other. Ask non-triggering sex-related questions that you’ve always been wanting the answers to. Pay attention to your partner’s responses and reactions to different things that you do. Don’t overthink your actions or techniques — just have fun. Sexual mindfulness is pretty underrated but it shouldn’t be. Use this entire month to make it something that you become a lasting fan of.

OCTOBER: Fulfilled Fantasies

An aphorist by the name of Mason Cooley once said, “Fantasy mirrors desire. Imagination reshapes it.” I think all of this is a great way to set the stage for October’s sexual theme because I personally believe that having fantasies and wanting to fulfill them with your partner is an essential part of having a satisfying sex life because it does just what the quote says — taps into desires and builds on imagination. I can assure you that both you and your partner have some fantasies that have gone unfulfilled; it’s just that rarely do these things come up unless one is prompted to discuss them. 

So, whether it’s playing dress-up, having sex in a “taboo” location, experimenting with certain toys, taping a session (check out “Before You Make A DIY Sex Tape, Read This.”), engaging in some prostate milking (check out “What In The World Is 'Prostate Milking'? And Chile, How Do You Do It?”), becoming a squirting expert (check out “Is Squirting Really Worth The Hype?”) — whatever is running around in that brain of yours — so long as it won’t damage the integrity of your relationship and you bothare down to try it — use this month to make it happen. Fulfilled fantasies are always fun!

NOVEMBER: Emotional Intimacy

Last fall, I wrote an article for the site entitled, “6 Genuine Signs You're Making An Emotional Connection With Your Sex Partner.” One of the points that I made in it is, I don’t care if it’s a man or a woman or what the age of the individual might be, I don’t personally know anyone who doesn’t think that sex is better when there is some sort of emotional connection that’s established. So, if it seems like there is a bit of a “disconnect” between you and yours, set aside some time to get back on the same page. Go on some dates. Share some recent aspirations and goals. Affirm one another. Talk about your current feelings and be a good sounding board for him to do the same. 

Do gestures that express appreciation. Toast each other with glasses of wine or apple cider. Turn off all of your gadgets (at least a few times a week) so that you can engage in some pillow talk. Admit when you’re wrong (without justifying or deflecting) and apologize. Forgive him when he does the same. Come up with a list of things neither one of you has ever done before (outside of sex) and do them together. Emotional intimacy cultivates safety and sex is oh so good when you feel safe with the one you’re having it with.

DECEMBER: Topping Yourself

After 11 months of themes and exercises, it’s my hope that your sex life has only gotten better. Prove that to one another by using all of December to create the environment to have some of the best sex either of you has ever had — not just with one another but in your entire lives! In fact, if you can, try and plan some sort ofsexcation. It’s January now, so you’ve got plenty of time to save some coins and book a reservation. I’m telling you — when it’s purposed in your mind to make each experience better than the one before, there’s no way that sex can’t become more pleasurable, more exciting, and more gratifying than ever! 

Oh, and if you’re like me and you try to support Black-owned businesses as much as possible, Condé Nastpublished an article last spring entitled, “Black-Owned Hotels Throughout the World” that I’m thinking could definitely be the icing on the cake of your sexcation, chile. ENJOY!

Featured image by Giphy

[dfcfanfics]

The Song Has Ended, Its Echoes Remain: Miraculous Prompt of the Day

TW: Potential S5 endgame trauma. Theorizing, not spoiling.

~---~

The gaps in her memory haunt her. She senses the void, that something very important had dwelled there, but the doors in her mind are padlocked shut. The perception of her own incompleteness is maddening; it has her second-guessing her every decision, pulling back from so many facets of her everyday life.

But as frustrated as she feels, one look at him reminds her that she's far from the unluckiest around.

~---~

"If there is hope for either of them," Su Han had told Alya, "it lies within each other. Familiar surroundings. A routine. Emotional connections must grow back, if they will grow back, at nature's speed. There are no short cuts, but their youth will help them... and I feel that all of you can help with their healing."

"We will," Alya sniffled. "I swear that we will. Is that... is her amnesia going to happen to me someday?"

"You are not a Guardian yet, young one," the aged monk soothed her. "Being the new Ladybug is responsibility enough for now."

~---~

Three weeks ago, before the final confrontation with Monarch, Marinette and Adrien had been close friends, rapidly on the path to becoming much more than that. Nervous smiles became more confident ones. Holding hands went from an explosive rush to feeling quite natural. While that one perfect first kiss had not yet arrived, it was only because they were saving it for a moment in a setting just as perfect, whatever it would be.

But that was then.

Marinette had blossomed quite a bit during her year in Ms. Bustier's class, her year of being Ladybug. The shy girl had learned much about opening up to others, trusting her instincts, finding the courage to take chances... a wallflower became a class representative, a heroine, and even someone capable of expressing her romantic intentions, at least once in a while.

There were flashes of that Marinette now and then; Alya could see them in her friend, which she found encouraging. But more often than that, she sensed Marinette's defenses up at full strength, her strong voice muted, more fragile inside than she'd ever seen Marinette before.

And as for Adrien... his transformation was far more frightening to his friends.

Who could blame him, of course? Everything that he went through on that day was... unfathomable.

Still, it was startling to watch him and realize just how much that he had lost. It was as if Adrien had been magically reset to before his first day at Francoise Dupont, having to meet and befriend everyone there all over again. He was still Adrien deep down; he wasn't a stranger to any of his classmates.

But in some ways, he kind of was now.

~---~

The class do what they can to be supportive, of course. There's no snickering about Adrien now living with the Dupain-Chengs; they all know that he's not there shacking up with Marinette, but being assisted with major mental trauma, along with the dramatic change in his family's circumstances. Not a day goes by when at least some of their friends don't stop by to spend some time with them, choosing their words carefully, trying to act as if normality was resuming.

When an Akuma appears, when news footage of superbattles pops up on TV, both family and friends do everything possible to shelter the two of them from hearing or seeing it. It's not that they're not strong enough; it's that they've given enough already. The wounds are still visible. They shouldn't have to deal with that yet.

None of them are shoving Marinette and Adrien together and declaring, "now kiss"; that's no longer on the table, at least for now. They need to remember themselves before any of that would be possible.

In her damaged state, it'd be easy for Marinette to withdraw completely, but her friends and family won't let that happen.

She won't.

Because every time that Adrien looks at her with those sad, hopeful green eyes, her will is strengthened.

She senses that even though he barely knows her any more, that he looks confused when she refers to certain things that she still remembers, he's drawn to her in a way that neither of them fully understand.

He grasps what she's going through, because he's got it worse.

She's his lifeline to whom he was before. There was a they, a sum increasingly greater than its parts, and while neither can remember it... they can both sense that it existed, that it was so close. That it, and each of them, are something well worth fighting for.

And she'll be damned if, seeing him reach out to her like this... she won't reach back.

Once an 'everyday Ladybug...'

[lgchyoseop]

q3, an update on cha hyoseop

what is hyoseop’s current goals and motivations? finding motivation has never really been a thing for hyoseop. lots of people need reasons in order to do something, hyoseop often isn’t that type. he’s stupid, doesn’t know what’s dangerous, embarrassing or weird. but he’s always wondered, what would i need motivation for? he wakes up every day and practices, he doesn’t feel like he needs motivation to practice. it’s not the motivation that keeps him going, no it’s the growing without knowing. like you as a child slowly became taller without noticing it until you’ve literally grown twenty centimetres. hyoseop loves the feeling of seeing the end prize. he definitely joined legacy to become a trainee, to debut, he’d been in his former company for so long, and saw no further taking steps. hyoseop is here because he wants to be rapping in front of many people. rap meaning a lot to him, he wonders if he could mean a lot to someone else. though rap is the main focus, hyoseop wants to become better in lots of things.

do you think hyoseop has accomplished any of their goals mentioned above? if so, how did they do it? if not, what do you think could help them accomplish that goal? well for sures, hyoseop has learned a lot of new skills. hyoseop most of his life has been instantly good at everything physical, he was quite good at running, swimming, soccer, anything, you name it. but he chose to try to become a trainee, he walked in pretty confident, but in his first company he only focused on rapping. then he joined legacy, and he’s so happy about it, because he’s become so good at so many things. hyoseop still knows he isn’t the best dancer, but he feels like he’s grown a lot, and he wants to continue growing. i feel like hyoseop doesn’t have a specific goal beside debuting, but he still kind of feels like he’s accomplished a goal by becoming better at so many things. 

describe one significant memory that has happened to hyoseop during this trimester (positive or negative). the first that comes to mind, is the advice he got from blazing. he was hurt, like so hurt, he really realized he has so far to go still. hyoseop has always been a very confident man, but after having gotten the advice it was a big hit on his confidence. he definitely walked back to his dorm quite sad, not wanting to speak to anybody, and wanting to figure out what he should do better. it might not have been a very happy memory to him, and it hurt him for a while, but he needed to hear it. hyoseop is such a confident man, he often thinks he doesn’t need to put effort into anything, but that advice really let him know, you got to put effort into things, and you can’t just focus on rapping if you want to become an idol, you need a lot more than that.

what is one thing you (as the mun) have learned about your muse throughout this trimester? i think i’ve learned that hyoseop is much more than a confident and selfish muse. when i put hyoseop into legacy almost a year ago i just kind of put him in to be a flirty, selfish and overly confident muse. i hadn’t put a lot of thought into him, i just wanted to return to the krp world. and i find it really fun how i’m his mun, but it still kind of feels like he’s his own person. i’ve definitely learned that he’s much more than what i thought of him in the beginning, he’s capable of being hurt, of having feelings. he’s started to work hard, to genuinely want to become better and debut.

[katejyublog]

How Camp Fun Matters

One of the phrases I sometimes use to describe the experience of camp is to say it’s “fun that matters.” The idea is that camp is certainly fun, filled with exciting activities, thrilling adventures, and plenty of silliness, but it’s also educational in the best sense of the word. In addition to all the colorful crafts, tennis and tetherball, horseback riding, ziplining, and playing in the lake, for example, the girls at camp are learning and growing in important ways. Camp is not just entertainment, or a brief diversion, like a trip to an amusement park or watching a movie. It means so much more to the children who experience it. To them, camp is profound; it matters, so much in fact, that they yearn to return each summer.

It’s an interesting question to ask, therefore, how camp matters. If it matters because it’s educational, how is it educational and what are these camp kids learning (while they’re having fun)?

There are so many great answers to this question. Over the years I’ve written about camp life fostering core aspects of who we are as human beings, helping children become more creative, more courageous, more compassionate. I’ve said camp helps kids develop critical “life skills,” becoming better decision makers, communicators, collaborative team members. Watch out because camp kids are going to be confident and capable. They’re going to be excellent friends, more joyful than not, and kind to most everyone they meet. Camp teaches all this and more.

We could say, I believe, that girls love camp because it provides all these opportunities for personal growth. In other words, girls love camp not just because it’s fun, but because they’re also learning! Obviously, they wouldn’t put it like that. If you asked, they’d talk about laughing their heads off with their friends rather than the social and emotional skills they’re exercising in that moment. But I think there’s something to this idea. Yes, camp is fun, but Rock brook girls love camp because the fun here makes a difference in their personal development.

My other theory about why kids love camp, namely that it satisfies critical childhood needs, aligns with this idea. Maybe nowadays children are having difficulty learning these lessons because modern education can’t adequately teach them about the joys of being silly, the role of compromise in a thriving community, or inspire confidence in them to tackle new challenges, to name a few examples common at camp. I wonder if focusing heavily on (academic, athletic, artistic, etc.) achievement limits what most educational systems are really teaching, and if so, our children need more than just school. They have unmet needs, and unfortunately, can feel uneasy as a result. When something can relieve this uneasiness and fulfill these unmet childhood development needs, it’ bound to feel really good. And since camp life does exactly that, since it’s “a place where they feel the most at ease,” kids love it.

This is how the fun of camp matters. It provides a special kind of learning that’s ordinarily hard to find, and that once fulfilled, makes campers feel the “happiest they’ve ever been.”

If this all makes sense, then it tells us how to help girls love their camp experience. Interestingly, you don’t do that by adding more activity options, toys at the lake, or other “amenities” at camp. Of course all of that is an important context for life at camp, for the fun of what we do and where we do it each day. But no, you inspire a love for camp by making whatever we’re doing more meaningful, more thoroughly tied to satisfying those core human development needs. Instead, do what you can to remove their uneasiness. Help girls feel they belong. Prove to them they are stronger than they think. Show them that kindness, caring and generosity form the roots of true friendship. Give them daily chances to collaborate, to create, to be silly and free from judgment. It helps to feed them a freshly baked muffin every morning and the occasional ice cream cone, but you see what I mean.

Everyday we’re having a lot of fun at Rock brook, but it’s more than that because something more meaningful sticks with the girls. It’s fun that helps them grow and makes them feel really good too. They love this tight-knit community and their place among the friends around them. Camp is a fun experience that really does matter. And it’s my regular joy to be a part of it.

[4mjay]

"WHY WILL I PURSUE MY COLLEGE"

"Everything always ending. But everything always beginning too." Patrick Ness said when we reach to an end of our chapter, it opens up our new chapter that is our own possibilities. The good news is I will pursue my college. It's the dream that a student like me wants to achieve. The dream of every students and the goals that wants to win. As a graduating student all my hardworking will be the steppingstone for my dreams. Also, I will pursue this dream not just by me but the support of my mom.

To pursue my college, ofcourse I need to give all my best in academic tasks such as schoolworks, tests, and class participation. However, it's not what I typically do in school everyday. I've experienced the downfall, being drained and an average person. The stress and the expectations that happened in my life is the thing that I've been struggling. I realized that I'm not naturally smart as others, ofcourse I always try but all that trying still never felt enough. I have to exert 5x more effort to achieve a score that is just barely above the passing grade while others can do the same with little to no amount of studying.

It’s so funny because I used to feel depressed for being average until I learned how precious my mom view me. For my hero I choose her, because I don't know what I would do without her. She's the nicest person that motivates me even she's at her lowest too. I have seen all of the sacrifices not just by her also my dad. I realized I should be successful in life so I will pursue my college and finish it as a way to repay their sacrifices. This school year has been a humbling experience for me, but also pushed me to strive harder than what I capable of.

I want to pursue my college not just for the degree, but to learn new things, work on my social skills & emotional intelligence , and the highlight is help me become more CONFIDENT and treasure my success and happiness. To approach this new chapter with determination, that I have the support of my loved ones behind me. I will always remember that each end is just the start of something new and full of opportunities waiting for me to explore. I'm not good at anything but pursuing my college, this is the only way i can prove to everyone that i am not nothing.

[toughgirlchallenges]

Keri Wallace - Founder & Mountain Leader at Girls on Hills. Skyrunner, fellrunner and ultrarunner encouraging more women to hit the trails and venture into the mountains. Shouting about equity and inclusivity in trail running.

Keri Wallace is the founder & guide at Girls on Hills, the UK’s only trail, fell and skyrunning company for women. After her second child, Keri decided to quit the desk-job and find a way to combine her passion for mountain running with flexible working, so that she could fulfil a life goal and be mum to two toddlers at the same time.  

Keri in her own words: 

“I started Girls on Hills with my colleague Nancy Kennedy in 2013, as a way to encourage more women to try trail and fell running. It was a terrifying leap of faith and a dream-come-true rolled into one. It felt like the opposite of a mid-life crisis though; like I’d finally found the confidence to stand up and do something I should have done a long time ago. But I had no idea whether it would take off!  

We only ran a handful of courses the first year but it soon became clear that there was a real appetite out there for the kind of freedom and empowerment that comes with this type of running – across all ability levels.   

I love guiding women around the rocky hills of Glencoe, helping them build the confidence and skills they need to become more independent in the mountains (usually a simple case of revealing how much they are already capable of!) Mountain running is such a multi-faceted sport, with benefits that reach out and touch all other areas of your life.        

As Girls on Hills has grown over the years, we have learned more about the barriers that many women face, across all levels of our sport, from beginner access, right through to elite-level racing. Today we advocate strongly for equity and inclusivity and seek to increase female participation in technical and ultra-distance events, where the gender gap is greatest.” 

  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live in March every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am UK time - Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. 

The Tough Girl Podcast is being sponsored throughout March by Inov-8. www.inov-8.com

Get involved with the #MarchDailyMile Challenge. Run 1 mile everyday in March. 

  Show notes

Who is Keri

Growing up in Cornwall 

How she ended up living in Scotland 

Playing a lot of traditional sports when she was younger

The women who have inspired her

Working as a science teacher in her 20s

Getting into climbing

Making a transition from being a teacher to working in the outdoor world 

Doing the 3 peaks challenge in 24hrs

Getting into running

The challenges of doing her first mountain marathon 

Training for races and how it’s changed over the years

The Trans Alpine Run 

The mental side of running challenges

Info for new mums who are running

Losing her mojo for running

Getting anxious about racing 

Wanting to push herself on her own terms

Not being able to stick to a fixed program 

Creating Girls on Hills in 2018 with Nancy Kennedy 

Helping to break barriers down and encourage more women into running

Working as a champion for She Races 

Talking about confidence

Reassuring women who run

Sky running and technical mountain running 

Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the Glencoe Round

Women FKT - Women with a goal to flip the FKT statistics. Highlighting women’s FKTs everywhere. IG @womenwhofkt 

Why it’s not about the time with FKTs

Role models in running

How to connect with Keri 

Final words of advice to help you get out of the door and go running

  Social Media

  Website www.girlsonhills.com  

  Instagram @girlsonhillsuk 

  Facebook @GirlsOnHills 

    Check out this episode!

[blue-bower]

Don’t Lose my Inner Peace

My New Year's Resolution is to just... Improve myself as a person.

(Personal stuff below)

"Being a better person", and self-improvement in general, can look like a lot of things depending on the person. Being nicer, exercising, more self-care, indulging in hobbies more often.

For me personally, I want it to mean that I've finally learned to be at peace with myself. And that means accepting myself and my flaws. Understanding that just because things aren’t fully in my control, it doesn’t mean I’m not capable of taking lessons from it and coming out stronger. I started on the right track with that last year; I felt like I was floating on air back in March. Like I'd finally thrown away all the past feelings of existential dread, worrying about the future, general insecurities. I’d learned to accept the brooding, angry inner demon of mental illness and emotional trauma lurking below the surface rather than try so hard to push it down and feel ashamed of it. But then the year just... Kept getting worse. Losing my dad in a horrible unfair way, a heartbreaking but necessary confrontation and near falling-out with a friend, a new job so stressful that it made me break a 30-year streak of being straight-edge and then resist the urge to get high every night. My favorite holiday was ruined by a last-minute schedule change, Christmas sucked because I spent it grieving. All among other brooding feelings about toxic people and toxic family relationships that threatened to poison my peace. By December I'd just, become so angry and crotchety, and fell into such an emotional rut that I wondered if I'd changed at all.

But in the last few days leading up to New Year's, it's like something clicked in me. I'd had enough. I realized that, yes, I have changed for the better. I've become more confident. I've learned to stop resenting a past that I can't change. I've learned to take life at my own pace and stop caring so much about drama and people’s expectations of me when they barely know me on a personal level. I've gone from petrified to showing my true self, to not giving a fuck what people think of me and being tired of having to hide my identity, my sexuality, and my true, wild self. I’m not going to be a fucking doormat anymore.

And I desperately want to keep that energy through 2023.

Change is possible. Breaking out of a dark place is possible. You just, gotta be stubborn as hell and push through it. Really do some self-reflection, come to terms with what you need to change about yourself, for your own sake, not for anyone else’s.

Happy New Year, everyone. Here’s to a clean slate.