#here again it might get messy because every connection is different

[lnkedmyheart]

You dont. You live in despair and one day you are married and have 3 dogs, 4 cats, a mortagage and a joint bank account and wonder at 2 am on a Tuesday "does she even see me romantically or just as a bestie?"

how does one differentiate platonic and romantic feelings asking for a friend

[thesensteawitch]

Why Do You Keep Attracting Woundmates?

❤️‍🩹🗣️⚡

Pick A Pile Reading

(Left to Right-- Pile 1, Pile 2, Pile 3)

Hello, Senstea Souls!

I hope you are all doing well. Today I am here with a collective reading that will make you aware of your own wounds and subconscious beliefs that affects your every and any kind of relationship in life.

If you want to book a personal tarot reading with me then feel free to drop a message in Tumblr inbox.

Pile 1

Tarot Cards- The Lovers, The High Priestess, The Moon, Knight of Cups, Three of Wands, Two of Wands, Five of Wands, Nine of Swords

Bottom of the deck- The Magician

Hello, my beautiful pile 1. Take a deep breath and then start reading. Why I am saying this is because you are terribly afraid of messing things up. Some of you might have been afraid to choose the wrong pile too. But this is what you need to understand that you can always choose again in every aspect of life. You can make new decisions. There's a saying that goes like this, “sometimes the wrong train takes us to the right destination.” So who knows until you make a decision, right? You do see a choice to finally break this pattern of staying with a wound mate or keep attracting them but you can't act on it because you have caged yourself subconsciously. Your own thoughts pull you in two different directions. You can't let go of a particular idea of connection. You approach people from the place of lack and you only attract someone who lacks to water your soul the way it needs. For some of you, I also sense sleepless nights or insomnia. Look pile 1 life is about balance. If you think you'll lose a part of yourself in the process then that's absolutely not true. In fact, you will find your true personality. You are afraid of your own magic that it might cause havoc. You feel you are not ever going to do things right but that's so not true. We all make mistakes and that's how we learn. Mistakes are normal, perfectionism is not. I also see that this fear of doing everything wrong arises from a past hurt. I feel people blamed you when things went wrong when it wasn't your fault at all. So now you don't want to act or make a decision because you feel you are going to make everything worse eventually. And you know that letting go of a woundmate will also cause drama and you don't want that. You don't want to be blamed or listen to accusations. I hear, “You never treat yourself right darling but I want you to.” There are little things about you that are admiring. It doesn't matter if people from the past did not appreciate you for all the little things you did for them or how they just ignored how observant you are. That no detail can ever miss your sight. You have become perfectionist and this furthermore is a reason that you can't stand up and take a decision until you feel you're in control and everything around you is too. But pile 1 don't you see that you are creating misery for yourself? It's so heavy on your mind! I would say that make it messy because I know you'll clear the mess without a crumble left behind. That's your power! Don't try to keep the peace. Start wars if someone or something tries to overpower you. Life is a gift don't let others tell you how to handle it. It's yours for a reason. There's a reason why YOU AND ONLY YOU get to be born on a certain date and time. Honor the differences we have but do not let your shine die for others' sake. Some of you are strong manifestors but you are unknowingly using it the wrong way. Don't manifest the worst, manifest the best things possible. You do the right thing and know that the divine will take care of the rest. Don't give in to your desires but listen to your intuition. Looking at your intellect I can say that you deserve better pile 1.

To know how to love yourself and break this cycle book a self love reading with me only at $6.

Pile 2

Tarot Cards- 3 of Cups, Knight of Wands, Queen of Swords, The Hierophant, Strength, Judgement, The Hermit, Three of Wands

Bottom of the deck- 5 of Cups

Hello, my beautiful pile 2. Well in your reading I strongly sense a need to be socially accepted and this is the reason you try to bend yourself and dance to the rhythm that others love. You have this very strong desire to find your place in society. You think you are doing the right thing but you are not. You have such a distinct thought process and you have seen people abandoning you for the way you think and how you are, so now you're hiding your true self thinking it has some flaw. I hear, “This dancing was killing me softly I needed to lose you to love me.” This is the message from your guides. They are asking you to show who you are. I don't know but I see that some of you may be good singers or have attractive voices. You are not using it because you know your words can bruise others. Maybe try changing the way you speak. Assertiveness doesn't mean that you need to be harsh. You can say the right thing without being rude. I sense Leo, Libra, and Aquarius' energy. Maybe you have Leo placements in your chart. Life may ask you to stay alone and contemplate to finally step into your true shoes. Please do it. Don't be hesitant. The Hermit phase is needed to make the best use of your voice and finally break this cycle of attracting wound mates. In a happy moment, you may think that you're being yourself and everything is going well. Exactly amidst that moment look within and ask yourself if you are saying the truth or being your truest self and I am sure the answer will be no. You just leave your soul behind and wear this fake mask and laugh like nothing's wrong. This won't work pile 2. I must tell you that your circle is strongly impacting your career. I hear, “It's so sad to think about good times.” Once you see what you've done to yourself in the process of being accepted you're gonna have so many bad bloods. These kinds of wounds will catch up to you. You need a rebirth. When you see the truth, a new personality of yours will emerge. It will feel like the Universe gave you a new chance. Some of you may go through throat infections often or always feel like words never come out of your mouth. Start speaking your truth pile 2. Claim your space in this world. Do not adjust. Compromise isn't okay let me tell you that. When you work on yourself you'll come across so much grief that you haven't processed. It might feel difficult to overcome the grief but that is exactly when you'll find your strength. So if you are asking God to give you strength to break the wounded bonds then go through the pain. You will find your strength in the pain. Don't be a peacemaker because I don't see anybody keeping your peace! Your outer persona may seem so calm but I see there's rage inside. All that rage is because of the disappointments that you had to go through at the cost of showing who you are. For a very few of you, the transformation has already begun. May God give you the strength to overcome this challenge and find your truth.

To know how to love yourself and break this cycle book a self love reading with me only at $6.

Pile 3

Tarot Cards- The Lovers, The High Priestess, Two of Swords, Seven of Cups, Ace of Swords, The Star, Four of Pentacles, Five of Swords

Bottom of the deck- Knight of Pentacles

My beautiful pile 3 while shuffling your cards I heard, “I want change!” Change is coming for pile 3. You might be experiencing disconnection from wound mates in your life. You are finally seeing what has been hidden from you until now. You have always been shown the wrong picture. Maybe some of you were even manipulated in the past. Your soul desires stability from relationships but all you have been getting is this constant change of narratives. People change their words or deny the truth. This eclipse season has been very crucial for you guys. You are joining the dots and trying to understand intellectually what was going on in your relationships. I hear the song Night Changes. You are finally seeing or are about to see where things really went wrong. Answers are coming to you and will bring hope and clarity to your life. You will not be confused anymore. You will see things clearly, pile 3. These last few days of October are bringing you an answer. So pay attention if you want to stop attracting wound mates and change your subconscious beliefs. Remember to slow down and don't rush the answers. The rush to find a friend or a partner has kept you in the dark. I hear, “You could break my heart in two but when it heals it beats for you...I could fight but what's the use?” You need to follow a daily routine these days that can provide you with comfort and stability because currently or soon you will be going through unstable situations that will bring transformation. You are already coming out of the cycle. But you're still in your cocoon and to finally come out as a butterfly will take time. That's why I am saying don't rush or try to push things. Stay stable. If you have been wishing for something for a very long time then know it's coming true. A blessing is coming your way. You will soon be free from this cycle. That's amazing. Congratulations, pile 3! You're more powerful than you imagine. Don't think you're fragile. You're not in the dark you're being planted. The growth will happen, things will change. Give time. Have patience. Hold onto hope and people close to you. Spend some money on you, you deserve it. Rest as much as you can during this time. Don't hold back from nourishing your mind, body, and soul. Whatever answer comes to you handle it calmly. Don't act impulsively. I also sense that you were always an option in someone's life. This is why I am saying when you come out of this cycle and finally see your wound you will find someone stable and who would take the time to know you. But before that know yourself.

To know how to love yourself and break this cycle book a self love reading with me only at $6.

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[k-s-morgan]

Hey, I was re-reading ATLWETD when I noticed something so obvious in this paragraph that I stupidly didn't notice the first time.

"Riddle was taller than him, so now his lips were almost brushing against Harry’s forehead. 

“I don’t need to live in a Muggle world to own someone,” he murmured. Belatedly, Harry realised why he was standing so close — he didn’t want others to overhear his outrageous statements. “You should know this. After all, you know me better than anyone.”"

He wasn't gloating only about the death eaters, like Harry thought, he was mostly referring to the Horocrux situation and their own really unique relationship (also, the fact he almost kisses the scar as he speaks made me scream).

Will we see more moments like this in the next chapters?? (If you don't want to spoil us, just ignore this part.)

This all brings me to the actual question: Harry replies:"It’s because I know you that I’m not going to entertain your disturbing fantasies,” he said. Somehow, he managed to sound less harsh than he intended. “No matter what loyalty anyone promises you, it is not infinite. If you treat people who pledged themselves to you cruelly, they are not going to stay. I saw it happen. And by the rate you’re going, I think it might happen again.”

What the hell did Tom assume from this reply? And most importantly, what assumptions did he make about the connection between Harry and fake!Tom based on this answer?

Hoping the best for you and your loved ones in these hard times <333

Hi! Thank you <3 I'm glad that you saw the second meaning of Tom's words. It was related to how Tom envisions their relationship and to the Horcruxes both.

The more Tom imagines what life he and Harry might have had, the more feelings and desires are born in him. He's certain that Harry was his in every way and that he had absolute control over him because in his eyes, that's the only possibility for them to have a relationship. This is what he began to want now, so he's sure that any other version of him must have wanted the same. Harry cannot relate to it, ownership doesn't interest him, so he didn't fully comprehend what Tom meant.

I cannot say specifically what kind of moments of closeness and possessiveness we'll get because I never plan these things, they pop up by themselves as I write! But there will definitely be a lot of them))

As for your second question, Tom and Harry are having somewhat different conversations here. Harry is talking purely about Tom's followers, Tom is talking about them and about his bond with Harry at the same time. Harry's words made him think that he lost the devotion of some of his Death Eaters in that other reality, but most importantly, he contemplates the fact that his attitude cost him Harry. He doesn't know the specifics, but he thinks that his insanity pushed Harry away and resulted in him being snatched into some other world. Harry doesn't seem to be actively trying to go back to it, which Tom considers as another proof of their broken bond. In his mind, with their connection, Harry would have to be obsessed with reuniting with 'his' Tom. Since he isn't, it means that the other Tom failed him so much that Harry is now more interested in building something new with his other version.

Tom is confident that he'll be a better partner. At the same time, while he places Harry above everyone else, he doesn't see him as his equal, and he cannot imagine a relationship without any violence and control in it. He thinks Harry mostly accepts it, only that 'his' Tom overdid it because of the Horcruxes. So after Harry's reply, Tom's trying to assure him him that some violence is an inherent part of a relationship, and that he's in his right mind, so he'll know how to keep a balance between violence and fondness - basically, that he'll succeed in being a leader that Harry (and the others) would be glad to respect and follow both in 'professional' and personal capacities.

This probably sounds a little messy, but Tom's mind is still reeling from all the (fake) revelations, so he cannot always settle on a specific picture) It keeps changing.

[ryuyukawa]

𖦹 Unfolded | Chapter 3

★ CHARACTER ─ Tim Wright

✦ GENRE ─ Fluff?

★ WARNING ─ None

✦ SUMMARY ─ You made a friend, yand you guys started talking through notes! Yeay! (I have no clue what to put in here..)

Note: I got super excited because this came to me in a dream and I just thought it was probably meant to be! But I forgot Tim's part.. Maybe a little ooc? But I hope you like this either way :)

You hesitated, pen hovering over the paper as your mind raced. The forest was still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves, and you could almost hear your own heartbeat. There was a vulnerability in this exchange, an unspoken bond that was both comforting and terrifying. What if this person, this stranger, was someone you could connect with? But what if they weren’t? What if this was just a fleeting interaction, leaving you more alone than before? Your hand finally moved, the pen meeting the page as you began to write:

"Thank you for your note? Means a lot to know someone out there understands. I don't know who you are, and maybe that makes it easier, to be honest. I've felt lost for a long time, like I’m wandering through a world where everyone else has a place, but I don't. The forest is the one place I feel like I can breathe. It's quiet, peaceful. But sometimes I feel like it’s just a reminder of how alone I really am."

"You said you understand. I wonder, do you feel the same way? Do you come to the forest to escape too, or to find something you’re missing? Maybe it's both for me. I don’t know."

"And if you're willing, I'd like to hear more from you. Maybe we can share our thoughts, even if it’s just through these notes. I don’t know if it will make it go away, but maybe it will help, even just a little. Hope you'll find this note"

You paused, rereading the words. It felt raw, exposing parts of yourself that you rarely even acknowledged; was this too open? you thought. But there was a strange comfort in it too, like a weight being lifted, even if just slightly. You added a small doodle of a tree next to your words, hoping it would convey some of the warmth you were feeling despite your nerves.

Folding the note carefully, you placed it in the same spot where you’d found it last, hoping the person would find it. As you walked away, a mix of anxiety and hope settled in your chest. The forest seemed different now, as if it was holding its breath, waiting for something to unfold. You couldn’t shake the feeling that, somehow, this exchange might be the beginning of something more—a connection, even if only a fleeting one.

As you walked home, the shadows lengthening with the setting sun, you found yourself glancing back at the path, wondering if you would hear from them again, and what they might say. The forest seemed quieter than usual, as if it was sharing your anticipation.

The days that followed were filled with a strange mix of excitement and dread. Every time you walked the path, your heart would race, wondering if there would be another note waiting for you.

────

And then, one afternoon, as you rounded the familiar bend, you saw it—a small piece of paper tucked under a rock, almost as if it was hiding, waiting for you to discover it. Your hands trembled slightly as you picked it up, unfolding it with a sense of urgency. The handwriting was the same—messy but legible, and the message made your heart skip a beat.

"glad you wrote back. The forest has been a place that somehow get me at ease. It’s the only place where I feel like I can breathe, away from the noise and take a rest. I come here to think, to be alone, but I guess part of me is always hoping I won’t be alone forever, I guess?"

"Your words connected with me more than I expected. It’s strange, right? How you can feel so connected to someone you’ve never met, just through words on a page. Don’t know where this will go, but I’d like to keep writing. Maybe, we can make this loneliness a little less overwhelming."

A small doodle of a leaf was drawn at the bottom of the page. You couldn’t help but smile as you traced it with your finger. For the first time in a long while, you felt a flicker of something you hadn’t felt in ages—hope.

Morning light filtered through the curtains of your small apartment, casting soft shadows across the room. You lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the events of the past few days in your mind. The notes, the stranger in the forest—it all felt surreal, like something out of a book or a dream. Yet it was real, as real as the sunlight warming your face and the faint hum of birds and the city beyond your window.

You finally pushed the covers aside and got out of bed, your feet meeting the cool wooden floor. The apartment was quiet, almost too quiet, amplifying the thoughts swirling in your head. You went through the motions of your morning routine, brushing your teeth, making a cup of coffee, but your mind was elsewhere, caught up in the mystery of the notes. Who was this person? why are you smiling so dumbly? you didn't even know the person.. but you do want to get to know them better, don't you?

As you sat at the small kitchen table, sipping your coffee, you glanced over at your notebook lying on the counter. The pages were filled with your thoughts, sketches, and bits of poetry—things you usually kept to yourself. Yet here you were, sharing pieces of your soul with a stranger. It was terrifying, but also liberating in a way you hadn't anticipated.

────

The city outside was beginning to wake up, the distant sounds of traffic and voices slowly filling the silence. But your thoughts were far from the bustling streets. The forest felt like a world apart, a sanctuary where time moved differently. You wondered if today would be the day you’d find another note. The thought made your heart race, a mix of excitement and anxiety churning in your chest.

After finishing your coffee, you decided to take a walk to clear your head. The small apartment felt too confining, too full of thoughts and questions that had no answers. You dressed quickly, pulling on a light jacket before stepping outside. The city greeted you with its usual mix of sounds and scent. But your mind was elsewhere, already halfway to the forest. Earlier than usual.

As you walked, your thoughts returned to the note you’d found the day before. The stranger had said they felt connected to you, just through your words. It was strange, how that simple acknowledgment had brought you so much comfort. You’d never considered that someone else might feel the same way you did, might seek refuge in the same places.

Before you knew it, you were on the familiar path leading to the forest. The noise of the city faded behind you, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant call of birds. The air was cooler here, fresher, and you breathed it in deeply, feeling some of the tension leave your body.

────

As you approached the large tree, your heart began to race again. Would there be another note? You weren’t sure what you hoped for more—the continuation of this strange, wordless conversation, or the comfort of finding nothing, letting it all remain a fleeting cconnection But as you rounded the corner, you saw it— a small piece of paper, tucked under the same rock where you’d left your last note. You hesitated, a mix of excitement and nerves washing over you, before slowly reaching down to pick it up. Unfolding the paper, you saw the familiar handwriting. Your breath caught as you began to read:

"I checked to see if you left a note, didn’t know if you’d come back, but I hoped you would. Maybe you forgot to reply? or maybe you just dont know what to say? I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said— how the forest feels like a sanctuary, but also a reminder of loneliness. I get that. Sometimes it’s like the trees are the only ones who understand, who listen without judging. But knowing that you’re out there, feeling the same way, makes the forest feel a little less lonely."

"I don’t know what’s going to happen with this, with us?? Maybe it’s just words on a page, and maybe that’s all it will ever be; and im just overthinking myself. But I find myself looking forward to your notes, to hearing from you. It’s strange, really. Maybe we don’t need to meet? Maybe this is enough. Or maybe… maybe one day we will?"

"If you’re comfortable with it, I’d like to know more about you. Not everything, just… whatever you feel like sharing, I guess? Who are you when you’re not here, in the forest? What makes you laugh, what keeps you up at night? I know it’s probably a lot to ask, but I’m curious. I want to understand the person behind the words."

You smiled faintly, a warmth spreading through you that you hadn’t felt in a long time. This person, whoever they were, understood you in a way that was both comforting and unsettling. You didn’t know if you were ready to share more about yourself, but the idea of opening up, even just a little, didn’t seem as terrifying as it once did.

Sitting down against the tree, you pulled out your notebook and pen. The forest was quiet around you, the only sounds the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds. And the orange shade that shine across your face as the sun began to hide. You thought carefully about what you wanted to say, how much you were willing to share. The forest seemed to hum with a quiet energy, as if it too was waiting to see what would happen next. And for the first time in a long while, you felt a sense of hope, a belief that maybe, just maybe, you wouldn’t have to face the loneliness alone.

Soo.. what do we think?? I personally like this one! I think its the longest ive ever written actually.. I made this at like, 3 am?? Stayed all night for this, LOL :3

Thoughts and criticisms are welcomed, as it would help me improve on my writing!

[save-the-villainous-cat]

Villain and Flirtatious Hero in battle. Villain is/has been abused by a very creepy intimate whumper, Hero is unaware of this. Bonus points for Hero flirtatiously pinning Villain and misunderstanding their terror. Once Hero finds out they get super protective >:) angst and fluff pls

Weird, this ask seems familiar…

part 1, written by my beloved @epiclamer

tw: mentioning non-con (touching)

Didn’t speak.

The villain didn’t speak for a very long time. What had sounded like sobbing, what had torn the hero out of their already terrible sleep, had vanished. The desperation and the sadness, the longing for some loving human connection had disappeared and once again, the hero felt clueless.

They’d rushed over to the villain’s, fully aware they were in no condition to make it to the hero’s but now, the villain was politely refusing any help, composed with the only indication of suffering being their red eyes.

“I’m really sorry for making a scene,” they said eventually. Their apartment was nice and clean but the hero couldn’t help but think of them a little out of place in their own home, especially with how messy and imbalanced they seemed.

Restless. Always restless. On the hunt. With absolutely nowhere to go. The hero had encountered a lot of people in their life who felt like this. But this was different.

This was someone who had been pushed not only close to the edge but over it. Every murder, every torture session, everything the villain had done was thanks to a higher motive the hero didn’t know yet.

Suspicion marked the hero’s entire career and suspecting they did but all in all, they didn’t feel like this was their place nor they right to do so.

“You didn’t make a scene,” the hero answered, helping themselves to some tea and filling the villain’s cup as well. However, they knew the villain wouldn’t touch it. “I’m sorry I…I’m sorry I didn’t see that you were suffering, that you were uncomfortable. Looking back at it, I should’ve known.”

The villain didn’t answer, just stared at the hot tea in their cup.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I know you don’t but…it might help.” The villain looked at them, little red capillaries making them seem crazily robbed of sleep.

“It won’t.”

“You called me here for a reason,” the hero said. It broke their heart, especially because it was their enemy. Always, the villain had always been the stronger one of the two of them. Ruthless and scary. Efficient and accurate.

Seeing them panic like that…

“I was desperate.”

“Listen…whatever happened to you, whatever they did to you…it’s not your fault. The world is full of shitty people. Fucking assholes who want to take advantage where they can. What happened to you isn’t right. It’s not excusable. You didn’t deserve it. God, you didn’t deserve it.”

The villain stared at them, aghast.

“Maybe I did,” the villain said. “Maybe I deserved it. All the bad things I’ve done…maybe I deserved to be stripped off of my freedom.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“I hurt a lot of people.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I am a horrible person.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Stop saying that.” The hero stood up, eyes on their nemesis, staring into the deepest part of their soul. Into the deep part that was tearing up, breaking, falling apart. Their villain was close to crying again. “Don’t you get it?! It was my punishment, why can’t you see that? I didn’t want to be touched, I didn’t want them in my bed. I was scared and I was so fucking tired of fighting. I was so fucking tired of it.”

“And it’s not your fault,” the hero said gently. They cautiously took the villain’s hands, grip loose and soft. They squatted, maintaining eye contact. “You did nothing wrong. You can’t blame yourself for this.”

“I was too weak.”

“Another human was too cruel,” the hero said. “You’re not responsible for someone else’s actions. Someone did you wrong and I promise their life will end very soon if I should find out who they are.”

The villain was all rough, reminding the hero of shards they’d cut themselves on if they picked them up. The villain hurt other people, hurt the hero and yet…

“You may feel like this world resents you. As if this is some sick game that’s out to get you. People suck. People are horrible. Fucked up things happen and they aren’t just. They’re not fair. But, Christ. I need you to stay strong. You’re lovable. On some days you’re the only person who actually makes my day. When we work together, hell, even when we fight. I feel like I’m the strongest person along side you. You lift me up.”

“You’re joking.”

“We cannot change what happened,” the hero said. “But I know you deserve to be loved. You deserve to be held and comforted. Wounds like these leave deep scars and I’m more than willing to treat every single one with the utmost care I can come up with.”

“Can I get another hug?”

They did.

[nightmares-and-dreams-come-true]

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. Where are your fingers? Seriously. It's a pretty easy question. You should be able to answer it. But how do you know? How does anyone know anything?

You might say, well, I know where my fingers are. I'm looking right at them. Or, I can touch them, I can feel them, they're right here and that's good. Your senses are a great way to learn things. In fact, we have way more than the usual five senses we talk about. For instance, your kinesthetic sense, proprioception. This is what the police evaluate during a field sobriety test. It allows you to tell where your fingers and arms and head and legs in your body is all in relation to each other without having to look or touch other things. We have way more than five senses, we have at least twice as many and then some. But they're not perfect.

There are optical illusions, audio illusions, temperature sensation illusions, even tactile illusions. Can you turn your tongue upside down? If so, perfect. Try this. Run your finger along the outer edge of the tip of your upside down tongue. Your tongue will be able to feel your finger, but in the wrong place. Our brains never needed to develop an understanding of upside down tongue touch. So, when you touch the right side of your tongue when it's flipped over to your left side you perceive a sensation on the opposite side, where your tongue usually is but isn't when it's upside down. It's pretty freaky and cool and a little humbling, because it shows the limits of the accuracy of our senses, the only tools we have to get what's out there in here.

The philosophy of knowledge, the study of knowing, is called epistemology. Plato famously said that the things we know are things that are true, that we believe and that we have justification for believing. those justifications might be irrational or they might be rational, they might be based on proof, but don't get too confident because proven is not a synonym for true. Luckily, there are things that we can know without needing proof, without needing to even leave the house, things that we can know as true by reason alone. These are things that we know a priori. An example would be the statement "all bachelors are unmarried." I don't have to go survey every bachelor on earth to know that that is true. All bachelors are unmarried because that's how we define the word bachelor. Of course, you have to know what the words bachelor and unmarried mean in the first place. Oh, you do? Okay. Perfect. That's great. But how do you know?

This time I mean functionally, how do you know? Where is knowledge biologically in the brain? What are memories made out of? We are a long way from being able to answer that question completely but research has shown that memories don't exist in the brain in single locations. Instead, what we call a memory is likely made up of many different complex relationships all over the brain between lots of brain cells, neurons. A major cellular mechanism thought to underlie the formation of memories is long-term potentiation or LTP. When one neuron stimulates another neuron repeatedly that signal can be enhanced overtime LTP, wiring them more strongly together and that connection can last a long time, even an entire lifetime. A collection of different brain cells, neurons that fire together in a particular order over and over again frequently and repeatedly can achieve long-term potentiation, becoming more sensitive to each other and more ready to fire in the exact same way later on in the future. They're a physical thing in your brain, firing together more easily because you strengthen that pattern of firing. You memorized. This branching forest of firing friends looks messy, but look closer. It could be the memory of your first kiss. A living souvenir of the event. If I were to go into your brain and cut out those cells, could I make you forget your first kiss or could I make you forget where your fingers are? Only if I cut out a lot of your brain. Because memories aren't just stored in one relationship, they're stored all over the brain. The events leading up to your first kiss are stored in one network, the way it felt to the way it smelled in different networks, all added up together making what you call the memory of your first kiss.

How many memories can you fit inside your head? What is the storage capacity of the human brain? The best we can do is a rough estimate, but given the number of neurons in the brain involved with memory and the number of different connections a single neuron can make Paul Reber at Northwestern University estimated that we can store the digital equivalent of about 2.5 petabytes of information. That's the equivalent of recording a TV channel continuously for 300 years. That's a lot of information. That is a lot of information about skills you can do and facts and people you've met, things in the real world. The world is real, right? How do you know?

It's a difficult question, but it's not rocket science. Instead, it is asking whether or not rocket scientists even exist in the first place. The theory that the Sun moved around the earth worked great. It predicted that the Sun would rise every morning and it did. It wasn't until later that we realized what we thought was true might not be. So, do we or will we ever know true reality or are we stuck in a world where the best we can do is be approximately true? Discovering more and more useful theories every day but never actually reaching true objective actual reality. Can science or reason ever prove convincingly that your friends and YouTube videos and your fingers actually exist beyond your mind? That you don't just live in the matrix?

No. Your mind is all that you have, even if you use instruments, like a telescope or particle accelerators. The final stop for all of that information is ultimately you. You are alone in your own brain, which technically makes it impossible to prove that anything else exists. It's called the egocentric predicament. Everything you know about the world out there depends on and is created inside your brain. This mattered so much to Charles Sanders Peirce that he drew a line between reality, the way the universe truly is, and what he called the phaneron, the world as filtered through our senses and bodies, the only information we can get. If you want to speak with certainty you live in, that is you react to and remember and experience your phaneron, not reality. The belief that only you exist and everything else, food, the universe, your friends are all figments of your mind is called solipsism. There is no way to convince a solipsist that the outside world is real. And there is no way to convince someone who doubts that the universe wasn't created just three seconds ago along with all of our memories. It's a frightening realization that we don't always know how to deal with. There's even The Matrix defense.

In 2002 Tonda Lynn Ansley shot and killed her landlady. She argued that she believed she was in the matrix, that her crimes weren't real. By using the matrix defense, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity, because the opposite view is just way healthier and common. It's called realism. Realism is the belief that the outside world exists independently of your own phaneron. Rocks and stars and Thora Birch would continue to exist even if you weren't around to experience them. But you cannot know realism is true. All you can do is believe.

Martin Gardner, a great source for math magic tricks, explained that he is not a solipsist because realism is just way more convenient and healthy and it works. As to whether it bothered him that he could never know realism was true, he wrote, "If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron, my answer is how should I know? I'm not dismayed by ultimate mysteries, I can no more grasp what is behind such questions as my cat can understand what is behind the clatter I make while I type this paragraph." Humble stuff. What strikes me is the cat.

Cats do not understand keyboards, but they know the keyboards are a fun place to be. It's a great way to get the attention of a human, they're warm and exciting, surrounded by noises and flashing lights plus cats love to get their scent on whatever they can, a mark of their existence. We aren't that much different, except instead of keyboards we have the mysteries of the universe. We will never be able to understand all of them.

I'm adding a new rule

[zoeykallus]

Hello, I hope your doing ok! And I love your work with writing. Hopefully your in a good mental health right now cause I got a Agnst request!

So the reader and clone of your choice, have been together for a while and she or he introduces them to there parents. The parents don’t approve because they are clone racist! And would rather her or him be with someone nat born. How would clones react to that?

(Also if you wanna go for the headshot and really spice it up, the reader is pregnant. That gonna be a real messy one! P.s this is for when every you feel like it or get the time. I understand writing is just a hobby and some people can be rude. So when ever you get time or you just don’t wanna do it. That’s cool to. P.s.s I’m still support your blog weather my request gets answered or not. You’re awesome writer!)

Aloha!

Still breathing! Thanks for asking :)) Hope you are doing great!

Oh, that's an interesting idea, one I can actually imagine would be true for some people if it was reality... Let me try my take on this one. I hope you don't mind me leaving out the pregnant part, though, I'd like to focus on the 'racism' part itself.

The Bad Batch x Fem!Reader HCs - The Worth Of A Clone

Warnings: Angst/Tension/ uhm, Clonecism? (racism)

_____________

Meeting your parents for the first time is excitement enough for your batcher, the whole thing takes a nasty turn when it turns out that your family doesn't have a good opinion of clones, especially when it comes to courting you.

AC:

Keep in mind that I am writing this from my point of view, how I would imagine the situation, and also how I might react. I cannot guess how others would react. Well, I could, but then I would have to have at least ten versions.

_____________

Initial situation (For everyone but Echo): Your batcher and you are invited to dinner at your parents' house. Your parents finally want to meet the man in your life. When asked what your beloved does for a living, soldier for the republic army, the first reaction is restrained but quite sympathetic. When your father makes the joking, casual remark, "At least you're not one of those clones," disaster takes its course.

Hunter

He takes a breath, collects himself, he already feels that the truth will not make him any friends here, but he does not intend to lie.

"I am a clone, not exactly like the others, but I am created in the same way and do more or less the same job".

The looks he earns are at first puzzled and incredulous. Your parents scrutinize him.

Your mother says quietly to your father, "I didn't know there were different ones, he doesn't look like the others".

Your father frowns critically, it takes a while until he finally says something again.

"I can not tolerate this connection, and I certainly can not support it".

The words sound rough and harsh. He seems annoyed, as if you and Hunter had deliberately tried to deceive him.

"With all due respect, your daughter is an adult, we don't need your permission. We're here out of respect and decency."

"Decency," echoes your mother, "How can someone like you talk about decency, you're not even a real person."

Shocked and deeply disappointed, you want to retreat with Hunter. Your parents give you a choice, "Family or clone".

The decision is easy thanks to their disrespectful attitude.

"I'm going with Hunter"

Hunter feels touched, hurt and guilty at the same time. He is overjoyed that you stand by him, despite everything, but he feels guilty because you break with your family because of him.

Echo

From the start, your parents react very dismissively and Echo feels very insecure. He wants to be polite, because after all they are your parents, actually he had hoped to make a good impression. However, he realizes very quickly that clones are not very welcome here, and the fact that he is not even an 'intact' clone anymore makes things even worse.

"A clone, a broken clone, half a droid," your father growls to himself, not even having the decency to address Echo directly.

Your mother stands in the background, not giving Echo a second glance, a steep, stern crease between her brows. When she finally speaks, she sounds reproachful and disappointed.

"How can you do this to us, bringing this thing here?"

Echo says calmly, "I'm not a thing. A clone I am by all means, yes, but a human being nonetheless."

Your father points disparagingly at his prosthetics, "That one doesn't look human."

Echo sighs, he feels anger, but mostly a heavy disappointment and pain over this situation.

"Yes, I lost a few limbs fighting for the Republic. Other soldiers are decorated for that"

"Because they're real human beings," your father rumbles.

"Echo is a real human being!" you exclaim angrily.

It quickly becomes clear that the evening is over. You retreat. You are so sorry for the way things have gone, for the things Echo has had to listen to.

Sitting alone with you in your apartment, Echo says after a while of silence, "They're not wrong about one thing, you deserve better".

When you try to contradict him, he says, "Cyare, I know I'm a good soldier, I'm a real person, whether I'm a clone or half a droid. Still, you deserve better."

You hug him warmly, kiss him and say, "There is nothing and no one I love more, you are wonderful Echo, the best thing that has ever happened to me. What we both have, I will never give up, no matter what anyone else says".

Wrecker

At first, your parents are thrilled with the friendly giant. Especially your father seems pleased with your choice, "A soldier and what a soldier, look at this guy, I don't have to worry if my daughter is protected," he says enthusiastically and shakes Wrecker's hand with pleasure.

Wrecker smiles, very happy to have made a good first impression.

The mood shifts drastically, however, when it is revealed over the course of the evening that Wrecker is a clone soldier, obviously not a regular one, but a clone soldier nonetheless.

Your father sighs and says, "I'm sorry, but I can't condone that."

Wrecker asks in surprise, "Why not? Did I say something wrong? I assure you, I respect your daughter and love her very much."

"That's not the problem, it's more what you are" your mother says.

Wrecker looks at you questioningly, he can tell your heart is sinking right now, you already seem to know where this is going.

"I'm human," he says calmly.

"You're a clone, a copy of a human," your mother says somewhat snidely.

Wrecker blinks, then sighs. He's had this reaction before, only here, and now he didn't really expect it. Somehow he had hoped, or expected, that your family would think like you and be just as wonderful people.

After this evening, Wrecker is very unsettled, but he still behaves calmly. He is afraid that you will end the relationship. His pleased, relieved face when you make it clear to him that you will not be influenced by your parents' opinion is priceless.

He pulls you into his arms and cuddles tenderly with you all evening, incredibly happy that he can be so close to you.

Tech

"That would explain why he talks so pompously, like a droid. He's not a real person at all."

Tech raises his eyebrows in shock. He's used to hostility towards his heritage, but he didn't expect this, sitting at a table with you and your parents.

"Mother!" you exclaim, startled and annoyed.

"It's true, isn't it?" your father says, making a throwaway hand gesture.

Your gaze bounces back and forth between Tech and your parents. You feel ashamed of their behavior and the expression on Tech's face pains you, he looks genuinely surprised and hurt.

Tech clears his throat and says, "I guess I should go, I'm obviously not welcome here."

"We agree on that," your father says.

Tech swallows the comment that's on the tip of his tongue and stands up, still politely indicating a bow as he departs. You grab your jacket and hurriedly follow him, against your parents' calls for you to stay.

Tech looks at you in surprise as you catch up to him and reach for his hand.

"Mesh'la?"

"You didn't think I was just going to let you walk away from me because my parents had a stick up their ass, did you?"

He blinks, then smiles gently.

"I'm honored, my dear, but I don't want you to fight with your family because of me."

You stand on the tips of your toes, and he leans toward you. Gently kissing his cheek, you say, "My beloved, I don't care what they think. Admittedly, I would have been very happy if they had accepted you, but the fact that they don't, doesn't change my feelings for you. I won't turn my back on you".

Crosshair

"At least you're not one of those clones"

Crosshair's gaze moves from your father to you and back again, slowly, with what you realize is a suppressed sigh.

"Well, I'm no ordinary clone, a special version if you will, but a clone nonetheless".

"Can you clones feel anything at all. Can you even love?", asks your mother.

Crosshair says dryly, "I can only speak for myself. Theoretically we are all capable of emotion, I just like it in small doses, however with your daughter I make an exception"

Your parents are not very enthusiastic, neither about him as a clone nor about his dry humor. Crosshair faces a well-known hostility.

The mood is tense, but Crosshair is not the sort to put up with this nonsense. He stands up and says sharply, "The clones are the reason we can sit here at dinner tonight and not be under Separatist rule. But keep being condescending and ignorant, that seems to have gotten you a long way in life."

You also hastily get up, leaving your perplexed parents in the dining room. You follow Crosshair out, hastily quickening your steps to keep up with the strides of his long legs.

"Wait, Crosshair, don't run like that."

He stops, turns around and raises his brows.

"I'm not running, your legs are just too short" he says teasingly, finally smiling at you.

"I'm sorry-"

He raises his hand to interrupt you.

"It's okay, I'm used to this kind of behavior. I was hoping your family would be different, but I'm not exactly shocked that they're not."

He strokes your cheek and says, "It's okay, I don't blame you."

"I don't care what they say or want, I still want to be with you."

He smirks and says, "Of course you do, Kitten"

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

@meshla-madalene

@chxpsi

@thebahdbitch

@nahoney22 @ladykatakuri

@darkangel4121

@ttzamara

@arctrooper69

@padawancat97

@agenteliix

@allsystemsblue

@palliateclaws

@either-madness-or-brilliance

@ortizshinkaroff

@andy-solo1

@hunterssecretrecipe

@heyitsaloy

@greaser-wolf

@extrahotpixels

@hated-by-me

@hunterxcrosshair

@malicemercy

@bebopsworld

@echos-girlfriend

@taskfork-archive

@cpnt616

@starwarsnerd111

[heretherebedork]

Everybody's making fun that Nick again eavesdropped on Boston's hookup, but isn't it so interesting that Nick actually didn't back away even after knowing what Boston was doing in the bathroom. He interrupted them, almost grounding Boston from his meaningless escapades, forcefully reminding him of things that matter. The way Nick completely ignored the third person in the background, staring at Boston the whole time (and he was the one apologizing) when Boston could barely even meet his eyes. Nick was the one, being vulnerable and yet I think it was his honesty (and courage) that pushed Boston out of his superficial shell, and down on his knees, leaving him broken, open, and raw. For a man who has hated drama (read feelings) all this life, he is actually going to be very dramatic about discovering his own feelings. Nick fell first but Boston's falling harder.

I'm just gonna take a step back here to point out that Boston has been clear this entire time that he isn't looking for anything deeper or longterm and that it's not a bad thing to want to have casual sex.

There is no reason to be calling Boston superficial and to refer to him as broken, open and raw as if before this he was some kind of feelingless manipulation machine.

Boston froze his heart to protect himself knowing that he won't be around the people he knows right now for long, knowing that he's likely to be sent away from Thailand after every semester if he doesn't live up to his father's expectations.

Yes, Nick actually acted better this episode. I mean that in an amused sense because he still did follow Boston to a hook up in order to talk to him. But that's all he did. He wanted to put his cards on the table and finally, actually, apologize.

Which was very important. Before that moment, he never fully or openly apologized to Boston without the context being about winning him back or staying in his life. All of those apologies were to gain something, forgiveness and Boston back where he was in his life.

This apology was just an apology. It was Nick admitting that what he did was so beyond the pale that sometimes things can't be forgiven and that's okay.

And, yes, that changed how Boston looked at what was happening in that moment because he does care about Nick. But, you know what? He also cares about his other friends. He rushed up to check on Ray and looked worried. He stopped talking when Top asked him to stop. He didn't deliberately cause any trouble at the party.

Boston has his own moral code and it might look different but that doesn't mean we have to sit here and turn him into this huge villain for being a young adult who knows all his connections are likely to be severed soon enough in the future that letting them get deep just means they'll hurt more.

I do look forward to Boston's journey from here. But Nick also a journey that he started better because he has a friend like Sand who listens and pushes him and gives him good advice and doesn't judge him. I mean, admittedly, Sand also created all of Nick's problems by sharing the sex tape but Nick kind of made his own problems with that one tbh.

Nick stopped to talk to Boston in the bathroom not just because he had the moment to do it but because in a way Boston was trapped there. Leaving that conversation would be nearly impossible even with the hook up right there because once he answered and Nick started talking there was no pause for him to pull away.

I just... this isn't Boston versus Nick. Nick isn't better than Boston and Boston isn't better than Nick. They're both just messy young adults with different issues and different backgrounds who found themselves falling together in fucked up ways and are now falling apart in fucked up ways.

Boston's heart is melting and that scares him because he knows it's going to hurt because none of this can last. And Nick knows that Boston isn't going to be sticking around and that's why he stopped caring.

I admit that I read most of Boston looking away from Nick in that scene (especially before the line about his friends) was him just being bored of Nick trying to get back to his side. Because especially after Atom tried to push him into a relationship he didn't want again he was very, very done with people assuming that he has to want something more.

But then Nick didn't assume that. For the first time, Nick didn't refer to Boston in terms of a relationship but in terms of himself and that's what mattered.

Nick sees Boston as a whole person. It's the same thing with Sand and Ray. Only when someone realizes that they are truly wholly seen can they realize the parts of themselves they've tries to hide and tried to darken until they vanished into shallows.

Boston has never been superficial the way you describe because he made a perfectly moral choice to enjoy casual sex without deeper connections. Nick is the only one that he accepted more from and he was burned by that real hard so now he's twice as shy...

Until he realized that Nick genuinely saw him.

And that changed things.

[ra-scheln]

Writing Interview Tag Game

The lovely @kimberbohwrites tagged me – thank you so much!

When did you start writing?

I don’t remember a time before stories. Partially it might have been due to my environment, that I had to escape somehow – even if I could only retreat into my own mind and the worlds I could make up there. They weren’t really finished narratives, I was mostly into making up worlds that my friends would add characters to, and we would draw comics around the stories that developed from that .

Although that stopped when I was around fifteen or sixteen. The abuse at home kept escalating with my growing independence, and I couldn’t maintain the connection to myself necessary for true creativity and the willful ignorance regarding what was happening to me I had developed to protect myself. There is no writing or other piece of art from my time, because I just stopped being able to do it.

Stories I need to live, said ignorance I needed to survive, so it had to take precedence.

Ten years later or so, I’ve been reclaiming my own perception of events with, among other things, half a decade of therapy now. I can touch my own ideas again without them slipping through my hands.

BG3 is it’s own special joy here – it’s the first fandom I’ve really written for, recently, and that’s mostly thanks to the writer friends I’ve found through it (my pedipalps <3).

Are there different themes or genres that you enjoy reading than what you write?

Outside of fanfic, yes! I read a lot of classic stuff – Thomas Mann, Michail Bulgakow, Oscar Wilde are the last few authors I read in that department. Fiction-wise, I enjoy things that explore the more ambiguous sides of human emotion, or generally darker and more serious stuff – Das Parfüm by Patrick Süskind (The perfume) for example, although that’s something I also write about. I’d also count Accabadora by Michaela Murgia amongst that, though that’s also a historically inspired and socio-critical. Tbh I mostly read nonfiction though, Roberto Saviano’s works on the Ndragheta and other organised crime are currently back on my mind.

In fanfic, I’m pretty stuck in my tastes as far as themes go, but there are some characters that don’t inspire me to write, but that I like reading about – Rolan for example (though I might have something cooking for him), or Halsin.

Can you tell me about your writing space?

I often lug my laptop to the university library or onto my balcony, but I’ve also recently treated myself to new desk equipment – so I’ve started using it more, now that I have a second monitor, a nice mechanical keyboard and a chair that doesn’t kill my back.

One thing about my writing space though – it has to be spotless. I can’t deal with crumbs on my table or unfolded laundry lying around.

This all goes for writing itself. My ideas I mostly write down by hand in my notebook, wherever I am in that moment.

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

I don’t. I either have something to say and then I sit down and say it, or I don’t. Your mind also needs to lie fallow every now and then.

If the words aren’t flowing when the ideas themselves are there, it’s usually because something else is taking up my attention. Be it any kind of mess (as I said…) or something I’m avoiding in other areas of my life, that has to be taken care of first.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing?

Some are fairly common in fanfic – trauma, the aftermath of sexual abuse etc. I think some of my other patterns are characters that are neither good nor bad, the need to accept yourself and what you’ve done even if others may not forgive you, and love that is built, not found.

What is your reason for writing?

The words have to go somewhere, or I start to get restless.

In seriousness, I also think that stories are a chance to explore the things that often don’t have room in daily life. Especially fiction that doesn’t have to perform well, like fanfics, can leave the kind of room for the regular human messiness to breathe.

Is there any kind of specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

I haven’t published a lot yet and I haven’t received that many comments yet; So it’s hard to say. But so far I can say that whenever I can feel that my writing touched someone and they take the time to share that with me it stays with me for a long time, and keeps me motivated to keep sharing my stuff.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

I haven’t thought about that yet much, and the idea of someone developing a parasocial relationship makes me want to crawl out of my skin, but uh… I think I’d like my writing to feel safe to people? Not necessarily in the sense that they won’t encounter difficult themes and injustices in it, but that the darker themes I explore are handled in an informed and tasteful way.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

I think my compassion with my characters and their actions. Nuance, in general, seems to be my thing as well – I don’t do black and white.

How do you feel about your own writing?

I’m a bit frustrated that my fictional writing is all in English, currently. It’s neither my first nor my fourth language, and it’s not my favourite language to read in either.

Aside from that… I’m growing fond of my own style, now that I’ve found my voice, sort of. My sense of humour is starting to shine through, which is also nice!

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

So far, what I want to write and say takes precedence. I do, of course, think about the “how” of writing – how style and vocabulary can help me get my ideas across. Who knows, I could try taking requests, that might be fun.

Tagging: @dutifullylazybread @blackjackkent @invinciblerodent @faerielli and @lewdisescariot

EDIT: AND @forget-me-maybe!!! As well als @cactusmisslittle

[multiplicity-positivity]

Hi. I'm going to send this ask to more than one blog because I want to check if I get different types of answers. (Please make sure this ask is anonymous) Do you have any advices for plurals how to clean / tidy your room/house and manage to not make it messy again? Important: nay tips for how to not regret getting rid of items you think aren't important now but still be able to get rid of many items to finally make your house clean?

🥔🥔🥔

Hello, this is an excellent question. Maintaining a clean living space can genuinely help improve and maintain positive mental health, but it can be challenging keeping up with these things as a system. We certainly do not keep our own home totally spotless, but here’s how we go about keeping our living space clean.

1) Chore Chart

We’ve made a list of all the chores we’d ideally like to get done, and assigned one or two chores to each day of the week. We’ll put a big chore list at the bottom of this post under a cut, so you can get some sort of idea about the amount of chores your system might need to do in order to keep your space tidy. Our own chore chart is written on a whiteboard left in our kitchen so we can see it every day.

2) Checklists

Many parts of our system are incredibly motivated by checklists. It feels amazing and productive to be able to check things off as you accomplish tasks. Individual chores can even be broken down into multiple steps so you can have more items to check off, if you’d like. Our chore chart mentioned above is in a checklist format, so parts can cross things off the list as they do them. If your system feels like a checklist might be useful, we cannot stress enough how incorporating a checklist into your routine might be beneficial.

3) Putting things away

This one is tough, particularly for the littles in our system, but putting things away when you’re done using them can have a huge impact on keeping your space clean. Things like:

- Hanging up coats and putting away shoes when you take them off

- Keeping dirty clothes in a bin or hamper

- Returning toys/art supplies/electronics/etc. to where they belong after using them

- Taking dishes, cups, and silverware to the sink/kitchen after eating or drinking

- Throwing away empty wrappers, broken things, and other trash items as you encounter them

And so on. This may be a difficult habit to get into, but if a few of your members who front in your home can commit to keeping this up, your whole system will start to feel the differences.

4) Divvying tasks

In all honesty, our system has a chores part who handles most of our housework. Soft likes it and it works for fluff. However, not every system has a specific headmate who handles or wants to complete domestic tasks. So dividing responsibilities among the willing members of your system can lighten everyone’s workload a bit. You can try making different charts or checklists for different headmates, or include those who want/are able to help out on any sort of chore chart or list you create.

Now, when it comes to getting rid of items… our system is POSIC, and can establish connections and relationships with all sorts of items which can make getting rid of them challenging. Still, this is a necessary part of life. Some things that have more or less worked for us are:

We’re not big minimalists, but we like Marie Kondo’s advice when it comes to getting rid of things to ask yourself: what sparks joy? If an item doesn’t spark joy for yourself or your headmates, consider getting rid of it. We like the idea of thanking the item for its service before letting it go.

We also have one alter who likes to take pictures of things before we get rid of them. Pup then makes little edits of them, pasting little digital stickers, and for us it works as a good way to keep items in our memory without keeping them around physically. This may be weird, but it works for us, so we thought might as well include it.

Also, donating items to thrift stores or charity causes may be easier and more fulfilling than flat-out throwing them away. In this way, you’re parting with items that can still find a good home with someone who could get more use out of it, and not sending a once treasured object off to a landfill.

Goodness, this post got quite long. We’ll go ahead and call it here so it doesn’t get even more carried away. We do hope that something here will be useful for your system. Good luck with keeping your home tidy in the future!

And here is a list of chores that might help you get a feel for how to create your own chore chart:

Kitchen

- Doing dishes

- Wiping countertops

- Scrubbing the sink

- Cleaning out the fridge and/or pantry

- Doing meal prep

Bedroom

- Making the bed

- Doing laundry (step one: gather clothes, step two: wash them, step three: dry them, step four: fold them, step five: put them away)

- Washing and changing out bedsheets

Bathroom

- Scrubbing the toilet

- Scrubbing the sink

- Scrubbing the shower or bathtub

- Washing the mirror

Misc/Any Room

- Sweeping

- Vacuuming

- Dusting

- Mopping

- Washing windows

- Putting away anything that isn’t where it belongs

We hope you and your system can brainstorm to figure out what chores will benefit your home life best. Again, good luck with your endeavors to maintain a clean space going forward!

[senditcolton]

It Will Come Back

a/n: well, my beautiful friend Em (who requested this blurb) did say to hurt her feelings so... here we are! i apologize for nothing. word count: 1.7k warnings: a little bit spicy! does not get all the way to smut, just a very heavy make-out session. gender-neutral!

I know who I am when I’m alone - I’m something else when I see you.

Those ice blue eyes were going to be the death of you. That much you were sure of.

The way they tracked you through the crowd gathering in the living room of Anders house. The depths of them hiding those emotions that you knew only came out in private. Their ability to pin you in place, even if his hands, his body, was no where near you.

If Casey kept looking at you, you knew you weren’t going to make it to the new year.

He was going to be the death of you.

And the worst part… the worse part was that he had already killed a part of you. The part that thought you loved him.

“Hey, are you alright?”

It’s Grace’s voice that pulls you back and you turn to see the concern etched on her face.

“I’m fine.” Your reply is quick, mechanical, the practiced words falling from your lips with ease.

“If you want to leave, no one would blame you,” Grace explains, her hand delicately rubbing your upper arm in comfort. That might have been the worse part of your break-up with Casey. It rough and messy so, of course, everyone knew about it. Dealing with the aftermath alone was difficult enough. Having to face everyone’s sympathy made it that much harder.

“It’s fine, Grace. I knew he was going to be here. If I didn’t think I could handle it, I wouldn’t have come.”

Thankfully, this time Grace accepts your words, shooting you a gentle smile before turning away from you, focusing back on her hosting duties. You heave a sigh, wandering through the crowd of the Lee’s New Year’s Eve party, not entirely sure where you are going but simply wanting an escape.

You locate the staircase that leads to the upper floors, the darkness and quiet from the second floor beckoning you, promising a welcomed reprieve. One which you gladly take.

As you were climbing the stairs, the sounds of the party growing distant and fainter with each step, your mind starts to wonder why you needed this silence, this haven. The answer came as quickly as the question did.

It was because of him. Because of Casey.

You didn’t lie when you said you wouldn’t have come if you didn’t think you could handle it. It was easy to say that when you were in the comfort of your own apartment, alone. You didn’t think about how different it would be when you were around him. The pull he had over you. A part of you swore that you could recognize the sound of his breathing, that you could hear it in your dreams. That you could even hear it now.

It's the brush of fingertips across your shoulder that has you jumping away and spinning. And you realize that you weren’t imagining it. Because Casey was standing in front of you, in the dimly lit hallway, his eyes connected to yours.

“Fuck, Casey, you scared me half to death,” you exclaim, hand raising to your chest to comfort your leaping heart. It doesn’t work because although the fright has subsided, your heart was now doing somersaults at the presence of Casey. The smell of his cologne. The weight of his energy. The sound of his voice.

“You shouldn’t be wandering dark hallways then,” he replies, that casual matter-of-fact tone causing a scoff to fall from you.

“You’re the one sneaking up on someone when their back is turn and I’m at fault here?”

Casey responds to your question with nothing more than a shrug before those eyes are back on you.

“What are you doing up here?”

“I just needed to breathe. Why are you here?”

Casey doesn’t answer immediately, his eyes still locked on you, his gaze moving down your frame and back up, those blue irises connecting with yours once again.

“Seemed like a nice place to relax.”

“My presence was just a happy coincidence then?”

“You really think you’re the reason for my every move?”

“Based on how you have been – are – looking at me, I’d say it’s a pretty good guess.”

There is a small huff of laughter that falls from Casey and you can’t stop the shiver that runs down your spine as you watch that intoxicating smile tug at his lips.

“Always so confident.”

It was dangerous, falling back into this game with him. You should stop feeding it, whatever this animalistic desire was that lingering in between you. That was the smart thing to do. The right thing.

But was there really anyone who always did the ‘right’ thing? And so, you speak again, your voice dipping lower, that sultry tone dripping off the edges of every word.

“You used to like seeing me like this.” The smile on Casey’s face grows and you can see his body language shift, shoulders pulling back and a step taken towards you. Preparing for the dance.

“I did. But I especially loved when you gave all that power to me.”

“That’s never going to happen again.”

“Never is a big word.”

“Look who’s confident now,” you tease. “Well, if you’re so sure you can make me relinquish control…”

You pause, taking those few miniscule steps toward him, closing the gap between the two of you until you are almost flush against his chest. And when you look up to connect your eyes to his, you are so close that you can feel the warmth of his breath on your face. You raise yourself up a little more, leaning in closer until your lips are just barely brushing the shell of his ear.

“…prove it.”

You can sense Casey’s body tense underneath you, a response to your whispered words. You slowly lower yourself down to look at him again, your gaze running over the sharp edge of his now clenched jawline.

The silence that stretches between you is a dare, heavy with the question of who will break first. It stretches on for what feels like a lifetime, although it could’ve easily been only a few seconds. But it was long enough for you to claim the upper hand.

You smirk, your eyebrow raising in triumph and you spin, preparing yourself to wander back down to the party. You should’ve known better. Because before you even take that first step forward, you feel the strong hand and whisper of a gasp escapes as the fingers wrap around your throat. Casey tugs you back to him and you can’t even get a singular syllable out before he crashes his lips on yours.

Whatever words you were about to say dissolve into a moan as you willingly melt into him, accepting his lips and tongue as he deepens the kiss, his own body moving until you find your back pressed against the nearest wall.

As soon as your body makes contact with the solid drywall behind you, another gasp escapes your chest. The noise is what pulls Casey away although he doesn’t go far. The hand that was wrapped around your throat remains as those fucking blue eyes stare down at you.

You know he can feel the thundering of your pulse underneath his hand as the thumb that rested against your jawline begins to move. It follows the edge of your jaw to your chin until the pad of his thumb is pressing against your plush bottom lip. You watch his gaze melt down to your lips and it comes again; that smirk.

The breath that falls is shaky, unsteady and the sound of it shuddering only makes that grin widen. You feel his thumb turn until the dull edge of his fingernail presses into your ski. You feel it drag down; down your lips, your chin, the middle of neck until pausing in the hollow center of your collarbone.

“You could never fool me, sweetheart,” he whispers, the growl in his voice igniting that fire deep within you.

You don’t even attempt to hide your desire, surging up to mee his lips in a passionate kiss again, one which he gladly reciprocates. There is no rational thought in your mind as you feel Casey’s hand pull you off the wall and blindly push you back. You have no idea where he is leading you but you don’t care because you missed this. You missed the feeling of him pressed against you.

It isn’t long until you feel yourself fall back, your body connecting with the soft sheets of a bed and you rip your lips away for a brief moment to register the room around you. Thankfully, Casey wasn’t so desperate to get you alone that you ended up somewhere you shouldn’t be. The room looked to be one of the guest rooms in Grace and Anders house but that was all the information you could gather before Casey is pulling your lips to his again.

The kisses do not cease. Instead, they get deeper and heavier, your bodies rolling against each other, your hands starting to wander. Casey’s hands wander too and you are so lost in the feeling of his weight above you that everything in the world disappears.

Until you feel his fingers brush against the waistband of your jeans. That is when reality snaps back to you and you pull away.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” you breathlessly, lips only centimeters away from his. Your eyes flutter open and find Casey’s. Once your eyes connect, you can see that he understands the deeper meaning behind your words.

It wasn’t that you shouldn’t be doing this; heavily making out in a random room in Anders home. It was that you shouldn’t be doing any of this. You shouldn’t be entertaining the idea of Casey and you together; physically, emotionally. It was a dangerous desperate wild animal, one that should be cast away and left out in the cold.

But here you were, finding warmth in the fire you lit in each other.

“You’re right, we shouldn’t,” Casey replies.

“Then why do we always find ourselves here?”

Casey’s lips twist again but this time it’s not that smirk that makes you weak in the knees. No, it’s that smile that makes your heart ache – one that makes you wish it could all be simpler. The silence continues to stretch until Casey moves again, one hand coming up to brush a singular strand of hair away from your forehead before he speaks again.

“Because you’re just too easy to need.”

[brosser-les-dents]

hello, the anon learning to floss again, i saw you mention your own water flosser, and now im curious. i may be able to afford one at the moment, though whether i buy now or wait is a different story. anyway, since im considering it, do you have a post about water flossers? i mainly want to know how comfortable they are, how long they last, and any other information you have

I've had my water flosser for about 10 years. I haven't used it every single day since I got it. There were spans here and there where I couldn't bc I have one of those big tank ones and it took up too much room and I had to share a bathroom with several people. So I'll say I've used it a conservative 5 years. Still going strong.

I've mentioned the water flosser here and there. But here's a whole info dump about it. You can get hand held ones where the handle is the tank of water, but I have the one where the tank is stationary and the wand is connected to the tank. So depending how much room you have, that'll prob dictate which you get. Since it's been so long since I bought mine, I don't really have a sense of how much they are now.

I love my water flosser, I originally had to get it because I had braces and it got extremely difficult to floss my back molars. And now I still use it because it feels really nice on the gums. Little bit like a massage. And it's a nice gentle way of flossing that is way more comfortable than string floss. Might help also if you have not flossed in a long time and have any inflammation and bleeding.

I use it every morning after breakfast and coffee/tea and string floss at night. I also add fluoride mouth wash to it. About 1 part mouthwash, 2 parts water.

I've heard it's almost as effective as string floss as long as you use it properly (Angle it toward the gum line and follow along the gum line). It can get messy, the trick is to stick it in your mouth, kinda close your mouth, and then turn it on. It just take a little bit of practice, like all things.

That's about all I can think of for now. As usual, ask if you have any other questions!

And remember to brush and floss, everyone!

[corignem]

kissing your enemy while holding them at knife point. // @unheald ( elijah )

of course he was here. of course elijah couldn't take the fucking hint and actually back off. of course he couldn't give sebastian the time and space he'd needed. things had gotten... messy. entangled. and no amount of telling himself it was okay, no amount of conversations with hugo about how working together could be beneficial actually seemed to help. because every time he was around elijah, it was like all logical thought went out the window. desires took over. he couldn't focus and it was starting to get to him.

so he'd needed space. needed to put a bit of distance between them until he got his head sorted. which of course, meant he'd thrown himself into more work than ever before and--

and apparently that also meant losing himself a little. it meant becoming a different kind of distract. the dangerous kind that led him to there here and now. that led him to fighting for his life, relishing the energy of it all, but also knowing that for once, he might actually be outnumbered.

he isn't even truly aware that he'd projected so much through their connection until elijah is there with him, his own weapon in his hand, fighting alongside him.

and when it's over, sebastian is furious. he's angry and he's heated and he can't seem to bring it back down again. can't seem to switch off. which is why he ends up in elijah's face. harsh. spitting venom.

it's why, no doubt, he ends up backed against the nearest wall-- heart pounding against his chest. elijah pressing his knife to his neck. enough to draw the smallest amount of blood, but nowhere near enough to do any real damage. it's grounding, but what's more grounding is the way he kisses him. it's rough and biting and it has sebastian weak and whining against him. fighting back. kissing him hard, moaning into his mouth-- hand finding his hair after he'd tucked his own knife away.

and he hates it. he fucking hates how easy it is-- how elijah just knows him, knows what he needs, how to switch his brain off and get him to shut down in the best kind of way. he hates it, but he can't get enough of it. and it's shown in the way he kisses him back, even lifts forward, pressing into the knife with a little grin between them.

"fuck you--"

[myteavsricochet]

hi! tzp thoughts anon here. after reading your (and other's) response on my previous post, i kinda wanted to add more to the discussion.

first of all, i forgot to mention this previously but i absolutely agree with what you said about how tzp easily slips into model-mode despite being so nervous about these events, especially since it's his first time attending such. and i admire that about him so much. like it's so obvious to us that he's kinda anxious but the moment he has to pose in front of the camera, all that anxiety just seems to disappear from him.

the main point i wanted to share though is that with all these discussions about tzp and fashion, i kinda want him to have a career like zendaya's. i want him to be known both as an actor AND as a fashion icon. i want him to show up to his future projects' premieres and red carpets in the most iconic and memorable outfits, just like zendaya did in dune's press tour. i know he's already somewhat making a name in the fashion scene too, but i just want him to be even more known in it, while also being acknowledged as a big name (soon, hopefully) in the acting world. i just want him to grab the attention of everybody.

and finally, all these are simply hopes, wishes, and manifestations i have for him. he obviously does not need to be doing all that if he doesn't feel like it. and i would also understand if it may be too big of a dream considering how tight and competitive the entertainment industry is and how he may not get the same opportunities as others. however, i also firmly believe that these are not impossible, especially knowing how hardworking tzp is. i really just wish him the best always, and i hope he always feels happy, satisfied, and comfortable in anything he does. 🤍

with that being said, i guess it wouldn't be a reach to say that he may be invited to the met gala, no?

(this post became so long and messy again lol sorry bout that!)

Hello lovely anon, thanks again for these asks on tzp, always so much appreciated.

Again, I share every word with you and I can understand where your thoughts are coming from that he might be closer to Zendaya's path. Obviously better specify that we are not comparing the two of them at this moment, we know that Zendaya is at a completely different stage in her career but I don't see it as absolutely impossible that over time he too will strongly combine both fashion and acting and will be able to make fashion a its strong hallmark exactly like her.

In some ways he is already doing it. It's absolutely not a given to arrive on a red carpet like the one of the Oscars and have everyone talk so much about his outfit despite so many celebrities even more famous than him being present. Or all the attention he got at the Sags.

I also think that he is wearing such sober outfits not because he doesn't know how to dare more (between fw and photoshoot we have seen that he can do it) but because he really wants to do things slowly and there is really a lot of work behind it with Jason in hit every event with the right fit. Making himself noticed, but without seeming to want to outclass others.

They know perfectly well what they are doing from that point of view too so I think over time, when the boy finally gets his chance to be on a red carpet for a premiere for one of his films he will do really great things.

About the met: I think between his connection with Anna Wintour (she's known him for a while and literally invited him to her Vogue event... Do people know how huge this thing is?) and all the fashion and big awards events in which he participated I think the invitation is practically certain. I don't know if he feels ready though 🤣, we'll see 🤞🏻

[messybrained]

I very rarely make posts because 1) I'm terrified of people and 2) I'm just a wee bit private, I don't have too much to say. I think I just needed to speak this out into the void, be a bit vulnerable and imagine connecting with other weirdos like me.

I have undiagnosed, and unmedicated adult ADHD. Honestly, it's one of my favourite things about myself - I'm eager, I'm funny, I find everyday things really exciting. I'm quick to strike up a conversation with people, I love hearing about what they do because I can find interest in just about everything. I love the experience of living with such a messy brain (lol, there's a point to the username).

But somedays, like today, I'm experiencing the suckier side. The side that rears it's head when you've somehow wormed your way in to a very high-pressure, very repetitive and boring, very *neurotypical* job. I'm not sure how I got here, but man, a pay above minimum wage was mint enough for me to try. So by some stroke of fate and perhaps lapse of my employers judgement, I'm in a job that pays bloody well but my God it hurts my brain so badly. I could cope, I think, if it weren't for the social agony this has caused.

My boss is quick to criticise my work, and because I'm in such a high performing team, work that I am busting my ass to make adequate isn't good enough. She's told me "you're doing a good job, we just need to make you great!". I get the job done, but it might be a day later. There might be a small mistake every once in a while. I might have to ask questions about something you've told me before. It's led to me being put on an HR mandated performance improvement plan. I think I would be doing better if I wasn't under constant surveillance, as part of this means that my boss has asked to be bcc'd into all my emails to keep track of my work.

I did warn people about the issues I have when I was hired 10 months ago, so they were aware. I've tried to be as open in my communications as possible to everyone and say "hey, real sorry for this, here's what I'll do next time to make it better".

And yet, people have started ostracising me in those little ways they do when they're wanting to push you out. They've become really annoyed with me and started doing small things, like telling you last minute that the meeting has changed rooms. Speaking to me differently as if I wasn't able to comprehend basic instructions. But it's grown to leaving the office at the end of the day, turning the lights off, and not saying goodbye while I'm still there, now a little confused and a bit lonely sitting in a dark room. They make jokes out loud in an open plan office and subtly ignoring my contributions. It's not outright to anyone else looking in, but given that I don't do those things to people, even if I dislike them, I find it hard not to take offence.

It feels like primary school all over again. High school was a little different, I was able to be more me. But this is soul sucking. I woke up this morning about to cry because I didn't want to go in, and had a vivid memory of 7 year old messybrain breaking down in tears, screaming and kicking and refusing to go to school. The echoes of that so neatly fit into the wavelengths of what I was feeling this morning.

This is only my second fulltime job, I'm very new on the scene. But my first was not at all like this. I maybe would have stayed longer if the pay were as good as this one. I had a community and it made all the difference. Once a job was done, it was done until a year's time when it came around again.

I guess I'm just feeling sad and rejected. This is not the place for me and I need to find a kinder tide. There is hope. There really is, if I've found community once I can do it again. I refuse to let this dim my spark.

But for now, I'm a little melancholy, a little broke due to debt, and a little tired and in need of a soft place to curl into. And a few moments scrolling on this cursed website to remind me that there are other wonderful weirdos out there like me.

I hope everyone who reads this knows that you are already worthy of love and belonging just as you are. You don't have to hustle for it. And it's okay if we want to curl into a soft place for a bit and feel sad and down. I'm right there with you. There are other people like us out there. There's space for us in this beautiful world. You matter and I'm glad you're here.

[neurodecadence]

hmm. prime numbers be upon ye

Emily I value you as a friend, but this is evil. I am just a poor sleepy dame and you want me to do maths? to find Prime Numbers? how dare you.

Anyway, let's do it.

2. Do you like to use the term queer for yourself? Or just LGBT, etc? Love queer as a term, adore it. My whole... deal is messy and not easy to discern and being able to say "ehhh you know that whole thing" is nice and easy.

3. Which pronouns do you use? So it's complicated a bit thanks to plurality (we have slightly different pronoun sets), but the shortest answer is "It/It's* for strangers and new people, It/She for friends and closer people". If I ever use She referring to myself, it's specifically one part referring to the other. *(yes I know the apostrophe is grammatically incorrect but the grammar was not written with the idea of it as a person pronoun in mind, so suck it, I am keeping it)

5. Are you "out" publicly? I mean I'm a six foot tall, broad shouldered entity in a wheelchair when I go out, who gave up on voice training because it's too much effort. I don't exactly have much choice BUT to be out, which is fine. I get a lot of kids being curious and I think that's sweet, when they look at me and are trying to process a LOT of thoughts all at once.

7. Are you the "token" queer person in your family? I don't have much of a family tbh. That's not just and edgy statement, my biological familia consists of me and my mother, every other person who shares my bloodline is not welcome near me ever again. I'm glad I don't have contact with them tbh, because I know I WOULD have been a token queer to a few of my family members, and I don't wanna be used like that.

11. Favorite (or just one you love) piece of LGBT media? Shiiiit, hard to narrow it down to one, you know. I might have to give it to The Last Girl Scout, by local tumblr legend Natalie Ironside. It's a story about queer love and building something beautiful in the ashes of the old, about healing, really healing, from trauma and pain, it's about connections and learning who you are through others. It's also about shooting fascists, a cool polish vampire, and communist political arguments. It's a good read, changed my life.

13. Do you choose to reclaim slurs, why or why not? I do it, but it's sorta tricky to express why. It's partly for the same reason I prefer It as a pronoun, it's about taking assumed power. What I mean is, as a visibly trans person, people are always playing the pronoun guessing game before I talk to them, running those guess and assumptions and deciding what they'll use at me. By using "It" as the preferred pronoun, there's a part of stealing that back, a bit of "you cannot have guessed that, and also if you intended to use that to misgender me, oooooh too bad bitch". In the same regard, calling myself a slur feel like taking power out of people's hands. Hands that may seek to wield it against me. I have faced institutional transphobia more than once, but it was always simple chafing microaggressions stacks atop one another. By saying out loud "yeah I'm a fuckin' tranny, what're you gonna do about it", it's like bringing a KS-23 4 Gauge Shotgun to a watergun fight (that's a very big gun by the by). Maybe I've overthought it a bit, and I'll admit, I don't make people in public use It pronouns for me because I don't really get out much (also a Pin for that might save some time), but that's my thinking on the topic.

17. Have you ever attended Pride in a big city/ large metro area? I really do not get out a lot. Also I forget that Pride month is february in Aotearoa and by the time I remember the parade happened weeks ago. So that's on me.

19. Do you feel safe and accepted in your local community? Pretty damn safe tbh. Folks around here practice the stance of "ain't gonna let that ruin my day". Doesn't hurt it's on the edge of a Uni district, lots of 20 somethings doing weird cool stuff. The only times I've dealt with problems have been petty bureaucrats with a lick of power exerting it at me. Then I go holler at higher ups and make their life a living hell. I'd feel bad, but maybe don't misgender me seventeen times in two minutes and verbally attack me on at 9pm on a monday night.

23. Do you prefer loud parties or quiet? Yeah I really don't get out a lot, and especially not enough to go to parties. Still I like a quiet gathering, if it's on the table. Everyone brings some food, there's music playing, no expectations but to be yourself. That kinda vibes.

29. Are you currently partnered, or if not are you interested in having partner(s)? I have two lovely partners, and I adore them to the end of the world and back. I'm not actively seeking any more romantic attachments, but I'm also not saying it's off the table (fate has a funny way with these things). My only problem atm is my dear partners are aaaaaall the way on the west coast of the USA, and I'm down here in kiwi-land. I'm not saying the distance isn't worth it, but I am saying I would like some more hugs in my future. Or sex. That'd be cool too.

31. Post a pic in your pride gear (or it can just be a selfie or anything else lgbt):

Have an image of this beast.

Okay that's everything, done, complete, kaput, finito. This is simply way too many words about myself but I can't NOT complete this order, especially since it's from cool pal Emily. If you read this far, please send me wishes that I get a good nights sleep at some point in June, I feel like I'm going nuts.

Well, Nuts-er, I mean.