#honestly my health is SO MUCH better the past couple years than it has been since i was probably 12

[shopwitchvamp]

I wanted to add a gentle reminder/explanation beneath this harsh one, haha. This is at no one in particular but just anyone that might wonder about these things:

I know it's frustrating when a design someone really wants is sold out, your size isn't available, or a different version of something you really like doesn't exist yet- but please keep in mind that we're a tiny 2 person business operating out of our apartment🙏

We don't have the space or the funds it'd take to keep everything in stock all the time (I'd have to do the math on it but as a very simplified example, let's say I have about 100 designs at 4 sizes each and want to have at least 10 pieces on hand in each size.. that'd mean needing to be able to store 4,000 pieces of clothing and just to be able to order them in the first place I'd need well over $100k liquid cash on hand 😱😵‍💫🫥).

This whole time I've built my business up one step at a time without ever taking loans, and I plan to keep going slowly and steadily and not trying to make any sudden leaps to scale 20 levels up like taking out a huge loan and renting a warehouse and buying a larger vehicle to be able to transport all that stuff and needing to hire employees to keep up with it all and.. etc, etc *tries not to have an anxiety meltdown just thinking about it*

I realize I operate in a way and on a timeline that isn't very compatible with the speed everything moves at these days, or with how business is often done in the US, or to be able to meet the expectations people have of "online shopping" in general. But overall it's really working for me, and I don't even know if I want my business to end up as big as it *could* be if I let things just barrel down the road totally uncontrolled.

I hope everyone can understand where I'm coming from and that I'm doing my best! There's also always a lot going on behind the scenes that isn't at all apparent from just looking at the shop or seeing a couple posts on social media. Things are growing and improving all the time, but it will take time ☺️

[mshalfemptygirl]

Cupid (S.R)

Plot: Our favorite Doutor confess feels to his best friend also co-worker, Y/N.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x BAUFem!Reader

Contents: Really quicky mention to drinks, cases, makeout but fluffy for sure.

A/N: hello readers, I disappeared for a year because of work and college and a serious health problem but I'm better than ever and coming back to writing has brought me back to life. I hope you like her because she's cute, a couple from a romance movie basically, so like and share if you like it.

"Alright, Spence. What are your thoughts on the woman over there in the dark green dress? She looks elegant, charming, and quite attractive. She might even share an interest in the books you enjoy, don’t you think? What’s your take?" I gestured toward the woman who had just taken a seat at the bar, alone. I was on a mission to play matchmaker for Spencer. Although he hadn’t asked for my help, I thought it would be useful to offer a female perspective. Spencer’s inherent shyness meant he needed substantial guidance in social situations, especially when it came to women.

The ambiance was pleasant. We were seated at a table near the main entrance. Given that it was Thursday, the bar was relatively quiet, but it was the only day we both had free to unwind after a grueling series of cases in New York. Honestly, I’m not sure what’s been happening this past month, but I’ve reviewed so much material that when I close my eyes, I still see the words on the pages. And Spence? The poor guy has never analyzed so many maps in his life. I thought this break was well-deserved, and he certainly deserved a chance to spend time with someone special. Well, both of us could use a moment with someone, but I’m on a cupid’s mission and need to stay focused—no distractions, no more than three drinks.

"She’s attractive, but I’m not fond of blondes, and she seems a bit too tall for my taste. I don’t think it would work out," he replied. I frowned and looked at him with disbelief. This was the fifth woman he had dismissed that evening, and his options were rapidly dwindling. I downed my beer in one gulp and stared him down, hoping to make him realize it was now or never. "Spence, you don’t need to be so selective. I understand it’s challenging for you, but you’re only looking for someone to kiss. I’d love to kiss that girl! She’s stunning. Just approach her, buy her a drink, and then kiss her. Go on, now," I urged impatiently. He needed to make the first move.

"I understand, Y/N. She’s attractive, but I don’t want to kiss her, that’s all," he said, turning back to the bar and taking a sip of his whiskey. I knew him well enough to sense he was hiding something. This was a significant step for him, and despite our discussions about taking a break, he seemed reluctant to pursue it. Ugh, he could be so stubborn.

"I know there’s more to it, love. Are you feeling overwhelmed? Am I being too pushy, is that it? I’m sorry if I’m a bad cupid. I’ll stop. Look, I’m waving the white flag—peace," I said, grabbing a napkin and waving it theatrically. I flashed a grin, and he chuckled. It was always like this: he was the serious one, and I was the humorous one. He loved books, and I adored movies. He was the little angel, and I was the little devil. "Very amusing, but I swear, I have nothing to hide from you," he assured me.

"Spencer..." I gave him my best puppy-dog eyes. He looked uncomfortable, but he started to speak anyway, with a hint of resignation in his voice. "Well, there’s this girl I’ve developed feelings for... she’s incredibly nice and fun. When she talks to me, I can’t think of anything else. I’m not sure how to articulate my feelings, but I don’t want to kiss anyone else. She’s everything to me now." I was overjoyed and exhilarated. I’d never seen Spence so in love before, and now he had someone special in his life. Of course, I felt a twinge of jealousy, but I was also genuinely happy for him. This was a delightful surprise.

"Spencer Walter Reid!! Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?! Did you—" I exclaimed, relieved that the bar was mostly empty. His face flushed red as he tried to cover my mouth with his hand. "Y/N, please don’t shout!!! I didn’t know sooner, I didn’t realize it until now..." he explained. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my excitement. "Alright... you need to go talk to her right now and give her a proper kiss! I’ll handle things here. Just go for it!"

He looked at me wide-eyed, his hands on my shoulders. "You really think so? Are you sure?" I snorted. "Absolutely, go now." And that’s when he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as if steeling himself for what he was about to do. His fingers gently gripped the back of my neck, his touch both tender and urgent. He leaned in, and I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin before our lips finally met. I was stunned, my body tensed, and my eyes remained open for a moment, but his lips were so soft that I quickly surrendered to the kiss. Our lips moved together in sync, and I felt a profound connection. He wasn’t as shy as I’d thought—he had a way with words and was incredibly sweet. I couldn’t explain it, but he was perfect. Suddenly, I found myself bewitched by the very arrow of Cupid I had sent forth.

As we broke away from the kiss, I gazed at him, utterly bewildered, my heart racing with every beat. "Spence, what was that? You just..." I asked, my voice trembling with genuine confusion. He looked at me with an expression that blended sincerity and vulnerability before responding in a tone that was soft yet deeply meaningful: "Well, the truth is, the woman I’ve been admiring all along is you. I’m sorry if this comes as a shock, but you asked me to act, so I did."

I was momentarily stunned, a whirlwind of emotions overtaking me. How could I have been so blind not to notice this sooner? I opened my mouth for the first time in minutes to speak my heart. "Spence, there's no need to apologize. I'm just... surprised! That was really something," I said, still trying to wrap my head around the moment. I paused, letting it all sink in. "So, does this count as our first date, or would you rather have a more traditional one?" I asked with an amused tone, trying to ease the tension that had built between us, feeling a bit uncertain about what came next.

"Oh, I definitely want another date. How about I take you out for dinner, and you wear that dark blue dress you had on at Rossi’s? I love the way it looks on you," he said, his words making a warm sensation spread through me. "You’re so sweet, Spence. I hadn’t really noticed it before. If I’d known you kissed like that..." I replied with a laugh, hugging him tightly. "And you can bet I’ll wear the dress if it makes you happy." With a gentle caress on my face, I brushed his bangs off his forehead, feeling a bit strange about kissing one of my best friends, but I was glad he had the courage to confess something so significant.

I looked at his face again and could see him a bit embarrassed by the events of the night that had unfolded in a public place. It wasn’t something he had planned, and he likes to plan things. "Y/N, may I kiss you a little longer?" he asked, his eyes searching mine for permission. Instead of answering, I pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss, savoring the moment.

Talk to me

Spencer Reid Masterlist

A/N: let me know if you want me to tag you

[taffywabbit]

it feels weird to finally get a year where I get to say this but I think maybe 2024 actually WAS my year. hopefully not the last, but it really feels like the first, at least in a long time. I was stagnant and static and drifting without much momentum in any direction for quite a while, and then suddenly this year:

I finally moved into a solo apartment and am no longer living in a house with an ever-shifting pool of like 5 roommates. having my own quiet comfy space to cook and relax and be nocturnal without bothering anyone has been HUGE for my mental health

I worked very hard to recoup the money I lost from that move and got myself in a fairly stable and comfortable position again, work-wise

I finally started HRT in June, after about 5 years of waiting/struggling to find a doctor/fear/general motivation issues. which absolutely kicks ass and is probably the highlight of the whole year if I had to pick just one

I also finally got diagnosed with ADHD and (with a little trial and error) got medicated for it, which is another thing I've been trying to sort out for like 6 years. hey did you know executive dysfunction and problems with memory/task management/motivation make it really hard to go through the process of getting treated for the cause of those symptoms? wild huh

I rekindled a much closer relationship with a couple of my younger siblings, especially the elder of my two sisters, and we have really nice chats fairly regularly now (crazy considering we did nothing but fight constantly for like 20 years lol)

I came out fully to my family, for better or worse, and MOST of them have been surprisingly chill and supportive about it

I worked on a little game project with a friend for a couple months! it didn't end up working out but I learned a lot from the experience

I started doing WAY more personal art and kinda rediscovered my passion for it, and as a result I've progressed a lot stylistically and technically within the past few months

I beat Pseudoregalia 94 times since the first time I tried it in February. not really an achievement on the same level as all this other stuff but I'm still proud of it

like idk! there were a lot of rough patches this year and I was honestly pretty burnt out for the first half of it, but 2024 still feels like the year where I bundled up all my frustration about going nowhere with my life and achieving none of my goals and turned it into fuel to just blaze through a bunch of stuff in the back half. I wish I'd done a lot of it sooner, but life has been reminding me a lot lately that it really IS better late than never, so I'm trying to keep that perspective in mind and not let the idea of a ticking clock intimidate me like it used to. I am trying to be optimistic that 2025 will allow me to continue this momentum. we'll see I guess!

idk if I really have any resolutions per se? I guess I'd really like to make music more often in 2025, even if it's just small things I do in one or two sittings occasionally instead of full songs. I started writing a song this year, with lyrics and everything, and then didn't finish putting it together, so at the very least I'd like to make THAT happen soon. I think finding a way to get myself back into animation casually would be neat too - I have a lot of mental hangups and personal roadblocks holding me back, largely from my awful college experience, but I think if I can just find some tools that are comfortable for me then I'll be able to conquer those and hopefully start enjoying it again on my own terms. there's other stuff I'd like to pick up this year as well but honestly I'm keeping my expectations small for now and we'll just see what happens! let's do it, wahoo

[homosociallyyours]

This is a post for one of my best friends who's been going through a lot for the past few years. I'll go into more details below, but here's the heart of the matter: My friend has a serious auto-immune condition resulting from the long term after effects of cancer treatments (worsened now by the addition of long COVID to her long list of diagnoses). Over the past few years, she's gotten sicker and sicker and has been forced to change her diet from a vegetarian anti-cancer diet (she's a breast cancer survivor, and fought HARD for her health) to one that's become more and more limited as her body becomes allergic to every food one by one. She's now reached a point where one of the last 2 foods that she was able to eat safely, chicken, is causing an allergic reaction; she has to eat it anyway to survive, so is now very sick all the time.

What can you do?

One of the last hopes that she has to turn things around is something called a fecal microbiome transplant, which has worked miracles for other people with similar issues, but cannot currently be accessed through medical channels in the US for any but one (unrelated) condition. It's really easy to do as a DIY treatment though, it's just hard to find a donor: so we are putting it out there to see if one of you might be able and willing to be that person, or know someone who could do it.

Here is what she has to say about the ask:

Finding the right person to do this is difficult, but actually doing the helping is extremely easy and quick if someone was that person! If you live in the continental US and are fortunate enough to have both physical and mental good health (or know someone or have a child who fit the criteria) and are willing, you might be able to change my life! Please consider clicking through to read more and maybe even come aboard...  (For clarity: this isn't a medical procedure or anything, it is literally just donating poop, there are a few specifics but it is very much from the comfort of your home on your own time.)

You can click here to fill out a google form to see if you might be able to be a donor. The questionaire is detailed: fecal transplant is a bizarre and magical thing in which the patient sometimes can even end up acquiring personal preferences from the donor- the gut microbiome (sometimes called the second brain) is incredible! But this means that any illness, chronic issues, or risk factors you carry may also be transferred to the recipient so while it may feel invasive, getting detailed info in very necessary; I am just too sick already to take on any more problems.

A note- yes, it is possible to buy screened and processed treatments even in the US: unfortunately the cost (~$2k per round of treatment) is way outside my reach, particularly given that it isn't really any better than just getting poop directly from a good candidate (proven via studies), and that often it takes trying a couple donors/ rounds to find a match that gets results. If anyone wants to just buy me that stuff, I sure wouldn't say no to that, but given the severity of my situation (medical and financial; I cannot work due to disability) it is likely I will need to do medical fundraising at some point and I am trying to save that for an even worse point. Also if you have that kind of money to help out honestly it would be better spent on specialists or my astronomical food costs. I will cover all costs associated with this process if I find someone though, of course!

Thank you for reading/boosting/etc, please consider sending the link to possible healthy friends or family who might be a fit, or consider whether you have a child fitting the bill you might be willing to enlist- young microbiomes are the best ones, as children's systems have had less time to be ravaged by the effects of the modern world or the simple deterioration of age.

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Hi BeautifullyObsessed,

Having heard the recent news regarding RDJ and who he's going to be play in the MCU in what I am assuming is future films( Avengers???), I guess, I must admit to being beyond infuriated with the MCU at this point. Don't get me wrong, I ADORE RDJ, but why in the HELL does he get play a whole new character, whether said character be a variant/from another universe/whatever, yet Rachel McAdams, who I also adore immensely and utterly despise how Marvel has treated her(ex. attempting to throw away/disgard palmerstrange and Christine like nothing), can't be Clea/ a Christine variant that is Clea? Yet, RDJ gets to do essentially that himself. Why? What's the difference? If he can do so, shouldn't Rachel be able to be a vastly different character as well? It's just so unfair, not to mention makes zero sense to me whatsoever how one person gets to do something, yet someone else doesn't get to do essentially the exact same thing :@ Not the mention, they would have had me automatically invested in that ship had they allowed Rachel to play the character. I seriously loved the idea of her in that role, waaaaaaayyyyyyyyy more than I will ever like the idea of CT in the role( not at all fan of that casting personally).

Thanks for taking the time to give your thoughts xx!

Honestly, when you put the question as you have, Nonny, the first response that came to mind is that there's some not so subtle misogyny at play here (the same sort of misogyny that enabled the Russos to dismiss Natasha Romanoff as being of no future value to the franchise beyond 'Endgame'). Coupled with Feige/Marvel/Disney being both desperate and greedy for a way to return the MCU to its former glory.

RDJ's Ironman was the initial foundation stone of the MCU and remains a huge fan favorite five years after his death. So, of course, his return to Marvel in any form is going to fill theatre seats that have gone vacant in the past several years with films that have well under performed those of the MCU's glory days. That's gotta be a huge win for the financial health and popularity of the franchise. And as for Downey Jr, well, he doesn't need the work in particular, but consider first how playing Tony Stark revitalized his career and gave him a cadre of Actors that became as family to him; who wouldn’t want to work with those folks again? Second, he really treasured being Stark, he was the perfect embodiment of Stark, and he must surely expect the same fulfilling experience as Doom. I wish him all good things--while I hope like hell that Doom turns out to be a Variant of Stark; there's so much fantastic story potential (including adversarial interaction with my man Stephen) they'd be throwing away to not have it so!

But Rachel, though--she's been treated shamefully, and like an afterthought, despite the incredible onscreen chemistry she shared with Benedict. And in 'Multiverse of Madness', 616 Christine got the same brusque treatment courtesy of Waldr🤢n and his enablers Feige & Raimi. First, they put words in her mouth that denied her canon feelings for Stephen--'couldn't love you...', wtf!!!...

...then the last shot we got of her, she was irritated while watching Stephen try to save the city from a Monster, as though he was doing it to interrupt her wedding! You can bet your sweet bippy she would've been treated far better if Scott Derrickson had been at the helm (as would Stephen). But based on 838 Christine,

I would have whole-heartedly embraced Clea as a Christine Variant.

I've said as much about a dozen times. Clea is so much more than a badass queen in the comics. She is not only Stephen's student but fully comfortable in her femininity. Unafraid to be soft despite her toughness and the battles she has had to wage in the Dark Dimension. Frankly, the perfect feminine foil to Stephen's delicious brand of masculinity [my knees go briefly weak at the thought of him🥰❤️‍🔥🥰]. They are true Yin/Yang.

Again, the story potential would've been awesome. Imagine Stephen shocked to encounter a Christine so different than either one he knew. A tough, battle-hardened, brusque, even impatient woman, not at all like the Christine he loved. He doesn't even like this Clea--until he glimpses hints of unexpected yet familiar compassion and softness, which draw him in. Ugh. As a storyteller myself, the waste pisses me off.

Academy Award winner she may be, but what I saw in Charlize's brief appearance as Clea showed me that either Feige/Marvel/Disney doesn't get Clea's beautiful duality or they simply don't care. And surely didn't provide CT with any indication that Clea is way more complex than Badass Woman--and that Stephen DESERVES that so much more in his future wife and partner in the Mystic Arts.

Maybe it's just my perception, but replacing Rachel as they did (and it was very last minute I recall, in December 2021, near the end of photography; they created Charlize's makeup & costume design pretty much on the fly in like 48 hours), feels like they said 'Thanks Rachel, you've been swell, but the foundation we built with you isn't necessary anymore, we got us a statuesque, super duper A++Lister. Ta ta, kiddo.' Which infuriates me.

So yeah, in the end, I'm thinking the reason Rachel isn't playing Clea while RDJ is playing Doom? GREED AND MISOGYNY. And after how abused Stephen was in DS II (ie: ignoring his whole experience in living out 14 freaking million timelines and barely letting him mention Donna's death, the most formative experience of his young life), I'm not even looking forward to DS III (unless Benedict gets significant input, especially in story/writing, as he's said more than once that he wrote things for MoM & No Way Home). Charlize's Clea (thus far) doesn't bode well for what I would have loved to see in Cleaphen.

[sassymajesty]

may I ask what made you pick judaism, if it's not too personal & you're willing to share? i legit dont know enough about religions so i'm genuinely curious. like why not islam or something else? or why not transfer to protestant or orthodox church? you said you did some wandering, so i'm just curious what made you pick judaism over everything else. like i said i'm not judging or anything, just pure curiosity due to my lack of knowledge! but i'm glad you found something that resonates with you :)

short answer, jewish beliefs resonated the most with me and the more i learn about it, the more at home i feel

long answer, oh boy, i really did do some wandering. i'm putting it under a cut because i wrote a whole essay

i stopped going to the catholic church when i was 15, and the next... ten years? were spent trying to find myself. because i've always known that i believe in something more, but the idea of an old guy in the sky ruling over us with an iron fist felt very odd too me. and that's how i came out of the catholic church

my dad used to say that religion is supposed to bring you comfort and give you the support you need in tough times. that's something that has always stuck with me but then, which religion?

i tried the agnostic route for a while, but that didn't bring me any comfort. then i went to a buddhist temple a couple times, because the logic was sound to me, and i was at a time in my life where acceptance and kindness was what i needed. but still, i felt like there was something lacking

i googled a lot

being gay, i didn't quite vibe with most christian denominations in my town. but my cousin invited me to the presbyterian church and i went there for a few months. it kinda worked for a bit, because i was sure i didn't believe in saints and they talked about jesus with so much love, and tried to spread the love he taught the world. i used to leave the church service feeling very loved, and it was better to read from the bible than it was to just listen to the priest read it and being told that i'd never understand it myself

i just... didn't feel the same love as everyone else. i felt like a fraud even when i was annotating my bible as everyone else. theirs were full of devotion and mine felt flat, i didn't know how to pray without, you know, scripted prayers, i felt like an impostor. then, well. then it got to a point where i couldn't simply ignore being gay for the sake of being accepted there, and i stopped going

at the time, i was working at a health clinic and i worked with pious people from other christian denominations and they were so judgemental of everyone that came in, forgetting their own past and still claiming to be a good christian. which only pushed me away from any other christian denominations, the fanon interpretation of jesus bothered me too. it all felt too restrictive

that's around the time i started wondering whether or not i believed in jesus. it's always been complicated for me to make sense that god, jesus and the holy spirit are separate but still one. i could kinda figure out the holy spirit and god working together, but for me, jesus was a man, a human man who had been kind and drastically radical for his time, but still a man

honestly, at this time i was pretty lost and finding comfort in bits and pieces here and there. christian music actually helped me a lot during this time, go figure

it took me actually meeting a jewish person (that's how small judaism is in here, i had no contact of anyone jewish for 26 years of my life) for me to learn that you could even convert to judaism

i had the catholic thinking of "oh, judaism is an old religion that doesn't really exist anymore" and "the old testament god was barbaric", but getting to learn more about it with fresh eyes was a really breathtaking experience

i like that the rules make sense. there's no "because the church says so" or "because god will be sad if you do it". whatever argument you can think of, someone has gone over it at least a thousand years ago and have had people arguing for or against it ever since. i love it that you get to ask questions!!! you're encouraged to!! oh that's my favorite part, i can have doubts about whatever and no one will talk behind my back that i'm not a good catholic girl. and i get to learn about this practice that goes back thousands of years, and not to be a nerd, but i love how much incentive there is to read and learn and discuss and talk through things and question everything and think critically about every passage, every tradition, every book ever written on judaism

i'm reading "here all along" by sarah hurwitz and there's a chapter called "freeing god from "his" human-shaped cage in the sky" and in it, she talks about different conceptions about god that jewish people believe in. and that is when i realized oh yes, this is home. because god stopped being an old guy in the sky and became this force that no human being could ever describe or understand. god can be all knowing and all powerful, but they can also be all knowing and not all powerful. they can be everything — a shadow the tree casts, the good in humanity, resting on shabbat. god can be the "process of being" or the force that pushes you to be the best you can be. i haven't explored a fraction of those but i love it that i don't have to choose just one, and i don't have to believe in one version that's dictated to me

all my experiences with judaism have been incredible so far. i used to slog through an hour long mass, now two hours every friday feel like not enough. the community i found (both in the synagogue i go to and online) is very welcoming and there's so much strength in them. the more i learn about the practices, the why behind them, the more at home i feel

we had an event for people who want to convert and we talked about being gay and judaism and everyone was pretty much you just gotta find a rabbi that you're comfortable with but even the most conservative ones are mostly chill with it, and the conversation moved on to another question. and that? being accepted fully by who i am, that's incredible for me. i don't have to change, i don't have to force myself to believe in anything

i'm gonna end this here, otherwise i'll be talking about judaism until next week

[leaves-and-inks]

A Study of Werewolves

Hi everyone! Long time no see… Things have been interesting for me. School, life, health; it’s been a perfect storm of stuff happening. With everything going on in the past… year, honestly, I’ve had very little time, energy, or motivation to keep up with everything, much less my personal art (other than doodles here and there). Thankfully, I have a bit of a backlog to work with, it’s just a matter of getting everything formatted and ready to go. Things in my life are also beginning to slow down a bit as well, which I’m thankful for (but I don’t want to jinx anything!)

It’s always halloween in my heart so here’s a sketch page I did on werewolves!! I drew this piece back in July while I feel I can do better now (esp. with the background), but I remember having a lot of fun making and experimenting with this page! This werewolf design is one I'm tweaking for a modern fantasy story of mine; i'm getting there with it, but I've had some ideas regarding the lore that I've yet to implement more clearly in the design itself. Anywho, I hope y’all are having a great weekend! If you got this far in the caption, what’s your favorite tea? I’ve been enjoying a cranberry apple one lately myself! :D

[ID: A brown desktop surface with the text "‼️CW: blood, teeth" edited over it. A hand holding a full mug of tea enters the frame in birds-eye view from the bottom left, and crosses it to the top right, placing the mug on the table. The hand exits the frame, and the warning text disappears. A Sketchbook is tossed in the empty space next to the mug, sliding next to the mug and opened to a completed page. The page features a couple ink drawings of werewolves, teeth, and hand lettered text in the top left corner reading "A Study of Were-Wolves". Next to the text is the head, neck, and upper two paws of a werewolf reaching down the page, looking to the bottom left. it had large, red eyes, ruffled fur, an angry expression, and prominent teeth sticking out of an open mouth. The paw furthest from the viewer fades into the background. Below it in the bottom left is a full body shot of a werewolf in a forest, highlighted in a spotlight, looking towards the camera. The background trees are drawn with red ink, while the werewolf itself is inked in black. It has an uneven, two-legged stance, One front paw hanging at its side and another one gathered in front of it. it has an exaggerated long tail that is flexing behind it. to its right are scattered dog teeth, canines and molars, with stylized blood splatters. the background is mostly black, scratchy ink, and all drawings have watercolor shading done in red or yellow. The shot changes to show the full sketchbook page more head on and with no background elements. The shot changes to focus on the full body werewolf. It then switches to the teeth, as well as one of the angry werewolf's paws. It then changes to highlight the angry werewolf's face. Finally, the shot goes back to the original, and a hand picks up the sketchbook and bring it out of frame, then another picks up the tea mug and brings it out of frame./end ID]

[angryaromantics]

hi. i need help. i understand you're not a professional so i hope this isn't too heavy but i've been needing and needing to talk to someone about my internalized arophobia and never had a real chance to do it.

anyways, i've been really lost and hopeless over the past couple years because of my aromanticism. identifying as demiromantic was a cover, but even when i thought that was the full extent of my place on the aro spectrum, i hated how hard that made it to find romantic love. now i know better and think i'm probably a lot closer to fully aromantic than i thought, and by extension i'd be cupioromantic too. i've forced crushes before, since i knew they came so rarely. that ended in repulsion and an inability to communicate it just about every time. it sucked. it still sucks.

the thing that makes me feel alone is that i haven't seen anyone else in the aro community express how i feel, and those i have are saying that i shouldn't talk about it since it's technically still arophobia, even if it's towards myself, and could hurt other arospec people. then they go on to say that it's just amatonormativity and something i can get over. but i don't want to!! i know that i want a fulfilling relationship!! i'm frustrated and it feels like an erasure of how i feel!!

i'm sure it'll be damning and maybe offensive to say this but i feel like i need to be fixed and i wish i could fix myself. my desires don't match with my real attraction and it leads me to believe i'm broken in a somehow unique way. i guess it'd be nice to find a community of other cupio-aligned people and build pride for who i am, but i'm just depressed because that won't solve my problem. who i am isn't who i want to be, and i can't change that or better it in any way. i'm hurting because of it. i fear my activity in sapphic spaces is just performative since i'll never actually be sapphic, or straight, or anything. why bother if i'll never know that experience and have the happy endgame with another girl that i truly do want? am i even really bi? could i just be a lesbian if i only experience sexual attraction to girls but no other type to any other group of people? or am i just clinging onto any other orientation label to deny that i'm aromantic and don't belong in the LGB parts of queer spaces? i hate this.

thanks for letting me vent. sorry this is so long. thanks for running your blog, i really appreciate it.

Hi, anon - I apologize, I've found this in my drafts folder, and I have absolutely no idea how long it's been there. Hopefully not too long, but either way, I'm sorry I missed it.

I think the first thing is, I don't believe feelings are ever the incorrect response. You can't control your emotions. If being aromantic makes you feel negative feelings, that's okay. It's normal even. I definitely felt that way for many years, and occasionally slip into it now. I don't think it much matters if it's internalized arophobia or amatanormativity, because either way, the effect it has on you is the same.

I will say, I think the aro community has sort of over-corrected in the way we deal with negativity surrounding aromanticism. I feel like, not even that many years ago, it was rampant. A LOT of the posts, a lot of the talk, was about a lack, of what we're missing out on, etc. Especially once the big aphobia boom around here. And I think people took that, and about faced it so that negativity isn't deemed acceptable by a lot of people. I disagree with this, just fundamentally. I think talking through the negativity you feel toward your orientation can help you work through that negativity. It can also help you find like-minded people, and feeling less alone will probably make you feel less negativity.

I do think it's a dangerous line to walk, though. Because it's easy to tip over into All negativity in such insular communities, and that can honestly be dangerous for everyone's mental health.

I hope you find some peace. I hope you come into yourself. I hope things settle, as they often do with time. I'm sorry none of this has an easy fix. I hope writing it down and getting it off your chest helped. There's nothing wrong with you, and you belong here <2

[mysticstarlightduck]

41.  Any advice for new/beginning/young writers?

42.  How do you feel about love triangles?

43.  What do you do if/when characters don’t follow the outline?

Thank you so much for the tag, @clairelsonao3!

41.  Any advice for new/beginning/young writers?

Hmmm. I think my advice, if any, would be this:

Don't get too caught up on what others tell you to write, or what you "should be writing because its popular". Write what you want to write, write the story that ultimately makes you so excited about writing it that you can't imagine getting bored, writing something you love. Because, even if it doesn't seem mindboggling original at first, or if it feels just too weird, or if you feel like no one will read it, loving what you write is the first step to writing any good book, no matter the genre, and when it comes down to it, having fun is one of the most important things a writer should strive for, for you own happiness. And if you do have fun while writing your book, your readers will feel it, and if they are your target audience, they will love it too.

No writing is bad writing in the first draft. Those first few iterations of your story aren't meant to be perfect, they aren't even meant to be extremely cohesive - they're meant to make your story finally exist outside of your mind. It's meant for you and you alone, as the writer of the book - your first draft is yours, and you can make as many mistakes as you need to in order to improve it! If you get too caught up on being perfect on something you still need to practice, you won't be able to write anything. Needing practice isn't a bad thing - it just means you have still a long road of interesting things to learn, and that every single word you write down on that formerly blank page will be another step on the ladder to achieving the writing your dream of making. Don't beat yourself up if it doesn't come out perfectly in your first, second, third, or even tenth time - those "imperfect drafts" are each improving your own writing skill in one way or another, and one day, you'll look at your writing and see how far you've come after finally pushing through all that self-doubt.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!! I mean it. A healthy mind is a MILLION times more creative than a tired and stressed-out mind. Find the sleep schedule that works for you. Eat healthy things according to your personal dietary needs. Go for a walk. Be responsible and proactive when it comes to your scheduled activities, don't procrastinate. Follow a schedule of your own. Get things done. Watch a movie with popcorn and relax. Laugh, smile, have fun. Do the things that make you happy. Talk to your friends. Enjoy some sunlight. Talk to a therapist, if you need to! All those things that make you feel refreshed, happy, and ready to take on more challenges. As someone who battled quite a few physical and mental health problems this past couple of years, I find that self-care is the root of any productive writing session and that I write much better now that I am happy, rested, and healthy than when I was really exhausted, sick and depressed and had to force myself to write. I really, really mean it. Take care of yourself, and practice self-compassion. It may not be easy at first, but you'll see how much it makes sitting down to write much more easy and joyful in the long run <3

42.  How do you feel about love triangles?

I already got that one, here! (:

43.  What do you do if/when characters don’t follow the outline?

Good question! Especially since I'm constantly dealing with this, as my outlines turn into drafts. My latest experience with characters rebelling against the outline has been Ambrose Prosper - I had a specific, detailed idea of what I wanted his past to be, but then I wrote him, and he started to develop and change until the character was basically like "nope, I do what I want" and I had to revise his whole backstory to fit this new version of his character - but honestly, it was for the best. I like this new version of Ambrose's character and backstory way more than the original one!

What I do in this situation is to let it flow - I realize that, if a character isn't following the strict outline, it's because of specific personality details, intricacies and growth that have happened thus far, and that is good. I tend to then bend the outline for the character. I think "Well, if this character wouldn't do this specific thing, then what would they do in this situation?" and 9 times out of 10, the answer to this question is more original and truthful to the character than the initial outline, and so I go with this new version! I find that being flexible with your characters makes for way more organic and meaningful stories than breaking characters to fit a specific scene just because "it needs to happen" - if a character doesn't work with a scene, I'm always positive that it's the scene that needs rework and change, not the character! (:

[avpdvoidspace]

hi i'm the anon who sent that very long ask a couple days ago. and i really appreciated your response ty!! i actually brought up AvPD with my therapist today and it went better than i'd hoped. i think talking about it really helped, and she said it made sense and helped her to understand me as well. so thank you again!! :) i would've never even heard of AvPD if i hadn't seen your blog. (sorry i hope this doesn't come off as bragging lol i'm just genuinely happy)

and i have a question if you don't mind. of course i'm assuming getting a diagnosis takes more than 1 session (it's been almost 10 years since i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, i honestly have no idea), but she had brought it up in a hypothetical sense of "what would you do then?" so i was wondering if you had any thoughts / opinions / advice / etc? personally i'm not sure if i'd want an official diagnosis, since i just don't know much about the process or what effects it'd have on my life. i've heard that (generally speaking) getting a diagnosis can help with asking for accomodations in work and school, but also that it can lead to discrimination, like from mental health workers and other people as well. i dunno though!!! i've never been diagnosed with a personality disorder.

anyway, thank you, i hope you have a great day :) or night, or whatever lol

I'm really happy to hear you had a good experience with talking to your therapist. I'm hoping this will become more and more common as those of us with avpd do more to advocate for ourselves and talk about our experiences openly. My perspective of having gotten a diagnosis more than 15 years ago is that having a diagnosis gives me more perspective and therefore control when it comes to the thought patterns I tend to have, so I have more of an informed choice of how to respond to them. It also helps me navigate relationships and question myself when I'm thinking the other person must hate me and I can't possibly let them see the real me. Also, it helps me fight my tendency to deprive myself of things like food and rest.

Granted, that knoweldge doesn't cure me, but it gives me the tools to confront thoughts. So a lot of the benefit has been personal, but in the past few years as avpd gets more awareness, it helps me connect (at a distance lol) with other people online and talk about support needs. Unfortunately there really is still stigma and there isn't a lot of understanding and information even when people do want to support and accomodate us. It's kind of up to us to figure out what accomodations would help us in work and school situations. Sorry it took so long to get to this ask!

[crazycookiemaniac]

vent under the cut. Feel free to ignore.

There is so, so much going on in my life right now. I've been extremely anxious, stressed, depressed and having thoughts of su1c1d3 and self h4rm practically every day for about 20 days.

First off, we're putting our house on sale because my mom wants to deal with inheritance stuff while she's still alive. I have 2 older sisters and she wants to split the house money in 3 and buy each of us a house/apartment. Every time a family visits our house we have to deal with cleaning it thoroughly, but i have absolutely zero energy to keep up with my mom and she ends up doing 90% of the work alone and it FRUSTRATES me to no end that I am absolutely useless and cannot help. I try to do something here and there and it already takes everything I have to do the less than the bare minimum. Seeing her working so hard and having her body ache so badly after makes me feel guilty and just plain horrible. What also makes me stressed out of my mind is that i have to choose a new place to live and the fact that I'll experience living alone is pretty exciting, but being away from my mother will hurt because I love her more than anything in this world and I'll definitely feel her absence.

Secondly, money issues. God, I am SO tired of myself. I've been having money issues ever since my mental health declined drastically in 2020~2021. It's become worse and worse and worse and oh my god it's driving me CRAZY. Every time I think I'm getting better, something happens and my situation worsens a lot and this affects my mood so fucking badly. When I started working, my goal was to help mom with house expenses. Turns out I, a stupid 28 year old airhead not only can't help anyone, I can't even deal with my own fucking business. It's making me even more frustrated because I finally decided to get into an exchange program to Japan and while I do have some money saved, I owe practically almost the triple of what I have and I can't touch the little money i have because I decided to invest it. To make it all so much better, not only have I been unable to work properly for the past 20 days, I also have not sold anything at all.

Which leads me to my third issue: i suck. At art. And I don't matter anymore because I don't produce content people want to see like I used to. I used to have some relevance in the internet, now I'm just a fucking nobody who keeps practically begging people to commission me and basically became unable to create art for myself/to attract new people and possible clients, because my stupid medication has been blocking my creativity for practically 2 years now.

I'm poor, irrelevant, not good at what i do, mentally ill, just plain stupid and my mom keeps telling me, "You have a star in you". No i fucking don't. I don't know what I'm doing other than annoy the hell out of a couple or so followers who thankfully like my art at least by sharing my fucking commissions post every single fucking day.

Honestly? A black hole could suck me up and shred me away from this universe. I'm pissed off and tired and stressed and anxious and i know everybody else is too, but i could quit anytime.

Life is too much for me.

[danipedrosas-boatest]

Tw: mental health, depressive thoughts, rambles, rant

There’s a snowstorm right outside my apartment, and I haven’t been able to leave because it’s been nonstop snowing since last night. A lot of Colorado is covered in snow right now and we especially are here in the mountains. I have been left with my own thoughts and I can’t help but wonder what could’ve been.

I met with a therapist, one of the four I’ve seen this past two weeks, and he asked me if I had anything to live for and what I wanted to do with my life. I don’t really have anything. Everything I want to do is out of reach and won’t happen; I’m too ugly for anyone to ever love me, never mind getting married. I want to have kids but my mind is so fucked up they’ll end up sad like me too. I’m going to be mentally ill for the rest of my life and I honestly don’t know if I want to. I’m a history major who has lost all joy in studying because I’m going to have to make money off of something I love. I’m hopefully going to go to grad school but only because I’ve been told it’s the only way I’ll be able to get a job. I don’t want to do any of this.

He asked me, if I could turn back time, what I would want to be, and I said a race car driver. It wouldn’t matter what discipline it was in, I just wanted to drive fast cars. I had cars as a kid but I wasn’t really allowed to do anything else because they weren’t “feminine enough”. Even if I wanted to do something like karting or minimoto, I lived in too rural of an area and it cost too much money.

I am sitting here writing this and realizing just how little I have done with my life. Pedro Acosta and I were born on the exact same day in the exact same year yet I am calling my insurance company to see if they’ll pay for therapy in a different state and he’s a two time world champ racing in MotoGP. Gavi is a couple months younger than me and is already a star football player. Izan is two months younger than me and is a world champ. I look older for my age and people are surprised to learn I’m still a teenager, and I feel so insecure because I’m not supposed to look like this. I’m chicane yet I’m embarrassed whenever I speak Spanish because I’m not fully fluent and I feel like everyone is judging me.

I’m developmentally and socially behind my peers, the same age and younger than me. I can’t understand social cues, I mess up every relationship, I keep falling for people who I’ll never have, and I puke and starve to make myself feel better. I have no idea who I am and what I’m doing with my life.

So yeah, what snowdays do to a mfer.

[wildshona]

Being a Sex Addict

Ok so a very nice man from New Zealand was asking what it felt like to be a sex addict and other people have really enjoyed taking advantage of it so here is a bit of a Shona style informational.

How do you become a sex addict?

Well there are some differences between men and women and for some it is about poor coping strategies but really it is about power and a need to overcome past trauma caused by sexual or physical abuse or loneliness caused by emotional neglect. well if u have been following my longer blogs rather than just looking at the pictures u must have picked up that i spent years being sexually abused as did my sister although she has not become a sex addict cos our circumstances were different not least she gort emotional support and i got emotional abuse as well as being fucked all the time.

What are the signs?

obsessive sexual thought - u gotta believe it unless i'm doing something that occupies my mind and activity then i will be thinking about sex, chatting and fantasising on tumblr or whatever.

excessive time spent on sexual activity - yeah i tick this box, excessive masturbation you bet and i dont wear knickers around the flat and even when i go out so that i can get at myself, watching lots of porn - not particularly but sometimes, excessive search for sexual encounters - well uve been reading my blog and u know the electrician is just one of many and ive just finished sucking off my husband before writing this to send him on his way to a meeting happy

feeling shame or depression - yeah well i dont talk about that too much but when you spent years being told ur a worthless whore only good as a cum receptacle it gets to ur mental health just a bit.

cheating on partners - fortunately dont need to cos Chris likes me fucking what he tries to do is keep it safe - not a lot of luck there but he does his best

engaging in increasingly risky and inappropriate behaviours - honestly if u go to a club and then go back to a flat with three strange men a s i did a couple of weeks ago that can turn really bad. it dodnt for me that time i just got all my holes occupied til i was dripping fluid from everywhere but i have been raped enough that i should know better but thats an addiction for you.

committing criminal sex offences - i suppose fucking in club toilets and alleyways covers that and lets not forget i met chris cos i offered him a blow job for a tenner

you can't stop regardless of negative consequences - yeah i can't stop and ive cum three times this morning already.

Can you be cured? Apparently recovery takes two to five years as long as you have consistent therapy. i think im on the five year journey and sometimes im not even sure i want to recover cos i fucking love fucking. but i know it is dangerous and i know i could end up dead in a ditch or selling myself so...

so now u know.

What does it feel like - an overpowering need to be a body that is used. even though it sometimes feeds the worse behaviours of the men and women who use as i experience with a lot of men on here

.

[callofdudes]

This is gonna be another rant post. You don't have to read it. I just have nowhere else to put this.

You guys can tell me if this is bad to put this out here, but I honestly have no one else that I feel I can turn to with this, so I'll put it here. This post by @//wispscribbles has been on my mind lately. It perfectly sums up how I've been feeling lately.

It's been something I've been feeling since I knew the game would come out, and since I've taken other hits to my personal life. Major blows.

Why I don't feel I can go to anyone else is because to other people the idea of having such a strong, deep, emotional connection to a fictional character is stupid. and going to them with these things really hurts me when I hear that.

I grew up pretty much forced to be silent, a pretty abusive family never gave me opportunity to be my own person and tried to snatch that away from me. So I've always clung to fictional characters.

These made up characters were the only friends I had. And only just two years ago did I actually, really start growing a little circle of a couple friends for myself. I was always really isolated from all those things. So fictional characters was where I turned when I couldn't get love from my own family or bare minimum friendship.

And that really hurts me when stuff like this happens in the game...

I know it may be "stupid" because they did what they had to. But just the whole game in general and how it felt seeing clips felt dry to me. And I don't know why if affected me so much. Other than I'm already not doing well at all.

I've been trying to push away and sort of avoid what's been happening lately. I was starting to feel better, to battle my depression, and now it's come back twice as bad. I've always been scared of who I might be if I was truly happy. I've been staying in bed much, much longer. I stay up past 1 just so I can have the interaction with people I feel I want but have always been scared to reach out for.

I've fallen back into the eating disorder that I've been stuck with since I was ten. I was just starting to get over all these things and work through them. I was getting good and healthy and I felt good!

And that's where I hate it the most. I was doing so good... And not good enough.

And unfortunately, I don't know what to do. I feel... Numb. I've slowly been losing my passions, stuck in a house with the same videogames, a job, a dying console, no friends, one family member I can trust and... That's it.

Even when I have tried to make friends, I'm so socially anxious and terrified I can barely go anywhere by myself. I can't adult because I never had a childhood. It's always been adulting. I can't make friends because I struggle to hold basic conversations with people. I've never had just a casual conversation with someone my age.

And that's one of the reasons I can't make friends. Is because I never had any to begin with.

These fictional characters have been what I've clung to since I was eight.

They're who I turn to when the world goes to shit and a bunch of stupid stuff happens. I honestly don't mean to ramble and spill all my business like this, but I'm struggling. I'm really struggling.

I've been lucky enough that through my loss of enjoyment in some of my videogames, technology, hiking, art, music... That I haven't lost writing. Not yet.

My writing is where I can keep my characters alive and that's why I think, and I hope I don't lose this too.

So honestly, I thank you all a million times for each like and comment and reblog. Even if it makes me happy for a few minutes, it helps sometimes. Because these characters are pretty much all I have, and I want to do them justice.

Yeah... Sorry about this, too much stuff happening and I don't want to dump it on you guys. Stay frosty ok? 👍🏻

I really hesitated to post this and I don't have my ducks in a row. All the mental health posts about how I want to take a break but I genuinely can't. A couple days is all I can do and I hate it sometimes.

This will probably get taken down once it fully sinks in that I probably shouldn't post this. I'm here to give you fics and cod, and this isn't it. Sorry.

[tellywoodtrash]

hi TT! can I ask you for some advice? I'm a teenager who is really insecure about how i look. i don't really think there's anything wrong with my appearance per se, but everyone around me does. my dad keeps recommending me fairness creams (even though he is dark skinned himself) and my mom keeps telling me to lose weight (even though she is fat too). i have been dealing with some health issues for the past couple years that have led to a LOT of weight gain. i now have stretch marks all over my body and my friends always comment on it and make fun of me for them. it makes me wanna never show even an inch of skin again. what do I do?

Hello love,

First of all, big hugs. 🤗🤗🤗 People (who are supposed to love you regardless of how you look) are being shitty to you and you absolutely do not deserve that crap. I'm here to tell you they're wrong. You are good the way you have been, are right now, and however you will be in the future.

i don't really think there's anything wrong with my appearance per se, but everyone around me does.

I'm glad you have accepted the way you look. You realise that the problem is with the people around you. Good. That's a massive step 1 already sorted. Because so often, we start believing what people tell us, and it becomes the "truth", when it's absolutely not.

Tbh, I'm a rudeass bitch and I'd let off verbal zingers at everyone, including parents. idgaf about politeness when someone's coming for me like that. But perhaps you're a much better person than me, lol. So maybe when your dad tries to push fairness creams on you, you just reply with a curt but polite "No, thank you!" and end the conversation right there. Walk away. With your mom and the weight loss, ask her if she's willing to take on a "get healthy plan" with you, where you both eat better and exercise TOGETHER. If she's unwilling, then ask her why she has expectations of you that she's not willing to subscribe to personally. Again, walk away. Don't let them think they can just say these things to you and you'll sit and listen like a good bachcha. And boy oh boy, your friends. To them, I say be straight up rude. Like, call them out. Say "What makes you think you can talk to me like this about my body? Why are you so obsessed with the way I look? How does this affect your life in any way????" coz literallyyyyyy; friendship doesn't mean a free pass to talk any shit, that too such superficial garbage. Everyone's body has something or the other wrong with it. EVERYONE. (Another thing almost everyone has???? Stretch marks. I've had them since fucking puberty, still do in my 30s. They're as much a natural part of your body as body hair.) That is just the nature of the flesh prison we reside in. This is just a pile of fucking electrified meat that holds our brain and soul, which is what really matter. To have someone who calls themselves a FRIEND talk to you unkindly like this should make them ashamed, and honestly, make you reconsider if you even wanna be friends with that person if this is how they choose to behave.

This is the outside stuff. Now for the inside stuff - the internal work you do. First, make sure you watch and subscribe to media of people who look like you, and make you feel "hey, they look just like me and they're so pretty, so that means *I'm* beautiful they way i am too!" I'm telling you as someone who grew up in the pre-social media age; I had zero representation of ppl with my body shape/size and hair texture. It wrecked my self esteem. I spent hours poring over magazines and looking at airbrushed models thinking "why don't i look like that too????" even though I KNEW they were digitally altered images. It just got into my head SO MUCH. One good thing about social media being in the hands of EVERYONE is the ability to see such a range of people from all over the world, looking amazing in their own ways. Follow a diverse looking set of people and see the beauty in them, and thus yourself. Second, do some minor work to alleviate your health issues if you can. Be regular with your meds if you take any, do some daily movement to the extent you can, eat mostly healthy and stay hydrated well, etc. It won't change the way you LOOK, but it will make you FEEL better about your body, and how you are doing your part in taking care of it like it needs. Third, only if you choose to, feel free to beautify the flesh prison as you see fit. Wear whatever you like. Colour your hair. Get a piercing or tattoo. (Obv. wait till you're a legal adult!!!!!! Also, never get names of people or something that is just a ~~phase or trend you're into at the time. Aesthetics come and go. Body modifications like these are forever. Choose wisely. Very very prudently.) Do things that make you feel like "this is MY BODY, and *I* GET TO CHOOSE what kind of pretty it is". Take agency and make your choices and be proud in them, and fuck literally everyone else's opinion. They're LOOKS. The least interesting thing about you. They don't matter in the larger scheme of things, and they'll keep changing as you go through life. Just do whatever makes you feel good to be in this body at the time!!!!!!!!

I love you lots baby sibling. 👩🏽‍🧒🏾👩🏽‍🧒🏾👩🏽‍🧒🏾💗💗💗💗 I am threatening everyone shitty around you with angry laser eyes as I protectively wrap an arm around you.

[codycoyote008]

Fundraisers:

https://gofund.me/b141d50f

(some of the links can of course, given the situation, get graphic- I probably don't need to warn you given the context, but just to be safe yknow. The Google spreadsheets and Tumblr ones are fine, if you have the money to donate you don't need to look through, it's GoFundMe the button's right there. All of these are on the spreadsheets so far but as I mention later, I'm saving these for myself)

I keep getting asks about these and honestly feel terrible since at the moment I'm underage, unemployed, and can't even get a job until my body's in better health, but I do want to donate to these myself whenever I do have the money for it, and I figure hey even if my account's a couple of days old and I'm too slow to post anything fun and cute, I may as well do what I can, which, for now, is share the links and talk about it.

I won't be able to donate for every one even when I do have the money, I know, and considering I'm going into a part-time job at a grocery store, it probably won't be the best anyways, but if I can try to help at all then at least I made an attempt.

I'm putting all of the ones I've gotten asks about so far in this post, and you can find them above. This also saves the links for myself later on without worrying about putting them somewhere I'll forget, which is nice. I also added the google spreadsheets links so you can scroll through those if you like.

There's also plenty of other resources to donate to, as well, if you don't feel like a personal fundraiser (and I get why, really, as much as I still encourage you to at least look through) so even if you skip past these, there's also things like Doctors Without Borders which I'm sure you've heard of anyways, and you can read about their work there if you like, help.rescue.org has one, Unicef's is specifically intended to help children by the look of it, humanrightscareers has a whole list of them, I'm sure there's plenty more, at least take a glance at the GoFundMe pages for me (or the spreadsheets), a look is better than nothing dude.

Obviously a lot of people are suspicious about personal GoFundMe pages, and I get why, but at the same time, not everyone's malicious, and certainly not everyone's malicious enough to do that. I'm sure at a glance I could look malicious, I'm a teenager in America (in the South no less) why am I posting about this, idk man 'cause I want to. I have the free will to do it. I think in the case of... idk man.. people who need the help??? We should be a lot less suspicious right now. Yes it might be a scam if it's not verified, even if it is you can get a refund, GoFundMe does that. Everyone can lie. I don't care right now. I'm suspicious about everything, normally, I think everyone could use some healthy skepticism, but there's a time and a place and I don't think in this case where afaik the most harm that's done is you needing to go to GoFundMe for your refund on the off chance it's a scam is it.

Everything below the read more is kind of long and rambly, but I'll keep going anyways since I don't know when to stop. <3

Read if you like skip if you insist idc, I'm including it anyways since maybe autistic ranting will make someone stop and think a little more about it, and even if it doesn't I've been on Tumblr like three days and already seen way more people being cruel about all of this than I'd like. I just wanna clarify I guess idk.

I know sharing doesn't help as much as it could, but if you're in any position to donate I'd really encourage you to, or at least look more into it. I really don't know what else to say regarding it. I'm 16 in America with a family that tends to stay out of news and everything, so until pretty recently I was kind of in the dark given the US's "ignore everything outside of our country" kind of attitude- which I feel like means it's even more important that I try.

All of that said, I'm turning asks off on this blog for now and the other ones will remain for those fitting the context. It's not even that I don't wanna see them, that would be hypocritical, I just want to keep the part with the fundraisers themselves relatively short. Like I said, look at the spreadsheets, look at the organizations helping out, look into stuff dude, do research, life is always better if you dig into things more thoroughly, trust me. If you have read this far then I appreciate it, and I hope you have a lovely, safe day.