#i want to get Better because i find improving my skill Fulfilling and it makes me more Satisfied with my work... but 12 hour bideo games...

[indigo6f00ff]

he will never be balling

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Pillow Talks

Fandom: Star Wars - The Acolyte

Pairing: Qimir x GN!Reader

Summary: Your master has sent you on a mission and Qimir, your supplier and guide, is accompanying you.

Qimir Masterlist

Your Master has tasked you with the mission of finding and killing a former Jedi that had previously wronged him. Per usual, he also assigned Qimir to be your guide and supplier, should you need him.

Although you were perfectly capable of doing things on your own, you had to admit it was nice to have company. For a long time, it had always just been you and your Master. Then when you were finally ready for your first mission, Qimir was assigned to you.

At first, you were annoyed, but then grew fond of the man. Sure, he can be a bumbling, fumbling idiot, but he’s also very knowledgeable, skilled, and can hold his own.

However, this particular mission, you’ve grown somewhat annoyed with him. Your search for the former Jedi led you to jungle planet of Eriaduan. The weather is hot and humid, causing you to sweat and feel sticky. It’s dampened your mood and motivation to fulfill this mission.

Doesn’t help that Qimir is being extra chatty as you trek through the jungle, “Can I ask you a question?” Some of his black strands of hair stick to his face due to sweat and humidity.

You sigh, “As long as you’re okay with possibly not getting an answer.” You reply as you step over branches and through shrubs.

“Why are you so adamant that your Master doesn’t care for you?”

Earlier, you tripped on a boulder and Qimir told you that you need to be more careful, “Your Master wouldn’t be happy with me if I brought you back injured.”

You had scoffed and told him, “Please, my Master doesn’t care about me, Qimir. Only cares about my ability to fulfill these missions.”

You shrug, “Because he doesn’t.”

“How do you know?” He asks with furrowed brows.

“The way he’s treated me isn’t how people treat those they care about, Qimir. He’s very…forceful. He never gives me a break, asks how I’m feeling. Honestly, it’s foolish of me to even want him to care about me, even just a little.” You pause at a fallen tree trunk and decide to sit for a little rest.

Qimir follows, sitting beside you, “It’s not foolish to want to be cared for. Besides, he always sends me to go with you. Surely, that must mean he cares for you right? Wants someone to have your back?”

You snort, “Or because he doesn’t trust me to do these things on my own.”

Qimir sighs and shakes his head, “I’m sure he knows you’re capable of doing this on your own. But…maybe he just wants you to have back up just to ease his mind?”

You shrug, “Guess we’ll never know because he doesn’t really talk to me unless he’s assigning me a new mission or berating me about not improving my skills.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I do care about you. Knowing you has brought some…excitement back into my life.”

You give him a grateful grin, “Thanks, Qi. I care about you too.” You two sit in a comfortable silence, catching your breaths and taking pause to finding this Jedi.

_______________

This definitely wasn’t how you expected things to go. You’d gotten injured during your fight with the Jedi. You were still able to kill him but not before get stabbed you in the side.

Qimir was freaking out, trying his best to keep you from bleeding out too much but you eventually succumbed to the pain, blacking out as Qimir pleaded with you to hold on.

When you finally wake up, you’re groggy. Your hand goes to your wound and you feel a bacta patch on it.

“You’re awake,” you hear the modulated voice of your Master.

You turn your head to see your Master standing at the end of your bed roll.

You try to sit up but you hiss in pain, “Don’t move. Lay still.” He approaches your side and kneels, he pulls back the bacta patch, “It needs to be changed.”

He grabs a new patch from the small pile beside your bed. Has he been taking care of you while you were out? Surely not, right? Had to be someone else. Maybe Qimir?

“Where’s Qimir?” You ask and your Master stills.

“I sent him away after he brought you here.”

“I hope you didn’t threaten or hurt him," you give your Master a threatening glare.

He questioningly tilts his head to you , “Why?”

“Because he’s my friend and I care about him.”

He stays silent for a few seconds before stating, “He left unscathed.”

“Good.”

Your Master cleans your wound and dresses it with a new bacta patch. It was weird, having him care for you in such a way. Usually when you got hurt or injured, you took care of yourself.

“You need to be more careful," he practically whispers.

“The former Jedi was a lot more skilled than I anticipated, but I fulfilled my mission.” The sentence comes off as factual, unfeeling.

“You got hurt.”

“It’s nothing new,” you say nonchalantly with a little shrug.

Your Master’s clenches his fists, “You need to be more careful,” he repeats.

"I'm fine. I'll do better. I know I'm not useful to you when I'm hurt."

"That's not why I want you to be careful," he says before standing and exiting the hut you made as your home on the secluded island.

_______________________

On your next mission, your Master has sent you to go undercover as a merchant on the planet of Batuu. Qimir, per usual, will be aiding you on the mission. You meet him at a cantina where an RX pilot droid was reprogrammed to play music throughout the place.

It seems like Qimir had been waiting for you a long time since his body was swaying, seemingly five drinks in already.

You sit on the stool beside him, causing him to turn to you and he gives you a drunken smile, "Heeeey! You're here!" he hiccups a bit and you can't help but chuckle, "How're you already this drunk?"

He shrugs, "Had to do something while I waited for you." He offers his cup to you and you push it back towards him, "I'm good," you say.

He shrugs again and downs the rest of the drink, "So, what's the plan?" A strand of his hair falls onto his face.

You giggle, moving the strand away, "I don't think we should discuss plans while you're in this state," your fingers linger on his face. Suddenly realizing what you did, you pull your hand away and clear your throat, "Um, we should discuss plans tomorrow while you're sober. So, drink some water and I'll meet you in the morning," you stand to leave but Qimir stops you.

"Wait, wait. Can I stay with you?" You look at him confused and he continues, "I, uh, lost my ship so I had to hitch a ride here. Don't have much credits left."

You give him a cocked brow and a hand on your hip, "And how did you expect to pay for your bar tab?"

He gives you a sheepish look, "I was kinda hoping you'd pay for it?"

You sigh, pulling out enough to pay for Qimir's drinks. The bartender thanks you and you have Qimir follow you out of the cantina.

"You're lucky I like you," you murmur, a hint of a smirk on your lips.

Qimir gulps and nods, "Yeah...lucky."

You two make it to the dingy hotel where you plan to stay for the next few days. As soon as Qimir enters, he plops onto your bed with a content sigh. Looking at him and then the room, you now realize that there's only one bed, which means you have to share.

It'll be fine. You can be professional about this situation.

You clear your throat, grabbing Qimir's attention, "So there's only one bed-"

Qimir immediately sits up, "I can sleep on the floor-"

"It's fine, Qi. We can be mature adults about this. We're not strangers or anything."

He gives you nonchalant shrug, "If you're sure."

You nod and head to the refresher to change. When you come back out, Qimir is already under the covers, having shed some of his outer robes.

You can't help the snort you let out when you see how close to the edge of the bed he is.

You slip under the covers, "Qimir, you're hanging off the edge, come closer. It's fine."

"I don't wanna make you uncomfortable or-"

You use the Force to pull him closer.

He rolls over to face you, "Uncalled for."

You roll onto your side to face him, "You were being stubborn."

You two stare at each other, letting some moments of silence pass. The air shifts but you're not sure if it's just you that feels so. You feel a pull, a need to lean in and press your lips to Qimir. You've always found him attractive, but have pushed those thoughts down because you know you can't have him. Your priority is your training and your loyalty is first and foremost to your Master. Before you do anything drastic, you sigh, rolling over to face away, "Good night, Qimir."

"Good night," he murmurs. You hear the rustle of the sheets as he gets comfortable.

You close your eyes, trying to push away the feelings that began to bubble up in your chest and stomach.

"Do you still think your Master doesn't care for you?"

Your eyes shoot open and you immediately roll over, "Qimir...what?"

He sighs and rolls back over to face you, "Do you still think that your Master doesn't care about you?"

You shrug, "Kinda."

"Kinda?" he looks at you with creased brows and a frown.

You shrug and move your attention to a loose thread on the pillow Qimir lays on, "After the last mission, he said he immediately sent you away?"

"...yes."

You turn to lay on your back and look at the ceiling, "I guess the entire time I was out, he was taking care of me. When I woke up, he changed my bacta patch. He told me I had to be more careful." You pause to recollect more of that day, "I figured this was all because I wouldn't be useful to him, but then he said that wasn't why."

"So he does care," Qimir simply states

"I'm still apprehensive about saying that with certainty, but the small gesture appears that way."

You glance at Qimir as he moves to mimic your position, "And how does that make you feel?"

You run your hands down your face and you give a deep breath, "It's nice to be cared for and to care for someone. But...it's scary. Doing the things we do, you never know when someone can take that away from you. Or if that someone takes advantage of that care and betrays you."

You suddenly feel Qimir's hand take hold of yours, "I understand," he murmurs, "Your Master is still a person too. Maybe he struggles with the idea of caring for someone because it's been so long since he's done so."

"Maybe," you reply, not pulling your hand from Qimir's. It felt nice, having his hand in yours.

"Y/N?"

"Hm?"

"...can I hold you?"

You turn your head, looking at Qimir, you can see he's slightly embarrassed, but he's also being vulnerable...and you're feeling a little vulnerable too.

"Okay," you whisper and you move closer as Qimir wraps an arm around you, holding you close to him.

You let out a shaky breath. It's been so long since you've been held like this, cared for in such a gentle way. It's a complete opposite of how you've spent your time training under your Master.

You hope you can have more moments like these with Qimir.

Your body feels more at ease the more time you spend in his arms. Your eyes slowly flutter close and you're off to a restful sleep.

Meanwhile, Qimir remains awake a little bit longer. He stares at you, his apprentice, his acolyte.

"I'll do better," he whispers, pressing a kiss to your head and pulling you closer to him as he listens to your breathing, leading him to sleep.

[ghouljams]

ur response to the why c.ai is bad was so beautifully worded I love your brain so much. Sooooo intelligent and eloquently worded!

Genuinely it is because I rely on my own abilities over ai.

Ai is not a tool or a crutch, tools and crutches actually help people to live their lives in a way that is fulfilling and meaningful to them. Ai is like those hover chairs in Wall-e, and I even hesitate to go that far because even in Wall-E the original concept of the chair was to help people who couldn't walk get around.

Yeah ai is really easy to just plug a prompt into, and it's really easy to just sit in the hover chair and let it carry you to food while you watch tv. But eventually your muscles atrophy and your brain stops thinking critically, and all you care about is getting what you want when you want it.

Why would I write an essay when ai can just do it for me? Because it's not about the essay being written it's about teaching you to write and think critically about a topic.

Why would I write a fic when I can just go to c.ai and have the ai character talk to me? Because writing isn't about the end result it's about finding ways to be creative and learning things about yourself in the process. It's about noticing recurring themes in your work, it's about submerging yourself in your own thoughts, it's about connecting to other people.

Why would I learn to draw when I can have ai do it for me? Because learning a skill isn't just about doing the skill well, it's about working muscles and thoughts you didn't have before. It's about finding other people who share your interests and making friends. It's about finding beauty in the world where you didn't see it before. It's about learning for the sake of bettering yourself, finding something you want to do and doing it even though it's hard.

Why would I improve myself if ai- Because improving yourself is worth the effort that it takes. Because you're worth working on. Because you are a human and humans are made to learn things. Because it satisfies an itch in the back of your brain from when you were a monkey staring at the stars. Because one day when you're old someone will ask you what you did with your life and if all you did was rely on ai to make things for you then the answer will be "nothing"

[meanbossart]

Some art-advice asks I've been meaning to reply to!

I use Clip Studio Paint Pro, though I'm not sure what tips I could give just in general. Just experiment with new things often, draw as much as your lifestyle allows, watch how other people do their work but try to avoid "Dont do THIS thing ever" type lessons and tutorials. Use as much reference as you'd like and take your time! To this day a simple sketch can still take me several hours to do depending on what it is.

Thank you so much!!! I didn't do any kind of formal art schooling but I've always been inclined towards arts and crafts, and started taking drawing semi seriously when I was about 17 (I'm 27 now). I draw a lot of inspiration from western comics and my favorite artists are jason shawn alexander and sean murphy.

Oh I'm so flattered to hear my stuff's inspired you to take up drawing again, I have a bunch of little crafty hobbies but art is by far the most fulfilling one to me - largely because you're constantly learning and improving.

You're definitely onto something already, I am constantly looking at other people's art (even If it isn't a style I would want to emulate) and analyzing how the pieces come together to create the final product. In my opinion this is pretty much the best way you can go about learning besides real-life reference drawing. You can even take something into your software of choice/print it out and trace it (just to yourself, of course) to get a sense of hand-motion and line use.

As a beginner I think there's no shame at all in taking heavy inspiration from your favorite artists, as long as you aren't straight up copying things and calling them your own. Your personal style Is likely to come out naturally, with time. That's very much how I started myself!

Also, just be patient with yourself, try to have realistic goals for your skill level while simultaneously being proud of everything you do. Even if you absolutely despise a drawing, you still drew something! And even if it doesn't feel that way you most definitely learned from it. Use learning tools and tutorials to whatever point you feel comfortable with but don't get stuck on people's arbitrary rules - unless we're talking about something tangible like real-life application of traditional art tools, things like anatomy, perspective and light are to be referenced from - but It's not the goal to emulate them 100% unless you ARE going for hyperrealism. As someone who uses a ton of reference these days, I can tell you first-hand that I often find myself straying from it on purpose to make a piece look more interesting.

Lastly, draw things you enjoy! Don't let anyone else dictate what you SHOULD be doing and don't fall into the trappings of wanting to stick to one specific style, process, or subject matter.

Good luck!!!

LOL thank you so much for your very evocative compliments! I haven't ever done a timelapse, not that I remember at least. I'm not sure how they work but I do so much of "I'm gonna try this thing 5 different ways and then decide what I like" that I'm not sure how comprehensive that would be LOL

I could put together a process showcase or something though, I feel like that might be better even, since I get to explain a little of what I'm doing through text and display how I use reference. Something to consider!

[peachymilkandcream]

For The Glory Of Humanity|Part 2|Erwin x Reader

WARNINGS: noncon, dubcon, forced/arranged marriage, misogyny, domestic violence, yandere themes/behaviours, violence, Erwin being a (g)rape apologist, power imbalance, age difference, verbal/emotional abuse, murder, sexual coercion, blackmail, etc.

==============================================

Levi had claimed that Erwin had been generous in giving him a short leave to enjoy his bride and honeymoon. The reality was that Erwin couldn't stand to look at him right now. After everything Levi had done to twist things in his favor, Erwin couldn't stand him. He didn't want to see his face knowing the fucked up things that he had done.

But he couldn't avoid him forever. When that period of leave was up, Erwin couldn't seem to escape, running right into the culprit. Best to try and ignore him.

"I have to say, marriage does wonders on a person."

"Mhm." He really didn't want to have to engage in this conversation.

"And I have you to thank Erwin. Because of you I'm living my dream. I get to have everything I want and there is no one to stop me."

Erwin chose not to answer this time, Levi would rant and rave like a lunatic no matter what he did. Best not to encourage him.

"Don't tell me you're still emotional Erwin. You agreed that this was for the greater good. Don't be a pussy now and live with some kind of ridiculous guilt."

"I don't want to hear it Levi." His tone was sudden and sharp. "I don't want to hear your mocking and taunts. I allowed you to get away with your schemes, and even now I won't betray you. Just do me a favor and keep your business out of mine."

Levi scoffs. "Fine. I can stick to that. Glad we're on the same page."

The shorter man leaves, a wicked sneer on his face. Despite outranking him however, Erwin couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.

==============================================

With time, Erwin's opinion on the situation began to soften and change. As promised, Levi improved immensely. His skill, cooperation and overall attitude improved so drastically the guilt that had been eating at the Commander started to dissipate. Clearly if one soldier's sacrifice could bring about this much of a positive change on the one man humanity counted on the most then it was worth it.

Such newfound strength and determination could mean the beginning to many victories against their enemies. Who knew getting laid would do such wonders for a man.

Besides, Levi seemed genuinely happy for the first time since Erwin had met him. Ever since the untimely deaths of his comrades and friends Levi had become a shadowy ball of anger, unwilling to compromise or see the point in fighting on besides general duty.

Now it was as if he had something to live for. A reason he kept pushing and striving for greatness. A passion Erwin wished he had.

Maybe the secret after all was in the marriage.

=============================================

"You wanted to see me-sir-" The honorific was forced, but Erwin didn't have time for that.

"Sit down Levi, this will be quick."

"This had better not be about my performance."

"I can assure you it's not. Well- more like it isn't that you're doing poorly in performance."

"Cut to the chase eyebrows."

"I've been watching you. Since your marriage you've improved drastically. And you seem content and less likely to complain about every little thing that I do."

"True. Where are you going with this?"

"I was thinking about making such a change myself. Naturally marriage is a part of a stereotypical successful life, but I believe with the way you do it it's even more fulfilling."

Levi's eyebrow raises slightly. "So you want to find yourself a wife huh?"

"More or less. How did you go about it?"

"Find someone vulnerable. Someone who you know will latch on and depend on you. They won't be able to live without you type person."

"I see."

"In our society influential men like yourself don't have to go the traditional route of meeting a pretty girl and dating. With your name and connections alone you could buy any eligible girl in the walls and no one would bat an eye."

"I should buy myself a bride?"

"And when she fights back, cries, gives the whole woman emotional spiel. You crack down harder. Show her who's the man of the house. And that you are not to be messed with. She'll come crawling to you for mercy."

"And if she doesn't?"

"She will. Trust me. Even now after a week, Evelyn is a mindless mess obeying me at every turn to escape my wrath. Right now she's at home waiting for me to come back and bless her life."

"So you're saying it's a good idea to pursue a relationship like this?"

"Of course. I think you and I both need some stability."

Erwin smirks. "I suppose that is true."

"Now. Do you have any idea where you're going to start looking."

"Not yet." He stands. "I might just have to walk around and see what pretty girl catches my eye."

Levi smirks wickedly, he knew his Commander would come around eventually. They were both heartless bastards at the end of the day.

"Then I'll be waiting to hear the engagement announcement. Commander."

[azimachra]

You know what’s annoying? The fact that people are right about exercise. For years and years I told myself that I wasn’t an athlete. I’d tried more sports than I could count on my fingers and I was bad or disliked all of them. I’m slow so track didn’t work. Ice skating was fun but everyone started so much younger than I did and I felt like I would never catch up. My hand eye coordination and reaction time are actually terrible so tennis was a disaster. The list goes on.

Eventually I convinced myself that sports just weren’t for me. Everyone told me that being active in some way or another would improve my mood and help me get better sleep. I knew from experience that sports and being active would do nothing but make me (more) miserable. I relegated myself to the position of the eternal nerd. I didn’t need *sports* to live a fulfilled life or to feel good in my body.

Cut to a year and a half ago. I had some childhood experience with martial arts (I stopped in middle school because it wasn’t feminine enough or something like that) and decided after some of the quarantine restrictions lifted that I wanted to try again. the place I trained when I was younger went under during the height of covid and that sport was pretty rare so there was nowhere else to train. I chose a martial art I’d heard about at random - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - and tried it.

I’d like to say that I was a prodigy, that I understood the sport instinctually, that I was praised by my coaches for my natural talent. That, unfortunately, would be a lie. I was downright terrible when I started. Everything was so difficult. Other people understood the principles and applications in a way that I couldn’t. It seemed like everyone was either way more advanced than me or twice my size. The first few months, I was learning techniques and training but I still didn’t get it. My coach told me that the instinct would come with time. I was worried that this would just be another piece of proof that I’m not athletic, that I don’t have the body or mental fortitude. I was scared of failing, but I loved the sport. Since then, I’ve massively improved. Some things that I struggled with before have fallen into place and I’ve found new things to struggle with. I’m competent for my level and I even competed in a tournament. Has it been easy? No. Do I always feel confident in my ability? Absolutely not. But BJJ has undeniably changed my life for the better. I feel more comfortable in my body, I’ve gotten stronger and more resilient, found a new community, and yes it totally has helped with my sleep schedule and emotional wellbeing.

While I love BJJ I am not promising that you will too (although it is amazing for self defense, a skill everyone benefits from but is extra useful to women and femme presenting folks in our current society). What I’m trying to say is that despite my years of disbelief it turns out that everyone was in fact correct about physical activity/sports being good for you. It also turns out that I was wrong about my belief that I was inherently un-athletic. I also want to say that you can do this on your terms. There are so many more ways to move your body than just hitting a ball with a stick or running in circles. Don’t let yourself stay trapped in a cage with fictional bars; in an 80’s movie trope where you can only be a jock or a nerd; in a mindset that limits you from being happy and healthy. Find something that makes you excited to do because I promise, it is out there.

[sapphire-weapon]

ngl i kinda hate the state of the eagleone fandom. i had to stop following their ao3 tag because it’s filled with self-insert, violent, and “barely legal” kink fic. i don’t recognize who they’re writing and this seems to be the case with RE pairings as well. why does the RE fandom in particular struggle so much with characterization?

There is no response to this ask that I can give that will be both honest and not toxic LMAO

I'm going to pull the reins on myself as best as possible, here. But.

Modern fandom has a toxic positivity problem. People don't give or receive criticism on their fanworks. In fact, it's considered asshole behavior to try.

I get praised for my character voices. Do you know how I learned those skills? By getting my work shredded by fellow fans. As young as 12 and 14, I was getting really harsh criticism on my writing, and that continued into my early 20s.

And it sucked. Every time. It felt bad, and my feelings got hurt.

But it made me a better writer. And I'm grateful for it.

This doesn't happen in modern fandom anymore. People don't give their honest opinions even when they're asked for them, much less unbidden like how I got them. And if you do try to give constructive feedback, you're raked over the coals as a total fucking toxic asshole.

The only feedback people get anymore is overwhelming love. That's the only thing that's socially acceptable in modern fandom. People adopt an "every interpretation is valid" mindset and stick by it.

And so people use that to project their own kinks and wish fulfillment onto their favorite characters, regardless of whether it's in-character for them or not. This isn't just an eagleone problem or even a Resident Evil problem. It's a modern day fandom problem in general.

It just seems worse in eagleone fandom because there are so few active creators for it, and most of them are in one big circlejerk.

There is no solution to this problem. It's just the way the current generation has created their culture around fandom, and there's no changing that. And that sucks, because now, as an adult, I want people to critique my shit because I won't take it personally anymore and I want to improve, and no one will do it lmao

Consuming content has become just like anything else in fandom. Find the few people you agree with and trust and stick with them. Make sure you support the creators who make the content you enjoy, and just ignore everything else.

But what you're describing is a huge reason why I don't read fanfiction. I don't have the time or energy to dig through all that shit for the one or two things I might actually like. It's not worth it for me to do. So I don't.

[astrxlfinale]

"You've improved so much compared to your first lesson! Marvelous!" She praises him, impressed with the quick progress. Naturally, Zarina expected him to be quick about this, but it was even better. His potential shined brightly, and her excitement over it did not die over, wilting like a candleflame. Instead, he continued to feed the fire of emotions, bringing in a variety of possibilities and impressive improvements.

They are close, finishing yet another dance taught before. Did he practice at home to impress her or did he memorize the steps so quickly? She doesn't dive to know, because the results are what matters to her. His hand on her waist, another hold her hand. Hers holding his and another on his shoulder, the distance is almost non existent, especially now that they stopped.

Zarina doesn't look away from Lighter's expression, searching for any showcase of emotion and what he might be feeling in the moment. Dance is a language not many can speak, but he learns it and shows it. There are many dances they can learn together, slower and closer or faster with more spins to make their bones work to the fullest. They are fighters and warriors, they know the language of weaponry and survival, but there are so many to learn aside the speech of battle. Tonight, they learn another way to express their feelings and tomorrow they'll learn another way to discover more about each other.

"My, you're just gaining confidence to make me want to teach you tango next," she laughs, letting her fingers on his shoulder tap out a melody of the dance. "But before that, want stay for dinner? I'll fix us something. It's getting late and I stole enough of your time without a payback. What do you say, Lighter?" Or must she return him to Sons of Calydon right now before 10 PM or something? It'd be quite a comedy to go to Caesar and do that.

Now that was the sort of praise he wanted to hear. By no means as a sign of arrogance, but in the means of direction. There was a boon to Zarina's more direct approach in both conversations and action. No number of hidden signs required to be gleaned, only a case of 'what you see is what you get.' His broad hand remained eclipsing her's, undoing a touch of firmness in the name of a softer squeeze while they settled close. The dance of his heart through a more timely exertion continues to hold a swift pace.

"Honestly speakin'? 'Talking' like this is something my body tends to favor just as much. Muscle memory has perks that I contently want to hold close."

There habe been nights where he'd come to roll those earlier videos on his phone, utilizing a method similar to 'Shadow boxing' in order to make the ends meet. Homework was the bread and butter to sharpen both drive and the skills of his body. For the time being, the sight before him felt like a reward well deserved, watching the way she beamed after their outright hilarious night a few days back. Mind you, there wasn't an ounce of regret in anything done that day.

Laughter settled in that wellspring of a memory that had caught him in many spontaneous moments the days following. Unconsciously, his fingers curled at the fabric of her shirt along her waist, left contemplative while he captures the way she shines. Was it just his imagination, or did Zarina find herself coming to anticipate these days with an equal amount of excitement? Their proximity held a more natural comfort, even while they were practically chest to chest, the teamwork continually refined made things simple.

"Think I'd turn down another conversation? You didn't pull any punches in showing the ropes. In my book, that says we need to be a decent rep of these that we can play with. O' gracious one." Despite the playful title, a sincere grasp of gratitude was held in his chest. In unintended ways this rings nostalgic, in other ways it felt like an appropriate memory that's simply earned. Being able to actively carve his own place in that old curiosity offered fulfillment to Lighter.

SPEAKING of fulfillment-- That offer she just made?

A thoughtful hum escapes, a touch of dramatics added in his posture as his head lulled one way to another. "Lemme weigh the options. More time wit'cha, a hearty meal awaiting, not to mention me, you n' Lamboo can park up at the couch for a good moment afterwards? Decisions, decisions, especially when there's some heads I likely have to bust around." A soft snort escapes as his poorly hidden circumstance was already about to be in shambles.

He'd give her a firm pat upon the back, light dancing within his irises while he pulled her into a momentary spin, the both of them gaining mindless view of all the room's features before bringing them to a pause.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to be a bit more greedy. Given the time, you wanna go nab some take out together? Or did you already have something set beforehand, Zarina?"

@zorkaya

[daeyumi]

How would you recommend people practice digital art? Your work is beautiful and I'm curious what journey brought you to this point <3

Ooh this is a good one- okay so imo, the most important thing is to practice by drawing/painting things u enjoy. If you’re drawing something you love, that automatically makes it easier to want to keep doing it & improving.

As far as the technical side of it goes, I’d say experiment & try a bunch of different processes to find what works for you. There’s obviously tons of different tutorials out there from people who have wildly varying art processes and I think it’s important to try many different ways of doing digital art, because the possibilities are quite literally endless.

Personally I recommend doing studies of game screenshots or even other artists’ work that you admire, in order to help understand how people use color, value, shade, etc. (I used BotW screenshots for studies personally early on, because I really admire the game’s color scheme and it helped me get a much better grasp on how I wanted to use color in my own work, especially as it pertains to environments & landscapes.) I also personally find studies to be a lot more productive than watching tutorials, because it allows me to go at my own pace and just observe- but obviously everyone has a different learning process so what works for me may not work for everyone.

And don’t be afraid to use the resources that are unique to digital art! Things like filters, HSB adjustments, curves/levels, even just different brushes can all help you get your art looking the way you want. Personally, procreate’s “color balance” options are my best friend- I use that option a ton even still, especially when I’m planning out my color schemes.

I’d also say, more as a general art tip than something specific to digital art- if you have an idea of something you want to draw or paint, but you don’t think you know how to do it or don’t think you have the skills to draw it yet— do it anyways!! Look up all the references you can, see how other people made a similar piece, and just draw yours anyways! You’ll learn a lot more by stepping out of your comfort zone and just going for it then you will by “waiting until you’re ready”. And if you don’t end up being happy with the finished piece, you can ALWAYS redo it later— just because you’ve drawn something once doesn’t mean that you’re never allowed to revisit that concept.

Overall I’d just say, experiment, play around & have fun! Find what you enjoy and it will make creating your art a lot more fulfilling.

I hope this is helpful somewhat! 🩷

[tarot-by-e11e]

Hey, there!!! @tarot-by-e11e 🌸Hope you are having a wonderful day☀️

I'd like to participate in your 'Poll-Chosen Theme of Ask Game'

Initials/Nickname : SHEY (Pronouns-she her)

Self-Empowering Song : 'Titanium' by David Guetta ft. Sia

Dream Life : My dream life is one where I wake up each day feeling inspired, surrounded by nature and loved ones. It's a life where I can be my most authentic self, pursuing my passions, creating something meaningful, and finding joy in everyday moments.

Hi SHEY,

Thank you so much for participating in my new ask game~

Titanium is absolutely iconic, energizing, and empowering! You ended up making me super nostalgic and started stimming on the song! LOL

Ooooooooohhhh I love for you to turn this dream into a reality! You can definitely achieve it!!

The cards I pulled for you regarding the Encouragement of your Future Self are:

8 of Wands, King of Swords, Ace of Wands

These are the things your Future Self wants to tell you:

“Being your authentic self takes action, consistent, improving actions. So long as you keep showing up and you track your progress, then you won’t lose your drive to keep pushing forward.”

“The more motivated you are, the more you show up for yourself. The more you show up for yourself, the more you progress and evolve. The more you progress and evolve, the quicker you master those skills. So don’t lose your excitement in this dream. If you feel like gamifying your tasks and habits, do so~ Keep doing what excites you the most! You’ll gain abundance quicker that way.”

“Be strict with the parameters of your tracked progress. Having this discipline to take note of what works and doesn’t work for you would make a world of difference for us. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll be all work no play…

If you feel the need to schedule daily stress-free hours, do so. Schedule your rest periods if you deem them necessary. Self-care is nonnegotiable, okay? You won’t be able to show up for yourself if you don’t put your needs and priorities first. You’re not a bad person for putting yourself first, okay? You can’t pour out of an empty cup. Fill up your life with joy by having your needs and wants met first.”

“As much as you want to give to others, it’s best to you put your needs first. With that, be disciplined to achieve a sustainable work-life balance”

“Fuel your passion. Feed the fire of your desires. Living a fulfilling life is possible for me because of your hard work. We get to live a life way better than our dreams because you didn’t give up.”

“You are one of the people that can monetize your passions. So please let yourself get creative and be open to the new. Take calculated risks and always be open to take detours when met with roadblocks. Go with the flow of the situation as if you’re surfing the highs and lows of life.”

This is all I can read for you.

Do let me know how this resonates with you.

(This reading is for entertainment purposes only)

[thepigeontarot]

Hello Pigeon, I would like to seek your free reading :) I have been feeling burnt out and fatigue. I wanted to find out how to improve my situation. Could it be that things will get better when i change my job ?

Looking at the overall spread, it does seem to point to going after a different career path.

Source of burnout: Judgment, this card is a wake-up call. Right now, you are feeling burnt out because you don't feel like you are following whatever your calling is. You are ready to start something new and more spiritually fulfilling.

How to improve: Ten of Cups is saying you need to go after what will make you happy. It may also suggest turning to someone who is looking out for your best interest to help you.

How to reduce stress: 9 of Pentacles tells you to turn your focus on to something that will provide you with more financial independence that will allow you to enjoy what you have earned. It also tells you that you have the skills and resources you need to succeed at whatever you choose to pursue, so have confidence in that.

What can inspire you: Queen of Cups is all about following your intuition. You know what is right for you. Follow your dreams. You are someone who has a great ability to nurture emotions. Maybe you need a job where you can do that, where you can inspire others. If you have ever thought about pursuing a career in something like a healer, therapist, or counselor type field, this is the card for you.

How to prevent future burnout: 7 of Pentacles tell you put your energy into the work you enjoy, put it towards your long-term goals. You will gain a lot from doing work that you love.

[burgeoning-ambition]

hi, I am going to be an incoming freshman in the fall and i want to study japanese but i don’t have a lot of experience with the language.. what are some tips you have for a beginner in the language ?

Good luck with your freshman year! Here's some advice I thought of that might help you:

The biggest tip I have for someone starting out is to learn hiragana and katakana first. You can learn it incrementally, or all at once (each method works better for different people!), but the sooner you can read kana and don't need to rely on romaji (romanized spellings of Japanese words), the better. In my experience it helps with overall pronunciation skills and reading speed to really get kana down strong!

If you have language gen ed requirements you need to fulfill or want to minor/major in Japanese and want to/plan to take Japanese classes your university offers, my next tip would be to find what textbook they use and give it a look! Some universities won't list the textbooks you'll use until pretty late in the summer, but they'll show up eventually. I think it's always a good idea to flip through the textbook you'll be using before the semester actually starts (even if you're just reading through the sample pages websites offer) so you have an idea of how much time you'd need to give yourself to do assigned readings if they appear or other things like that. With language textbooks specifically, I think it also helps show you if this textbook works well with the way you learn language! A lot of textbooks will be different, sometimes in pretty subtle ways, with how they teach material. It may be helpful for you to see how info is presented in your school's chosen textbook so you (roughly) know in advance if you'll need to find supplemental material or ask a lot of questions in class because of how the textbook is written.

Also, whether you're taking formal classes or not: don't be afraid to ask questions! Don't be afraid to ask questions during lectures if you're confused, don't be afraid to reach out to others who are studying the language if you're self-studying and need help, etc.! Nobody is going to care, and if people do, that's a them problem. There's never anything wrong with reaching out to people for help, and most people love to help others! Learning is easier when it's collaborative, trying to do everything alone is hard; even if you only talk to TAs and professors and never your classmates, that's better than trying to do everything by yourself! Although I would recommend at least trying to find classmates you fit in with and working with them.

Don't be afraid of speaking because you have an accent. I know tons of people who avoid practicing speaking because they're embarrassed about their accent or how they can't pronounce a certain sound exactly right or anything else like that. Don't let that hold you back! If your pronunciation is terrible, how will it improve if you don't practice? And everyone has an accent! There's no such thing as unaccented speech, so don't feel ashamed just because your accent is more "noticeable" than somebody else's. If you can't pronounce a certain sound in the language, that's fine! If you grew up learning a language where that sound literally doesn't exist, it'll be hard (and in some cases impossible) for you to pronounce that new sound! And that's completely fine! You shouldn't hold yourself back from learning and practicing because of something like that. People will still understand you if you're making an effort, even if you can't pronounce that one sound. It's okay to not sound perfect. It's okay to not sound like a native speaker. You're learning.

Other tips I have for Japanese specifically:

If you're self-paced or looking for extra material, put keigo (formal/honorific language) on a back burner. You don't need it immediately, and in Japan people are generally going to be very forgiving about keigo mistakes as long as you're behaving in a respectful way (even native Japanese speakers mess up keigo! It's like, a key part of the job-hunting process for lots of new college grad-aged Japanese people to make keigo mistakes- it's associated with being young, haha). It shouldn't be your top priority, and it'll be easier to learn when you know a lot of the grammar that keigo expands on.

Practice reading and writing often! Kanji are very much "use it or lose it", so it's a good idea to find fun ways to practice reading and writing so you can stay consistently exposed to the ones you know. Most textbooks will have you write Kanji several times after learning them and then do some reading/writing practice with full phrases as well, but make sure you keep up with using them after you learn them or they'll just evaporate from your mind.

Practice speaking and listening often, too, but don't get too worried about perfect pitch accent when you first begin! Japanese is a language with a pitch accent- it isn't tonal like Cantonese or Mandarin, but words will have a specific pitch structure. You'll likely hear this when you listen to native speakers, especially if you're specifically listening for it, but when you're a complete beginner you don't have to worry about it. It starts coming more naturally later on, and it's easier to practice it when you have a strong grammar/vocab foundation. Some people say it's super important because the pitch is the only way to tell homophones apart but... People aren't stupid. People understand context. No one is going to assume you meant to say something that makes no sense, when you could've said something that makes complete sense. People may ask you to repeat yourself, or you might encounter a couple of rude people who intentionally misunderstand you, but generally, people are going to understand what you meant to say based on the context. Don't worry about it when you're still learning how to say "good morning"

I hope those pieces of advice help! I know many of them were more about mental hurdles with language learning than they were about objective aspects of Japanese, but those were the important things that came to mind, haha. Feel free to ask me or anybody else in the Japanese langblr community for more help if you have specific things on your mind!

[kovulwa]

9/13/2024

I've been struggling a lot recently w/ imposter syndrome and also just a general feeling of spiralling.

I need to put my thoughts down, but I find it difficult to do so. I don't feel motivated in any way, I know the act and action will be healthy (ultimately) but the urge to dissociate any time I'm by myself is too strong.

So I'm out in the world, being a thousand different someone elses for a thousand different someones. And all of them feel inadequate, like I'm putting on a performance for a role I never asked for and couldn't play even if I did ask for it.

I'm 32, I have no skills to speak of. I dropped out of high school, moved away from my hometown, and bummed it in the service industry before moving into manufacturing where I still make a living. The things I used to love to do, I am hopelessly mediocre at, time has made me foolish and insecure.

I would like to change all that, and I don't really have a good idea of where to start.

I need to practice guitar if I want to improve.

I need to write more if I want to improve.

I need to draw more if I want to improve.

And then I think. Ok, so you spend the time getting good at the things you love. Then what? Shouldn't the act be fulfilling in and of itself? That's what I think, plainly. But my thoughts convince me out of this, that actually, as long as I am forced to work a menial job, what good is my art except a pacifier for myself?

and I started making art because I am terminally unable to connect with other people. I want to, but I don't know how to talk. Or act. And when it does work, I find myself immediately regretful. Exposed.

Maybe more than ever it's just this cascade of hopelessness and despair. I've seen it my whole life, or been aware of it, rather. But it's stronger now than ever before, that feeling like spiritual acid rain. We are all trapped in a meat grinder, we are standing arm and arm inside a giant compactor and the walls get tighter and tighter.

So I have to sort my thoughts and separate the strands and keep it from becoming this great big fucking knotted thing that weighs me down entirely and keeps me unable to move or act or think, a brain fit only for bare routine.

But I don't want to be that way, I don't want this to be who I am forever until I die. And I don't want to choose to die rather than stay in the routine, a grim thought I have hourly if not daily.

So here are all the things I'd like to do creatively, somehow, in no particular order, before I succumb to bad thoughts or get in a car wreck or whatever.

"I Am the Chasm" - Coven Brothers is my band, and I would really like to write and record the second album. The first was ok, I think I made a lot of mistakes and bad calls and I think you can hear every single one, but I need to try again. I have a better formed idea of what I want the record to sound like and how to tie things in thematically, so I can't give up on this.

"A Serious Kid" - This was my idea for a solo album, something more introspective and gentle than the previous entry. I have quite a few songs written for this, but I need to flesh out arrangements and actually finish writing out the ideas I had for this record.

Practice drawing. Self explanatory, but for context. I'm not an artist, visually anyway (or in any other regard, depending on what day you ask). But I've always loved visual art and was envious of people who could bring life to images. I should look into foundational drawing texts or classes or something to help me get started, but in the meantime I have two hands and a sketchbook, so I can work at it.

Write more prose. When I first moved to Portland, back in 2014, I had a pretty rough go of it. I was in a relationship that was bad for both of us, I missed the people that I left behind even though they very often hurt my feelings and made me feel excluded. Under this backdrop, I began writing a novel. I don't know why I thought I could do that, and upon sharing and editing and getting feedback for a period, it's been pretty much left to rot in a binder somewhere in my desk. But I've often wanted to revisit it, blow up whatever I had written down and try to string it back together into something good and worthwhile.

Write more poetry. I'm actually doing ok on this one, though like any creative pursuit in a vacuum, I have no idea if what I'm doing is any good or not. But I have been bringing my moleskin to new places, any time I'm out of the house, and writing a few short lines at the very least. Sometimes it feels effortless, and I find myself writing a few lines or stanzas and other times the moleskin goes unopened entirely.

I also need to get therapy.

I think that is a funny last line for this post.

[visuumii]

Untitled

+You're doing nothing. -Oh, you're still alive. How long has it been? A month? +Ten pence change. -… +… +You're still doing nothing. -Yes, I've just realized I'm doing nothing just now. +… +Why? -Because doing something requires choosing what to do. +Then choose. -It's not that easy. Nothing is easy. +Then here are some choices. I know you think about them. Music, writing, traditional art, cooking, home improvement, exercize. Lots of art to make, lots of skills to acquire. -Those are just quick fantasies. They allow me to imagine I'm doing something because it's thrilling or interesting or comforting. +Quick fantasies don't recur this often, and aren't so felt. -Okay then, there's truth to it. But I don't have to. +That's true, you could just stare at a wall for the next sixty years. -That's right. +… -… +This is painful. -How? It's steady and that's fine by me. More of the present. This is a lovely shade of blue. +I don't mean you're not happy I mean you're not fulfilled. The pain is an atrophy. You're lazy. -I know. Lazy is safe. It soothes the present. +But your present isn't fun. Take a risk. -Risk is danger. Danger isn't safe. Nothing is safe. +Nothing is safe? -…

+Back to the wall? +Isn't it boring? -I'm not bored there's plenty to do doing nothing. Watching numbers go up or down, clicking on things, smiling at photons, hearing the noise. It's peaceful to be here because I know it won't collapse quickly like the drive to do something will. +Of course it isn't peaceful- you think you're doing nothing when you do think, and that just doesn't feel good. Cheap thrills and the like. God! The effort it requires to be lazy! +I'm taking the reins. I'm writing this down. -Chill out now. I mean that not thinking requires little effort. +But you aren't not thinking. If you were actually choosing not to think you'd be somewhere peaceful. Like sitting on a park bench. You're distracting yourself from doing something. -I don't have to do something. Finding somewhere peaceful means doing something. And that takes energy. +You want to help, to entertain, or at least the simulacrum of that. And yet you don't interact because it takes your body energy? -It's a true pain. +I know. It's more than that, it-is-a constant. You can put the energy towards something. It will drain towards nothing either way. -Then I choose nothing. +… -…

+You do know nothing isn't healthy right? There's a literal atrophy going on too. -Of course, but I understand how it isn't. This wall is blue. The others are a secret. +Don't you wan't to be productive? It feels good. Better than nothing. -Productivity isn't all. I don't need to be manufacturing wood to feel alive. I can feel alive doing nothing. I've found that peace already. +That's not what I mean by productivity. I mean becoming something you enjoy on top of that peace rather than doing things to keep you enjoyed. That peace is a rare card to have. Aren't you wasting it? -I'm content. +Content but not fulfilled? That's pretty strange. -As you said earlier. +I forgot about that. -Isn't it so easy? +It's fearful. -If you say so. +… -…

+You should upload this somewhere. -Why? +Does it matter? It's text. It's far fewer clicks than however long you've spent playing balatro. -No it's something. I don't want to consider something. Nothing is better. I should be playing balatro. +Then I'll do it. -It's too personal. Aren't you just crying for help or whatever? You're fine. Be still. Hush. +As you said earlier your inner peace is settled, you're not looking for others help. Right now you need to get out of your head. I'm doing it for you. This is creative writing anyways, that's one off the list. -It doesn't need to be uploaded. That's full of yourself. +You know not to care about pretention, you know it robs the world of art. -The world doesn't need this art. It's art for no one, I'll forget about it soon. Untitled text in a folder on my computer. +Skills can be developed alone. -This isn't a skill. It's art. It can be nothing. +If art is experience then skills can be art. But a skill can't be your nothing. I'm doing something. -Where can you even post this? You don't have a website. It's too much effort. +I've got a tumblr account. That can be used. I've been meaning to post there for ages. -That's social media. You're supposed to post pictures of your Minecraft builds. It's not for weirdo socratic personal dialogues. +I don't care what it's for. I've seen people write essays there before. That's enough. -… -Aren't you just fueling algorithms, the horror of the contemporary internet? You know full well what these companies create. +One of those products is the exact distraction this is against. One you've somehow reproduced without them. I care little about algorithms, it might help someone. -Oh aren't you a wee angel then. +Calm your cheek. I meant it's food for thought. I'm not a saviour. -But you do want to 'help'? +Only interpersonally. I want this to be able to interest others. It feels good. -That's the job of professionals. People who do something. We don't need to. +They don't either. But they choose to. Where did you get the idea amateurs don't exist? For passion and money people try. -This will see no eyes you know. +So what if it does. It's something regardless. -I shouldn't keep writing this. I should do nothing instead. That's better. Posting is stressful anyways. +You've been doing something this whole time. You can see the text on screen. -I've done something. -Disgusting. -Where's the wall gone?

-Why am I so loud?

+Because I'm back.

[uncloseted]

Is there any way to stop obsessing over my ugliness? I know the answer is to get a life and personality that makes you feel better about yourself or try to improve what you have but I'm just so tired of buying makeup, outfits, looking in the mirror every second of the day to see if anything changes, and constant researching. I also just don't feel like my personality makes up for my ugliness, I'm not funny or charming or interesting. I just don't know what else to do. I feel disgusting.

I think trying to stop obsessing over something ends up being creating a pink elephant problem- the more you try not to think about pink elephants, the more pink elephants become all that you can think about. All negative thoughts are like this. The more we try not to think them, the more our brains get stuck on them. Instead of trying not to think about something, there are a few other things we can try.

The first is something I talk about a lot here, which is replacing the thought with a more useful one. When you find yourself thinking "I'm ugly", maybe you could try to replace it with, "what if I'm average looking?" or "what if it doesn't matter how I look?" Trying to convince yourself that you're beautiful whenever you feel ugly likely won't work, but gently challenging the belief that you're ugly and that how you look is important might slowly start to shift how you feel about yourself and about beauty in general.

The second think we can try is disarming the thought. Our thoughts are just that- thoughts. They're not an indicator of our worth or of the type of person we are or even of what's true. A lot of thoughts are just kind of a pop-up ad in our brains. And so if we acknowledge the thought is just a thought, it becomes easier to let it go. The next time you find yourself criticizing your appearance, try saying to yourself, "I'm noticing that I'm having the thought that I'm ugly." I know it might feel silly, but distancing yourself from the thought instead of considering it a part of who you are can make a big difference in how you feel about it.

The last technique we can try is conquering the thought. Say you are actually, truly ugly (which, for the record, I don't believe you are). So what? Would that really be so horrible? There are lots of unattractive people who live full, happy lives. Unattractive people have friends and family and fall in love and work on projects that they love and help people and contribute to the world. Unattractive people, you know, play video games and read books and go hiking and crochet and have hobbies that bring them joy. Is being unattractive really as bad as you're making it out to be in your mind? Is it possible that there's a way you could live a happy and fulfilled life even if you were ugly? And is this belief that you are ugly helping you life the kind of life you want to, or is it holding you back from being the person you want to be?

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that having a life and a personality that you like will make you feel better about yourself, because those things decenter physical appearance as the most important thing. If you wake up in the morning and feel good about the kind of person you are and look forward to the things you're going to do that day, being pretty starts to feel like it doesn't matter as much.

Even if you feel like you're not funny or charming or interesting, you could be. You can always take an improv class to learn how to be funny, or read "How to Make Friends and Influence People" or "How to Talk to Anyone" to improve your people skills, or take classes or watch video essays on YouTube or start picking up hobbies to be more interesting. Those kinds of things aren't inborn traits- they're skills that people learn over time, and you can learn them too.

The last thing I would suggest is talking to a therapist about this obsession. If it's impacting your ability to live your life, a therapist can help you come up with strategies to deal with these thoughts and work around them.

[drbanewell-blog]

Unlocking Your Potential:

The Journey of Lifelong Learning

Welcome to the start of an exciting adventure! Lifelong learning means always being curious and eager to learn new things, no matter how old you are. It’s about growing and improving yourself every day. In our fast-changing world, lifelong learning is super important. It’s the key to reaching your full potential and living a happy, fulfilling life.

Why Lifelong Learning Matters

You might wonder why lifelong learning is such a big deal. Here are a few reasons:

Staying Up-to-Date: The world is changing fast, and new skills are needed all the time. Lifelong learning helps you keep up and take advantage of new opportunities.

Keeping Your Brain Sharp: Learning new things keeps your brain active and healthy, reducing the risk of memory problems as you get older.

Feeling Accomplished: Learning can make you feel proud and satisfied. It adds fun and excitement to your life.

Advancing in Your Career: People who keep learning often move up in their jobs because they have valuable and up-to-date skills.

The Power of a Growth Mindset

Lifelong learning starts with a growth mindset. This means believing that you can always get better at something with effort and practice. It makes you more curious, open to challenges, and willing to try new things. A growth mindset is like the engine that drives lifelong learning.

Simple Tips for Lifelong Learning

Here are some easy ways to make learning a part of your daily life:

Set Learning Goals: Decide what you want to learn and set clear, small goals. Whether it’s learning to cook a new recipe or picking up a new hobby, having goals helps you stay focused.

Make a Plan: Schedule a little time each day or week for learning. Even 20 minutes a day can make a big difference over time.

Stay Curious: Always ask questions and explore new ideas. Be open to different perspectives and experiences.

Use Technology: There are many online resources, apps, and courses that make learning easy and fun. I will be introducing several of these in future blog posts.

Join a Learning Community: Find people who love learning too. Join clubs, attend workshops, or participate in online groups to share ideas and stay motivated. To get you off to a good start, check out my Facebook™ Fan Page dedicated to my passion of Lifelong Learning. You may also want to join my Facebook™ Group that is dedicated to helping others to reach their full potential and to lead a richer, more fulfilling life.

Product Reviews and Recommendations

In future blog posts, we’ll explore different topics related to lifelong learning. We’ll also review products and recommend tools, courses, and books that can help you on your learning journey. If you’re 45 or older and looking to reach your full potential, these resources will be especially useful.

Upcoming Topics Include:

Best Online Courses for Lifelong Learners: Reviews of online learning platforms.

Must-Read Books for Lifelong Learning: Recommendations for books that inspire and educate, from classic self-help to the latest in brain science.

Productivity Tools for Learners: Reviews of apps and tools that help you organize your learning, take better notes, and remember what you learn.

Amazon Product Links

In future blog posts, I will include direct Amazon links to products that can support your lifelong learning journey as well as to products that cater to both the personal and professional lives of those 45 and older. This diverse list might include these type items:

Books: From inspiring biographies to how-to guides, I will link to books that expand your knowledge and spark your curiosity.

Tech Gadgets: Devices like tablets, e-readers, and smart pens that make learning more fun and convenient.

Online Course Subscriptions: Easy links to sign up for online learning platforms, so you can start learning right away

Health and Wellness Products: Items that help you stay healthy and energized, which is important for effective learning.

Home and Office Supplies: Devices like ergonomic office chairs, standing desks, and home office lighting solutions that make your immediate environment more comfortable and conducive to learning.

Home Improvement: Items such as smart thermostats, LED lighting solutions, and energy-efficient appliances that take advantage of better performance and overall energy-saving.

Travel: Items like luggage, travel accessories, portable travel chargers, language translators, and passport holders for those desiring to do more traveling in their golden years.

The Bigger Picture: Embracing Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is all about seeing change as an opportunity. It’s about being curious and resilient. Whether you’re aiming to advance in your career, start a new hobby, or keep your mind sharp, lifelong learning is the key.

It’s never too late to start. The beauty of lifelong learning is that you can begin at any stage of life. The skills you acquire and the knowledge you gain can open doors to new opportunities and experiences you might never have imagined.

Final Thoughts

Lifelong learning is a journey, not a destination. It’s about continuously growing and improving, both personally and professionally. As you embrace this journey, you’ll discover new passions, meet inspiring people, and find greater fulfillment in life.

In the coming weeks, we’ll explore different aspects of lifelong learning, giving you valuable insights, tips, and resources. Whether you’re looking to boost your career, improve your brain health, or simply find new ways to enrich your life, this blog will be your guide.

Stay tuned for more articles, product reviews, and recommendations to help you on your lifelong learning journey. Together, we’ll unlock your full potential and make learning a lifelong habit.

Welcome to the adventure of lifelong learning!

Join me on this journey, and let’s make lifelong learning a fun and enriching experience together.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Preview of Future Blog Topics:

Building a Learning Community: How to connect with other lifelong learners and create a supportive network.

Time Management: Strategies to balance learning with your other responsibilities.

Effective Learning Techniques: Simple methods like spaced repetition and active recall to help you learn better.

Mindfulness and Learning: How mindfulness can improve your learning, with tips on how to practice mindfulness every day.

The Role of Fitness in Learning: How staying active can boost your brainpower and help you learn better.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate and an affiliate marketer, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase through any of the links above, I am compensated at no cost to you. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I personally write each blog post, however, the outline and portions of the this and future posts may be/have been crafted and/or refined with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).