#like maybe this’ll help motivation

[quibbs126]

Are there any fankids that you need flavour/character ideas for?

Yeah I do. Honestly, maybe it’ll help me get some motivation to do them too

Alright, so first I’m gonna list character idea ones, along with the names I already have for them (because sometimes people suggest names for them despite me already having them)

Dino Sour/Abyss Monarch: Gummy Shark

Popcorn/Banana: Banana Chip (originally it was Popcorn Ball, but they looked too similar to Popcorn)

Coffee Candy/Cherry Ball: Cherry Candy

Mint Choco/Rockstar: Mint Toothpaste (honestly I’m half considering giving them an occupation name, but that’ll only be once I have a character for them)

Pomegranate/Affogato: Pomegranate Sundae

Crunchy Chip/Red Velvet: Blackout

Affogato/Cream Unicorn: Coffee Pavlova

Black Raisin/Licorice: Grape Licorice

Latte/Almond: Almond Milk (I do have that they use milk magic, but I don’t know what else to do)

Cherry/Herb: Spring Blossom (though open to change)

Abyss Monarch/Electric Eel: Blue Ring

Alright, I should stop on characters now, now let’s just go to quickfire flavor ones (these are the ones you suggest names for)

Raspberry/Caramel Arrow

Kumiho/Werewolf

Shining Glitter/Herb

Electric Eel/Box Jellyfish (this is oc x canon, but I cannot for the life of me come up with a good name and it’s an old request that I want to do, but I’m stuck at the name)

White Lily/Pomegranate (best I have is Poppy, and I’m using Spider Lily for Pomegranate/Hydrangea)

Cotton Candy/Fig

Cream Unicorn/Stardust

Hero/Sandwich

Shadow Milk/Lychee

Herb/Parfait

Timekeeper/Longan

You don’t have to do all of them, but some help would be appreciated please

Edit: oh wait, some parent requests I forgot but also want to ask

First off, can someone PLEASE help me with the other Dark Cacao parent? I have asked multiple times. I have one named Forastero, so that covers the cacao part, and the other one I want to give the prefix “Dark”, but she doesn’t have to be a cacao bean or anything

And then the other one is parents for Kumiho and Vagabond

[bookshelf-dust]

someone worth leaving home for

eddie munson x fem!reader

gif by @cowboylikemunson

word count: 2,695

warnings: some alcohol use, swearing, a little suggestiveness? otherwise pure fluff

synopsis: you’re not really one to go out on the town much. being at home is just…better. but maybe there are some people worth getting out of your pjs for.

a/n: the amount of time this has been sitting, left to collect dust because i just couldn’t get a good footing on it or decide what direction to go in is vile. but i finally did it!! and i think it turned out pretty cutesy. if you’ve been in the market for something fluffy to get through the horrors life brings you, i hope this’ll help. love you!! <33

————

“Will you quit dragging your feet, already? For one, you’re gonna scuff your new boots, which I paid good money for, and for another, we’re never gonna get close enough to the stage if you don’t pick up the pace.” 

Tatum skips ahead of you, her skirt flouncing behind her. You scoff, shoving your beat-up compact back into your purse, along with the wine colored lipstick you’d been applying. “I just don’t understand your obsession with bars. I much prefer drinking at home. In my pajamas.”

“It’s not gonna kill you to come out with me for one night.” Tatum says your name. “Besides, I already told you the lead singer is kind of your type…” The last word leaves her mouth with a sing-songy lilt to it. She pulls open the door to The Hideout for you. “God knows you need some physical affection,” she mumbles. 

“What was that?” you laugh, cupping your ear with your hand. “You wouldn’t happen to be shit-talking your best friend, now would you?”

Tatum flips her hair over her shoulder. “Sometimes shit-talking is the best form of motivation.” 

It’s not exactly light outside, what with the time change and it getting dark so early, but somehow it’s darker inside the bar. There are a few neon signs hung up on the wall, large beer company logos staring you down. Your boots immediately stick to the floor beneath you; peanut shells crunch under your heels. 

It’s the kind of disgusting that holds nothing but nostalgia and a strange sense of comfort. You go to take a seat at the bar, but Tatum is quick to grab your hand, pulling you across the oblong room and in front of a small-ish stage. Your brows knit together. 

“What do you want to drink? I’ll get it. These are the best seats in the house, and I damn sure am not about to let anyone take them.”

You spout off the first thing that comes to mind, hoping it’s even something this place will have. You bring your purse into your lap. “Best seats my ass.”

Tatum slams a glass down on the table in front of you. Your heart smacks against your ribcage. “Jesus fuck!” She laughs when you clutch your collarbones, eyeing the pinkish liquid in your cup.

“These might be the grossest seats in the house, but they sure are good for checking out the band.”

How she even heard your snide comment from the bar, you’ll never know. Tatum takes a swig from her beer, waiting for your eyes to widen. You decide not to give in to temptation. 

“You brought me here so you could ogle the singer in a shitty band in an even shittier venue?”

“Hey, beggars can’t be choosers.”

Your eyes roll back into your head and you take a long sip from the plastic straw in front of you. “And no,” Tatum continues, “you pessimistic little shit. I have eyes on the drummer—hello. Do you even know me? The front-running guy is much more your type. And he plays like, an electric guitar or something. You know what they say about guitarists…”

“Okay, stop. You sound so sure that you know exactly what my type is, and I just don’t think that’s fair, I mean, I don’t do that to you—holy shit…”

Tatum leans back in her chair, the front legs lifting ever so slightly. She claps her hands and giggles. “Ha! Told you so!”

The back of your hand makes contact with her clammy bicep. She takes it in stride. 

The band, a group of four, has appeared on stage, skin glimmering in what can only be described as a ghostly manner due to the cheap lighting. There’s a guy taking a seat at the drum set with floppy brown hair, an earring, and a ratty gray sweater on. “Does he have big sad eyes?” you ask Tatum, raising an eyebrow. 

She might as well have squealed. “You bet your ass he does!” 

You look at your best friend as the group begins to play a cover of something that sounds vaguely familiar—maybe you’ve heard it on the radio before—but that you can’t place. You won’t tell her, but you’re glad she dragged you here tonight. The love-dazed trance she’s in makes it worthwhile. You’re not gonna let her leave without getting that guy's number.

A quick glance around the place shows you that only a few other people are paying attention: the lone bartender, an older group of men, some possible teens in one of the corners sharing a pack of cigarettes. You swing your head back in the direction of the small stage, shocked to find the lead singer giving you a once-over. 

You can’t decide if you’re intimidated or intrigued. His mouth is just barely pressed against the microphone, his lips twitching into a smirk as you maintain eye contact with him. 

This man doesn’t look like anyone else you know. Sure, he’s got a similar style cut to his hair, the same dark jeans plenty of people wear in such a small town. But he’s the kind of person you can look at and just know that they’re trying to do bigger things. Reach for things bigger than themselves and the lives they grew up having. 

He seems to be wearing a couple different necklaces, a messy stack of brackets on his left wrist, an Iron Maiden shirt that’s been torn more likely from wear than in the depths of a factory. He’s the kind of gorgeous people write poems about. Hell, the kind of gorgeous people paint because they have to document it. Something about his bone structure, his lithe movements, the curve of his throat.

You find yourself unable to look away from him even as you sip your too-sweet cocktail. Your elbow nudges Tatum’s. You’re hoping that by leaning into her budding crush, yours will go unnoticed. Hopefully she’s forgotten about it since you haven’t said anything since he walked out. “You planning on asking for the drummer’s number before we leave tonight?” you ask, smiling when her cheeks flush. 

“I really want to. And they always seem to stick around after they play, to buy a beer or smoke in the alley out back. I mean, I did put on a push-up bra.”

Your shoulders shake with laughter. By the time their set is over, you’re pretty sure you only really knew one song they played—and that was only because your dad likes it. 

————

Tatum glances over her shoulder. You give her a lookin, raising your eyebrows and hands in tandem. She cringes, though it looks more like a victorious smile. She gestures at you with her index finger. Almost done. 

She’s been talking to the drummer—Gareth, you’ve now learned—for twenty minutes. You wish they’d just exchange numbers and head off in their separate directions already. The balls of your feet are starting to ache in your boots. 

You let your eyes flutter shut for just a moment as you relax into the brick wall behind you. God, you feel old. You’re ready for bed. 

There’s a shuffling sound off to your left, the slam of a door. “Shit, Gare, you got a light? Mines out.”

You look up, looking for a face to match with the voice you’ve just heard. It’s the guy from before, one of the others from the band. 

“Yeah, man, here.” Gareth fishes a silver lighter out of his pocket and passes it over. Tatum glances at you, jerking her thumb back in the guys direction. Well, he’s gorgeous, she mouths. You roll your eyes. 

Once he’s lit his cigarette, the still unknown man looks at Gareth and asks, “You about ready to head out?”

You grin to yourself, tuning out the rest of their conversation, their exchange of introductions with Tatum. You’re looking down at a particularly round rock when another pair of boots appear in your line of vision. Your head shoots up.

“Hey,” he grins, “Didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Eddie. Tatum said you’re with her?”

You let out a short, little puff of air laugh. “I am. My best friend since the seventh grade and the only reason I’m not in my pajamas by now.”

If possible, he’s even prettier up close. There’s a smattering of freckles across his nose and under his eyes. The sly line of a dimple drawing up next to his mouth. The first thought you have about him at this moment is how much you like his hair. 

Eddie chuckles, blowing the smoke from his cigarette away from you. “Ooh, are they good pajamas?” The playfulness in his question catches you a little off guard. 

“They are,” you start. “They’ve got Garfield on them.”

He smiles at you. “Cute. Poor Odie though, right? When’s he get to be on a pair of pajamas?” 

“Oh, don’t worry. I have a t-shirt with them both, so he’s not totally left out.”

Eddie stuffs a hand into his back pocket. “Good. I was worried. What’s your name, gorgeous? You know, so I can look you up in the book if I find some Odie pjs.”

Normally you’d be embarrassed by how quickly you’re being charmed by this man, but he’s so damn cute that you don’t care. You tell him your name. He smiles again, slower this time, and tells you how pretty it is. 

“I’ve never seen you here before tonight,” Eddie says. 

“It’s my first time. Tatum begged me to come out with her, but I know it was really just because she wanted your drummer’s number. Usually I’m happy to drink at home.”

Eddie looks over at your friend standing with his. Gareth is writing something on a gum wrapper. 

“Well I’m certainly glad I got to meet you. You looked very pretty out there. Hope we didn’t disappoint though?”

You wave your hands. “Oh, not at all! I enjoyed it. I liked the mix of covers and originals. You’re very good. You have a…strong stage presence. Very assertive.”

He drops his cigarette, snuffing it out with the heel of his boot. “Yeah?” There’s a sick little smirk on his face when he glances back up at you. 

You hum. “You’ve got that whole…rockstar look about you, y’know?”

“So…is all that stage presence enough for you to come back next week? You’ll only have to be out late one night. If you make it, I’ll buy you a drink. We can keep talking about how pretty you are and how you feel about my assertiveness.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

“Are you flirting with me?”

“Trying!”

The both of you burst out into giggles, enough so that Tatum and Gareth look over to see what’s wrong. 

A yawn from you interrupts the gleefulness. 

“Hey,” Eddie says, smiling at you. His eyes take on a pretty sheen. “I’ll let you go, alright? Before you pass out on the sidewalk.”

You stick your hand in your purse and rummage for a pen. “You have anything for me to write on? You know, so we could talk a little more and I can answer your question.”

Eddie never has shit on him. Suddenly he pulls out his pack of cigarettes, flipping it over and handing it to you. You snort down at the little box, but scribble your number in the white space anyhow. “I can also apologize for my shitty flirting,” you tell him.

“Practice makes perfect,” Eddie says. 

Tatum skips over, grabbing your hand and blowing a dramatic kiss at the two men behind you as she drags you away. “Goodnight, boys!”

————

“What the actual fuck are you doing?”

Eddie appears in the living room, a pair of ratty and worn pajama pants sitting on his hips, a hand in his tangled hair. 

“What’s it look like?” 

He tilts his head in order to make eye contact with you. “Some weird Exorcist shit.”

What he’s referring to is your downward dog pose. You took up yoga a little while back, not only because it gave you something new to do, but it also helps keep you grounded. This is not to say you’re perfect at it, but it’s fun. 

It’s been just over two months since you met Eddie. He’s always felt like he’s gotta do a hundred things at once, like he’s constantly on the go—being pulled in all these different directions. Wayne used to tell him that if he didn’t learn to relax, one day his head was gonna fly off and his body would just keep on running. 

Somehow being with you, being with a total homebody, has mellowed him out. He can’t quite explain it. Maybe the chemicals in him finally evened out (he thought that was part of puberty or something). Really it’s because he’s never really understood being grounded—not until you. 

“You can join me,” you tell him, lowering yourself to sit on your haunches. “If you want. It’s just some stretching.”

He settles onto your carpeted floors, pressing a warm kiss to the center of your forehead, his hand cupping the back of your neck, thumb caressing your hairline. 

“You gonna drag me to the hospital when I throw out my back?”

“Of course.” He watches, enamored, as you shift your position. “Here, I’ll show you my favorite one. It feels really good for your hips.”

You get into a child’s pose, letting your knees fall wide so that your hips open up and relief runs up your spine. The effects of sleeping in the fetal position—an Eddie glued to your side no matter how much you move. 

You look over at him and blink. Hesitantly, Eddie attempts to copy the way you’ve folded your body. His knees just won’t do whatever it is yours are doing. They’re not very spread and his back is a little too hunched.

“Shit,” he fusses. “This shit hurts! Must be some feminine magic or something. How are you not in pain right now?”

“Here, try this one instead.” Eddie gets into a cobra pose much easier. His back cracks and he groans.

“Baby, honey, sweet fucking woman of mine—I genuinely don’t think my spine was made for this.” He sits back down, mesmerized when you do a pigeon pose, saying how good it feels and how your mind quiets for a few minutes. 

Eddie chuckles to himself. Your head pops up. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing…I was just thinking that I also know of a few ways your mind could get real quiet.”

“Eddie!” you shriek, reaching out to smack his arm. “Be serious.”

“I am—”

“Come on, just do this one with me, okay? If you throw your back out I’ll give you a massage or something. Besides, relationships are about compromise! Think about how many pairs of my shoes are all sticky because I like you so much that I get dolled up and follow you to a hundred different bars to hear you sing.”

“A hundred is a bit of a stretch. But, I digress. I will try this with you, m’lady.”

Your body makes a triangle as you return to downward dog, coaxing Eddie with you. His hair falls away from his eyes and your gaze travels to the soft skin of his tummy, the sparse hair below his belly button. It’s at that moment that you realize Eddie is also eyeing you. His eyes are glued, very obviously, to your ass. 

“Eddie, this is supposed to be relaxing, stop ogling me!”

“I saw you over there. You were being a perv with those eyes, babe. Don’t act like I'm the only guilty party.”

“You first! You always start staring first.” 

“You’re right. And if I didn’t have a staring problem, you wouldn’t be doing this with me right now.”

“Technically, I made the first move.”

“You absolutely did not.”

“Yes, I did!”

“No, you really didn’t.”

You swipe at Eddie’s ankle, knocking him off balance. You shuffle quickly across the carpet, burning your knees but not caring. 

“Just shut up and kiss me already, Munson.”

Eddie just about tackles you, cupping your face and bringing you flush to his chest. “Yes, ma’am.”

————

note: none of the gifs or images i use are mine! i get most of my images from pinterest or here, and gifs from about the same. please let me know if i ever don’t credit someone properly!

[writers-lore]

Hi, this’ll be my first post so bare with me. I’ve never been one to actually post on different social medias and I’m newer to Tumblr too, so if I sound too serious or off that’s probably why. Anyway, to my point;

I am probably going to post a lot of theories or deep dives into different characters from different fandoms and this will be my first! So, here’s a deep dive into Virgil from Sanders Sides; (Spoiler warnings ahead for like EVERY episode)

Let me know if you agree, disagree, or just your thoughts on this if you can, I would like to hear them! I think it would be interesting.

Janus was talking in todays (05/25/24) video, it made me realize that Virgil could’ve left because he wanted someone to be honest with him and show him sincerity, both things Janus hated, and every secret Virgil had would be used against him, his own name was, and that’s why he was afraid to say his name to everyone and now he’s probably realizing Pattons going down the same path he walked, and he’s trying to help his friend but there’s no use. He became closer with Roman because he showed him honesty, he was mean but apologized for his actions and showed him who he is, good and bad, and showed him sincerity when he pushed Thomas to talk to Nico. Virgil showed Roman he was because he was less scared, Roman had shown him who he is and so he will do so too, the purple eyeshadow. In the cheering up episode he was showing things to Roman that he liked, something he didn’t do with everyone because he was afraid of it being used against him, and in the gifting episode he heard Janus against Roman and got angry at Janus because Roman is his friend, someone he can finally trust, someone who won’t use it against him (Janus) or tease him (Remus, DWIT) and he and Roman have a bond where they can tease eachother or make jokes but know they’re jokes because they have trust. Virgil probably realizes that the dollar bill with Roman was special because Romans afraid of Failure and hes feeling like he fails with all his friends who are turning on him, so to give him something personal, or as Janus put it, ploy to his ego, it helps with his insecurity that he’s not significant, Virgil gets that because he had to loose everything he knew to gain what he has now, which is scary and puts you at the bottom of a pit you have to climb out of.

If someone said to you, “I’m not angry” but looked super angry wouldn’t that make you upset? Or if you showed something to them and they said “I really like it” when they have a look of disgust on their face. This is something I feel Janus would do from his mannerisms in the newer videos with Remus.

I think that Janus is someone who can be easily trusted at first, the one you feel finally understands you or is finally nice to you but as you go on with being friends you realize it was all a lie, the relationship’s foundation was built on lies. Remus doesn’t care, nor has he left Janus so their friends. Virgil cared, and left, so Janus is angry at him and uses everything against him- maybe he did it before too. Maybe Virgil saw how the others acted towards him and changed his original motive, sometimes when you see something doesn’t have to be a certain way, you don’t want it to be a certain way. Example being, you can cut the grass with scissors but if you find that tedious or don’t like it, change what you’re doing, make it easier, make it nicer for yourself. Same goes with being around people, you don’t have to be around people who make you upset, or you realize make you upset, because that’s all you know. It’s scary, so scary from experience but when you’re on the other side it’s clearer, nicer, happier— and the fact that Virgil can trust someone so much now that he can finally show them something he likes or the purple eyeshadow is just showing how much better he is, even if it might seem like he’s walking backwards, he’s not, he’s in the clear for the most part.

Virgil is only “going backwards” with saying he’s like the cousin, I don’t think that means he wishes he was back there, I think he means that’s where he’s from, that’s what he knows more, he doesn’t exactly feel like a light side probably, so he’ll assume he just still feels like a dark side. He’s probably afraid that his relationship with Patton is deteriorating over Janus, he’s afraid Patton’s mad at him because of the “I’m not mad at you” but looks upset thing that probably happened with Janus.( I’ve had people do this and it does affect me like that so that’s why I’m saying this) But Virgil would rather protect Patton from him and have Patton dislike him than to stand back and let it happen I’m guessing- I could be wrong though. And, in the video where Janus and Patton are in the woods it’s noted that Janus doesn’t share much about himself to Patton, he might not want people to do what he does in turn.

Maybe that’s why Janus doesn’t like Roman, because he is mean to those he doesn’t trust and then once they know each-other is nice, and trusting and sincere. He doesn’t like him because he didn’t trust him without batting an eye, he realized what road he was on at the start and it crumbled a lot faster than anyone around hims did- immediate, or almost immediate distrust made Janus not like him since there isn’t much to use, just ploys to an ego and that is all. Roman is sincere towards Virgil and Virgil likes that, Janus could be angry that his friend is with someone new and angry at that friend. Janus can make all these remarks and they don’t matter until Roman speaks up and it’s Romans fault. Janus did what he did with Virgil to Roman, found what was important to him, an insecurity, and used it against him. Roman was quick to know the game, but he doesn’t know how to win the game.

All of this, or even some of it could be stuff that people have already realized and known, but I find it intriguing and interesting to think about dynamics and what goes on in peoples heads.

Again, if you want to add, or disagree please let me know, I want to hear what everyone else thinks about this if you’re seeing it- did you already know this? Do you disagree? What do you think is different?

Have a wonderful rest of your day and thank you for listening to my TedTalk.

[dross-the-fish]

Warning you that this’ll be worded weirdly in advance (I’m not good with wording)

I don’t know how to describe the phenomenon but how do you avoid art style envy? Or keep motivation when your art style isn’t where you want it to be?

(Because I feel as though I need to justify everything here’s an explanation) I often use your art as a reference because I like the style and it helps me get a basic idea of the anatomy of some characters (Adam, Jekyll, Hyde, Erik, for example) and then I get art block because it doesn’t look good to me (and then I remember your twice my age)

Sorry the wordings weird and sorry if it’s long

Honestly I think the reason I manage not to get wrapped up in my art not being where I want it to be is down to the fact that as I've gotten older I've started giving less fucks about drawing for an audience. I like to draw, and even if there are people significantly younger who are a lot better I'm drawing primarily for my own enjoyment, not to compete with other people. I also try to be kind to myself, I drew pretty irregularly over the years and went through long dry spells and if you'd seen my tumblr pre 2022 I have maybe 5-6 drawings per year and now that I'm drawing on at least a weekly basis I'm seeing rapid improvements in much shorter spans of time. Practice will pay off. You just have to commit to it and let it do its thing. There's no deadline to get good at something, some people pick up a skill right out of the gate and others don't discover how passionate they are about hobbies until they're older and everyone learns at their own pace. Don't stress over your art being perfect or "measuring up" and even if your drawings don't turn out great at first keep practicing. A hobby that brings you joy can be a wonderful and fulfilling thing regardless of skill level. When I was probably close to your age my own art looked like this. this is a drawing from a really old sketchbook and as an exercise I sometimes go through and redraw old art just as a fun way to test my skills. Seeing your own improvement is a good way to get out of feeling discouraged.

I have learned a LOT about drawing since I was in high school and so will you. I promise.

[watermelonbugs]

Tip for people like me who struggle to brush their teeth all the time!!

did you know you don’t HAVE TO brush your teeth in the morning and at night?

I struggle a LOT to do things shortly before bed and shortly after getting up. Brushing my teeth is a difficult task for me to stay motivated to do, and creating habits is a nightmare. BUT it’s a hell of a lot easier for me to brush my teeth at noon than at 9 AM, because I have a little more energy to work with, and it doesn’t have to be at an exact set time if you don’t want it to be.

Even if you have a work schedule or something to work around (for me it’s school) if you have single-person bathrooms there, and can get a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, you’re good to go!! Or even if you have public bathrooms at work/school, as long as you don’t mind the occasional weird look.

Or you can just bring a water bottle and find a secluded place outside!!

I’m not saying this’ll help everyone, but it helps me a lot, so maybe it’ll help SOMEONE.

[lurkofyourlife]

60: If you were the other sex for a day, what are five things you would do?

i just know you’ll have a very thought out answer for this one.

🩷🩷🩷

Honestly I don’t xD but maybe I should??? I’m assuming this is a full genital and gender presentation swap and not just a biological sex markers or genitals-only change— but I may be overthinking x3

Knowing it’s from you, I now immediately would want to go subby male real quick (as if I would have much choice here; I am not a dominant persona and a change of genitals wouldn’t change that 😅), but the service top angle…

I mean I’d be such a whore tbh, cause it could never get traced back to me if it’s just for a day, so I would be the cutest fuckin nerd boy making whimper/moaning audios online— and out in the real world I would be complimenting girls in a very “I don’t actually want anything from this” kind of way. I would be the nicest boy because I would never see them again since it’s one day, and I’d want to be the type they’d compare every future interaction to, and it would only take focused concentration about doing it for 24 hours (realistically, like 8 hours of public time or less). So I could really just be That Nice Boy that brightens your day with no ulterior motive. Truly channeling sweet puppy energy as long as I can 🤞

If I had someone (*cough*) to play with… I mean god… unhinged feral service top energy. Fuck you til I’m overstimulated but still desperate to stay inside you energy. Touchy groping humping puppy, who gets rougher and rougher cause he can’t help it he just wants you so bad, stop squirming, just hold still so I can fuck you, I’m so sorry can you breathe? No this’ll just be a second, just hold still, I’m almost there- 😵‍💫

NSFW ask game, send me a number

[just-your-average-cryptid]

Task Insurance

So a thing I’ve noticed being around a lot of neurodivergent people and spaces is that a lot of nt people don’t seem to understand why executive dysfunction and lack of motivation makes it so hard to Do Stuff. This is kinda how my brain processes it, so maybe it’ll help other people get it?

Say you have a Task. Doesn’t matter what right now, but it’s there and needs to be done, and it has three basic upfront costs.

Time - 15 minutes, an hour, a week; however long it takes to do The Task

Energy - for however much effort The Task needs

Motivation - to actually start The Task and keep doing it

You can’t skip out on any of these - you have to “pay” all three in full to do The Task. No motivation, you can’t start; no energy, you can’t finish or work at all.

Those costs aren’t equally difficult to pay, however: time can be set aside and planned, energy can usually be mustered or at least scrounged up, but motivation can’t be forced.

For neurotypicals, that motivation cost is covered by NT Insurance in most cases, so the only thing they need to pay “out of pocket” are the time and energy costs. Neurodivergent people don’t have NT Insurance, though, so they have to “pay” all three on their own.

For example. Let’s say the Task is Clean The Bathroom. You’re neurotypical, so your motivation cost is covered already, and you’ve made the time to Clean The Bathroom. You have at least enough energy to do two subtasks (Clean Toilet and Clean Shower) and possibly a third. This’ll be easy!

Now let’s say you’re neurodivergent. You still have the time and energy above, but you’re out of spoons or something similar and just can’t cover the last cost. Welp. No clean bathroom for you, unless it’s so bad that Panic Insurance is paying in full for all three costs.

See, that’s what happens without NT Insurance. If you can’t pay the cost yourself, and that’s often the case, something else has to do it for you. That thing is usually panic. Or deadlines. Or “deadly black mold.” (Most of these are just panic with extra features, tbh.)

Executive dysfunction is like having your motivation funds tapped out, even if your time and energy funds are bursting. You can’t start a Task even if you wanted do, you can’t afford it.

You CAN, however, do a Thing. A Thing is not a Task, it’s not “work.” A Thing might be scrolling through social media, playing a game, going for a walk, anything with low motivation costs that’s enjoyable and/or easy. It’s that sweet quick-return dopamine vs the later return a Task might provide. For some nd people, a Task might not provide any dopamine upon completion, so there’s no reward to work towards. And without that reward, a lot of nd people lose any reason to do said Task.

For NTs, “the satisfaction of a job well done” is so fundamental to their experience that the idea of it not existing for everyone is baffling. They don’t even realize motivation is a cost, because it’s so often covered for them. And so when nd people talk about motivation and executive function issues, they think it’s about being lazy or not trying hard enough.

It’s not.

Lazy is “I could do it now, but I don’t feel like it.” Executive dysfunction is “I could literally do it right now if my brain would just cooperate for once, but instead I’m stuck in stasis mode trying to convince my legs to work.”

So for anyone that needs it: you’re not lazy, and you’re not broken. You just don’t have Task Insurance when everyone expects you to because they do.

(This is not at all an expert pov and kind of written off the cuff, so please correct me if/where I’m wrong 😅)

[pinkhairandpokemon]

[ERROR]

[USER DISCONNECTED]

[RECONNECTING…]

[RECONNECTING…]

[USER RECONNECTED (…?)]

🫅: Oh cool, I didn’t know baba had a Rotomblr!

🪷: are you that surprised…? it’s an old site

🪷: anyways, should we really be posting on here?

🫅: Look at the date of the old posts, baba hasn’t used this account in years, they won’t care. This’ll be a perfect way to show the world Celebi really exists once we get that picture of it! We’ll give their phone back before they even realize it’s gone.

🪷: as long as you don’t drop it in a ditch again…

🫅: Oh come on, that was one time, I tripped!

(OOC EXPLANATION BELOW CUT)

(( hi! so. consider this a late 100 followers mini event. 175 followers event, ig. ))

(( this’ll go on until tomorrow afternoon, maybe later! either way the regular gang will be back soon enough. basic summary, these two mysterious new characters have somehow gained access to Blake’s account. perhaps through supernatural means? maybe you already know who they are depending if you follow my main pkmn blog lol. ))

(( anyways, mostly doing this for sillies and bc my motivation for pkmn irl has been on and off and I thought doing a funny lil blog event like this would help me get back into it! I hope it’ll be fun ))

(( oh, also “baba” is a gender neutral term for a parent for those who are confused ))

[clearreads]

Let’s talk about ‘Gwen and Art are not in love”

I approached this text very casually on goodreads and decided to read it because I’m really enjoying medieval-setted media.

The book describes itself as a romcom, which I agree with as a description till the second half of it, where it completely revolves around romance while towards the end it’s quite dramatical. Would I recommend this book? Yes to those who want to read a light ya romance revolving around the middle age centuries. The writing is also great (From the point of view of a second language english-user) and also helped me to enrich my vocabulary with words used in Old-English. 

This is the end of the spoiler free section, I’ll not spoil the entirety of the book but just the first instances(approx. first half), so if you already know the premise (which you can understand just by looking at the cover I suppose) you can still read! Now I’ll list deeper considerations.

----

On the positive side: I really like there were a couple of siblings - Yes, this is very silly but I really like when fantasy’s includes a set of twins/siblings who are silly and really close to each other, I really liked it on GoT and I really like it here. It’s a dynamic which (in my opinion) should be mandatory for a media to be considered a fantasy/j

The animal symbolism is really cute - This’ll be cleared up better in the second half till the end of the book. Talking about animals without major spoilers, I can’t not talk about Lucifer-Merlin, the cat that Arthur and Gabriel both share. At the beginning I thought He could be used more as a medium to get the two characters to interact, but, on second thought It would be a stretch that a cat like Lucifer would listen to his owners.

Gwen - She is probably the character that changes the most through the book and the one I aligned the most with. She starts as a really inactive character, but quickly (thanks to Arthur) decides to take more and more action which culminates with the final acts!

On the negative (it’s me being picky really) (less spoiler-free than the other section tho):

Bridget and Gwen -  I don’t know. I think it was quite rushed and as Gwen said ‘... They don’t really know each other’ and yes that is correct but it’s never resolved. The book doesn't give a motivation to why Bridget likes Gwen and comparing it with the other romance, this seems a bit dull. Not in the ‘boring’ way but in the ‘flat’ way. The two are really comporal to one another but I wish their relationship was explained better.

The combat - This is me being really picky but I couldn’t really understand the stressing of the various fights the book describes. I just couldn’t follow. This happens to me with various books so maybe you’ll not have the same problems :)

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: May 2023

If you notice I haven’t read as much this month, it’s because I got the new Zelda game. But between my vanquishing of evil I still managed to fit in some other media! Here’s how I spent the month of May.

……….FILM……….

BlackBerry (2023) Having grown up in Waterloo Region I didn’t have any interest in seeing a retelling of the story I mostly knew but this was really great! Surprisingly funny and frenetic and a truly unhinged (in the best way) performance from Glenn Howerton. Good stuff.

John Mulaney: Baby J (2023) I naively thought “I wonder how much this’ll touch on the drug stuff?”... turns out it’s all about the drug stuff. Cool that he was talking about it so openly, and made it so funny, but I wonder if there was more material that got cut? He briefly mentions a trip with his son and I would’ve loved to hear more about that. Anyway as a comedy special it’s really great.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) You know I haven’t been interested in the last few Marvel movies but this one felt like it was going to be different..and it was! So many moving parts but I never had trouble keeping track of character motivations or story beats and the whole thing was really beautiful. I mean even the really gross stuff was fun to watch. Keen to go back and watch this as a trilogy down the road.

The Suicide Squad (2021) I was excited to see Guardians of the Galaxy so at the start of the month I rewatched this. Still impressed at how this can be equal parts a gross out dick joke movie and also built on a foundation of community and family. Builds well, nothing feels repetitive, and the finale doesn’t overstay its welcome. Really great stuff.

……….TELEVISION……….

The Bear (Episode 1.01 to 1.03) Never have I felt so stressed watching television. Really captivating episodes and I’m very excited to watch more.

Ted Lasso (Episode 3.08 to 3.10) Maybe it’s the time away from season 1 and 2, or maybe something happened behind the scenes, but season 3 feels different. Some eps really hit, and even some moments within those other episodes, but it all feels rather unfocused. Maybe it’ll stick the landing but my confidence has been shaken.

The Most Hated Man on the Internet (Episode 1.01 to 1.03) Perfectly paced. Just enough detail to get invested but after 3 eps it felt like I experienced the full journey. Really interested to see the public’s perception of revenge porn shift over time and I can only assume this website (and its founder) played a part in that.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Down the Off-Grid Rabbit Hole... by Maggie Mae Fish Love simultaneously learning about a corner of the internet and also how it’s exploiting others. Just wild. VIDEO

Why so many people need glasses now by Vox Turns out kids need to spend more time outside for legit biological reasons? Who knew. VIDEO

How Nintendo Solved Zelda's Open World Problem by Game Maker’s Toolkit Hey maybe you’ve been playing the new Zelda and if you have, you’ll find this interesting. I sure did. VIDEO

……….READING……….

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt (Page 165 of 500) The first time I read this, it really helped me understand the perspective some folks take on divisive topics. There was a sort of comfort to finally seeing what they’re seeing. In rereading this, I find myself getting angered while reading. The book is over 10 years old and while still relevant, it often feels quaint when talking about the widening gap between political parties. Its neutrality feels almost naive to me? Maybe I’ve forgotten a key chapter that helps.

The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (It doesn’t have page numbers...maybe 1/3 of the way through) Murder in old hollywood is just so cool. I’m really digging this so far and the art, characters, and pacing feel thoroughly natural. Every reveal is just so casual cause to these characters, it’s just their lives, and I love that. Big fan so far.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 8 by by Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, and more (Complete) I always liked the smaller stories in this volume that focused on Peter’s personal life...like break-ups and dating other superheroes and stuff. But for some reason the Jean DeWolff/Kingpin/Moon Knight stuff always just felt kinda rushed? I dunno maybe I like everything to be a little more fantastical or suuuuuuper mundane. None of this in-between shenanigans. Give me highschool or give me death.

……….GAMING……….

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo) So good. I walked past a house that was redoing their driveway and had a bunch of construction stuff covered in a tarp and I immediately thought “hmm I wonder what I could build” and that...is the sign that I’ve played this game too much. Big fan 10/10 change nothing.

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Mof1 Crew did some downtime planning ahead of a heist/attack combo that worked out pretty well! We played out events in weeks instead of in real time (for both the players and their enemies) and it worked pretty well!

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The group is still navigating a rival adventuring party on the island and seeing what happens now that they’ve let their star-collecting duties slip. Big trouble. You can read about it here.

Anyway that’s it. See you in June!

[utkinhome]

Could I get a tarot reading for my relationship with Frisk? I was Chara, who kind of followed them around as a ghost.

And maybe another reading for the same kin using the "You, Home, Heart" spread? If not, that's fine. ^v^

Thanks!!

Sure thing! I’ll do your relationship with Frisk first using this spread and then your timeline afterward using the spread you requested! This’ll all be with my The Legend of Tarot deck, so it’ll be upright meanings only!

———————————–

Partner: the overall feelings and attitude of your partner

I got the Queen of Rupees! Frisk was kind and nurturing to you, sharing the kindness and stability in their heart with you. They knew what to do to make you feel at home and loved and made you feel protected and cared for.

———————————–

Self: the overall feelings and attitude of yourself

I got the Chariot card! You acted as a motivator and reason for the movement to Frisk, helping them make their way through the Underground. Things were tempting to pull them away from you, but you kept them focused and helped them make haste! You helped them gain control of the situations they came across as well.

———————————–

Brick Wall: the obstacle, what stands between the two of you

I got the Four of Rupees! Either you or Frisk were struggling with a need for security and, as such, may have isolated from each other during some points of your journey. You also may have missed out on important experiences to remain stable, which may have damaged things between you two.

———————————–

You (top card): Something about the kintype, more broad, sometimes obvious but it may still be overlooked

I got the Happy Squirrel card! This card features Midna from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (shown below), and this nontraditional card can point to deception or secrecy. Considering Midna’s character and how this card can often be portrayed as negative, I see this as a clue to being more sly or trickster-like in your timeline or even outright ill-natured. You disliked humanity much like canon, possibly using mischief as an outlet for it.

———————————–

Home (left card): Something about your canon, can be general or specific

I got the Empress card! You definitely had a close, motherly figure to you, potentially Toriel, but Frisk could have also filled that nurturing role, according to the first reading! They put your needs first and helped you with all your endeavors!

———————————–

Heart (right card): Something fundamental about the kintype, something that makes you you

I got the Knight of Sticks! You were one in pursuit of knowledge, which may have been your primary motivator in your timeline! You took action in pursuing your interests, that is, until you met with an unfortunate end. Still, your time before your death was something to be looked fondly upon!

———————————–

I hope this helps you, and let me know if it does!

[whenimgoodandready]

When you wanna put a stop to something, you take action. Like how the Bee Miraculous does it’s job by paralyzing the person they sting. Chloe had that job and then Zoe. Both sisters did well, but only one earned it by using their intended purpose for it wisely and for the greater good. Chloe sought fame and recognition as a super (“Queen’s Battle Part 2:Queen Wasp”), but Zoe was the one with the moral compass to only look out for the people and lend a hand (“Queen Banana”). Perhaps maybe Chloe would’ve eventually grown to do the same had she not been so selfish and listened to Ladybug (or Marinette/Ladybug giving her a chance more instead of a personal grudge), but alas it did not happen and we got a huge mess of a character from Chloe. That’s exactly what will also happen to the world if we don’t give it a chance and it causes a huge mess! We need to take action! How!? Read and learn:

*Action-This here special takes place in the middle of Season 5 and it turns out, Monarch was re-creating the world before the finale! How? Well, there’s a heat wave in Paris and Gabe was “solving the problem” by using 3-D Adrien and Kagami to promote these decorative (yet single use) plastic fans, that Mayor Andre had installed in vending machines all throughout Paris, which get discarded into the Seine river which pollutes it re-creating the city (and eventually the world) into a planet of trash!

None of the adults would help or understand the dangers of plastic pollution:Nadja with her news network (but for ethical reasons cuz she’d lose her job and not support her child), Gabe with the fan advertisements and even Mayor Andre on removing the vending machines selling said fans. Not even when Marinette and the gang decide to get to the root of the problem by going over to the head of the plastic industry and confronting Bertrand King, “The King of Plastic” (think Colonel Sanders, but “bubblegum flavored”), about their issue helped cuz Bertrand refuses to listen to the kids on reducing plastic, so they hijack the news station and point out (along with their Miraculous World friends) how over endorsing plastic can be harmful. These kids play hardball, let me tell ya, when they want to get a point across, they do it! Go big or go home!

This causes Gabe and Andre to save face by claiming to be “unaware” of the negative effects plastic can do for the environment and humiliating Bertrand to be akumatized, with the Bee Miraculous, as King of Plastic. An all plastic looking villain with the power to turn anyone he touches with his staff into colorful paralyzed plastic. When I first saw his look, he looked a bit too colorful to be a “plastic” themed villain. He looked more like a King Candy type of villain, but after seeing the ep, I realized that the reason why he was so vibrant was because all plastic is like that and he was like the human version of his multi-color changing pen that you see tween girls carrying in their trapper keepers! (Shhh! I have one too! It’s scented!), so it was fitting. The dynamic duo struggled with him at first, but it turned out his strength, was also his weakness! Whomp! Whomp! Whooooooop!

First ep to not be written/directed by Thomas Astruc and instead by the Breteau Foundation and despite the ep seeming “bland” and “Captain Planet” esque theme, kids shows tend to have episodes focused on environmental care so they can get their attention and take part in saving the world (in small doses that is) and having a little something for elementary school classrooms to learn from in a “Bill Nye:The Science Guy” type of way. Part of what motivates the kids to take action and not be so careless for the Earth. Which is why Zoe was more worthy of the Bee Miraculous as she was taking part in helping to minimize plastic use and Chloe was just there watching the interrupted news special (perhaps maybe this’ll come back to her and she’ll finally get that redemption arc we’ve all been dying for). Like before, this ep stands on its own being set in the middle of Season 5 possibly between “Confrontation” and “Collusion” which is why the more eco-friendly atmosphere isn’t established yet cuz of our new mayor, Bustier, and why Gabe/Monarch isn’t rotting in the dirt in his wife’s place (“The Last Day Part 2:Re-creation”). Not much else to go by since this whole special was pretty self explanatory and alls I can say is that we should do what we can to stop pollution and that I’m just waiting for the next special with Shadybug and Claw Noir!😉. I will still be back with that and the Season 6 premiere with new frames and thoughts on the show. Good-bye fellow Miraculars, the power is yours!

[kurdiyya]

okayyyy ima go thru my plans for this academic year and HOPEFULLY stick to then. Lets go…!!!

Meal prep - i spend so much time cooking (one of my hobbies lol) and it’s not sustainable. Every Sunday I’ll dedicated 2-3 hours to cooking for the whole school week, or at least most of it. This’ll also help me stay in a calorie deficit!

Doing my Anki flashcards everyday - I really need this one. I’m in year 13 and i need to ensure they don’t build up to an unmanageable amount (totally not speaking from experience).

Use frees PROPERLY. I’m going to try to actually study during my frees, and finish homework ASAP so I can revise the stuff I actually struggle with. Also for extra stuff, but It has to be productive.

I want to finish 2 books a month this year. It doesn’t sound like a lot but for me…it’s more than now so I want to be more consistent. On the topic of reading, I’ll try to read Quran after Fajr as much as I can

Invest money into cosmetics and comfort rather than food and clothes - I’ll mostly be in school this year. So uniform mainly. And when I lose this weight, all the clothes i buy now will be useless. The former will help me stay clean and motivated for the summer.

Exercise - Either just dance or walking. Will help with my deficit and also mental health hopefully

Journal - BIG one for me. It helped me so much this summer. Journalling by hand, on here or twitter counts but getting my thoughts out is what matters. Also writing stuff i need to do on a checklist is a form of journalling i liveee for so I’ll carry that on.

Accessories - I’ll try to wear kohl, lip gloss and concealer everyday and make a jewellery combo for school to look more put together. Also stickers for my devices (on the way) and my muji stationary woohoooooo

Sleeping well - Probably 9-10 ish. Funny because it’s almost 1am but do as I say not as I do future me… it’ll help me get up earlier so I can get ready and awake for school!

Get involved at school (within my means) - my last year at school should be memorable and the best memories are at school events from my experience. I’ve organised so many events in my time at my current school, I hope I can do that again this year! Maybe even my best ones yet :D

Don’t put things off - Email STRAIGHT away, get tuition done, get everything done when you have the time because you don’t know what more will pile up by the time you’re free again!

Do Sunday resets! - did them last year, definitely again this year. Friday is for rotting, Saturday is for grinding and Sunday is for resetting for the week to come.

Stick to my rituals STRICTLY - my hair, skin, body, oral, mental care all have routines and I will do them all without fail to keep me maintained and in a good place to perform my best

Stop picking at my nails and skin - it hurts SO BAD i don’t know why I do it but it annoys me so much and looks nasty…

If I think of more I’ll add lolololl

[appalesbian]

The @wilcze-kudly Avatar Hottest Woman Tournament got me inspired to write a silly little drabble. @korrasamibottles this one’s for you.

The door to the home gym was cracked, and Asami couldn’t help herself. It promised to be a long day at Future Industries and nothing motivated her like catching a glimpse of who she would be coming home to.

She tiptoed into the home gym to find Korra at the punching bag, hitting and kicking in rapid-fire sequences. Asami was temporarily mesmerized by the fluid grace of Korra’s movements coupled with the immense power that fueled them. She had clearly been at it for a while, if the rivulets of sweat dripping down the small of her back were any indication. Asami had half a mind to collect them with her tongue…

“Stupid fucking-“ Korra spat with a particularly strong kick to the bag, followed by a one-two punch. “-bullshit, what do they know-“

Asami frowned. Korra had mellowed considerably in the years they’d been together and it seemed unlike her to be so upset, especially so early in the day.

"Are you okay, love?” Asami asked. Korra jumped and spun around mid-swing.

“Ah, ‘Sams, you scared me.”

"Sorry." Asami pressed a kiss to the crown of Korra's head. "I wanted to see you before I left for work. What’s got you so upset?"

"You haven't seen?"

"Seen what?"

Korra's eyes blazed. She bent down to retrieve a piece of newsprint that lay crumpled on the floor next to the free weights.

"The fucking... poll."

Asami looked at the crinkled paper. The headline of whatever section this was (Living? Culture?) proclaimed "Republic City's Hottest Dame! YOU Decide!"

Asami snickered.

"This is supposed to be news? They’ll print anything these days.”

“Keep reading!” Korra insisted.

Asami skimmed through the article, something about giving the citizens the power to choose the city’s most attractive woman by mail-in ballot, until she came upon her own name.

“Asami Sato, CEO of Future Industries and wife to Avatar Korra, was a shocking casualty of the second round of voting, losing by a slim margin to Republic City Police Chief Lin Beifong, the new statistical favorite moving forward in the competition.”

Asami laughed.

“Good for Lin! She’s beautiful, the people are right. Maybe this’ll help her learn to take a compliment.”

Korra stared at her.

“But they chose her over you!” Korra exclaimed. “You, of all people! You! Have you seen yourself? There’s never been a more beautiful woman in the history of the world! It’s an outrage!”

Asami smiled and pulled Korra into an embrace, not minding at all that she was now at least 20% as covered in sweat.

“You’re so sweet.”

“I’m not sweet, I’m right!” Korra protested. “I mean, yeah, Beifong’s pretty hot, I’ll admit it, but these people have the nerve— the fucking nerve— to say that my wife isn’t Republic City’s ‘hottest dame?’”

“People have different tastes.”

Korra still glared in the direction of the newspaper in Asami’s hand

“You really don’t need to be offended on my behalf,” Asami reassured, releasing Korra from her hold. She sniffed exaggeratedly and pretended to wipe a tear from her eye. “I promise, I’ll make it through somehow.”

“Okay,” Korra grumbled. “I was going to go have a word with the editor of the Republic News, but I probably don’t have to do that, huh.”

“Nah, it’s all good.”

A moment later, a thought occurred to Asami.

“Wait a minute, are you in that competition?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Korra said nonchalantly.

Asami read through the remaining contestants.

“Yes, you are! And hey, look, you made it through this round!”

“Heh, good for me.”

“I was going to say,” Asami chuckled. “If you weren’t, I’d lose all faith in the people of Republic City.”

The softly flattered look in Korra’s big blue eyes was too much. Asami pulled her in for a kiss, letting it express anything more she might have said about how incredibly lucky she felt that Korra was in her life. Korra kissed back eagerly and held her tight.

“So,” Korra said, eventually coming up for air. “Should we look at the rest of the bracket and place our bets?”

“Yeah,” Asami laughed and opened the spread to see the full bracket of contenders. “Wait a minute… is that my mom?”

FIN

[asking-jude]

Hey, I’m gonna be honest I don’t know what I’m looking for right now as I write this maybe someone to listen to me, probably just attention knowing me but if you have any advice that’d be nice. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Lately I’ve been feeling like I let down everyone around me and it’s worse than usual I right now. I feel like any time I build an identity for myself it’s all based on a lie and all I am is just some idiot who draws a lot. I feel like I built this identity and image recently of a confident, smart, capable person but as soon as I saw I wasn’t as smart as I thought I just felt like I let everyone down. This is a pattern pretty much. I don’t even feel like a whole person just a bunch of pieces with nothing to connect them. No real core or true identity just nothing. Now I’m afraid because I let these people down they’ll stop hanging out with me so I still try to stay on their good side and give them something to like about me but it feels like I cant. At least not a genuine part of me. It seems I do stuff like this to people often because I don’t want to be hated. I don’t even know why I’m like this, my life hasn’t been great but it’s not awful. I feel like I’m barely holding on anymore and at this point I feel like all that motivates me is positive attention from peers and loved ones. I don’t even know why I need so much attention. I just want a normal life but I doubt that’ll ever happen. I don’t want to be a bad person but it feels like I am and I’m afraid to talk to people in case that’s true. Why do other people find it so easy to be kind? What’s the secret? I want to be a kind person but it feels like I’m not and never have been. In fact I don’t even feel like a person just an unfocused mass of pieces or a shell of a person. I want to be a person but I don’t know if I can. I don’t even know if this’ll be seen or answered but I hope it is I just want someone to acknowledge me.

Do you want free, fast mental health help? Visit askingjude.org.

Hi love,

Thank you for reaching out to Asking Jude. Your feelings are completely valid; building an identity for yourself can be challenging and confusing, and it is never a linear process. The people around you may also have certain expectations for you and your life, which is likely exacerbating your confusion over your identity. It was incredibly brave and commendable that you had the courage to reach out and express these thoughts and emotions. Struggling with identity and the fear of disappointing those around you are challenging issues, and you took the first steps towards healing by asking for help.

You may find it beneficial to reach out to your close friends and family for support. If you share what you’re feeling with them, and if you are honest with the challenges you’ve been facing, they should offer support and a listening ear to your struggles. If the idea of speaking to someone you know feels too daunting, you can always reach out to a mental healthcare professional who can provide a more confidential and non-judgemental space for you to navigate through your emotions. Here is a link where you can find therapists in your area: https://www.goodtherapy.org/find-therapist.html.

You may also benefit from journaling. It is similar to speaking to a therapist because you are able to freely speak your mind without fear of criticism. There are many different ways to journal, but the stream-of-consciousness method is particularly effective because you do not have to worry about proper grammar or punctuation. Here is an article that discusses journaling and its benefits in greater detail: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1.

It is also important for you to explore your passions and hobbies. You can try new things, like crocheting or making bracelets. Try to be patient; there will likely be a learning curve with any new activity, but you will find what works best for you eventually. Taking time to explore your interests without thinking about other peoples’ expectations will likely be beneficial to you. Here is an article that contains a list of new hobbies you may enjoy: https://bucketlistjourney.net/hobbies-list/. These new activities will help strengthen your sense of identity because you will get to know yourself better.

I have also linked some additional articles that contain tips on how to cope with identity confusion: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-an-identity-crisis-2795948; https://www.betterup.com/blog/identity-crisis.

Try to be patient and kind to yourself. Always treat yourself the way you would treat your closest friend, and remember that it is normal to have occasional bad days.

Thank you again for reaching out to Asking Jude. I hope that some of this information was helpful, and please feel free to reach out again if you have any further questions.

Love,

Irene

Ask a question here.

[optimismxmagicism]

Going from a dank and cramped cavern to a big open forest sure was something to get used to. Ewan unfortunately didn’t have much time to acclimatize himself, as not even a few minutes in, low, frightening growling could be heard. The mage immediately tensed up, not helped by the fact he accidentally left his tome behind. All he had was his staff, so he was completely defenseless.

It was then that a wave of magic shot at the 5 of them like a cannonball. One of them managed to avoid the barrage, and Ewan just barely got nicked in the shoulder. He realized however, that as a result his left shoulder was now on fire. He quickly patted it out with his right hand before it could spread. The damage was minimal, and it only hurt a little bit.

Black Beast 10/10HP attacks with Ruinous Thorns

Ewan 10/10HP loses -1HP[Roll: 2, Ewan 9/10HP]

Suddenly, he heard a series of sickening growls and crunches. Before he realized what was going on, he was left staring at his 3 teammates. Wait… 3?

“Uh. Guys…? Where’s the Spiky Tattoo man…?” He questioned. Judging by the sounds he could make a guess but… he’d really rather not think of that. Distraction quickly came to him in the form of a ginormous monster however, and it had its sights set on him.

Hegemon Husk 10/10HP** misses Ewan 9/10HP with Twin Crest Power [Roll: 2, -0HP; Ewan 9/10HP]

TWIN CRESTS: Hegemon Husk 10/10HP** misses Ewan 9/10HP with Twin Crest Power [Roll: 2, -0HP; Ewan 9/10HP]

“Yikes!” The monster fired off two blasts in quick succession. Ewan only barely managed to avoid both hits, jumping behind a tree to avoid one attack, and then rolling to the side to avoid another one. That was too close for comfort…!

It was at that moment he noticed a small stone lying in the ground. Was that… he picked it up and upon closer inspection, it was a healing crystal! Score! Carrying this around would help periodically heal his own injuries, and he could already feel it take effect.

Ewan 9/10 HP is healed by Renewal [+2 HP, Ewan 10/10 HP]

He had no weapon on him, so he has to rely on his teammates to do most of the fighting. Instead, recalling Poe’s advice last round, he decided he’d fully dedicate himself to support, especially now that Griss was seemingly out of the picture. Looking at his teammates, Jakob was unharmed thankfully, and Corrin only was minimally hurt. Poe however seemed to have taken the most substantial damage. He raised his staff up in the air, and began his spell.

“Don’t worry, this’ll patch you up!” He said as he created a healing sigil with white magic. He was very motivated to help her, and as a result, any injuries Poe had were quickly healed. It was as if she never had any injuries in the first place.

Ewan 10/10 HP uses Physic on Poe 7/10 HP [Roll: 12, +4 HP, Poe 10/10 HP]

She still seemed a bit tired however… Most likely due to the fact she had already attacked and dealt significant damage to one of the monsters. Oh! Wait a minute! He recalled how his sister’s dances always had the ability to rejuvenate allies. Maybe he couldn’t do the same thing as her with a dance, but in some other way…

Ewan 10/10 HP uses Refresh on Poe 10/10 HP

“Miss Poe! How about an encore?” He cheered, twirling his staff and throwing it upwards once before catching it with a cute pose. “Go go go! You can do this! Show that nasty beast who’s boss!” As he said this, the jeweled top of his staff began to glow. A spotlight shone on Poe, followed by a magical sort of confetti. The monsters didn’t take particular notice of it, but the magic caused a surge of energy to rise within the girl, allowing her to immediately take action again.

Jurassic Park Velociraptor Meme [Team 9 Silver Round]