#love in real life

[kiddokori]

Donate eSims through Connecting Humanity or Crips for esims for Gaza

Visit gazafunds.com to be given a random gofundme to donate to

Email your representatives (if you live in the US) using afsc.org

Donate to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Medical Aid for Palestinians, or Pious Projects to help provide mutual aid

Learn more at decolonizepalestine.com

[oncorhynchus-nerka]

VERY IMPORTANT a dam in the Netherlands, the weerdsluis lock, is directly on a migratory path for spawning fish. They have a worker stationed there to open the door for the fish, but they can take a while to open it. So to keep the fish from getting preyed on by birds they installed a doorbell. Only, the fish don't have hands to ring the doorbell. If you go to their website, they have a LIVE CAMERA AND A DOORBELL that YOU RING FOR THE FISH when they're waiting, and then the dam worker opens the door for them! I can't express how obsessed I am with this. look at this shit. oh my god.

Please check on the fish doorbell once in a while :)

[myhiddenquerencia]

Look at you, Wiping your own tears With the same hands That long to be held

Ayesha Zahra

[asteroidtroglodyte]

5 years ago, I was in Rehab.

10 years ago, I was watching my Potential and Opportunities dissolve and evaporate in an ocean of cheap gin and expensive whiskey.

But 5 years ago, I was in Rehab.

One of the exercises they had us perform was to imagine ourselves happy, 5 years in the future.

Many of us in that room had forgotten how to imagine nice things happening to them. A few snorted (well, I snorted), finding the notion that we’d even still be around in 5 years grimly humorous.

For about half of us, it was the last stop on the way down.

But I indulged the therapist. I was there, after all, because I did not want to die. So, I imagined myself, 5 years hence.

Happy.

It came to me all at once; an artistic remix on Norman Rockwell’s Freedom From Want, reframed with myself placing food at the table.

Sunday Dinner At My Place, I answered, when it came my turn to share my fantasy. I was asked what food I imagined eating.

It’s not the meal itself, I said, it’s the implications framed around it. Sunday Dinner At My Place means that I have a Place. It means that I have Family that will actually speak to me and friends who actually want to see me. It means money enough not just to feed myself but others too. It means having the time to spare to take the time preparing the meal.

A lot of nodding heads all around me. A struck chord. Many people with no Place, in that place. Nowhere that would lament their leaving.

5 years hence, as I lay down to sleep in my Home, with my Wife and my Son, surrounded by my Art and my Flowers, I reflect.

It was a long road. It was hard. We lost people. So many people. There were long days and long nights and hospital stays. Angry arguments with ghosts. I changed, in ways I never hoped for, or expected. Good ways, finally, for once. Slowly, against the backdrop of a world in chaos, I found my mind.

Sometimes, My Wife wondered aloud, what she did to deserve me. After some stumbling with my feelings, I eventually settled on an answer.

I’m a Rescue.

She gave me a Home.

And, so, I gave her a Family.

It seemed fair

This Sunday, my folks, which whom I have not had a shouting match in years, will come over for dinner. We will cook and eat together. My Friend became My Wife, and she took a piece of me and with it she made Our Son. There will be many hugs, and no violence. Good Things Happened.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you don’t know what the future holds.

don’t give up yet, ok?

It could get good, even.

[noknowshame]

why is religious Christmas imagery all so joyful and pleasant? where is the inherent horror of the birth of Christ? A mother is handed her newborn child, wailing and innocent. Her hands come away sticky. Red. Simply by giving her son life she has already killed him. He is doomed from the beginning. Her love will not save him from suffering. Because the thing cradled in her arms is not a baby, it is a sacrifice: born amongst the other bleating animals whose blood will one day be spilled in the name of what demands it. the night is silent with anticipation. Mary, did you know? That your womb was also a grave?

[stil-lindigo]

lighthearted.

if this comic resonated with you, please consider donating to this palestinian escape fund (vetted by @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein) as it is less than $7,000 away from it's goal.

i turn 24 today. To celebrate, I made this comic to be a spiritual successor to lead balloon, a comic in which I talked about the darkest period of my life so far.

A lot has changed since my 23rd birthday and this one. My priorities have shifted a lot, in ways that I think are mostly good. But i think the best part about today is that suicide has gone back to being a far away notion. I'm really lucky, and I'm grateful for that.

[lilislegacy]

Percy at ease

Percy calm, but a little on edge

Percy when mildly angry

Friendly reminder that Percy jackson - our beloved silly adorable seaweed brain - is absolutely terrifying. When he’s angry, when he’s scared, when he’s on edge - he’s not warm and fuzzy.

No other character gets that reaction from people. Jason (the sweetie) is perceived as calm and in control, nico (our favorite self-outcasted outcast) is perceived as solemn and creepy, reyna (girlboss queen slay) is perceived as confident and assertive, and annabeth (our girl) is perceived as fierce, clever, and formidable. They are all intimidating to an extent.

But not like Percy. No. Becasue even when he’s at ease, he’s described as wild and disobedient. And when he’s not at ease, even if just little bit, he’s perceived as powerful, dangerous, and scary. Someone who NOBODY wants to mess with. Nobody even questions his power. One look from him has literal gangs running the other way. One look from him has Leo so scared that he’s literally shaking, and feeling the same innate fright and alarm that he does when jason summons an ear-piercing, earth-shaking, deadly bolt of lighting.

like… HELLO??? can we all just sit on that for a moment?? good lord

One angry look from percy has people thinking one thing: Run.

Percy is, canonically, the character that people find the most frightening and intimidating.

And unless he’s in a good mood - which you better hope he is - the reality is that most of us would be completely terrified of him if we met him.

[malinaa]

if i think about the hunger games in peeta's perspective i WILL start sobbing

[kimeoshi]

Corrupted Ratio for Twitter! Reached 2k followers and he won in a prompt game

Timelapse:

[giantkillerjack]

Today my therapist introduced me to a concept surrounding disability that she called "hLep".

Which is when you - in this case, you are a disabled person - ask someone for help ("I can't drink almond milk so can you get me some whole milk?", or "Please call Donna and ask her to pick up the car for me."), and they say yes, and then they do something that is not what you asked for but is what they think you should have asked for ("I know you said you wanted whole, but I got you skim milk because it's better for you!", "I didn't want to ruin Donna's day by asking her that, so I spent your money on an expensive towing service!") And then if you get annoyed at them for ignoring what you actually asked for - and often it has already happened repeatedly - they get angry because they "were just helping you! You should be grateful!!"

And my therapist pointed out that this is not "help", it's "hLep".

Sure, it looks like help; it kind of sounds like help too; and if it was adjusted just a little bit, it could be help. But it's not help. It's hLep.

At its best, it is patronizing and makes a person feel unvalued and un-listened-to. Always, it reinforces the false idea that disabled people can't be trusted with our own care. And at its worst, it results in disabled people losing our freedom and control over our lives, and also being unable to actually access what we need to survive.

So please, when a disabled person asks you for help on something, don't be a hLeper, be a helper! In other words: they know better than you what they need, and the best way you can honor the trust they've put in you is to believe that!

Also, I want to be very clear that the "getting angry at a disabled person's attempts to point out harmful behavior" part of this makes the whole thing WAY worse. Like it'd be one thing if my roommate bought me some passive-aggressive skim milk, but then they heard what I had to say, and they apologized and did better in the future - our relationship could bounce back from that. But it is very much another thing to have a crying shouting match with someone who is furious at you for saying something they did was ableist. Like, Christ, Jessica, remind me to never ask for your support ever again! You make me feel like if I asked you to call 911, you'd order a pizza because you know I'll feel better once I eat something!!

Edit: crediting my therapist by name with her permission - this term was coined by Nahime Aguirre Mtanous!

Edit again: I made an optional follow-up to this post after seeing the responses. Might help somebody. CW for me frankly talking about how dangerous hLep really is.

[crystalliumdaisy]

a real winner?

[elevateherja]

The Curious Journey: Navigating Love and Relationships

Dear Diary,

Today, I find myself in a pensive mood, contemplating one of life’s greatest mysteries: love and relationships. It’s quite fascinating how a mere four-letter word can hold so much power over us, evoking feelings of excitement, joy, and at times, utter confusion. As a 22-year-old who has yet to experience the exhilaration of a romantic relationship or the sweetness of a first kiss, I often wonder if love is nothing more than an illusion, a mirage that leads to nothing but pain and heartache. Is it merely a fleeting infatuation born out of teenage hormones, or does it hold deeper, more meaningful significance?  I find myself questioning the true essence of love and the complexities of navigating the labyrinth of relationships. Join me, dear readers, as we dive into this uncharted territory of the heart, where curiosity reigns supreme.

While many of my peers seem to possess an encyclopedic knowledge of love’s labyrinthine ways, I find myself in the peculiar position of observing from the sidelines. As if I’m part of an elaborate social experiment, I watch as others navigate the highs and lows of relationships, decoding the complex language of love while I remain an intrigued spectator. But fear not, for this unique vantage point offers a fresh perspective on the subject that I am eager to share.

First and foremost, I must confess that I’ve become somewhat of an amateur love detective. Armed with my laptop and a trusty Wi-Fi connection, I have embarked on countless late-night expeditions through the vast realm of online dating. Swipe left, swipe right, a match here, a ghosting there; it’s a peculiar dance where the rules seem to change faster than the latest smartphone release.

Yet, in a world obsessed with instant gratification, where swiping right has become the norm, I often wonder if I’m missing out on something magical or simply preserving my own brand of romantic purity. It’s like being the last kid in the neighborhood to discover the secret hideout, both curious and cautious to step foot into the unknown. While my heart yearns for connection, it also craves the authentic, the extraordinary, and the grand.

People often say that love finds you when you least expect it. But how does one navigate this maze without a map?

Throughout the ages, love has been both a captivating muse and a treacherous path. We’ve seen it unfold in the pages of timeless classics like Shakespeare’s plays and Jane Austen’s novels. These literary masterpieces have beautifully captured the complexities of love, revealing its challenges and unforeseen obstacles. And yet, we are none the wiser.  

But I lay blame on the silver screen, that whimsical world of cinema, for perpetuating our romantic delusions. We’ve been fed a steady diet of enchanting love stories, with their passionate exchanges and breathtaking endings. From star-crossed lovers defying fate to hilarious misadventures that leave us doubled over in laughter, movies have become our escape from reality, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the kaleidoscope of emotions that love entails. As I immerse myself in these romantic narratives, I can’t help but wonder how closely they mirror the intricate dance of real-life relationships.

As I sit here, sipping my steaming cup of coffee, I can’t help but think back to my high school days. Oh, the melodrama of those years! Crushes that would make my heart flutter uncontrollably, only to fade away like autumn leaves in the wind. It seemed that every passing day brought a new “love of my life” or a clandestine romance that existed only in my dreams. Looking back, I realize how foolish and innocent those infatuations were, fueled by raging hormones and the desire to be a part of something bigger than myself.

But now, in the throes of adulthood, I find myself questioning the very essence of love. Is it really just a chemical reaction in our brains, a concoction of dopamine and oxytocin, tricking us into believing in fairy tales and happily-ever-afters? Or is it something more profound, something that transcends the boundaries of logic and science?

The star-crossed lovers, the grand gestures, and the soulmates who are destined to be together against all odds. Are these depictions of love merely products of an overactive imagination or wishful thinking? Or is it what a mere person can gain?

Perhaps, dear diary, love is not something that can be easily defined or understood.

Despite my skepticism, I hold a glimmer of hope that one day, I will uncover the true meaning of love in my own life. Until then, I shall continue to embrace the beauty of solitude, relishing in the freedom to explore the world and myself without the constraints of a relationship. Who knows?

So, dear diary, as I close this chapter of contemplation, I do so with a sense of curiosity and anticipation. I must admit that I’m no closer to unraveling the enigma of love and relationships. But perhaps that’s the beauty of it all.

Until then, dear diary, I shall continue to embrace the unknown, revel in the joy of self-discovery, and eagerly anticipate the day when love’s melody will dance upon the strings of my heart.

Yours curiously,

Saint Nick

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Not beating the allegations.

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[pinkgelpen444]

[txttletale]

people online: hi! nice to see you online how's your day been :)

people in real life: its disgusting that theyre teaching woke and lgbt in the schools now. i don't want my kid to grow up ashamed of being white and a man and not an islamist transgender. i just dont see why all these immigrants cant just go back to their own countries