#paid for by a generous donor ❤️

[khaire-traveler]

⚔️ Perseus Worship Guide 🪽

~ Art by DocZenith on ArtStation ~

The great ancient Greek hero, Perseus - a hero so renowned that an entire children's book series was written inspired by him. He accomplished fantastical feats with the very gods themselves rooting for his victory. Many people admire him, but few seem to be aware that worship is not only an option for gods. Heroes, such as Perseus, can be worshipped as well, and have been throughout history. Explore the various ways Perseus can be worshipped in the modern day in the enlightening post that follows.

***I am not an educator or historian. This is solely being made for religious purposes, and I will be touching on UPG.**

°· Who is Perseus? ·°

As stated above, Perseus is an ancient Greek hero starring in his own myths. As a biological son of Zeus (NOT Poseidon) and a mortal woman, trials and troubles were a guarantee in his life. His mother, Danaë, was trapped in a tower before his birth, due to her father, Akrisios', fear of a prophecy that claimed her son would kill him. Despite her predicament, Zeus was able to enter her locked tower, taking the form of a golden rain shower, and Danaë became pregnant with his son (don't ask me, man; I don't know). Her father immediately cast her out upon discovering the child, placing both her and her son, Perseus, into a chest floating on the sea. However, the pair made it safely to the island of Seriphos, being sheltered by the fisherman Diktys, brother to the king of the island, Polydectes. Diktys would also raise Perseus as a father figure.

Perseus would grow to become the eventual slayer of the gorgon Medusa, arguably his most famous accomplishment, as well as the savior of Andromeda, an Ethiopian princess who had been chained to a rock to be fed to a sea monster. He also freed his mother from King Polydectes by turning him to stone with Medusa's head. Perseus' grandfather fled from him in fear, allowing Perseus to assume the throne of his kingdom. Although Perseus didn't purposely kill his grandfather, he was the cause of his grandfather's demise via an accidental discus throw (prophecy fulfilled 🔴).

He later fathered many children. With his lovely wife Andromeda, he had the sons Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electryon, and Cynurus, and two daughters, Gorgophone and Autochthe. He's also said to be an ancestor of the famous Herakles, who is also a demigod son of Zeus. Unlike Herakles, however, there don't seem to be recorded myths of Perseus ascending to godhood, although he was still worshipped as a Greek hero and Founder of Mycanaea.

✿*Well-known myths *✿

His most widespread myth is that of slaying Medusa, which he did in an effort to protect his mother from the cruel King Polydectes, who had fallen in love with her. Perseus believed Polydectes wasn't worthy of his mother's hand in marriage (and he was absolutely right, in my opinion; Polydectes wished to enslave his mother), so as a plot to send Perseus away, Polydectes plotted to send Perseus on the impossible quest of slaying the gorgon Medusa. Before setting out on his journey, Perseus prayed to Zeus, terrified of the challenges that lay ahead, and his father answered by sending Hermes and Athena to deliver five gifts that would aid Perseus' quest. Hermes lent his brother the god's winged sandals and sword, providing him with Haides' helm of invisibility also (though some ancient people seemed to think this wasn't this case and were very opinionated about it lol). Athena lent Perseus her polished shield, able to reflect the gorgon's appearance without petrifying him, and a bag that he could safely store the head in, warning Perseus that Medusa's gaze would still turn others into stone, even in death. The pair then instructed Perseus to seek out the infamous Graia, sisters of the gorgons, to discover Medusa's location.

With cunning and quick-wit, Perseus was able to take the shared eye and tooth between the sisters, and hold them hostage until they revealed Medusa's location. Upon his arrival, he used the reflective shield gifted to him by Athena to avoid looking directly at Medusa, and sword guided by Athena's might, he beheaded the ghastly Gorgon in one swift maneuver of his blade. Her sisters attempted to avenge her, but donning Haides' helm of invisibility, Perseus was able to easily evade capture. After a few other misadventures along the way, he returned to discover that his mother had to flee from Polydectes while he was away, so out of vengeance for the bullshit Polydectes put them both through, Perseus slew him using the severed head of Medusa. A fitting death - that guy was an asshole. As a show of gratitude for sheltering him and his mother, Perseus also made Diktys the new king of Seriphos.

Another of his myths that he's well-known for is that of rescuing Andromeda from her fate. He came across Andromeda after slaying Medusa, on his way home from the adventure. The princess' father, King Cepheus, chained her naked to a rock surrounded by raging oceans and a ravenous sea monster, Cetus. Her father wished to appease Poseidon after his wife angered the God by claiming Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids (Sea Nymphs). An Oracle claimed that sacrificing Andromeda to Cetus was the only way to soothe Poseidon's anger. Luckily, using the winged sandals that Hermes gifted him, Perseus flew over the stormy waters to Andromeda and freed her, immediately earning her hand in marriage. Andromeda's original suitor, Phineus, was upset at the marriage, but Perseus turned him to stone with Medusa's head and carried on.

Although these are his most well-known myths, there are still other myths about Perseus that I didn't cover here. Overall, he is a widely recognized Greek hero, known for his quick wit, the love he had for his mother, and the founding of Mycanaea, considered by many ancient Greeks to be the father of all Mycanaea (after making Diktys king of Seriphos, Perseus went on to find the land known as Mycanaea). If you're interested in learning more of his myths (which I highly suggest), my resources will be listed at the end of the post.

·•✷ Sacred Symbols ✷•·

The sacred symbols featured below are pulled from his myths and historical depictions I found of him.

The severed head of Medusa

Swords (particularly sickle-shaped) and shields

Winged sandals/boots and a winged helm

The Helm of Invisibility

Snakes and sea serpents

Treasure chests/chests in general

Raging oceans (due to the Andromeda myth)

Rain made of gold; storm clouds (from his birth)

Discus (basically an ancient Greek frisbee-like thing)

Fishnets and fishing gear (due to his upbringing)

Fountains

A pegasus or horse

Wings (from the sandals and Medusa herself)

An eye and a tooth (from the three hags)

Broken chains/restraints (from Andromeda's rescue)

It's rather disappointing how difficult it is to find information about his worship in ancient times that isn't hidden behind a paywall. That said, I gathered some UPG from worshippers of his who were willing to share! A reminder that the below is based on UPG.

Overcoming challenges/obstacles

Feathers

Spears

Knives/other blade weapons outside of swords

Handcrafted arts and items

Boats/sailing

Mirrors/reflective surfaces

Wind, especially near or on the water

Rainfall on sunny days

The colors blue, lilac, dark gray, and gold

Eels, sea-snakes, and seabirds, especially sea-eagles

Clumps of snakes (resembles Medusa's head)

Freshly bloomed flowers; purple and blue flowers

Plants: lilac, sword lillies (dangerous to cats), peony, red hot poker (especially purples ones), foxgloves, lavender, gingko trees, and cedar trees

Herbs: Lavender, parsley, basil, lemongrass, and bay leaf

Myrrh, frankincense, sandalwood, jasmine, and ocean scents

‹-« Epithets »-›

The following is a list of titles I found for Perseus. Supposedly, they are historically attested, but if I'm going to be honest, I would take it with a grain of salt, as the sources on this were few and far between. I'll also include a short list of purely UPG/modern titles. First, however, is the historically attested list:

Godlike

Gold-begotten (referencing his birth)

Valiant

The Harvester (referencing his role in the births of Pegasus and Chrysaor, who came out of Medusa's neck after her head was cut off ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯)

The Horseman

The Warrior Chief (referencing his prowess in battle)

Deliverer of Andromeda (referencing rescue of Andromeda)

Slayer of Medusa/the Gorgo

The Eagle Son of the Golden Sire (referencing his divine lineage and birth, "The Eagle" being Zeus)

Father/Founder/King of Mycanaea (referencing the belief that he founded Mycanaea)

Perseus of Argos (referencing where he resided)

Son of Danaë

Son of Zeus

Now the UPG/modern epithets list:

Chain Breaker/Breaking (referencing rescue of Andromeda and his mother)

Starry-eyed (referencing his constellation)

Starry-footed (referencing his constellation and winged sandals)

Stone-shielded (referencing Medusa's head on the shield)

Wind-swift (referencing his winged sandals)

Courageous/Daring

The Cunning

The Resilient

The Shield-bearer (referencing the shield he uses)

The Unconquerable

The Wayfarer (referencing his many travels)

Brother of the Owl-eyed Warrior (referencing Athena)

Brother of the Silver-tongued Messenger (referencing Hermes)

Son of the Kingly Zeus

Son of the Rich-haired Danaë (based on an epithet of Danaë)

(Image depicts Perseus, Medusa, and Athena)

·✩· Perseus Worship in the Modern Day ·✩·

Within the modern day, worship may seem intimidating if you don't know how to go about it, but thankfully, it's much easier than it may seem. Before I continue, please be aware that there is no one way to worship any Greek entity, be it hero or deity. Worship varies from person to person, even when they worship the same entity, and that's both normal and historically supported. In ancient Greece, worship was different all across the land with some city-states not worshipping entire deities that others did. It's ok if your practice doesn't look exactly the same as someone else's; in fact, it probably shouldn't!

A common way of worshipping any Greek entity in the modern day is creating a custom altar. Some worshippers keep their altars outdoors, preferring for their space to be out in nature, while others keep their altars indoors, preferring their altar to be within the home. Where you keep your altar is entirely up to you, although indoor altars are typically more common due to their accessibility for most people. Being that Perseus is a hero who's traveled far and wide, going on daring adventures for the benefit of others rather than himself, a place to put his altar in the home could be near the door or window - a nod to the various journeys he's embarked on. An outdoor altar for Perseus could be located near a body of water - a nod to both the rescue of Andromeda and his escape to Seriphos with his mother as a young boy. If it's near water, be careful to keep it far enough away that it won't be swept away (make sure to keep flash floods in mind, too). I also don't suggest having anything that could be bad for the earth on an outdoor altar; it could harm the environment, should any of those items be lost.

It's important to note that you don't need an altar to worship an entity. That might be a hot take to some, but I've known many worshippers who either can't have an altar, due to living circumstances, or simply don't want to, due to personal beliefs. Worship however feels correct to you (though I highly suggest still being respectful). Religion and spirituality are very personal, and I encourage you to explore that personal connection. Don't be afraid to do things a little differently!

Many modern altars have a candle, meant to be lit in honor of the entity. If you don't want a candle on your altar, that's ok! Candle scents are typically based on things associated with the entity or things that simply remind the worshipper of them. For Perseus, some potential candle scents could be ocean, storm, rain (UPG after this), lily, lavender, lilac, or sandalwood. Feel free to choose a scent that calls to you, even if it wasn't mentioned!

Most altars have various objects dedicated to the entity they were made for - things that remind you of the entity, depict images of the entity directly, or sacred symbols of the entity. These are called "offerings". Some stay on the altar permanently while others may not - it's entirely up to you what you choose to do with your offerings! When it comes to food offerings, I advise you not to keep them on the altar for too long, since they're often susceptible to perishing. Throw food offerings away or, if they're good for the environment, you can bury them outside. Some people also choose to burn perishable offerings, but I don't personally suggest it if you're not sure what can and can't be safely burned. In the next section below, I'll include a list of modern offerings you can give to Perseus. The list has suggestions; you aren't required to give any of the items mentioned if you don't want to!

Outside of altar worship, you can also do "devotional acts" - actions you do in honor of Perseus and with him in mind. In order to make an entity aware that I'm about to do a devotional act, I usually pray to them beforehand or declare aloud that I'm about to do something for them. Daily activities, that you would've done anyway, are also ok to dedicate to an entity; devotional acts don't have to be something you go super out of your way to do if you don't have time or energy for that. Involving entities in your daily activities is actually a great way of welcoming their presence directly into your life and can help with bonding. Two sections down is a list of devotional acts you're welcome to try. Just as the offerings I mention aren't required, neither are the devotional acts.

When in need of communicating with Perseus, I suggest utilizing divination, prayers, meditations, or journaling. There are other ways of communicating with entities, but these are the most common that I see. Regarding divination, there are near endless methods of divination you can try, from tarot cards to pendulums to a normal deck of playing cards. Although prayer is likely one of the most direct ways to communicate, divination typically allows you to have a back and forth conversation, to some extent, which is partially why so many people engage with it. If you're unfamiliar with any divination, I'd recommend trying whichever method calls you the most and practicing often to develop a skill with it. Divination can take a lot of practice, but that's not a bad thing; everyone starts somewhere! If you're unsure how to pray, the following link leads to some suggestions. If you can't meditate, no sweat; it's not required! Meditation can be useful for some when trying to connect with an entity's energy, but for others, it's not helpful at all, and that's ok. For journaling, you can simply write to Perseus as if you're writing in a diary or write him stylized letters. Maybe keep your journal on his altar as well!

At first, it may be difficult to determine when Perseus has responded to something you've prayed for or communicated about. A few ways an entity might make their answer known are through dreams, conversations/words you overhear, frequently spotting their sacred symbols (animals included), having a flash of a relevant image in your mind, strong gut feelings to do/say something specific, sensing another presence with you, and, of course, communicating through divination. There are many, many other ways an entity might express their answer to you, but these are a few I see fairly commonly within the Hellenic Polytheist and Pagan communities. If you struggle telling when you've received a sign versus when you're just overthinking it, this link can lend a helpful hand in being able to tell. I also personally use the rule of three: once is noticeable 🤔, twice is a coincidence 🤨, and thrice is a certainty 🧐.

-

·✩· What is Perseus Like in Worship (UPG)? ·✩·

This is SOLELY based on UPG and SPG that I've gathered through various means. Out of respect, I will not be @ing the individuals who provided this information, unless they ask me to do so. Be aware that no one can definitively speak for the gods, heroes, or any other entity; everyone's experience with them will vary, even in seemingly small ways. Do not expect your experience to mimic the following experiences exactly.

I decided to gather people's experiences with Perseus in worship to hopefully provide a better feel for what Perseus may be like. I'll be numbering the experiences I was told of because each situation was expressly unique enough that separating them will be useful. Each experience will begin with two adjectives outlining the main point of the experience, as some of these individuals intentionally worship specific aspects of Perseus. Although your experience may vary, here are some things you may encounter with him:

⚔️ Young and Rebellious. 💥 This person told me that they explicitly worship a younger aspect of Perseus, before he became a king. They described him as spirited, determined, and bold. He encouraged standing up for oneself and others, and dislikes figures of authority. The way he was described reminds me of a typical "rebellious teen" stereotype (this is not an insult, just something I found interesting, as my experience strongly differed). He seemed to have more of a hands-on approach to lessons and problems, but that wasn't discussed further.

🐎 Humble and Kind. 🧡 This person only interacted with Perseus through their partner, but every time they did, they described him as being very modest and respectful. Despite his later status as a king, he seemed to regard everyone as an equal and tended to be very patient as well. This person stated that their partner said Perseus still knew how and when to put his foot down and often tried to pass that lesson along, since assertiveness was a struggle for their partner. Perseus was described as being a gentle guide as well, preferring for their partner to come to their own conclusions but still assisting them along the journey.

🪽 Swift and Smart. 🛡️ This person described Perseus as being kind and respectful, but being blunt when it was needed. He fully embraced both cunning and wit, and encouraged this person to solve problems by thinking outside of the box. Rather than giving away solutions immediately, he would prefer to let this person think through a situation. He aided a lot with thinking on their feet as well as asserting themselves in subtle yet effective ways. Something that remained consistent with the last experience was his hands-off approach to solving problems, preferring the person to listen to themselves first and foremost.

✨ My Experience. ✨ I do not worship Perseus, but a few times throughout the creation of this post, I felt his energy nearby. In my experience, he was very quiet, patient, and respectful. He respected my boundaries and seemingly regarded me as an equal. His modesty was striking, but despite this, he was still well aware of his talents. He was extremely clever and intelligent, and in some ways, he reminded me of an owl who observes his surroundings fully before he acts. He still made a point to assert himself when needed, however, and would jump in the moment he felt it necessary. Interestingly, he had a very hands-off approach to this post. When he did help, it was much appreciated, though. He was very different from other heroes I've interacted with, and overall, I enjoyed his company. c:

✧ ⟨Offerings ⟩✧

The following is a list of offerings you can give to Perseus as a show of worship. They're simply suggestions; you don't have to use them if you don't want to!

Decorated chests/boxes (maybe even keep his altar in a chest)

A candle that reminds you of him

Frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, or any other incense that reminds you of him

Sword and shield imagery

Imagery of a pegasus or horse

Imagery of Medusa's head; imagery of the Aegis (Athena's shield that she affixes Medusa's head to)

Feathers (for his winged sandals)

Snake and sea serpent imagery; a stuffed animal snake or sea serpent

Ethically sourced snake skulls, especially sea snakes; ethically sourced snake shed

Imagery of a raging ocean; imagery of rain made of gold

Seashells

Fishnets/fishing gear

Ethically sourced fish bones/shark teeth

Breaking/broken chains imagery; broken handcuffs

Gifts from your mom or a mother figure in your life to you (it's ok if you don't have anything)

Jewelry that reminds you of him

Water-based gems/crystals

Art/depictions of him and his ventures

Imagery of spears (as an acknowledgement of Athena and her aid)

Imagery of winged sandals (as an acknowledgement of Hermes and his aid)

Encouraging affirmations about pushing through, defying expectations, and overcoming obstacles

Fountain imagery

A mask of Medusa's face

Eye and tooth imagery; ethically sourced animal teeth (you can use human teeth, but I personally wouldn't)

Family heirlooms passed down from maternal (or parental) figures

Lost trinkets found at the beach/lakeshore

Imagery of an ancient Greek helm/the helm of invisibility

Toys/items from your childhood that mean a lot to you

Mirrors/reflective surfaces

Replica sail boats/toy boats

Flowers, leaves, or herbs that remind you of him

White wine with a bit of honey

Warm herbal tea with honey

A glass of water (or salt/sea water)

Energizing drinks - coffee, certain teas, energy shakes, protein shakes, etc.

Energizing foods - nuts, trail mix, vegetables, oatmeal, eggs, bananas, etc.

Breads, pastries, grains with honey, natural honey, tasty candies, fresh fruits, fish, or something you made by hand for Perseus specifically

｡◉* Devotional Acts *◉ ｡

The following is a list of devotional activities you can do in honor of Perseus. These are just suggestions; you don't have to do them if you don't want to!

Learn how to swim; go swimming

Go sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding; engage in water-related activities

Play frisbee with friends or pets

Go fishing (legally, please)

Be kind to/encourage yourself when going through a difficult time

Make a list of things you've overcome; acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small they seem

Learn how to ride a horse; go horse-back riding

Stay hydrated; drink water

Try eating a healthy diet or meal if possible

Try exercising; do some movement throughout your day

Spend time with a maternal figure in your life or with a mother you know (for example, a friend or sibling who became a mom)

Be kind to children; spend time with the kids in your life

Watch a comforting movie/show from your childhood

Learn about self-defense; carry self-defense items (knives, pepper spray, etc.)

If you have a personal mirror, decorate it with things you love or positive self-affirmations

Create a playlist of songs that remind you of him; listen to the playlist whenever you want c:

Create a Pinterest board for him; save pins that remind you of him

Play strategy games, competitive or not

Learn how to wield a sword; swords are objectively cool

Visit any local fountains (not a drinking fountain, but the kind that people throw coins in)

Offer someone a helping hand; engage in random acts of kindness

Send your loved ones a kind message; maybe tell them you love them, wish them a good day, or encourage them

Stand up for others, especially if you witness a wrong done against them

Attend protests that stand against corrupt governments/politicians

Support children-focused, anti-domestic abuse, young/single mothers, or international relief organizations

Support ocean conservation efforts

Donate children's and hygiene supplies to homeless shelters; hygiene kits, toys, child socks/shoes, child clothes, baby food, diapers, etc.

Pick up trash around bodies of water

Sing/dance to songs the empower you, lift you up, or encourage you to keep moving forward

Make a list of things you're proud of; even getting out of bed can be a point of pride

Light a candle in his honor; burn incense in his honor

Plant/care for flowers or other plants that remind you of him

Create something for him - a painting, drawing, piece of digital art, wood carving, crochet project, song, short story, collage, etc.

Take a salt bath (with bath salts specifically!!!!)

Engage in a mental challenging/stimulating activities

•★ Conclusion ★•

To cover every piece of information about Perseus that exists would be a difficult task, and one that would likely take years of hard work. I hope this can at least be a starting point for any prospective worshippers and can offer a more condensed view of who exactly Perseus is. It can be challenging finding a place to start, but once you take your first step, you're already well on your way. I wish you, the reader, luck in your future ventures. May Perseus walk beside you, if you wish him to. Take care.

-

-

-

Sources:

Theoi.com's entry on Perseus

Tufts University sources on the Medusa myth

History Cooperative's informed article on Perseus

Cults and Rites in Ancient Greece by Michael H. Jameson

Gods and Heroes - Perseus by Daniel Ogden

UPG was gathered from unnamed individuals, as well as my own very brief experiences with Perseus

[brian-in-finance]

Cait big birthday donor strikes again. 🎁🎂❤️

$10,479 - Anonymous donated

"Wishing you Caitríona a fabulous birthday and many many happy returns🎂🍾🎉🎁 May all your wishes come true!!! Kudos to Project CaiTREEna and OTP!"

Thanks for the message, Anon. 😃 That’s fantastic! I’ve been waiting since Friday for the final 2024 total before posting “you.”

Twitter

Donation Page

Once more a very generous person/group anonymously donated to Project CaiTREEna, commemorating Caitríona’s birthdate. 🥳

Considering the donor paid in U.S. dollars, it makes sense the donor is American or U.S.-based, right? Just for fun, imagine if the donor was a Scot, for example.

First, the donation template automatically sets the currency to match one’s IP address, so a Scot would donate in British pounds:

Wow! 😳 That’s more than 1.3 times the original donation.

Second, they would write Caitríona’s birthdate as Day Month Year — 4 10 79:

Wow! 🤯 That’s more than five times the original donation.

And what if the generous donor was more detail oriented? The birthdate would be 4 10 1979:

Wow! 😵 That’s more than 513 times the original donation.

Imagination aside, $10,479 U.S. is a lot of money, and everyone’s donation, regardless of its size, makes a difference. 🌲🌲🌲

Remember… when I am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness. I would almost say that they save me, and daily. — Mary Oliver, When I Am Among The Trees, Thirst, 2006

[abra-ka-dammit]

Making a new one so the initial text better reflects the current situation.

My youngest cat, Bojji, swallowed a few feet long ribbon on Nov 22. After ER extraction, he went septic due to a tear in his throat. Between the ICU, and a shorter period of tube-fed home care, he seemed to get better; then his tubes were removed, and he got worse. After so much desperate time in and trips back and forth to the ER, getting him every single possible potential solution regardless of the cost or inconvenience to myself, on December 22, I still had to put him down. You can find more detailed information in my pinned, my ko-fi, or by searching my blog for the name Bojji.

All in all, even with around 2/3 of all of this paid for with compassion funds from the vets themselves, I spent $9.5k trying to save my boy. Generous donors helped give me hope through this ordeal, allowing me to agree to further treatments with less dread. Now there is no more treatments. Only the remaining debt.

It's not as inspirational as the last post, because there's no more cat to try to save. But if you have some sympathy to spare, please donate and/or share to help a heartbroken catmom (with 2 other, much older babies to care for still,) get out from under the crushing weight of capitalism's awful effect on medical emergencies.

Thank you in advance.

And please, if you have a cat: put all string, ribbon, bows, tassels, ropes, or any other such items in sealed places it cannot get to, or just remove them from your home entirely. They're not worth it. They're just not worth it.

[frugaltits]

Hello dear friends🇵🇸🇵🇸

All the positive words cannot express how generous you are, especially in sharing my posts to inform other donors about the terrible conditions we are suffering from due to the unjust war on Gaza🤍🤍

🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support you are providing to help us stay safe and provide us with a decent life ✌✌

🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

I hope you will continue to support us either by sharing widely or by donating if possible until we reach our short-term goal of 24k€, where it is less than 1k€ to reach it🙏

Thank you very much🇵🇸

I am paid Tuesday and will be making rounds donating to all the families I possibly can. In the meantime, please help and share if you can here

Praying for your family and my own ❤️🍉

[cdelphiki]

Hi i really enjoy Reclaiming Innocence 💜 you’re such a talented person and i like that you always take time to kindly reply to your followers 🥺 Which is super awesome of you to do that ❤️ I know you work at a museum. What did you study for in order to get a job like this? I have social anxiety so I don’t want to interact with people way too much I currently work in an office environment but I’m in college trying to figure out a career that I will enjoy while at the same time let me work alone half the time. Do you interact with a lot of people? Thank you so much you’re awesome, and you don’t have to answer back.

Hi! Thank you!!

Museum work can be either very solitary or very, very social, and unfortunately you can't pick just one path. Often the people down at the lower level will have more tour duties, and then once you get up higher you're back on tour duties, but now for more Important people.

A lot of collection managers end up doing tours and educational programs alongside their work at all levels, which is essential public speaking. I had very bad social anxiety in high school, to the point I'd get sick to my stomach when I had to go somewhere new with new people. I realize not everyone is the same, but for me personally it did get better (a LOT better) as I continued to push myself and step into new and scary things. I went to school for history for my undergrad, then public history for my master's. During grad school I volunteered at a local heritage society creating educational programs and helping catalog their collection(I worked with 2 others intimately), was the collection manager at my university museum(I worked alone in a room 19/20 hours a week), and volunteered (which eventually lead to a paid job my last year of school) at my local national park (I was never ever alone). As a volunteer I worked the visitor center desk, and my mom swears up and down that that specific experience was what helped me learn to conquer my anxiety. And it did, because I had to answer the phone and help the person on the other end, point people toward the bathrooms, and answer basic questions. My paid job for them was as a tour guide, which was 8 hours a day of social interaction. (And it was Exhausting, as an introvert. I'm so glad I did that, because it's helped me be more social as an adult, but I will NEVER do it again. LOL)

My current job, I generally only interact with my coworkers, and occasionally answer the question of a visitor who has caught me wandering the property, but sometimes I do interact more directly. There's always meetings, where I'm representing the museum and the collection to people within and from outside my organization, sometimes Important people (like the time a senator visited!), and sometimes our education department needs an extra body, so I'm following along on tours, and answering specific questions about the objects there.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is even jobs that seem like they're very solitary aren't really, especially in the public history / museum field. And if you're in college now, I highly, highly encourage you to try to push yourself a little. Anxiety is real, and it's awful, and it's scary, but I've always seen it as an obstacle to get around, and I highly encourage trying to get around it now, rather than giving in and spending your whole life in solitude. As someone who suffered badly from social anxiety all growing up, I promise it can get better, and it's definitely not something to plan your entire life around. Yeah, maybe don't be a flight attendant or customer service specialist, but don't try to wall yourself off from people entirely.

As for if you'd enjoy museum work: Do you enjoy research? History? Lots and LOTS of policy and guidance to memorize? Database management? Inventory? Housekeeping and environmental monitoring? Those are the main aspects of my job.

Some of the not-so-lovely pieces: dealing with donors or potential donors who want you to take their grandma's beautiful precious tea cup that her great-great-grandfather definitely stole from the king of england and smuggled here in 1635, no they don't have proof but grandma SAID, irate visitors mad your institution doesn't have insertwhateveritishere and saw you walking down the corridor to the soda machine so they're gonna take it out on you, and dealing with potentially tricky situations with the collection itself- like theft, missing objects, and potential illegally gotten-objects.

[fullygrownadult]

Great news everyone!!!! Bones has received his surgery and is recovering very well!!!!! His stitches are still a little bloody to post, but the sutures are supposed to disintegrate over the course of the next 2-3 weeks. He will be seen one more time (for free at the same hospital he received his surgery) 14 days post his surgery for a check up.

Thank you everyone who donated. Especially to whomever donated to somerset vet, that was a really surprising donation. To get his bandages changed it cost ~$130 per visit, and I lost count but I think we went maybe 4 to 5 times? That total on my credit card is $911, excluding that one visit was paid for by a generous donor who I don’t even know how to thank.

Thank you good cat community of tumblr. I can’t thank you all enough. Bones Skull-crusher Sans received his surgery, and is well onto the way of recovery

❤️❤️❤️

You know what I’ve tried all the other social medias. Hopefully this works. I recently took in a wounded cat who is so special. He is the sweetest baby boy I’ve ever laid eyes on. He’s missing the skin from his underbelly, but his organs are all intact and perfectly healthy. I named him Bones Skull-Crusher Sans the cat. He loves kisses and cuddles, let’s me hold him for an eternity, and really needs help. His surgery is scheduled for August 25th, next Thursday. I only have about $1,600 for it so far, and their estimated price is $5,500.

Please please please donate if you can. This is my son, my baby boy. I love him so much and he deserves a shot at a wonderful life.

[khaire-traveler]

🦈 Subtle Skylla Worship 🛞

Assert your boundaries; learn what they are (keep track if you need to)

Make it clear when your boundaries have been crossed; if it's happened multiple times and the other person is clearly not going to change, establish consequences for their actions

Be forgiving to an extent; make sure you're not needlessly sacrificing yourself to keep the waters calm

Find healthy vents for your anger (physical activity, art, writing, crafting, singing, drumming, etc.)

Get a candle that reminds you of her (no altar needed)

Wear jewelry that reminds you of her

Keep a picture of her in your wallet

Have a stuffed animal dog, predatory fish (shark, dolphin, eel, etc.), hermit crab, or sea monster

Have imagery of sea monsters, rocky cliffs, raging seas, shipwrecks, bared teeth/pointed teeth, crab pincers, spooky merfolk, tridents (yes, really), or fish around

Live your life the way you want to, not the way that someone else wants you to; steer your own ship, remind yourself of your ability to do so

Attend a protest or activist event; join a group that supports causes you believe in (be safe always)

Stand up for yourself; you have teeth, you have claws

Learn self-defense (includes use of weapons instead of physical fighting)

Do not go out of your way to harm others; know when to take accountability for harm that you may have caused

Forgive yourself for past mistakes; learn from them, and let them be carried away with the waves

Visit the ocean or a body of water nearby

Go swimming or diving (safely, please)

Learn about the deep sea; learn about the creatures of the sea

Stay informed about water safety in your area (floods, riptides, undertoe, river currents, etc.); practice water safety when out in or near the water

Donate to/support ocean-focused organizations or dog shelters

Volunteer for ocean-focused organizations or dog shelters

Pick up trash near local bodies of water; always throw away your own trash

Focus on building your self-confidence; find empowerment within yourself

Remind yourself of your inner strength; remember how far you've come, and think of how much farther you have yet to go

Take risks; if you're scared, do it scared (to a reasonable extent)

Collect ethically sourced shark teeth (or similar)

If you find a hermit crab without a shell or using trash as a shell, give it a proper shell (here is a video showing how you can do this)

Take a warm bath/shower when you're upset; envision the water washing away the stress, anger, difficulty, etc.

Make yourself a warm drink with some zest to it (spicy hot chocolate, strong herbal tea, bitter coffee, etc.)

Stay hydrated; drink lots of water throughout the day

Try to eat seafood or seaweed (BE AWARE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE ALLERGIC TO SHELLFISH!!!)

Learn about how to properly argue with someone; learn about different fallacies and debating techniques

Practice not taking insults too personally; remind yourself that the words of others do not define who you are

When you feel yourself wanting to react immediately and emotionally to something, try to take a step back and breathe for a moment; ground yourself before returning to the situation

Learn about healthy conflict resolution skills; practice implementing those skills, and go at your own pace

Walk your dogs, if you have any; play with your pets

Cook yourself a yummy meal; go the extra mile to make something delicious that you'll love

Eat three meals a day; make sure you're encouraging yourself to eat when you need to

Engage in physical exercise; stretch your body throughout the day

Try fishing or hunting (make sure you get the proper licensing required first, if needed; NEVER target an endangered or struggling species intentionally)

Get curious about the things that scare you; learning about the unknown takes away some element of fear

Learn what things trigger or upset you; rather than always avoiding them, practice grounding yourself if the topics happen to arise

Fall asleep/meditate to the sound of the ocean, ocean storms, waves crashing against rocks, or sea creatures

Listen/dance to music that empowers, encourages, or motivates you, or that makes you feel rebellious

-

In the future, I may add to this list, but for now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Skylla. She's not a figure I see worshipped often, but there's a lot of lessons I feel that she can teach. Skylla is an immensely powerful entity - one that has been said to be the doom of many sailors - and the amount of empowerment she can grant is untold. I hope someone finds this helpful. Remember your own strength. ❤️

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

[frugaltits]

Hello this is me Aya.. ‏🇵🇸

Imagine having everything and suddenly you wake up with nothing left.That's exactly what happened with us .we moved from having everything to having nothing.In a blink of an eye ,we lost everything, our house ,dreams,

memories belongings and our works. We are starting from zero and need your help to climb the leader step by step from scratch.

All the positive words cannot express how generous you are, especially in sharing my posts to inform other donors about the people of Gaza who are still suffering from the terrible conditions caused by the unjust war on Gaza!

Please continue to support us by donating directly or by sharing the link to let others know. Don't hesitate to help people in difficult and miserable times until the dark days are over.

https://gofund.me/c4c2cf82

The only way dark days can end is through a lack of hesitation to help. I get paid Tuesday, but until then, please reblog and donate if y'all are able ❤️❤️❤️