#plus I can’t curate my space there at all

[vampstel]

I really wanna deactivate my account on Twitter I can’t lie

[password-door-lock]

Unknown is all dressed up. He doesn’t feel that it would be appropriate to arrive at your apartment in any other state— after all, if he’s going to get you to Magenta as planned, then he’ll probably need your cooperation. He can get it by threatening you, sure, but Unknown would much prefer it if you’d just go along with his plan of your own volition. That’d be more entertaining for Unknown, not to mention more satisfying to shove in 707’s face. 

Also, though he’d never admit it to anyone— least of all to you— Unknown is grateful for the opportunity to dress up nicely. He doesn’t get to do it often. Around Magenta, he wears his typical uniform of a leather jacket and tight pants. When he leaves, he may resort to a less conspicuous display, but rarely does he get to make such creative use of belts and harnesses. Truth be told, Unknown is looking forward to this. He imagines you, dressed up for the party, your hair perfectly styled even under his rough hands and your ensemble as carefully curated as his own. 

It is a bit of a shock to him when he throws open the door to the apartment a few minutes after nine and finds the polar opposite of all his fantasies. You’re not dressed in your own party clothes because, despite what you told him when he asked you on the messenger, you are not at the RFA Christmas party. “Were you waiting here for me, prince(ss)?” Unknown drawls, though he sincerely doubts that this is the case. If you’d been waiting for him, surely you would have prepared for the occasion. 

As it stands, your hair is unstyled, and you’re sporting a plain baseball tee with a pair of plaid pajama bottoms. You appear to be watching a movie on the Savior’s old computer, and despite himself, Unknown is impressed that you managed to hack in. “Are you the hacker?” You answer his question with another, slightly less relevant question. This might be annoying if you weren’t so cute. 

“Mhm,” Unknown advances, invading your personal space as you cower on the couch. You smell like shampoo and simple soap. “Then you must be ready to come with me.” He supposes he can’t fault you for favoring comfort over style. This kind of practicality could be an asset to the Mint Eye. 

“Not at all,” you admit, dashing Unknown’s hopes for the second time in only a few minutes. “I thoug​ht you were going to try and harass our guests at the party, so I told Seven to increase security.” Unknown’s hands become fists as he tries and fails to keep his cool. Do you think you’re going to get away with playing both sides like that? “He was like, ‘You need to stay home. I’ll take care of the hacker.’ But clearly, he couldn’t, so I guess I am going with you. Can I get five minutes to pack?” 

This lifts Unknown’s mood right back up. Not only are you going to go with him without a fight, but you’re also going to help him deal a devastating blow to 707. When he takes you, Unknown will show that redhead a preview of the harrowing future the Savior has in store for him. Luciel is in for a series of devastating blows, actually, thanks to the information you’ve provided, and this is only the first one.

“I want you to change into your Christmas outfit,” Unknown orders. He can see it now— the two of you will look so perfect together, dressed in your holiday best. 

“What? This is my Christmas outfit.” You gesture at your pajamas. “It’s… Christmas, and I’m wearing it, so…” 

Unknown exhales. He knew you weren’t a genius going into this, but he at least hoped that you’d be able to follow his instructions without causing any problems. “Where’s the outfit that you bought for the Christmas party?” He asks. “It’s a waste to buy it and not wear it, hm?” 

“I didn’t buy anything for the Christmas party,” you explain, “I was going to pretend to be busy if you hadn’t threatened me. I’ve been emailing with the guests, and most of them seem kind of boring, and besides, I already gave my donation to Yoosung last night. I don’t really see a reason to stand around in the cold. Plus, I think V asked Jumin to do something illegal, and I don’t really want to be there if they have a confrontation about it. I can see the RFA any time, anyway, right?” 

“You’ll see them once they come to join us in paradise,” Unknown confirms. He could get used to you and your fascinating outlook. “Now, come on. We’ll go shopping on the way.”

[septembersung]

Having thoughts.

I have some friends (using the word loosely) who are very active on fb and elsewhere sharing things about their large catholic families. I have sometimes envied this. They’re offering a public, beautiful witness to life and being a catholic family, and the public square needs that.

On the other hand, I made a decision before my firstborn was 1 or 2 to quit posting pictures on the internet for security reasons, which have only gotten more relevant as the years go by. Not that we have any immediate or personal threats against us but because of the nature of the internet. And, a lot of my immediate family, who would want the updates, don’t do fb. Some I’m coming from a different set of expectations and boundaries.

And while I like blogging about whatever is floating through my head, or funny things my kids say, doing it anonymously and a step or two removed from my family is totally different from putting our daily lives out there for everyone I’ve ever met who knew me as the season one version of me and not as a fully formed adult. (Not that their posts aren’t curated, because of course they are, but they’re a lot more authentic than, say, insta influencers, and it’s easy to see the difference with the ones I know in person.)

And: kids aren’t content. (The option to make your posts unrebloggable is the best thing tumblr ever did.) Fb is still different from insta, and mostly what I see in real life circles is people communicating for the purpose of sharing with other in-their-real-life people, but when for me at least that isn’t a natural form of social media it’s hard not to see it for myself as creating content for likes. The short term kick of self esteem if people interact positively… isn’t worth it? And my kids do have a right to expect they’re not being paraded in public in what should be the privacy of their home? Because for me at least, I’m more of a homebody and candid photo mom, setting up outings worth sharing and posed photos is more work than I have bandwidth for. There are people for whom that is second nature, I’m not one of them.

Plus. Plus!! I mull over this general topic (how “public” should our family be) pretty regularly and I think I’m getting the impression that it is simply not my calling. We’re unavoidably public in the sense every family is, we have a community and we go out in public spaces eg church, grocery store, but my growing conviction is that we are supposed to be hidden and interior focused right now. I have so many things to sort out in my self and life and house. I’m not a leader or an example or anything right now, and probably never will be. I have some pride to mortify there - I see other people being those things, and I want to too! That childhood people pleasing, collect all the praise, kind of urge dies a hard death.

Getting out in the community and participating in things is good but it’s not a substitute for doing the family culture building and private family work, and can’t replace it. I’ve tried to over-correct from my isolated childhood, I think, (and I was public schooled!), and when I’ve been sick for long periods at a time, as has frequently happened over the years, I’ve relied on our community to provide structure and experiences I couldn’t at the time (by going to group outings and signing up for regular group events, etc.) Compared to my friends here who are a) lifelong locals, with b) local extended family and c) are extroverts we’re still “under socialized”, but that’s only by comparison.

I guess I’m just renewing my commitment to the idea that it’s okay not to put my family out there on the internet, and solidifying my growing conviction that it’s okay to not do all the things. Or even many things. And it’s not like we’re isolated - even now we’re only going to be home a couple days a week from now til Christmas, as I discovered when when trying to coordinate something else recently.

It’s just that so many of the things I tried this year simply haven’t worked out long term. There’s a variety of reasons for that and it makes me really sad but also I have to stop hanging my sense of “success” and “failure” on outside commitments. In fact I should probably work on changing my idea of “failure” here to something else because that’s the wrong word and comes from something in me that is based on fear and not reality or a healthy sense of measuring growth for our family. They weren’t bad goals but also not pursuing them doesn’t mean we’re doomed to be isolated weirdos. Which as a public schooler who nonetheless had no real social life or community engagement was my fear. Homeschoolers even have more opportunities for those things I think but we have to be intentional about it, especially if the parents are homebodies, and my experience proves that simply being public schooled doesn’t replace family culture and community involvement. And!! The fact that my neurodivergent kids struggle with the format and expectations of extra curriculars does not make them or me “bad” or “failures.” They just need something else from their opportunities and from me. The sooner I embrace that the better for all of us.

(My kids are going to be weird no matter what because their parents are weird. And because we are traditional Catholics and we reject 99% of what passes for contemporary culture. And because many of them are some flavor of neurospicy. Social anxiety around “being weird” is completely pointless and a distraction from real issues. This is a tangent.)

Right now, I have a real and even urgent obligation to be at home and immediate-family-focused for a while. Maybe a long while. That’s the kicker, I need to sit with this conviction and see what it means in practice. I struggle with time blindness these days so idk exactly what “long” means. Practically speaking probably at least through next summer because of when baby is due. Which reminds me I have a great and terrible hope/ambition around the possibility of a new co op opportunity next fall which has the potential to match what my family actually needs with people who also have older kids and share my educational philosophy.

But which again, this extended period of embracing being home and hidden doesn’t mean we’re isolated by any means. I know this is all vague, but I don’t want to give an erroneous impression. We know people, we get out, we do things. It’s more about my attempts to be regularly involved in formal ongoing community commitments and how I think God is slowly turning my head around the other direction and saying no, not that, not now. We have so many things to work on, habits and structures and attitudes that our family needs to practice and develop. This is the core of it, articulating all this has helped and I’m confident about the rest of it, but I’m carrying so much fear and anxiety around this part. I think I’m right but my heart needs to be reassured and that can only happen through prayer and living it out. I have to see the positive good we’re building, of what I’m being called to, instead of just mourning what I wish we had right now and don’t. Bingo. There we go.

Being a mom is hard but it’s not hard in any of the ways I thought it would be. Truly having many small children at once was the easiest part. No wonder veteran moms speak fondly of “the trenches.” The turns have indeed tabled.

[enlightenedrobot]

So here’s a project I’ve not advertised at all. No Requests: Live! From the Tavern is an Adult focused Edutainment series focused on discussing Art, Music, and Media. Each episode is broken up into segments that work together in a playlist including various other videos on Youtube. This means Music Videos, short films, and other video essays, curated together with extra commentary from the host of the show, Tavern Barz.

That’s a weird and unnecessarily complicated format, why are you doing this?

It’s really easy in this day and age to use Youtube videos as a replacement for other content. I mean, why watch a two hour movie when you can watch a 20 minute recap? 

This is a bad habit. Critique is important aspect to a good media diet, but a diet consisting solely of critique misses the point completely. In order to talk about media, we must also experience it. 

This format means we don’t directly compete with the art featured. Rather, Tavern Barz acts as a museum curator, and the other media in the playlists serve as the actual art itself. The original videos will get their view, and… as a nice little bonus, I get to avoid the copyright bots.

Why are you using a cartoon?

I mean, I’m an animator. I don’t know what else to tell you. Why does the Chocolate guy use chocolate when clay will last longer?

But also, I don’t really have any desire to host the show as myself. There’s a hundred and ten other Youtubers who will get on camera to talk about stuff, and like, I don’t have the room for that. 

Besides, Tavern is a character distinct from me. As a writer, I have full control over the narrative I want to tell, and placing myself in the center of that just feels weird. Tavern’s allowed to act and be weird and hypocritical. Tavern is allowed to grow as a character in ways you can’t really depict through the lens of literal documentary filmmaking. 

So that Cyclops character isn’t just your rantsona vtuber avatar?

I mean, in a very literal sense, Tavern is a Vtuber. They are a virtual character serving as the host for a real show on Youtube.

But Tavern’s also an OC with lore and a planned Story Arc. The pilot is admittedly pretty bare bones with all this, but I intent to incorporate more story elements as the series goes on.

Alright, so what’s the lore then?

Tavern Barz is the Cycloptic owner of the Tavern Barz Tavern, a fifth dimensional divebar thar exists all across Time and Space. After several eternities of service, Tavern thinks they know it all.

This is not true.

Is this project family friendly?

Not really. The main character is a bartender, so there's a lot of alcohol focus. Plus, a lot of the featured videos will also contain plenty of adult themes.

The pilot is pretty mild. There's some swearing, but nothing too serious. But the non original videos might have adult themes. I have some later episodes planned, including one focused on The Male Gaze, and in those cases, I can't in good conscience recommend these videos to minors.

All in all, I like to call the tone of the project comfortably adult. I'm not going out of my way to be edgy, but I'm also not censoring myself. If this were an actual TV series, it's probably be TV-14. Edgier than the Simpsons, not as edgy as Rick and Morty, so about the level of Futurama.

When will this project release?

April, 2024. As of the time of this writing, the first episode is basically finished except for the credits, but I also need sometime to compile my sources, write descriptions, and make some thumbnails, as well as advertise the project.

Follow Me on this Account if you wanna keep up with the project. You can also see my other links at https://norequestslive.carrd.co/

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

[cater + honmei]

"ah cater!"

i finally caught up to cater and has been looking for him for hours, but now that he's finally in front of me i feel like running away for some reasons. but of course i didnt. i handed him my gift.

"after learning that you don't really like sweet things, i figured i better give you other things so ,uhm, i made a photo album with our pictures together. i know you prefer posting photos than physical copies but i still hope you'll like them. happy valentines!"

Sweet on You.

He was among the roses when you found him. Heartslabyul students and roses—they went together like bees and honey.

His smile was laidback, as picturesque as the flowers in bloom. He propped his phone against his chin. “Hey, what’s up? Been lookin’ for Cay-kun?”

Your stomach did backflips and cartwheels as you approached. You were already a jumbled mess from searching for Cater all over campus. At this point, your feet were preemptively flighty and raring to take off again. It took all your willpower to keep yourself grounded, to focus on the task ahead.

You thrusted out a thick book.

“Huh, is this your Valentine’s Day gift for me?” The question was posed in a teasing tone, Cater slipping the tome from your hands. “Thanks for thinking of me and keeping my tastes in mind~ You know me so well!

“I’ll check it out now, okay? I’m dying to know what you put together for me!”

He opened to the first page, and was immediately greeted by a plethora of memories. The first shy encounter to your first kiss, and the romance that spiraled into a whirlwind from there.

“Aww, it’s us. All of it is us.”

You had taken care to curate and print out selfies from various outings, then added flourishes and extra trimmings. Lace borders and decorative tape lined photos, stickers embellishing the corners. Gel pen doodles filled in the space between frames, the gaps between your love story.

Pictures worth a thousand words, and many, many more.

Cater grew quiet as he scanned page after page. The smile he had once worn had melted to give way to something more serene, more thoughtful.

“It’s fun to post on Magicam and all, but I can’t exactly be online all the time! Riddle’ll have my head if it’s glued to my phone, and I can’t do much if I’m in a place with bad signal.”

He shut the photobook gently, keeping his hand pressed to the cover. There is something tangible, something meaningful, beneath his fingertips.

“This can last forever, and I can keep it close to my heart without getting into trouble with my dorm leader,” Cater joked, winking. “Plus, scrapbooking’s all the rage these days~ Who knows, it could be a cute date night in activity for the future!”

He leaned forward, planting a quick kiss on your cheek. Your hand flew to the area, which was still warm from his touch.

Cater pulled back, wearing a grin both sly and sweet. “Just promise me that we can make lots more happy memories together for the books, ‘kay?~”

[whataweirdfeeling]

HELLO welcome back to another WAWF interview EXCLUSIVE

As we settle into a warm and toasty WAWFswinter we of course have some new artists to present

With this also being our first official collab Fraud Issue shot by photographer @wavechrist and edited by our original curator @vyngak WAWF has some gifts It must be WAWFchrist-mas

Read below for an exclusive interview and some behind the scenes moments with new artists of WAWF

Find out about all the big plans they have in store

Who are we here with?

Floaty-man, Floaty… pretty flacko jr.. shoutout to ASAP

So you would say ASAP is one of your main influences then?

Hell yeah ASAP is one of my biggest influences. I never really was the one to be like ‘I’m inspired by people’, but I was heavily influenced by like certain people..and they help me be my best self. So now.. my goal is to be better than them cause I’m pretty sure that’s what they would

So would ASAP be a bigger influence to you in fashion or music?

Definitely the music too, ASAP gave me more of the fashion tip. Like the ok to add my swag to my music instead of just trying to push my message I can also add my personality and I can also add how I dress myself and just how I live my life daily.. Regardless of what it look like I can still be on some fly sh*t

Rap name?

Floaty

Where does that name come from?

I always used to get in trouble a lot so when I used to get in trouble I used to stare.. it was the only thing you could do like.. couldn’t play the game or nothing so I would like go outside and literally look at clouds or something.. or when I was in class too I would go to ISD. ISD you get in trouble, you’d be in school but not in school you know what I’m sayin

What can we expect from Floaty in the future?

Expect a lot of shit.. I would say this cause I’m a renaissance man of art. Expect for me to get into short films. But music real heavy, fashion real heavy you know, events real heavy. But short films is what we adding to the list as well

How did you find out about WAWF?

It’s just all organic, it’s really shoutout to Wave. Shoutout to wavechrist cause you know that was the fine point it was just all divine you know. He was just telling me this is who you need to connect with and it was a wrap from there

Who are we here with?

Hello good people of the planet earth and all the other space-lings out there in the world.. I go by the name of ShowwwTimee. That’s with 3 W’s and 2 E’s

Why 3 W’s and 2 E’s

Its always about individuality and how you can express yourself a little bit differently. Plus we not tryna get sued by the actual Showtime tv network you know.. But if they ever wanna collab and put ShowwwTimee on Showtime we could do that

And on a personal note if we wanna get on numerology type time the real name is Shomari and so every name in my full name has 7 letters.. and you know what that means

Tell us about your art

The first art form is definitely film, that’s where all of the inspiration comes from. And then.. I picked up sewing over the pandemic.. It’s been a couple years now since we been doing that. At first I was making the clothes to go with the films, but now the films gotta support the clothes at this point cause I just hit some sort of momentum with the designing and I just can’t stop really. So now I gotta make my films around the pieces, make storylines off these characters that you see i’m making

Describe your fit

We got rainbow boots with tool kinda material for the laces.. shoutout Walmart on that. Thrifted sweatpants.. yellow sweatpants, primary.. We got the yellow blazer, primary and then all the other colors of the rainbow secondary. We got a pac-man tee that got chopped up and turned into a hat up top.. Pieced it together with a raincoat, a yellow raincoat that I found so it’s like a combination in there

Where would you say your style inspo comes from?

Honestly intuition, i’d say intuition leads me and then the colors.. the colors just speak and I combine the two. I find ways to combine the color combinations and different ways to piece it together

What can we expect next from you?

Next we’re gonna have to make a film for the pieces to live in and immortalize them cause yeah you can enjoy them on a day to day basis, on the social networks, but I’m really tryna get all my people off of the social networks and out of the matrix. So I gotta make my own films and put them in a place where all my people can come and congregate together you know.. something like this, shoutout to them boys down in RVA. I’ve never experienced a conglomerate of a community like this so for yall to open yall doors.. shoutout Hugh, shoutout Gavyn, shoutout Floaty, shoutout WAWF

How’d you find out about WAWF?

Honestly they found me. Likeminded individuals always find each other. That’s like soul tribe right there

Along with promoting/supporting growing artists like these WAWF magazine pushes art fashion culture and much more

Stay tuned for all of the exciting things WAWF has planned

[mercerislandbooks]

50 Years of Island Books: Laurie Frankel

Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of four novels. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Publisher’s Weekly, People Magazine, Lit Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald, and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time in Seattle, Washington where she lives with her family and makes good soup.

Miriam: Let's start with your first visit to Island Books. Where were you in your career then, and what stood out about the store?

Laurie: Which is also the answer to your question, I’m afraid. I can’t remember my first visit to IB which I actually think speaks to what a great bookstore it is: it feels like it’s always been there and always been a part of my world. Island Books is my favorite kind of bookstore which is to say big enough to have a wide selection, small enough that good, smart readers have culled and curated, with booksellers (said good, smart readers) who are warm and welcoming but also give you space to browse and get lost looking for what you want to read next, plus the children’s section of my (and my kid’s) dreams. I also adore a neighborhood bookstore, and IB is the best kind (since your neighborhood is an island). MI is the perfect size — big enough to have everything you need, close enough to get anywhere you need to go, but small enough to be a community — and it seems to me that Island Books mirrors that exactly.

Miriam: I agree with that description! That's nice that IB feels like it has always been a part of your world. Many of us feel that way. Let's get a little more personal now. Your Instagram is visual ecstasy for a soup lover. If you were making a soup to bring to one of Island Books' Cookbook Club meetings, what would it be? Are we comforting like chicken noodle soup? Good for your health like a carrot lentil? We accept recipes on this blog, fyi, in case you feel like sharing...

Laurie: I mean the good thing about carrot lentil soup is it’s also vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free…really whatever dietary restrictions your group has, lentil soup probably works around them. Also it’s super good for you. Mine has, in addition to lentils and carrots, piles and piles of kale. It’s my most-made soup by a mile, probably every other week at least in winter. All that said, it’s not very fancy, is it? So if I wanted to show off a little, I might do gumbo in the winter, gazpacho for summer.

And alas, I cook like I write: very by-the-seat-of-my-pants, no outlines, no recipes, lots of revisions/adding and adjusting till it sounds/tastes right.

Miriam: So you're a pantser. Well, what's that saying, "The way you do one thing is the way you do everything?" I'm thinking about your books now, mainly This is How it Always Is, which is a particular favorite of mine. Did you know how it would end when you began writing, or did that evolve as you wrote deeper into the story and the characters? That book felt well-structured, so I'm curious if you reverse-engineered it. How does a person become a good cook, anyway? (Asking for a friend, of course.)

Laurie: So first off, thank you much for your kind words about the books. They mean the world, truly.

Secondly, I think I’m not a pantser in all aspects of my life. I’m a planner when I travel, for example. I like to plan when I can. But I can’t when I’m writing (and, I suppose, needn’t when I’m cooking). If I could make an outline, I surely would. It would save a lot of time and lost words. I cut 250,000 words from This Is How It Always Is. If there had been a way to not write them in the first place, that definitely would have been the cheaper way.

All of which is to say, yes I reverse-engineered that book (and all my books). Or maybe less reverse-engineered and more looped. I wrote from the beginning to the end of that book a few hundred times, each time tweaking and improving by teeny bits then going back and fixing what those teeny tweaks broke, again and again and again until it worked. So it gets well structured by cutting away everything that’s not working and going back and planting what’s missing and then connecting up what’s left. I love it, but it’s not a process I would describe as linear.

Miriam: That's fascinating and an excellent process to think about in this space, as we explore how an indie bookstore comes to be, evolves, and endures. The entire literary community is constantly tweaking and improving little by little, all of us in our individual and communal ways. The bookstore is just an amplification of all the minds like yours contributing to the discourse.

Speaking of contributing, I understand you have a new novel coming in 2024. Would you tell us about it before signing off?

Laurie: Yes! Thank you for asking. The new book is called Family Family. Out 1/23/24. It’s about adoption—many different kinds of adoption, in fact—and Broadway and Hollywood and a movie star and a bunch of totally unrelated but actually sort of related kids and how a dream job is still a job and how large, strange, sprawling, non-traditional families are also after all just families. I hope everyone in the whole world will love it!

Miriam: It sounds wonderful and we are looking forward to sharing it with the world. Thanks so much for your time and thoughtfulness, Laurie. Come visit us soon!

To our store community, the next edition of 50 Years of Island Books is a double dose! I'll have Rachel Linden (Recipe for a Charmed Life is coming in 2024) share a special recipe that I've unofficially named "Rachel-Linden's-Take-a-Trip-to-Island-Books-Luscious-Lemon-Bars," and Martha Brockenbrough (her next nonfiction book for teens, Future Tense, will also hit shelves in 2024). As a Bellevue native, Martha says she has no memories of life without Island Books.

—Miriam

[sparkling-pink-lemonade]

If the person you're responding/talking about (in your original post) didn't communicate that they are a minor in any way, you shouldn't be blamed for saying one very mild unserious sexual thing. Especially if this person was interacting/behaving in a sexual context (like posting in adult nasfw tags) first. Especially especially if you posted your response with nsfw tags as well. Also, you didn't speak to them directly. You made a very obvious joke in your own post that didn't have any connection to them or their blog. Minors cannot force their way into adult spaces and then have everyone start to complain that the adults are talking like adults. That's insane. The screenshots don't have that persons un or pfp. You weren't sending them dms telling them to their face that they should fuck you. Kids and teenagers say way worse and more sexual things than "block me harder daddy" on a daily basis. People getting mad at you about this are just virtue signaling.

I don't think they are inherently virtue signaling. It genuinely can be an uncomfortable topic/situation for some. And both anons approached the topic in a genuine and sincere way. So I don't fault them. But should someone else now try to convince a stranger on the internet to feel the same discomfort and disgust in their own actions, they sure can try, but shouldn't be surprised if the stranger chooses not to backpedal. And if they don't like that. Get mad and tell your friends about me behind my back, and block me. But it's not worth continuing the conversation against someone who made it clear they won't change their mind.

But yeah, I genuinely think it's more harmful to coddle teens from learning to handle uncomfortable situations or sexual humor. It's infantilizing and dehumanizing. I remember being a minor, a few months from turning 18 and having people who weren't even 19 yet feel too uncomfortable making a slightly sexual joke in my presence. And because of people like that, I knew people my age at that time frame who were way too prudish with discussing anything sexual at all.

On the topic though, I also got another anon who absolutely was virtue signaling. And since it's relevant, I can just address it here.

And it's like, first of all, being called smelly as an insult is genuinely funny. But it's just so ironic, because unlike the first two anons, this one absolutely isn't trying to have a genuine conversation here. In fact, seeing as it's an ask, and the language used, I was meant to see it and I was meant to be intimidated, not informed. It could technically be construed as harassment if I were to warp things enough. But I don't care enough.

It's interesting to note a few things though. Like how much this mirrors anti behavior. The use of a strawman, pedojacketing, and the idea of using moral purity to "exclude" me from a community.

Sexual harassment is not okay, whether it is is not the conversation being had. But since harassment is a social construct, the debate is whether what I said constitutes harassment. It's not a black or white issue, so with no definite line, I know that some people won't agree with my judgement, nor do I expect everyone to.

Plus... have I really misconstrued what it means to be proship if I don't believe what I've done to be harassment, and encourage people to curate their experience by blocking stances that make them uncomfortable?

I'm not even gonna touch the pedojacketing part, because I don't feel like making an essay on the definition and differences between pedophilia, csa, and csh on an already long post. Maybe some other time.

And lastly, it doesn't matter if anon claims me or not. No one has the power to gatekeep a label based community like proship. They will never be able to speak for all proshippers. There will be assholes, there will be people who use the label wrong, but you can’t decide for them that they are any less proship if they say they're proship. And trying to appear as though I'm not part of the community only serves to show other antis "See, we don't approve of that evil person over there. We are all good people, so stop spreading mean misinformation about us." And like... antis aren't gonna care. Unless you abide to their cult mindset, you're always gonna be the enemy.

[lilyevansreincarnate]

(I will be addressing Owen with he/him, I’ve seen quite a few people do that so I hope that’s okay, I was originally going to use she but as he hadn’t transitioned nor does anybody use she I assumed people had come to a conclusion to address him as such!)

“There is still time.”

The horror of really realising who you are and it scaring you so much you let it ruin your life rather than answer its pleas is something that deeply resonates with me and made my heart hurt finally seeing something akin to the feeling I’ve felt for so long in mainstream media was so unreal for me, I don’t think I’ve ever been so startled by a films ending but this one really made me just sit and stare at the credits scene with a gaping mouth.

I Saw the Tv Glow is a genuine masterpiece, I’ve seen many critiques on this film and I can’t actually find it in myself to think of anything I disliked. It was a beautifully made film and I really don’t think I’ll ever see anything like it again.

I could come up with a hundred quips or stupid one liners for this film but I really don’t think I’m doing it or my own visceral response to this justice if I do. I want to start this off by saying, I am in no way a movie critic or outrageously smart so if you disagree or think my points are dumb; they probably are! I try my best, this is only for fun, I don’t think I’m anything groundbreaking, this is not an analysis or a character study, this is simply me wanting to write my feelings and what I saw in the film. (Plus, any mistakes I make please tell me, I’m dyslexic and trying to improve my writing skills as i write these reviews!)

The feeling of being trapped in the wrong body is a feeling I know familiarly, the everything you do feels meaningless, you’re in a vessel that feels empty, you’re simply not there. Everything you’ve done, every memory you’ve made feels futile. Because, if you feel like some kind of uninhabited space, what does feel real? Owen is living in a perpetual fantasy, he doesn’t want to admit to himself that he really is who Maddy says he is. Because admitting is harder than accepting.

A thing I’d like to comment on is the way Jane Schoenbrun uses colour scheme to show the way Owen feels. As Owen walks through the high school corridors, the messages on the pinboards seem to all point towards being true to who you are and having courage, in this section, it’s made even more literal by having one side of the hall be blue and the other pink. Evoking a “Pick a side” message of gender.

A thing I really enjoyed about the symbolism in the film is that it is designed to be very literal - Owen and Maddy have not just repressed their gender: they have been physically buried. They don’t just feel empty because they quell their true selves, they’re missing something. Their hearts. The suffocation that kills Owen is hinted in the first 15 minutes of the movie, when his mum reminds him he needs to take his inhaler with him.

The last moments of the film made my heart break for several reasons, one being that when Owen and Maddy meet for the first time they tell him “don’t apologise” but at the end of the film, Owen is constantly saying sorry, apologising for his very existence. Seeing just how little progress he made, another nudge to the avoidance of him accepting his identity.

In conclusion to my little rant rather than review lol, I Saw the Tv Glow is nothing short of a horror film. It isn’t gory, or psychologically scary, it’s realistically terrifying. Owen has and will become an example of what happens when you are so scared of who you really are that it kills you, that you’d rather be dead than find the Isabel in yourself. I find myself thinking about Owen’s breakdown often, him just yelling out, everybody else still and hearing yet he apologised, he was dying and he apologised.

Queer people, especially trans people, don’t tend to get very much media that is GOOD for ourselves. I Saw the Tv Glow is something that is very clearly curated towards queer folk, not everybody understands it and I just love that. Finally, we get to have something for ourselves. No possible fetishisation, no people changing the meaning and pinning it on “Interpretation”, we finally have something that doesn’t have to be understood by everyone, it is for a certain audience and yes people who don’t relate to this film can obviously enjoy and understand it but it really meant a lot to see a film like this and having that kind of message in mainstream cinema. I watched this film in August and it has taken me until now to formulate all the emotions I feel towards it rather than it all just being paragraphs on paragraphs of me screaming! I hope you enjoyed my ‘review’ please, let me know if you liked it!

[for-d2b48c]

This will be a loooong message and will try to be as raw as possible 😭 and I’m typing this right now kasi baka mamaya I’m eepy na and magsasabi nanaman ako ng words na I really didn’t mean so here I am. I have 2 things to talk about and I turned it to only 2 words para may context so you can stop reading na from here if ayaw mo basahin or too much too handle ngayon. It’s about sleep, insecurities. Let’s start with sleep since mas heavy yung isang topic. I meant it when I said na baka I’m disrupting your peace every time we talk lalo na tuwing ungodly hours. we’ve been talking naman na ever since pero may times talaga na naiisip ko na what if before tayo magkausap lagi non ang peaceful ng nights mo like wala kang dumb and annoying person na kinakausap. I know I’ve said this a lot of times pero if you need time and space and gravity talaga, just say a word and I’ll give it. So I’m sorry if minsan I keep saying sorry dahil I’m keeping you up kasi even though na normal lang sayo to sleep late there’s still a chance na pwede kang matulog ng maaga if I’m not talking. Also, don’t worry about me. I know it’s so simp or stupid of me to sleep so late dahil lang gusto kitang kausap pero it’s the only way na I can talk to you so please let me sleep late 😔. you don’t need to feel sorry about that because gusto ko rin naman in the first place. Kung sino man ang need to feel sorry sakin is myself kasi I have no self control.

Here’s a picture of bert and ernie for commercial break 😔.

Second word, insecurities 💀. Dear lord, sana kung ano man maspill ko here is you will guide me after no matter what 😭. First of all I need to say sorry. This is what happened last night in my sleepy ass brain. When you said you have a dump account ang una ko talagang naisip is yung inside joke namin ni kuya na para kayong may deadline every month, it’s nothing serious naman kasi we just laugh about it especially sa last or first days ng month, halos lahat ng nasa feed niya is ganon 😭. But honestly, there’s really nothing bad about that, I even envy people who can easily share stuff that made them happy for that month. That’s why I said na maybe I’m just projecting my insecurities kasi I can’t do that. I have a longer explanation about that pero let’s continue with my train of thoughts at that time. When I knew what consists your dump, biglang kong naisip na “I wish I could see that” BUT at the same time it’s okay that I can’t see it? Baka bipolar talaga ako. Kasi half of me saying na i want to know the little things about you at the same time I don’t want you to share things with me na hindi ko rin naman need malaman. So at that moment, I’m feeling too many things tapos sleepy pa ko kaya siguro I came off rude or mean or annoying so I’m sorry.

Another commercial break. Just stop right here if all of this nonsense shits is getting too much na and look at my baby djungle ❤️‍🩹.

This is a continuation of the last thing I have yapped about. Actually pwede mo na talaga tong hindi basahin kasi I’ll just explain lang naman yung relationship ko sa social media since you have mentioned you have dump acc and it opened up another thought in my brain 😭. I swear to god if pwede lang magpalit ng utak ginawa ko na dati pa. I wish I could do dump posts pero I really do have anxiety about what I post online unless it’s a meme or song kasi it’s a subtle way to express what i feel unlike sa pictures na literally exposing a glimpse of my what I’ve been doing. BUT, at the same time, I want to do it because there are really some pictures na sitting on my gallery na nothing bad will happen naman if I post them. Plus, I am fond of curating pictures din. BUT AGAIN, I’m so scared of what other people will say even though at the back of my mind I know no one literally cares BUT AGAIN, babalik nanaman ako sa first point ko hanggang sa I choose not to share things online na lang. So if nagpost ako it means na I defeated my inner demon that time 😭. So maybe my outburst last night is really just my insecurities talking. And I’d be lying if I say I haven’t feeling a little bit more insecure about everything lately. I should really think 4 times before I say something. I’m sorry, I’m really trying to get a grip 😔.

I let my raw emotions get out of its cage nanaman pero I think this is my way to sort things out but if you find it uncomfortable, I’ll try my best to lessen it because at the end of the day, I just don’t want to hurt you. But I feel like I’m taking so much of your time and energy so I think I’ll just constantly feel sorry that you’re talking to me.

[jonfarreporter]

Sculpture Exhibit in Sausalito Highlights “a cross-section” of Bay Area Artists

Some people call it “idolatry” and others call it artistic expression. Yet, there’s something compelling about sculpture that has fascinated humanity for centuries. Art lovers got to enjoy the opening reception of the ‘Finding The Form’ sculpture exhibit at the Sausalito Center For The Arts on Sept. 16.

36 Bay Area sculpture-artists are featured in one of the most comprehensive sculpture exhibits of of its kind.

Inspired initially by nature, the exhibit’s centerpiece is the work of artist, Zoe Fry’s fire-ravaged Manzanita trees. A unique testament to the reality of climate change and to the fact that sculpture art takes on many forms.

“This exhibit has many different styles, types and forms of sculpture besides the traditional form,” said SCA executive director Shiva Pakdel. SCA was founded in 2021. And, Pakdel is very pleased and proud that the City of Sausalito among others in the community has made the former Bank of America building available and repurposed for the arts. “We were able to move to this location and officially open in February of this year,” said Pakdel.

Pakdel is also curator of the exhibit, selecting each piece out of many that were submitted for consideration. “I wanted to get a cross-section of a variety of many sculpture-art works from as many Bay Area artists as possible,” Pakdel said.

The use of various materials and techniques, have been employed in the array of works; including the utilization of unexpected materials such as twist-ties, wire, rubber, wax and thread.

Even so, in most people’s minds it’s still the traditional approach of using marble, stone, metal or clay.

“The compelling aspect of sculpting is that’s it is an expression of what is physical, said contributing sculptor, Catherine Merrill. “This is especially so with regards to depicting human beings and the bodily form,” she added.

Merrill is one of several artists in the exhibit that focus primarily on the human form. “I come from a dance background,” said Merrill so I’ve always been inspired by the human form and it’s complexities,” she said.

While this exhibit is no debut for Merrill, it is her first time displaying her work in Sausalito. Merrill has six pieces on display in the exhibit. Charmed by Sausalito’s beauty and magnificent views of the San Francisco Bay, Merrill is thrilled and honored to have been asked to participate by Pakdel herself.

As Merrill explained. “I’ve shown my sculptures throughout Marin and San Francisco, and in many places, she said, including Hawaii, Florida and even in Cuba.”

“Yet, said Merrill this is the first time I’ve shown my work in such a large venue-space.”

Commenting further on the impact of such a large space Merrill said. “I think of Rodin. ‘This is how you do sculpture; all the way around’ every side/angle. When it all matches up, you’re done.”

“What I mean by that said Merrill, is that impressionist sculptor Auguste Rodin understood that a sculptor needs to see a three-dimensional figure from all sides in order for the work to be done well.”

“It’s the same for the viewer/audience,” she said. “If you can’t walk around the entire piece then you’re not seeing the work in its entirety,” said Merrill.

Being able to have enough space for visitors to walk around each piece is very important to Merrill and this is why she was so pleased with the reception and the venue.

“The exhibition is highly unusual in that it is primarily sculpture, said fellow artist -exhibitor Charles Stinson. “It is a rarity in the Bay Area.”

As a recent past president of the Pacific Rim Sculptors, Stinson, like Merrill is very pleased with the venue space.

“With high ceilings and generous light, allowing the exhibition’s arrangement of well-spaced clusters of floor standing, pedestal mounted, and wall mounted sculptures and two-dimensional artworks, visitors are able to view the works without feeling rushed or crowded, a major plus,” said Stinson.

Adding further, Stinson said. “As an exhibiting artist who intends that my works invite reflection, I was happy that my contemporary Buddha and Yoga figures were safely positioned, well-lit, and easily viewed by the guests.”

“The Sausalito Center For The Arts is an exciting new development in the Bay Area art scene,” said Stinson. “It’s providing a welcome and much-needed venue for future sculpture exhibitions, in addition to two-dimensional and other forms of art.”

“Kudos and thanks to the center’s Executive Director and curator of this exhibition, Shiva Pakdel, and to Sausalito residents for supporting this exciting new venue,” Stinson said.

The following 36 artists are featured in the exhibit:

Annette Goodfriend, Barbara Berk, Barry Beach, Beth Hartmann, Bettina Schneider, Brandon Stieg, Caitlin McKee,

Catherine Merrill, Charles H. Stinson, Cheryl Coon, Cheryl Gordon,  

Christine Cianci,  Darcy Sears,  David Fought, Eva Mitala, Farnaz Zabetian, Isodoro Angeles, Jan Blythe, Jane B.Grimm Jeff Owen, Linda Matson, Marguerite Elliot, Mark Brodie, Melissa Woodburn, Mohammad Ranjbar Sadeghi  

Nathalie Whisman, Nina Goldfeather  

Reenie Charriere, Rene Dayan-Whitehead, Richard Alpert,

Susan Press, Susie Kelly, Zahava Sherez & Zoe Fry.

Located at 750 Bridgeway in Sausalito, SCA is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11:AM to 5: PM. ‘Finding The Form’ exhibit continues until Oct. 8. For details visit the SCA website.

[grillsadvisor]

ASMOKE AS350 Portable Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker Review & Test

Welcome to our in-depth review of the ASMOKE AS350 Portable Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker, a compact powerhouse that has been generating buzz amongst barbecue enthusiasts. The AS350 merges advanced technology, 8-in-1 cooking versatility, and a compact design to redefine grilling on the go.  In this post, we will dissect this vibrant orange grill, covering everything from its build and design to its performance and ease of use. So, if you've been wondering whether to invite this high-tech grilling companion to your next backyard bash or camping adventure, stick around as we delve into the nitty-gritty of the ASMOKE AS350. ASMOKE AS350 Portable Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker Features Unparalleled Versatility and Power As someone deeply invested in the art of grilling, I’ve experienced the dynamic versatility that the ASMOKE AS350 brings to my outdoor cooking. This machine is not just a grill—it's an 8-in-1 powerhouse that lets me grill, smoke, bake, roast, sear, braise, barbecue, and char-grill, all with a level of precision and control rarely seen in other grills. Whether I'm slow-smoking a brisket or searing a steak to perfection, the broad 180° to 500°F temperature range always delivers. Revolutionary Superheated Steam Technology There's nothing like the rich, smoky flavor imparted by a wood pellet grill. But what sets the AS350 apart is its groundbreaking superheated steam technology. With this, not only do I achieve that intense wood-fired flavor, but I also keep my meats moist and juicy. The difference is palpable—my roasts are tender inside, thoroughly infused with smoky flavor, and every bite is a culinary delight. Efficient and Easy to Use What truly makes the AS350 a game-changer is its efficiency. Its unique design heats up faster, reducing the heating time by 60% while also saving 30%-40% more pellets than traditional hot air smoker grills. The automatic feeding pellet system and automatic falling ash feature also eliminate the constant babysitting many grills require. Plus, the uniform heat distribution means I don’t have to keep flipping the food. It's grilling made easy. Safety and Peace of Mind I can't emphasize enough the peace of mind that comes with the safety features of this grill. The circulating steam and auto-control technology prevent the temperature from reaching the fuel point value of the grease, so there's no worry about flare-ups or the fire. It's a small but invaluable feature when I’m entertaining guests and want to focus on the fun rather than the fire. Compact Design for Big Adventures One of my favorite aspects of the AS350 is its portability. Despite having a generous 256 square inches of grilling space, it boasts a compact design. I've taken it on camping trips, hunting excursions, and even tailgating events with ease. This has revolutionized my outdoor cooking experience, allowing me to enjoy gourmet, wood-fired flavors wherever I am. In conclusion, the ASMOKE AS350 is more than just a grill—it's a testament to the power of innovative technology in enhancing our culinary adventures. It’s been a game-changer for me, and I believe it will be for any serious griller. Final Thoughts Welcome to our specialized recommendation section for grilling enthusiasts! Whether you're seeking the convenience of a gas grill, the smoky flavor of a pellet smoker, or the easy setup of an electric grill, we've got you covered. Let's explore some top choices across various grill categories: - Best Weber Natural Gas Grill: Weber is a household name in the grilling world. We've curated a list of the best Weber natural gas grills for consistent performance, excellent heat distribution, and long-lasting durability. - Best Outdoor Electric Grills: Looking for a grilling option that's convenient and versatile? Our picks for the top outdoor electric grills are perfect for those who want the grilling experience without dealing with charcoal or propane. - Best Affordable Pellet Smoker: Pellet smokers offer unique flavor profiles and precise temperature control. Check out our selection of affordable pellet smokers for the perfect low-and-slow barbecue experience. - Best Small Propane Grill: If you're short on space but big on grilling, these small propane grills offer excellent performance in a compact package, ideal for balconies, small patios, and picnics. Whatever your grilling style or preference, we've got the right recommendation for you. Let's get grilling! Read the full article

[benefits1986]

DM Slides

There’s something about the chaos that keeps me up all night and lucky, too. 

After a DM to my OG marketing tatay, I got a reply. He told me he remembers me and asked coyly why nabuhay ako. Still thinking of a comeback because amidst the chaos of daily life, all I have in mind is the weekend spent with my OG marketing dad while catching up over Shakey’s pizza, mojos, chicken and of course, mugs of cold draft beer. For sure, tatawanan na naman ako nito plus his signature one liner na IKAW PA BA? Damnnn. I miss spaces like the space he curated for me. It’s safe enough to commit mistakes in the same manner that he demands nothing less than above average progress and delivery. Syempre, magiging mahabang usapan na naman kung bakit wala pa akong boyfriend or girlfriend. Tapos, tatawanan na naman ako dahil sa mga reasons why ko at ako na naman ang sisihin sa topic na ‘to. For sure ‘yan. Tanggapin ko na ba mga reto and recos niya para matapos na? :D Maging open-minded na lang ako maging housewife na possibly may kids from an XY na malinis ang papel sa previous relationship? LOL. Just before midnight, I got another super curious DM. What got me to skim is the part that says “empowered female leaders” plus a few more lines that make me hope that after the storm and the drought, there’s more to this life, mhie. Ako na lang bahala saan ba ako tutungo. Ako na lang bahala paano ko ma-marry ang realities and challenges. After all, I am really excited for a new chapter whenever, wherever. ;) All endings are fresh starts. All endings are dead ends, too. So, kapit lang, mhie. Kapit lang. All endings lead to detours after a long hike and bike. Minsan akala mo ‘yun na, pero ‘di pala. Tanong na lang talaga is how badly do you want that new chapter to unfold? How far will you go to make things happen while staying truest and kindest to yourself even when the burn and the bash come your way? Actually, this is a test of self-worth at its finest. :) Mhie, powered by Brene Brown na tayo ngayon because na-eat up na natin sina Godin and Greene. Na-max out na natin sila.  I also remember V and am reminded that life is but a dream, a dragon, and a choice. Gagi ka, V. Kung kelan naman kailangan kita, saka ka pa nagpunta sa Other Side. Then again, thank you, V. Your last choice on earth keeps me on my toes for better reasons, I guess. Kung andito ka, sasabihan mo lang ako ng RELAK and that I got this plus ‘wag ako masungit and maldita. HAHAHAHA.  Ungodly hours like this also reminds me of mother dragon’s wrath and warmth. She will most likely tell me to just keep at it. Period. May kasamang pinong kurot. :D Currently hanging on to mother dragon’s Beatles PL. Pota. Nasa ganung level na ako and funny how, I tap my foot and shake my head to mom’s daily sanity pill.  Mother dragon would probably tell me that like the moon, I come with my phases. And that, all things will happen. All things take time and effort. And that I need to stop na akapin ang mundo na naman. LOL. I can’t do all things even when I can do a number of things. Lagot. Palo sa pwet. I am downing this right at the spot where mom spent her last breath. I guess this is it. I guess this is the end and the start, too.  Taurus szn, you little shithead. Matapos ka na. Para focus na ako sa H2 ko. Also, fuck you and love you, Tito Taurus as your Bread fave plays right at this moment. Nasa This Is Beatles PL ako, bakit napunta ako sa PL mo? Alam ko namang mix ito pero marami namang kanta ang Beatles na dapat mauna muna, ‘di ba? Magkampihan pa kayo ng nanay kong Taurus with your smirks and harsh comments. Wala akong pake. Nae-excite ako sa mga susunod na kabanata and I will choose myself, first and foremost. Maiba naman.  Okay back to the world of the living. Sabi nga, mas matakot ka sa mga buhay kesa sa mga patay and zombies. The world of the living is the world waiting and wanting to die. Fight me if you can. Tara!  XOXO, B

[bella-studyblr]

Task Management:

Creating + Maintaining a Schoolwork Schedule

Key elements

Your schedule suits your individual time/task management preferences.

It is flexible enough to accommodate sudden changes, plus fluctuating energy levels, states of concentration, symptoms and moods.

Daily tasks are not over-whelming; they are small enough that they are achievable.

You do not get “burned out.”

It allows you to be consistent.

Steps to create your schedule

Decide if you want your planner to be paper or digital

Find an “order” that’s logical and achievable for you (more on this later)

Refer to your addendum/syllabus and write down all the assignments, tests and other events taking place that week/month (and their due-dates).

Then break these down, assigning tasks to each day of the week (more on this later).

Break down your tasks even further (more on this later).

Decide if you want to follow a simple daily to-do list or a timed schedule (more on this later).

Find your “order(s)”

Mandatory: Schedule assignments around other commitments (work, social, hobbies, etc.).

Do the hardest task first to get it out of the way (so that the rest of your tasks are less daunting, and because your smaller tasks require less energy therefore can be done even after completing the hard task).

Do the easiest task first to build momentum (give yourself a feeling of accomplishment which will motivate you to continue, and boost your self-confidence early in the day to establish a positive mindset for the rest of the day).

Do the task that’s due first to minimize deadline stress, and so your assignments don’t fall through the cracks (causing you to get discouraged and lose momentum).

Plan according to your energy level throughout the day and week: Do you have Pilates once a week? Maybe you can reserve that day for easier assignments. If you know you’re going to be tired for whatever reason, account for that in your planning.

Consider your state of concentration: If you know you’re too groggy or spaced out for the first hour of your day, you can either schedule easy tasks in that time, or none at all. If you take a medication in the afternoon/evening that makes you tired, schedule easier tasks or none, and get harder tasks done earlier/later in the day. If you have ADHD and crowded places mess with your concentration, but you like studying at a café, go when it’s not busy.

Be mindful of your emotions and symptoms: If you have depression, or are prone to depressive episodes, you’ll need to consider that when scheduling. You might have to rework your entire schedule when you get into a depressive episode (like adding lots of breaks). If suddenly you’re going through a big life event (like a breakup), you need to account for that when scheduling. For instance, if you can’t stand to be alone, maybe you can go out instead of staying in, and if your motivation is low, you may need to up your reward-system or break down your tasks even more.

Break down this week/month’s tasks

Refer to your addendum/syllabus and write down all your due dates for the time period you’re scheduling for.

Based on due dates, outside commitments, predictions of energy/mood/symptoms, assign assignments to the days of the week/month that make most sense for you.

Break down daily tasks into sub-tasks

You can do this (in advance) for your full week/month’s assignments, or do it every morning/evening.

Generally, your assignments will follow a variation of this formula: brainstorm, create an outline, research, write rough draft, edit and revise. Test/exam prep will look something like: check to see what the test is based on, pinpoint important sections, review to see how well you know the material, create a list of items to study, rewrite select notes, make flash cards, study topic 1, study topic 2, etc.

What are the individual components of these steps? Here are some examples. Brainstorm: what should my topic be, what should my thesis be, what points can support my thesis, what do I need to research, what questions do I need to ask my prof? Outline: topic, thesis, points, conclusion. Research: write down all the important parts from each source (separately), then sift through to sort into Supporting Point 1, Supporting Point 2, etc. Rough draft: opening statement(s), intro, point 1, point 2, etc., conclusion, closing statement(s). Edit/revise: read and check for grammar only, then read again and check for spelling only, read again and check for cohesiveness only, etc. Topic 1: Part A, Part B, etc.

Each of these small components can be individual items on your to-do list. Big tasks like, “write essay” are too big for most people. Even “write rough draft” is daunting. If you start with something specific and small like brainstorming, and work your way up, it’s a lot easier to approach. Plus, being able to check off tasks more often and more easily will boost your confidence and your sense of competence, thus building momentum.

Here is a sample to-do list: Research X for Point 1 of Literary Essay, create outline for History Essay, Edit/Revise Assignment 1, study Topic 1 and Topic 2 for Test 1.

To-do list or time-based schedule?

To do list: Write down all your assignments for the day. Put them in the order you want to do them, or go through them intuitively (based on what you feel like doing, or what’s most practical at the time/place you’re at).

Timed-based: Write down all your assignments, then write down the time you’re going to do each of them. You could set reminders or alarms if you want, or simply refer to the list. There’s an awesome app I recommend if this is your thing. It’s called Structured (iOS only).

Curate your study environment for maximum focus

Eliminate distractions such as uncomfortable clothing, sounds (or silence), phone and computer notifications, clutter in the room and on your desk, people who may try to talk to you (shut your door and/or inform them that you’re busy).

Designate a space to doing homework only and avoid spaces that you associate with other things (do not study in bed, as you will want to relax or sleep, and/or you will mess with your sleep by weakening the bed’s association with sleep).

Build associations: Incorporate other events and items into your study/homework routine that you only use while doing that, so that you associate those things with studying/homework (examples: specific playlists, pencils/pens, cups/bottles, scents, rituals, decor, etc.).

Ensure good lighting (preferably including daylight).

Get dressed in clothes that make you feel good about yourself. They don’t have to be “professional” and they should definitely be comfortable. Do not stay in your pyjamas. Believe me, I know this can be hard, and I love PJ’s. But they are not good for productivity.

Don’t “multi-task.” It may feel like you’re getting more done this way, but by splitting your focus, not only do tasks take longer, they also diminish in quality. Commit to the task you’re doing.

Meditate: You can even meditate for just 1-5 mins right before studying, homework and/or classes.

Practice self care (daily!)

Sleep (enough, well, and regularly).

Daylight: Get outside, work by windows, use a light therapy box. These can help regulate your sleep, improve and maintain mental health, and boost energy.

Fresh air: Getting outside even for a couple minutes can help you refresh and reset, and feel good about yourself and your life. Fresh oxygen can help you wake up and is great for your health. Even just opening your window can do a lot for your mood, energy and motivation.

Movement: Try to move at least once per day. The benefits of exercise are numerous and immense.

Healthy and consistent eating: Avoid spikes in insulin levels by eating regularly so you don’t have extreme dips in your energy level. Also, brain power uses calories too, so make sure you’re eating consistently, and try to eat healthy. There are so many other reasons eating consistently is good for your health (and by extension, your productivity).

Relaxation and leisure: Make time for fun and socializing, as well as intentional relaxation. Hobbies, movies/tv, time with friends/family, meditation, baths, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.

Therapy: Your therapy sessions are not daily, but you can do 5 minutes of inner-work per day based on what you and your therapist are currently working on. Working with a therapist is a great way to stay on track with your goals, and develop the skills and positive mindset required for success in school.

Reward yourself

Track progress: Reflect on all the assignments you’ve completed and your grades to remind yourself that you’re capable!

Completing to-do lists daily maintains a sense of accomplishment which keeps your momentum going. Check those items off! Or give yourself gold stars! ⭐️

Treat yourself with non-food rewards: Tie completed school work with fun tasks like video games, or take yourself out for coffee, or some other small (non-food) outing. What I’m trying to do right now is not do my leisure activities until my daily tasks are done.

Develop a positive mindset

Take promises you make to yourself seriously. The more you break promises to yourself, the easier it will get to continue breaking promises. You will lose respect for yourself which lowers motivation, and you will lose trust in yourself which can become debilitating as well. The more you keep promises, the easier it will get, the more motivated you’ll become, and the more you’ll trust and respect yourself. Your confidence will improve, and you’ll feel better about yourself. Productivity is choosing yourself. Discipline is choosing what’s best for you instead of what you feel like doing in the moment. Discipline is a muscle, and like any muscle, it can be strengthened, and it can atrophy.

Remember your “why.” What is the end goal of being in school? What’s your career path, and why did you choose it? What will your life be like when you have that career? What would your life be like if you gave up and didn’t make it to your goal? Aiming for your dream while running from your nightmare is a great strategy for maintaining motivation. Lighting a fire under your *** can be a huge motivator.

Remember how good you feel when you get schoolwork done, and let this motivate you to stay consistent. You can also remember how you feel when you don’t get work done, but definitely focus more on the positive!

Go to therapy and/or hire a coach. There are SO many benefits to therapy and I’d honestly need a whole other post to get into it. You don’t need to be depressed or mentally ill at all in order to benefit from talking to a therapist. They can even help you with time management, procrastination, motivation and more! If you can afford it, please do it. It’s such a worthwhile investment.

Be consistent

No “zero days.” Do at least a bit of homework or studying every day so you don’t slip into vacation mode. Make schoolwork a daily part of your life, so it just becomes the norm.

Build productivity momentum (track progress, check items off your to-do list daily, treat yourself, keep promises to yourself, remember your “why,” remember how success feels).

Stay on top of projects. Your assignments are made up of smaller tasks you assign yourself across time. “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” - Robert Collier

Avoid burnout (more on this later).

Keep it interesting (more on this later).

Avoid burnout

Self-care: shower and/or bathe regularly, maintain proper sleep habits, stay hydrated, take care of your skin, do relaxation activities like meditation and reading, do fun activities, pamper yourself every now and then with face masks or foot baths, take your meds as prescribed, eat well and regularly, get outside often, move daily, etc.

Break up study/homework sessions into small, manageable chunks of time, with constructive (refreshing) breaks in between.

Break assignments down into even smaller tasks so that you aren’t over-working yourself during the course of a day, and so that you don’t overwhelm yourself (the stress can lead to burnout).

School-life balance: Keep up with your social life as best as you can, make time for your hobbies, maintain self-care, say no to things that don’t serve you, etc. Try to follow through with scheduled schoolwork 100% of the time, but know that you won’t. Sometimes you’ll need to prioritize mental health over schoolwork (be careful though, this is a very fine line, and a slippery slope). Sometimes things will come up and it’ll be out of your control. But more than anything else, there will be times when you just decide to prioritize something else like fun and socializing over schoolwork. This is why your schedule needs to be flexible: to accommodate sudden invites to hang out and random decisions to skip a homework/study session, but more importantly, flexibility will reduce the odds that you’ll skip in the first place. If your schedule includes hobbies and socializing, and anything else that’s important to you, then you won’t feel deprived. If you have school-life balance, you’ll have more of yourself to devote to schoolwork when it’s time to.

Keep it interesting

Romanticize your life by putting effort into making all of your daily tasks a special occasion.

Make meals and drinks special by using your favourite dinnerware and cutlery. Perhaps even incorporate extra elements such as: a beautiful tablecloth, napkins, candles and/or dim lighting, music, wearing your favourite clothing, etc.

Pretend you’re the main character in a movie about a successful, productive student (because you are the main character in your life).

Make games out of studying if this is something that interests you (the Forest app comes to mind).

Use lots of colours in your notes and buy colourful stationary! 🌈

Vary your approach/methods if needed to avoid boredom.

Study with friends (online or in person).

Reward yourself often.

Remember your “why.”

[angelicalchaoticabyss]

Owl anon and...I'd like a soft yandere eclair one shot...maybe....with a reader who is normally shy but loves to read about history?

(Soft Yandere!Eclair Cookie x Shy!Reader) Love for History

He had been watching you for a while now.

You come in everyday and spend hours looking over everything, at this point you’ve seen everything in the museum at least 10 times. It was so fascinating to Eclair; you’d just reread every little bit of information and even make your own notes. The way your eyes would sparkle when he had a new exhibit it was…so cute!

The way you smiled and glittered at the history of kingdom’s long passed, the mighty exploits of the great Tea Knight Cookie, inspecting the bones of a long-fallen dragon.

It reminded him so much of his own love for history!

Eclair was a bit shy himself at first, approaching you, but after getting the awkward introductions out of the way he got straight to talking about what would interest you. Through the conversation you slowly came out of your shell, happily going back and forth about the histories of the world. Your face was simply amazing and it made his heart flutter!

“My dear you’re simply a delight! Please please you’re welcome every day all day! I’d love to hear more of your notes and thoughts on the world!” He exclaimed with great joy.

“O-Oh thank you so much Eclair cookie that means so much to me! I’ll be sure to share more with you, this conversation was truly amazing!” You replied, grateful and happy.

The curator watched you leave with a sigh and starry eyes.

Each time he saw you was a bigger joy now that you were becoming friends, you both talked about history near endlessly. As you got closer you got more personal about your life and it saddened him that you didn’t have many friends. You were simply such a delight but sadly not enough cookies had enough patience to work through your shyness.

But that’s okay though, it just means you have more time for him!

Eventually Eclair would just go out with you in public outside the museum, of course not to big or loud areas. More quiet places like the park or a garden, today you were both out in a lovely forest for a walk! He simply wanted to be with and protect you forever! Be the only one you love! But he’d never do anything to scare or hurt you…of course…

Though…if anyone…WERE to hurt you…

“Eclair Cookie, are you okay? You’re spacing out a bit.”

“Oh! Oh, don’t worry about me my dear I’m just fine! Hahahah, got my head in the clouds today, my apologies.” He smiled.

“It’s okay no need to apologize!”

“Still, I love listening to you dear, please, continue.” He gently urged.

“Well, I wanted to say I deeply appreciate you taking time out of your day to come out with me. I mean you have a whole museum to run but every day you find at least an hour to spend with me outside. I do have a few other friends but none of them have gone…THAT out of their way for me before.”

“Oh darling, of course I’ll always find time to spend with you. You’re truly such a delight and it’s simply wonderful to have a friend who loves history as much as I do! Not to mention how intelligent and wonderful you are!” He chuckled a bit when you got a little flustered.

“O-Oh come on I’m not that great.” You stuttered.

“Nonsense, of course you are!” He replied with a confident tone.

“Heh…heheheh, well, you know…when you asked me if cookies tend to not have the patience to work through my shyness uh…you were…really on the mark.” You thought before continuing. “Social stuff has…always been really difficult and stressful for me, so making and let alone keeping friends is really difficult. Plus, you know some just uh…can’t really keep up with my fixation on history and some just…really want me to change the subject or shut up when I’m telling them something new I learned. But you stayed right there, helped lead the conversation when I couldn’t, you love history just like me and talk about it for hours. You even helped learned to talk about and keep up conversations of other topics, you did so much. Really, thank you so much, you’re just the sweetest.”

Eclair squeaked when you suddenly hugged him, but he instantly calmed and hugged you back. His heart soared at the feeling, pounded with his love for you. But…he’ll wait for you; he’ll wait for as long as he needs to…or has to. Hearing your words made him so happy, that he made such an impact for you. Though at the same time he was angry at your situation, you don’t deserve to be or feel so lonely.

“Well, my dear, I feel the same, Hahahah, most cookies completely blank out what I say after a time. Not to mention there are many who just…come to the museum solely for my appearance. But you’re not like that and I truly have no better friend than you.” He gently explained with his own slight tint of somberness.

He missed your warmth when you released him but it was replaced with you holding his hand, your smile was so beautiful. You deserved joy like this.

The remainder of the forest walk was calm and lovely, perfect for you both. It almost felt like a date to him, a date was…such a lovely thought. And the thought of making those cookies who abandoned you suffer sounded even lovelier to him- NO! No no, no no no.

Oh goodness gracious he’s getting ahead of himself there, don’t focus on those fools who are missing out! Just, focus on you.

“Hey! I remember there’s a Rainbow Jelly Butterfly migration that comes through the upcoming field every few years! It should happen today, let’s go see if we can witness it ourselves!” You suggested and he couldn’t ever say no that smile.

Plus, he wanted to see it too.

[cricketnationrise]

Congratulations on 200 followers, it’s well deserved!!!! 🎉🌟✨✨ For the ficlet fest: the Waffles (or any one of them), January 4, a bedroom or the living room in the haus please!!Your writing is incredible, and these little snapshot fics are always filled with so much emotion, even when that emotion is calm. Thank you!!!! 🧇🥧🏒❄️

some Waffles discussing their Christmases their freshman year for you my dear <3

_X_ _X_ _X_

Living Room, Jan. 4

Bully stretches out on the floor of the living room. Getting stuffed in the back of his parents’ car on the way back to campus after their short break between semesters is not his idea of a good time. 

Neither is sleeping on the floor of the Haus for a week, but needs must. The team has to be back so soon for games, and the dorms aren’t open yet, so he, Hops, and Louis are camping in the Haus for a whole week. (Even Chowder donating his room by staying at Farmer’s and Dex and Nursey bunking together again doesn’t free up enough bed space for everyone who still lives on campus).

The bonus of beating the other two back is that he gets to scope out the prime spot along the kitchen wall. It’s a nice wall, longer than the rest (a fucking must for his height), plus he’ll get all the residual heat from Bitty’s what-do-you-mean-of-course-I’m-on-track-with-my-thesis baking. (No one believes him, but with hockey season in full swing, no one is going to pretend to care too much right now.)

Plus, he won’t come into contact with the nastiest couch he’s ever encountered outside of a hoarder house on HGTV.

If it wasn’t integral to Chowder’s pre-game rituals, he’d be right behind Bitty in torching the damn thing. Even Bully isn’t brave enough to risk the wrath of pissed-off, scouted-his-freshman-year starting goalie.

So he dumps his stuff along the wall, inflates the air mattress, and keeps stretching. Back, quads, hamstrings, calves, shoulders, arms, wrists, ankles. He moves through his body joint by joint with a mix of warm up stretches curated from a decade of playing sports and yoga moves his aunt taught him when he started his growth spurts. He’s all the way through his routine and resting in corpse pose when he hears the front door open and the happy chatter of his fellow Waffles.

“Yo, Bul-lay!”

He grins and sits up, leaning on his hands. “Hey guys, how was your break?”

“Super s’wawesome,” Hops says, shrugging his backpack off in the far corner. “Wish it was a bit longer, but…” he trails off, rapping his knuckles on the coffee table. 

All of them are careful not to talk about it out loud, but even as freshmen they can feel the team buzzing. Everything is just clicking, and now that Nursey’s all healed, Bully can’t wait to see how it pushes them to be even better. He’ll take a short break for a really good chance to win the Frozen Four, no questions asked.

“Does your family do the thing where you have a big dinner on the twenty-fifth?” Louis asks. “Because watching everyone at Hops' house scramble to cook after presents was like watching a food tornado, man.”

“You certainly enjoyed the results from that food tornado, so watch your mouth or I won’t invite you next year,” says Hops.

“I’m just saying, it was stressful—”

“Nah," Bully interrupts with a grin. He really missed these two.

"We just make Monkey Bread before presents and then snack on like, cheese and crackers the rest of the day. We have the big meal on the twenty-sixth, so we don’t have to do more than move to the couch for movies after opening gifts.”

Louis turns to Hops triumphantly. “See?! That sounds much more reasonable.” He turns back to Bully, “Wait. What is Monkey Bread?”

“Shit we’ve been depriving you,” Hops says.

“I bet Bitty would make excellent Money Bread,” Bully says thoughtfully. “But it’s basically biscuit dough cut into bite size pieces and covered with butter and brown sugar and cinnamon and you stick it in a bundt pan and in the oven and everything merges together to be all gooey and warm and delicious.”

“Sort of like the inside bits of a cinnamon roll,” Hops chimes in.

“Where is Bitty anyway? Now I want to try it,” pouts Louis.

“Went on a Murder run with Zimmermann to stock the fridge, they’ll be back in like half an hour, I think?”

“Have you always had the big fancy Christmas dinner the day after, Bully?” Hops asks.

He shakes his head. “We used to do it on Christmas Day, turkey, sides, the whole shebang, but I got the flu, like, really bad one year on Christmas Eve,��� Bully says, moving to lean against the wall to face his friends better. 

“Oh shit,” says Hops.

“Yeah, I got super dehydrated and couldn’t keep anything down, not even water. My mom’s a volunteer EMT and was worried enough to take me to the hospital. We waited forever, because again, it’s Christmas Eve, the ER’s swamped. Finally I get seen – IV in my arm to get fluids in me without me throwing up again. That stabilized me enough that I was allowed to go home, but it was like three in the morning at that point, and Mom and I were exhausted so we ended up sleeping till almost noon. So we got done opening presents and no one really felt like cooking, plus I still felt medium like shit, so we just grazed the whole day. Ended up doing the big turkey dinner the next day.”

“That’s way more drama than I was expecting. So you just kept doing it?” Louis asks.

Bully laughs. “Yeah, the next year came around and my mom was like, ‘not that I want someone to get sick on Christmas Eve again, but it was so nice not having to cook turkey on Christmas Day.’ So we planned for it that time, just got a bunch of charcuterie and chips and stuff to snack on and made monkey bread for the morning. Turned out to be ideal for us, so.”

“Fully yikes for being that sick, but it sounds like it worked out,” says Louis.

“For sure.”

“Can we text Bitty and ask him to to make Monkey Bread?” asks Hops sheepishly.

“Dude, yes,” Bully says.

“Oh thank god,” says Louis.

_X_ _X_ _X_

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