#providing practical advice

[2happyherder]

[dawnthefluffyduck]

feeling of being watched

[chiropteracupola]

Sagt ihm, er soll auf der Lichtung stehen / Thymian ist da und auch Rosmarin / Mit Kraft zwischen Ufer und Wellen bestehen / Nur so kann er seine Liebste sehen...

[mordsfesch]

Thoughts are not facts. They are suggestions offered up to us by the brain to help us make sense of the world.

[vinodkaushikadvocate]

An advocate is a legal professional who represents clients in legal matters, providing them with legal advice, assistance, and representation in court proceedings. Advocates are trained and licensed to practice law and are typically skilled in analyzing legal issues, interpreting laws, drafting legal documents, and presenting arguments in court. They work to protect the rights and interests of their clients, whether individuals, businesses, or organizations, and may specialize in various areas of law such as criminal law, civil law, family law, or corporate law. Advocates play a crucial role in helping clients navigate the complexities of the legal system and achieve favorable outcomes in their legal disputes or transactions.

[thelawfulchaotic]

When I am appointed to represent a child, my first action is to separate them from their parents and tell them the following things:

1. I am their attorney. I do not work for their parent or the judge or the cops. I don’t care what any of those people want.

2. My job is to listen to them and try and make what they want happen in court. (At this point I make a joke about how most people want me to get them out of trouble but if someone wanted to be in trouble I would do my best.)

3. What they tell me is confidential. It goes nowhere unless they agree to it. (If old enough, I talk to them about mandatory reporters, and how I’m a mandatory non reporter.)

4. I will give them lots of advice because I’ve been doing court for a while and I know a lot about it, and they don’t. It’s all really complicated, and if they don’t understand what’s happening it’s my job to help them figure it out.

5. They will make the decisions. (At this point I usually have to reassure them that I’ll help, I’ll speak for them in front of the judge, and I’ve got their back. It’s scary to have an adult say you’re in charge, most of the time.)

6. I tell them I know it’s absolutely wild to have some stranger come in here and say “hey, you can trust me!” and that I get if they don’t believe everything right away, because I plan to show them through my actions and my words that I’ll fight for them.

7. But nonetheless, I will treat them like a person who can make decisions, because they are living their life and I am not.

I do not:

Pretend to be cool.

Try to be their BFF.

Overwhelm them with detail.

Let their parents in the room until the kid asks for them. (I provide openings for this, and ask if the kid wants their parent to help them remember and understand.)

I want to emphasize I went into this job knowing nothing about how to interact with vulnerable populations, especially children. The training was minimal, and my role means that I can literally walk into a facility and get an unmonitored visit with a minor client one on one.

In my years of practice I have never felt threatened by a child, even one that was “violent” and “unstable.” It turns out just saying “hi, I think you’re a person with thoughts” is wildly successful? Now people treat me like I have special Child Whisperer powers. My powers are that I ask the child what’s up and I’m not scared to say things that are objectively awkward. I know nothing about anything.

[archaeren]

How I learned to write smarter, not harder

(aka, how to write when you're hella ADHD lol)

A reader commented on my current long fic asking how I write so well. I replied with an essay of my honestly pretty non-standard writing advice (that they probably didn't actually want lol) Now I'm gonna share it with you guys and hopefully there's a few of you out there who will benefit from my past mistakes and find some useful advice in here. XD Since I started doing this stuff, which are all pretty easy changes to absorb into your process if you want to try them, I now almost never get writer's block.

The text of the original reply is indented, and I've added some additional commentary to expand upon and clarify some of the concepts.

As for writing well, I usually attribute it to the fact that I spent roughly four years in my late teens/early 20s writing text roleplay with a friend for hours every single day. Aside from the constant practice that provided, having a live audience immediately reacting to everything I wrote made me think a lot about how to make as many sentences as possible have maximum impact so that I could get that kind of fun reaction. (Which is another reason why comments like yours are so valuable to fanfic writers! <3) The other factors that have improved my writing are thus: 1. Writing nonlinearly. I used to write a whole story in order, from the first sentence onward. If there was a part I was excited to write, I slogged through everything to get there, thinking that it would be my reward once I finished everything that led up to that. It never worked. XD It was miserable. By the time I got to the part I wanted to write, I had beaten the scene to death in my head imagining all the ways I could write it, and it a) no longer interested me and b) could not live up to my expectations because I couldn't remember all my ideas I'd had for writing it. The scene came out mediocre and so did everything leading up to it. Since then, I learned through working on VN writing (I co-own a game studio and we have some visual novels that I write for) that I don't have to write linearly. If I'm inspired to write a scene, I just write it immediately. It usually comes out pretty good even in a first draft! But then I also have it for if I get more ideas for that scene later, and I can just edit them in. The scenes come out MUCH stronger because of this. And you know what else I discovered? Those scenes I slogged through before weren't scenes I had no inspiration for, I just didn't have any inspiration for them in that moment! I can't tell you how many times there was a scene I had no interest in writing, and then a week later I'd get struck by the perfect inspiration for it! Those are scenes I would have done a very mediocre job on, and now they can be some of the most powerful scenes because I gave them time to marinate. Inspiration isn't always linear, so writing doesn't have to be either!

Some people are the type that joyfully write linearly. I have a friend like this--she picks up the characters and just continues playing out the next scene. Her story progresses through the entire day-by-day lives of the characters; it never timeskips more than a few hours. She started writing and posting just eight months ago, she's about an eighth of the way through her planned fic timeline, and the content she has so far posted to AO3 for it is already 450,000 words long. But most of us are normal humans. We're not, for the most part, wired to create linearly. We consume linearly, we experience linearly, so we assume we must also create linearly. But actually, a lot of us really suffer from trying to force ourselves to create this way, and we might not even realize it. If you're the kind of person who thinks you need to carrot-on-a-stick yourself into writing by saving the fun part for when you finally write everything that happens before it: Stop. You're probably not a linear writer. You're making yourself suffer for no reason and your writing is probably suffering for it. At least give nonlinear writing a try before you assume you can't write if you're not baiting or forcing yourself into it!! Remember: Writing is fun. You do this because it's fun, because it's your hobby. If you're miserable 80% of the time you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong!

2. Rereading my own work. I used to hate reading my own work. I wouldn't even edit it usually. I would write it and slap it online and try not to look at it again. XD Writing nonlinearly forced me to start rereading because I needed to make sure scenes connected together naturally and it also made it easier to get into the headspace of the story to keep writing and fill in the blanks and get new inspiration. Doing this built the editing process into my writing process--I would read a scene to get back in the headspace, dislike what I had written, and just clean it up on the fly. I still never ever sit down to 'edit' my work. I just reread it to prep for writing and it ends up editing itself. Many many scenes in this fic I have read probably a dozen times or more! (And now, I can actually reread my own work for enjoyment!) Another thing I found from doing this that it became easy to see patterns and themes in my work and strengthen them. Foreshadowing became easy. Setting up for jokes or plot points became easy. I didn't have to plan out my story in advance or write an outline, because the scenes themselves because a sort of living outline on their own. (Yes, despite all the foreshadowing and recurring thematic elements and secret hidden meanings sprinkled throughout this story, it actually never had an outline or a plan for any of that. It's all a natural byproduct of writing nonlinearly and rereading.)

Unpopular writing opinion time: You don't need to make a detailed outline.

Some people thrive on having an outline and planning out every detail before they sit down to write. But I know for a lot of us, we don't know how to write an outline or how to use it once we've written it. The idea of making one is daunting, and the advice that it's the only way to write or beat writer's block is demoralizing. So let me explain how I approach "outlining" which isn't really outlining at all.

I write in a Notion table, where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry. I do this because it makes writing nonlinearly VASTLY more intuitive and straightforward than writing in a single document. (If you're familiar with Notion, this probably makes perfect sense to you. If you're not, imagine something a little like a more contained Google Sheets, but every row has a title cell that opens into a unique Google Doc when you click on it. And it's not as slow and clunky as the Google suite lol) (Edit from the future: I answered an ask with more explanation on how I use Notion for non-linear writing here.) When I sit down to begin a new fic idea, I make a quick entry in the table for every scene I already know I'll want or need, with the entries titled with a couple words or a sentence that describes what will be in that scene so I'll remember it later. Basically, it's the most absolute bare-bones skeleton of what I vaguely know will probably happen in the story.

Then I start writing, wherever I want in the list. As I write, ideas for new scenes and new connections and themes will emerge over time, and I'll just slot them in between the original entries wherever they naturally fit, rearranging as necessary, so that I won't forget about them later when I'm ready to write them. As an example, my current long fic started with a list of roughly 35 scenes that I knew I wanted or needed, for a fic that will probably be around 100k words (which I didn't know at the time haha). As of this writing, it has expanded to 129 scenes. And since I write them directly in the page entries for the table, the fic is actually its own outline, without any additional effort on my part. As I said in the comment reply--a living outline!

This also made it easier to let go of the notion that I had to write something exactly right the first time. (People always say you should do this, but how many of us do? It's harder than it sounds! I didn't want to commit to editing later! I didn't want to reread my work! XD) I know I'm going to edit it naturally anyway, so I can feel okay giving myself permission to just write it approximately right and I can fix it later. And what I found from that was that sometimes what I believed was kind of meh when I wrote it was actually totally fine when I read it later! Sometimes the internal critic is actually wrong. 3. Marinating in the headspace of the story. For the first two months I worked on [fic], I did not consume any media other than [fandom the fic is in]. I didn't watch, read, or play anything else. Not even mobile games. (And there wasn't really much fan content for [fandom] to consume either. Still isn't, really. XD) This basically forced me to treat writing my story as my only source of entertainment, and kept me from getting distracted or inspired to write other ideas and abandon this one.

As an aside, I don't think this is a necessary step for writing, but if you really want to be productive in a short burst, I do highly recommend going on a media consumption hiatus. Not forever, obviously! Consuming media is a valuable tool for new inspiration, and reading other's work (both good and bad, as long as you think critically to identify the differences!) is an invaluable resource for improving your writing.

When I write, I usually lay down, close my eyes, and play the scene I'm interested in writing in my head. I even take a ten-minute nap now and then during this process. (I find being in a state of partial drowsiness, but not outright sleepiness, makes writing easier and better. Sleep helps the brain process and make connections!) Then I roll over to the laptop next to me and type up whatever I felt like worked for the scene. This may mean I write half a sentence at a time between intervals of closed-eye-time XD

People always say if you're stuck, you need to outline.

What they actually mean by that (whether they realize it or not) is that if you're stuck, you need to brainstorm. You need to marinate. You don't need to plan what you're doing, you just need to give yourself time to think about it!

What's another framing for brainstorming for your fic? Fantasizing about it! Planning is work, but fantasizing isn't.

You're already fantasizing about it, right? That's why you're writing it. Just direct that effort toward the scenes you're trying to write next! Close your eyes, lay back, and fantasize what the characters do and how they react.

And then quickly note down your inspirations so you don't forget, haha.

And if a scene is so boring to you that even fantasizing about it sucks--it's probably a bad scene.

If it's boring to write, it's going to be boring to read. Ask yourself why you wanted that scene. Is it even necessary? Can you cut it? Can you replace it with a different scene that serves the same purpose but approaches the problem from a different angle? If you can't remove the troublesome scene, what can you change about it that would make it interesting or exciting for you to write?

And I can't write sitting up to save my damn life. It's like my brain just stops working if I have to sit in a chair and stare at a computer screen. I need to be able to lie down, even if I don't use it! Talking walks and swinging in a hammock are also fantastic places to get scene ideas worked out, because the rhythmic motion also helps our brain process. It's just a little harder to work on a laptop in those scenarios. XD

In conclusion: Writing nonlinearly is an amazing tool for kicking writer's block to the curb. There's almost always some scene you'll want to write. If there isn't, you need to re-read or marinate.

Or you need to use the bathroom, eat something, or sleep. XD Seriously, if you're that stuck, assess your current physical condition. You might just be unable to focus because you're uncomfortable and you haven't realized it yet.

Anyway! I hope that was helpful, or at least interesting! XD Sorry again for the text wall. (I think this is the longest comment reply I've ever written!)

And same to you guys on tumblr--I hope this was helpful or at least interesting. XD Reblogs appreciated if so! (Maybe it'll help someone else!)

[kotori-mochi]

Can't afford art school?

After seeing post like this 👇

And this gem 👇

As well as countless of others from the AI generator community. Just talking about how "inaccessible art" is, I decided why not show how wrong these guys are while also helping anyone who actually wants to learn.

Here is the first one ART TEACHERS! There are plenty online and in places like youtube.

📺Here is my list:

Proko (Free, mostly teaches anatomy and how to draw people. But does have art talks and teaches the basics.)

Marc Brunet (Free but he does have other classes for a cheap price. Use to work for Blizzard and teaches you everything)

Aaron Rutten (free, tips about art, talks about art programs and the best products for digital art)

BoroCG (free, teaches a verity of art mediums from 3D modeling to digital painting. As well as some tips that can be used across styles)

Jesse J. Jones (free, talks about animating)

Jesus Conde (free, teaches digital painting and has classes in Spanish)

Mohammed Agbadi (free, he gives some advice in some videos and talks about art)

Ross Draws (free, he does have other classes for a good price. Mostly teaching character designs and simple backgrounds.)

SamDoesArts (free, gives good advice and critiques)

Drawfee Show (free, they do give some good advice and great inspiration)

The Art of Aaron Blaise ( useful tips for digital art and animation. Was an animator for Disney. Mostly nature art)

Bobby Chiu ( useful tips and interviews with artist who are in the industry or making a living as artist)

Sinix Design (has some tips on drawing people)

Winged canvas (art school for free on a verity of mediums)

Bob Ross (just a good time, learn how to paint, as well as how too relax when doing art. "there are no mistakes only happy accidents", this channel also provides tips from another artist)

Scott Christian Sava (Inspiration and provides tips and advice)

Pikat (art advice and critiques)

Drawbox (a suggested cheap online art school, made of a community of artist)

Skillshare (A cheap learning site that has art classes ranging from traditional to digital. As well as Animation and tutorials on art programs. All under one price, in the USA it's around $34 a month)

Human anatomy for artist (not a video or teacher but the site is full of awesome refs to practice and get better at anatomy)

Second part BOOKS, I have collected some books that have helped me and might help others.

📚Here is my list:

The "how to draw manga" series produced by Graphic-sha. These are for manga artist but they give great advice and information.

"Creating characters with personality" by Tom Bancroft. A great book that can help not just people who draw cartoons but also realistic ones. As it helps you with facial ques and how to make a character interesting.

"Albinus on anatomy" by Robert Beverly Hale and Terence Coyle. Great book to help someone learn basic anatomy.

"Artistic Anatomy" by Dr. Paul Richer and Robert Beverly Hale. A good book if you want to go further in-depth with anatomy.

"Directing the story" by Francis Glebas. A good book if you want to Story board or make comics.

"Animal Anatomy for Artists" by Eliot Goldfinger. A good book for if you want to draw animals or creatures.

"Constructive Anatomy: with almost 500 illustrations" by George B. Bridgman. A great book to help you block out shadows in your figures and see them in a more 3 diamantine way.

"Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and expand" by Burne Hogarth. A book that shows how to block out shapes and easily understand what you are looking out. When it comes to human subjects.

"An Atlas of animal anatomy for artist" by W. Ellenberger and H. Dittrich and H. Baum. This is another good one for people who want to draw animals or creatures.

Etherington Brothers, they make books and have a free blog with art tips.

📝As for Supplies, I recommend starting out cheap, buying Pencils and art paper at dollar tree or 5 below. If you want to go fancy Michaels is always a good place for traditional supplies. They also get in some good sales and discounts. For digital art, I recommend not starting with a screen art drawing tablet as they are usually more expensive.

For the Best art Tablet I recommend either Xp-pen, Bamboo or Huion. Some can range from about 40$ to the thousands.

💻As for art programs here is a list of Free to pay.

Clip Studio paint ( you can choose to pay once or sub and get updates. Galaxy, Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Android, or Chromebook device. )

Procreate ( pay once for $9.99 usd, IPAD & IPHONE ONLY)

Blender (for 3D modules/sculpting, animation and more. Free)

PaintTool SAI (pay but has a 31 day free trail)

Krita (Free)

mypaint (free)

FireAlpaca (free)

Aseprite ($19.99 usd but has a free trail, for pixel art Windows & macOS)

Drawpile (free and for if you want to draw with others)

IbisPaint (free, phone app ONLY)

Medibang (free, IPAD, Android and PC)

NOTE: Some of these can work on almost any computer like Clip and Sai but others will require a bit stronger computer like Blender. Please check their sites for if your computer is compatible.

So do with this information as you will but as you can tell there are ways to learn how to become an artist, without breaking the bank. The only thing that might be stopping YOU from using any of these things, is YOU.

I have made time to learn to draw and many artist have too. Either in-between working two jobs or taking care of your family and a job or regular school and chores. YOU just have to take the time or use some time management, it really doesn't take long to practice for like an hour or less. YOU also don't have to do it every day, just once or three times a week is fine.

Hope this was helpful and have a great day.

"also apologies for any spelling or grammar errors, I have Dyslexia and it makes my brain go XP when it comes to speech or writing"

[borngeniusworld]

The Hard Thing About Hard Things book Key Lessons

Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things is a powerful exploration of the gritty side of entrepreneurship, delivering candid insights into the reality of running and sustaining a tech company under challenging conditions. The book stands out for its practical wisdom, largely drawn from Horowitz’s experiences leading Loudcloud and Opsware through industry downturns, pivots, and…

[2happyherder]

[weddingsecrets1234]

Discover the Best Wedding Wear for Your Special Day

Finding the perfect wedding wear is a key part of creating your dream wedding. At WeddingSecrets.in, we provide practical advice and inspiration to help you choose the best wedding wear that suits your style and budget. Our goal is to guide couples in making their special day fabulous without breaking the bank.Explore our curated selection of the best wedding wear to find the ideal outfit that complements your wedding theme and vision. From traditional to contemporary styles, we offer a variety of options to make you feel beautiful and confident on your big day.https://weddingsecrets.in/find-listing/?listing-category=323

[fozmeadows]

there is no ethical consumption under capitalism

Years ago now, I remember seeing the rape prevention advice so frequently given to young women - things like dressing sensibly, not going out late, never being alone, always watching your drink - reframed as meaning, essentially, "make sure he rapes the other girl." This struck a powerful chord with me, because it cuts right to the heart of the matter: that telling someone how to lower their own chances of victimhood doesn't stop perpetrators from existing. Instead, it treats the existence of perpetrators as a foregone conclusion, such that the only thing anyone can do is try, by their own actions, to be a less appealing or more difficult victim.

And the thing is, ever since the assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, I've kept on thinking about how, in this day and age, CEOs of big companies often have an equal or greater impact on the day to day lives of regular people than our elected officials, and yet we have almost no legal way to redress any grievances against them - even when their actions, as in the case of Thompson's stewardship of UHC, arguably see them perpetrating manslaughter at scale through tactics like claims denial. That this is a real, recurring thing that happens makes the American healthcare insurance industry a particularly pernicious example, but it's far from being the only one. Because the original premise of the free market - the idea that we effectively "vote" for or against businesses with our dollars, thereby causing them to sink or swim on their individual merits - is utterly broken, and has been for decades, assuming it was ever true at all. In this age of megacorporations and global supply chains, the vast majority of people are dependent on corporations for necessities such as gas, electricity, internet access, water, food, housing and medical care, which means the consumer base is, to all intents and purposes, a captive market. We might not have to buy a specific brand, but we have to buy a brand, and as businesses are constantly competing with one another to bring in profits, not just for the company and its workers, but for C-suites and shareholders - profits that increasingly come at the expense of workers and consumers alike - the greediest, most inhumane corporations set the financial yardstick against which all others are then, of necessity, measured. Which means that, while businesses are not obliged to be greedy and inhumane in order to exist, overwhelmingly, they become greedy and humane in order to compete, because capitalism encourages it, and because there are precious few legal restrictions to stop them from doing so. At the same time, a handful of megacorporations own so many market-dominating brands that, without both significant personal wealth and the time and resources to find viable alternatives, it's all but impossible to avoid them, while the ubiquity of the global supply chain means that, even if you can keep track of which company owns which brand, it's much, much harder to establish which suppliers provide the components that are used in the products bearing their labels. Consider, for instance, how many mainstream American brands are functionally run on sweatshop labour in other parts of the world: places where these big corporations have outsourced their workforce to skirt the already minimal labour and wage protections they'd be obliged to adhere to in the US, all to produce (say) electronics whose elevated sticker price passes a profit on to the company, but without resulting in higher wages for either the sweatshop workers overseas or the American employees selling the products in branded US stores.

When basically every major electronics corporation is engaged in similar business practices, there is no "vote" our money can bring that causes the industry itself to be better regulated - and as wealthy, powerful lobbyists from these industries continue to pay exorbitant sums of money to politicians to keep government regulation at a minimum, even our actual votes can do little to effect any sort of change. But even in those rare instances where new regulations are passed, for multinational corporations, laws passed in one country overwhelmingly don't prevent them from acting abusively overseas, exploiting more desperate populations and cash-poor governments to the same greedy, inhumane ends. And where the ultimate legal penalty for proven transgressions is, more often than not, a fine - which is to say, a fee; which is to say, an amount which, while astronomical by the standards of regular people, still frequently costs the company less than the profits earned through their unethical practices, and which is paid from corporate coffers rather than the bank accounts of the CEOs who made the decisions - big corporations are, in essence, free to act as badly as they can afford to; which is to say, very. Contrary to the promise of the free market, therefore, we as consumers cannot meaningfully "vote" with our dollars in a way that causes "good" businesses to rise to the top, because everything is too interconnected. Our choices under global capitalism are meaningless, because there is no other system we can financially support that stands in opposition to it, and while there are still small businesses and companies who try to operate ethically, both their comparative smallness and their interdependent reliance on the global supply chain means that, even if we feel better about our choices, we're not exerting any meaningful pressure on the system we're trying to change. Which means that, under the free market, trying to be an ethical consumer is functionally equivalent to a young woman dressing modestly, not going out alone and minding her drink at parties in order to avoid being raped. We're not preventing corporate predation or sending a message to corporate predators: we're just making sure they screw other worker, the other consumer, the other guy.

All of which is to say: while I'd prefer not to live in a world where shooting someone dead in the street is considered a valid means of redressing grievances, what the murder of Brian Thompson has shown is that, if you provide no meaningful recourse for justice against abusive, exploitative members of the 1%, then violence done to those people will have the feel of justice, because it fills the void left by the lack of consequences for their actions. It's the same reason why people had little sympathy for the jackass OceanGate CEO who killed himself in his imploding sub, or anyone whose yacht has been attacked by orcas - it's just intensified here, because where the OceanGate CEO was felled by hubris and the yachts were random casualties, whoever killed Thomspon did so deliberately, because of what he did. It was direct action against a man whose policies very arguably constituted manslaughter at scale; a crime which ought to be a crime, but which has, to date, been permitted under the law. And if the law wouldn't stop him, can anyone be surprised that someone might act outside the law in retaliation - or that regular people would cheer for them when they did?

[elysiansparadise]

Ceres in the natal chart

⚳ Ceres [1] is a dwarf planet that in astrology has a strong relationship with health, nutrition and sustenance (both physical and emotional). It represents the way we give care and support as well as how we like to receive it. Although it also tells us about our relationship with food, motherhood and the perception we have of our mother, in this post I will focus on care.

═════════ ✧ ❀ ✧ ═════════

🩶Ceres in Aries: Like the first ray of light at dawn, a warm impulse that pushes you to get up, to face your fears with its borrowed strength. Here we find very protective people, who do not hesitate to jump to defend what they love most if they feel that they are in danger. These people do not seek to be suffocating towards others, so they will not fall into the group of overprotective, on the contrary, they prefer to encourage others to be self-sufficient. Their caring may include encouraging you to take risks, overcome challenges, or advocate for your interests. They will care for your individuality, admire your personality and encourage you to be yourself. They are not usually overly communicative when it comes to showing that they care, their style is more direct and action-oriented. When faced with the discomfort or stress of those they love, they can solve problems quickly and not let things stagnate, the classic person who does not complain and resolves, making them extremely comforting in times of crisis. 

🩶Ceres in Taurus: They care with delicate caresses, offering the aroma of security and the sweet taste of eternal love. They offer constant and comfortable care, without becoming overbearing. They are not people of large dramatic gestures, but rather small significant acts that demonstrate their commitment. Their presence is like a safe haven, because you know they will be there when you need them. They are considerate people who make sure that your needs are met, they look after your comfort and well-being. Many of them often show their affection through gestures such as gifts and acts of service. They are extremely patient and know when to give you space to heal or process your emotions at your own pace. They don't rush you, but instead create an environment where you can feel accepted just as you are. For them, loyalty is important, so they will seek to be there for you no matter how time goes by. Their calm and steady energy can be like a balm, especially if you are going through times of stress.

🩶Ceres in Gemini: It is the care that comes in the form of curious questions and illuminating answers, words that come as a balm for the most wounded sides of your soul. They show care by listening carefully, asking questions, and offering helpful advice. They always have something to say to cheer you up, make you laugh, or help you see a situation from a new perspective. With them you don't feel like you're walking through thin ice, they make you feel understood and give your words the value and importance they have. Their ability to maintain constant contact, even through short messages or quick calls, makes you feel supported. The beautiful thing about these people is that they deeply value connection, so they will make small gestures so that you both spend time together and will seek not to leave you alone in times of crisis. Something that I have noticed about many of them, they will share their hobbies or interests with you, in turn, being open to knowing what your world is.   

🩶Ceres in Cancer: It is the infinite sea that keeps your tears, the refuge on stormy nights and the blanket that wraps you. Care with unconditional tenderness, building a home in every corner of your heart. These people have the ability to care for others on a practical as well as an emotional level. They tend to provide strong emotional support in which they validate your feelings and can help you process them through patience and empathy. They are incredibly loyal and will not abandon you in difficult times. If they care about you, they do it from the heart and in the long term. They stand out for their warm and enveloping energy and always make sure to give you the space to feel your emotions, even those that you do not openly express with others. Many of these natives can come to be considered a protective figure in their groups or with their friends, and people see them as people they can rely on. They can give off vibes of being very maternal or paternal.

🩶Ceres in Leo: Like a radiant sun that illuminates with generosity, it is their warmth, their fire and their passion that elevates you, reminds you that you are unique and loved. They will take care of you by highlighting your qualities and making sure you know how valuable you are. Their support includes words of affirmation, praise, and recognition of both you and the little things you do. They inspire those they love to be the best version of themselves. Their care includes encouraging you to shine and be authentic, as they want to see you succeed and feel proud of yourself, and they can be a great source of motivation. They will encourage and care for your inner child. They are fiercely loyal to those they love and will not hesitate to defend or back you up in public if necessary. Their sense of care includes making sure you don't go unnoticed or feel ignored.

🩶Ceres in Virgo: They care with patient dedication, with small gestures that are like soothing whispers that comfort and bring peace to any turmoil in your mind and heart. They are quite reserved people regarding their desire to care for other people, however they seek to be very supportive of those they consider special to them. They care by making sure your physical and practical needs are met, such as organizing your tasks, reminding you of appointments or important things, and even helping you solve everyday problems. They notice details that other people miss, making you feel valued in the little things. They are able to intuit what small changes they can make in the environment that guarantee your comfort. They make you feel like your life is under control, helping you regain control with their support, presence and advice. They are able to notice your small gestures that reveal your feelings, especially when you are tense or stressed. 

🩶Ceres in Libra: They are the echo of an "I understand you" in the silence, the beauty of shared care, where everything is fair and serene. They value connection and will take care of you, fostering a relationship of reciprocity, where both feel valued. They care that you feel accompanied, supported and appreciated in their company, that you never doubt the affection you deserve. They value your well-being in every way, both emotionally and physically, and seek to ensure a balance prevails or at least, to be there to contribute with whatever is missing. They are great conversationalists and make sure you feel heard and understood. They often give thoughtful advice, helping you see all perspectives before making decisions. They make you feel calm, helping you find stability in times of chaos or stress. They will let you know that they will always be there to listen to you and share with you, as they seek to create an authentic and enriching connection with those who are special to them.

🩶Ceres in Scorpio: They are the deep night where secrets are hidden, the hug that holds you when everything collapses. They care with transformative intensity, stripping the soul to heal it from its roots. They do not avoid difficulties, but rather address them head-on, accompanying you in the most challenging moments and staying by your side no matter how hard the journey is. They care about your deepest feelings, even those you don't express openly. They have a gift for detecting what you need emotionally. It may not be evident at first, but when they really trust you, they give themselves completely and use their time to create an intimate bond that is healing for both of you. They make you feel like they know aspects of you that other people don't, and they accept them unconditionally. They are able to give you a feeling of powerful protection, as if nothing can harm you while they are around. They transform your life from care, appreciation and devotion, causing a strong, yet comforting impact.

🩶Ceres in Sagittarius: They are like laughter shared under starry skies, the freedom that invites you to dream beyond the known and encourages you to think that everything is possible. Life often gives us tense and difficult situations, they seek to give you a break from all that, giving you joy and understanding. Its warmth gives your life hope that there is something more for you, that you can enjoy life too. They deeply respect your independence and support you to follow your own path. They do not seek to limit you, but rather to encourage you to discover your true potential, passion and that which invades you with joy. They like to create meaningful and exciting experiences with you, in which they allow themselves to discover each other. These natives are a source of inspiration when you feel trapped or unmotivated. They make you feel like you have space to be yourself, without judgment or restrictions. They encourage you to think big and dream, validating what makes your heart beat.

🩶Ceres in Capricorn: They care by building a safe future, weaving acts of love that, although silent, remain embroidered, uniting the fragments of your heart. They value your effort and always highlight your achievements, although in a practical way and without exaggeration. They are incredibly consistent in their caring, they may not be very emotional, but they are always there when you need them. And not only that, you can trust that they will deliver what they promise and will have your back during difficult times. Although they will seek to support you, they recognize your independence and capabilities, and do not hesitate to remind you of your strength and ability to overcome challenges. They make you feel that you have a shoulder to lean on and that you can count on them at any time, as they give you a feeling of security and confidence that everything will be fine in the long term.

🩶Ceres in Aquarius: Like a rainbow after a storm, it clears the skies and opens ground for you to explore and fly towards your own destiny. They deeply respect your independence and encourage you to be yourself without conforming to other people's expectations. They don't try to control you, but instead support you to explore your own path and make your own decisions. These natives will always seek to make you feel included and valued and may even invite you to be part of their activities. They take care of you without invading your personal space, maintaining a balance between support and autonomy. They are usually the type of friends that unites the group and makes sure that those who love them have a pleasant time. For them there is no true affection without freedom, they will never invade your personal space or seek to get into your private life, however, if you need to talk or vent, they will listen to you attentively. They can nourish your creativity and originality, and make you feel more inspired.

🩶Ceres in Pisces: They are like the song you never forget, the empathy that heals even what you can't name and warmth that envelops you in tenderness and care. They are incredibly understanding and are there to listen to you and offer comfort during your difficult times. They often help you find inner peace, whether through words of comfort, physical contact, doing small gestures that make you happy or keeping you company after stressful events in your life. They offer a safe haven where you can be vulnerable and express yourself fully. They never demean your emotions but, on the contrary, seek to understand them. There is a quality to them that helps the ones they love tp find meaning or purpose in times of confusion or difficulty. They are people who are very sensitive to the pain of the people that they consider close ones or special, often being able to feel it themselves. They stand out for their empathy and seeking reassurance rather than seeking to be right or point out.

🤍Ceres in the 1st house: Being naturally caring and attentive, these natives focus not only on nurturing the environment or people they love, but taking care of themselves in equal measure. Many of them encourage others to embrace themselves and treat themselves with care and understanding. They take care of themselves by leaving those places or connections where they are not allowed to be themselves, letting go of complacent behaviors, and refusing to give up their individuality and identity. They have a strong protective instinct and there is something about their attitude and personality that makes people feel drawn to them. They can easily motivate and encourage others through example, so they can be the go-to role for many.

🤍Ceres in the 2nd house: These natives enjoy caring through concrete acts and ensuring the comfort of those they love. They tend to nurture others through gifts and material goods, and they enjoy being able to provide for themselves or have those they love provide for them in that way. They can find joy and comfort with the physical contact initiated by the people they love, feeling security and reassurance without saying a word. They nourish themselves by surrounding themselves with beautiful things and can pamper themselves by going shopping. They look for small ways to nurture their self-esteem and that of those they love. It is important for them to feel that their actions are seen and valued. They manage to make others feel grounded and bring calm to chaos.

🤍Ceres in the 3rd house: These natives find comfort through communication, more specifically, having long meaningful conversations with those they love in which they share deep things that they would not tell anyone, where they can know each other better and fully. They like to maintain constant communication with everyone they love, reassuring each other even if they cannot see each other. These people seek to nourish themselves mentally and form connections with people who allow them to continue learning, and contribute meaningful and positive things to their lives. Many of these natives may have a unique ability to give comfort to others through words and speeches.

🤍Ceres in the 4th house: These natives focus on emotionally nurturing and offering shelter to those they love, not only giving physical security, but also emotional security, as well as protection and appreciation of their emotions. They need to feel like they belong in a safe place, so they pay a lot of attention to making their house, room, or whatever their safe place is, a welcoming place. They tend to feel more comfortable being at home, finding comfort there after a tense day. Likewise, they may prefer meetings with their loved ones indoors or in a more intimate place. For them it is crucial, as well as talking about their emotions, to have time for themselves to process and understand them. They are not afraid of emotionally charged conversations with others, so they can be very good at comforting.

🤍Ceres in the 5th house: They offer emotional support by making those around them feel special, unique, and loved for who they are. Often, their care includes moments of enjoyment, laughter, and authentic connection where the concerns of day-to-day life do not interfere. They love to motivate others to discover their talents, motivations, joys, value and to express themselves fully. A huge tendency to praise and cheer up those they appreciate. These people nourish themselves by exploring their creativity, having fun and allowing themselves to pamper themselves, doing activities that they like, taking care of and prioritizing their me-time and appreciating their body. Taking care of themselves means honoring their sense of individuality, embracing passion in their projects, and not stifling their creative spark.

🤍Ceres in the 6th house: They enjoy adding personal care routines in their free time. They do comfort activities like watching the movies they like over and over again, cooking, painting or anything that allows them to relax. They look for ways to nourish their body, from their diet, exercise, techniques or even spiritually. They care for others through small gestures and looking for ways to help them if they feel stressed or don't know how to do things. They are people who genuinely enjoy helping other people, as this brings them satisfaction. For them, it is crucial to work on something that provides them with emotional well-being, that nourishes them and contributes something, but above all, that genuinely makes them happy.

🤍Ceres in the 7th house: These natives can nurture themselves a lot from their relationships, as well as find care and comfort in them. They enjoy lasting relationships in which affection and nourishment is mutual, in which both are the other's safe place and where they can allow themselves to show their emotions freely. They like to create relationships in which the other person feels accepted, appreciated and loved. People find comfort in them very easily, given their fair, caring personality and the fact that they are aware of others' emotions. These people take great care of the connections that they consider important and do not mind having to put effort into them, highlighting not only their commitment, but loyalty.

🤍Ceres in the 8th house: They are not very open people with this protective side, but despite this, they help others go through crises and face their shadows. They are people who encourage others to let go of everything that is no longer useful to them, to leave behind what does not contribute to their lives and work on healing those deep wounds that others do not see. They empower others by helping them accept their vulnerability and reassuring them that it is okay to feel or step back to charge their batteries. They are not bothered or uncomfortable dealing with emotions that for others could be overwhelming and they prefer to face them rather than evade them or sweep them under the rug.  Moments alone bring them peace of mind and help them manage their emotions. It can be difficult for them to be gentle with themselves.

🤍Ceres in the 9th house: These people are a great source of inspiration for others. They always try to be there to support you with advice; they're classics at offering a wise comment from the heart and with sympathy. They tend to support others during existential crises or moments of growth and know how to stay even when others don't understand what's happening to them. They accompany without imposing, helping others discover their own path in a compassionate way and nurturing your authenticity. They don't tell you how to live your life; they just ensure you feel comfortable and happy in the process. Their style isn't the most verbal or loving, but it's highly valuable because they manage to resonate with you. They need to feel free to explore and grow, and they feel most comforted when others respect and understand their need for personal space.

🤍Ceres in the 10th house:There's something comforting about the way they project themselves; they're the kind of people who attract people, because those who orbit around them feel comforted, understood, and very comfortable. They are able to provide structure and stability in a way that meets the emotional needs of others. They may opt for jobs that involve caring for others or nurturing them in some way. It often seems as though these natives are the ones who "hold the world up" for others when everything seems to be falling apart. They are the ones who show others that it's okay to take a break, that they don't have to carry everything on their own, and that they can rely on others. They may have a tendency to take on responsibilities that aren't theirs. They have a knack for helping others find their purpose and path in life, as well as helping them align with it.

🤍Ceres in the 11th house: These natives have a strong protective instinct toward their friends, often taking on the role of counselor or supporter. They stand out for their empathy and are the kind of people who can defend and care for a stranger without hesitation. Emotional support for them comes in the form of inclusion, active listening, and solidarity. They don't try to solve anyone's life, only to adapt to whatever their friends need; an active listener? They will be that. Any advice? Without a doubt. A wake-up call without sugar-coating? Gladly. They feel nourished when they're with someone or in a place where they can be themselves. They have a strong need to nurture their self-expression and authenticity; anything that blocks it will be discarded. They need to surround themselves with people who nurture their desires, dreams, and aspirations if they want to avoid frustration.

🤍Ceres in the 12th house:They are not very demonstrative people, nor do they go for showboating. They seek to care for others through sincerity and meaningful actions. They are a strong source of comfort to those who are or feel forgotten, lost, marginalized, or emotionally broken; they are capable of deeply understanding others and seeing behind them and what they show to the world. They are people who are unaware of how comfortable they make others feel, nor of the subtle, positive effect they have on others' lives. They may not have felt cared for, which led them to become very aware that before they can do it, they need to understand and know how to do it effectively. They are the ones who hold your hand when you feel alone in the emotional storm; the silent companion that fills you with security, the knowledge that nothing can destroy you while they are with you.

💟Ceres-Sun aspects: Not only do we find people naturally attentive and caring towards others, but these natives also have strong empathy. They tend to find fulfillment in caring for others or creating safe environments for themselves and their special people. They may have a strong protective instinct and take pride in their ability to support others. People feel confident in relying on them given their warmth and understanding. In the case of tense aspects, the person could occupy the role of caregiver towards their own parents or others to whom it did not correspond to them, likewise, they may have problems balancing caring for others and caring for themselves. 

💟Ceres-Moon aspects: These people have a strong focus on emotional needs, they are aware of what makes them feel good and they try to know and understand those of other people. They are naturally caring people and like to preserve the emotional well-being of those who are special to them. They have a natural talent for comforting others and making them feel loved and taken into account. They like to feel that in their emotional ties, both give the other reassurance, peace and a lot of care. If the aspect is tense, these natives may have issues with the mother or their parenting style. They may feel that they look out for the needs of others but that no one looked out for theirs when they were younger.

💟Ceres-Mercury aspects: They are people who feel more comfortable supporting others through meaningful conversations or practical solutions, which is one of the reasons why others rely on them when they need advice or feel heard. Your words can bring a lot of comfort to other people and leave significant teachings. These aspects favor the flow of ideas, creativity and the talent to write texts with high emotional weight. With tense aspects, these natives may have problems verbalizing their emotional needs or accepting help from other people, leading them to rationalize excessively, to the point of not allowing themselves to feel. 

💟Ceres-Venus aspects: Natives with these aspects usually show love and affection through acts of service, as they enjoy making small gestures towards their partner to remind them that they are loved and cherished. They love to feel pampered in their relationships, that care is mutual, and to build a safe place for them and their partner to feel protected and adored. They are loving people in their relationships who are not afraid to express their love freely and warmly. Likewise, they enjoy pampering themselves and having self-care methods. In case of tense aspects, they may be people who fall into people-pleasing behavior for fear of hurting other people's emotions.

💟Ceres-Mars aspects: These people show their love and support through decisive actions, active protection and practical solutions. They have a strong tendency to defend those they love and do not tolerate disrespect for those they love. They are not afraid to take the initiative to show affection, initiate physical contact or take that first step into a more serious conversation. They know when to act and when to allow those they love to fend for themselves. In the sexual sphere, they seek to have their and their partner's emotional needs met and prefer relationships with people with whom they have already created a bond. Tense aspects can cause internal struggles between protecting others and a strong need for independence.

💟Ceres-Jupiter aspects: These people tend to be extremely generous, offering emotional, material or physical support in abundance. They can find true satisfaction and joy in helping other people and it can make them feel fulfilled. They care through warmth and move with the ideal of giving what they receive to others. They are the mixture of loving and independent care, knowing what limits not to cross. They love to shower others with positive and memorable experiences, as well as teach others through patience and thoughtfulness. Tense aspects often cause natives to be overprotective/have grown up under overprotection or in environments where their needs have not been met.

💟Ceres-Saturn aspects: Natives with these aspects tend to be very practical and serious in the way they support others, often focusing on providing stability and security and tangibly and constantly showing affection and care to those they love. They are reliable and are usually seen as confidants, stable and loyal supports, making the people around them rely on them. Here we have people with a lot of emotional responsibility and strongly devoted to bonds with people they love. Tense aspects can cause natives to acquire burdens that do not belong to them, but to others who are supposed to be the protectors. Possibility of not feeling appreciated or cared for when young.

💟Ceres-Uranus aspects: These people seek to encourage those they love to follow their own path and can help their friends realize that they don't have to repress who they are just to fit in. They inspire others to be themselves, help them feel accepted and included and, despite their strong independence and rational approach, they seek to let those they love know that they are there for them. Tense aspects may create one of the following extremes, or have grown up in a place with emotionally negligent people or, on the contrary, excessive overprotection from which the natives seek to reveal themselves or distance themselves.

💟Ceres-Neptune aspects: When they aspect these planets, natives tend to be very empathetic, compassionate and often take care of those they love in a selfless way, ensuring their well-being and happiness. They seem to have a good sense of what the people they love need, and they give them the feeling that they understand them better than anyone else. They love unconditionally and keep the promise to be there for others through ease and storms. Tense aspects can show us that natives must take great care of their energy, as they can easily drain themselves, as well as the tendency to take care of others so much that they forget to take care of themselves.

💟Ceres-Pluto aspects: These natives have a quality and that is that they can get people to open up with them in a deeper light, unearthing their emotions, insecurities or innermost thoughts with them. These natives are not afraid of depth, there are few things that scare them on an emotional level, allowing them to help others understand and accept the most intense emotions. There is something about them that gives strength to those around them, motivates them, fills them with courage and impetus and makes them rebuild themselves. With the tense aspects, they may have felt that their emotional needs were in the shadows, not seen or met, likewise there is an issue of not wanting to trust their more intense sides to people, unless there is a strong trust.

💟Ceres-Rising aspects: They take great care of their physical appearance, their emotional and physical well-being and, in the same way, they are people who can be very caring and protective of the people they love. They can be people who take the time to make their surroundings enjoyable for them. These natives have a natural beauty and their figure can be a mix between harmonious and attractive. It is important for them to have "me time" and they can find some comfort and comfort in their own company. If they make a tense appearance, it is possible that these people have a tendency to take a lot of care of others, even forgetting to take care of themselves. They have a natural ability to give comfort to other people.

💟Ceres-Midheaven aspects: There is something about your vibe that people perceive as safe, emotionally grounded and calm. People tend to trust you and are likely to make them open up to you easily. Your work may be closely related to providing support, care and encouragement to other people. You are someone very productive and focused on your work, capable of building stability through it. If the aspects are tense, it is likely that at times you tend to feel that it is difficult to mediate your focus on your career and goals with your self-care. The "reward" method in which after a hard day of work, you give yourself time for yourself and do things that make you feel comfortable is likely to work well for you.

[carriesthewind]

WOW.

Okay, after a night's sleep, I have decided that yeah, there is value in responding to this absolutely steaming pile of ignorant, self-centered, self-important, anti-intellectual, b.s.

It looks like a number of people in the notes were swayed, at least to some degree, by this garbage, so I think it is worth trying to show why it is nonsense.

(Also it's possible I'm still spoiling for a fight after being denied an evidentiary hearing on Friday.)

I'm not reblogging the post because folks don't need a self-aggrandizing tantrum on their dash, but I do think it is worth taking a look for yourself, in order to practice your analytical skills. Some questions to consider as you read:

(1) What is OP saying in her original post? What claims is she making?

(2) How, if at all, does the poster respond to claims OP made? What claims is the poster saying that OP made? Do these match what OP actually said? If not, (a) what techniques does the poster use to transform what OP said into the claims the poster is claiming OP made? (b) What rhetorical purpose does it serve for the poster to warp OP's claims?

(3) What affirmative claims is the poster making? What evidence or arguments do they provide to support their claims? Do they explore any of the specifics or real world implications of their claims? If not, what real world implications of their claims can you think of?

(3) What other rhetorical techniques does the poster use to bolster their argument? Do these techniques actually enhance and support the substance of their argument?

(4) Relatedly, how does the poster play into the biases of their assumed audience (tumblr users with generally progressive policies). What claims do they make to play into those biases? What evidence or argument, if any, do they make to support those claims? Are these claims by the poster reasonably related to the claims made by OP?

Now, let's explore their response in detail!

(Also obviously don't harass the poster, and I would recommend not directly engaging with them at all. Harassment is vile and makes you far worse than them. And earnest engagement is unlikely to be productive - the OP tried to engage with them politely (and even offered to help) in the notes of poster's original post. In response, the poster (1) implied that OP is an obsessive rude busybody. (2) Told OP to "Shhhhh. Chill." (in response to (paraphrased), 'hey, the advice someone else gave you is probably a waste of time and effort'). (3) And finally, after condescendingly telling OP, "Breathe. Practice radical acceptance. Know that I am here on the other side of the internet, flagrantly wasting my effort and thinking of you every second of that time," proceeded to prove that they were, in fact, "thinking of [OP] every second of that time" by searching OP's blog to find this post by OP and dumping this Arrested-Development-level demand to be taken seriously in the reblogs.)

(All of which is to say: hi, poster who was "being vagueposted about." I assume you are reading this, because you demonstrably don't have the good sense to block and move on. I'm not going to block you in advance, because I think you have the right to make your own terrible decisions, and I suspect any response you make is going to be *very* funny. See you in the notes!)

So, let's go through the poster's response, paragraph by paragraph.

They begin by doubling down on the stance that, "any sufficiently deep enthusiasm is indistinguishable from academic rigor." This, they say, is their defense of that stance. Let's see how it goes - but first, I think it's worth remembering, OP's original post is literally a single sentence long.

OP's claim, paraphrased, that the claim that "any sufficiently deep enthusiasm is indistinguishable from academic rigor" is incorrect and anti-intellectual. If we read the OP's tags, she clarifies that enthusiasm is valuable, but different from expertise.

The poster starts their defense with a long...explanation that the structure of their claim was a reference to the Arthur C Clarke's third "law" (read: sci-fi fiction adage).

*deep breath*

Ok. I'm a big a fan of wordplay as the next person. And I know from personal experience that it can be really frustrating to do some fun wordplay to make a point, and then get misinterpreted here on tumblr.com.

But. The wordplay has to make a point for it to be relevant to your defense. OP's claim wasn't "this poster did a bad job with the linguistic structure of this sentence and is not familiar with classic sci-fi." How does the "rhetorical structure" of the poster's claim support the substance of their claim???

It doesn't, is the answer. The poster explicitly asks this question later down, but then they never actually answer it. Instead, the rhetorical effect of this whole digression is just to throw out surface level references to things (Arthur C Clarke! "AI"!) that might make the poster sound more thoughtful and knowledgeable. It also creates distance from OP's actual point - as the post continues, the poster has to remind us what they're talking about. This gives the poster more control over the narrative, over what claims are under discussion.

Which leads to the poster's next paragraph: the unanswered question of why the poster structured their claim to resemble a sci-fi author's famous quote, and a baseless attack on OP.

And I think it is worth really lingering on this attack on OP. The poster claims, OP perhaps is "misreading or misinterpreting" the poster's point. But what on earth is the poster talking about? OP literally just quoted the poster's exact words and then said that they think this is anti-intellectual. What "misreading or misinterpreting" is being done?

No. Instead, this attack rhetorically sets up the poster's next couple paragraphs: not actually defending their claim as OP originally quoted, but reinterpreting their own words, providing their own special unique meaning that they will then proceed to use for the rest of the post. They are redrawing the rhetorical bounds of the conversation. Rather than defending their stance, they are redefining their stance so that it matches the defense they now want to make.

(Which is still bad. It's a bad defense and it makes me very angry.)

The poster proceeds to define "academic rigor" in a way that just means, "enthusiasm." Notice how no part of their definition includes things like critical thinking skills, building up a knowledge base, testing ideas, receiving criticism (wow I wonder why), or any expertise or action to build up and test that expertise. It's just what a person "cares very much about," how much "curiosity" they have; some inherent quality someone who "NEEDS to know." (Also hit the bell for another surface level reference - this time to Herodotus - to make the poster sound more knowledgeable.) If you actually read the poster's definition, it is entirely "idk vibes i guess."

Now, having defined "academic rigor" as enthusiasm, they successfully declare that enthusiasm is a necessary precondition of enthusiasm.

And then, we get the best paragraph of this entire tantrum of a post: "Any sufficiently deep enthusiasm is indistinguishable from academic rigor. It's like a fractal -- the closer you look, the more complicated it gets." No only is this another attempted surface level reference, this time to fractals, but just. What is this supposed to mean. At a glance, it seems like it kind of follows from the last paragraph - maybe, the more an enthusiast looks at something, the more there is to know? But the closer you look at this sentence, the more nonsensical it gets. What does things getting more complicated the more you look at them have to do with academic rigor (either a real definition or the poster's enthusiasm-based definition)? More importantly, what does it have to do with proving the point - that enthusiasm is indistinguishable from academic rigor? (You might as well say, "the further you fall down the rabbit hole, the deeper you realize it goes," except then more people would realize you are expressing straight conspiracist reasoning oops.)

Now, several paragraphs in and having firmly taken control of the rhetorical boundaries of the argument, the poster finally decides to provide some context to the original statement (and needlessly insult OP for trying to be helpful again).

The poster correctly quotes relevant parts of the discussion (although mischaracterizes their own responses as "polite" instead of "incredibly condescending and rude"). However, the poster then immediately characterizes OP's response as "muddied." Because words have objective meanings, however, we do not need to accept this characterization. OP expressed her argument very clearly. Rather, it is the the poster who claimed that OP was making an argument that she was not, which we can paraphrase as, 'passion and capacity for learning are limited to formal education at academic institutions.' It would be convenient for the poster if OP was making this argument, because it could be easy to argue against. But since OP clearly stated that she does not believe this clearly incorrect thing that the poster made up in her head, the poster claims that her response was "muddied."

The poster emphasizes this false claim in the next few paragraphs. They say, "to me she seems to be arguing that one MUST (?) receive formal training at an academic institution ("academic training" "trained expertise") in order to achieve that level of rigor." But OP simply doesn't say that. You can look at the reply the poster quoted, it doesn't say what the poster says it does.

Now, this is speculation on my part, but I think the poster really believes that OP is saying 'passion and capacity for learning are limited to formal education at academic institutions.' I think they believe this because its how they feel when they hear the (correct) statement that enthusiasm does not equal expertise. The poster repeatedly says that they think that enthusiasm for learning is the same as expertise. They throw a tantrum after receiving the slightest, politest, disagreement. They think someone giving them advice that hey, maybe its a good idea to get a basic foundation of knowledge before cold-emailing experts is a busybody who is obsessed with lecturing them. The poster simply, demonstrably, doesn't believe expertise is real, and refuses to admit that someone else might know more or better than them. If they "care very much about getting it right," how dare you say they aren't as good as anyone with "academic training," fuck you very much you elitist jerk.

This sense is emphasized by their next paragraph. First, they shift the rhetoric framework of the conversation again. The actual claim the poster says they are defending is that "any sufficiently Deep Enthusiasm is indistinguishable from Academic Rigor" (emphasis added). Now, they are claiming that OP means that no one outside of an academic context "has the capacity to learn what rigor means in their field." These are very different claims, but the poster shits between them seamlessly.

Second, they just completely misunderstand what academic rigor is. I'm sorry, you can read every book and article and (*sigh* dear god) TED talk in the world, that doesn't make you an expert, and that's not academic rigor. A large part of academic rigor is in how you critically engage with what you read. Otherwise you just end up, at best, with a bunch of shallow facts that you can "whip out at dinner parties to impress [your] acquaintances" or sprinkle as references in arguments on tumblr to make you sound smarter.

But no, the poster confirms in the next paragraph, you don't need critical thinking or training or people who will tell you that you are wrong. All you need is the information. And if you disagree, you are arguing in favor of "the ivory tower." (Take a drink.)

In the next two paragraphs, the poster pays lip service to the idea that sure, it's easier to learn in academia. But even then, they imply that somehow that's the easy route, that good learning environments create weak men, that people who are self-taught are the ones who are actually building up the critical thinking skills because someone doesn't just "tell them the answer."

Then, before the readers have a chance to absorb, wait, did you really just say that academia is really just having someone either tell you the answer or where to look for the answer and therefore unsuitable for "sincerely love to learn," (because you are, in fact, anti-intellectual), the poster then throws in a bunch of shallow buzz phrases about how higher education isn't available to a lot of people.

And I say these are just shallow buzz phrases for two reasons. First, the poster never actually engages with this lack of access. It's just sprinkled in, like the references to Arthur C Clarke and Herodotus. (For example, no, actually, "any sufficiently MOTIVATED person" can't actually access all this information that is online. You need a stable internet connection, devices to allow you to make use of that connection, to speak or read the language those materials are published in, enough time and sleep and food and goddam shelter.)

Second, this doesn't actually have anything to do with the actual claim that the poster is supposedly defending. Remember that? Remember the position the poster is arguing for? "Any sufficiently deep enthusiasm is indistinguishable from academic rigor." How does, "some people can't go to college" support that claim, specifically?

It doesn't, which is why the poster's next paragraph instead claims that OP is arguing that "those people do not have the ability to hold themselves to a rigorous standard of learning."

Which just.

Fuck you?

Because yeah, that would be a shitty opinion to hold! And you are the only person raising it! You are explicitly making the claim - fuck, perpetrating the anti-intellectual worldview - that anyone who suggests "caring about something does not inherently equal subject matter expertise" is an elitist who thinks that everyone else, ordinary people, real Americans, are stupid.

I'm gong to be honest, this is the part of the poster's claims that made me mad enough to respond.The notes include people agreeing that academics and "experts" are actually pretty elitist, aren't they, and they deserve to be "taken down a few pegs," that suggesting that you need a baseline level of knowledge or vocabulary before you can engage deeply with a subject is "gatekeeping."

The U.S.'s institutions are crumbling as they are dismantled by people that are making these exact same arguments. There is no meaningful difference in the reasoning of the poster's argument here, and the argument that "alternative medicine" hacks who never completed their medical training have sufficient credentials to run goverment agencies, and that if you bring up their lack of credentials, well, that just proves what an elitist you are.

The "worldview" the poster does not accept - is telling you not to accept - is the idea that expertise exists at all.

And because that is an incorrect and harmful worldview, the poster has to use a bunch of rhetorical tricks to hide what they are doing. And then to sell it, they throw in a bunch of words to stir up the audience's preconceptions and biases. OP's claim (again, that enthusiasm and academic rigor are not equivalent) is "racist and imperialist." Why? Don't worry about it. Something something college is expensive and inaccessible to a lot of people. All you need to remember is that these ivory-tower academics are The Bad Thing.

*deep breath*

Anyway, knowing we need a laugh to bring the mood back up, the poster then says someone on reddit criticizing your argument is an "informal version[] of the peer-review process." Besides betraying a deep ignorance of the nature of peer-review (I guess even knowing how academic processes work is also elitist?), I think this means that the poster has to be cool with my post here, right? Because I'm just doing peer review? (Because also, just to be clear: "the academic structure of the peer review is a formalized process of the very human impulse to gleefully tell other humans when they’ve stuck their foot in their mouth." No. This is just. No.)

Next, more misstating OP's original claim. The poster says, "An institution of formal learning is not a prerequisite to pursue and absorb information," which OP already agreed with in the comments of the poster's original post.

In support of this claim that no one is arguing with, the poster than makes up a "guy at the model airplane shop who seems to know absolutely everything that has ever been known about WWII planes," and asks, "why don’t we acknowledge him as a legitimate expert?" The poster implies that this is because this guy is autistic and OP is a bigot.

But the real answer is simpler:

Unless you are referring to something you chose not to link for some reason, he's made up. He's a made up guy in your brain. And OP never said anything about him, so it's really weird for you to criticize OP for not sufficiently praising him as an expert. Fanfic isn't reality.

To the extent we are talking about real phenomenons - who do you mean by "we" and what do you mean by "acknowledge him as a legitimate expert"? There are lots of people with legitimate expertise, and in my experience, they often are recognized as such. And I don't know where you live, but outside of revenge-fantasies of conservative pundits and the people who are mislead by them, most academic experts aren't exactly exhausted and prestige and praise.

'Knowing a lot about a subject' is not the same as academic rigor. This isn't a criticism or insult to people who know a lot of things, despite your weird, self-centered hang-ups. Let me be clear here, actually: I am not an academic. I am a lawyer. I know a lot about the law in the areas I practice in. I do not practice the law "with academic rigor" because that's not really meaningful. I also like to constantly learn more about the law, including in many areas I don't practice in. I am not an expert in those areas. Just as an academic who studies the law and legal practice would not necessarily be good at actually practicing the law, my enthusiasm does not mean I have academic expertise (and my academic training is rather rusty, this many years out). This is normal? My ego is not threatened by acknowledging different kinds of expertise and knowledge exist?

And perhaps most to the point - "seems to know absolutely everything that has ever been known about WWII planes." "Seems to." An important part of academia - part of what makes it rigorous, if you will - is that you actually have to prove your expertise to other experts. They are then "recognized" as experts because there is a process the public can usually trust that they don't just "seem to" know what they are talking about. If you are talking to an amateur enthusiast - how do you know you they actually have the expertise they claim to have? Because I know of some guys who are really enthusiastic about the, claim to be experts, and have a lot of strong opinions about how they have reclaimed their Sovereign Identity by not capitalizing the letters in their name.

I agree with the poster's final paragraph. I love learning. But I can't see this as anything other than a manipulative postscript, a rhetorical trick of ending on a point of agreement and mutual enthusiasm. By a person - and I can't emphasize this enough - who refused assistance in learning and threw an enormous tantrum because someone suggested hey, maybe its a good idea to get a basic foundation of knowledge before cold-emailing experts.

[toothtalk]

a neurodivergent spoonie's guide to having teeth

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This blog is for educational and informational purposes only. This does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Information on this blog should NOT be used for diagnostics or treating a health problem. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified dental health provider regarding diagnosis and treatment of a dental condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.

this is as close to a comprehensive guide to dental care as i can make. i'm autistic/adhd/ocd/chronically ill and i've worked in dentistry for several years. i want to use my knowledge to help other spoonies struggling with dental care. i know it can be really hard, but dental health is so important and we deserve healthy mouths just as much as NT/abled folks!!

being neurodivergent and/or chronically ill can make personal care tasks incredibly difficult. so many of us struggle with washing our hair, getting dressed, and cleaning up. but remember: hair will grow back if it's damaged, clothes can be washed when they smell bad, and a dirty house can be made clean again, but we only have one set of teeth to last our whole lives. those pearly whites are worth taking care of!

these tips are based on feedback/questions i've gotten from ND folks on tumblr and facebook, patients at the practices i've worked in, and my own experience. standard disclaimer that this information will not be applicable to every single person, just take what works for you and pass the rest on to the next person. i am also a resource for further information. this is going to be pretty rapidfire, so if you want me to elaborate on anything or have a question about something i didn't address in this post, my askbox is open and anon is enabled. i love talking about teeth and i would love to help my fellow spoonies take care of theirs!

without further ado:

on homecare:

any dental professional will tell you that having good oral health starts at home. taking care of our teeth can be incredibly difficult when our spoons are low, so i've made a list of strategies to make it easier.

best practice is to brush twice per day and floss once per day. this may not be realistic for those of us who struggle with habits and/or executive dysfunction. if you can only remember to brush once per day, brushing at night is the most important.

the ideal order of operations is floss, tongue scrape, mouthwash, then brush. but flossing and brushing are the most important steps in the routine.

brushing your teeth in the shower is perfectly acceptable! personally, i keep one toothbrush in the shower and one on the sink to maximize my opportunities to brush.

if you don't have the energy to floss, a toothbrush with fine bristles like this one is a good compromise.

you should replace your toothbrush or electric brush head every three months. the bristles get worn down and become less effective over time. set a recurring event on your phone calendar to keep track!

if you find it difficult to brush your teeth at all, use a washcloth to gently scrub your teeth until you feel that you've gotten the film off, then use a fluoride mouthwash. they also make single-use waterless toothbrushes like these. i like to keep them on my nightstand for really bad days when i can't even get myself to the bathroom to brush.

this is an excellent guide on proper brushing technique.

an electric toothbrush is an excellent investment. even a cheap one at the grocery store is a huge step above a manual toothbrush. personally, i love quip because they're more affordable than brands like sonicare, and they send you replacement brush heads on a regular basis.

be careful not to brush too aggressively; your brush should glide gently over the surface of your teeth. if you feel a lot of friction, lighten your pressure. brushing too hard can wear away your enamel and damage your gums.

if the mint flavor in toothpaste triggers sensory discomfort, try kids' toothpaste! it has less fluoride than adult toothpaste, but it's still miles better than not brushing at all.

mouthwash is used to neutralize bacteria on soft tissues. use an antibacterial or fluoride mouthwash for healthy gums and strong enamel. listerine original is the best, but they have lots of varieties including gum health, alcohol-free, and many more.

whenever possible, use a straw to drink soda or coffee so it doesn't touch your teeth, and rinse with water after you drink it. try to not sip sugary drinks throughout the day. switching to sugar-free beverages will make a huge difference in cavity prevention.

if you have any gaps between teeth, an interdental brush will help you keep the areas between those teeth clean and prevent decay.

i like to keep a package of floss picks in the living room so that i can floss while i watch tv. the best time to floss is right before you brush your teeth, but there is no bad time to floss.

this video shows proper flossing technique. this video shows proper technique when using floss picks.

dry mouth is a lesser-known cause of cavities. saliva protects your teeth from decay, so when you don't produce enough of it, you're at higher risk. dry mouth rinses like this one are a great defense against this!

remember, something is always better than nothing. brushing once a day is better than not brushing at all. flossing once a week is better than not flossing at all. be gentle with yourself.

on finding a dental provider:

finding a new provider and making an appointment can be confusing and overwhelming when we have low executive function. there are some ways to make it just a bit easier.

if you have insurance, they likely have a tool on their website to find providers in your network. you can usually find this information on your insurance card. this should narrow down your options considerably.

the absolute best thing you can do is find a supportive provider who you can open up to about your struggles with dental care. look up your options on google reviews and ctrl+f "anxiety". if these anxious patients have a good experience, it's more likely you will too.

you can ask for recommendations in your local community's facebook group or subreddit, both of which offer anonymity. specify your needs in your post. chances are, other people in your community have similar needs, and can help you find the right people to meet those needs.

a few people expressed that they avoid the dentist because of a family history of poor dental health, and the fear of having the same problems. i want to assure you that, while dental health does have a genetic component, it is far from the only factor. the most effective thing you can do to prevent dental issues is to go in for regular maintenance. prevention is the gold standard in dentistry.

a lot of us struggle with making phone calls. luckily, it's becoming increasingly common for practices to allow online booking and communication via email. look for these options on a practice's website!

if fear or executive dysfunction is getting in your way, phone a friend for help. sometimes things that are hard for us aren't as difficult for others. maybe your roommate can call the office for you. maybe your sister can drive you to your appointment. don't be afraid to lean on your village.

in the dental office:

a big issue with dental offices is that they are basically a sensory nightmare. while it's never going to be fully comfortable, there are some things you can do to make your experience more tolerable.

be open and honest with your dental providers. if you smoke, tell them (this includes cannabis; they cannot report you for cannabis use even if you're not in a legal state). if you've never flossed before, tell them. their job is to help you, not shame you. if a provider makes you feel ashamed, stop seeing them.

so many people have mentioned they're embarrassed about their anxiety and sensory struggles in the dental office. let me assure you that your providers see so many anxious patients every single day. they're used to it, and they're not going to be judging you. to help illustrate this, i'm going to cite some examples of patients from my practice and the ways we help them manage their anxiety and sensory struggles.

probably the most common concern among patients in our practice is a fear of the numbing injection. i have a pretty severe phobia of needles myself. our dental assistants are well-trained to manage this fear. they distract patients during the shot, and help them breathe through the anxiety before and after. this training is part of the dental assistant certification process, so it should be relatively universal.

you can bring a comfort item with you. be it a stuffed animal, a video game, a book, even a comforting person who can sit with you.

you know that lead vest that they lay on you when they take xrays? you can ask to wear that during your whole visit. it acts like a weighted blanket and it feels so nice and comforting. we have a few patients who do this at my practice.

headphones or earplugs are a lifesaver to drown out all the horrible sounds. i literally refuse to get a cleaning without them. there's even a hygienist at my practice that wears earplugs while she's working because the sound of the cavitron bothers her. there's no shame in it whatsoever.

if your practice offers it, nitrous oxide is a great option for anxiety. most people know it as laughing gas. it puts you in a dreamlike state so you're more or less unaware of what's going on. no joke, this stuff had me so relaxed i fully fell asleep while getting a root canal. you can even get it when you get your cleanings!

a lot of our patients request a specific doctor, dental assistant, and hygienist for their appointments. this is incredibly common. if you find someone that makes you feel safe, let the scheduling staff know that you'd like to see that person each time you come in.

dress comfy. there's no dress code for the dental office; show up in sweatpants if you want.

remember at the end of the day, your dental providers are not there to judge you if you don't have perfect homecare. their ultimate goal is to get your mouth healthy no matter your starting place. i can't speak for every dentist obviously, but the dentists at my practice are incredibly patient and sympathetic and have nothing but their patients' best interests in mind.

again: if you feel disrespected or shamed by your provider, find a new one who will be compassionate with you. you don't owe any provider loyalty, even if you've been going there since you were a toddler.

on recovery:

one of the hardest things to do is build healthy habits when you're starting from an unhealthy place. if you're dealing with poor dental health, getting your mouth healthy again can seem impossibly daunting. i'm here to tell you it is possible, but it takes work.

it starts in the dental chair. your provider should communicate what treatment is the highest priority, and they will start there. rather than overwhelming yourself with the big picture, focus your attention on the next step.

things like root canals, crowns, and periodontal treatment can be very expensive. unfortunately, in the united states at least, dental insurance is quite lacking across the board. if expenses are a concern, dental schools are a great option for having treatment done at a low cost. keep in mind that treatment will often take significantly longer due to the dentists being supervised students.

my job in the practice is treatment coordinator. this means that i work one-on-one with my patients to help them understand their treatment plans and make the process as easy and comfortable as possible for them. ask your practice if they have a treatment coordinator. if they don't, suggest that they create the role, and reach out to me here. my dream is to be able to help people manage their oral health. i will be a resource to anyone that doesn't have a treatment coordinator available to help you navigate your course of treatment.

any restorative work (fillings, crowns, etc.) that you have done has to be cared for, just like virgin teeth. cavities can still form underneath fillings and crowns. make sure you are keeping your regular hygiene appointments, and use the above strategies to effectively care for your restorations at home.

if you have a lot of treatment to work through, it may take a long time. we have patients that have spent 2-3 years working through their treatment plans with us. this can feel daunting and depressing. but remember, it's not forever. the majority of these patients who continue to see us for regular visits only have 1-2 new cavities at a time, if anything, once we finish their initial work.

there are very few dental problems that cannot be fixed. cavities can be filled, crowns placed, root canals done to save teeth that are severely decayed. gum disease cannot be cured, but it can be very effectively managed. i see patients all the time that come in expecting to lose all their teeth and need dentures, only to be relieved when we tell them only a few teeth are truly not restorable.

my job revolves around patient education, and it's always shocking to me how little we are taught about caring for our teeth. please be kind to yourselves; it is NOT your fault for not knowing or having the resources to take care of them yourself. once again, my askbox is open and anon is enabled if you have more questions after reading this guide.

[makingqueerhistory]

Writing an Identity Not Your Own: A Guide for Creative Writers

Alex Temblador

A practical guide to help authors authentically write and edit a character whose identity is different than their own. Do you have the tools to authentically write and edit a character whose identity is different than your own?

It's not a subject that's generally taught in creative writing programs, and there are so few craft books and online resources on the subject. Even if you can take a seminar, class, or workshop, there's nothing like having an easy-to-understand book on hand to provide guidance and insight every time you craft characters with historically marginalized identities. In Writing an Identity Not Your Own, award-winning author Alex Temblador discusses one of the most contentious topics in creative writing: crafting a character whose identity is historically marginalized.

What is "identity," and how do unconscious biases and bias blocks impact and influence what we write? What is intersectionality? You'll learn about identity terms, stereotypes, and tropes, and receive genre-specific advice related to various identities to consider when writing different races and ethnicities, sexual and romantic orientations, gender identities, disabilities, nationalities, and more. Through writing strategies, exercises, and literary excerpts, writers will gain a clearer understanding on how misrepresentations and harmful portrayals can appear in storylines, dialogue, and characterization. Alex will guide writers from the brainstorming phase through the editing process so they can gain a full understanding of the complexities of writing other identities and why it's important to get them right.

(Affiliate link above)