#reddit survival guide

[xanthezhoupropaganda]

Welcome, Redditors! Important things to know about Tumblr:

You've probably seen this, but add an icon and create or reblog some content before you follow people.

Pay attention to your grammatical style and language use. People find it offputting if it changes a lot from post to post, and you'll probably end up in a social cluster with people who communicate in similar ways.

People like to ramble in the tags. This is the equivalent of whispering to friends (followers). If you really enjoy what someone said, copy the tags and add them to the main post.

There's a lot of fandom content on here. You should pick a few favorites you can talk about in case someone asks, especially a favorite character and what you like about them.

It should be Xanthe Zhou. Everyone here loves Xanthe. You need to go read the Spirit World comics right now.

[theshaddowedsnow]

To our reddit user comrades

We love haiku boy. Kailua bot is a valid bot whom we love. It'll seem weird at first, but he/she/they/it (I've seen all these pronouns used for it so valid) is a staple on Tumblr. You'll understand eventually it's a precious bean who has done nothing wrong, ever

[circus-of-corrin]

HDG and "Horror"

So I've seen several people talk about the horrors of Human Domestication Guide and how it's really effective cosmic horror if you look past the kink part of it, but I don't really see that? At least, I don't think I've seen any points levied towards that point that don't already just exist in day-to-day life but far worse.

The main one I see a lot is the idea of this incomprehensible cosmic force that we can't fight completely subsuming our culture and freedoms, but like, is that not already just a grander version of living under capitalism? That shit invades every single aspect of our lives but unlike the affini it's perfectly content with killing us at a moment's notice, and in so many cases actively wants us dead for the crime of existing.

Like, oh they're an imperialist empire and don't give you a choice about living under them? Yeah man that would sure suck I cant imagine what that would be like

I saw a post on r/196 calling the Affini slavers which is really fucking funny to me because you can just tell whoever made that post has never actually read the fucking thing

I dunno, at the end of the day i honestly cannot fathom what makes the Affini terrifying when I'm at least *allowed* to live under them. Where basic survival isn't something I have to earn by tearing my own body apart every single day, where I'm actually loved and cared for by the people running shit. There's nothing bad about them that isn't already so much worse in the present day, and the whining I've seen in places like Reddit about "never being allowed to reach our fullest potential" is as much wish fullfilment scifi as the HDG setting as a whole is, so it's kind of a moot point

[arayapendragon]

the beauty of quantum immortality 🦋

“what happens after i die?”, is a question that has been asked by many throughout the course of history. yet, us humans were never able to find the one true answer to what awaits us once our life in this reality comes to an end. unless...? ;)

this brings forth the concept of quantum immortality, which is a theory stating that our consciousness will continue to experience lifetimes where we are alive, after we “die” in this timeline or reality. Hugh Everett was an american physicist, who proposed the very fundamentals of quantum mechanics in his PhD in the 1950’s. he introduced the idea of quantum events leading to the universe branching into several different timelines, where each timeline represents a different outcome. therefore, if we choose to, we can continue to keep experiencing timelines, or realities, where we survive, thus leading us to believe we are “immortal”. this is known as the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI).

circa 1980’s, the physicist and cosmologist Max Tegmark delved again into the concept of quantum immortality, suggesting that we actually die many times in our lifetime, however, our consciousness continues to experience timelines where we are alive.

here’s an analogy of quantum immortality to better help you understand: imagine a person playing a game of russian roulette; hence, the gun leads to different quantum outcomes. - basis the MWI, the gun fires (due to an “upward spin” in a subatomic particle) in some timelines/realities, killing the person. - while in other timelines/realities, it doesn’t fire (due to a “downward spin” in a subatomic particle), so the person survives. from the point of view of the person in the experiment, they would only experience the timelines where they survive.

the very fundaments of quantum immortality and reality shifting intertwine with each other when inspected at a closer level. both focus on the existence of an infinite amount of realities, and seeing as we shift realities for every decision taken, even the smallest ones, it can be deduced that we permashift to either an alternate version of our CR, or any other DR after we experience death in this reality. meaning, we can experience whatever it is we desire after death, there are no limitations or set rules.

to answer the question at the beginning, there is no definite answer to where we go after death. given that the magic systems for this reality are the law of assumption and the law of attraction, it can be said that we will shift wherever we believe or assume we go after death, thus, in a way, demonstrating quantum immortality.

a few resources you can explore that discuss quantum immortality are:

Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark

Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku

The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene

Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed by Jim Al-Khalili

The r/quantumimmortality community on reddit, though note that the users will have differing opinions of the concept, so it is best to conduct your own research.

[warsofasoiaf]

Came across this dribble on Reddit and was curious what your thoughts would be:

“We see House Stark through the eyes and actions of Ned Stark. As a result, the vast majority of fans end up believing Ned Stark to be representative of the Stark family. But the thing is … Ned Stark is a major aberration from the traditional Stark values. Hence the fan misunderstanding of what House Stark is all about.

The slogan of House Stark is Winter is Coming. And that has been the central guiding philosophy of House Stark and its leaders.

During Winter, the North is all but uninhabitable. If Winter lasts for a year, or years, it means mass starvation and a plummeting of the North’s population. It is the duty of House Stark to minimize the impact of Winter and also to pull the North back to a position of strength after a harsh and terrible winter. It is also imperative for House Stark to recognize that no matter how good things might seem, Winter is Coming. It’s always coming.

For this reason, a “Good Stark” carries the following virtues:

(a) Harsh (some might say … stark) personality

(b) Indifference to Southern politics and affairs

Ned Stark for example lacked the “hardness” of traditional Starks, and was willing to take large risks just so to avoid the murder of children, including Jon Snow, Daenerys, Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen. Ned Stark also traveled South to serve as Robert’s Hand, married a Tully from the Riverlands, and marched South during Robert’s Rebellion. The same applies to Robb who also marched south after his father’s imprisonment. Robb further deviated from Stark values by marching south during Autumn, the time of year when it was most imperative for Starks to stay in the North, bringing in the harvest, stockpiling food, and preparing for Winter.

Better Stark examples would be e.g. Alaric Stark who had a reputation for being hard and (again) stark. Or Cregan Stark who refused to march during Autumn and only marched south during Winter, after all the harvests were collected, with men who were more than happy to die in battle because that way they would not have to burden their relatives back home and so more of the women and children could survive the harsh winter months (or years).”

First, factual problems. Cregan Stark did not march with "men who were more than happy to die in battle because that way they would not have to burden their relatives back home." The Winter Wolves under Roddy the Ruin were explicitly mentioned as greybeards who would have "gone hunting" during the harsh winter, not Cregan

The idea that the Starks exhibit "indifference to Southern politics and affairs" is laughable. Torrhen Stark put down the Sunderland revolt at Aegon's royal request. Ellard Stark supports Laenor in the Great Council of 101. Cregan Stark became the Hand of the King and purged the royal court and has the Pact of Ice and Fire. Rickon Stark fought so notably in the Conquest of Dorne that Daeron wrote about him. Rickard Stark fought in the War of the Ninepenny Kings and was one of the principle architects of the Southron Ambitions conspiracy. The Kings of Winter fought with the Falcon Kings over the Sisters in the War Across teh Water, playing Reversi with the Arryns for generations. Hell, King Theon Stark sailed across the Narrow Sea to put the fear of the Old Gods in the Andals for daring to try to land on his shores.

Similarly, a "harsh" personality is hardly indicative of all Starks, even restricting it only to the Lords of Winterfell (since discussions of "all Starks" would inevitably run afoul of Sansa Stark, whose most prominent character trait is romantic compassion). Cregan Stark in the Hour of Wolf fights for the sacred body of king Aegon II even though he fought against him in a civil war. To Cregan, the principle was as such that "regicide, even through inaction, must be punished." That's not harsh, that's abiding a set of clearly-defined principles. Alaric spoke fairly harshly with King Jaehaerys in the tomb under Winterfell, but the text displays a fierce love with his brother, so much so that he risked breaking decorum and *almost defending the (he still calls them the "worst", but it's striking that he says the revolt happened due to lack of food as opposed to a condemnation for lack of moral fibre) Night's Watch mutineers just to tell Jaehaerys that it was *his* action that cost the life of his brother and that he could stuff his apologies. Brandon Stark, raised to be the Lord of Winterfell, so fiercely loved and defended his sister that he went down to King's Landing personally to call Rhaegar out.

While GRRM sometimes fumbles the ball and makes some houses extremely one-note to the distinct disadvantage of the story (every Bracken being an asshole makes the Blackwood-Bracken feud weaker), we cannot say that about the Starks. There is some truth in this passage - House Stark rules over lands that are brutalized by the irregular Westerosi seasons and so needs to prepare for winter, hence their house words, but it takes this fact along with some faulty assumptions to jump to a conclusion that's very off the mark.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[nekohime19]

🌟Neko Shadowpeach Au Guide!🌟

I have so many Shadowpeach Au I can't even 😭

This post is mainly for me to organize myself bc I'm beginning to have a lot of ideas for Au, and a lot of Au in general and I need to write that somewhere or I'm gonna get lost, 😌.

But also it's to let you guys know about future Au I would probably write and see if you like them.

Of course if you guys have any questions about any of my Au's, even the unpublished one, feel free to ask, 😁.

alright here we go :

Published

Monkeys silly love life :

Summary : Macaque never met the great sage, nor the brotherhood, he simply lived like a hermit until his lantern was stolen by a thrall. He finds himself coming to Megapolis in search of his lantern, there he meets MK, his friends and one particularly insistent golden-furred monkey who seems keen on flirting with him despite the Lady Bone Demon taking over the world.

Fic : series of three fic on Ao3

Who said you can't flirt in an apocalypse?

Monkeys discovering the wide world of dating.

I know the world is ending but will you marry me?

Status : all fics completed

Vibe : fluff and humor

Heart behind the lie :

Summary : Sun Wukong's mind is severely damaged by the Lady Bone Demon's possession, leading him to act like a beast. Macaque being the only person he trusts in this state, he is designated as his babysitter. Macaque refuses at first but then finds himself needing magic to survive and decides to accept being a babysitter to better steal Sun Wukong's magic. He might became more attached than he planned for.

Fic : fic on Ao3 + being re-published on Tumblr with two chapters a day

Status : uncompleted

Vibe : emotional angst, feels and fluff

Publishing day : At least once a week

Tumblr tag (including fanarts /answers /memes /chapters) : Heart behind the lie

Mini Mac :

Summary : One day Sun Wukong discovers that a little black-furred monkey had been living in the walls of his stone mansion and decides to befriend him. Problem is, the little black-furred beauty is not keen on deepening his relationship with him, thus the sage has to gain his trust first.

Fic : one fic on Tumblr and Ao3

Status : uncompleted

Vibe : fluff, humor and very light angst

Publishing day : Two to three chapters a week

Tumblr tag (including memes / answers / fanarts/chapters) : Mini Mac au

Bimawen :

Summary : What if Heaven actually gave weight to the title of Bimawen and treated Sun Wukong with respect, even if reluctant? Sun Wukong would have never gone on a rampage and quietly taken care of the horses. Years after Sun Wukong has taken his horsley duties Heaven found another celestial monkey, the Six-eared Macaque causing mayhem in the mortal world. The macaque is judged and if he wants to avoid his execution, he has to become the bimawen's assistant. The problem is the monkeys don't really like each other.

Fic : one on Ao3 and Tumblr

Status : uncompleted

Vibe : fluff, humor and feels / JTTW oriented

Publishing day : Once to twice a month (often more bc I'm inspired)

Tumblr tag (including memes / fanarts / answers / chapters) : Bimawen au

Share my glow (co-writing with Pen-Women)

Summary : Macaque never met Wukong in his life. He is known as the Shadow Weaver, a mysterious entity who guides the one lost in the night. His lantern is the last artifact LBD needs to complete her mech and take over the world. When his forest is frozen by the Thrall he has no choice but to follow a troublesome team of heroes with a particularly flirty Monkey King.

Fic : one in Ao3

Status : uncompleted

Vibe : fluff and angst / ABO

Publishing day : Once a week (every Sunday)

AITA for sleeping with the guy my girlfriend is cheating on me with? :

Summary : A reddit style story with interactive comments about Wukong mess of a love life (and his gay awakening). Wukong learns his girlfriend is cheating on him so in an act of pettiness he confront the secret side boyfriend. What he didn't expect was to get along with Macaque and, after explaining the situation and discovering Macaque had no idea he was a side piece, to get hammered and sleep with him.

Fic : on Ao3 and Tumblr

Status : completed (for now)

Vibe : crack and humor

Tumblr tag : AITA shadowpeach

Love Addicts :

Unpublished

Summary : After the end of season 5, Wukong realize that he doesn't have anything left to teach MK and feels... at the same time proud and sad. He looks back on his life and feels more alone than ever now that his student is stretching his wings.

Simultaneously, there is a strange door appearing in his room leading to a bar selling all kinds love potions. And Wukong thinks that, perhaps, a night of pleasure could help him feel less lonely. Somehow Macaque agree to this madness, and they both drink a potion that helps them forget their fight and heighten their senses, lasting for one night only.

They both didn't expect to enjoy that night so much.

Nor did they expect to come back for more

And now real feelings are getting involved.

Fic : on Ao3 and Tumblr

Status : not completed

Vibe : smut and fluff and angst

Tumblr tag : love addicts au

So here is are my ideas for different Au's! Of course, bc those are still ideas in working, summaries might change a lil bit when I actually write them. Idk if I'll write them all though. They're classed from the one I want to write the most after I'm finished with Heart behind the lie and Mini Mac to ideas in passing.

Love rings true :

Summary : Sun Wukong took the throne of the Jade Emperor after the attack on Heavens orchestrated by the brotherhood. One day, Wukong gain a new jester, the most famous entertainer of the mortal realm : the Six-eared Macaque. Wukong becomes very enamored with his new jester but he doesn't know how to talk to him. As such he decides to approach him in an unusual way... He becomes a bell and spend the day at his jester's side, on his hat.

Fic : will be on Ao3 and Tumblr

Status : unwritten / Planning this after Mini Mac

Vibe : fluff and humor

Pacific rim Au :

Summary : For a long time, Sun Wukong and Macaque were the best Rangers in the world. Their performance was flawless, their compatibility undeniable, they piloted the Shadowpeach as if it was a part of their own bodies. But after a particular incident, they were never able to pilot together again. Years after, Macaque is required to pilot with Wukong for one last time. One last mission. Maybe having the world on the line will push them both to rekindle what was once lost.

Fic : unwritten / will be on Ao3 and Tumblr

Status : unwritten : fleshing out the lore

Vibe : feels and fluff, smut

Tumblr tag (including lore) : Shadowpeach pacific rim au

Monkey Cop Mania :

Summary : Both monkeys find themselves being transported to a movie-like dimension in which Sun Wukong is the insanely famous Monkey Cop and Macaque a world-wide known thief accused of murder. If they want to get back to their own dimension, they have to solve a murder and finish the movie's scenario. Problem is neither mystic monkeys turn out to be great detectives.

Fic : unwritten / will be on Ao3

Status : unwritten

Vibe : Humor and feels

Once upon a monkey

Summary : various long one shots of shadowpeach being in different fairy tales.

How to bewitch the witch : Wukong is the prince of the Sun Kingdom and falls in love with the cruel sea witch, Macaque, while said witch was destroying his wedding with the mermaid prince, Azure. Once Azure returns to his kingdom and their wedding falls void, Wukong does everything in his power to court Macaque. Turns out, courting a sea witch is quite difficult.

The strongest of them all : Macaque is a magic mirror with the ability to hear past, present and future terribly in love with his owner, the King Sun Wukong. One day Sun Wukong learns that he's not the strongest anymore, but that he's step-son, MK, is. Macaque, after listening to the future, fears for his King and tries to better the relationship between MK and Wukong.

Fighting Beauty : Macaque is prince Sun Wukong personal guard, in charge of guarding him until his betrothed comes to rescue him from the sleeping spell casted upon him. Things get awkward when Macaque awakens Sun Wukong on his first night on duty. Sun Wukong, impatient as ever, decides to slay the dragon himself and not wait on his betrothed, Macaque is dragged in the quest despite himself.

Midnight Illusion : Macaque is at day the mistreated step-son of the Lady Bone Demon, and at night the leader of the most fearsome thieves of the Sun Kingdom. He's unfortunately caught by the royal guard in the middle of a thievery. He's given two choices by the Sun King himself : either spend the rest of his life in prison, or spy on his own step-mother while also pretending to be the Sun King betrothed. Naturally, he chose the second option.

The Mage and the Monkey : Sun Wukong is cursed by the wandering mage, Macaque, after refusing to give him shelter on a stormy night. He's now the Monkey King, and he'll stay in this beastly form as long as he cannot find true love, according to the Mage, at least. But Sun Wukong is not one to stay idle, he finds the Mage huts after a lot of searching, and bugs him everyday to undo the curse. Macaque is tempted to accept, only because Sun Wukong is getting annoying.

Fic : unwritten / will be on Ao3

Status : unwritten / rough ideas really

Vibe : Humor and fluff and angst

Narcissist :

Summary : Sun Wukong was lonely. He felt like there was a wedge between him and the world, that no-one could ever understand him. Even his successor couldn't hope to breach his shell. Pushed by his loneliness, Wukong stole a forbidden book from the gods with the vilest spells written in it and bring his shadow to life.

Fic : unwritten / will be on Ao3

Status : unwritten / very rough idea

Vibe : angst, fluff and horror (Mac being an eldritch horror)

I'll add Au's to this guide if I have any more that I think of, but that's all for now.

[frootynovak]

casey + alex vs. smartphones

when bored or taking a break from reviewing her case notes, casey plops down on the couch (most of the time accompanied by a beloved bag of potato chips) scrolling through instagram reels of cat videos that she sometimes sends to alex.

alex calls casey out from the dining table where she’s preparing her cases and yells at her to stop sending her stupid videos because her phone keeps pinging. under grumpy breath, alex opens casey’s messages to watch the videos she sent. she smiles and wonders whether it is time for them to try and adopt a pet.

other things casey does with her smartphone:

1. casey learns new recipes by watching youtube videos so she could impress alex with her cooking skills. she also browses tagged restaurants on instagram reels so she could take alex there if she thinks they’re worth it.

2. she leaves movie reviews on letterboxd, especially if the ending of a movie really upset her

3. when she’s antsy, she plays harvest moon/stardew valley

4. casey has pinterest boards that she updates regularly: “date with alex ❤️”, “small tattoo ideas”, “poems that remind me of alex ❤️”, “stupid memes”

5. she has a reddit account but never posts. she uses it just to read the ridiculously funny and the questionably morbid.

casey’s google search history:

how to handle anxiety symptoms / sous vide vs. pressure cooking / are all orange cats crazy / gone girl actress / is orange from the color or the fruit / do fish pee / is bloodbending illegal / duck penis / date night ideas / is mayonnaise better for grilled cheese / padded sliding mats / jurassic park survival guide / new ways to pleasure your girlfriend / silly cat names / sneaky ways to ask your girlfriend to marry you / will our cat attempt to eat our pet fish if we decide to also keep fish pets / gelato vs. ice cream / what to give wife for first anniversary

things alex does with her smartphone:

(the first thing alex does in the morning after brushing her teeth is checking whether she has important emails that need to be urgently responded to)

1. she has a binaural beats/nature sounds app so she can listen to them to help her with anxiety when casey is not around

2. her mobile games of choice are (a) duolingo - to channel her competitiveness and always get to number 1 on leaderboards; (b) merge cooking; (c) nyt games - to pass time when she can’t sleep

3. casey encouraged alex to start journaling to help relieve some symptoms of anxiety. for convenience, alex uses the notion app as a semi-journal, semi-to-do list. at the end of a tiring day and esp if casey is on a work trip, she scribbles a brief narrative of how her day went and how it made her feel. sometimes, she shares her notes to casey.

4. convenience apps: uber, uber eats, doordash, pocket yoga, skyscanner, wise, paypal, opentable, airbnb, booking.com

5. alex has subscription to both apple music and spotify. she insists that sound quality is better in apple music but spotify’s user interface is friendlier. she has different playlists for each mood, and made playlists for casey. she hasn’t shared all those playlists to her though.

alex’s google search history:

are there any advantages to castling queenside? / how do you politely ask someone for their instagram account but as a friend? / what does it mean when young people say that “this is sending me”? / how to tell your girlfriend you love her without having to say it explicitly? / are intrinsic motivations learned? / what restaurant serves the best grilled cheese in manhattan? / list of fragrances with subtle sillage appropriate to wear at work / what signs to look out for which indicates that your girlfriend wants to marry you? / list of the most romantic places for honeymoon / best galleries to visit while in Barcelona / how hard is it to raise a child?

[itsaspectrumcomic]

Hi,

I just scrolled through the entirity of your blog & I love it very much so I wanted to thank you for it <33 & your comic is sooo awesome <33

Also, in some of your replies you mention being in autistic discord servers, and I would like to know how you found them & if you can recommend any? If you don't want to answer that that's fine of course

Also also, do you have any recommendations for books about autism?

I'm just starting out with like everything and I find books an easy and fun way to learn, and having a space somewhere online to talk about it would be great.

Also also also, sorry for how badly worded all this is, english is my second language and my brain is not working atm because my brother is in my room and won't blow his nose and is breathing badly with a snot filled nose. Also sorry for how rambly this all is

Thank you I'm glad you like it! <3

I found some of them through other artists I follow, some through reddit threads, some by searching on the site Disboard.

I'm not sure I should share the ones I'm in on this blog - for most of them I need permission to share invite links and I don't want to overwhelm the admins. But there are a surprising number of them around if you search in autism subreddits and on Disboard so I'm sure you'll find some you like hanging out in :)

For books, I always reccommend Untypical by Pete Wharmby! There's also The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide by Siena Castellon, which she wrote when she was 16. I know it says girls but I think a lot of it can be applied to any gender :)

[granny-griffin]

making post ch 419 fanworks survival guide

technical knowledge

names of different kinds of amputation + brief descriptions of medical care

reddit acronyms for amputations (scroll down and read the comments)

surgical perspective on upper limb amputation

detailed description of rehab for upper limb amputation

fanworks tips

how to depict limb stumps

why upper limb prosthetics don’t work

personal experiences

double arm amputee reddit ask me anything

reddit post about phantom pain

[kineticpenguin]

It may not be your thing, but I'm interested to know your thoughts on World War Z & the work of Max Brooks in general. Especially given how hard you came down on stuff like GATE, and the arguably equally if-not-more ridiculous shit in WWZ ('Katanas are the perfect zombie killing weapon etc.')

I think it's a good narrative, but it suffers year upon year from the fact it has so many early-2000s tropes and misinformed views about everything from disease control to military equipment.

There was a whole year after the Zombie Survival Guide came out where you couldn't go online without seeing dipshits going on about smashing your staircase to survive the zombies, and I don't think I'll ever forgive him for that.

Max Brooks is an extremely frustrating author for me, and I sometimes wonder if I've been too hard on him in the past, and then I see some article about him and decide that if anything, I was too nice.

But as for the actual books themselves... I think the Zombie Survival Guide wasn't that great to begin with, and it hasn't aged well. Everything it tries to do has been done better by others over the last 20 years, for free, on the internet. It's kind of like one big reddit post from a Well Ackshually guy two years before the creation of Reddit. It is very, very, very silly, but takes itself completely seriously. So to me, it comes off as watching someone be extremely wrong with a really smug look on their face.

Which kinda gets me to my main problem with WWZ. Max Brooks' ideas about guns, military ordnance and the military in general are pretty goofy, and Brooks hits Peak Smug with the chapter with the secretary of... I forget what, but it's where Brooks is trying to make his point about the fragility of the military-industrial complex and the global economy, and he goes off on how expensive the Abrams is and that it runs on jet fuel, can you believe it? Can you believe how stupidly high tech our idiot military is? Where are you gonna get jet fuel in a zombie apocalypse?

I mean, the answer is pretty much "same place you get your diesel fuel, idiot." Jet fuel's not hard to make. Then there's also the fact that the Abrams' turbine engine will also run on just about anything you care to put in it, and running your turbine-powered vehicles and diesel-powered vehicles on the same fuel actually simplifies logistics.

It's like a zombie apocalypse envisioned by a liberal whose mindset was firmly set in the 1990s, with The End of History and The Last Man, Pentagon Wars, and boomer memes about M16s being unreliable shit.

[separatist-apologist]

this whole thing with booktok and this guy is reminding of something i saw and reblogged on here and i think you did to. it was like there is nothing interesting or like deep about choosing cruelty it is just cruelty. there is nothing interesting about people who do stuff like he did.

they are legit losers who let whatever may have happened to them outwardly harm other people. i legit don’t get how people seriously think there is something introspective about this guy and somehow THEY can like change the ordinarily legitimately cruel.🫢😖

You're so right- there is nothing interesting about being cruel, and most abusers are cruel for cruelty's sake. The power and control wheel isn't called that because academics were bored- they are LITERALLY explaining to you what is happening. It is about Power. And. Control. There is this deep seated hatred attached to it, and abusers always have a millions sad stories about why they act the way they do, but in the field, I always joke with survivors that there has got to be a manual on reddit somewhere that they all read. Some survival guide- they all do and say the exact same things, its predictable that way.

I think people saw a man they thought was attractive and decided that he must have done it for reasons that make sense. I also think people aren't willing to examine why they think these things or how its harmful because that's uncomfortable. In a time where people are having the man vs bear conversation, I think its wild that at the first opportunity you have, you'd not only side with the man, but turn him into an internet celebrity.

And it's the same people who love to talk about how their feminism is intersectional, how sexist bookish spaces are especially if you admit you like to read smut, and like- they'll weaponize the language of social justice to use it both as shield and sword to uphold the same systems they claim they want to dismantle.

[ghostflowerdreams]

Writing Research: Homeless Character

I’m currently writing about a character that is homeless. A lot of this information is base on real accounts and advice from people that suddenly found themselves homeless. I’ve even included a couple of things that I’ve learned myself because at one point I thought I would be kicked out and wanted to prepared myself as much as I possibly could for it.

Shelters

Homeless shelters are a basic form of temporary accommodation where a bed is provided in a shared space overnight. Most shelters even provide homeless individuals with basic necessities like food, water, toiletries, and clothes. While others offer programs that aim to help people get off the street and get back on their feet.

However, not all shelters accept walk-ins and if they do, it’s usually first come, first serve because space is limited. Most of them also required you to fill out an application first so they can determine if you’re eligible to stay at their shelter. You may even need to have certain documents to prove your identity and residence (such as a driver’s license, green card, passport or visa, birth certificate, Social Security card, Medicaid card, eviction papers, etc.) or have a referral from a social services agency to be accepted. That’s because some shelters are specifically aimed towards different types of homeless people like a family, pregnant women, teens, a single adult, etc. Those shelter facility have special accommodation that better suits their needs.

Each shelter also has their own set of rules, restrictions and regulations, which depends on who’s running them and where they get their funding from. In general, well-funded shelters tend to have more programs and better facilities. Though these types of shelters also tend to be more overcrowded than smaller, less-funded ones. Almost all shelters have set opening and closing times. Most of the time, they open at 8:00 AM and close at 4:00 PM. For homeless people working night shifts or irregular working hours, this can be a deterrent.

Generally, shelters are free but there are some cases where they may charge you a fee. They may do so when you stay longer than you’re suppose to, which varies from shelter to shelter (such as after 7 to 14 days) or when you want to continue to keep your belongings stored in the locker while you’re at work. Though they don’t always ask for money. Some may take half of the resident’s food stamp allowance. While others require their residents to work up to 40 hours per week in the shelter in exchange for board and lodging.

Street Sense Media - What to do when you become homeless

ToughNickel - Soon to Be Homeless? 12 Ways to Prepare for Homelessness

The Prepping Guide - 12 Tips: How to Be Homeless and Survive

Real Change News - So, you’re homeless now. Here’s what you need to know

Invisible People - What Is It Like to Stay in a Homeless Shelter?

Reddit: r/askreddit - [Serious] What is it like living in a homeless shelter?

Eco Bear - What Is It like Living in a Homeless Shelter?

Medium - Living In A Shelter Sucks: My Experience Being Homeless

Reddit: r/IAmA - I used to be homeless, now I'm not. AMA

NPR - Why Some Homeless Choose The Streets Over Shelters? [audio]

Quick Haven - Why Do Homeless People Avoid Shelters

VICE - This Is Why Homeless People Don't Go to Shelters

Reddit: r/homeless - Why do homeless people consider shelters unsafe?

Business Insider - I Spent The Night In A Homeless Shelter—Here's What It Was Like

New York Post - ‘I feel like I’m back in jail’: Life inside NYC’s broken shelter system

NPR - A Day In The Life Of A Homeless Woman Who Sleeps At A Skid Row Shelter [audio]

VAWnet: National Resource Center on Domestic Violence - No Safe Place: Sexual Assault in the Lives of Homeless Women

Reddit: r/AskNYC - I’m (19F) recently homeless and have nowhere to go. Does anyone know of any shelters or resources available in the city right now?

Youtube: Bustle - How Do Homeless Women Cope With Their Periods? [video]

VICE - Homeless Women Talk About How They Deal With Their Period

Cosmopolitan - What It's Like to Get Your Period When You're Homeless

Youtube: Invisible People - Homeless Woman Walks Us Through a Day in the Life on the Streets of San Diego [video]

Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) - A Day in the Life of a Homeless Person

Boston 25 News - The day in the life of a homeless person in Boston

Business Insider - Here's A Trick I Learned At The Homeless Shelter For Surviving Bed Bugs

HomelessAdvice - Advice When You Need It

Primal Survivor - 10 Survival Tricks Learned from Homeless People

Invisible People - Surviving the Winter Without Shelter

NBC News - Marvin's World: Nine Lessons From Homeless Man's Winter in NYC

TIME - 'I Thought I Was Going to Die.' How Chicago's 80,000 Homeless People Are Surviving in Deadly Zero-Degree Weather

Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) - Where I Lived in the Winter When I Was Homeless

Guide 2 Homelessness - Survival Guide to Homelessness

HomelessAdvice - Do Homeless Shelters Charge Money?

Food Storage Moms - How to Survive in a Homeless Shelter

Los Angeles Times - Column: When homeless people lose their possessions, they end up further from leaving the streets

Gothamist - What Life Looks Like For One Of 3,600 Homeless People Living On NYC Streets

Boise State University - A day in the life of a Boise homeless man

Youtube: Don Johns - sneak peek at homeless shelter life in America [video]

On the Pulse News - Day in the Life: Local homeless woman lives ‘day to day’

Reddit: r/IAmA - I Am A a mother of 2 who was homeless for a year after leaving my husband, AMA.

Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen - Living on the Streets: What’s It Really Like?

Londonist - "I Was Homeless On The Streets Of London. This Is What It Was Like"

DailyMail - People who have escaped being homeless reveal what life is REALLY like - from fooling 'squares' with sob stories to get money to going for two weeks without eating

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) - How young homeless people experience London and the homeless system

The Guardian - Homeless in Britain: ‘I graduated with honours – and ended up on the streets’

Youtube: EPOCH - The day I became homeless in London [video]

BBC News - 'I’m homeless but I find great places to live'

Youtube: Invisible People - Homeless Woman Sleeping Rough in London after Domestic Violence [video]

London Homeless Info - Information for homeless in London by ex-homeless

Youtube: Real Stories - Life On The Streets: Britain's Homeless Problem (Poverty Documentary) [video]

The Associated Press - Homeless shelters begin to see value in making room for pets

National Alliance to End Homelessness - Pets Can Be a Barrier — or an Open Door — to Ending an Individual’s Homelessness

Feeding Pets of the Homeless - Addressing Pet of the Homeless

Enid News & Eagle - Day in the life of the homeless: Walking, waiting and sleeping outside

Churches

Many of the churches (and other religious or spiritual organizations) provide resources and overnight shelter for the homeless. Some of them may even include free hot meals, clothes, information on applying for financial aid or maybe a few dollars to help pay the rent or a utility bill as well as other aid.

Sometimes, when there’s no more space inside the church, it’s not uncommon to find homeless people sleeping on its steps too. They can sleep there every night without the cops bothering them. The reason why is that churches are on private property. As long as the church owner allows you to be there, you're good. And they usually do give permission.

However, it’s understandable that some homeless people may not feel comfortable going to a church for help. In fear that the church may try to use the opportunity to “convert” them or there might be discrimination based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

American Magazine | The Jesuit Review of Faith - What it’s like going to church when you’re homeless

Need Help Paying Bills - Churches Help With Rent, Utility Bills, Food...

Christianity Today - Church and State for the Homeless

U.S. Catholic - Churches answer the call to shelter the homeless

Vox - The Salvation Army says it doesn’t discriminate against LGBTQ people. Critics say that’s not true.

Gothamist - Muslim Charity Spends Holy Month Feeding The Homeless Every Night

The Muslim Council of Britain - How can mosques serve the issue of homelessness?

Religion News Service (RNS) - Homeless find rest in faith-based shelters more than others

Libraries

Patrons, regardless of their housing status, have always found the library to be a welcoming place. It can provide an air-conditioned space on a hot day, warmth in the wintertime, public restrooms for all, internet access, charge your phone, and be a quiet space to read or to keep yourself busy.

For those people experiencing homelessness it’s not unusual to find them waiting early in the morning each day for the doors to open. They’ll spend their entire day there reading to escape from their everyday reality, listening to music, browsing the internet for job listings, maybe even researching ways to help themselves out of their situation or just keeping themselves entertained.

However, many libraries still require patrons to have an permanent address and photo identification to get a library card. But what most don’t realize is that some libraries allow patrons to use temporary addresses, such as the shelters or other social service organizations when applying for a library card. If you can’t get a card, it’s still possible to access the computers without it, you just need to go to the Reference Desk and ask for a new numerical code every hour. Some places may even offer you a temporary guest pass. Either way, everyone gets one-hour sessions per day on the computer.

You also don’t need a library card or a password to access their free unsecured wireless network, usually titled as “Library Guest.”

American Library Association (ALA) - Libraries Respond: Services to Poor and Homeless People

Deseret News - Homeless people need libraries, and libraries need them, too

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: School of Information Science - Serving Homeless Patrons in the Public Library: What can libraries do?

The Guardian - Homeless people have found safety in a library – but locals want them gone

Public Library Association - Library Service to the Homeless

American Library Association (ALA) - A Home to the Homeless

WickedLocal - You have a child who wants to borrow a book, but you have no permanent address. What next?

Berkeleyside - No permanent address? No problem. Berkeley library makes it easier for those without homes to get library cards

PBS - From nurses to social workers, see how public libraries are serving the homeless

Librarian To Librarian - Attending to the Forgotten: Welcoming Homeless Children into the Fold

Vehicles

Those who live in their vehicles have to worry about the legality of their lifestyle – something that is frequently in flux as laws change.

Sleeping in your car is perfectly legal if it’s parked on property you own yourself, such as the driveway of your home. But sadly, that’s not an option when you’re homeless because you wouldn’t be living in your car in the first place. It’s also legal if you’re parked on someone else’s property with their permission, like in the driveway of a friend or of a family member.

It’s possible to pass a peaceful night in a privately-owned parking lot, say outside of a grocery store. In fact, many 24hr businesses such as Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel have built up a reputation for allowing overnight parking. But these policies are usually intended to accommodate RVers and other people on vacation with the hope that they’ll patronize the business during their stay. Either way, the parking lots are well-lit, there’s restroom access, and some may even offer free Wi-Fi.

There’s also city-designated parking lots, where they offer people living in their cars a safe place to stay and sleep overnight. It won’t draw the ire of the residents or the prying eyes of police officers handing out tickets. They even offer much needed access to restrooms, and other services to help you get back on your feet. But just like the homeless shelters you do need to fill out a application, either by calling them, visiting in-person, or filling out the online form.

If you’re on the highway, there are many rest stops where you can parked and legally sleep at. However, this varies from state to state because in some places they don’t allow overnight parking and might even have limits on how long you can park during the day. While others allow it as long as you don’t stay there for more than 12 or 24 hours. They also have restrooms and maybe even picnic tables too. Just keep in mind that they’re not always well-lit and can be pretty secluded, because of that there’s a higher possibility of people being robbed or attacked. So consider this as a last resort.

Insider - As the number of homeless people living out of their vehicles grows across the US, one man shows what it's really like to live involuntarily out of a van for 2 years

Youtube: ALLinWithAri - Living in My Car | Homeless in California | First Vlog [video]

Invisible People - Mobile Homelessness: The Legality of Living in a Vehicle

NBC New York - Is NYC Violating Right to Shelter Law? Woman Sleeps in Car Due to ‘Inhumane' Conditions

Reddit: r/IAmA - I am homeless by choice; I live in my truck.

The Guardian - ‘My car is my home’: the California students with nowhere to live

Cauf Society - Sleeping in Your Car: How To Do It Without Getting Arrested Or Dying

HomelessAdvice - Where to Sleep in Your Car When Homeless

Youtube: Jake McCollum - How I've Been Living Out of My Car for 3 YEARS | Homeless in the United States of America [video]

Vox - Affordable housing is disappearing. So cities are designating parking lots to sleep in.

Reddit: r/homeless - Anyone Have Tips For Living In My Car?

CNN - Living in her car, she was afraid and harassed. Then she found an unexpected refuge

Reddit: r/IAmA - I have been living out of my car for the past year. AMA

Empower Us - Homeless – Living in a Vehicle Survival Guide

Deseret News - People who can’t afford rent are living in their cars, and cities aren’t sure what to do about them

The Road Trip Expert - 19 Places You Can Legally Sleep In Your Car And Park Overnight

Reddit: r/Advice - I'm homeless as of today living out of my car. Anyone have any advice to help me. I live in Canada and its so cold I cant sleep some nights. I just need like survival tips till i can save up enough to get my own place

Youtube: Invisible People - Homeless mom and her two daughters live in a van near Seattle [video]

The Survival Journal - Homeless Survival Guide: How To Survive Living In Your Car

New York Post - I work full-time at Home Depot but I’m homeless and live in my car

USA Today - 'Hidden homeless crisis': After losing jobs and homes, more people are living in cars and RVs and it's getting worse

MotorBiscuit - Where Should You Sleep if You’re Living Out of Your Car?

Reddit: r/IAmA - By request: I lived in my truck for 8 months. AMA

Windsor Star - Homeless living in vehicles battle cold, hold out hope for place of their own

Reddit: r/IAmA - IAmA College (University) student that lived in my car for over 6 months (2 semesters) so I could afford to go to school. AMA

Youtube: Tiny Home Tours - Homelessness to Vanlife: Her DIY Ford E-350 Cargo Van [video]

Invisible People - Tips on How to Stay Clean While Living in Your Vehicle

Youtube: Stories From a Van - Living In A Car To Save Money | How I Did It & Complete Guide [video]

The Survival Mom - How to Live Out of Your Car: Solid Advice from People Who Made It Work

Youtube: Bria-maine - Living in a Car~A Day in My Life~The Raw Truth~Working From Home~Nomad Life [video]

MotorBiscuit - Is Living in Your Car Dangerous?

Invisible People - How Gas Prices Adversely Affect Vehicular Homelessness

Truck Stops (Service Station/Travel Center)

Showers can be pretty expensive at truck stops like Love’s, Pilot, Flying J, T/A, etc. The cost will usually range anywhere from $12 to $17 depending on the place you go to. They all have a large parking area, a fueling station, a diner or restaurant, a convenience store and usually a coin-operated laundry services too. Some may even offer other services like a movie theater, pet wash, workout rooms, salons, etc..

These facilities are usually pretty clean and modern. But if you do use the showers, just be sure to wear flip-flops if you don’t want to get warts or athletes foot. And keep in mind that the truck stops in rural areas are typically very safe and wholesome. But, as the distance to major cities decreases the incidence of prostitution, drug peddling etc. increases dramatically. For example, the Vince Lombardi service area on the New Jersey Turnpike near New York City has the most rampant prostitution.

Also. if you join a particular chain, such as Love’s customer loyalty program you can usually get a free shower if you spend $50 or more on diesel fuel (or if you get 1,000 gallons in a month you’ll earn a free shower or a free hot meal). You may want to consider this if you have a diesel-powered vehicle or a diesel generator that you regularly use.

I have heard that there are some truck drivers that will sometimes give away their free shower credit/coupon to those in need. They don't always have the time to take a shower that day or don’t need it because they already took one and it would have gone to waste otherwise.

Guide 2 Homelessness - Survival Guide to Homelessness: Truck Stops

CTC Trucking - Everything You Need to Know About Truck Stops Showers

NATSO - How Truckstops Can Help the Homeless

King5 News - Homeless camp at Washington rest stops

Los Angeles Times - I lived in a truck for 6 1/2 years. Trust me, trying to roust homeless from their vehicles is no solution.

Prime Inc. - 10 Best Truck Stops in America

Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips - Tips on Laundromat Use and Doing Laundry by Truck Drivers

Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips - Showers for Professional Drivers: Options and Money Saving Tips

USA Today - These 10 great truck stops surprise travelers with everything from dog parks to bidets

Drivin’ & Vibin’ - 7 Things Non-Truckers Should Know About Truck Stops

Campsite

Regular campgrounds cost around $20 to $60 per night, depending on the season, location, the size of the space, and what amenities they offered. But what most don’t know is that there’s actually a type of camping that’s free and yes, it’s also legal.

Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services; such as trash removal, and little or no facilities; such as tables and fire pits, are provided. Some of the more popular dispersed camping areas may have toilets though. If not, that means you’ll need to deal with your own poop by properly burying it or packing it out with you. Essentially ‘Leave No Trace’ and practice the concept of ‘Pack It In – Pack It Out’.

However, to access dispersed camping areas you’ll need a vehicle to get to them. So this option won’t be possible for every homeless person, only those that still have a vehicle (and/or a tent) to take shelter in. There are also limitations on how long you can stay. Most only allow for less than ten days a month, but it varies for each location. After ten days, you can just move down the road five or ten miles away from your pervious spot. This will keep you from breaking the law.

The general rule is to be a minimum of at least 100-200 feet away from any road, trail or water source. Individual forests might have their own restrictions, so it is always best to check with them before setting up camp.

Forest Service: U.S. Department of Agriculture - Dispersed Camping Guidelines

U.S. Bureau of Land Management - Camping on Public Land

FreeCampSite - Dispersed Camping

The Dyrt Magazine - Yes, You Can Find Free Camping in National Forests! Here’s How

The Dyrt Magazine - Boondocking: The Complete Guide to Free Camping (Almost) Anywhere

The Dyrt Magazine - Your Complete Guide to Free Camping Across the Country

The Outbound Collective - The dirt on dispersed camping

Bay Nature Magazine - Public Lands Have Become a Refuge for People Priced Out of Housing in the West. Local Tensions are Increasing. What Now?

Youtube: Mountain Springs Adventures - How to Find Free (dispersed) Campsites in National Forests & BLM Land + My Recent Boondocking Spots! [video]

VICE - Homeless Are Flocking to America's Forests, But It's Damaging the Land

Campendium - Upcoming Dispersed Camping Changes You Should Know About for 2022

Tom’s Bike Trip - How To Wild Camp Anywhere For Free And Not Get Busted

Fresh Off The Grid - How to Find Free Camping in the US & Canada

Beyond The Tent - 19 Spots You Can Go Free Camping in New York

Youtube: Invisible People - Homeless Woman Shows How She Lives in a Tent [video]

Reddit: r/IAmA - IAmA man who has lived in the woods in a tent near the place I work(ed) since last September, for various reasons. Currently transitioning out of the situation. - AMA.

Mortons on the Move - Are Homeless People Living in the National Parks?

The Colorado Sun - Inside Colorado’s attempt to police the growing number of homeless camps in national forests

Reddit: r/SanJose - I'm homeless living in a tent in San Jose, AMA!

Youtube: Invisible People - Homeless woman "timed out" from a homeless shelter and now lives in a tent with her children. [video]

Gyms

Getting a gym membership means you can shower, shave, use a clean toilet, charge your phone, and spend hours a day in the gym just riding a stationary bike while listening to music, audiobook, podcast, etc. They’ll also have Wi-Fi available to members too.

Planet Fitness is the more popular and affordable option because it has a basic membership plan for $10/month, but it’s only for one location. It gives you unlimited access to their gym (which is open 24 hours a day), their app, free fitness training and free Wi-Fi. However, they do charge an annual fee of $39 and a one-time start-up fee of $1. That said, there’s no commitment.

If you get their $25/month plan, that gives you unlimited access to all of their other locations and a few more perks too, such as you can bring in a guest anytime, use their tanning beds, HydroMassage, discounts on drinks, etc. But it does required a $39 annual fee and a $1 start-up fee, and there’s no commitment either.

If you’re still not sure, they do offer a free day pass for the club of your choice. Just fill out a form online, and a day pass will be e-mailed to you. Keep in mind that you may be required to show some ID upon check-in, and all day pass users are required to take a free tour.

Another option is to consider joining the YMCA. They have financial assistance available, which provides access to membership, programs, childcare, and camps to those in need of support. However, I’m hesitant to suggest this one because the pricing greatly depends on your age, financial state and where you’re located. If you live in a small town, the price will be lower than the membership price in a large city. They also have different rates, which vary by age and what services you want to access.

For example, the regular price for an adult membership (over 30) is $50/month. Even if you applied for financial assistance, the max discount is only 30% and $35.00/month isn’t feasible for those that are homeless or struggling to keep afloat. But of course, you do get access to every Y’s and a lot more stuff than you would at a gym, like the pool, classes, locker rental, towel service, showers, hot tub, steam room, etc.

But I have heard that some YMCA’s do offer free membership if you qualified, such as those that are a member of the military or a veteran. Some senior citizen can get a free membership through their Medicare Advantage plan. If you’re under 18 many YMCA locations offer free summer memberships for teens and tweens. They even have free classes and programs that are accessible without a membership, which is useful because at one point they had free lifeguard training.

Note: If a credit card is necessary, get a prepaid Mastercard. It’s a universally accepted method of paying for purchases without the need for a credit score or a bank account. Prepaid cards are sold at retail stores (usually for a fee of $1.50-2.50 or free if ordered online). With these type of cards, you only need to load them up with money when you get it, then use it to make purchases. [x]

The Penny Hoarder - Gym Memberships So Cheap Your Budget Won’t Break a Sweat

Sports Illustrated - Is a Planet Fitness Gym Membership Right for You?

KCRW - For many homeless Angelenos, the gym is critical to survival [audio]

Smarter Homemaker - YMCA (Membership Cost, Benefits, & Alternatives)

Expensive Why - Why Are YMCA Memberships So Expensive in 2022?

Low Income Relief - How to Get a Free YMCA Membership

HomelessAdvice - The YMCA as a Homeless Shelter (Showers, Lockers, and Beds)

YMCA England & Wales - Where to go for support if you are homeless

Hygiene

Fitness centers are perhaps the most popular choice for the homeless, but there are also a lot of government-run campgrounds with coin-op shower facilities too.

If you’re traveling along the coast, public beaches will have ample showers available for free (but they may not be warm or private, and you’ll need a bathing suit). If you’re traveling inland, look for public beaches on lakes or rivers. Public swimming pools can do in a pinch, but you’ll usually have to pay a fee to enter.

Public bathrooms are everywhere (such as at the parks, libraries, department stores, fast food places, Penn Station, Port Authority Bus Terminal, etc.). You can use a washcloth and a collapsible bucket (or a large plastic cup) to wash up with. Just fill it up with the water from the sink and use it to quickly wash your hair and/or privates, especially if it’s one of those single locked public restroom. If not, maybe take the bucket/cup into the toilet stall and wash in there.

If all else fails, using baby wipes (which you can get for a $1.00 at Dollar Tree) to stay clean is certainly better then nothing.

Roadtrippers - 6 tips for showering and staying clean while on the road

wikiHow - How to Stay Clean when Homeless

Boondocker’ s Bible - Where to Take a Shower When You Live in a Car?

Hope's Corner - Laundry Service Helps the Homeless

Medium - Staying Clean While Homeless.

Clean the World Foundation - Mobile Showers: Street Outreach For People Experiencing Homelessness

Survival Recipes - Hygiene

National Association for Continence (NAFC) - The Best Bathroom Locator Apps

Bathroom City - Top 4 Bathroom Locator Apps For Android and iOS

Public Shower Directory - Free Showers

Mail

Having an address is essential for applying to a job, for benefits or housing, receiving official communications, opening a bank account, replacing identification, registering the vehicle you live in, and so many other reasons too.

That’s why most homeless first try asking their friends or family if they can use their address for when the paperwork requires a permanent address. However, there are many who don’t have strong bonds with friends or family and so, this route isn’t often taken.

Some homeless shelters offer to collect and distribute mail for their guests. If there’s a shelter someone regularly returns to, it makes sense for them to receive their mail there if possible. But they will have their limits. They may institute a maximum number of people they can receive mail for at one time. Or, more commonly they’ll have a maximum number of days mail will be held before being discarded.

Some churches, generally larger ones, offer mail services to people without permanent addresses too. These are often the same places that offer meal services. So, it may be convenient for people to pick up their mail at a place they already go regularly to eat. Like shelters, church mail programs will often have a maximum holding period.

If it’s affordable enough, some people who are homeless do pay for a PO box, either permanently, temporarily, or intermittently when they need to receive something. If there aren’t any accessible places offering free mail services in the area, this may be the only option.

USPS - Is there Mail Service for the Homeless?

Invisible People - How Do People Who Are Homeless Get Their Mail?

HomelessAdvice - Where Do Homeless Get Their Mail?

NPR - A Post Office Lifeline for the Homeless [audio]

Coalition For The Homeless - Emergency Mail Program

UK Postbox - Vulnerable people that use our service

WIRED - The radical plan to give every homeless person an address

Water/Food

Soup kitchens have become a place of refuge for those less fortunate souls. Aside from free food, most soup kitchens also provide other necessities such as clothing and hygiene kits. Though some soup kitchens only serve soup and bread, others serve a freshly-cooked full course meal. They also provide a take-out bag with a sandwich and other goodies.

Food pantry is supplied with food, such as fresh produce, canned goods, and healthy frozen items from a food bank. These pantries feed hundreds of low-income people per week. Because every community is different, there are many different types of pantries. But before you go, you should always call the food pantry (or the soup kitchen) to find out when they are open and if they have food. Most pantries offer a three to five day supply of healthy food for low-income families. When possible, pantries provide special items for those family members on restricted diets.

Most pantries will require some form of identification such as a Social Security card, Public Assistance, or photo ID. Many also require a referral letter from a social service agency such as the Board of Social Services, a community organization, or your place of worship to show proof of your need for assistance.

Another option is going to a mom and pop store (local family owned) or pizzeria, bakery, supermarket, Dunkin’, etc. before closing time and asking them if you could maybe take out their trash or sweep up in exchange for their leftovers or day old's. As they would’ve thrown out the still perfectly edible food into the dumpster anyway. Most of the time they'll let you do a little token chore or take pity and just give you something.

As for water there are many places where you get free water and/or water refills, such as public water refill stations or drinking water fountains that you can always find at all the parks. There’s even an app that lists all of the places where you can find them.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service - 10 Myths and Facts About SNAP for Homeless Persons [pdf]

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service - Are you homeless? You might be able to get food help from SNAP! [pdf]

Move For Hunger - About Hunger and Homelessness

Homeless Shelter Directory - Soup Kitchens, Food, Pantries, Food Banks

Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen - What is a Soup Kitchen?

Coalition For The Homeless - I Need Food

Coalition For The Homeless - Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry Listings

Feeding America - Find Free Food and Groceries

Reddit: r/Frugal - If you need food, go to a food pantry. Periodt.

Helping Americans Find Help - New Jersey Food Assistance

New York Post - I went dumpster diving at my local Whole Foods and found $1,000 worth of fresh baked goods, produce

New York Post - Brooklyn hipsters go Dumpster-diving for dinner

Los Angeles Times - Dumpster Diving Pays Off in Pizzas

The U.S. Sun - I’ve saved £700 in two months by bin diving – ALL my food comes from the trash and I share it with homeless people

Save the Student - 20 ways to get free food

Happy Sprout - These food waste apps will help you save money – and the planet

Android Police - 12 helpful eco-friendly Android apps to tackle food waste

MakeUseOf - 3 Food Sharing Apps to Make Your Eating More Sustainable

Fast Company - Don’t buy bottled water: This app tells you the closest place you can fill up for free

Bustle - This App Helps You Avoid Buying Plastic Water Bottles & It’s Low Key Genius

BBC News - App shows water refill stations to tackle plastic waste

California Beaches - Pier Fishing in California

Irish Mirror - Homeless people living on canal banks and forced to fish for their food in desperate struggle to survive

Survival Recipes - Food

HomelessAdvice - How to Get Free Food When Homeless

SBS - When you're homeless, how do you eat to stay somewhat healthy?

Reddit: r/mealprep - Best food for when you're homeless and can't cook?

Misc.

American Outdoor Guide - Street Survivors: Basic, Proven and Practical Survival Skills from the Homeless

M.D. Creekmore - How To Survive Being Homeless and Broke

Distractify - Formerly Homeless Share What Aid Was Most Helpful to Them

wikiHow - How to Stay Warm on Cold Winter Nights if You are Homeless

New York Post - How Siberia’s homeless survive the frigid winter

Medium - Weathered: The Struggle of the Homeless to Survive in Harsh Weather

Invisible People - Vision Impairment in the Homeless Community

Feel Good Contacts - Sight problems in the homeless

National Eye Institute - Get Free or Low-Cost Eye Care

NeedHelpPayingBills - Free prescription glasses and eye exams near you

wikiHow - How to Stay Clean when Homeless

Fast Company - This Mobile Shower And Laundry Lets The Homeless Stay Clean

Forbes - For L.A.’s Homeless, A Free Mobile Laundry Service Strives To Be ‘Part Of The Solution’

Inquirer - The Hub of Hope’s laundry services help homeless people feel 'normal’ again

The Guardian - Cleaning up: mobile laundry for the homeless goes international

Low Income Relief - Where to Charge Your Phone When Homeless: 10 Options

Frugal Reality - Where to Charge My Phone for Free? 17 Ways To Charge Without Electricity & Homeless

HomelessAdvice - Where to Charge Your Phone When Homeless

CNET - Wi-Fi is a lifeline in the pandemic. It's harder to get if you're homeless

CBS New York - LinkNYC Charging Kiosks Become Magnets For Homeless

The Daily Telegraph - Homeless rely on smartphones to survive but finding somewhere to re-charge is a challenge

Father Joe’s Villages - Homelessness and Dental Health Care

Care For the Homeless - Making Dentistry More Accessible

Family Resources - 7 Surprising Items to Help the Homeless

Metro - These formerly homeless people have shared the best things you can do to really make a difference

BetterMissions - The 7 Best Things to Give the Homeless Instead of Money

The Right To Shower - What Do People Experiencing Homelessness Need Most Besides Shelter?

[actuallydrinkingtea]

My Top 5 Song Picks of 2024

In no particular order:

Duvet by BOA

Rise by Raveena

Make Friends by Hiatus Kaiyote

Weird by KAYTRANADA & Durand Bernarr

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over by Lenny Kravitz

Honorary Mentions:

Survival (album) by Hope Tala

Badlands by Earth Surface People

Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain (album) by Raveena

Dirt Roads by Tia Wood

26 by Caamp (Hellooooo, I got married at 26 this year, literally.)

Judge Judy by Tyler, the Creator

Duvet is like a warm vanilla-sugar Bath & Body Works™ hug from my childhood. It's nostalgic, hopeful, and gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I remember when this song blew up again (it dropped back in ‘98, but made its TikTok return in ‘21, and again in ‘23), and we all started manifesting that 2024 would feel like this song. The whole trend of romanticizing your life and embracing being just a little bit delusional? Honestly, it's a great reframing practice. It helps us appreciate the life we have and the small, beautiful moments.

Rise is straight-up about activism—“rising up” against everything wrong in the world. Raveena has been outspoken about Free Palestine, queer, and abortion rights at her shows and on social media. She’s an actual earth angel. I was lucky enough to meet her at a guided meditation she hosted before her performance at Showbox Sodo. The experience was so calming and grounding, and it gave me a deeper appreciation for her as both an artist and a person. After the show, she went straight to the merch table to meet and greet her fans. I can't stress enough how genuine she is in her fan service—she truly loves and appreciates the people who support her. That’s rare in this industry. I’m telling you, unless she decides to go live in an eco-conscious community somewhere (which would also suit her vibe, tbh), Raveena is on track to become the next Stevie Nicks. I know, I know, we shouldn't pit women against each other, but hear me out—every generation needs that iconic, barefoot goddess twirling on stage, backed by insane talent. And Raveena? She’s the one. The way she blends spirituality, activism, femininity, queerness, Indian roots, neo-soul, and early-2000s R&B is pure genius. I can't wait to see what projects she shares with us in 2025.

Make Friends by Hiatus Kaiyote. So, here’s the thing: I’ve been slowly diving into more Hiatus Kaiyote over the past year and a half. It started with Slip Into Something Soft and Nakamarra, then evolved into Everything Is Beautiful (and for the Adventure Time fans, don’t miss their track BMO is Beautiful featuring THE Niki Yang iykyk). But when I first listened, I had no idea what the band looked like. So you can imagine my surprise when I Googled them and saw a group of white Aussie musicians making the kind of soulful, funky, jazzy music I associate with Black artists in the R&B, soul, and jazz traditions. It’s fascinating because their sound is so rooted in those genres, but they’re coming from a completely different cultural background. It got me thinking about how genres like R&B and jazz have always transcended boundaries, and how it’s cool to see artists from around the world drawing from these rich, Black musical traditions. Reddit confirmed I wasn’t the only one taken aback by the band's Aussie roots, but honestly, I can’t deny that they make it work. Make Friends is a straight-up bop, and it’s all about that real connection—when you find your people, you just vibe. Anyway, moving on!

Weird by KAYTRANADA & Durand Bernarr. This one hit me hard in 2024. Sometimes I’m the one judging the "weird" person in the room, but other times I am that weird person. As a socially awkward 20-something with a bit of Capricorn energy, I don’t always mesh with certain social settings—and sometimes, I’m just being a little bit of a bitch. This whole album is a banger, but this song? It clicked with me in a way I didn’t expect. The ‘Timeless’ album was a frequent pick for my hot girl walks in 2024.

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over—and this post ain’t over yet! 2024 was the year Lenny Kravitz blessed us with his tour, new music, and—perhaps most memorably—that video of him bench-pressing in leather pants and a mesh shirt at the gym. Honestly, I’m pretty sure that viral moment almost topped the blanket scarf meme. Thank you for your service, LK. I promise I’ll finally listen to Blue Electric Light in the new year.

2024 was a year of embracing the awkward, the beautiful, and everything in between. Music was my guide through it all—helping me find moments of peace while also pushing me to confront the parts of myself I’d once kept hidden. From standing up for what truly matters to connecting with those who see and feel the same way, this year was about evolving, unlearning, and stepping into my truth without hesitation. Here’s to carrying that forward—more growth, more love, and more of those beautifully imperfect moments in the year ahead.

Song links <3 tagged below

[felixstudios]

Every since that post about the managers playing Subnautica, I just wanna know what they would think about Minecraft

Random Corporate Clash Headcanons, Playing Minecraft Edition

Duck Shuffler

🎰Has a house made of random blocks he decided were neat. Together it looks like a complete mess, but he loves it

🎰Finds the freedom of choice a bit overwhelming sometimes, so he uses his slots to decide what he's gonna do next. Even if he ends up getting "fight the Ender Dragon" 32 minutes into a new world, he will do it or die trying

Prethinker

🧠You remember those Minecraft essentials books we all had as kids? He got those and studied them, learned they were heavily outdated, and looked on Reddit for guides and knowledge on the game before he'd even launch the game

🧠Wants to do everything he can think of in the game so he has bragging rights

🧠His house is a hole he dug in the ground because, "Appearances don't matter. What matters is all my tools are inside!"

Derrick Man

🛢️Plays on hardcore just because

🛢️Pretty much just likes to get OP tools and armor and then go hunt monsters and kill bosses

🛢️Preparing for a fight with the Warden

Deep Diver

🫧Very interested in the ocean biomes and will make an underwater base with a huge glass dome so he can watch the fish swim around

🫧Plays on peaceful because she just gets annoyed by all the monsters, especially drowned

Rainmaker

⛈️Plays on peaceful because the monsters scare her, and she still gets scared because she expects monsters to still lurk around or glitch in

⛈️Had to turn off cave noises because they always made her run out of caves

⛈️Loves her farm, though. She will grow a lot of crops just because she really likes it

Land Acquisition Architect

🚦He's the guy who builds a mega base, entire cities, ETC. ALL IN SURVIVAL MODE.

🚦If he goes on creative mode {he will a lot}, let's just say he's gonna become famous in the Minecraft community for his builds

🚦Knows a lot of really niche things about the game, which makes him good at the Minecraft prison escape niche as well

Gatekeeper

⚔️Fights monsters constantly and plays on hardcore

⚔️Her biggest flex is beating the ender dragon on hardcore with only leather armor, a stone sword, and a bucket of water

⚔️She wants to fight the wither and the ender dragon at the same time

Witch Hunter

🔱He doesn't play it

Public Relations Representative

🧱Has a lot of fun playing the game, though he frequently forgets important things about the game and has to re-learn them

🧱His favorite thing to do is explore the different biomes on the surface and just run around

🧱Builds small bases, but he never stays in one place for too long because he just wants to explore

Bellringer

🔔If he sees a monster, he's gonna kill it

🔔Likes to carry a LOT of potions of regeneration with him. He's learned a thing or two from fighting Toons, after all.

🔔Builds a really cool base over the course of a few months

Multislacker

🥪Plays on peaceful because he doesn't feel like having to constantly fight

🥪Mostly just sits around and watches animals walk around since he's too lazy to play

Mouthpiece

☎️She's that one person who plays on normal difficulty. Probably the only person

☎️Has a modest base and doesn't get super far in the game, especially because she mostly just plays it to spend time with her grandchildren

☎️If any monsters hurt her grandkids, she will THROW HANDS.

Major Player

🎹Makes a lot of note block redstone contraptions

🎹Has a HUGE house, and of course the stage he performs on is recreated in his house

🎹Loves showing off his builds online

Firestarter

🔥Plays with Graham... yes, their beds are right next to each other

🔥Flint wants to play on peaceful but Graham doesn't, so they decided to play on hard but make Flint undetectable by monsters

🔥Mostly mines for materials and just goes along with whatever Graham wants to do

Plutocrat

🌑Doesn't really care much for the game

🌑Likes going on creative mode to build whatever's on his mind, but otherwise it's just not very interesting to him

Treekiller

🪵Plays with Chip a lot. They have a large base together

🪵Likes cutting down lots of trees and made the base himself just out of said wood. It looks amazing, actually

🪵Also loves to go mining for materials

Chainsaw Consultant

🪚Plays with Spruce a lot

🪚He doesn't really enjoy any one thing in particular and just does whatever he feels like in the moment or whatever Spruce wants to do

🪚Watches animals walk around a lot since it's really calming and peaceful to him

Featherbedder

💤Falls asleep while playing a lot

💤Zzz....

Pacesetter

👟Plays with Flint a lot

👟Is always wanting to expand the base just because why not? But he usually gets frustrated with how long it takes to gather all the materials and then do the building part so he cheats a lot to do it faster

👟Has a content pack that replaces paintings with pictures of him and Flint together. Their room is covered in paintings

[selamat-linting]

Read a bunch of nosleep stories this week and here's my thoughts on them

Something walks whistling past my house every night at 03.03

really love this one! the description of the terror that the poor kids and parents felt are visceral enough despite the story not showing any excess violence. i like that it's not some disaster that could easily solved by people walking away, that there's incentive for people to risk still living in the cul de sac. short, actually scary, and effective. 10/10

My student submitted the most disturbing living history I've ever seen

a good rule of thumb is to stay away from any fictional story that involves foreign countries on reddit. this has all the lies, us army members being a good force on impoverished countries doing reparation projects after a war, pop culture as the reason someone lives on despite great suffering, and the general attitude of american chauvinism is pervasive within the story despite the teacher's disdain for the stupidity of american youths. the most annoying american chauvinist is the self hating, in denial ones, and this story is encapsulation of them. plus the punchline of this horror story is, "mentally ill man does mentally ill things and dies" so its not scary imo. 1/10

The previous tenant of my new flat left a survival guide (series)

promising concept but it suffers from a lack of editing. it was fine at first, but it gets worse as it goes on that i have to quit reading on chapter 4. the postman constantly say love it's like when weebs in 2010 starts saying desu after every sentence. its deeply grating. the exposition were often done at awkward times that it completely break the pacing and tension of the story. the cult reveal falls flat because theyre a bunch of corny fucks who gloated like a cheesy supervillain instead of an actual threat who could have just straight up burn terri's apartment before they put up a fight. also the over reliance of mysterious immortal figures who shows up for plot device then disappears is peak bad reddit writing. plus its not scary. 4/10

Her name was Emma

deeply unsettling! bravo! the mundane horror of having your friends appreciate a punchline more than you is bad enough but lets add that with possibly killing a good friend! i like that even at the end, our protagonist never got her closure and still couldn't see the remains of emma. i find this creepy, but it doesn't really scare you afterwards. it doesnt make me feel uneasy going to bed. that being said, it's still a good story that does its job. 7/10

[therealbeachfox]

Hi, I have another ask about stuff in TCAK series!

I'm so fascinated by all the bits and pieces that you drop about Con's past and Gotham in general. We of course have all the reddit stories in part one, like all the times people thought Con was dead, but there's a whole bunch of things that are referenced but not fully explained. Off the top of my head: however Con ended up with Caleb (something about ending up trapped in a demon worshippers basement?); posing as a kidnapping victim; a bunch of things listed at the very beginning of TCAK Meets the Second Robin. How do you come up with all of those and how do you keep it all straight? And, selfishly I want to know, are we going to get backstories or will they remain mysteries?

Also this section from TCAK Meets Matches Malone which was so evocative that I am dying to know how you came up with it.

This wasn’t an uncommon experience for Gothamites.             It was rarely openly acknowledged, never actually discussed, but everyone had the experience. The way that the world would seem to unmoor itself and slip an inch or two to the side as you stood there, looking down an alleyway that you knew had never been there before, the shadows in it deeper and darker than they should be. Or listened to the intermingled thrumming warbles of pigeons and calling of crows and hearing the shapes of words behind the noise. Or looking at graffiti and seeing the hints of riddles that hadn’t been asked yet beneath the chaos. Strange shapes that’d lurk on rooftops that weren’t Bats. Voices from sewer grates, faded and green-stained copper plaques on the sides of buildings that’d never been there before and would never be there again. Looking through a gap between buildings and for an instant seeing a skyline you’d never seen before. Gotham was filled with the unexplained. It was built from mysteries.

Thank you!!

Alright, let's take this in sections!

Part I: Untold Stories

I really need to figure out a way to rewrite the opening to TCAK Meets Robin because enough people've been confused that I was obviously unclear.

Basically, everything mentioned (Chained in some demon-worshiper's basement, standing on top of Wayne Tower, getting held at lasergun-point, the ice-covered skyscraper, the reality-rending) are all future events (laid out in more or less chronological order) that will be happening down the line. All points in the future where Conrad's going to be going "How the FUCK did this become my life? ...Oh right, when I found out that Boss was Robin."

When I was half-way through Reddit Posts, I decided that yes, I was absolutely going to try and make a huge thing of this, and sat down to at least try and sketch out a plot-arc to follow. Which is where all the future events came from. And so far, I've managed to stick to it pretty well. The plot-beats have just managed to expand on me despite my best efforts. :)

Plot beat 2: Some-asshole w/ magical artifact attacks Red Hood's shit. Conrad beats down. Matches should be there, why not (Con thinks Matches = Batman?) *good place to have Con "die" onscreen

Basically, anything that shows up as a passing reference or Noodle Incident is something I have a fuller version of in my head, the details just aren't important at the time. A number of things will probably only stay references just because showing them onscreen would really harsh the vibe (the details of Bianca's Joker-Gas bombing and the aftermath, the shelter fire Conrad survived at 17) but I keep them in mind in case there ever does come a good point to include them and to guide how I portray Conrad.

Don't know if how Conrad and Caleb officially met will ever get a place to slide in, but in summery: In the wake of the shelter fire, Conrad was back to living on the streets, not doing the best with his situational awareness, and gets kidnapped by the same assholes who'd grabbed Caleb and buddies from their abandoned building squat. They figured Conrad and Caleb looked enough alike that they could be rented out as "brothers", so they got put together. Once Conrad pulled himself back together (figuring this was just a week or two at most since he'd watched a bunch of his friends burn to death, so he's not at his best), he goes all Conrad at the situation which ends with whatever building they were being kept in aflame, a bunch blood everywhere, a bunch of kids back on the street, and a fully adopted little cousin to take care of.

The "Posing as a kidnap victim" was actually a whole side-digression I'd written out, but it was almost a mini-story of its own only without a point or real resolution, just 'and here's another way my parents fucking sucked but also taught me how to be utterly terrifying', so I wound up cutting it out and just left the side reference and the dream of that persona taking over his life and kicking him out. It might come up again later, or I might sit down with it and work it into an actual Side Story, but not currently.

Part II: Creepy Gotham:

I -love- urban horror/suburban creepy shit. I blame 1990s tabletop RPGs, but I keep the vibes fed with a steady diet of "Creepy /AskReddit Compilations". That specific section you quoted, however? I'll admit, I was pretty much channeling the vibe and writing style of "Unknown Armies", an utterly -fantastic- tabletop RPG that is just one of my favorite things and I find hard to describe without descending into an hour-long ramble.

Basically, a modern world with a secret occult underground of very disturbed people. Everything happens for a reason, but fuck if you're likely to ever know what that reason is. The stuff I wrote back in the day for online forums in the Unknown Armies style merged with the Gotham spooky atmosphere, the occult horror element of DCU that's gotten more prevalent since Constantine and friends became central elements, and particular future plot-points I wanted to seed hints of so you get the urge to throttle me when you re-read that section a year from now.