#to this day im very environmentally conscious

[an-theduckin]

What was your weirdest childhood crush

I'll go first The Guy from pat patrol

HELP THIS GUY?? 😭

Mine was probably the grinch. I thought I could fix him 😔

[penny-anna]

oh another Layer of discomfort to me getting my period on christmas this year:

i didn't pack any Supplies (this was my bad, i did actually know it was due on the 28th and 3 days early is not abnormal for me)

my aunt & uncle's house is way out in the countryside where nowhere is gonna be open christmas OR boxing day

my aunt is. aggressively eco-conscious. like no judgement on ppl being eco-conscious obvs but within the family there's a long-standing suspicion that she uses reusable cloths in the bathroom instead of toilet paper (we are all afraid to ask if this is the case)

so u can see my concern, based on her track record it's very possible she's like a mooncup or reusable pad user or something which is obviously totally fair (im actually a period panties gal these days so i Get It) but NOT great if you're a guest having an emergency

mercifully she did have sanitary towels. slightly to my surprise they were Always which are not one of the greener brands. no judgement obvs you get what you can get just mildly surprising

this is actually a problem not bcos of the environmental issue but bcos i had to stop using Always bcos they added scent and it turned out i was allergic

this is actually why i started using organic sanitary towels ie felt i could trust them to remain unscented

from past experience scented pads are okay for a little while but then will start to Burn and it's been long enough that i don't remember how long it takes for my skin to react so i'm there for like 2.5 days like pleasseeeee do not hurt me

it's also just been a real long time since i used 'traditional' pads (organic pads have a very different texture in my experience + i've been using panties for a while) and they're like. gross, honestly? i will spare u the details but they are somehow much grosser than what i've grown used to.

anyway i actually forgot to go change my underwear when i got home and then a few hours later was like why am i burning - OH

[bingoboingobongo]

task force 141 + favorite starbucks holiday drinks

Characters: Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, John Price, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra

Warnings: none

A/N: bc the 'alpha males only drink black coffee' mentality is stupid. give these men a creme brulee latte. also can u tell im running out of ideas (help)

simon "ghost" riley:

yeah yeah ik i said this was gonna be starbucks holiday drinks but guys you really think simon's the kinda guy to order a sugar cookie pumpkin spice creme brulee apple strudel frappucino?

yeah that's what i thought

the others will all follow the theme tho i swear

but for now let's talk about simon

he doesn't drink starbucks very much but when he does he usually has two go to drinks

a steamed apple juice or a london fog tea latte

he'll get the latte hot or cold depending on the weather ofc

his favorite thing to do is cozy up with a nice book and a warm drink from starbucks especially during the winter months

and bc he's an environmentally conscious king (and because he has a reputation to maintain let's be real) he always brings his own black tumbler for the drink

also i don't know why but i like to think that he has a bunch of starbucks gift cards from random holidays over the years

so he hasn't spent his own money on starbucks in months

he also never orders in person

and he puts down another name for his order too

sometimes ghost will order a hot chocolate though

but they have a tendency to be really sweet so they're not his favorite

john "soap" mactavish:

alright so i feel like soap's go to holiday drinks is the irish cream cold brew

also before i explain why why is no one talking about the shadows constantly calling soap a leprechaun and an irish person?

like it happens multiple times during the alone mission and it's so funny

anyways

what can i say soaps a cold foam kind of guy

he's just like me frfr

honestly he really doesn't have much of a sweet tooth (at least when it comes to coffee) and he feels like the slight sweetness of the cold foam mixed with the bitter cold brew makes the perfect coffee sweetness

also soap's the kind of person to get iced drinks no matter the weather

like it could be snowing and hailing and he'd still get his iced coffee

he also asks for extra cold foam

bc he likes those first few sips where all you get is the foam before the coffee starts mixing in

also off topic but soap also went feral during the free red cup day

like you know he dropped everything to grab one before they ran out

he's done it everytime they do it and he's so scared that he's gonna miss his streak because of work some day

kyle "gaz" garrick:

alright so maybe it's sorta simple but in gaz's opinion you can never go wrong with an iced peppermint mocha

i mean the name itself just screams holidays

and the flavor speaks for itself

gaz is just a fan of chocolate in general though

and he actually doesn't really like coffee, so the sweetness of the chocolate is nice because it combats the bitterness of the coffee

he also really likes peppermint so it works out too

like you know those peppermint chocolates you get from olive garden?

he eats those up oml

he also only puts in one shot of espresso

because a lot of caffeine makes him anxious

also he doesn't like staying awake at night most of the time

plus he always gets less whipped cream

it's surprising but he's honestly not that much of a fan

that being said though, you can't have a mocha without whipped cream

so he'll oblige a little bit

john price:

alrighty so price's favorite drink is a caramel brulee frappucino

and i am very confident in saying that

i don't really know why but i just feel like he would enjoy it

i like to think that the first time he had it was when someone else went on a coffee run and he told them to just get him whatever

so they got him this and now he's obsessed

he's always been a fan of caramel so it only makes sense

like he goes ham on the caramel

people have told him to just get a caramel frappucino instead but he never does

so instead he gets the caramel brulee frappe with caramel sauce, syrup, drizze

the whole nine yards

i mean price has a sweet tooth what can i say

he needs something to balance out the flavor of all those cigars he smokes

and yes gaz and the others always makes fun of price whenever he gets his drink

but price doesn't even care he is living his best life

he also definitely gets a reindeer cake pop too whenever he goes

the chestnut praline latte is definitely a close second for price tho

but he likes the texture of a frappucino over a latte

alejandro vargas:

okay so honestly ik it's kinda basic but alejandro is a hot chocolate kinda guy

i mean it's like the most iconic holiday drink there is

besides like eggnog or smthing but tbh i always forget eggnog is a thing

anyways hot chocolate is always like the thing to get alejandro in the holiday spirit

it brings him back to making ibarra hot chocolate with his family as a kid

ofc starbucks hot chocolate is not as good as ibarra

but hot chocolate is hot chocolate and it gets the job done in a pinch

one time he tried adding cinnamon to the starbucks hot chocolate to make it more like ibarra

man to this day he doesn't know what he did wrong but he knows something was wrong bc it did not taste like ibarra at all

it tasted worse than it started too

that was truly disappointing

he also likes getting a sandwich or croissant from the bakery too as a light snack

rodolfo "rudy" parra:

alright so this one is easy

and honestly like the first one i thought of

but rudy lives for the sugar cookie almond milk latte

i also like to think that rudy tends to run pretty cold (especially during the winter) and so he gets the hot version and holds it in his hands with his sleeve pulled to his fingertips and let's the steam warm him up

while he does like a little dance to try and keep himself warm

i mean what can i say rudy is like the epitome of having a sweet tooth

plus he really likes sugar cookies so it works out

like he loves those soft sugar cookies you get at walmart (the lofthouse cookies)

also rudy is lactose intolerant

ur welcome all my lactose intolerant readers out there he's ur representation

idk man i just feel like that makes sense to me

and bc like the rest of you lactose intolerant lunatics he's incapable of actually avoiding dairy (seriously you guys have a problem) he has a bunch of lactaids in one of the pockets of his vest

[withlovelunette]

Hey! do you have any tips on assessing your own writing better? Im fairly new so I can't tell if what i write sounds decent or amateur (I am an amateur so it probably does sound that way but still)

Hello there! A perfectly valid question regardless of skill, this can be tricky for anyone if you ask me :,)

Read it out loud!

This is definitely my number one tip to check if my writing sounds clunky and if it flows well. In my experience, when I’ve been working with my own writing for long amounts of time, there comes a point where my internal monologue kinda just skims what I’m reading. I don’t pause as much when I come across punctuation when I read it in my head vs when I read it out loud. Try to read it out loud as if you’re reading it to someone else (or even read it to someone else if you’re comfortable with it!). If you find yourself struggling to get through a sentence out loud, then chances are that something about the word-choice or sentence structure is clunky and wordy (though I’m also the type to just stumble in general when I read out loud; but this is an intuitive thing you’ll be able to pick apart with better accuracy as you learn!)

Take a break!

Step away from your writing!!! How long you choose to step away from your writing can really depend on preference and how much you intend to edit. If I find myself stumbling through my writing but I can’t quite figure out exactly what’s wrong with it, then that’s usually a sign for me to take a break from it for a day or two. A lot of times you’ll be able to troubleshoot your own writing much more objectively when you approach it with a fresher pair of eyes, because you’ve detached yourself from the writing a little bit.

Have someone else read it!

If you’re comfortable and want an even fresher pair of eyes to look at your writing, have someone else read it! Whether they do so out loud to you or just for themselves is a preference thing, I’ve found both to be very helpful in different ways.

When someone else reads your writing out loud, you get to experience what it’s like for someone to read your writing without your voice influencing it. (When I say your voice in this instance, I’m not talking about your literal voice, but rather your “writing style”, preference in sentence structure, word choice, etc. Even when you read your own writing out loud, there’s a chance that you can miss clunky writing because it’s in a “voice” that you’re already accustomed to!) But I understand that it can be scary to have someone read your writing, especially out loud to you, so it's definitely not a method I turn to all too frequently :,)

Focus your nitpicking!

It can be very easy to get caught up with fixing every little problem, especially because there's almost always something that can be improved. However, I think I usually get more out of my own assessments by focusing my nitpicking instead of nitpicking... Everything. That isn't to say you should ignore problems that you come across if it's not part of your primary focus (especially if it's a relatively easy quick fix, like readjusting sentences a little bit). However, when tackling larger issues, like story structure, themes, character arcs, environmental descriptions, etc., it can be helpful to focus on only one thing in the editing process, or you'll easily find yourself lost and disorganised in the process, at least from my own experience ^^;

Read books!

And finally, I highly recommend to read! This is sort of a redundant tip to give, but this really does help me for a variety of reasons. The main thing is that it helps me "escape" my own voice, so when I come back to my own writing, it feels fresher and easier to approach objectively.

The second thing is that you can pick up on a bunch of advice whilst reading without even realising it! It's much easier to assess your own writing if you have something to compare it to, particularly if you're new to writing and might not be as "conscious" of the various writing choices you're making.

Outro

I won't make a very fancy outro, as this answer is long overdue, but I hope these tips were helpful! If there's anything I missed or you want me to elaborate on something, don't hesitate to shoot me another ask and I'll do my best to answer :,D Can't promise it'll be super timely considering my health situation, but I'll try to get to it as timely as I can manage :,) Thank you for the ask and good luck with your writing! <3

[tomatoluvr69]

You give off hippie vibes and seem like someone who is maybe not vegan but maybe pescatarian or maybe somebody who is just very health conscious. And you it's honestly such an inspirational vibe that I aspire to be like one day.

(If I've read you wrong and your none of these things than honestly idk what to say other than oops hope you like your new vibe!)

I do and should give off hippie vibes because I am one even though I don’t dress like it. I’m big into gardening and foraging and fermentation and psychedelics and pre-pandemic I used to dumpster dive as like an anti food waste thing and cook my finds lmaooooo this is not something I’ve admitted on here before. I had some run ins with law enforcement and then the pandemic happened and it’s going to be a long time before I start again lol but im still gardening and fermenting and stuff.

As for veganism I’m not a vegan! You got that right. I used to be a vegetarian but unrelated to that, I have a really long and difficult history with eating disorders so restricting my diet is a really bad idea for me :( mostly for me this looks like a decent amount of food is prepared with eggs, and also I eat a lot of plain Greek yogurt as a protein source. And I love goat cheese and ice cream so much. But I don’t really eat meat that often, but that’s largely for environmental reasons even though it doesn’t even fucking matter because of the jeff bezos rocket and the oil spills and mass produced cheap plastic trinkets Amazon two day shipping and Forever 21 and funko pops etc etc etc etc

Anyways, I think it’s specifically because of my ed history that I’m like this. It’s really hard for me to eat food if it’s not nice, (nice meaning tasty or special or interesting or prepared with some actual effort, not necessarily expensive) and that combined with the fact that I genuinely love to cook means that I tend to put a lot of thought and effort into what I eat. I don’t talk a lot about recovery on here bc I know it’s really triggering to a lot of people, but becoming interested in food as an art/hobby or whatever has been a really important component for me. Furthermore I truly think that gardening is one of the most inherently healing activities on the planet. I CANNOT recommend it highly enough for anyone going through through it— it’s astounding how palpably good it feels to me during and afterwards.

But I think for me the whole hippie thing is less of like an aesthetic lifestyle to strive for and more of a recognition of humans as part of an ecosystem, and a responsibility to live as a part of an equilibrium rather than something that takes and takes and takes. That being said I am BAD at it!!!! I take airplanes. I eat hamburgers sometimes because they’re awesome. I use electricity and eat imported cheeses and I think honestly I’ve reached a point in my life where recovery and forgiveness of myself are a far higher priority than completely radical ecological living because it’s impossible!! A cotton reusable tote requires like 15,000 uses before it overtakes the resources required to make it!!! We should all be using hemp and bamboo!!!! But you’ll drive yourself literally fucking crazy thinking about all that shit and we can’t all make hemp tote start-ups and honestly one time I was tripping on these mushrooms i picked and I felt this powerful breakthrough where I realized that environmental concerns were an extremely huge part of my orthorexic restriction and I would literally never, ever recover if I didn’t start consuming things I’d been freaking out about for years, I had to apply that mindset to other areas as well.

Wow I’m sorry I got waaaaaaaaayyyyy off track here. I guess the point is that you totally fucking clocked me, I grow food and make my own seitan and kombucha, but also I don’t necessarily consider myself a hippie because I’m still struggling to find a way where I can consume in a sustainable way and not fall down a spiral of tyrannical mental illness lmaooooo

Ok and all that being said, I just want to say that you can basically pirate ornamental lavender from ugly corporate landscaping by ripping off a couple branches and sticking them in old food containers full of potting soil and everyone should do it it’s awesome and also plant native wildflowers and stick some garlic cloves in raw honey and then you’ve got honey fermented garlic to snack on baby and mugwort will give you weird dreams and also genuinely eat literally everything you want to including poptarts and ice cream and also GMOs are fine. To eat. Monoculture ag is another problem (😡) but you can eat gmos and big dairy and corn syrup it’s fine

[harrytheehottie]

I'm not sure if you like Lorde, I'm myself a casual fan and I just saw the idea of the Music Box she'll release instead of a physical CD as a way to try and be more environmentally conscious. You seem to know more than me about the music industry and I appreciate how you put your opinions in here. What do you think about it? It seems like a nice idea, and it's true that phisical copies in this streaming era seem to have their days counted, yet vinyls have been going up.

hi! first thank you for thinking my opinions are good ones <3 but its definitely something that is very "her" in branding and a really unique idea. it's interesting to me that the price is the same even though there isn't a physical cd? as much as streaming is what makes up a lot of the music industry, there is always going to be a need/want for a physical copy of something! vinyls were not common 20 years ago and now its the first thing people want to buy as merch for an album! im not sure if there are any true "sustainable" ways to make a cd/vinyl and I find it kind of interesting that she opted to make vinyls which are bigger/take up more shipping space then cds do. but I think cd's will live forever tbh... I have cds that I literally never listen to because I just stream but yet I feel the need to keep buying them so!

[nekomasmissingmanagers]

can i pls rq a matchup 🥺?? hiya!! im a bi enby person! im 5’7” and plus size if that matters at all,, i study environmental science and am very passionate about conservation. my hobbies include gaming, reading, singing, and playing my guitar. my mbti is isfp, my enneagram is type 2, and my sun sign is virgo. im an introvert by nature but when I’m finally comfortable around you I will gab gab gab gab!!! i do a complete 180 from being quiet and cautious to laughing and rambling. im autistic, so I also have a bit of sensory issues and tend to hyperfixate so i feel so blessed my friends are so patient with me. friends describe me as empathetic, kind, but also having a bit of a boisterous attitude. a good gauge of how that feels would be “parrot” by stepdad! i just like to see people laugh and smile!! tysm and i hope you have an awesome day!! 💛💛💛

thank you so much for your request!

we match you with: misaki hana

→ hana would be by your side in a split second if you start to hyperfixate or go into sensory overload. she tries to be conscious of your sensory issues when planning dates in order to make them as stress-free as possible.

→ after being manager for johzenji for three years misaki has learned a thing or two about staying calm and being patient. she is always there to help you if you need anything at anytime.

→ whenever you start rambling or talking about something you’re passionate about, hana will focus on you and what you’re saying. she loves watching you talk about your passions and listening to you talk happily or ramble makes her happy.

→ misaki is surprisingly good at video games and will often play with you if the two of you are having a night in. she’s also happy just watching you play and seeing you get excited over winning.

→ one of hana’s dream dates to go on with you is a picnic in the park where you play guitar for her. she loves the idea of you playing guitar and eating baby castellas with her in the midst of spring.

→ the two of you will usually stay in for dates. you and misaki will order in food, watch movies, play video games, talk about anything and everything that comes to mind, and overall just enjoy each other's presence.

→ one of the qualities hana admires most about you is your ability to make others smile and laugh. the way you bring out the laughter in others brings a smile to her face especially when you’re trying to get her to laugh or smile. she knows that if she’s ever having a bad day that you’ll be there for her like she is for you.

admin rose’s second choice: yachi hitoka

admin camellia’s second choice: goshiki tsutomu

[gluestickcherrybum]

Happy Earth Day peeps! ヾ(@°▽°@)ノ

I haven’t written in a while but I wanted to write something for this occasion, and more posts about environmentalism since its something i’m quite passionate about. Coronavirus is pretty much all anyone’s talking about lately. And as a result , our entire way of living has been adjusted due to the outbreak: Staying indoors, washing our hands, and social distancing has become the new normal.

But just because we’re experiencing difficult times doesn’t mean we should lose sight of the bigger picture which is caring for the earth. 

Thinking about sustainability is even more important now because it connects us to the world at a time we’re told to quarantine ourselves. We’re told now more than ever to purchase single-use hand sanitizers, face masks, gloves, and other products. 

Unfortunately, these items will likely end up in landfills, or worse - the environment. Already, face masks are polluting the shores of Hong Kong. Also, people fear reusable items like never before - some businesses flat out refusing reusable mugs, containers and produce bags. While I understand we want to stay healthy, and prevent the spread of the virus, we should still make a conscious effort to think about how our decisions effect the Earth too. So, with this in mind, here’s how to stay zero waste during the coronavirus outbreak.

Why should we care about zero waste right now?

Sustainability probably isn’t on the forefront of anyone’s mind right now, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still care or talk about it. As I mentioned earlier, thinking about sustainability helps us connect to the world in a time we’re told to bunker down and stay inside. It helps us appreciate things and maybe view the world a little differently. And, as scary and disheartening as all of this is - there is some good news too.

For example, there have been several reports of clearer waters in Venice where fish are now visible. Air pollution has dropped significantly in Italy due to the fact that fewer fossil fuels are being burned from people staying indoors. Even New York, Los Angels, Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta have reported significant drops in air pollution.

I’m well aware these positive changes come at a cost - so they’re bittersweet, at most. However, they can’t be ignored. It would be fantastic if, after the emergency is over, we could remember the beauty we’ve seen reappear in the world and do our best to preserve it.

There’s of course negative news as well, single-use items are being disposed on the daily and ending up littering up our community. Worst part is, these gloves and masks are not biodegradable or good for the environment - they’re made with petroleum. They’re also a health hazard because you can’t exactly pick these items up without worrying you’ll catch something.

That’s why it’s so important to think about sustainability right now. And zero waste does figure into all of that. By remaining zero waste during this time, we’re acting on our commitment to bettering the planet as a whole. 

How can I stay zero waste during the coronavirus outbreak?

Thankfully, there are several ways to make an impact during this time. All hope is far from lost.

Make the most of your food by reducing food waste

In this hard time, the food we eat should be cherished. With so many people struggling to put meals on the table due to job loss, we need to make our food last us. One way we can do this is by cooking with leftovers. For example, if you have some leftover rice and vegetables - make fried rice. Or turn boiled potatoes into mash.You can also get creative and make vegetable stock out of food scraps, turn mushy berries into jam, pickle some fruit. Or getting into some good old composting.

Invest in reusable masks and gloves

During this time, you’ll likely see a ton of people walking around with face masks and gloves on. Most of them are single use too. As I mentioned earlier, lots of face masks and gloves are being littered right now. 

It’s bad enough these items are single use only, they should be disposed of properly. Face masks have already started to wash up on the shores of Hong Kong in addition to other ocean polluters. Yikes.

Cloth masks havent been proven to be as efficient as clinical face masks in filtering the air, but for those who are sick and would like to prevent infection to others, the cotton does aid in catching water droplets from coughing and such. Just make sure to wash them regularly.

Instead of plastic gloves, consider using those reusable rubber gloves that people use to wash dishes sometimes. You can wash them with soap or even boil them to disinfect.

Decluttering

If you haven’t yet read Marie Kondo’s book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, now’s a good time to get inspired. Time to go through all of your items and find the items that truly “spark joy” and be rid of the rest. Unfortunately during this time, you can’t exactly donate items to thrift shops. More than likely, thrift shops will be closed. However, you can at least set items aside to be donated once all of this is over. If you’re not comfortable waiting that long, you can always try selling it online like on Depop or Carousel.

That said, don’t be afraid to throw certain things out. I know that may seem kind of counterproductive, as I’m advising you to stay zero waste during this crisis.However, I’m fully aware there are some items we hold onto as zero wasters because we hope to keep them out of the landfill as long as possible. Items that are hard to recycle, or we don’t know how to recycle; items we believe we can fix but never get around to fixing; items simply destined for landfill one way or the other.

I know it hurts to let these items go, but you have to. It’s good for your mental health, and for the sake of your home. Remember: There is no such thing as being fully zero waste. We can get very close, but the truth is, our economy is a linear one. And every living creature creates waste of some sort. Now, this doesn’t mean I want you throwing out perfectly good items. Try to find items homes first! See if your friends or family want items you don’t first. Then, if not, seek to donate or sell. But obviously things like clothing tags and junk mail must go.

Invest in reusable period products

At this moment of crisis, with everyone panic buying basic necessities, menstrual pads and tampons are starting to get scarce so much so, you might have a hard time finding those items these days . This might be a good time to try out some sustainable alternatives. Women spend an enormous price in period products throughout their lifetime, so investing in reusables not only keeps a phenomenal amount of waste from landfills, but also saves the time going to the store and a whole lot of money.

Personally i use a menstrual cup (which i might write a whole post about it later), but for the less adventurous there are a good few other choices like reusable cloth pads and period panties (which sounded like a miracle when i first heard about them, but i haven’t seemed to be able to find any sold locally for now)

Heck, invest in reusable anything…

Its not just pads and tampons with reusable counterparts, if you want to get a little advanced in zero waste, try swapping out any disposable items possible, like stainless steel safety razors for plastic ones (ask your granddad), the infamous metal straw for plastic straws, or even things as simple as bar soap for bottled body soap.

Shop for food without the waste

During this time, please only stock up on what you need. You don’t have to hoard food - there’s plenty to go around. There’s more than enough food for everyone. Just take what you need and leave some for others.

To continue shopping sustainably, you can bring your own reusable shopping bags or produce bags (or you can diy some from old pillow cases)

I understand not everyone will be able to shop in bulk during this time for dry goods. So, you should shop as if you have no bulk food options. This means opting for items packaged in paper, cardboard, glass and aluminum.

If you must get something packaged in plastic, get the biggest container you can afford. Smaller plastics especially cling film are harder to or even impossible to recycle. Less than 9% of plastic is actually recycled so the less we consume, the less will likely end up in the landfill or oceans.

And thats all for today’s post, im sorry if its posted a bit later on Earth day than expected. I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these hard times. And if youre a student, i hope the online classes arent as bad as people say (im conveniently on a special leave of absence this semester (see my last post) so i have no idea how its going down) and if youre interested in more tips and tricks in being zero waste, feel free to hit me up and maybe ill write more posts like these. Thanks for reading ヽ(*・ω・)ﾉ

[trcshpark]

introduction.

- ̗̀   ––  ( tom holland, twenty one, cismale, he/him. )  hey, is that alan myers over there?  rumor has it,  they’re one of those townies.   they’ve lived in erith springs for their whole life  &  are currently working as a bookshop clerk.  i’ve heard they’re pretty wayward,  it’s just too bad they’re also dull-witted.  they remind me of worn down combat boots,  the sun setting over a hushed trailer park,  late night gas station food.   ̖́ -

it’s fran here again!  &  this time i’m bringing you my much less than friendly,  borderline recluse,  idiot of a boy!  i’ll leave some potential connections below for you to take a peek at  &  maybe spark some inspiration for plotting as well as go over the basics.  i’m always available through ims or discord for those who ask for it!  this is going to be significantly shorter than elijah’s.

so,  alan is something else.  a piece of work if you want to be nice about it.  he’s not the best of people  &  he’s never claimed to be.  he’s harsh,  rude,  very insensitive to how others are feeling  ( often times the case is, he doesn’t know or he doesn’t care )  &  can overall be somewhat of an asshole.  but that’s mostly because he’s definitely not a people person.  he enjoys his own space,  the number of friends he has is slim to none,  people generally know not to approach him.

&  what’s the perfect job for someone who’s not a people person,  you might ask? a book store clerk, duh.  alan is definitely not thrilled about his job,  but he’s been working there for so long that the job is the last thing he complains about.

he works for a family owned book store that’s renown for it’s collection of comic books  &  graphic novels. it’s about the only book store in erith springs you can find such an impressive collection.  so,  naturally he has to deal with ‘nerds’ all day long.  he doesn’t see what the big deal is--  he doesn’t like comics himself.  or so he claims.  it’s not like he’s been reading them since he was a kid  ( not that anyone knows of ).  he doesn’t like to be associated with something so childish  &  ‘stupid’  as he likes to put it.

if it wasn’t obvious already,  alan was definitely the type to bully kids  &  take their lunch money in high school.  he didn’t have many friends by choice,  but it never helped that people were either afraid of him or just didn’t like him as a person. he got into fights. a lot. the amount suspensions he had rivaled his actual attendance.

he has a temper on him--  he’s very easily irked,  angered or annoyed.  but that can often be surprising for those who don’t know him by reputation.  at work he holds a generally stoic expression,  monotone voice  &  nonchalant disposition.  but of course,  if he does appear otherwise--  it’s usually a look of annoyance,  or a simple warning for someone to back off  &  leave him be.  either way,  he never looks like someone you want to be friends with.

he’s not all bad.  he’s just someone who holds a lot of anger in him  &  isn’t always sure how to express himself.  on that note, though...  his one outlet is  &  always has been working out.  he spends a lot of time jogging around town or working out on the beach.  or hogging the arcade punching bag at the amusement park. he’s just a big idiot.

his life is all work, fighting  &  hookups.  honestly.  he doesn’t sleep around half as much as people claim he does,  his reputation definitely argues otherwise,  but he’s at least somewhat selective.  depending on the day.  he can be charming when he wants to be.

alan lives with his parents in a trailer park across town. it’s a good while away from the center of the town  &  the beach,  but he walks to work every day.  he doesn’t bring people home with him.  partly because he’s never had anyone to really bring home--  &  partly because he’s embarrassed of where he comes from,  even though it’s common knowledge where he lives.  it’s been the topic of many fights over the years.

when it comes to his looks, he’s a very ‘baggy ripped jeans, worn down combat boots, low side tank tops’ kind of person. his hair is messy, he’s almost always got a bruise or cut lip  &  does give the overall vibe of someone you don’t want to piss off.  he’s got a few tattoos here  &  there too!

basically,  he’s a punk idiot whose self worth fluctuates more than the weather.  he’s also not the biggest fan of the amount of attraction the town gets,  especially around summer,  so that never helps anything.  fun fact:  he also goes by junior.  mostly.

CHARACTER ARCHETYPES.

50% the rebel ––   the rebel is comfortable throwing caution to the wind, &  bucking the system,  if that means getting their point across.

the warrior.  warriors are brave  &  attractive people who are willing to put themselves on the line regardless of consequences.

the wild man.  wild men  &  wild women are the most outrageous of rebels.  these are the people who are in touch with the side of themselves that doesn’t want to settle or be forced into any box.

the criminal.  because rebels by their nature push at boundaries,  they can easily go too far  &  break the law.

the fighter.  sometimes a rebel becomes too aggressive in their various pursuits,  &  turns into a fighter who won’t back down  &  won’t stop arguing.

the don juan.  charming,  fun,  well-mannered,   &  sexually attentive,  don juans make the game of seduction fun for women who have their own rich  &  romantic fantasy lives as well as self-confidence.

32% the royal  ––   when the royal walks into a room,  they command attention.  they are the one in charge,  &  they enjoy reaping the rewards of their hard work.

the brat.   because they are used to pampering  &  don’t know how to do things for themselves,  royals can exhibit childish behavior in the form of tantrums  &  unreasonable demands.

the vampire.   like bram stoker’s count dracula,  who fed on the lifeblood of others while living in a regal manner,  royals can be a drain on those around them.

the bully.   when it becomes so easy to take advantage of one’s position, it takes a certain amount of discipline to fight the urge to debase the reputation of self  &  family.

the destroyer.   the destroyer manifests in vindictiveness  &  an unchecked fascination with wreaking enormous destruction on enemies.

18% the athlete  ––  the athlete's focus  &  drive are unparalleled.  staying healthy  &  being fit are paramount to them ( as for winning,  that doesn't hurt,  either ).

the outdoorsman.   outdoorsmen (  &  women  )  are physically fit,  environmentally conscious  &  adventurous.  they are resourceful,  unmaterialistic,  &  appreciative of nature’s quiet beauty.

the bully.  the danger with living too much in your body is that you can end up using it to bad ends as well as good.

the tomboy.   tomboys don’t play games.  they are straightforward,  honest  &  concerned with getting things done in the most direct way possible.  they are also refreshingly lacking in vanity,  &  bring a freshness  &  vigor to socially formal situations.

CONNECTIONS.

friends.  i know, i know.  he doesn’t have many,  but he does love the ones he has!

ex - almost.  someone junior got close enough to ( somehow or another, whether that was because they quickly became friends or it was a ‘no strings’ hookup that quickly got tangled )  that they almost began dating,  only for junior to get scared  &  completely drop them without warning.

childhood friends.  someone who junior was best friends with as a kid  &  drifted apart from over the years.  not for any particular reason other than growing up--  or maybe not.

hookups.  pretty self explanatory!  they can be current,  old or in the making.

crushes.  unrequited from either side or completely mutual!  getting junior to admit he has feelings for someone is a long road,  but it’s not without a few pit stops along the way.  there’d be banter between the two as a result of it!  especially if someone has a crush on him  &  are infuriated because--  him, really?  of all people?  i have to like him?

[thankyoumskobayashi]

happy 10th anniversary to the day my dad found my cats on the side of the road

i have thought alot of times abt what id do if i met the person who left them there. probably punch that person for being a dumb jerk. but if it werent for them leaving blossom on the side of the road, my depression could easily have taken a turn for the worst during middle/high school. my floof merr has been my reason for living, even moreso than spite. now im at a place where im enjoying life a little and learning sorta how to be an adult. i'd probably thank whoever dropped my cats off but also punch them for being a jerk.

anyways, my point is that if you don't believe in yourself, or you hate your life, find something to live for. Anything, no matter how unimportant others may deem it. for me, my love for my cat and desire to make sure she's happy overrode my depressed thought. treatment was definitely a step in that, but if you can't find that find blogs abt coping with depression in everyday life and read as much as you can. after my diagnoses i read a lot from other people with depression anxiety and adhd. maybe this helps others too idk

rember too that change doesnt always happen right away either. we are constantly changing ourselves and reinventing ourselves, and it is exhausting to make the conscious choice, again and again, to be a better person. but it is a necessary one because otherwise society remains stagnant.

and stagnating things cause breakdowns and decay.

good luck in finding yourselves, and your companions throughout the journey of life. i may not be a psychologist but i can listen if you need someone to, and i can reblog that list of suicide hotlines bc your life is worth too much. im crying right now actually bc a kid in my hometown khs, probably due to not being believed over mental health issues. people "not believing in" mental illness gets me so fucking pissed off bc this shit matters! it's not little things that people complain abt, it's the small symptoms of a much larger, and much more malevolent whole which moves through the mind like a hurricant. it destroys so much of your functioning and leaves you struggling to swim in the productive direction against the current of a deeper and stronger force.

being ridiculously persistent, as adhd folks tend to be, is probably also another reason i'm here. i love my friends too much to ever let them suffer like that, so i'd hold on to the point of walking through hell and back. in that way i found the hyperfocus i wield like a double edged sword and honed the loyalty i have always developed. i love my old friends, and i love my new friends, and i'm just so goddamn happy to be having friends on this planet. i dont need a romance, because i love myself enough to not need one for validation. i think that having a relationship when you are not really into someone else as much as they are into you would feel very weird. kinda like early marina & the diamonds being in a relationship. i don't know.

why the hell am i telling you all this? because it is a stream of conscious and i am allowing you unfiltered access to my inner thoughts because these are the only thoughts i have had or will ever have at this moment at this time. and because people in the future may look back on them to see what is relevant to history. and in my case i will say that i hate donald trump, i had a great dream last night that he died of a heart attack, and they were debating whather to put his secondary prez as the next in line bc they expected p*nce to do such a horrible job too.

we need to help the environment and in order to do that we need to limit the pollution companies can create. everywhere. all across the globe. it would take huge efforts. the leaders would probably be assassinated anonymously by the ceos of huge megacorps which steal billions from the workers. we need to create huge amts of inertia, so how do we do that??? education.

we need to teach abt environmentalism. we need to teach it like it is a basic tenet of humanity to care about it, at levels that challenge & excite kids instead of bore them. this is my poetics and i guess im spelling it out now that im tipsy bc i havewords flowing from my mind. i have to go get my charger hold on. its an external battery pack that my overly controlling mother had me put in her purse this mornig. the song "hotline, hotline.... calling on the hotline to your love" has been stuck in my head for a lot of the day today and i hate it. today i was the magic carpet operator it was really cold. i hate the magic carpet for being so cold but there was a squad of 5 kids today who got a big kick out of riding the magic carpet to the top, then taking the stairs back down again. it wasnt malicious or anything it was fun and gave me smth to do other than stand coldly thinking abt how cold i was.

the woodstove hoever is very warm and i am tired and need to use the bathroom before i bring my cat upstairs to watch guardian & possibly even kamen rider kuuga before falling asleep. oh and dont forget to brush teeth before u pass out too. good night everyone. this is who i have found myself to be now. so, who are you?

[braverytattoos]

u should def read it sometime in the future!! i’m not even gonna express my love for it cause there’s not enough characters for it,,, i’m really excited for u to see the edit, but also BIG TIME nervous🥺 i don’t really make much content, well not edits at least! i respect you sm for being vegan, i could never!! i try to eat a lil bit more enviromental friendly though, like vegetarian meat or non-dairy products! lasagna is always a big win i love it <3 what’re you doing this weekend? saw u saying u weren’t working today! good to have a day off <3

also ur fav fics are TOP TIER choices and ur right!! fading is not getting the credit it deserves anymore🥺

PLEASE DO NOT BE NERVOUS! i will love it i promise you. i’m not much of a creator either, i just gif sometimes and the stuff i see is incredible! you’re your own biggest critic so im sure whatever you made is going to make my heart explode in the best way possible 💕😭  thats so good! i’m proud of you for trying to be more environmentally conscious, i think its very important these days. im not doing much, im still in lockdown here so i will probably just relax and maybe read escapade 😳  give me your top 2 fav fics, not including escapade tho, please i need more recs! also hows your weekend secret val? i hope it’s going lovely 😍

[riskeith]

HIIIIIII!!!!! omg!! it is i feel like i just sent my message minutes ago hehe, i’m so happy!

she is always cute you’re right!! honestly if i had to pick a fave character it would be her i love paimon soo much. her dialogue is always so entertaining. we don’t know anything about her we just saved her from drowning and she devoted her life to us. what a great gal. fun fact, i have the wolf’s gravestone sword on my original acc and all i need is diluc to have the most powerful dps.. can you imagine 😳

OH RIGHT omg.. tiny buzz haired cluna how could i forget. damn i guess you’ll have to take mine then 😔 rip. but i’m not complaining at All. does depop exist in aus? it’s a buy/sell thrift store app that has amazing things. if you don’t have any thrift store or secondhand stores i imagine that depop would work great. aside from being environmentally conscious there’s also a great amount of interesting looking clothes hehe. damn this sounds like a sponsorship hshskshsk. anyway check it out! YOU DID? but dark academia is like... slow songs bass boosted? AND OFC I HAVE and now that you mention it i can see that, those truly were academia vibes. (shskdhsk my school is very posh in that sense so i guess i just applied that to my own personal style)

it must be so annoying, like can you even eat those days after getting it? omg you should!! an ear full of piercings is a look tbh. especially since you have short hair too. I DO HAVE TATTOOS one on each wrist. i’ll show you some day i promise.. heh.. ;) i can give you hints of what they are; there’s a pokémon game called ___ and ____, guess! and yeah hopefully i’m getting one soon, i want to get a quote but i’m not sure what yet. that’s a very valid concern like you get to spend the rest of your life with your tattoos and it should be something you enjoy looking at and feel happy with jdjdkd.

there’s more than the two ruin guards? like i know there’s the guard and the other type i can’t remember... is there more? fuck... and yeah!! or making vines grow to captivate the enemy? or something like that? pretty cool.

BUBBLE TEA IS MY FAVORITE DRINK (even more than tea and coffee) i’m soooo obsessed with it cluna you have no idea. we don’t have a lot, literally one in the whole city, and they don’t make them that well but i’m still obsessed. have you ever tried coconut milk flavor? that’s my favorite aside from the basic tea one. wbu?

oooh! that’s valid! makeup is very time and money consuming to say the least. some brands literally want a limb for a lipstick so. and it’s easy to get obsessed and to want to spend more and more money to get products yikes. and yeah i do wear makeup when i leave the house. i used to have a lot of fun with it when i first started out but now i can’t bother to ‘explore’ anymore. i just do my basic routine and go on with my day. i have considered not using it as much bc i don’t find it fun anymore tbh. :// i just hate being so dependent on it, yk?

(AAAH??!! OK oh my gosh...... will do. god why did my heart just start racing i’m so nervous yet excited eee.)

oh, hopefully i get to hear from you again! biggest mwaaaah from yours truly <3

ikr what is happening today.. we’re just rapid firing back and forth ahaha

wow paimon the real mvp.. YOU HAVE WOLF GRAVESTONE ON YOUR OTHER ACC??? omg your luck.... i can imagine!! manifesting for u hfskjfd 

oh it does apparently... but that requires meeting up w people if you don’t wanna pay postage yeah? that shit makes me so mf anxious hhhhhhhhhhhhh. HAAHAHAH could you get me a sponsorship too 🤪 it is slow songs bass boosted???? i thought... im trynna think back now and i cannot remember.. i guess the vibes were too immaculate for me to care hfsdhkjs. i also tried to put in some hp vibes and i would’ve made it a hp au if not for the fact i know nothing about lore and shit.. (i lowkey want bakugou to be in ravenclaw which i know is very not normal sorting hfksjdhfksd. but could you imagine?) ((ooooooh fancy!! must be nice walking around and seeing everyone dressed up ahaha))

AREN’T ALL POKEMON GAMES ___ AND ____ FHSDKJHSKDFJS (i used X and Y as placeholders first and then realised.. isn’t taht literally a game too) but im guessing sword and shield!! wait did you use that just to give a hint or did you actually get it for the pokemon game hfksjdf. oooo a quote! bringing it back to roa AGAIN the author has said people have gotten The quote from the fic tattooed and honestly,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, i get it.

dragonspine has a new one!! idk if you’ve run into it yet? and the other one is called the ruin hunter lolol i. >:( angery at that one

:o!!!!!! rip omg..... never thought that i should be grateful for the 87583459 new boba shops popping up every other week. and ripppp no that sucks! i hope you get to try some real good ones some day!! and i’m sure i have.. i really like coconut! and i do like bubble tea but only the tea and not really the bubble? FDJHFKJSHFKDSJHS like they always put too many pearls for my liking and i can never finish them yikes...

yeah that really sucks :((( the beauty industry is a shithole LMAO (omg lmao beauty influencer youtube... the drama and apology videos fhks). hoping you find a happy balance with it/are able to become more independent from it soon!! <33

(FHJFHDSKJ im so excited too....... !!!!!!!) 

hugssssss!!! 🥰🥰🥰

[broodsys]

actually im just gonna talk abt this here.

so. i could bring the kitten in as a pet cat OR leave it outside with its mother in a generally safe environment where there are a whole lot of stray cats, but get it vaccinated and fixed

bringing it inside is better in a lot of obvious respects. however, in this case bc our area (not just our yard but this whole street) is such an established cat-hang, i can p much disregard the environmental concerns as a deciding factor, bc they're gonna be concerns with or without this one cat

bc it's a cat street, it's reasonably fair to assume that it'd be safe, compared to other stray situations. we arguably have a cat colony around here. there are dogs too, but it's never seemed to be much of an issue, bc the cats are more familiar with the area by a huge margin. so, leaving it outside here is better than leaving it outside in a lot of other areas.

plus it has its mom, who's very involved in its life, now her only kitten left from a litter of 3 (1 disappeared, hopefully adopted, the other got adopted yesterday), and both my neighbor's and my backyards. and both of us keep adding more shelters and fun things outside, lmao... i'm so glad to have rly great neighbors

also, me and my neighbor's feed them, and i go out to play with the kittens, now kitten, multiple times a day unless it's raining. still, in general the idea of bringing it in sounds better, but...

the concerns inside are primarily my brother travis and my dad, for much the same reason; they're both big guys who move about in a massively uncoordinated fashion. there are reasons and im not trying to drag them, well at least my dad has valid reasons, but either way it's a very real factor. and ppl here aren't very conscious of pet safety... if they drop food they just leave it, whether it's toxic for cats or not. same with plastic, bits of trash, etc.

it's just not an easy or straightforward situation at all. i keep turning it around in my head and i try to weigh it, but in the end i really don't know what to do.

for now i might leave it outside and keep looking for another home, with the idea being to bring it in post vax since it'll at least be bigger then

[iwillchangemymind]

Shrooms and Epilepsy (Forum Post)

I have had Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy for 10 years (15-25) and I have done a lot of things to my body that i probably shouldnt have. Im on 300mg XR Lamictal (glaxosmith) daily. I (used to) drink way too much, and about 95% of my seizuresare related to alcohol to this day. I can drink 2-3, but if i end in the pisser on liquor, its clear what will happen. Waking up stressed out about something like catching a flight can cause a seizure as well. I smoke plenty of weed and i think it does me well, but can't say it for sure honestly. Sometimes i smoke weed and don't have tremors or movements in the morning what so ever.. Sometimes i have minor tremors though. Weed has never caused any seizures in me. Nicotine: I smoke on and off. Sometimes 6 months withoutsmoking and 2 with. No known effect to me. I've done Ritalin and Vyvanse as well. It just got me in a classic stereotypical study mode. Never caused a seizure or been related to one. Been very conscious of it. Two weeks ago I did 3 grams of mushrooms for the first time and felt incredible. No seizure. Later that same night i did cocaine for the first time as well, which i regret doing. But there were no seizures at all, not even tremors in the morning. There was also alcohol and weed involved that night, including liqour. There were also women, and laughing at trees. Judge all you want!Two days ago i did 9 grams of the same mushrooms (My friend ordered them from Amsterdam). This time i started sending pictures of flowers to my mom. And i felt great again. I had 3-4 beers during 12 hours as well. I had an incredible trip, and no seizure, nor tremors the following day. I am so happy i did it, it has really changed many perspectives and improved my happiness, just in 2-3 weeks.Its been a very self-destructive behavior i'd say. Probably should be dead by now. I should definitely be more careful but i have another perspective as well: The moment you let your illness restrict who you are, what you want to be and what you want to do, in that moment, you are truly ill. When you don't let your epilepsy restrict you, it's sort of like you are a healthy person. And that is what I want to be. I took a massive risk, but the reward was worth it. If I had had seizures I would not have regretted it. You decide what you are prepared to risk for certain experiences. Would you thank no to a trip to the moon even though you would likely have a seizure? High five Robert White, I have a B.A in Economics and I'm finishing my Masters in Environmental Management at Duke University in May! 

Url: https://www.epilepsy.com/connect/forums/epilepsy-and-college/shrooms-and-epilepsy

[fascinatingmovingpictures]

One -- WALL-E (2008)

when i was a kid, i went to a book store called gramedia in my hometown. as a kid, im not really into reading anything other than comic. my siblings bought books but i didnt get anything. i didnt wanna buy anything. until i went to this section of DVDs . it was heaven. i love seeing moving pictures. when i saw wall-e it looks fun. a robot holding a plant. so i beg my parents to buy the DVD for me.

i always love watching movies. mainly animated Pixar movies cause obviously my parents limit what i watch when im a kid. i remember being obsessed with The Lion King, Finding Nemo and Spider-Man. but i think the very first time im moved and understand the story of a film it was WALL-E.

it was this story of a lonely robot living alone for centuries, 700 years to be exact. with his only friend... a roach , a loyal friend. until one day EVE came back to Earth looking for a plant. for wall-e , its a love at first sight. intinya dia jadi bucin banget sama eve. lol.

but even when i was a kid, i didnt focus on the romance building. it was a cool storyline, of course. i always love a movie that has romantic plot line but dont revolve around it. the movie is mainly about going back to Earth because human has been living in the space for centuries. human left because human in the first place. we created way too many waste that made Earth inhabitable.

i didnt flinch one second during the movie. and when i finished watching, i became a changed man. i always dispose my trash in the bin. and basically, being scared af if earth became that much polluted. even until now, im quite conscious about environmental issues in the world and trying to do less waste as possible.

so with that, imma give WALL-E a 10/10 because its definitely a movie that changed my life. peace. edit: i just watched a youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQA8S59HAnk) and i remembered how great this film is on doing the “show don’t tell” rule. i love this movie so much

[theartworksinc]

Meet The Artists – Debbie Powell

Debbie Powell has been with the Artworks since 2007, joining as part of our ‘Startworks’ programme just after graduating university! Debbie’s love for pattern and print has meant she’s worked with a range of clients including; Marks and Spencer, Galison stationery, Carluccio’s, Penguin, Tesco, Orion Publishing, Jamie Oliver, Walker Books, Reader’s Digest, The Independent

“Over the years with the Artworks I’ve been incredibly lucky to have worked on a huge variety of projects with some wonderful clients but my most favourite project to date is Dippy. In 2017 I was commissioned by the Natural History museum in London to illustrate their famous Diplodocus ‘Dippy’ for his grand UK tour. Working with the team at the NHM was wonderful, I got to go behind the scenes at the museum and examine a 3d print out of Dippy’s skull!  One of the highlights of the project has been seeing my illustrations on such a variety of products, from T-shirts and tea towels to most recently a Tram! As Dippy’s travelled around the UK its allowed me to keep in touch with the museum who’ve have kept me updated with all of the tour news so that has been lovely as well. My 6 year old son is the biggest dinosaur fan so being able to share the project with him and visit Dippy on tour has been a huge joy for me!”

We spoke to Debbie to find out more about her life as artist…

Where do you live?

In Dorset, on the south coast of England. We are sandwiched between the beach and the New Forest.

Where is your studio located?

At home! We live in an old Edwardian house with high ceilings and great light. My studio is at the front of the house, I share it with a piano but its big enough to allow me to have two desks and lots of storage for all of my materials.

Can you describe your creative process?

At the beginning of a project, whether it’s a personal or commissioned one, I like to brainstorm ideas in my sketchbook. I also have a sketchbook where I am continuously exploring new mediums and techniques and I often reference that at the beginning of a project. Most recently I have been experimenting with creating my own rubber stamps – it’s a great way to create interesting patterns and a bit quicker and more forgiving than linocuts. I then begin sketching up roughs in pencil, which get scanned into Photoshop where I’ll play with the colour, scale and composition. Once a direction and set of compositions are agreed upon, I will start working up my images. This involves a similar workflow, using mediums such as pencils, paint, pen and ink or linocuts into Photoshop where I build up compositions and apply colour and texture.

What does a typical working day look like?

I have two small children, so my typical working day is very stop start. Once the kids are out at school and preschool, I race home for coffee, my husband also works from home so we discuss our projects and how they are taking shape (and who’s picking up the kids) and then we get down to business. Ill stop for lunch, do a little more work then stop to pick my daughter up, Ill do a little more work and then stop to pick up my son. If I have a tight deadline Ill work into the evening, which is sometimes the most productive part of my day!

Do you listen to music or the radio whilst you work? If so, what’s on your playlist?

If the kids are at home whilst Im working, I will almost certainly put my headphones on and listen to Spotify or to a radiolab podcast to drown out the noise.

How long have you been with the Artworks for?

I joined the Artworks in 2007 fresh from Uni.

What drew you to Artworks?

I loved the fact that the Artworks is run by strong supportive women who have this great bond with one another. When I joined they had Artists who had already been with them for many years, which I saw as a wonderful thing and a great sign that they must be doing something right. It doesn’t hurt that they always throw great Christmas and summer parties either! This has all helped create a real sense of community with all of the artists and it’s a real pleasure to be part of the Artworks family.

What books or programmes did you love as a child? Have they influenced your work in any way?

I definitely think the things we watched and read as a child informs your imagination in some way as an adult.

My sisters and I grew up watching all the old classic movies, the Ealing comedies, Carry on films, lots of weird sci-fi like The Day of the Triffids and Them. I loved reading books such as The Magic Faraway Tree too.

If you weren’t an artist, what would you be instead?

I can’t imagine not being in the creative industries so if I wasn’t an illustrator, I’d be some other kind of maker. I would have a studio and spend my days making things that I would want to own and probably not making much money.

What was the most important lesson you learned at Art School?

Just to be yourself and let your work come from within.

What inspires you the most to create?

My children are by far my biggest inspiration. I am constantly in awe of their ability to see the world in a magical way. When we are out and about together I often hear “stop Mama look at this” and I get to see what they see for a moment. I then try to sketch it out when we get home!

Name three artists that you admire

Picasso, Saul Bass, Helen Borten to name a few.

What kind of commissions do you enjoy the most?

Umm..the really easy ones that pay lots of money.

What would your dream commission be?

I would love to see more of my work on textiles, but I am also very conscious about sustainability so I would love to be doing more work for environmental causes.

Do you have any pets? If so, what and what are they called?

Someday soon we will have a pet, my son wants a lizard and my daughter wants a flamingo!

What 5 things could you not live without?

My family, good food and music. The simple things in life are all I need.

What is your very favourite meal?

Garlic spaghetti, anytime, anywhere.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Explore nature, see friends, crafts with my children, eating good food and hanging with my husband.

What is your current dream travel destination?

Wales, Sweden and Iceland.

See more of Debbie’s work here.