#when you have adhd and can't focus on what you're trying to say

[all-purpose-dish-soap]

everyone says soap is a munch. and that's true, but he's not sweet. when he's eating you, he's getting what he wants out of you.

nsfw ⬇

he's gotta be touching you. grabbing your ass and squeezing hard. pressing his thumb against your asshole to make you squirm and then digging his strong fingers into your hips to hold you still. he needs to be doing something with his hands.

soap's gotta be sliding his fingers into you because his understimulated adhd brain needs you to light him up and empty him out. he wants to focus on you and you're gonna give him something to focus on, like it or not. he likes to hear you moan and yelp and curse. he likes when you talk to him--unlatches his mouth just to mouth off back to you. he really likes it when he shoves his tongue back into you and feels you clench down on him, all twitchy on the inside. you're like his goddamn stress ball. you're on your back with your thighs around his head trying to scoot up the bed away from his impulsive fingers but he doesn't let you. keep talking. your throat is gonna be raw when he's done.

and if he gets tired of that--after he's done overstimulating you, once he's made you cum enough that you literally just cannot react like he wants--he's gonna grab you and put you on top of him. you think this is finally the part where he fucks you to completion, and you're fine with that because you're a hazy mess. but no. he lays down with you and then he stops you, your hands already on his chest, from straddling his hips. he tells you to turn around and face the other way instead. 

he grins that stupid cocksure grin at the realization in your eyes. but no, it doesn't help if you tell him you don't think you can hold yourself up. you wanna protest? that's cute. even if you try to scoot down until your folds are touching his cock--trying to tease him into just fucking you that way--he grins and grabs your hips and makes you turn around. you're straddling him again as he drags you by the hips up his chest. he positions you over his mouth again. you're so goddamn overstimulated and you don't think you have another one in you. but he's taking that as a challenge.

while he's maneuvering you over his mouth, you feel him breathing on your core, and he tilts you down so your stomach is pressed down on his abs. and his cock is in your face. at least there's no question that he's enjoying himself.

he drags his tongue up your folds again, and you muffle a moan, grabbing his cock. his hips twitch and he shoves his tongue into you. you have to stretch forward to lay the flat of your tongue on his shaft and lick him from base to tip. but that makes him falter for a second, groaning through his teeth. that momentary relief helps you get your bearings such that you manage to get your mouth around him.

then you're both trying to outdo each other. you try your hardest to maintain concentration and blow soap like a fucking champ, barely a brain cell left in your head; soap eats you out aggressively, shifting under you to make you slow down. you're gonna make him cum but he doesn't wanna be finished yet. he's not done with you. you feel his hands running down your body, looking for something, somewhere he can grab you and pull you back into his control, but it's no good. he can't stop his hips from bucking either.

you think you've almost finished him off when suddenly his hand finds your hair and his fingers tangle there, tugging your head back for a moment, forcing your back to arch. his cock slips out of your mouth and you gasp when his tongue rubs hard--mean--against your g-spot. you writhe on his mouth, but he lays his forearm across your lower back and keeps you right fucking there. he bullies your g-spot relentlessly, his fingers tight in your hair, the pressure on your scalp feeling so good. you see stars and peak again with a cry. your hips move uncontrollably, grinding down on his face, encouraging his bad behavior in a way you are absolutely helpless to stop.

he chuckles as you come down. you're so blitzed you have to lay your forehead on his thigh and remember how to breathe.

"thought you didn't have another one in ya," soap says, smug as shit.

you huff and grab his cock in your hand again, enveloping it in your warm mouth. his stupid chuckle cuts off with a breathless groan.

this time he can't stop his hips from rutting up into your mouth, and he finishes there. finally.

finally after that he shuts up. he stares at the ceiling, dazed, hands finally still and resting on your ass as you snooze right where you lay--on top of him.

...

more Soap / masterlist tag

[burntoutdaydreamer]

Weird Brain Hacks That Help Me Write

I'm a consistently inconsistent writer/aspiring novelist, member of the burnt-out-gifted-kid-to-adult-ADHD-diagnosis-pipeline, recently unemployed overachiever, and person who's sick of hearing the conventional neurotypical advice to dealing with writer's block (i.e. "write every single day," or "there's no such thing as writer's block- if you're struggling to write, just write" Like F*CK THAT. Thank you, Brenda, why don't you go and tell someone with diabetes to just start producing more insulin?)

I've yet to get to a point in my life where I'm able to consistently write at the pace I want to, but I've come a long way from where I was a few years ago. In the past five years I've written two drafts of a 130,000 word fantasy novel (currently working on the third) and I'm about 50,000 words in on the sequel. I've hit a bit of a snag recently, but now that I've suddenly got a lot of time on my hands, I'm hoping to revamp things and return to the basics that have gotten me to this point and I thought I might share.

1) My first draft stays between me and God

I find that I and a lot of other writers unfortunately have gotten it into our heads that first drafts are supposed to resemble the finished product and that revisions are only for fixing minor mistakes. Therefore, if our first draft sucks that must mean we suck as writers and having to rewrite things from scratch means that means our first draft is a failure.

I'm here to say that is one of the most detrimental mentalities you can have as a writer.

Ever try drawing a circle? You know how when you try to free-hand draw a perfect circle in one go, it never turns out right? Whereas if you scribble, say, ten circles on top of one another really quickly and then erase the messy lines until it looks like you drew a circle with a singular line, it ends up looking pretty decent?

Yeah. That's what the drafting process is.

Your first draft is supposed to suck. I don't care who you are, but you're never going to write a perfect first draft, especially if you're inexperienced. The purpose of the first draft is to lay down a semi-workable foundation. A really loose, messy sketch if you will. Get it all down on paper, even if it turns out to be the most cliche, cringe-inducing writing you've ever done. You can work out those kinks in the later drafts. The hardest part of the first draft is the most crucial part: getting started. Don't stress yourself out and make it even harder than it already is.

If that means making a promise to yourself that no one other than you will ever read your first draft unless it's over your cold, dead body, so be it.

2) Tell perfectionism to screw off by writing with a pen

I used to exclusively write with pencil until I realized I was spending more time erasing instead of writing.

Writing with a pen keeps me from editing while I right. Like, sometimes I'll have to cross something out or make notes in the margins, but unlike erasing and rewriting, this leaves the page looking like a disaster zone and that's a good thing.

If my writing looks like a complete mess on paper, that helps me move past the perfectionist paralysis and just focus on getting words down on the page. Somehow seeing a page full of chicken scratch makes me less worried about making my writing all perfect and pretty- and that helps me get on with my main goal of fleshing out ideas and getting words on a page.

3) It's okay to leave things blank when you can't think of the right word

My writing, especially my first draft, is often filled with ___ and .... and (insert name here) and red text that reads like stage directions because I can't think of what is supposed to go there or the correct way to write it.

I found it helps to treat my writing like I do multiple choice tests. Can't think of the right answer? Just skip it. Circle it, come back to it later, but don't let one tricky question stall you to the point where you run out of brain power or run out of time to answer the other questions.

If I'm on a role, I'm not gonna waste it by trying to remember that exact word that I need or figure out the right transition into the next scene or paragraph. I'm just going to leave it blank, mark to myself that I'll need to fix the problem later, and move on.

Trust me. This helps me sooooo much with staying on a roll.

4) Write Out of Order

This may not be for everyone, but it works wonders for me.

Sure, the story your writing may need to progress chronologically, but does that mean you need to write it chronologically? No. It just needs to be written.

I generally don't do this as much for editing, but for writing, so long as you're making progress, it doesn't matter if it's in the right order. Can't think of how to structure Chapter 2, but you have a pretty good idea of how your story's going to end? Write the ending then. You'll have to go back and write Chapter 2 eventually, but if you're feeling more motivated to write a completely different part of the book, who's to say you can't do that?

When I'm working on a project, I start off with a single document that I title "Scrap for (Project Title)" and then just write whatever comes to mind, in whatever order. Once I've gotten enough to work with, then I start outlining my plot and predicting how many chapters I'm going to need. Then, I create separate google docs for each individual chapter and work on them in whatever order I feel like, often leaving several partially complete as I jump from one to the other. Then, as each one gets finished, I copy and paste the chapter into the full manuscript document. This means that the official "draft" could have Chapters 1 and 9, but completely be missing Chapters 2-8, and that's fine. It's not like anyone will ever know once I finish it.

Sorry for the absurdly long post. Hopes this helps someone. Maybe I'll share more tricks in the future.

[deathbxnny]

May I request some headcanons about Victor, selika, Vander and Vi about caring and being with a S/O with ADHD.

Please and thank you

Arcane characters with an s/o that has ADHD. | Viktor, Sevika, Vander and Vi

Thank you for your request, and I hope you'll enjoy this!<3

Content: No spoilers for season 2, season 1 Viktor, established romantic relationships, fluff, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns.

((Not proofread))

》VIKTOR

He was the first to notice and accommodate to your ADHD, mainly as he knew what it's like to live with something that makes life a little harder in general.

Viktor is very patient and gentle with you when you're having a hard time focusing on tasks or are procrastinating on projects. He understands it just fine and works with you to find strategies that make everything a bit easier. Whether it's studying with you or helping you out on research papers, you both spend a lot of time together, to say the least.

You two enjoy working on your own things in eachothers presence, as it helps you get over your lack of motivation and gives you a chance to talk his ear off freely. Thankfully, he's good at multitasking when it comes to you. Some may think your talking is excessive, but he finds it cute.

Whenever you're a bit more fidgety than usual, he'll hold your hand or give you a reassuring smile, yet doesn't stop your body from regulating itself naturally.

Viktor takes your diagnosis as a simple fact, nothing that defines or undermines your ability to be his s/o. If you need a little help, then he's very clearly okay with that.

》SEVIKA

She doesn't initially understand the concept of ADHD and doesn't care much about it either. Sure, she gets that it affects your day to day life, but she was going to help you out with anything either way even without the diagnosis. So, in other words, she's ready to learn and do as you please.

Your fidgety nature was something she definitely had to get used to, as she mistook it as fear or nervousness rather often. This typically meant that she'll ask you if you're alright a lot or if there was someone bothering you. Over time, she learns to look past it and see it as a natural part of you. If you can't sit still, then she'll let you roam around whilst her eyes watch you closely.

Your endless ramblings and deep interests about the most nichest topics also needed some time for her, but what got her the most was your procrastination issues. She did get not want to do things at all, but she would still attempt to make work as fun as possible in her own way. She'll accompany you everywhere and take care of the heavy lifting.

When she said that she was loyal, she was definitely not kidding around. Your ADHD changes nothing about the way she views you, and so she doesn't make a big deal out of it either.

》VANDER

Probably the most patient and understanding of your ADHD and its symptoms by far. He sees them as a part of you in a good way and simply accepts them as they are.

Whenever you procrastinate on chores or work, he'll try and make it more enjoyable by either helping out or promising you a nice treat after. If it's really bad, though, he'll just do things himself to not stress you out about them too much.

He's the same with your lack of focus, although he sometimes does get concerned about you zoning out when things get serious. Vander will still find his own innovative ideas on making you focus when he needs you to.

He loves listening to you talk to him about the most random things possible, mainly as it shows him that you're comfortable enough with the care he gives you. He also just enjoys weighing in with his own opinions about the many various topics you bring forth at rapid speed.

Either way, he skillfully navigates your diagnosis with ease and doesn't ever let you feel like you're burdening him with it.

》VI

Well, she certainly may have outlandish ideas at times when it comes to working with your ADHD, but she definitely at least has the spirit for it!

Your natural fidgeting and inability to stay still gets interpreted in you just needing to power yourself out. This makes you often find yourself in front of a punching bag with an excited Vi telling you to go ahead and let it alllll out. Whether it works or not is up to you, but you appreciate the effort even after you had explain it wasn't that easy.

Vi will make it her mission to help you out on projects or with work whenever the procrastination gets too bad. She'll also help you out with simpler tasks when she can but will otherwise try to make things fun, at least.

You two enjoy rambling away with each other, and it is her favorite thing. You're both bad at focusing on one topic at a time, so your talks can go on for hours, which she loves very much.

Your diagnosis is just a part of you that she very much loves, even when it gets difficult at times. She never wants you to feel left out or liked less because of it and does her best to never let you think that.

[smallestapplin]

hello can you do, Yandere Getaway, Drift and Rodimus x Cybertronian fem reader, can it be Smut

*breathes deeply* I'm so normal about this. How did you know Roddy is my weakness?-

Warning : toxic behavior, Rodimus has ADHD, smut so MDNI, kidnapping, possessiveness, thoughts of harm. I did my best, I hope you enjoy! ^^

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Rodimus

- as the newest member of the Lost Light, you didn't really know about all the mini groups inside the ship, nor know how Rodimus gets treated (even if he deserves some of the lectures Ultra Magnus gives him.)

- He was a welcoming captain, and quite fun too! But you notice how he works or lack there of, how easily distracted he gets, how he tries but it doesn't seem to get him anywhere. You just wanted to try and help, even if you were just a simple bridge tech.

- It was your kindness that got his attention, when you first entered his office ready to report on how the ship has been fairing, you handed him the papers and an extra gift.

- His optics widen at the sight of a single handed spinning toy.

- "What's this?"

- "Oh, that, well I noticed you have trouble focusing on your work as being still seems to be a problem. So I figured a you'd do well with an object to mess with while you do so."

- You picked up his mannerisms quickly, but instead of just yelling at him to stop and focus, you...actually wanted to help him work?

- "Sir? I'm sorry if i over stepped, i didn't-"

- "Wanna grab lunch with me later? I know juuuust the place to chill." his smile is infectious, how could you say no?

- Rodimus latches onto you, becoming your second shadow and attached at the hip to you, if he wasn't working then he was with you, if no one could find him then he was with you.

- ultra Magnus asks for your secert, since he's never seen Rodimus work so quickly and efficiently. but you don't really have one, you just find ways to help him focus and praise him for doing so, and he just latched onto you.

- tragically no one seems to be able to get a word with you without Rodimus butting in putting space between you and whoever you were speaking too. ratchet has yelled at him to frag off more times than he can count, when just trying to patch you up. but all Rodimus does his whine and make grabby servos at you, cause he's just sooo worried.

- it's cute, at least at first.

- but he's overwhelming, he gets huffy and pissy when dragged away from you, he pouts and sulks whenever you speak to anyone else, you're his favorite bot so he should be yours too, right?

- you don't have a chance to make any friends on the lost light, all you have is Rodimus.

- he always surprises you while you work, always coming up behind you and resting his helm on your shoulder and nuzzling into you, giggling and speaking of how much he missed you and how boring the meeting was.

- it's hard to see him for what he really was.

- you think he loves you, and while he does it goes deeper than that, so, so much deeper, he's infatuated, smitten, obsessed.

- you're all he can think about, you're all his wants, he can't stand anyone else having your attention, it should just be him, him, him!

- you know you should say no when he asks you out, he's your captain, your superior, he place on the ship holds too much power over you. but it's Roddy, he's done so much for you and you do care deeply about him, surely it wouldn't hurt to give it a try?

"R-Roddy, slow-mm!- slow down!!"

You place a servo over your intake trying to muffle your sounds, not wanting anyone to pass by your habsuite to hear you getting fragged by your captain. You don't know what caused him to barge in and pin you to your berth, though you aren't complaining.

Rodimus buries his face into your neck, trying to lose himself into your valve, into your scent! But all he keeps thinking of is how you are his, not that stupid med bot who loved chatting you up! and you just let him, you indulged him when you have a perfectly good bot right here!

The dangers of Rodimus is his fragile ego.

Your voice cracks into static, as liquid fills your optics. It's too much, his spike keeps thrusting inside you so deeply, as if he's trying to mold your valve into the shape of him.

Your free servo grips his shoulder, trying desperately to hold him close. Your body trembles as his glossa licks up your neck cables before biting into them. You go still, shrieking into your servo, while you overload, your transfluid soaking his spike.

"You're mine, right? My sweetspark, gotta remind you I'm the only one who can frag you like this." Rodimus ex-vents sharply.

You overloaded so hard, you seem so out of it, surely you won't notice him opening your spark chamber, right? He could sparkbond with you right now and then you'll never leave him.

He can't stop rutting his hips into yours, needing more, needing to be closer, needing to feel you overload again and again! He never wants to stop, never wants you off his spike!

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Drift

- Out of the three Drift is self aware and knows what he feels for you is anything but healthy, you deserve an adoring, loving, and respectful relationship that he knows he can't give you.

- But that doesn't stop him, he feels so guilty about it but he needs you by his side, needs you clinging to him like he wishes to cling to you, he needs to be the only bot in your life.

- He tries to fight the dark thoughts, he swore to never kill again but Prowl is making it hard when even speaking to you. Drift doesn't want to harm his crew members but the demons inside him want to tear everyone to shreds to make an example out of them, that this would be anyones fate for speaking to you.

- Your kindness doesn't help either, normally you stick to yourself but happily talk when others approach you first, you don't like being rude, so you tell him.

- He was the first one to approach you and form a bond. He's your go to for nearly everything, he has a lot of stories and a lot of wisdom from those stories, it's hard not to ask for his opinion on anything.

- You ask his opinions on other crew members, and he always tells you the truth, giving you their worst traits first just so you're more likely to stay away from them. The only ones he couldn't make you stay away from were First aid and Ratchet, he wanted you to trust your medics and not fear going to them when needed.

- He doesn't like it, though. But all is well, as you play right into his servos. He feels so bad abusing your trust like this, but he can't risk losing you to anyone!

- "Apologies my little light, I don't mean to alarm you of anyone."

- "No no, it's fine, really! I'm just happy you're honest with me. I trust your judgment."

- The smile on your faceplate is one he wants to protect and keep for himself, he can't let anyone realize how precious you are, lest they want you fr themselves.

- Despite your courtship being short he can't help but ask to be bonded to you, this way your tie to him is permanent. He needs you.

"Drift, are you sure about this?" Your faceplate flushed blue from the energon coursing through you.

You look so bashful, it has his spark pumping. Drift smiles from his spot between your legs, gently running his servos up and down your inner thighs. Out of everyone he's the most gentle and loving.

"We don't have to do anything you aren't comfortable with."

You believe him, you truly do, but it's hard to take his words seriously when you can see his spike twitching and valve leaking from here. You take a few shaky breaths, before leaning back on your elbows.

The room fills with the sound of your modesty plate being tucked away, and Drift's heavy breathing. All that kissing and gabbing eariler seems to have done a number on you, your valve is leaking transfluid, and your node just begging to touched.

"You are such a beautiful sight..." drift sighs, trailing off to wipe the drool coming from his intake.

You whimper, squeezing your optics shut just from his words alone. It's so embarrassing, and to have his face so close to your valve is not something you think you can handle right now.

You tense up, body trembling just from the wet kiss Drift places on your node. His servos gripping your thighs to hold you down, stopping you from squirming in his grasp. He's so gentle with you, even as his optics roll back from just the taste of your juices, drowning him in your scent.

You toss your helm back, back arching with a whine feeling your lover's glossa pushing into your valve, fragging you with it. Drift can't stop moving his hips, rutting against the berth, mindless from you.

'D-drift! Mm!..haaa, oh, oohh frag!" You place your servos over his, desperate to just hold him and be close.

You make him overload so easily, now if he can just do the same to you.

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Getaway

- Getaway is a tricky one, not even his closest 'friends' know how he truly is, though he is passionate about his beliefs. He usually has everyone believing he's a cool dude and chill crew member, some find him annoying but nothing to worry about, right?

- Then there is you, you, you , you.

- You saw right through him, you have no evidence, nothing to call him out on, but the vibes he gives off have you on edge, and you make your distaste for him known. But cutely enough you never let it get in between work.

- Always so civil with him, always bare minium polite and nothing more, always shooing him away and out of your office the second what he's there for is over with. You're breaking his spark, you know?

- He always finds a way to bother you, chatting you up, nd trying to sweeten you up, but it never works.

- Why does he want you so badlt? He has most of the ship chill with him, what makes a difference if one bot doesn't like him? He asked himself that a lot, as most of the crew just chalked it up to conflicting personalities and left it to that, after all not ever bot is going to get along, and that's okay! But it wasn't okay, not for him.

- At first it was just to prove a point, just to show no one can resist his charm, but you never caved, in fact if anything it just made you loathe him more.

- "I don't know how muc clearer I can be, I have told you time and time again to stop bothering me outside of work reason. Is your life and friends so miserable and dull that this is your only entertainment?"

- The venom in your voice just made him want you ee=ven more.

- You never caved to him, never gave him the time of day, it made him crazy.

- He knew your schedule like the back of his servo, knew when you took breaks, got lunch, paused to stretch, your places to be, even the code to get into your habsuite!

- You became his obsession, his need, he wanted you, needed you, and your refusal just makes his need that much deeper. You take over his every waking thought, you are his everything and he needs you to like him, to want him just the same!

- Maybe things could've been different, maybe then you wouldn't have been taken by him in the middle of a cycle. He has to keep you to himself, after all it's only a matter of him before he completes his mission or gets found out, and he doesn't want to lose you.

"Why do you keep resisting me? How many times must I tell you I love you before you accept it?" Getaway places a servo on your cheek, only for you to thrash, getting his touch off of you.

Even tied up and gagged you still refuse him. You care at him, optics shining with a deep seeded fire. How you can still look so beautiful, even while wishing him dead his beyond him, but he can't help it.

"Even now you refuse me. I want to bond our sparks, to wed you, have you join me and my cause, and you still don't budge."

Silence fills in the air. His optics on yours, neither of you caving or looking away from the others.

"Even so filled with rage, I can't help but adore you. Keep looking at me, even if it's with hatred, I never want you to look at another. You are my sweetspark, and mine alone, got it?"

He can only hide you for so long you're sure of it, he can't keep you forever and you will make sure to be free and tell the crew to their face you were right all along. It's the only thing keep you motivated to stay strong.

To now cower or fall for his flowery words.

But how long can you truly last?

You know he's not above causing harm, or even killing someone, he might even try to flip the story on you if you don't play your cards right.

[crippledpunks]

if you try to police disabled peoples' diets INCLUDING how they spend their money on food: i just want to ask why? what do you gain from this? like seriously, what do you actually gain from displaying holier-than-thou behavior toward another person's spending and dietary habits? who cares if you would spend your money "better"? you're not them. this is a form of abuse. you literally have no idea what the disabled person can safely digest and actually gains nutrients and energy from. you have no clue, even if you share the same disorder, you are not that person, nor are you their gastroenterologist or other specialist.

telling disabled people to "eat healthier," "eat more salads," "eat more fresh fruits," "eat more fresh vegetables," "eat more grains," and so on can not only be outwardly dangerous for people who have digestive issues like inflammatory bowel diseases, gastroparesis, irritable bowel disease, acid reflux, a history of ulcers, gastritis, and a long list of other digestive health issues, it can outright kill someone if they form a blockage. this can also injure, sicken or kill diabetics, people with non-diabetic low or high blood sugar, blood pressure issues, kidney and liver issues, and many other people.

not only that but you're potentially forcing a neurodivergent person to eat foods that nauseate, sicken, or disgust them, and for what? autistic people know what foods are safe for them to eat. adhd people need to find finds they can manage to keep in their homes without spoiling. dissociative people, people with ADHD, head trauma, develeopmental disorders, other people with memory issues, dementia, alzheimers, psychotic people, and other mental and cognitive health issues need foods they can prepare safely, because many mentally ill and neurodivergent people can't safe;y cook without risk of injury or damage to their home.

people who deal with allergies and intolerances are constantly struggling with being told how to eat when they are the ones who know their experience the most. NOBODY gives a fuck about people with allergies and literally nobody takes food intolerances seriously. i can't digest animal products OR byproducts anymore. i lost the ability. but sometimes i question "maybe i can try it again because this food is cheaper." well. i decided i was spending too much on groceries due to inflation and bought cow's milk instead of almond milk and got so sick it was something i had never seen before. i do NOT need to prioritize "saving money" over eating foods i can safely digest. i had an IBS attack early this morning because i ate some cheese- because it is a "cheap, easy source of protein."

some disabled people need to use certain services like pre-prepared foods being delivered to their homes, be it meals on wheels, or hello fresh. guilting these people for using the services because they could "just cook at home" is insulting to say the least. many of these services have tailored meals with consistent ingredients with limitations on contaminants with allergens.

here's the big one that everyone fucking hates but needs to accept immediately: some disabled people are too exhausted, in pain, dissociated, psychotic, unable to focus, unable to follow instructions, or in other ways unable to cook for themselves and need to use food delivery services like doordash and uber eats.

some disabled people can't or don't want to drive due to their disabilities! blind disabled people exist! para- and quadriplegics exist! people with hand tremors exist! working disabled people exist! amputees exist! disabled parents exist! disabled people who care for partners and family exist!

this one is sooooooo taboo and i'm sick of it. first of all, dashers and uber drivers are every day people who need to earn income. these are people's jobs and their lives are in fact on the line because this is a lot of drivers' primary income. enough with guilting people on this one. i'm fucking sick of it. y'all hate independently employed people and it shows. this isn't a luxury just relegated to rich white moms: disabled people need to have prepared, easy to eat foods delivered to our homes too. y'all need to leave people the fuck alone when it comes to takeout.

the second someone poorer and more disabled than you does something you do regularly, suddenly you're sending articles and giving paragraphs and paragraphs of advice on how to spend money better and how the disabled person "just needs to eat rice, beans, ramen, and frozen vegetables" because disabled people are not allowed comfort NOR convenience in your eyes. this is absolutely asinine. stop it. EATING is not relegated to the privileged

disabled people are people and need to eat. why you are prioritizing money over a literal human need is beyond me this is sick behavior. why do you care so much more about the money than the person ?why is money more important than someone's safety to you? why would anyone rather see someone "spend money the right way" over a human being EATING FOOD and especially foods they KNOW won't make them sick. policing how any disabled person spends their money on food is also unnecessary and abusive. it serves nothing to gain and everything to lose. so what if you think a disabled person spends too much money on food? you do too- we all do: food should be fucking free. get over yourself and let disabled people eat. leave your greed at the door, stop feeling entitled over other peoples' finances and spending habits.

telling a disabled person how to "eat healthier" will not make you healthier, and it will not do them any good, either. all it does is serve to stroke your ego because you believed you ""helped"" someone but all you did was give unsolicited advice that will be forever moot because you do not live in that person's body. don't care if you know them personally: you ain't them. so back off, let disabled people eat. food ain't just for the rich. food ain't just for the abled. let people access food in ways that are safe for us or get the fuck out of our way because all you're doing is causing problems and making disabled people's health problems WORSE.

[aviradasa]

Hi hi again ! I just wanna say I ABSOLUTELY ADORE the chubby reader x Larry n' Sal hdcns you wrote !! It's very nice and comforting, and really made my night - I can't stop re-reading them :') . THANK YOUUU 👹🖤‼️

Anyway, I was wondering if you could do something similar to the chubby reader hdcns, but with an ADHD!reader ? Just some Larry n' Sal with an adhd having gf hdcns ! Pls & ty, ilyyy <3

(also, if you're not comfortable with writing these, or don't know abt the symptoms of adhd [with depression & anxiety symptoms, bc it's a big struggle for me personally lol], no pressure abt writing these hdcns !! Remember to eat and stay hydrated <333 !!!)

Heyyy I actually loved writing this as I've struggled for years with depression as well and me and my family have been unsure if it's Adhd or autism since I was a kid lmao So here is

Larry,sal x Adhd!Girlfriend!Reader (separate)

Sal:

Sal is really good with you

He's a really calming person to be around, so if you're really struggling that day, he's got you

If you're too hyperfocused and forget to take care of yourself, he will find a way to pull you away without bothering you. Even if it's just for a bit so you can eat or something

But if you have trouble focusing? Well, sals next to you and talking you through whatever you're trying to to.

He will even help you.

One day, you started frantically cleaning your room. Pulling stuff from the drawers pulling the stuff out from under your bed. Unloading your desk.

But then once you saw the amount of stuff, you kinda froze up. not sure where to even start.

You were honestly so overwhelmed you almost had a breakdown, but then sal walked into your guys' room, looking confused as shit asking you what's going on.

He waited patiently as you explained, and then he sat on the ground with you and started helping you organize everything,talking you through the process the entire time to keep you from getting more overwhelmed.

He's a damn angel

And once you guys got done and the room was back in order, you guys put on a movie and just passed out

If it's a day where you can't seem to sit still. He won't try to stop you.

Naw, he's saying ok come on, let's go to the apartments and run around checking on the ghost.

He doesn't try to hold you in place or stop you he tries to encourage you to do what you need to in a healthy way.

Also, if losing or misplacing things is a struggle for you, that's fine, don't worry.

Cause either he knows where it is or he's looking for it with you. And sometimes, when he sees something in an odd place, he will just grab it and put it where it should be.

And then when you need it, you don't have to go on a scavenger hunt.

On days where you can't seem to drag yourself outta bed or you're just not doing good with racing thoughts

He's with you. If you both have class that day, he will coax you out of bed,

and while you guys are driving there you guys will talk about it, and if you can't put it into words, he will just tell you stuff to get your mind off it

If you don't have class, he will lay with you, and you guys will just put on a show and chat, which makes you feel a bit better

He's like your other half at this point, and it's nice to have some calm when things get crazy

Overall, you both have a pretty good system, and if he's having issues, you help him out too, so it's a pretty win-win you

guys are great together

Larry:

Well, now Larry, I think, has a bit of it to but a little different. He's more on the hyper focus end.

He will get to painting or playing a game, and he's not moving from that spot until it's done, and if you are also hyper focused at the same time it can start off good but then can get a bit unhealthy

It's whoever comes out of it first that will snap the other out of it

But if you're having trouble focusing, he will do his best to help, but let's be honest, you both will probably end up distracted

One day, you were trying to work on a project for one of your classes and you were stuck because you had so much to do and didn't know where to start.

So you tried to put on some music. We'll that didn't work too well because now you're sitting there watching MTV music videos.

By the time Larry got back, you were spaced out at the screen with your project forgotten sitting next to you.

He asked you what it was, and when you told him, he asked if it was done and you ended up explaining that you got stuck.

Well, he sits down with you and takes a look at it and also kinda blanks. Then you guys started talking, and the conversation ventured off, and yall ended up rushing it the night before.

At least he tried lmao.

Now, if it's a hyper day for you guys and you're running around trying to do a bunch of stuff, he will probably roll a joint and give it to you like.

Smoke this.

After you do, it can have one of two reactions

1 you actually slow down and are able to chill for a bit, or 2 it just makes you wanna go on an adventure.

If it's the second you guys end up in a gas station getting snacks and then heading over to sals to bother him and his girl it's cool they don't mind lol.

Now, when it comes to misplaced objects it really fucks with larry. Like I said in my general Larry HCs, he's messy but in an organized way.

So if he's digging around trying to find a certain paintbrush and he ends up finding it in the living room instead of in his art area he it really fucks with him.

But he's not mad he's just more confused and like what the fuck I didn't put that there.

And if he asks you and you don't remember, then you guys jokingly blame the ghosts. You both know it probably wasn't them but it's a Lil inside joke.

Now, for days, you can't get up, he stays with you. He's either in the same boat or he just feels bad and understands. Sometimes, he will lay with you, and you both might smoke and talk to each other. Or he will put on a show or music and paint while you do you.

It's just nice to know he's there and that he cares.

Overall, you guys got a lot going on, but you guys manage it as well as you can and what's important is that you do it together 🖤

[trials-of-a-spirit-worker]

Spirit Work Basics

You voted, I listened. I meant it. So buckle up as we go through the basics of Spirit Work.

I've touched on this on other posts but I'll make a massive post here. This is not going to explain everything and will still be pretty broad. Cause I do not have the time, the knowledge, nor patience to try and explain EVERYTHING.

But I do hope it helps.

Look under the tags advice, spirit communication, spirit work for more detail.

So hello, I'm Sol. I've been working with spirits since I realized I was speaking with them. I had the gift since I was a young child, first spirit I saw being my grandfather on my father's side shortly after he passed away. He was a pastor, supposedly, I was doing the best I could to repeat his favorite verses despite me being a small little shit. I don't remember the verses, I do remember speaking to him a lot however.

Which is where we'll begin, how to speak to spirits.

Maybe she's born with it? Maybe it's insanity~♪

Well, how do we begin with speaking with spirits? There's a number of ways, actually. Some do have the natural ability, like myself but that shouldn't discourage people who are newly trying and don't have that natural affinity for it. Spirits can and will talk to anyone if you open yourself up. Just takes a bit of work. But Sol, you may ask, how do I do that?

If you've been on witchblr for a bit you know what I'm about to say next: Yup.

Meditate.

Now listen, meditation is a way to open yourself up to the spirits around you or just at least signal "hey, I'm open to talk to." It gives you a good sense of your own energy and the energy around you. Meditation doesn't have one look either. A lot of people can't just sit still and kept their legs crossed or be on their knees with their eyes closed (I see you ADHD/ADD people). Hell, my lazy ass will meditate lying down.

Literally the definition of Meditation: to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness. transitive verb. : to focus one's thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over. (merriam webster)

It's pretty broad, right? Hell, you can even work out and meditate. I do it all the time. Cause I focus on my breathing and the feeling of energy through my body. Basically you can get creative with it.

While you're meditating, make sure you're feeling your own energy. This can come in a number of ways; waves, your heartbeat, a feeling of something cloaking you etc. While you have that feeling down, envision an opening, whether its a door, or just acknowledging you're reaching out to the other side. Whether or not you get an answer back, you are putting yourself out there and that's half the battle done. Just be sure to know how to close yourself and ward your body. Spirit work and opening yourself like that is no joke and I'd like you to be safe.

To do that, just envision whatever you had opened closed or recede back or whatever you used that worked for you.

Signs to Look for

Some of the more common tells of a spirit hearing and trying to communicate are of the following:

Small echos/voices in the back of your head

Random thoughts that may not be your own

Knocks or things shuffling

Strange dreams

Small phantom touches

Feelings of being watched

And Many More!

"But Sol," some of you might say, "that's really fucking vague and could just be explained away."

Yeah...welcome to spirit work. You thought this shit was easy?!

You have to work on your discernment. It is a skill needed for this type of work.

Seems counterproductive, but it's not! See, if every bump and noise was reported as ghosts or spirits, well...we'd be even less believed than we already are. When doing spirit work, or ghost hunting, you are stuck with the burden of proof and it's a huge burden to have. This is why people ask for repeats of actions, to speak again in recorders and other things. We're asking for repetition, because science is prevalent, especially in spiritualism and occultism. We have to be our own skeptics so when we have something that can't be explained away, we truly have something to celebrate.

Tools on the Job

No one said you had to do this all on vibes. No shame in using tools. I'll more than likely take the time to make specific posts about each tool in the future cause this post is already really long but I'll give you a nice rundown of basic tools.

By the way anyone who tries to shame you for using tools or says "only trainee or baby witches use this or that" are tools themselves (not the good or useful kind) and should not be given the time of day. Tools are fine. Use them for help if you need it because that's what the fuck a tool is for.

Now these aren't all the tools you can use but I'll give you some well known ones. I've seen witches get real creative and it's honestly super cool watching them use strange things that you'd never think about as a witchcraft tool. But that's what makes it so fun.

Tarot cards

Tarot is something I often use. 78 cards all with different meanings. There's many many ways to interpret them and multiple themes that many of them have.

My best advice for these are to just look up the overall meanings both upright and reversed just to have a general consensus of each card. Play around with them a lot, and interpret them the way you would as if you were making a story with them. You can also use them for spirit communication.

Calling forth a spirit allowing them to touch the deck (just leave it for a moment and allow them to influence the deck as it were before doing the spread). Holds a lot of power in your hands but is a little slow.

Pendulum

A pendulum is usually a crystal tied to a string or a chain that can be swung over a board of either yes or no or maybe for its options. Sometimes there is a mock ouija for the pendulum to spell out things as well.

Cool thing about a pendulum is it can be anything that swings if you wish. Some people I've seen take off their necklace and use it as a pendulum just fine. Just have a singular point and you can get to work anywhere with it. Please make sure to ward yourself from invading or malevolent spirits when you do this though.

Lots of pendulum or spirit boards exist and have different templates as well.

This is more of a call and response type of device to use. Especially when you feel a spirit present Still has a fair bit of control in your hands.

Ouija board

The infamous kids game works around the same way a pendulum does, except there is a planchette that slides over the board. This is a call and response based tool much like a pendulum. However, it is a little easier for the ghost to manipulate and control. Which is where all the stupid stories of ghosts completely taking over and fucking up shit takes place. Also, half of the biggest problems are just humans being humans which means victims of groupthink. So... stupidity. Someone freaked so you all freak...the energy gets bad and shit happens. Do your best to remain calm and just work through it.

Also no. ZOZO XOX 2O2O etc does not want your ass. Many spirits claim that shit to get a rise out of you anyway. Guys...no, I swear it does not happen. This is main character energy that none of us have...or want! Even if a demonic entity came in to fuck with you, there are plenty of other ways to do it. Be fucking for real.

Please remain kind and courteous to who you contact. Do not let your paranoia about this tool make you do stupid things. Always say goodbye when you are finished. Try and stay as calm as you can.

Never. Ever leave the planchette on the board unattended. Lest you get an unwanted guest or one that'll overstay their welcome.

Crystal Ball

Crystal Balls are a good way to detect energies. This is normally used in a private setting cause it desires a lot of concentration. Now, I'm admittedly not that knowledgeable in this because I don't use my crystal ball often.

Also, your crystal ball doesn't have to be clear. Mine is obsidian and I love her.

When having your question, focus on it and concentrate. Make sure it is open ended. I mean you can have yes or no, but it's gonna be a bitch to decipher a yes or no answer.

Close your eyes and let the answers come to you in the forms of images and colors and such, examine all you can as just let your intuition work.

Sounds simple but its a rather interesting art form to work on. Symbols and such can confuse you and it's heavy on your interpretation. I'm sure there's books and stuff out there for a general view of this symbol you see might mean this or that but...largely, this is a true test of how you read your intuition.

I'd do it more, if I wasn't closeted and lived with nosy closed-minded people.

C'est la vie.

One important thing though...don't leave your ball uncovered. Especially if it's clear. That's how you end up with burned shit. Those bitches are like mega magnifying glasses. And it happens faster than you think. Science is scary.

Mirror/Water Scrying

Mirror and water scrying is kind of the same as a crystal ball except it's a quicker and often less expensive way to work on your divination.

Some people have a specific mirror that they black out and scry that way. Others have a scrying bowl made for divination alone. It's just as good. You can use any bowl or mirror however. Just be sure to cleanse the area before you start and after you're done.

Some thank the water used for divination before putting it down the sink or in the earth. But that's more of an individual's choice/belief/faith than anything else.

Lots of occultism and spiritualism has a thing with mirrors being portals, openings, etc to the otherside and can bring some unwanted visitors.

And as someone who now sleeps with their mirror facing the wall now, I will say I believe a lot of what people say on that.

I want a goodnights sleep damnit.

Just be sure to cleanse your tools after use. Better safe than sorry.

ETC.

There's a lot of creative ways people can use these tools and magic. So don't think of magic as a recipe for how to be a witch or do witchcraft. That's half the fun of witchcraft.

Discovery.

Finding ways to do things, to hear, to see, to communicate. Yes there are certain tools that work better than others but, we as individual people also work in different ways.

There's a psychic out there who reads asparagus like bones. There's someone who will scry with a puddle on the ground they found. People have their own methods and ways to work their magic and we should learn from them. So if you have some non normal tactic or even something unsual, embrace it to the fullest.

I divine with music. If you ask me it's Apollo's influence. My spirits communicate with music.

When I meet people and get a good vibe on them a song comes to mind, and even if I forget your face, your voice, who you are, that song will remind me what I think of you. Songs pop up in my head when people associated with it are close.

I'm not going to say I'm the only one in the world who does this, cause that would be some bs. But its my tactic and its natural.

Do what is natural for you and not what other witches say you should do.

Even me, I beg you not to try and emulate or follow my advice down to a T if it doesn't work for you. Don't force it to work.

I am just one person, one voice spouting some advice. Take what you can from it, take what helps and work your own path. And then in turn do the same. I'm a path offering person not a director. But that's...just...me...

"But Sol, how do I speak to spirits?"

Talk.

Yeah, that simple. Talk.

This can be in a lot of forms. Some write and burn letters to ancestors, or past family members. Set up a placement for talking to them. Admittedly, a lot of spirit work and communication is experimental. We just warn you over some things because they've happened enough for us as a collective to go ah, a pattern.

I have urns at home so it's pretty easy to say hello in that case.

I am NOT telling you to go into a graveyard and just go wussap. No. Some spirits don't want your tomfuckery. Also if they're feeling really chatty all at once you might get overwhelmed and you will not have a good time. Read the dead room.

Open yourself up. WARD YOURSELF FIRST! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS. But yeah open yourself up. Learn how to open your pathways and close them first. That comes with meditating. Yes, this is why damn near all of us nag the shit out of y'all about meditating.

Just talk and listen. It won't happen immediately. It takes time and a careful ear. Remember signs to look for. You might spot them before you hear them. Small instances of shadows out the corner of your eye. A touch from nowhere, a shiver down your spine. Other things going off or being moved, etc. Slowly, someone or something will receive your message and try to respond in kind.

When you get these small responses, just keep calm and say hello or acknowledge what they've done.

"Oh, someone's here"

"Hello there"

"Are you still here?"

It'll be awkward (try to remember where you are, don't be a weirdo in public), but overtime you'll get better at it.

Conclusion!

Like any skill, spirit communication takes practice.

There are a vast plethora of ways to communicate with tools that I haven't mentioned as well, like automatic writing which is a pretty good beginner way to jump in.

Just have a pen/pencil on paper, write what comes to mind. Its a good way to practice hearing and catching signs as well.

And something I will never stop saying is you don't have to take this journey alone! Especially if you don't want to. Find someone experienced to start this journey with. Someone who calms you, who can support you. Support and asking for help is good. Last thing any of us want is for you to get hurt or scared out of doing this if this is something you really want to do. So call us, talk to us. Confide in more experienced people.

So many times on this site and other places, we are begging to form this beautiful network so we can help one another, give advice, hang out etc.

We are right here, just reach out for us. You'll get a hand back in kind.

[dzvelinaskebiyars]

hii, I don't know if requests are open or closed so if they are closed feel free to just ignore this, but I wanted to request Manjiro sano with a reader who has ADHD if your up for writing it, and have a lovely day ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ

Yes they're open and thank you for requesting<333 People deal with ADHD differently and there might not be every symptom or be a symptom that some ppl with ADHD might not experience. I mostly wrote about problems/symptoms that I experience so I hope it's okey for you!

Okey when he'd first out, he'd be confused asf because he genuinely doesn't know what's ADHD so he'd question you about it if you're comfortable enough. I swear he doesn't mean bad if he'd question you, it's just he genuinely doesn't know and if it's serious, he can't help you if he doesn't know, right?

He'd still search up about it in Google to get detailed explanation with its symptoms, causes and treatment.

He'd be very understanding about it, he'd try to be understanding and supportive. Tho he's not exactly the greatest when it comes to dealing with mental health issues, he'd try his best with you.

Usually, if somebody were to interrupt him mid-sentences then he'd be very annoyed but, again, he'll be understanding with you. If you'd interrupt him, he'd just go silent and start listening to you.

He'll tell you it's okey if you'll be guilty about interrupting him. He knows you aren't doing it because you're rude, so don't worry, he completely understands you.

Many people with adhd tend to have little or no sense of danger so he's here to protect you and help you out!

Honestly, he also misplaces and forgets where he puts his stuff sometimes, that's why he has Emma. He wouldn't be much of a help with things like that but he would search with you.

He doesn't have a problem with repeating what he said and wouldn't make you feel stupid or deaf just because you couldn't catch his words. (I need him irl)

Of course he'd be frustrated sometimes, like when you'd interrupt him a lot, or maybe when you're speaking and jumping from topic to topic. I mean, he's also human and ofc he'd be frustrated at some things but he'd try his best to don't show it.

If he accidentally were to make you feel like a burden or something, he'd genuinely be so guilty and would try to make up with you. He'd be guilty because he has no right to be frustrated with you for something you can't control, and he knows that it's a lot harder for you to deal with yourself than it is for him.

When you're hyperactive and like can't sit still, especially in quiet surroundings, he'd take you somewhere else, somewhere where you can be hyperactive freely.

He has noticed many times how you zone out of conversations and before he'd know that zoning out was one of the symptom of ADHD, he'd thought that you disliked when he was talking about something. He realised how stupid he was for thinking like that after learning more about the disorder. He genuinely doesn't know what to do when you zone out tho, like is it okey if he'll snap your out of it or should he just wait until you'll snap out of it on your own? He genuinely doesn't know which one is better option so he ends up going quiet.

He'd be overprotective of you ngl, since as I said, you have little or no sense of danger and he'd never forgive himself if you ever get hurt because of his lack of attention. He'd be quick to blame himself if that happens.

I swear he'd gladly beat someone up if they point out symptoms. Like if someone said "Didn't I already give you instructions?! How many times do I have to repeat myself?!" he'd genuinely be annoyed by that person and would immediately jump in the conversation and say "just repeat one more time. It's not that hard." and etc.

He'd be soo happy when he'll see the progress, even if it's small thing such as zoning out less, being able to focus easier or not forgetting things that you usually do. He'd genuinely be so happy!

[aesethewitch]

Spirit Work: The Power of Hanging Out

Elaborate rituals, intense meditations, and huge gestures have their places in spirit work. There's value in putting a massive effort into something for the spirits you venerate or work with. And sometimes, you need to do these big things for a particular outcome or as part of your tradition.

I have a bias against big, elaborate rituals for this purpose, though. In my practice, it's just unnecessary. All of the relationships I have and maintain with spirits are, at their cores, friendships. They're not working relationships, they're not worshiper-worshiped relationships, they're not transactional relationships. My spirits are my friends.

So I approach working with them like friendship. I'll light a candle and set a cup of coffee or tea on their altar in the same way I'd offer a friend a cup of tea when they visit. If I'm working on something, I'm accustomed to body doubling as someone with ADHD, and I like to invite my friends to work alongside me. In the same way, I'll invite my spirit friends to participate or just hang around while I work.

Heck, they hang out while I write these posts sometimes!

Not everything in spirit work has to be intense and serious. Yes, you should be respectful -- in the same way that you should be respectful to your neighbors and your friends. And yeah, not all spirits can or should be treated this way.

But I would like to posit the humble power of Hanging Out.

What I Mean By That

Literally. Hanging out.

Whatever you normally do to "call" your spirit(s), do that. My method is lighting a candle of some sort. Sometimes, I'll choose a scented candle if I'm trying to lure a particular spirit to the area, but an unscented taper candle will do just fine.

And then, you hang out. That's it.

If you're watching YouTube, invite the spirit to watch with you. Ask their opinions on what to watch, if you have an easy way to communicate with them. (One of my spirits loves Ghost Hunting TV Shows. He thinks it's hilarious.)

If you're playing a video game, leave space on the couch for the spirit to settle next to you to watch.

Make dinner, chat about your days. Set aside a little plate for them if you want. Eat together.

The Value in Hanging Out

The idea here is that time is valuable​. Time spent with someone else is valuable on its own, even if that time is spent doing little to nothing "productive."

Think about your friends and the people you enjoy spending time with. It isn't always clubs, parties, exploring, hiking, running, traveling, or whatever else you do. Even if that's how you met or your main activity together, there are always casual moments. Easy breakfasts, simple conversations, sleepovers in your PJs, watching movies.

Quality time is powerful. Choosing to spend your time with someone sends a clear message: "I value your presence."

Not everything has to be an elaborate party. Sometimes, all you want is to sit down and hang out.

Why can't it be the same with spirits? The answer is that it can. In my practice, I rarely do anything that elaborate. I'll put extra effort in for special occasions like holidays, but usually, it's a simple act of lighting a candle, saying hello, and then sitting down with the spirit to just hang out.

Not every relationship requires constant, intense focus. Especially if you're looking to befriend​ your spirits, rather than just work with them, the Power of Hanging Out is a valuable asset to keep in mind.

It doesn't have to be every day, either. I have a sort of open, standing invitation for whichever spirits to hang out whenever they like. They're welcome to chill anytime, unless I ask to be left alone. Because of our relationship, they respect that. (Usually -- the only time they don't is if something urgent has come up or they need something.)

I developed the theory of Hanging Out years ago. Spirit work was where I started, and it's always been Home to me. But it's intense sometimes, and a lot of what I was doing was burning me out very, very fast. So I adapted on the fly, as one does, and it ended up working really well.

Now, Hanging Out is my primary method of doing spirit work. Even with spirits I don't know or in new locations, there's value in projecting an aura of "I'm just here to chill. Feel free to talk to me, or don't. It's cool." Spirits, shockingly, respond to that. I end up with a lot of interesting, casual conversations, light taps on the shoulder to let me know I've been acknowledged by something that doesn't want to talk, and various visual anomalies from shy critters in the shadows.

Think of it like slow blinking at a cat or offering the back of your hand to a dog. Approaching respectfully and calmly in a very casual way attracts things that otherwise wouldn't show themselves. The Power of Hanging Out is alluring to even the shyest spirits.

Again, obviously, this won't work for all spirits. Do what works for what you work with. I've found Hanging Out works best with ancestors, house spirits, land spirits, and assorted ghosties over the years. It's not so good with, say, the Good Neighbors. But hey, maybe your experience will differ.

Extra Benefits of Hanging Out

Aside from the relationship benefits of casually sitting and hanging out, there are even more practical benefits. As a side-effect of adapting spirit work in this way to work for me, my senses for spiritual energy shot through the roof.

I've always been pretty sensitive. I'm that weird kid at the next table over in the restaurant who clocked the spirit of your recently-deceased aunt who left you her necklace which you're wearing under your shirt and which I couldn't have possibly seen. But when I started Hanging Out and just existing in a space with spirits, everything sort of... exploded.

It's like recognizing your family's footsteps coming down the hallway. When I stopped trying to force myself to understand and recognize every scrap of energy, it all washed over me instead. And in the Energy Soup, I started to recognize more signs and signals without effort.

This is, in my opinion, the greatest benefit of Hanging Out, even for people who don't do spirit work at all. There's no meditative aspect to it, really (though you can certainly meditate to enhance it, if that's something you do). It's just sitting and being receptive.

I don't think this method will work for everyone. People who have zero sensitivity to spirits may not see any results. But I think it has value even for those people.

At its core, Hanging Out is a mindfulness exercise. If you can't be with spirits, be with yourself. Put the call out to whoever or whatever you work with, venerate, sense -- or things you'd like to get to know better. See what answers.

​Light a candle.

Say, "If you want to come sit with me and watch TV, feel free. I have popcorn."

Hang Out.

If you like my work, consider tossing a tip in my Ko-Fi tip jar! Supporters get extra, early, and exclusive content every week. You can also view this post on Ko-Fi here!

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Right, so, I've been seeing some persistent misconceptions in fanfiction where a character has ADHD. I'm a man of color with ADHD and I want to clear some things up. This is specifically about how people tend to write Ed Teach, but it can apply to other characters you're writing with ADHD. And I'd love if other people with ADHD, especially other people of color with ADHD, have any additions to tack on!

These things are NOT what ADHD is.

ADHD does not make you "stupid." This whole thing was inspired because I just read a fic where Ed cites his ADHD as evidence he's "dumber" than the other characters (and this was supported by the writing in the story). There is no correlation between ADHD and intelligence, and we know that Ed is a genius!

ADHD does not automatically mean that someone can't finish school or can't succeed in demanding academic fields. I'm working on my PhD. It just means your character needs coping skills.

ADHD does not mean that someone will "hyperfixate" on or suddenly lose interest in relationships, whether romantic or platonic.

ADHD doesn't mean your character struggles with personal hygeine or keeping their home clean. Please stop making me read fics that characterize a man of color as dirty or incapable of keeping his home clean and excusing it because "he has ADHD!"

ADHD doesn't mean that your character will need someone to look after or supervise everything they do. Ed does not need a White man to take care of him or make sure his work gets done.

ADHD doesn't mean a character will be unable to sit still, focus, stay on-task, or sit in silence 100% of the time. We all have different tolerance levels and those can change depending on current circumstances.

Here are some more realistic, interesting ways ADHD can impact successful, smart characters of color, like Ed.

He might feel the need to be hypercompetent, all the time.

He might get frustrated with himself. ADHD can be frustrating! You can be on top of things 99% of the time at work and school, and have people look up to you, and then you'll realize that you've been forgetting to book that doctor's appointment for six months straight now and you'll feel like a failure.

He might overcorrect symptoms. For example, he might have trouble keeping a neat, organized space and know that messes stress him out, so he overcorrects by being a bit of a neat freak and avoiding mess wherever possible so his space never becomes unmanageable.

He might struggle with The Evil Boredom. That's when you feel super understimulated and nothing is enough to help.

He might have trouble sitting still or saying quiet when he's nervous, feeling strong emotions, or in a boring environment or trying to do a boring task (the scene where Ed struggled with being still and quiet while fishing, while also feeling strong emotions of guilt, was super relatable).

I like to write AuDHD characters (with both autism and ADHD), and it can add a fun new dimension! I personally headcanon Ed as AuDHD. When you have both, symptoms can be frustrating because they can feel contradictory (for example, my autism demands I keep a neat, tidy space and I like routines, but my ADHD means I have trouble keeping things tidy to my standards and routines are super boring).

And finally but crucially: it's obviously okay to headcanon a character as ADHD or with any other neurodivergence when you're White. However, it's important to remember that the experience of neurodivergence looks different for people of color. Boys of color with ADHD, for example, are often overdiagnosed with ODD and labelled as "defiant" or "uncooperative." I often avoid telling White friends and coworkers that I'm AuDHD because it tends to make them infantalize me, as if I haven't already proven to them I'm a capable adult. People of color often have to go undiagnosed or without appropriate medications (if needed) and/or are misdiagnosed. If you're writing about a chracter of color with ADHD, I really recommend finding a sensitivity reader.

[lowkeyrobin]

Hellooo, I was wondering if you could do MCYT with an S/O who has ADHD? (Mostly hyperfixates on horror games, etc.) I personally have a bad habit of walking around till my legs are sore (my leg has been sore for the past three days please help I can't get rid of this energy ahh-) and how MCYT would react to that/stop Y/N from. Doing that lol

HELP THIS IS SO REAL BAHAHHAHABA ; thank you for the request 🫶🫶 ; sorry if anything seems a little wrong, I'm kinda looking into if I have adhd but obv idk and I'm not diagnosing myself, but I obviously am not diagnosed so I don't know the full ins and outs and I know it's a spectrum, so uh yeah 👍 hopefully I did good lol

MCYT ; ADHD shenanigans

includes ; tommyinnit, ranboo, badlinu, nihachu & quackity

warnings ; language

masterlist

TOMMYINNIT

he'll walk into your stream, sit down, look at your screen, then blankly stare at you when he realizes what you're playing

"Dude. are you streaming FNAF again?"

you nod with a smile "yupppp"

he spends the rest of your stream talking to chat and trying to scare you more

you're just talking about the lore and shit and he's loosely hanging onto it LMAO

if you're just like pacing around the house he'll look up at you like "bro you okay?"

will genuinely join in as well, he's always got the energy

he doesn't mean to enable like hurting yourself to a point, but once he realizes he is kind of enabling it he'll immediately stop

"sit down, here, skip leg day for once, focus on those noodle arms of yours"

"says you! the fuck?"

RANBOO

let's you rant about your fixations and the lore and whatnot

I mean they won't deny that the Blair Witch Project video game is really good

they even buy you posters of the Blair Witch Project movie and video game (we don't talk about the movies after the first...)

even gets you merch off the official game site too (if that exists? I'm not sure istg there was merch tho)

they start to get a little fixated on it too considering they love hearing about the lore and theories from you and stuff

they even play it on stream and dedicate it to you

"thanks for the content y/n"

when you're running through the house, he'll race with you for a while before finding some other ways for you to release energy without making yourself sore

at one point he just gives you coffee that way you'll crash and burn after a few hours

I mean at least you don't feel like your legs are about to pop off your body

FREDDIE BADLINU

invested in the resident evil lore because of you

"I saw this and thought of you" AND ITS A LEON KENNEDY EDIT LMFAOOO

I mean yeah

loves hearing you rant about the games and everything, he could listen to you talk for hours

when you're all strung up on energy he also enables it without realizing at first

when he can tell it's more than just being energetic he'll help you find ways to calm down

if need be, he'll read to you, instant sleep I swear

or when he starts talking you'll be fully invested in his words

"yknow, Google listed among us as a horror game and I really cannot-"

NIKI NIHACHU

the amount of dead by daylight merch and the amount of money that you've spent on it is kinda concerning

but she loves listening to you rant about how the kill animations are so awesome and about new maps and characters and dlcs

I mean it's your current fixation, of course she'd listen to every single word you'd have to say

she even plays with you on stream a lot as well

when you're strung up on energy, she'll take you out for a run, you're like a dog on a leash though because she's not trying to lose you

"niki, come on! I wanna see the water snakes!"

"I'm coming, I can't sprint like you do, darling!"

QUACKITY

"of all the games, why is five nights at freddy's the one you're fixated on?"

he loves hearing you rant and explain lore and theories to him tho

genuine love language

he'll even play it on stream with you

"and the purple guy basically killed all the kids, and the kids basically scared him into the springlock suit and it literally killed him so he possesses that suit now-"

he'll just joke about the amount of energy you have

like Ranboo, will serve you coffee so you can crash and burn considering you end up begging him to help you

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

I saw a post on your Instagram account saying you're writing 100k words a month. Is it true? How do you manage to write that much? Do you have any advice on how to do the same thing?

Well, yes. It's true. I write around 100k words a month, which makes around 1.5 million words a year.

First of all: don't do like me. Don't compare how you write to how I write. It's not a competition, and I have a lot of explanations for why I'm writing so much that you actually don't want to reproduce lol.

The first of them is that I have ADHD, and so like a lot of ADHD people, I can't focus on only one project. It's literally impossible for me, and I tried. I'm writing on 15 different projects, and 7 translations. At the same time, yes, which is why I post my fanfiction on a chaotic schedule, with sometimes months between chapters. So that's a first inconvenience.

ADHD comes with hyperfixations. Writing is one of them, and so I have literally no concept of time whatsoever when I'm writing, and I'm really excited so I write A LOT. This is actually one of the many reasons I'm exploring autism, because that hyperfixation has been the same for 20 years now lol. By that I mean that I am physically unwell the days I can't write, which can happen sometimes. I'm writing basically every day, at least 2 hours a day.

The second explanation is that I have a lot of free time right now, as I'm still looking for a job, and so I'm not working at the moment. I have writing sessions until 4 a.m. sometimes, which I for sure don't recommend anyone to do unless you want to have a very messed up sleep schedule like me. Well, I'm still writing a lot even when I'm working, but with more restrictions on time and so a lot less words.

As you can see, this is mostly an unhealthy way to deal with writing, so don't do like I do and do it at your rhythm.

As for my advice if you want to write more regularly: see your brain as just another muscle. To train a muscle, you need to repeat things regularly. That's how you learned to brush your teeth, for example. Set one or two writing sessions in the week, 20 minutes each (it can be 5 minutes 4 times a day too!), and once your brain starts to like the routine and if you have time, you can add more sessions in the week or longer sessions.

Don't do big sessions immediately, and stop after your timer is done. Why? Because frustration is also a good tool. The more frustrated you are that you have been interrupted in the middle of a cool writing session, the faster you will want to go and write again.

I don't recommend counting your words. The number of words you write a day is irregular, and seeing fluctuations can demotivate you. It's okay if you don't write as much as you did yesterday, you're still writing. It's ok if you only wrote three words today because you were tired, that's still three words you wrote.

However, if you like a good challenge, it can also be a motivator. It really depends on people. Don't hesitate to write with friends too! Trying to be regular with a lot of people makes things easier, and you can do regular breaks to share extracts of what you wrote for example. There are Discord servers specialized in that!

What you want to avoid is writing euphoria. Writing euphoria is basically when you're so inspired that you feel like writing until you pass out from exhaustion. Writing euphoria is one of the reasons some people experience writer's block syndrome. It's not always the case as there's a lot of different things that can do that, but this is definitely one of them. If you end a session exhausted, your brain might keep in memory that it's not a fun thing to do, and so it might blocks you when you try again. That's why frustration is important when you want to become more regular.

And, of course, reward yourself at the end of every writing session. You know how you cheer your puppy when it peed outside? Well, it's basically the same thing. Congratulate your brain for braining, either with a treat, a video you wanted to watch, or the authorization to play a video game. It can be anything as long as you end on a successful note!

Keep in mind that you won't become regular in a week. It takes months of practice, with a lot of fails on the way, and that's ok. Keep also in mind that this is one method, not THE method. It might not work with you, because you have a different way of functioning, and that's ok too :D Find the way that works for you, and try several things!

Added to that, if you are barely starting in writing: don't try to be regular immediately. Before even thinking about that, there's one essential step you need to reach: you need to like what you're writing. You're going to spend hours on a project. If you're not confident in what you're writing for now, you won't be regular because you will keep doubting yourself. Liking what you're writing takes more or less time, depending on the author, and that's ok. Learn first what your limits in writing are, and what you like and don't like to do. That's the very first step in this process. Trust yourself first.

[wings-of-ink]

Hello! I just wanted to say GC is soooo good! I've replayed it several times and every time I play I fall in love with the entire cast, they are all so interesting and adorable (especially Oswin if I could I would make him the biggest cup of hot chocolate and shower him with compliments) 🥹🥹🥹 The writing is also amazing! Your pacing is really good, every scene is always interesting and I never skip over paragraphs (which is a bad habit I tend to do when I'm bored while reading). I have started to get into writing and I was wondering if you have any tips you could share on plotting IF, pacing stories/scenes, making interesting characters, or anything else you want to share!

Hello dear! I am so glad you are liking GC so much! I too am guilty of skimming (mostly on re-reads, but sometimes my ADHD is like, go on - do a flip!). And Oswin would totally be down for some hot chocolate and compliments - ideal date material there.

I get a little teary eyed every time someone mentions that they like the writing. We are our own worst critics, so it just lights up my soul that my writing is enjoyable for you. I will try my best to give you some bits that have helped me, but no one formula works for everyone. The key is to find your formula, try things out and see what jives with your way of doing things.

Apologies, this ended up way longer than I anticipated, but I kept thinking of things that I wanted to include, lol.

What I would recommend for sure is to actually do some self-study on editing and not necessarily just writing. That helped me quite a bit. Originally, I was going to return to college for some sort of certificate or Associates in the editing/writing spectrum. But, I am in a situation that I cannot afford to pay for classes for (another) degree that I end up resenting, lol. So, I studied editing myself to see if I felt it was something I would like and would be capable of. I learned a lot and really enjoyed.

*I highly recommend "Intuitive Editing" by Tiffany Yates Martin, and "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers," Second Edition by Dave King, Renni Browne, Dave King.*

There's a lot out there to choose from though. Also, thriftbooks.com has helped me score very affordable copies when money was tight. I applied a lot of what I learned in those books as best I could, especially when it comes to pacing and cutting out those things that readers tend to skip. A key thing to take away from those books is how to write dialogue. I focus on dialogue a lot and I am always working to make it as good as I am able. And really, you can google this too, there's lots of articles about it.

With pacing, I'm not sure if I can put it as good of words as other books or articles can. You sort of need to just keep in mind of where you're going - push the plot forward always. But also remember that IFs take more space in this realm because of the different paths, especially if you have a romance element. IF readers want variety and they want to impact the story.

You can't get too lost in the details and descriptions all the time. If your setting is temporary - you don't need 6 passages about how the moss on the stones reminds your character of their emotional pathway in life. This is also a stylistic choice - I cannot write this way, but others are totally gifted to do so. For me, I like to let my reader make part of the setting - give them the framework and the important details, and their imagination fills in the blanks (but I will say there's a balance that, one I am still working on, lol). This helps move you along since your key points aren't broken up by paragraph upon paragraph of description.

As for planning & plotting, that part can be hard for me - ADHD, lol. I had no particular method for this, I just understand my limitations (attention and memory to name 2). GC started as a plot point in a note on my phone. It was really just the MC and their situation. From there, I just grew it out and kept thinking about it. I had a notebook that I brainstormed things in, from plot to characters and setting, I just jotted things down. I would recommend that before you start writing you know where you're going. You don't have to have everything plotted out bit by bit. You need your key moments, landmarks to hit on your journey through to where your ultimate destination is (or destinations if you want multiple outcomes).

Don't be reluctant to change things as you go. There are parts of GC that I thought for sure I'd have that ended up changing a lot or removed for the better. Be flexible, but if you have a specific scene in your head - write it - even if you don't know what comes before or after. If you use it that's great, if not - save it for later or for another story.

For characters, I don't know for sure, but I imagine everyone's approach is different. I don't even have a set method for this, some characters sort of spring to mind on their own. Sometimes, you may think of a personality you like or even a tragic backstory, and the character forms from there. I'd recommend keeping it a bit realistic - make them bad at things, give them a few defining characteristics/ticks/quirks, but remember that they can choose to act differently sometimes.

Something helpful to get to know your characters is to do profiles and such for them. There are lots of character templates out there that will ask you questions to help you flesh them out. One of my favorite things to do is to actually take a personality test or two from the point of view of my character - to see how would they answer these questions. The results you read can just help cement them as an actual person, and if you're not sure how they'd respond to something, you can consult these. I like to use https://www.16personalities.com/ just keep in mind that personality is not a set science at all, but reading up on them can really help you bring them to life.

For IFs specifically, I am still new to this. It is similar but different to writing a regular novel with set characters. Flexibility is key, but you have to remember you cannot appease every single reader even if you want to. When I write passages, I try to think of different ways things could go, or how different MCs might want to influence the situation. This can get daunting, so you sort of need to mitigate what is worth writing unique outcomes for (is the energy to do it and the impact worth it?).

Probably the biggest thing I would recommend for IF writing is to makes notes and track your stuff. For GC I have a document just for code and variables. I pre-write the code so I can copy and paste it and then fill in the unique text for whatever variable I'm on. I also keep separate documents that are "living" for each character, an overarching outline for the whole plot, reminders, editing notes - whatever I need. For me, it helps to do separate digital (searchable) documents, it just depends on your style of working.

Most of all, if you love writing, write. Find your voice. Try different things. Just do it. Don't fret about if it's been "done before" because, to an extent, everything really has - but no one has written your version of it. Write what you like, what you know. No one else is you.

Just a personal note from me - I got so caught up in being an "adult" with a college experience and jobs that left me withered like a husk, that I stopped doing what I loved for a long time. I have loved writing since I was a child. I wrote for fun with my best friend. I made stupid funny stories for my high school crew. I even did very bad comics for a while. It was just a downward spiral, and I hardly read or wrote anything for years. So, just keep at it. Even if you don't use what you write, it's good for the soul. Even if no one reads it, just do it for you.

I hope something in there is useful for you. Sorry if it's a lot, you let this dog off the leash and I got into literally everything (sorry I also piddled in the living room again). ^_^

[inverted-flowers]

More hermits as deities!

I got very stuck on Impulse because I was so determined to do his... But well uh... yeah...

Bdubs: God of The Day

Good nights rest

Sunrise

Daytime

Horses

Enjoyable travel

Healing through rest

Safety at night

Symbolism:

Moss

Clocks

The sun

Horses

Sleep caps

Offerings:

Clocks, either working ones like pocket watches or fake art pieces

Blankets

Medicinal herbs

Lavender and other herbs associated/for calming and sleep

Notes: Followers would place shines in areas where they could get lots of sunshine. The most traditional spot would be in a bedroom window that gets lots of light.

Gem:

Feminine strength and power

Honesty

Self defense

Cottage life

Note: I only recently started watching her and honestly my poor health and lack of wifi is preventing me from watching most rn.. poor timing but I really wanted to include her because she's wonderful. Also she's rather Athena coded. Athena is a greek goddess of war who's also a patron goddess of craftsmen. I rest my case do I not?

Impulse:

Impulsiveness

Symbolism:

Yellow, gold, and black

Lower case i

Offerings:

Gold

Scar: God of The Trade

Trades and deals

Manipulation and verbal trickery

Facades

Aesthetic gardening

Beautiful trees

Symbolism:

Fae and vexes

Offerings:

Money

Snacks

Gardens and landscaping work

Notes: His typical worshippers could be traders, but especially those who work the land. Garden and field workers under the wealthy could be a particularly big group. Since typically fae are known for their twisting of words and also incredibly nature based, it's only right to include them.

Joel: God of Pride

Pride and bravado

Self awareness, shame, and false bravado

Sarcasm

Symbolism:

Lighting (I had to ok?)

Ogres

Offerings:

Notes: His followers are totally ubber secretive. Also I imagine that he's sort of a two sides to a coin type. In art maybe he's depicted as both an ogre and a man with green antenna. Which is used indicates which "side of the coin" is at play. I think there's a lot more to be included in his list too.

Tango: God of Ambition

Distractions

Intense focus

Mechinisms

Ambition

Passion, excitement, rage, and drive

Symbolism:

Red, icy blues for certain periods

Fire

Offerings:

Notes: Can I just jokingly say he's the god of adhd? Lord he was just about Impulse all over again in this process.

Xisuma: God of Music

Music and expression through it

Guidance

Community

Commitment (correct me, I'm not what you'd call an avid fan)

————

Overall notes:

I assume Cleo would be referred to as a diety instead of a god or goddess. When I inevitably start watching her content because oh my god a person who also uses they/them and another pronoun maybe I'll try to revisit this but I dunno if I'll remember lol. So if any who's a fan of their's had ideas please please share! I'm very curious of them!

I've also kinda broken it up into categories and I have more to add to this topic so I'm looking to do a post where I talk more about it! Feel free to join in when I do.

And just like last time, I'd love to hear other's ideas with this. If there's any gaps I left or people I haven't included, I welcome you to toss in your input. Even if you're just adding onto something that I didn't leave blank! I read all the ones people shared with the original post and it was lovely. Honestly I might explode because I still can't come up with much for Impulse so input would be greatly appreciated.

(Also I cannot believe I didn't include bdubs in the first post so I'm added him in here. How the heck did I not notice? He's the one I started with!)

Edit: it took me an embarrassingly long time to notice I didn't put the handful of ideas I had for Impulse down.

[callofdudes]

Hello! I loved your simon riley x autistic reader headcanons. Could you do simon riley x adhd-c reader, if you're comfortable with that?

I've been struggling lately and would love some comfort from our favorite LT 💖

Ah, welcome fellow neurodivergent people! :)

Just a small reminder that I do not have ADHD and something I say that may be inaccurate. My here to spread love and learn 😊

ADHD-C Reader x Simon Riley

Before we start let me just say you and Johnny are demons for this man. The two ADHD soldiers running around and causing several layers of chaos everywhere. He loves you both but... Why? Is his question.

Ghost watches you closely. You have a history of doing your tasks with less than diligent hands and often getting distracted somewhere along the processing line.

Ghost understood this when he learned about your ADHD, seeing the shed half washed or entire patches of dirt having been missed. The van not cleaned out right or a task completely disregarded.

Ghost will gently guide you back, helping you finish. Ghost has also been trying to find way for making your tasks funner and more interesting to focus on to try and hold your attention. (ie: hanging streamers on the shed you have to wash away with the hose) to try and keep the creative stimulation going for a bit longer.

Gun cleaning is something you especially struggle with. And it's very important. You don't want your gun going wrong or getting jammed on a mission and exploding your head off. Ghost has made this very clear to you several times.

You'd remember... If you didn't have trouble listening as well. Things he says goes in one ear and out the other. Ghost isn't entirely sure if it even gets that far. And sometimes it can be annoying, getting through a briefing and having you ask him five minutes later what you are doing.

But he's patient. Oooh so patient.

He honestly isn't sure if giving you a fidget toy during briefings makes any difference in whether you're listening to him. Your eyes aren't on him so it doesn't really feel like it.

This is also why you're not allowed on solo missions unless you have a paper objective stuck to your forehead. You get so pent up over the stress and pressure of solo missions you completely forget what you were even doing there in the first place.

And a lot of times you do get stressed and can break down over not being able to get anything done. Which usually results in frustrated tears and exhaustion. Simon is there for you though.

"Hey, sergeant, what's going on?" Ghost stopped you in the hallway, looking at you for answers while you tried to wipe your tears. "Let me go, I can't help-"

"Hey," Ghost grips your shoulder a little tighter. "What's got you in a twist?"

"All my tasks, it's 2:00 and I haven't gotten anything done." You choke out, thinking he'll be mad.

But he's not. Not at you at least.

"Ok, that's alright. I want you to take a few deep breaths for me ok? Can you try to do that?"

You nod, stifling out some deep breaths and slowly calming down. "Good, you're doing amazing." Ghost rubs your back. "How about we go and do your tasks together, yeah?"

Your smile is a little wobbly but you nod. "Please??"

"Of course, let's go see what you have to do."

Ghost will help you, but he can also push his weight. Sometimes when you just seem genuinely bored with a task and nothing can fix it, he's going to push you. He knows it's extremely hard but this is a place for push and progress, so he'll stand by you and help you finish it despite the lack of stimulation to your brain.

"Ghoooost-!"

"Absolutely not, sit down. Finish your work."

You whine, finding it physically impossible not to fidget and get up from your desk to find something to do.

"I can put on some music or get you another juice box? But you are not getting up until this is done. I can give you a stretch break and let you roll on the floor for a bit or something, but no leaving your office until it's done."

You look up at him with a pouty lip and he pokes it, pushing it back into place. "I'm serious about this one y/n, I'm here to help you however you need but I need you to finish this ok.?"

You sigh and read the next question on your yearly evaluation. "Sex? Like, gender??"

Ghost nods.

"Oh! Did you know my cousin is having a kid and they don't want to know the sex? Why do they even have gender reveal parties..? I would use green if I ever had kids because green is a good color. Like trees are green, and grass and-"

"Focus. We're drawing it all back in, look at me."

You look over at Ghost. "Huh?"

"Look at me, we're drawing all of the thoughts back to me, right?"

You nod, keeping your eyes on him.

"Good, now, answer the question, that question only and then you're mostly done. Ok?"

You nod. "Ok, yeah, I can do that."

"Awesome, answer that last question."

Ghost likes to reward you for being persistent and pushing through difficulties. However.. he's learned the hard way not to tell you he's going to surprise you with something until it's over. Because you won't stop talking about it, or thinking about it. And then nothing ever gets done.

He also helps you get to bed. You can get distracted by so many things bedtime is overwhelming a lot. Simon will be there for you when it's late, helping you from whatever activity you are doing.

He makes sure you don't drink any coffee or anything a couple hours before bed, and tries to get you to bed around the same time every day.

"Did you brush your teeth? No, then let's do that before bed."

"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

"Into bed little tree climber." Simon will joke. He knows you're an adult but it's still funny.

You sigh, looking at him while he runs his fingers through your hair and slowly massages your shoulder with the other, trying to relax you. You won't sleep if you're so tense.

You finally close your eyes, slowly relaxing while he runs his hands over your shoulders and down your sides in gentle motions to relax your spine and back, helping release all the tension and stress after the long day of running around.

"Im going to put on some music ok? Just take some deep breaths, try to close your eyes and sleep."

"Ok."

Simon turns on some slow music for you to help your brain calm down from all the zoomies of the day. He stated by your side, the room in total darkness with only the gentle music playing.

And soon enough you were off to bed.

Simon knows a lot of people find you exhausting. And sometimes you do tire him out, but he'll help you. He knows you need it a lot, and he'll always be there to gently nudge you in the right direction.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

Hi hi! I love how in depth and detailed you are when making/creating characters, or even when talking about other characters.

but I was curious, I wanted to be more inclusive/have more representation of PoC with my art works. But I do not know where to begin, or how to properly do research especially with how to research history and find accurate articles or so on.

Which I was curious on if you have any tips or pointers on how to do this/do my homework correctly?

THANKS!! OOOOhhhh I love research! And for a recent Spidersona, I had to do something like this. So here's the process I use to say things that kinda sorta make sense sometimes

How to Learn Any Topic RIGHT NOW- (kinda)

[A slightly LONG length post where I talk about my biggest resource and my number one tactic for sounding like you know your shit in an hour or less. Plus a list of educational Youtubers]

In High School, I mastered an art. The Art of 'Skyrim Speech 100'. The way to sound like you know what you're talking about, and form a pretty solid foundation of information in one sitting.

I am DEADASS CONVINCED that I have it boiled down to a very specific scientific formula. I got this I okay. I gotchu I swear I'm bout to have you like this im so deadass -

For me personally, the best resource is YouTube. One Website - Three Videos. And you're GOOD.

I have ADHD so - huge attention issues, so videos are a go to for me.

But I also really appreciate seeing the person explaining things to me. Finding good websites can be HARD, especially nowadays where a lot of websites might not even be written by humans, just clobbered together by AI.

For me, YouTube lets me see the person behind the channel, and it's a lot easier for me to vet the information if it's coming from one person who is open about their identity/certifications.

If their whole channel is dedicated to one thing, you can usually tell when they're very dedicated/educated on a topic, and I feel a lot more comfortable listening to them. Rather than reading random websites with writers I don't know/can't see.

Longform Youtube can be SO GOOD.

I'm gonna list some at the bottom - but you can find channels on everything. From architecture, to historical dress, to subway systems, entire cultures, etc.

In recent years Youtube has made a big push for longform content - so I recommend checking out videos that are 15 minutes OR MORE.

Not only is that enough time to go in depth, but because it's a video - the information is fed to you in a linear fashion. It's a lot more conversational and visual than reading a website.

If you hear something and need to remember, you can always go back. It can be hard to go back to a webpage and find the exact line, but videos are a bit easier.

Tips:

Try for find Youtubers that focus on ONE topic - or creators who go in depth about a wide array of interesting things (like Tom Scott or Anthony Padilla). Look for Doctors and Professors - A lot of educational professionals have youtube channels now. And they'll usually be upfront about it, searching things like 'History Professor explains X' or 'Doctor explains Y'. TEDTalks are good for this too. Look for people who are, or have the thing you're representing - If you're writing for a disability, it's always good to watch a video about the day in the life of someone with it - mental illnesses too. And there are a lot of great youtubers that easily break down things like cultural practices - or the issues they face because of their identity. Look for news channels. Watch current events. Vice, BBC, Channel 4, and have a lot of good current news, and they're posting videos every day. These videos show real life conditions while explaining it all, and they're really helpful for knowing about current political/cultural topics. DOCUMENTARIES!!!! - There is a documentary on anything. You can quote them in academics, and unlike movies, people post them on YouTube ALL the time, and people make them all the time. If you need to know about something, DOCUMENTARY.

I love using videos for everything, and below is how I use them:

I have a method that usually helps me sound like I'm super knowledgeable - By casting a very wide and very specific net over any topic. By narrowing any topic down to three parts, you can learn about 40% of a topic, but sound like you know 80%.

How to Teach Yourself Any Topic (in an hour and some change)

Three step method.

Watch three longform videos (15+ mins) about the topic. Each video about something slightly different.

The first video is about The History. This teaches us about the background of the topic. The second video is about The Expert Opinion. This teaches us about the reality of the topic. The third video is about a Random Topic inside of the main topic. This is to make us sound smart (in school)/add details or inspiration (while making characters).

Watch a fifteen minute video about each of these things, and in less than an hour, you'll have a pretty solid foundation of what it is, where it came from, and random (but surprisingly useful) details.

And when I say random I MEAN RANDOM. Can be anything - the niche, the better.

I'll give an example below with real search results and videos.

[I also give tips on how to search by topic (culture, religion, time period, etc) - as well as a list of educational BUT FUN Youtubers]

Example: I wanna make a Victorian Era Spider-woman.

The History Video - I watch a video about the general era, or what it was like being a woman in that time. I searched: Women in Victorian Era I found a real video titled: The Daily Life of a Victorian Lady

The Expert Opinion - I wanted to design her outfit accurately, so I looked for a Dress Historian's opinion on 1880's outfits I searched: Victorian Era Fashion I found a real channel: Bernadetta Banner (a channel all about recreating historical dresses - by a Broadway costume designer.)

The Random Topic - I don't know much about the Victorian Era..but I know theres two topics people always relate to the era - Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper. I chose Sherlock. Sooooo, I watched a video about whether BBC sherlock was better than Downy Sherlock. Why? Because in 15 minutes it tells me about the show, the movie, AND the book - ALSO while teaching about the time period. I searched: BBC Sherlock vs Book I found a real video titled: Sherlock vs Sherlock - Which Iteration is Superior.

So after three 15-20 minute videos I know the history, the facts, and some random niche details of a topic.

Do I know everything about it? Not at all! But doing that, usually you can probably get through a conversation without freaking out too much.

By doing all that - I now know enough about the Victorian Era. From those videos I can accurately write an average Victorian woman, design her outfit accurate to the era, and also infuse some Victorian literature influence into her story.

All in an hour.

It works for other people character's too. Watching a video on the 70's, a video on the Punk Movement, and then a video of lets say a video about the band Ramones

Methods:

Some ideas for different topics:

If you want to show a character from a different time period -

If you're trying to write a character like Hobie, first watch a video about the history of the period - to understand when they were living. Then watch a video on their style/subculture - like the Punk movement. Then pick a specific band/media from the era and watch a video on it.

Sidebar: This is actually how I made Diane! I have little to no idea about the 70's outside of Punk. So searched up the history of 70's Disco, a video by Glamour about 1970's fashion, and I only knew one or two Disco singers (Donna Summer & Diana Ross) - so I chose Diana Ross. Diana is the direct inspiration for Diane's name and big hair. I never reference Diana, but it helps Diane fit the Disco theme, by emulating one of THE disco queens.

If you want to show a character from a different country -

Like India for example, a good place to start is watching a video about the history of India, then watching a vlog from someone in India (in the area you're thinking of), then watch a video about Indian fashion, or indian street food, or indian family traditions - so you can sprinkle those details into the story or conversation. Then you can build from there. Big tip: If they're from the city watch a video about the city's transit/subway system if they have one. It's a VERY fast way to learn the city, and make it sound like they actually live there, even if you're just name dropping stations and town squares.

If you want to show a character with a mental illness, disability or condition -

Start off by searching the background of the condition. Have a doctor break down what it is, how it effects the body, the mind, or both. Then watch a video of an average person with the condition, and their experience day to day. Then try and find a specific advocate, celebrity, or influence who goes into depth about it and how they empower themselves.

If you want to show someone from a different religion -

Watch a video about the beliefs of the religion, then the history of the religion, then a video of someone who practices the religion.

ETC-

Now disclaimer, this won't make you actually know everything about the topic - but at the very least, you'll probably be using the terms and words right. And you might be able to think up your own thought from there.

I used this ALL THROUGH High School.

If I know next class is about Marie Antoinette - yeah sure lemme go run and learn about her life history, her fashion taste, and the architecture of the Palace of Versailles in an hour.

Now I can talk about her childhood, personality, and where she lived.

The Great Gatsby? Never read it and I never will. The movie? NEVER SEEN IT. I searched up the history/inspiration of the author, watched a video on the book's plot and symbolism, then watched a video on the book vs the movie.

From there I kinda understood what the book was about, why the author might have written it, the symbolic ho-ha, and the extra details as if I watched the movie too.

And from there I could formulate whether I think the symbolism matters to our modern day society and why the director changed small details from the book, and etc, etc.

It was enough for me to bullshit and say words and usually people are like 'yeah you seem to be making sense' lol

HELL throw in ANOTHER video about the lives of women in the 1920's and I could probably bullshit an argument on how the Great Gatsby reflects gender roles in the Flapper Era. Like gun to my head I could probably come up with something im so deadass

HEY IM NOT SAYING SLACK OFF IN SCHOOL OKAY - DO NOT THIS IS JUST MY TESTIMONIAL - USE THIS TO LEARN TOPICS NOT BOOKS ITS A GREAT TOOL

Also disclaimer: use this for good don't be walking around like you Know Know Shit cause someone might check you and then i cant help you this is just a way to understand the basis of topics and be able to form thoughts and hold conversations about them or use them in your art and writing.

Plus it's a great way to gather strong resources for your art and writing.

It's a lot easier to show characters in a natural accurate way when you've curated a very rounded understanding of the topic or era - not just in an educational historical sense.

For the purposes of character creation, essays, sounding like you know anything in conversations - this does help. And you do start absorbing stuff. It's just about breaking the topic down, and learning about it in blocks.

If you understand the history, you can understand the now, and if you understand the now, you can understand the nuance. Like that.

I hope this helped! And because tis customary here, take this photo of Hobart Brown and go forth

And because I cannot send you off into the wild with no place to start here are some of my favorite youtubers that are actually FUN - here's a list.

Bye.

Youtube Channels

Bernadette Banner - Historical Clothing Expert specializing in Edwardian - Victorian

RMTransit - Videos about subway systems, buses, and public transit across the world. VERY quick way to realistically learn about a city

Anthony Padilla - Has lots of 'I Spent a Day With-' videos, where he sits down with people. Has videos ranging on things from Dipolar Disorder and ADHD to things like Asexuality and Ex-Mormons. Good for getting multiple honest experiences of people.

ReligionForBreakfast - Simple approachable videos about religions, their histories and beliefs. Made by a doctor of Religious Studies

Cognito - VERY good historical, cultural, and geographical videos, all cutely animated

Tasting History with Max Miller - Historically accurate cooking videos with really cool stories and histories to match

Vice News - Very good, very vetted Left-leaning news source. Vice and Vice News are two different things. Vice News is really good for current events videos on things like conflicts in countries.

Johnny Haris - slightly longer explainer videos about countries, geography, history, and weird quirks

Vox - Short detailed explainers about....anything really.

Weird History - .....It's history that's weird

Absolute History - Longer Documentaries about History, mainly the 1900's

CrowsEyeProductions - Really good Historical Fashion videos of 1400-2000's

Morgon Donner - ANOTHER Historical Fashion channel (they're really interesting yall) that focuses more on Medieval era

J.J McCullough - REALLY good videos about culture in general, as well as geography videos full of full interesting facts (did you know Nepal is the only country with a flag not four sided?) He also has some spicy takes on Canadian and Quebec politics that are interesting to me as an American but ????

Kati Moron - A therapist who makes videos about the experiences of mental illnesses and their treatment

Dr. Tracey Marks - A Doctor who makes short videos explaining the symptoms and experiences of neurodivergences and mental illnesses