#when youre trying to develop a new habit you have to remember that forgetting and then remembering it too late is progress.

[gibbearish]

(random words bolded for ease of reading)

the best protip i could ever give to fellow adhders (but also applies to everyone) is to always keep an eye out in conversation for people who start to say something then get talked over, and once the current conversation thread ends, swing back around to them and go "what were you about to say?"

benefits:

- that person knows they were heard and feels validated and supported

- the person who interrupted them realizes they did so in a way that doesn't publically call them out, allowing them to process it on their own without shame clogging the pipes

- you yourself are less likely to interrupt others, and the times you do are more likely to be easily forgiven bc the other person knows it wasnt because you thought what you had to say was more important, but just because Mouth Move Faster Than Brain Sometimes

- there's automatically a new topic of conversation waiting in reserve

- professional environments see this as "attention to detail" and "mindfulness" and "teambuilding skills"

- helps combat subconscious bigotries/power dynamics that lead to certain people getting talked over more than others (eg misogyny/racism/homophobia/transphobia/etc)

- ^ again may help you be more mindful of those patterns in yourself and work to unlearn them

- people who like you will want to emulate the behaviors of yours they see as good

- i know people will say "create a positive space around yourself and itll domino effect" all the time and it sounds like wishy washy hippie bullshit but genuinely i cannot emphasize enough that it really does work

- like ive watched it happen in real time, i don't think i have a single friend now that hasn't picked this up from me because They Like When I Do It, It Makes Them Feel Good

- nobody likes being interrupted and everybody gets interrupted All The Goddamn Time. like i need to really drive it home that im not exaggerting when i say you'll be a sorely needed reprieve if you make an effort to do this

- and they really will start doing it in return, likely without you even having to ask if that stresses you out

- it's a small and easy way to make the world a bit kinder for everyone

- godspeed my beloveds~

[pumpkin-bats]

What's Important - Daiki Aomine x Reader

a/n: The poll has spoken! And tbh the results genuinely surprised me. Since Aomine and Akashi tied, I’m gonna do them both! KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL CHARACTERS ARE AGED UP. Thank you. I hope you all enjoy!

summary: He shows up for something important to you that you thought he'd skip.

contains: sfw topics, a bit of personal space invasion, gentle above the neck touching, gender neutral terms for the reader.

wc: 1k+

It wasn't a date or an anniversary, but you'd be lying if you said it didn't feel equally as important.

The thing that set you on the path for your particular set of career goals was a very specific internship. Ever since your third year of college began, you've focused all your energy and efforts towards trying to get said internship. And you had to learn the hard way that it was a high competition, low acceptance, and extremely difficult to qualify for type gig. Yet you made it.

You'd gotten the news earlier that morning as Daiki was getting ready to head out. In your excitement, you'd nearly burned your hand on the stove.

Thanks to your blatant level of enthusiasm, you ended up explaining the situation to your boyfriend before you could accidentally launch an egg at his face trying to silently contain yourself. And with some huffing and puffing, you both settled on plans to celebrate later in the evening.

At the time, you were too blinded by the pure, utter joy that overcame you that you'd forgotten. Now, as you sit on the couch with food spread across the coffee table along with a few other things, you remembered.

The thing is, Daiki isn't the most... timely person. Not to say he didn't treat you well, he did, he just has an issue with showing up to certain events on time, if at all.

The both of you met in your second year of high school. Things started as a tentative friendship, bordering on arch enemies, before it developed into something more around your third year. And over the years you learned a thing or two about his track record in terms of attendance. Namely, how he'd built a bad habit of skipping basketball practice or any other event he deemed unimportant.

As much as you'd like to say it was something you didn't have to worry about anymore, he still had a tendency to miss or skip out on plans the two of you have made. You'll never forget how one time, during the earlier parts of your budding relationship, he bailed on a date for something he refused to specify. That was also the first time you had your first major fight.

All that to say, as the seconds ticked by and it became a good half hour or so past the agreed upon meetup time, you realized this might just be one of those events he deemed unimportant.

You held out hope, but it was a brittle thing. After all, you knew that getting the internship had a bigger effect on you than it did him. Still... you waited a bit longer.

When it was creeping toward a full hour after what you planned for, you slowly stood up and shuffled forward to start putting the food away. It was when you reached for a large bowl of chips, fingertips barely grazing over the rim, that you heard the lock to the front door click before the telltale squeak of it opening.

"Hey, practice ran late so-" You stand there, arm stretched out in midair, staring like a deer caught in the headlights at your boyfriend who'd just stepped into the living room. A towel was slung loosely over the back of his neck and he'd been using one end to scrub at the back of his hair, but paused when his eyes met yours.

"Why do you look so surprised? It's just me." He asked, lowering the towel and raising a brow at your frozen figure.

"You're back," you answered, quite dumbly in fact.

"I live here. And we have the whole-" he gestured vaguely at everything you'd set up and had yet to put away, "Celebration thing for you internship thing."

"Yeah, but... you're actually gonna celebrate it with me." His brows furrowed, a frown creeping onto his face at the baffled way you said it.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Oh, well, no, because I thought- I just-" it took you a second to kick your brain back into gear and unfreeze long enough to spit out a coherent sentence. "I didn't know if you really would. Not to be rude but... you don't have the best track record when it comes to going through with plans."

"What?" His expression soured for a moment, voice dipping low and biting. It lasted for all but a second as he clearly forced himself to relax. 

Daiki stepped into the room, dumping his bag on a nearby chair before moving closer to you. His steps were heavy but they didn't thunder as he approached you. A faint smell of sweat drifted from him and you're suddenly reminded of how, despite his complex with the sport since high school, he continued to play and practice.

"I'm here, aren't I?" In a few strides he stood toe to toe with you, your neck aching from how far back you had to pull your head in order to look up at him. "No way I'd miss something you talked my ear off about all morning."

"That's because it means a lot to me."

"That's why I'm here."

There was a moment where the two of you stared at one another in silence. The deep blue of his eyes glinted under the lamplight, sharp enough to cut. His gaze was intense enough that you needed to fight the urge to take a step back. It felt like electricity snapping and dancing across your skin with the way it prickled under the full weight of his attention.

To help diffuse some of the charged energy in the room, you let a nervous chuckle slip out and poke playfully at his stomach. Though it clearly did nothing when it felt like poking straight concrete.

"I thought you'd say something like 'the only one who can tell me when to do things is me.'" You chuckled weakly at yourself,  pitching your voice a bit lower to mimic his voice. His eye twitched and it's all the warning you get before he moves.

His fingers reached out to glide along your jawline and settled gently on your cheek. Not a caress, but similar enough to it that your breath hitched at the touch. He bent down to be as level with you as his monstrous height allowed him to be. 

There was no escaping the oceanic chasm in his eyes, swallowing in the sight of you and holding you firmly in place. A soft smirk played at his lips when he leaned in close, nose nearly brushing yours.

"The only thing that's more important to me than me, is you."

{Fin!} Thank you for reading ^o^/

[deleteddewewted]

Supermarket Romance P3

Modern! Titus x Reader

S: His first conversation has inspired him to try and build greater connections with the people he already speaks to. His therapist is overjoyed with this development advising him that in due time he will see his anxiety dwindle as exposure is the best type of therapy. Titus is motivated and encouraged even, to pursue further socializing with you. Hopefully, this could be the start of a new connection.

W: PTSD episodes, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Reader is a broke Artist, Titus works as an Analyst for a company, Ableist comments (From Titus and to Titus)

Previous / Next

He didn’t know why he continued to do this to himself. Guilliman had told him to buy a notepad or set reminders on his phone but Titus refused to do so. It got to the point that Guilliman bought him his very own notepad with differently formatted pages so that he could use it for whatever he needed. He once again forgot to take the notepad or write anything down in it as he was browsing the grocery store shelves searching for something he knew he needed but forgot.

His forgetfulness only grew worse with the more he remembered the conversation he had with you a few days back. He couldn’t stop himself from reliving it as it was a weird source of comfort. You didn’t frown at him or make a displeased face. You looked at im, really looked at him, and didn’t think any different about his appearance. Even his doctor at times made faces when talking about his injuries. It made it hard to live in his body at times. But you made it tolerable, at least for the moment.

He mindlessly grabbed whatever was in front of him, not even bothering to read the label or check the price as he continued to relish in the memory before being snapped out of it by his phone buzzing. He pulled it out of his pocket, hoping to see a call from his doctor or Chairon but he was instead met with his boss's name. He frowned at the still-ringing phone but still answered the call reluctantly.

“Hello, Mr. Guilliman.” Titus greeted.

“For the love of everything, Demetrian. Stop calling me 'Mr. Guilliman'. I’m not just your boss, I’m your friend. Reframe from such a habit.” The younger man shouted. It never ceased to surprise Titus just how odd Guilliman was. Their age difference made this even more odd considering that Guilliman was also his superior at the office. It felt awkward to have his boss be younger than him but he guessed he couldn't complain too much as he himself was once a young Lieutenant and Captain who led men and women off all ages. Age didn't matter too much in the military if you had the ability to prove yourself capable of the work being assigned to you.

He assumed this is why Guilliman didn't stay longer in the military and didn't resign his contract. His might and his brain weren't worth being wasted in combat when it could be used for more analytical and important tasks such as leadership in the bureaucratic system they lived in. In a way, Titus was glad the younger man had left. Guilliman looked more relaxed working in an office than working in a tent in the middle of nowhere.

“I will do my best to refrain from addressing you in that way.” Titus complied.

“Good. Now, I have a question for you if you aren’t too busy.” Titus could practically hear the grin that was spreading across his boss's face.

“I’m not.” Titus began to walk down the aisle and into a new one as he spoke on the phone. He readjusted his phone so he could hold it with his other hand instead of the same hand that carried his basket full of groceries.

“I have an event that I want you to attend. I’m having some of my best employees come with me to help push and talk numbers with some big players in the industry that Father is interested in doing business with. This will be over the span of a week but won't be until a few months from now.” Guilliman explained.

“Ok?”

“I wanted to ask if you had anyone or any responsibilities that might interfere with this event.”

“No.”

“Are you sure?” Guilliman teased.

“I’m positive.”

“That’s a shame, I was hoping you’d say yes so I could get you an extra ticket for a potential plus one.” Guilliman added. Titus stopped in his tracks, processing what his superior had just said. Plus one? The only person he could think of that Guilliman might be insinuating is you and it made him feel unease.

Titus had mentioned you in passing during their lunch break. They had been speaking on the phone and decided to have lunch together to catch up on what the other was doing outside of work. He had been talking about how he had met someone at the supermarket who had caught his attention because of how they shopped. He didn’t know how to explain to Guilliman that you reminded him of his mother and how she would take great care in reading and observing costs and food contents when buying food. He didn’t know how to explain that he liked that you dressed the way you did, uncaring if some may criticize you for looking poorly in the middle of the day. He thought it was unique and quirky that you gave such a lacking amount of care to what those around you thought of you. It almost helped him feel less judged when he shopped.

Since then, Guilliman had tried getting him to talk more about you or about any of his few friends outside of himself. Guilliman found it interesting to see just how much Titus needed routines and positive reassurances to know he was doing good. This was in stark contrast to the Captain he had known who didn't seek praise and would scream his lungs out at privates and soldiers during drills and combat. A larger-than-life man who lived to serve was now reduced to an anxious mess who needed reinforcement. It was a fall from grace that Guilliman dared not talk about since he knew that his comments would do more damage than good.

All that Guiliman knew was that predictability and transparency helped Titus and that had remained the same even now. Guilliman wasn't complaining, Titus had been more talkative, more communicative, more present. He had found some strength to come into the office for small project events or meetings that could have been done remotely or even on an email debrief. He was seeing great developments in work and he wanted to nurture these new habits since it slowly brought out the man Titus once was.

"I dont know them well enough for that, Roboute." Titus explained.

"The event is 4 months away, ok. Im just saying that if by any chance there is someone in your life that you wish to bring along I'm more than happy to have them come. The more the merrier." Guilliman added. Guilliman said his goodbyes before hanging up without giving Titus time to respond back. Titus, annoyed, put his phone back into his pocket, not paying attention to the path ahead of him as he did.

"Ouch!" Titus snapped his head towards the noise in front of him. He looked down where he felt something crash into him only to find you sitting on the floor, rubbing your forehead.

"Sorry." He apologized. He put his basket down on the floor before grabbing you by the arm and helping you to your feet.

"No, it's ok. It's on me. I wasn't paying attention." You apologized back. You patted your clothes hoping to clean them from any dirt you might have picked up in your fall.

"Thanks for picking me up, Titus." You smiled up at him, hoping that he didn't misinterpret your apology for sarcasm. Titus looked nervous as he watched you. He looked like he was inspecting you for injuries, not that you would have any, but just to make sure.

"No problem, Y/n."

"So what brings you back to the store, Titus? Anything new you're trying?" You asked wanting to be polite.

"I was told by my dietician to try adding more sugars into my diet. I'm... trying to see what is tolerable enough for me to eat." For someone of his stature, you would have assumed he would be louder but he was soft spoken. Clear and precise, calm but soft. It reminded you of the older gentleman living next door to you who would ask you to help him bring his case of water up if you had the time.

"Do you not like sweet?" You asked.

"I've developed a dislike for overly sweet things so I tend to avoid sugar in general." He explained. In reality, his anxiety made sugar act almost like a trigger. Either he could taste it and it was overwhelming or he'd consume it and it made his anxiety spike. He avoided sugary drinks, sweet treats, and even basic foods that have sweetner in it. The ice cream he had bought was the only thing he could tolerate as it wasn't too sweet and the cold numbed the taste.

"Fruit tends to be the easiest way to get sugar into a diet. It's hard not to enjoy them since there's variety." You explained. This seemed to ease Titus a little. His once furrowed brows eased just a little at the suggestion.

"I will try that." The conversation died from there. While you thought there was nothing more to say, Titus was buzzing with questions of his own. Another conversation with you meant more exposure which meant that his therapist would be proud of his progress and he himself will be proud of his progress.

"What about you?" He asked. He looked at your empty basket before returning his gaze to you.

"Me? Oh, I was seeing what I could get for $20. I don't really have the budget right now to experiment with food."

"What can you possibly get with $20?" He questioned. You thought his question was brash but you chalked it up to shock.

"You'd be surprised. It mainly works if you bargain or use coupons. For the most part, I get the ramen packets or rice." You shrugged.

"So you mainly eat...."

"Poorly? Yeah. When your broke you have to eat whatever, so might as well eat something that's not gross."

"Doesn't it leave you in a nutritional deficit?" Titus was trying to wrap his head around how anyone could possibly live off of this diet. Even the MRE's he would get in his service was better than the food you planned on buying. It sounded horrible and his face must have shown it because you laughed before explaining yourself.

"It does, but again, I dont have the money to buy anything other than the things I really need." You smiled up at him again, the corner of your eyes pinching against your cheeks.

"It was nice talking to you, Titus. Hopefully, next time we see each other you can tell me what fruits you liked." You winked at him teasingly.

"Of course. I will make sure to do so." He nodded. You couldn't help it, but you chuckled at him. He was amusing, to say the least. There was no way he was an actual person. He was too formal, too forward, too honest. You kinda felt bad for being able to know so much about this man when you haven't said enough about yourself.

As you walked away Titus sighed. This had been the longest conversation he had with you. This was good! He wondered if he had said too much or not enough. Maybe it was invasive to ask the questions had asked. It was all said and done but he couldn’t help but worry. He shook his head, he wasn’t going to allow doubt to consume him. Not now, not when he had just gained such a positive thing.

When he made it back home he made sure to go about his usual routine with as much urgency as he could. He double checked his locks, took a shower, put away his groceries, and grabbed his laptop from his desk to bring it over to his bed. He laid there, silently waiting for a call to come in. The ticking of his clock unnerved him as he waited. No matter how many times he had done this it still never stopped being stressful. The waiting, the anticipation ate at him as he counted down the seconds.

*bzzzz* *bzzzzzzz*

Titus clicked on the green answer button that appeared on his laptops screen before readjusting the camera and himself.

“Demetrian, what a pleasure it is to see you once more.” An older man with glasses that looked almost comically round, greeted Titus. He smiled, teeth showing as he waved at the man.

“Dr Galeo, it is good to speak with you again.” Titus greeted back.

“You’re looking well. I hope you’ve been following instructions given to you by your physician?”

“I have. There’s no need to be concern.”

“Good, good. I’m that case, let’s talk about your progress shall we? What have your most recent interactions with other people have been?” Galeo ask.

“Positive. I’ve been meaning to tell you abott it my interactions either Y/n, actually.”

“Do tell, Titus.” Proded Galeo.

It was as if the flood gates had open. Titus talked and talked and talked about you and the conversation you had had with each toner. Every moment, every word, every movement you had made was described in detail as he spoke to his therapist. Be couldn’t stop even if he wanted to, he just needed to talk to someone about his new friend. Galeo didn’t mind his team kings, if anything, this was the whole reason why he enjoyed his weekly check in with Titus.

When Titus had first started therapy he was closed up. He refused to speak or even write down his thoughts or feelings. It was frustrating as it didn’t seem that the man would open up any time soon and Galeo would have to fire him as a client. So when Galeo proposed Titus begin making small interactions with people in his gym, this seemed to spark a reaction. Titus didn’t take recommendations but orders and a life of service made this even more important for how Galeo was going to treat him. So he began giving Titus orders. Do this, do that, you must complete this. This worked even if it felt like it was degrading to do but it gave Galeo space to work with. Titus began reporting back that he would speak to the kind woman in the front desk at his gym if only to say “hello” and “goodbye”. This began to slowly evolve into him speaking to the new security guard at the gym that had approached Titus asking what his workout routine was. Story after story of the security guard became frequent but what threw Galeo off guard was the story about the person Titus had met at the supermarket.

“They spoke to me, again.” Titus said. His voice was in awe, almost as if he couldn’t believe that a basic human interaction could possibly be directed at him. Galeo knew Titus was deeply insecure but to see him genuinely surprised that something so small such as a greeting or acknowledgment would be directed at him made something in Galeo mourn for his patient.

“And they said that they wanted to hear if I liked anything new that I tried.” Titus finished. Galeo smiled and nodded his head in acknowledgment.

“That’s wonderful Titus. You and your friend seem to be making progress."

"They even gave me their name. Y/n."

"See, and here you were worried about rejection. You're making good progress. This is something to celebrate." Galeo encouraged.

"It feels childish to celebrate something so normal but I truly feel like I've progressed in my treatment, Galeo."

"And I see that progress, Titus. In due time, you will see all of these efforts pay off." Galeo comforted him, hoping that his words held some value to the man.

They spent the rest of their session making idle conversation on things Titus could improve on. Galeo hoped that more social interaction could help Titus see that the world wasn't against him. They ended their session with Galeo tasking Titus with trying to extend this connection with you outside of the supermarket. friendship is good for his health and Titus, unfortunately, has lacked those platonic relationships ever since he left the military. Titus agreed with him and even stated that there had been a few people who had reached out to him but he hasn't had the courage to reach back out of discomfort. Galeo reassures him that all in due time, there's no need to rush but there needs to be an attempt to try. With that, Titus ended the call and began preparing an early dinner for himself. He ate his meal in silence as he thought about the events of today. Would you want to be friends with him? Would you feel comfortable spending time with him outside of the occasional bumping into each other in the supermarket? He made sure to clean his dishes and then take a shower before heading to bed. He lay in his bed contemplating the plans for the next day. He had it off, there was nothing for him to do. Maybe he would be kind to himself and explore the city he lived in.

[voltronisanobsession]

Being Keith’s Older Sibling

The urges were too strong to not write this💆‍♀️💆‍♀️

Sorry if there’s some typos, my eyes are in a LOT of pain rn

Being Keith’s older sibling is definitely a hard feat in itself

After the death of your guys’ dad, things kinda went downhill for both of y’all

Your general mistrust and attitude towards people brushed off on little Keith, which comes to play later in his life as we’ve seen he was a more troubled kid

So while you tried your best to be a good role model for Keith growing up, it was hard to do so when all he ever saw from you was your aggression towards adults who tried separating you both

Eventually, social services do separate you guys, claiming that it would be best to allow Keith to grow without your negative influences but the damage had been done

Keith would grow up to not trust many people in his life because of your separation, always finding ways to sneak off and see you at the school they sent you to

It was times like those where you would promise to take him away from this place, from Earth, and live a life where you won't lose each other again

Because of this, Keith also developed a habit of lying to his guardians about his whereabouts because of your own attachment to him, encouraging him to continue this behavior 😭😭😭

Man none of yall knew better😭💔💔

But as you grew older, you, unfortunately, were sent away to the city to continue your studies there, cutting all contact with your little brother

Keith would then take an interest in flying and would go on to attend the Garrison to learn to become a pilot while you made plans every day to once again be reunited with him

I feel like it would take some time to leave the city and go back to your hometown because of the lack of resources available to you

So by the time you reach the Garrison after finding out he's been attending the school, it would be around the time he flunked out and disappeared

Fate is not fair to yall (crying)

So you get a job at the garrison while trying to find Keith and some time passes (YAY TIME SKIP)

After following Lance and Hunk while also finding Pidge on the rooftops, readying to reprimand and write them up, you all see the space shuttle crash and explosions go off, shooting off immediately to investigate

All while you're yelling at them to get back to the building cuz you don't want to lose the only job you have that's near where you think Keith is lurking💀

After seeing it was Keith who caused the explosions, he doesn't recognize you until you all get to the cabin

It's kinda emotional on your end cuz bro

This is your little brother... He's all grown up now, but in a way, he still looks the same. He's so much taller now, his hair is longer, and he would look at you with a familiar distrust you recognized

It was the same look he would give others when you guys were younger

The worst part is that he doesn't even recognize you because its been YEARS since he's last seen you

So it's a bit of a shock for him when you reveal that hey! I'm your sibling! And I've been trying so hard to get back to you for YEARS!

Very emotional as you both hug it out

Like really hug it out, tears and everything

"I thought I would never see you again."

"I never stopped looking for you Keith."

URGH MY HEART💔💔💔💔

After that everything is HISTORY

The dynamic between you both is kind of a weird thing tbh

While you're still holding onto the past and the younger version of Keith you remember, Keith has since let go of what the past held, ready to start a new future with his older sibling in his life

Because you're still holding onto this past, you treat him as if he's still a child and appear somewhat coddling in a way

You're just so excited and happy to be reunited with Keith again that you forget he's since then grown up. He's learned to be independent from years spent alone

And while Keith does miss you as well, he isn't used to having this new 'guardian figure' in his life, only used to the freedom and advice given to him from others, especially Shiro

Speaking of Shiro, I think you would go to him for advice on the blockage between you both since he basically raised Keith after you had left.

He knows Keith better, as much as it hurts you to admit it

Shiro would definitely tell you to give Keith space, to give him time to adjust to the new changes in his life. He's still a teen and is still learning to deal with his emotions, so just give him space to fully digest the situation at hand

You take this advice to heart and tread carefully, which Keith appreciates A LOT

Like imagine you grow up with unrestricted freedom, being able to do whatever you want and just learning to take care of yourself, and then one day, an authoritative figure appears in your life and begins setting up these restrictions. Telling you to be careful, making small rules that break your routine entirely

That's what Keith felt when you began making your presence more known in his life since you believed that you had to keep protecting him from the world

But he's grown up

He shows you that he doesn't need you protecting him anymore

It's bittersweet for you to see him not need you and makes you sad that you missed out on basically his childhood

BUT HE'S SO SWEET IN LETTING YOU KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE THERE FOR HIM NOW AND HIS FUTURE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

AND THAT HE'LL BE THERE FOR YOURS TOO😭😭😭

There's just TOO MUCH I can say about being Keith's older sibling, like it's such a complex relationship I would love to develop more on!!!!

This is literally just the tip of the iceberg but imma cut it short for now

To keep it sweet, both of you know that now you're together again, nothing is ever separating yall again

Space wars and all, you guys know you're stronger together and your bond just grows into a beautiful relationship as time goes on😭😭

[zariyen]

Do you have any art tips for beginner artists?

hi! i'll do my best to list the most useful ones for me from the top of my head! but if you're asking about something specific, lmk too!

always use references! this is 100% the fastest way to improve quickly! and don't forget if you're posting artworks using references, to always ask for permission if needed and to credit the reference! here's a very good post with links to various art tutorials and references :) try to do things out of your comfort zone!

i remember my sister drilling this into my head as a kid lmao: if you're going to draw people, make it a habit to draw the whole body, not just a face or bust. this way you can improve drawing the face and body at the same rate, rather than perfect the face and have like. a shoddy body HAHAHA (<- speaking from experience - my sister warned me but i still did not listen) here's an example from when i was 12 lol i went so hard on the eyes but my anatomy wasn't great so the drawing looks kind of goofy

if i'm being honest nothing has really changed even now HAHAHA you can still tell i spend too much time on the faces and neglect my anatomy studies a lot 🥲

3. don't worry too much about building a signature art style if you're a beginner! experiment and imitate art styles that you like, and it'll eventually develop into something you're comfortable with

4. speaking of art styles, Naoki Saito-sensei does very in-depth art videos for people looking to develop and improve their art, and he covers a variety of different topics! the link i provided is for his new YouTube account, since his first one was unrightfully terminated :( since it's new, there aren't a lot of videos up yet but he'll be re-uploading all his old ones soon

5. this video by tppo is also a useful tutorial/explanation for style breakdowns, using Mika Pikazo-sensei's artworks! also another good reference for building art and colouring styles

6. unless you're going for a specific art style, try not to use black colours for shading. Instead, try using a darker version of your base colour with the hue slightly adjusted. it's a little difficult to explain so i made a tiny diagram underneath:

it makes the colours pop a lot! Kurahana Chinatsu-sensei and Akiakane-sensei are really good at doing this 😭💖 that can also apply to lineart! but again, only if you're going for this kind of colourful art style :') do what feels right to you!

7. lastly try to enjoy drawing! if you do what you enjoy, learning and improving will come so much easier to you :) i can understand the urgency to improve (it's like my default state of mind 🥲) but if you keep focusing on that, drawing will eventually just start to overwhelm and frustrate you. try to combat it by doing something self-indulgent! i like to draw my ocs whenever i start getting burnt out :')

8. actually i lied this is the last one!! never give up!! it's so easy to feel bad or frustrated about your art no matter where you are in your art journey, so what i like to do to try and fight that is to look at my old art and compare the improvements! here's one of the earliest oc drawings i could find from my childhood vs my most recent oc drawing :pensive:

[dee-morris]

An Overdue Rant and a Christmas Fic

I wrote this Hallmark AU last December. It was supposed to be a jokey little one-shot, but man it ate my brain. My average daily word count is 500-1k words a day, and I think I was doing 2k to 5k a day until it was done. I couldn't fuckin stop, and it was glorious.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43616245/chapters/109670092

This is very important to me, because I came to fanfic like a dying traveler comes to an oasis. After the pandemic I became deeply depressed and I developed chronic writer's block. Marketing was an uphill slog, and not being able to go out and socialize at events made it unbearable. When I did go out, the anxiety I felt about COVID made it not fun. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to write again.

Writing fanfiction was a welcome reprieve from all that: no deadlines! No SEO! No depressingly tiny royalty statements! Positive reinforcement with no dollar signs attached! So it was nice, it was fun, but I didn't really get my groove back until I wrote HallMark. That wasn't just fun. That was drive. That was passion. And it was glorious.

After it was done and posted, I couldn't forget about it. I had to know what it was about that story that grabbed me by the brain cells like that. So I went back and read it again, and I read the comments (thank you all kind people you're the best), and I realized that it was about Aziraphale and Crowley, but it was really about my feelings towards how children are raised.

*I'm not going to completely spoil the fic here, but feel free to go read it before we get further bc I'm about to discuss some thematic elements.*

Crowley is raising the Antichrist to be the destroyer of worlds on the surface, but underneath it he cares about the world, and he cares about Adam too. And that is the side of him that Adam responds to, and why he turns out the way he does. And that's what parents don't understand about children. They are only kind of listening to your words. What they respond to, and what nurtures them, is your behavior towards them and towards the world you're raising them in. If you tell your kid that Jesus loves everyone and we should help the poor, but you vote for people who will cut welfare bc you think you'll get a tax break and a new boat, your kid sees you. If you tell your kid that it's a sin to judge others but you glare at a tall woman going into the ladies room bc you think she might be trans, your kid sees you. They might grow up to be an asshole or they might grow up to think that you're one, but either way you lose.

And if you tell your kid that his destiny is to destroy the world and that living things are fit only to be ground under his heels, but you make him sandwiches and worry about him when he's out of your sight and buy him stupid Christmas crap because it makes him happy, your kid might not turn out as evil as you thought.

(don't actually tell your kid he's the Antichrist, btw, this fic is hyperbole for symbolic thematic purposes and not a parenting guide)

Anyway, my point is if you love your kid and treat him right, if you treat other people right, and give him a stable home and maybe a dog if you can afford it, he'll probably turn out pretty much okay. The rest is just flavor.

Parents stress too much about things that don't matter, but it's not our fault. You have to run the gauntlet a couple of times before you can filter out stuff that matters from stuff that doesn't, because the books and guides and parenting classes will just try to scare you about everything. Let me assure you that your baby does not give two shits if you feed with breast or bottle. But your child will remember whether you were happy, and whether you took pleasure in their presence in your life.

So what sucked me in about this fic was the reversal of what I've seen in the real world. My brain conjured a fantasy of someone who's a good parent despite themselves, instead of a bad parent with a church habit and a fat bank account. Of course I had to bring that fantasy into the world. It's how things become real.

[wrongcaitlyn]

Do you have any have any head canons about any of the pjo characters either in your fics or canon?

ALWAYS

(i actually really suck at coming up with headcanons on the spot because i mainly just think of them randomly while reading fics or writing and then five seconds later i. forget. so. ummm yeskjsdf i don't have that many tbh but i just created a draft and then added to this whenever i remembered to!

talk your talk!

nico has an ongoing feud with the intern who runs the olive garden social media account

is it too niche to have had taylor swift open for naomi solace- HEAR ME OUT THE TIMELINES MATCH UP OKAY (not really but it's pretty close - sure naomi dies in 2007 and taylor releases her debut album in that same year but like IT COULD HAPPEN)

once a year or so leo and piper steal nico's credit card and buy him a whole new closet of clothing because all he wears is his own tour merch or will's clothes and they insist they need to get him new clothes. at first it was just a one-time instance and nico like freaked out over how much money they spent, but then a few weeks later when having to go on tour and be seen in public a lot more often, he was incredibly grateful that they did it and it became a yearly tradition (does nico actually need all those clothes? no. he just donates the stuff that he doesn't use anymore because it's tradition to all of them now. rich ppl thingsKSLDF)

a habit that nico develops over the years is to occasionally record random voice memos of his friend group while they're all together. he doesn't actually use them a lot, but he likes holding on to them, and occasionally he'll use it as a very subtle and quiet background noise to a sound when he feels like it needs something else

i feel like i've already said this, but apollo and nico have a duolingo club. as in they are constantly trying to beat each other on the leaderboard while learning new languages

canon!

caleo breaks up

does that count as a hc

leo is aroace!

nico and leo friendship. 100%. im sorry it's actually canon. i wrote a fic about it.

annabeth and will friendship!!! both became head counselors at such a young age even though it was for different reasons - and you know how annabeth was in the infirmary when percy woke up? i think she just liked hanging out around there and often helped whenever she could, and so she was also pretty close with will who spent like his entire life there (well not rlly, but eventually he started to - plus they're both workaholics)

i actually have a whole series of will hc's and i KNOW that most of them have been disproved by canon and tsats but like they're still true in my heart😭

and im pretty sure that this is canon. but like. will is a swiftie. just putting that out there again-

(nico shadow traveled them into the eras tour and they very nearly got caught by security guardsLKSJ)

i also absolutely love any sort of hc that has to do with nico having a social media account where he sneaks into random places. that is so canon to me. let him cause a little chaos. also let this kid from the 1930s be completely addicted to the internet

thank you for the ask!!

[growing-cosmos]

Kim SeonHo for ELLE MEN Singapore Issue 05 2023 - Full Interview

Kim Seon Ho Keeps Going On

Farisia Thang

The beloved South Korean actor is back and taking things one day at a time — starting with his debut as a villain.

Every movie needs a good villain — but that's a role that not just anyone can pull it off. Especially when the cards are not stacked in your favour. Kim Seon Ho knows this well.

Having always played heroic roles (Hong Du Sik, literally the neighbourhood hero in Hometown Cha Cha Cha or charming second leads who win over the audience's affection, Han Ji Pyeong in Start-Up and Jung Jae Yoon in 100 Days My Prince), there was a certain image that became expected of the South Korean actor. Before taking on the Nobleman in The Childe, it would have been irreconcilable to picture him as a villain, much less an antagonist. Not because there was any doubt in his acting skills, but because it never would have occurred to the masses to cast a man who has been given the endearing nickname "good boy" to play a Machiavellian assassin. Even the director of The Childe Park Hoon Jung didn't see the fit when he first looked at the actor's profile as he thought, "This face is not for noir."

But Kim has always been one to rise to the challenge. Let us not forget that before he was a TV actor, he was a familiar face in the theatre industry. And though it was only at 31-years-old that he debuted in his first TV drama, his so-called big break came three years later with shows like Start-Up and Hometown Cha Cha Cha. This is the way things go: Just when you think he has reached the height of his career, he keeps proving otherwise.

And that is exactly what he's done in The Childe.

Even if it wasn't a comeback role from his two-year hiatus, it still stands as an impressive film debut on its own. This marks Kim's first big screen role and for that reason alone, the Nobleman remains one of his favourite characters. "All of the characters I've played are special to me and I cherish them all, but a memorable character would be my most recent role in The Childe as Nobleman since it was my film debut," says Kim. "I still vividly remember the excitement and nerves I felt seeing my character on the big screen for the first time."

As it is with most of his roles, he runs through a routine. "I usually take a fairly long time to understand one character. I would choose about three or four lines that I like from a script, and then repeat them over and over again in my head. This could be when I'm walking, when I'm in the shower, or when I'm eating." Kim adds, "Sometimes I also make use of music. would put on some good music, put myself in front of a stunning view, and then read out the lines. And as I do that, there would be moments where I realise, 'This is it. This is how this character would say it. From that point onwards, everything else falls into place itself. For this method to work and in order to get closer to a character, studying the script in detail has to come first. It's important to have a good grasp of a character's language and habits.

With the Nobleman, details maketh man. He says, "I developed my character by studying the lead character from A Clockwork Orange, and I spent plenty of time trying to understand my character as Nobleman." Just like he had done many times before, Kim learned new skills to better embody his character. "I got to learn about using handguns for acting for the first time. I did some practice at a shooting range in Myeongdong and I was given a dummy too, so I was able to practice and have a feel of it. That helped me a lot during the actual filming."

To simply call the Nobleman a villain would reduce the character to a flat trope, but Kim's performance and interpretation of him are actually for more nuanced. This is a character who gets imitated by his shoes being dirtied with blood after killing a room full of people, curses with a sadistic smile in an American accent and British accent, chases after the hero while hollering — and yet manages to confuse the audience with whose side he is actually on. Ultimately, Kim's portrayal of the Nobleman brings to life a brutal yet whimsical anti-hero.

And yet, the actor still struggles to pinpoint a moment during The Childe's filming process that he felt proud of himself for. In past interviews, he scrutinised his performance for the movie. Even now, he laughs as he says, "To be honest, it's hard for me to point out areas that I did well in. In my eyes, I mostly see only my shortcomings. Thankfully enough, people who went to see the movie had lots of positive feedback. I was glad and thankful to be praised as a fluid actor."

Fluid is the perfect word here, and yet it still feels like an understatement to the actor's performance. If his previous roles solidified his expected trajectory as an actor, then this character turned it all around - reminding us all that Kim has been honing his craft for over a decade now. He has been finessing this duality for almost 14 years, and while others may rest on their laurels and rely on their experience in the industry to get by, Kim is always looking for ways to better himself.

His recent projects have been movies and because of that "I'm not as pressured having to film a large amount of scenes in a short time as compared to other mediums. The directors told me to take my time between lines, which showed me the art of slowing down." He goes on to say, "When I was younger, I was also taught to enjoy the pauses between each line. I did think that I was already doing so with my acting for dramas, but the mechanics of movies and dramas are still very much different. So I've recently been working on how I can savour those pauses even more." Looking back at the Kim Seon Ho who started acting 14 years ago, the 37-year-old feels envious of his past self. "I'm envious of the experience and how raw my acting was back then. I recently rewatched some of my previous work. In the past, if I were to rewatch something a year later, all I could think about was how inadequate my acting was before. But seeing it again after 10 years makes me realise that that kind of raw acting was something I could do only back then."

Now, what he is able to appreciate about his approach to acting is. that "I'm a lot more composed and poised. My acting was often carried away by emotions in the past, but I think that my acting now has become more rational. I feel that this kind of rationality is also what makes me grow. After all, Kim knows a thing or two about alchemising patience into gold. While he started acting in plays at the age of 23, it was only eight years later that he made his debut on the small screens. But he has never been one to measure his trajectory against his counterparts in the industry. Waiting has always been a welcomed ritual for the actor, and Kim knows it's to that good things take time.

It's like his Hometown Cha Cha Cha character Hong Du Sik said, "Life isn't so fair for all of us. Some spend their whole lives on unpaved roads, while some run at full speed only to reach the edge of a cliff." It's a line that hits close to home for Kim too. "Coincidentally enough, I happened to re-watch that scene just three days before this interview, I searched for the scene randomly one day because I suddenly got curious about the kind of expression and tone I shot that scene with. Through that scene, rather than discovering elements about myself, I focused more on how I could get closer to Chief Hong. But there were moments where I did feel that I was becoming a better version of myself, like when I was preparing for the drama, after wrapping up the filming, and when I met other great characters." He adds, "People say that each word you say and each action you do creates one's character and personality. I think I got to learn a lot through the lines of my past characters like Han Ji Pyeong and Chief Hong, and thanks to them, I am the person I am now."

During his two-year break from acting on-screen, he remained loyal to his earlier comforts — stage acting. While he stayed off social media and film projects, he went back to his roots and performed in the theatre with Touching the Void. In that period of time, "I found comfort in the fact that one has the ability to create a change if they could just think a little differently in times of trouble." He continues, "I felt grateful to be able to share a stage with other talented actors, and I had fun. Touching The Void was a project where I discovered that the results of something can be very different depending on my perspective on a particular situation and on the support I receive. Most of all, I was moved and comforted by the audience members who came to watch the play even though things were difficult due to the pandemic. I was honoured to be able to perform such a remarkable piece of work for the audience, and it inspired me to become an even better actor."

In life and in work, Kim believes himself to be a dreamer. "I am someone who thinks that we must dream big, and I'm happiest when I come close to the goals I've set. Rather than setting a realistic goal but still feeling unsatisfied even after accomplishing it, I find more joy when I set big goals and accomplish it to a certain extent. When he considers his dreams for the distant future, "My goal is for people to remember me as a skilled actor and to be an actor that people want to work with a second time." But for now, his ambitions are straightforward — "I want to try a role that feels real and warm, one that others can relate to."

When he looks back at his career, there is only one thing he can really say he's proud of over the years. "Instead of feeling proud of my own accomplishments, I feel a stronger sense of pride towards the people that have been there for me since the days before I became an actor. Seniors, juniors and directors who gave me advice so I could pass the audition for my first project, agency colleagues who worked tirelessly until I got my first lead role, and my fans who supported my career as an actor. These are people that I'm thankful for and proud of every moment." He continues, "I often have thoughts like, 'How was I able to meet such incredible people?', 'How did I get so lucky to receive such advice from my seniors at this timing?', 'How is it that all these great people. are rooting for me?' Thanks to these people, there have been so many moments in my career that have made me proud that I cannot single out a specific achievement."

His gratitude grounds him because if there's one thing Kim has leamed, it's to take nothing for granted. With the love he's received from fans and friends in the industry, he hopes to return it tenfold. "I hope to repay the love with my acting and to successfully wrap up current projects. By doing so, I think I would be able to welcome 2024 with a happy heart." What that looks like these days is a running list of plays, dramas, and films. And while he's busy with his ongoing projects, for now, "I will be focusing on the upcoming mystery drama Mangnaein. Although I don't know what the future has in store for me, I will work hard to live my best each day."

When he thinks about the actor he wants to be remembered for, he considers the weight of his answer. "Not too long ago, I felt that I was on a plateau so I reflected a lot on it and I'm getting back on my feet again now." He goes on to say, "I hope to be remembered as an actor who constantly improves. (Of course, for that to happen, a lot of effort is needed on my part.) And I hope people think of me as an actor who is always growing, and as an actor who has the potential for even more growth. I hope to refine my craft a little more."

Because at the end of the day, Kim Seon Ho knows when to walk away from comparison. He's never bothered to measure himself to others, and he has no plans to start now. Instead, he holds himself to his own standards. And the version of him today is content to take things as they come, to better himself with every passing day. After all, if there's one thing we know for certain, it's that whatever accomplishments he's made so far are only a step to greater things to come.

—

special thanks to seonhojoy & preferredalways

[byrachshop]

The ultimate guide to CRUSH your GOALS in 2023

2023 is coming our way faster than we thought. A few days ago it was October and we were all celebrating Halloween and then, as we blinked our eyes, Christmas was here and we were busy buying gifts and having dinner with friends and family. These last couple weeks of December always pass by so fast that we don’t even realize how close New Year’s Eve is. The next thing we know is that it is midnight and there are fireworks in the night sky.

Most of us like to write down some resolutions and things we want to change about ourselves to become our best version and to have the best year of our life - to be successful. However, after two or three weeks into January, we start getting lost, forget about our goals, lose motivation, and end up doing the same as the previous year, only to notice it when December comes again.

To overcome that, I’m bringing you this guide, explaining why such a thing happens, and how to crush all your goals and stick to new healthy habits this year.

Review Your 2022

It is a fact that we learn from our mistakes, so it isn’t an exception in this case.

Go back and think of who you were a year ago, on January 1st, and the goals you wanted to achieve through 2022. Reflect on your past goals and ambitions - did you accomplish all of them? If not, why?

It is important to remember that although we didn’t achieve all our goals and our year didn’t happen as planned, we still learned a lot and grew.

Resolutions for 2023

Knowing the highlights of 2022, you can wisely plan this new year. First, think about all the things you wanted to achieve last year, and write them down. Then, list other things you want to do this year - make sure they’re achievable since you want to work to get them and not do something impossible.

It’s also good to think about relationships and who doesn’t belong in our lives anymore. Don’t be afraid to cut people off when they’re not doing any good to you anymore, or when you don’t do any good to them.

SMART Goals

We don’t achieve our goals throughout the year because we don’t use smart goals. But, what are SMART goals, then?

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. What we mean by this is that you have to make sure you don’t grab a piece of paper and write "get healthier", "get good grades", or "get a lot of money", since they’re too generic.

Instead, you should take these generic goals and develop them into something like this:

To get healthier, I will walk 10k steps every day,  drink 2L of water, and go to the gym twice a week; I will lose 5kg by march.

Don’t go too heavy on yourself - you can increase the intensity as the year goes by.

New Habits

Sometimes bad habits hold us back from achieving our goals (for example, procrastinating, going to bed late, or scrolling endlessly on social media). Sit back, reflect on your past days, and point out which bad habits are in your routine. You will need to get rid of them. The best way to do it is by replacing it with a new healthy habit. For example, swipe the number of hours you spend on social media reading a book, practicing an instrument, or exercising. If you want to stop drinking soda, swipe it with water.

Make a list of new habits you want to include in your routine, then check them off every day and see how long you can keep the streak! Reward yourself after a certain amount of time (after a week, a month, you name it).

With these new habits implemented in your daily life, you’ll see your routine changing through the months. If you stick to these habits, you’ll feel a huge difference by the end of the year.

Motivation

Most of the time we end up not doing things because we lack motivation. It makes us procrastinate for hours and hours, searching for inspiration and trying to find just a little bit of motivation to get up and do what has to be done. That’s right, I’ve been there.

We always ask ourselves “how are they always so motivated?” The truth is, they are not! Motivation isn’t everything, and it won’t make us reach our goals - on the contrary: if we spend our precious time awaiting motivation to come to us, we will spend another year doing nothing. That’s why we create a system to reach our goals - we need to be consistent, even when we don’t feel like doing it. We have to get up and do our work, because who else will do it for us?

Vision Board

Last but not least, create a vision board.

Don’t throw just “cute pictures” on a board to create a good vision board. Instead, pick pictures that make you feel closer to your goals, that help you visualize them, and that is always there in front of you to remind you about the purpose of your day.

You can make a physical vision board or a digital one. To the physical, search for images, words, and phrases that remind you of your goals. Then print them and put them together on a board or in a notebook - but make sure it’s somewhere visible so that you can always reach for it and take a look.

If you rather do it digitally, it’s also quite simple. Instead of printing picture by picture, make a collage. The best way is to put them together in a document that fits your computer/tablet/phone screen. This way you can set it as wallpaper, and look at it multiple times throughout the day, even without thinking of it.

Conclusion

Let’s look at what has been said: before setting goals for 2023, think about 2022 and highlight good and bad moments. Revise the goals you have achieved, and those you didn’t, and try to understand the reason behind them. After that, let’s head to the next step, which is the actual goal-setting: write down your new year resolutions, keeping in mind the definition of SMART goals, so that they’re achievable. Among the new goals, set new habits you want to stick to and find bad habits in your routine you want to get rid of. The last step is to create a vision board and keep it close to you.

Last tip: Before concluding, I’d like to remind you to check your goals and resolutions throughout the year. I recommend taking a look at them every month, and then writing a journal entry by the end of each month and reflecting on what went well, and what went wrong. Always plan and set small monthly steps to achieve your final goals.

Now that you’re ready to set your goals and get started with 2023, grab now this bundle: 2023 Notion Planner + Crush Your Goals Workbook only for 9€. For the first 15 people, get 2€ off with the code decemberplanning.

I wish you a happy new year, and hope you can reach all your goals in 2023!

Happy planning.

[youreallyshouldtalkmore]

Isn’t it Lovely, All Alone_Part 3

A.N: A short Jamil x Reader fanfic.

Twisted Wonderland Masterlist  

——————————————————

“You all are going on vacation!!” Kalim announced that evening.  

Jamil and you blinked before looking at each other. Then you looked back at a grinning Kalim. 

“We are?” you asked. 

Kalim’s wife nodded, “Yes, it’s been a trying couple of months. We think you need to get away for awhile.” 

The four of you were having a relaxing moment drinking tea around a table seated on the floor surrounded by lush pillows. 

One of the first times that Kalim had given Jamil leave to go on a vacation by himself, long time ago, had upset the elders of both families. What if Kalim needed Jamil while he was away? A Viper was to always be on call to an Asim. Kalim didn’t care. He had had paid for Jamil to go where he wanted, by himself. He didn’t even get involved.  However, Kalim insisted on paying for the vacation, and Jamil had long since given up trying to get him not to. 

Jamil had been quite surprised that Kalim was serious in trying to bring some kind of balance to their relationship. It wasn’t perfect, but over the years it did get marginally better. 

Since then, Kalim Al Asim had formed a habit of upsetting expectations of both sides. 

“So, where are we going?” asked Jamil. 

Kalim laughed, “I dunno!” 

Jamil sighed. 

“Why would I decide that for you?!” asked Kalim, “Just tell me where you are going and where to sign! Ha-ha!” 

Kalim’s wife peered at the two of you, “We figured you’d want to get away from Scalding Sands for a while at least.” 

Kalim visage suddenly took on a serious look as his red eyes assessed Jamil in a way that he had come to loathe. Jamil remembered the time before Kalim had developed such a habit. Now, as they got older, Jamil swore Kalim could understand more of the silent thoughts in his heart than before. 

He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. 

“You still check out sometimes, like the memories still have you in a choke hold. That’s why, if possible, you should leave Scalding Sands for a while. Take your wife and go somewhere. I don’t really care where, I just hope you come back in better spirits.” 

Jamil found he couldn’t keep looking at the concern in Kalim’s red eyes, so his shifted his eyes away. 

“Plus, I know you blame me, even if you would never say it, and it’s fine. I accept that. I just…want my brother to be okay.” 

You reached under the table to grasp Jamil’s hand, while Kalim’s wife leaned into him. 

After a moment, Kalim laughed, dispelling the tension, “Anyway….let me know when you decide.” 

Jamil spoke slowly, “It should be after that big dinner next month. We don’t have any other big obligations after that.” 

“Ek, I forgot about that dinner!!”  

If Jamil was the type, you were certain he would have slapped his hand to his forehead. As such, his right eye twitched as he watched Kalim’s wife assuage her husband about his forgetfulness. 

—  —  —  —

You were sitting in bed looking on your laptop, trying to plan where to go that evening, while Jamil undid his braids from the vanity chair.  Jamil was being no help, as he really didn’t care where to go. Since knowing there was a vacation coming up, it seemed to make Jamil even tireder. You observed him over the laptop screen as he was slow in taking out his braids. 

“Change of plans….” 

“Hm?” 

“Aren’t you sick of people?” 

At your question, Jamil turned and looked at you, raising an eyebrow with a small quirk on his lips. 

You continued, “Cause I’m sick of dealing with people too! So here’s what we are doing! Never mind the exploring a new place and all that. We find a cabin, in the middle of nowhere and holing up with nature. What do you want: surrounded by trees, bonus if I can find a river or waterfall, or a beach?” 

It took a moment for Jamil to process all of that as he made his way to crawl next to you. 

“Hm, trees…” In a forest, it would be easier to hide. 

Why did hiding away sound so appealing right now? 

“Good! My thoughts exactly!” you closed the laptop, reached down to place it under the bed. You continued when you sat back up, “I believe there is a such a place in Queendom of Roses that Riddle has always talked about. I’m gonna phone him up and ask about it.” 

—  —  —  —

A month passed quickly, and before you knew it, you and Jamil were walking up the walkway to the cabin you had chosen. 

“Riddle!! I told you many times! You did not need to come up here for this!!” You called out after initial greetings. 

Riddle only gave a delicate sniff, “And I told you many times, that I was going to. Since you are here on my recommendation, naturally it’s good manners and courtesy to make sure that the guests are well settled in. Besides, I’m here now, stop fussing about it.” 

You made a funny face at Riddle, who only turned to Jamil whose mouth was quirking upwards slightly. 

“It’s good to see you again, Jamil.” Riddle greeted. 

“Likewise. Thank you for your recommendation. I know you helped my wife plan this.”

Riddle shook his head, “It was no big thing. I will give you a tour, and then I’ll be on my way. Shall we? I’m sure you want to get your vacation underway.” 

“Thanks, Riddle! How’s your wife?” 

Riddle beamed, “Wonderful! She sends her love and hope you will love this establishment as much as we do!” 

“Thank you!!” You chirped as Riddle laughed and began the tour. It only took about 15 minutes before both you and Jamil were hovering in the doorway as Riddle was leaving. 

“If you need anything, call management. They know you are my guests. If they don’t act right, which would be surprising to me, call me, and I’ll take care of it!!” Riddle spoke. 

“Thanks again!! I’m sure, it’ll be fine!” 

“Indeed.” 

“Tell Ace, Deuce and Grim hello when you see them!” 

“I will!!” 

It must have been fate, although Ace called it a curse, that after the four of you graduated, Ace, Deuce and Grim ended up at the same company for an internship. The same company that Riddle was at. By the time they finished their internship, Riddle had graduated to manager and was their manager. 

Seems they couldn’t shake the Heartslabyul former dorm leader. 

Part 4

[gunbf]

can’t believe u have eminem on ur blog smhhh

you're right honestly. it's time for MY apology. so, here we go.

yeah

i know sometimes things may not always make sense to you right now

but hey, what daddy always tell you?

straighten up little soldier

stiffen up that upper lip

what you crying about?

you got me.

hailie, i know you miss your mom, and i know you miss your dad

when i'm gone but i'm trying to give you the life that i never had

i can see you're sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh

i can see it in your eyes, deep inside you want to cry

'cause you're scared, i ain't there?

daddy's with you in your prayers

no more crying, wipe them tears

daddy's here, no more nightmares

we gon' pull together through it, we gon' do it

lainie uncle's crazy, ain't he?

yeah, but he loves you girl and you better know it

we're all we got in this world

when it spins, when it swirls

when it whirls, when it twirls

two little beautiful girls

lookin' puzzled, in a daze

i know it's confusing you

daddy's always on the move, mamma's always on the news

i try to keep you sheltered from it but somehow it seems

the harder that i try to do that, the more it backfires on me

all the things growing up as daddy, that he had to see

daddy don't want you to see but you see just as much as he did

we did not plan it to be this way, your mother and me

but things have got so bad between us

i don't see us ever being together ever again

like we used to be when we was teenagers

but then of course everything always happens for a reason

i guess it was never meant to be

but it's just something we have no control over and that's what destiny is

but no more worries, rest your head and go to sleep

maybe one day we'll wake up and this will all just be a dream

now hush little baby, don't you cry

everything's gonna be alright

stiffen that upper lip up, little lady, i told ya

daddy's here to hold ya through the night

i know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why

we fear how we feel inside

it may seem a little crazy, pretty baby

but i promise mama's gon' be alright

(ha)

it's funny

i remember back one year when daddy had no money

mommy wrapped the christmas presents up

and stuck 'em under the tree and said some of 'em were from me

'cause daddy couldn't buy 'em

i'll never forget that christmas i sat up the whole night crying

'cause daddy felt like a bum, see daddy had a job

but his job was to keep the food on the table for you and mom

and at the time every house that we lived in

either kept getting broken into and robbed

or shot up on the block and your mom was saving money for you in a jar

tryna start a piggy bank for you so you could go to college

almost had a thousand dollars 'til someone broke in and stole it

and i know it hurts so bad it broke your mamma's heart

and it seemed like everything was just startin' to fall apart

mom and dad was arguin' a lot so momma moved back

on the chalmers in the flat one bedroom apartment

and dad moved back to the other side of 8 mile on novara

and that's when daddy went to california with his cd and met dr. dre

and flew you and momma out to see me

but daddy had to work, you and momma had to leave me

then you started seeing daddy on the t.v. and momma didn't like it

and you and lainnie were too young to understand it

papa was a rollin' stone, momma developed a habit

and it all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it

i'm just sorry you were there and had to witness it first hand

'cause all i ever wanted to do was just make you proud

now i'm sitting in this empty house, just reminiscing

lookin' at your baby pictures, it just trips me out

to see how much you both have grown, it's almost like you're sisters now

wow, i guess you pretty much are and daddy's still here

lainnie i'm talkin' to you too, daddy's still here

i like the sound of that, yeah

it's got a ring to it don't it?

shh, mama's only gone for the moment

now hush little baby, don't you cry

everything's gonna be alright

stiffen that upper lip up, little lady, i told ya

daddy's here to hold ya through the night

i know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why

we fear how we feel inside

it may seem a little crazy, pretty baby

but i promise mama's gon' be alright

and if you ask me to

daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird

i'mma give you the world

i'mma buy a diamond ring for you

i'mma sing for you

i'll do anything for you to see you smile

and if that mockingbird don't sing and that ring don't shine

i'mma break that birdie's neck

i'll go back to the jeweler who sold it to ya

and make him eat every carat - don't fuck with dad, ha ha

[steeltempura]

Random thoughts about improvement and attaining your goals :

Practicing a new skill is Hard. Improvement is Slow and we tend to give ourselves objectives that seem so far away from everything we're able to do.

Its a mean to motivate us at first, but as we encounter unexpected difficulties along the way we realise the path might be longer or harder than we first thought, and often this ends up being discouraging.

But we're actually chasing chimeras. As we improve at something, our objectives naturally become bigger, we want to be more efficient, faster, better, we want to be just like this artist we look up too, or as fast as that co-worker, etc, etc

This is obviously a natural way too look at things, but it often make us forget about the here and now, and blinds us to the thousands of little steps we take as we climb toward our next objective, shining in the distance.

We can draw satisfaction from individual successes, yes, we can end a day feeling like we did improve, or learn to do something new, but still, we're often blind to the sum of all these nuggets of knowledge, accumulated from overcoming all of the small obstacles in our way. All the muscle memory we build, all the reflexes we acquire, all the methods we learn, all the habits we develop : we often ignore them, or we tend to diminish them. "Oh yeah I can do that, but its only because I've actually a trick, Its not that fancy" or "well I know how to make It, but I don't know how to make it Perfectly" or even "no, I really don't know what I'm doing, I just followed a Tutorial / been in this situation before".

The thing is, it doesn't matter how legitimate you are, where your knowledge comes from or why you can do a particular thing.

What matters is that you can now do things you couldn't previously. Or you may be faster. Or you may be more efficient.

And we don't have many opportunities to look Back instead of looking up - what we know now seems obvious to us, of course its easy now that's its in our grasp, it wasn't even that hard to begin with, and yet we struggled so hard before, we really were pretty bad at this - NO. Everyone has to start somewhere, and you. made. progress. It is undeniable.

But getting the full measure of your incremental progress is hard, of course. Its easy to forget the struggles of the past, its easy to belittle the actual improvements, when we're focusing on our long term goals, shining brighter than any of the sparkles we're able to produce on our own, and illuminating all the flaws in our work, and thats it, we're only able to see them now, and we lost track yet again of the path we climbed to get there.

We're like frogs being slowly boiled alive, except the warming water is our slow progression toward the hot bath we're dreaming of.

So it might help to try, if just for a moment, to try and remember when you started.

To remind yourself that whatever path you took to get where you hard, however easy it was, even if it felt like cheating, you're there now.

To try and explain to a complete beginner, image of what you were, concepts or skills that you now find painfully obvious, and acknowledge that they used not to be.

Because this frog once didn't even know water was wet, before being plunged in it.

[afridazamangurugram]

Good practices begin when we set ourselves for success.

So why is it so difficult to develop new good habits? Behavioural scientist who have studied habit formation have said forming a new habit can be challenging because our brains are wired to seek out familiar and comfortable patterns of behaviour. When we try to introduce a new behaviour, it requires effort and conscious attention, which can be tiring and uncomfortable at first.

Here are some tips to get you started . Read till the end for the bonus tip !!!!

1️⃣ Start small. Begin with small achievable habit and gradually increase it over time.

2️⃣ Choose a habit that you enjoy or find rewarding.

3️⃣ Set specific and realistic goals for your habit.

4️⃣ Keep a track of your progress by using a habit tracker. This will help you stay motivated.

5️⃣ Stick to your habit even when you don’t feel like it

By implementing these methods, it is possible to form new habits and make positive changes in your life.

Bonus tip! One famous method to form a habit is the “Habit Loop” by Charles Duggin. Here’s how to practice the habit loop. ✨ Identity the cue or trigger that prompts the habit. ✨ Create a routine that corresponds to the habit. ✨ select a reward that reinforces the habit. ✨Repeat this cycle consistently until the habit becomes automatic.

Don’t forget to give yourself a small reward after completing your habit each day. This can help reinforce the behaviour and make it more enjoyable.

Remember you are unique & unstoppable🙌 Website Link :- www.afridazaman.com

[wheredidfranciscogo]

Habits

We all have habits that we want to develop, whether it's going to the gym regularly, eating healthier, or spending more time with family and friends. However, it can be challenging to break old habits and form new ones. In this blog, I want to share some tips and strategies that have helped me create better habits and stay committed to them.

Start Small

The key to forming new habits is to start small. Instead of trying to make drastic changes to your routine, focus on making small improvements each day. For example, if you want to start exercising more, start with a short 10-15 minute workout each day, and gradually increase the duration and intensity over time.

Be Consistent

Consistency is crucial when forming new habits. Try to do the activity at the same time every day to create a routine. This will help to make the habit more automatic and reduce the likelihood of forgetting or skipping it.

Set Goals

Setting goals can help to keep you motivated and on track. However, it's essential to set realistic goals that are achievable. If you set goals that are too challenging, it can lead to frustration and demotivation. Break down your larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks and celebrate the progress you make along the way.

Hold Yourself Accountable

Accountability is critical when forming new habits. One way to hold yourself accountable is to track your progress. Write down your goals and track your progress each day or week. You can use a journal or a habit tracking app to help you stay on track.

Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself can be a powerful motivator when forming new habits. Treat yourself to something you enjoy when you reach a milestone or achieve a goal. It doesn't have to be something big or expensive, even a small reward can help to keep you motivated.

In addition to these tips, there are also several books, podcasts, and movies that can provide inspiration and guidance on creating better habits. Here are a few of my favorites:

Atomic Habits by James Clear - This book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to form new habits and break old ones. James Clear provides practical strategies for creating better habits and explains how small changes can lead to significant improvements.

The Tim Ferriss Show - This podcast features interviews with successful people from a variety of fields. Tim Ferriss is known for his expertise in productivity and habit formation, and many of his guests share their insights on creating better habits.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg - This book explores the science behind habit formation and provides practical strategies for breaking bad habits and forming new ones.

Good Will Hunting - This movie is a classic and provides a great example of how someone can overcome their past and form new, positive habits. The main character, Will Hunting, is a brilliant but troubled young man who learns to confront his past and create a better future.

In conclusion, creating better habits can be challenging, but it's possible with the right strategies and mindset. Remember to start small, be consistent, set goals, hold yourself accountable, and reward yourself for your progress. By following these tips and exploring resources like books, podcasts, and movies, you can develop the habits you need to achieve your goals and live a happier, healthier life.

[workscounselingcenter]

Are You Truly Listening?

Today’s blog was inspired by my fearless clients, ages 7 to 17, who have shared their personal experiences of how it feels not to be heard, specifically by their parents. I want to encourage parents to continue developing listening skills when their children advocate for themselves.

It is easy to forget that your child has a voice when your primary role since birth has been to speak for them when they couldn’t. Self-advocacy is an essential life skill that empowers children to express their needs, desires, and boundaries. By becoming better listeners, you support their growth and strengthen your bond with them. I want to share some tips that I received directly from my clients to help parents support their children as they navigate through their self-advocacy journey.

Create a Safe Space for Open Dialogue

Set Aside Dedicated Time: Ensure there are moments in your day when your child knows they have your full attention, such as dinner, before bedtime, or on a weekend walk.

Remove Distractions: Put away phones, turn off the TV, and focus solely on your child. This physical act of removing distractions signals that their voice is your priority.

Encourage Open Communication: Let your child know they can come to you with any concerns or thoughts without fear of judgment or immediate reaction.

Practice Active Listening

Make Eye Contact: This simple act shows that you are engaged and interested in what your child is saying.

Use Reflective Responses: Repeat what your child said to show you understand. For example, “So, you’re saying you feel overwhelmed with your homework?”

Avoid Interrupting: Let your child finish their thoughts before you respond. Interruptions can discourage them from expressing themselves fully.

Validate Their Feelings

Acknowledge Their Emotions: Whether or not you agree with what your child is saying, it’s important to validate their feelings. For example, “I can see that this is important to you” or “It sounds like you’re feeling frustrated.”

Avoid Dismissing Their Concerns: Phrases like “You’ll get over it” or “It’s not a big deal” can make your child feel unheard. Instead, show empathy by saying, “I understand this is tough for you.”

Encourage Problem-Solving

Ask Open-Ended Questions: Guide your child to think critically about their situation by asking questions like, “What do you think would help?” or “How would you like to handle this?”

Support Their Decisions: Even if you would handle things differently, supporting your child’s decisions is as important as letting them take the lead. This empowers them to trust their judgment.

Be a Resource, Not a Director: Offer advice or suggestions only when asked, and try to frame your input as additional options rather than directives.

Model Good Listening Habits

Demonstrate Active Listening in Your Interactions: Show your child how to listen by being a good listener in everyday interactions, not just with them but with others.

Admit When You’re Wrong: If you do not listen or respond poorly, apologize and correct it. This shows your child that everyone, including parents, can improve their listening skills.

Show Respect for Their Opinions: Even if you disagree, respect their right to have and express their opinion. This teaches them that their voice matters.

Reflect and Adjust

Seek Feedback: Ask your child about your listening skills. Are there times when they feel unheard? What can you do better?

Adapt Your Approach: Children’s needs evolve as they grow. Be willing to adjust your listening strategies as they develop new ways of expressing themselves.

Incorporating these tips will foster independence, confidence, and mutual respect. By practicing active listening, validating their feelings, and encouraging problem-solving, you help your child develop the tools to navigate the world with self-assurance. Remember, the goal isn’t to solve all their problems but to empower them to find their voice and trust in it. Through your support, your child can grow into a strong, self-advocating individual who knows they’re always heard at home.

Please get in touch. We will be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.

[voidrifter]

REFLECTION OF SELF:

kiana's development in the form of songs from my playlist for her

i. DUSK, GIRLS, BATTLESHIP — rule #9: child of the stars / fish in a birdcage

You were a wanderer Back when you were young I remember your eyes were clear Brighter than the sun

ii. VOICE IN THE DREAMS — drown you out / the crane wives

Take me in my damaged state Walked a thousand miles to be here again Pull apart your useless games But your song sings in my veins, and I'm Singing too I can't drown you out no matter what I do

iii. JOURNEY FOR TOMORROW — queen of nothing / the crane wives

Isn't this what you wanted? Time sure feels like it's running out Just finish what you started Queen of nothing Wearing such a heavy crown

iv. EX: VOID HEAVENS, DIANE'S SOJOURN — dogbird / madds buckley

When the bell rings My mouth waters I’m a habit That won’t alter I’m an instinct Don’t you fear me? Hunting songbirds in my sleep

v. ELEGY TO YESTERDAY — nonbeliever / lucy dacus

What do I owe you? What did I forget? Are we even after all of that? You shook my hand and said goodbye You'll never let me see you cry again What good has come from learning to pretend?

vi. TAIXUAN DREAM — home to me / devil in the deep blue sea

Oh, I can see you somewhere up the road There's a weight you carry, you're trying to let go And you know that if I could, I would take it all away from you How dare you love me like you've never known fear You've got more troubles than minutes in the year

vii. SET TOMORROW ABLAZE — american teenager / ethel cain

And I feel you there In the middle of the night When the lights go out And I'm all alone again Say what you want, but say it like you mean it With your fists for once

ix. END OF THE WORLD — i know the end / phoebe bridgers

Either way, we're not alone I'll find a new place to be from A haunted house with a picket fence To float around and ghost my friends No, I'm not afraid to disappear The billboard said, "The end is near" I turned around, there was nothing there Yeah, I guess the end is here

x. THE MOON'S ORIGIN AND FINALITY — not strong enough / boygenius

Always an angel, never a godI don't know why I am the way I am There's something in the static, I think I've been having revelations Comin' to, in the front seat, nearly empty Skip the exit to our old street and go home

xi. GRADUATION TRIP — da capo / hoyomix

There is a longer way ahead After all If it's too hard to say goodbye Give us a try to sing a rhyme May you, the beauty of this world always shine