Heaven is calling, Peter!

Unoriginal but a goody; Riddle finding rough drafts of your love letter to him. Or catching you chanting his name while touching yourself and his feelings on someone actually wanting him closer instead of wanting to run away from him.

♡ R.R | LOVE | FLUFF

He could literally turn into a pile of ash.

Face aflame as his hands shakily hold the crumbled papers, his name in ruined ink and your handwriting, you were confessing your love. He feels dizzy and the longer he stared at the multitude of papers, the closer he felt to falling unconscious on your hardwood floors.

It's not like he purposely ment to spy nor invade your privacy, but he needed your opinion on something rather important. But your weren't answering your phone and he isn't the biggest fan of texting important issues so face to face was the best option. Yet it didn't occur to him your wouldn't be home, he merely assumed you were over sleeping, like always.

So he of course let himself inside, which wasn't uncommon, only to tsk at the pile of crumbled papers across your floor from your desk. It was against the Queens rules to have a messy room Tuesday nights, so he decided to help you. Only to find that these papers weren't in fact notes, but letters and curiosity got the better of him.

The door opens with a soft click, and he feels the ends of his hair stand as he spins around clutching the paper behind his back. You stand, head slightly tilted, as he says hello. But his voice cracks at the end and he coughs nervously.

"Good Evening. I was—well. I am here to speak to you. Apologies for simply walking in—but um, I assumed—"

You wave him off with a small, telling him it's alright. Slipping your bag off your shoulders with an exasperated sigh. The House warden visibly relaxes, crumbling the papers behind he back and dropping them to the floor when you weren't looking. He pulls at his collar and clears his throat. "So—How was your day, dear Perfect."

"Long," you laugh and sigh at the same time, plopping down on your plush bed, "but good. How was yours?"

His eyes flicker to the pile as he sits on your bed, back straight and hands in his lap, "uh, productive... Yes... One could say, I learned quite a lot..."

"Like?" You inquire, undoing the buttons of your vest, having slipped off your blazer and tossed to the side, which Riddle would usually scold you for.

"I—That assertiveness is a admirable quality—" There's a certain firmness and you look at him, brows furrowing, yet he seems deep within his thoughts, clenching his together.

"I also learned... I'm not assertive enough...." He looks at you, before his gaze flickers to your lips. As if releasing his actions, he explodes into another fit of red, snapping his head away.

"Riddle?" The call of his name, sends a hot shiver down his spine and he can't help but scrunch his nose. It isn't a bad feeling, but its—

"Riddle." He looks at you, hands nearly shaking as he lunges for yours. Watching your emotions flicker visibly, before resting on confused, yet intrigued. There's no words exchange, none to be spoken as the gap that once seemed so wide, slowly closes.

Eyes slowly closing, hearts slowly syncing, as passion, inexperience, love danced between pressed lips. His lips tremble and his body is stiff, following only instinct to kiss you. Yet his mind wants to retreat, to pull away, yet his hands finds your waist, fingers sinking into covered flesh, a muffled gasp resounding in your throat, burst whatever magical hold you placed over him. He nearly jumps away, his gloves hands slapping over his arms, eyes wide.

You fall into awkward silence.

"So... Um.... Uh.... I forgot what I was suppose to speak to you about....." He struggles to gather his thoughts, mind spinning. His tongue subconsciously running over his lips, he stills a peek at you and you're staring away.

"... At.. at a better time.... I would like—If you would like also—" He can't finish his words as your agree, and he clears his throat, standing up from your bed, and letting out a cough.

"Your room. It's a mess. And quite against the Queen's Rules. So, you should clean it. Yes." He attempts to save face, slowly backing out of your room, dusting off the imaginary dirt, before giving a short nervous bow or sorts and darting out your room. He fingers graze over his lips, a small smile forming.

He'd like to kiss you again.

More dark din head canon? I kinda missed ut

I love Dark Din Content! I've needed to sit back and think about this because I haven't touched it in a while...I need to get back to my horrible, feral roots of making everything terrible with this.

So, let's see...what about Dark Din who doesn't fall for Luke at first? Like how I was tempted to do with Blooms but it didn't quite go to the level of Dark I wanted cause I felt like it wouldn't have matched the story to that point and wouldn't have been fair to Luke/Readers/The Plot?

I've considered doing another multi-chapter story of where Din is like a dark (but still good) king of Mandalore and he has to work together with a Force-user to rescue Grogu...but he makes it clear he hates this guy and would gut him if he could except he needs him. Luke is just vibing along as normal. Then he just makes things click in Din's head of "oh, I can never let him leave me"--like now it's a Blooms meets Little Bird type of situation

Once in love, Din would be feral over Luke. He would plot to keep Luke trapped on Mandalore. There would be an unspoken law that Luke Skywalker can never leave the world or there would be absolute hell to pay.

Luke would just be going about enjoying his time, thinking all of this is temporary, and wow it is weird his ship keeps having trouble, and he'll be sad to leave but he needs to do stuff and this family needs time to themselves, and Mandalorians still don't like Force-users...all the while there is a marriage being plotted and he has no idea.

Now, the things this Dark Din does:

-slowly begins to replace the few pieces of clothing Luke has with prettier and things of better quality. It starts off with just tunics and pants that are more like gifts and to help him fit in and have things that are just nicer in general. But then they become prettier, more feminine, and something that just common civilians of Mandalore would wear...even better than Clan Leaders or noblemen would have.

-is trying to slowly erase his connections, as few as they may be, to anything outside of Mandalorian space. No one really needed to know of Luke Skywalker and he did not need any reason to ever try to leave.

-tries to spoil Luke rotten; wants most everything Luke owns to be something he provided for him. He wants everything to make Luke think of him and as a reminder to others and Luke himself that this is all Din's. Din did this. Din provided for him. It was all Din and everyone needs to be aware of this.

-Luke has mostly free reign of the palace but cannot set foot outside without explicit permission from Din only and needs to be accompanied by someone. It seems over the top but he doesn't have much argument. This wasn't his homewold and things got a bit...messy and now he was potentially a target of enemies. But it still felt a bit overbearing.

-does have Luke followed and will try to be the one who follows him if possible. He normally can't, cause he's king and all that, but that doesn't stop him. He gifts Luke a cute little droid as a pet (Artoo hisses at it) that rides Luke's shoulder/head or floats next to him and gives Din all sorts of updates and live feed (he is a creep, but this is dark Din and we can go all out)

-has warned Luke that there are consequences to actions. he will be very lenient with Luke and most things but in regards to his safety, things are non-negotiable and he needs to listen and follow instructions (it takes time but eventually spanking is brought in)

Honestly, my brain is just bringing up delicious lead up to one of my favorite dark Din dinluke stories of Ni Ceta Ni Alor by @aureutr--cause can you imagine the slow breakdown of Din's sanity and his need to own, protect, and control Luke. The lead up to where we get to in that story.

Because I adore stories of Din already the victor, of him already losing his mind and heart to the darkness and succeeding where Anakin didn't--I love that SO much. But I also thrive on the build up, of how did he get his victory and how did he lose himself to the Darkness to the point Luke was swept up as well?

Ugh, love it so much

For OTP asks, for any of your favorite ship(s) from PJO/HOO:

4 5 16 21 22 32 34 36 39 (choose any which you find interesting (or) all!!)

Oh thank you, thank you thank you, I am so excited about this!

My OTP is percico!

4. Their favorite show to watch together?

Oh this is super fun because Percy would be eager to show Nico different shows from different decades and discover new ones together! Percy probably likes Brookly Nine-Nine and The Amazing World of Gumbal and Nico is a geek who may like darker stuff like Link Click, GOT/HOTD or Dark, maybe even Succession!

So, their fave shows to watch together may be something fun, but a little bit of mistery or drama or something along those lines. Maybe Hazbin Hotel, Barry, ATLA, Bluey and Breaking Bad. It would be adorable if both love Anne With An E too!

5. Who is the cheesier one of the two?

Percy!

16. Who hogs the covers?

Percy! Nico does not mind, but he pretends to just to tease Percy about it

21. Any routines one has that the other had to get used to (ex. morning, nighttime, sleeping habits)?

Percy is more of a morning person while Nico is the opposite, so they probably have discussed about it because Percy is trying to help Nico fix his sleeping schedule to be healthier. Nico would protest at first and feel like a zombie but he eventually get used to it. They agree for Nico stay up late on weekends!

Percy also makes sure Nico is eating properly.

After Tartarus and both having PTSD, I think both are a little messy, but would rely on each other to ground the other when they are having a hard time, a nightmare, panic attack, etc, and that will make them bond more

22. Love languages? How do they get around differences, if any?

Percy's are physical touch and words of affirmation; Nico's are quality time and acts of service.

Nico is probably learning to talk about his feelings, he may be awkward but honest about them; Percy appreciates him trying! Percy had to learn to read Nico's body language so he could be comfortable with his touch and not overdo it or overstep a boundary Nico is not ready yet

32. Who's so affectionate they can't stop touching the other?

Percy a million percent!

34. How do they cheer the other one up during sad times?

When Percy notices that Nico is sad, he sits next to him and tries to ask him what's up. Then he is his optimistic-self and starts listing all the good scenarios that can happen and how great everything will be and assures him that he will be by his side (and Hazel and Reyna too!) so he has nothing to worry about!

When Percy is sad Nico would try to talk with Percy and make him laugh , then would hug him and kiss the palm of his hand; he know Percy would appreciate the gestures, especially since it is a little weird for Nico to initiate physical contact

36. Who is more protective?

They are both equally protective but Percy is in more obvious ways, so everyone thinks it is him. For example, if someone is making mean comments about Nico behind his back, Percy would not stay still and would defend him.

Nico is subtle, like when he helped Percy to have the Curse of Achilles , or when he talked to Bob about Percy. He always has Percy's back but Percy would realized the things Nico did for him after a while

39. Do they get along with the other's family? If not, how do they deal with the other's family?

Percy gets along with Hazel and only Hazel. They probably hang out constantly and when Percy needs help with something related to Nico, she is the one he goes to for help.

Percy and Hades have beef so at the beginning Hades tried to convince Nico to change his mind, talk about guys who would be better suitors, or constantly ask if Nico is sure about his decision. Nico always shuts down his father's comments. After some time, when it was obvious that his son's relationship with Percy Jackson would last, he made peace with the idea, but privately he was still a bit grumpy about it. Low-key, he appreciates the way Percy treats his son and how happy he seems, but that is only something Persephone knows

At first, Nico is awkward around all of Percy's parents, even if they like him. Sally always welcome him and try to start conversation and Nico would answer but he was all polite, Sally thought he is adorable! After a while Nico starts to relax a bit and he and Sally have long afternoons filled with conversations and activities together; Sally made it her mission to teach everything a still-growing child needs to learn! Paul and he get along and have conversations about history and the past Nico missed and misses.

Poseidon does not mind Nico, he is just happy his fave son is happy. Nico has not interact a lot with him, but when he does he is respectful, just like he is with any other God.

Thank you so much for the ask! This was really,really fun! If you have any other specific ship you want me to answer questions about, I am all ears!

Send a ship + a number and get an answer.

Happy one-year anniversary to...

(Don't worry, I won't be celebrating ALLL my fics turning 1. Just the ones I'm irrationally proud of.)

ALSO IT'S BEEN RECENTLY EDITED, SMOOTHED OUT, FIXED UP, AND MADE EVEN BETTER!! I changed some messy parts, rewrote the Maul Fight, and added in a few lines I wanted to include, but never got around to in the first draft.

SO!

To celebrate, please enjoy my interpretation of the Mara Tattles And Chaos Ensues scene yeah i know one of kanan's sleeves is wrong cause it should have armor but i was drawing him from memory during a long boring pointless work meeting and im too lazy fix it (click for better quality)!

aaaaaand also as shameless self-promo, 21 Reasons Why You Should Definitely Read Best Enemies Forever: Because It Has...

Inquisitor!Sabine

Everyone lives

Sabine and Leia BFFs for life

Dad Vader parenting four (4) teenagers

Kanera

An excess of crack

Everyone lives

Palpatine's karmic ending

The whole Malachor scene

a MASQUERADE BALL WHO DOESN'T LOVE THAT

Enemies-to-friends-to-definitely-not-dating

CUDDLING FOR WARMTH

Everyone lives

Phineas and Ferb references

All The Shippers On Deck

Antagonistic mid-battle flirting

A wedding

Commander Cody

So many cameos

My very first crack ship <3

Have I mentioned that literally everyone lives

The Intended Fate —

A lil’ something I drew up for my Spidersona! It’s a little messy but hey. It’s something

Art is below the cut! And I HIGHLY RECCOMEND CLICKING FOR BETTER QUALITY!!!

Both are with and without the “incoming call” part.

Wanted to dabble in some angst, something a little dark, and also tussle with the idea a bit more since special fact.

Masquerade is supposed to die, in every universe, because he spoke or perhaps felt the forbidden four letters words, to someone he shouldn’t have and basked in the rewards of finally finding someone. This someone he finds in every universe turns out to be some heroic figure, while they contrasted against him every time in one way or another. Let it be as simple as being enemies to just… Neighbors who have different personalities to each other, opposites.

“Opposites attract” but it nothing can really stop them from keeping the opposites away in the first place, and that’s what the universe exactly does to Masquerade every time. The consequences he receives for defying fate, wanting more than the role he’s got, and taking matters into his own hands, often leaves him with his heart bleeding out in his palms, one way or another.

I imagine that this scenario was supposed to be something close to Masquerade now taking his time to work under Miguel and eventually devoting some level of loyalty to him (not for the Miles’ incident though, Masquerade will gladly throw hands for that kid) enough to try and help maintain the multiverse, along with every other Spider-Variant in the Spider Society. What he doesn’t realize is how close he’s eventually gotten to Miguel, and for that— the universe struck him down for it.

Masquerade was tasked with helping a new Spider-variant carry out his first canon event and in the middle of it. The new Spider-person is losing his fight with his greatest nemesis, which wasn’t supposed to happen so. Valentine helps them out and in the middle of it, two birds become struck with one stone. Masquerade helps defeat the nemesis and pays the price as a piece of shrapnel (a halved pipe) manages to fly out from an explosion, nearly killing the new member had it not been for Masquerade who pushed them out of the way. Inevitably sacrificing himself in the end.

Through his last moments, he tries to contact LYLA first and ignores her notifications that there was help on the way to assist the man, and in response. Masquerade merely asks whether or not his death will affect anything (his Bioluminite was failing to save him at this point, merely stalling for time since the speed and obstruction of the pipe were both factors that stopped the extraterrestrial mineral from working its usual “magic”), knowing fully well how Miguel gets when a canon event gets tampered with. The AI eventually answers and to Masquerade’s last request. He tries to leave call Miguel, and in his final minutes. The only sound he managed to listen to during the waiting duration was the sounds of his own heartbeat slowing, and— the sounds of inevitable failure as his call could not reach Miguel. Only the voice of an automated system spoke, so as far as Valentine could take it. He used every breath to at least leave one last message to Miguel before departing from life itself.

Anyways, I intend to get back to flushing out more of The Masquerade’s… Everything really! So, yeah. Feel free to send me any questions or just stuff abt Masquerade (Spider). I’d be happy to make some friends or new moots!

Pokémon love story~

So the inspiration behind this was: I was fighting a Igglybuff and my Hoppip fell in love with her. I wanted to catch a Igglybuff anyway, and Hoppip seemed to really like her, he really didn't want to hurt her. It was so cute! So I caught her so they could be together <3

Also sorry if its messy to read, but thats just my comic style lol. Script under cut!

Click images for better quality

Me: Come on, Hoppip! Use Tackle!

(SMACK!)

Ability: Cute Charm (wink!)

Hoppip: (doki doki doki (that's a heartbeat sound effect))

Hoppip fell in love! (SMACK!) Igglybuff uses Copycat!

Me: Snap out of it! Hoppip! Use Absorb!

Hoppip: (shakes his head)

Hoppip got immobilised by love! (BEAM) Igglybuff uses Disarming Voice!

Me: If you land just one hit, I can catch her, and you can be ... together

(SMACK!) ... Later ... The end <3

Tips for working hair extension ponytail

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Now, that doesn't imply that you merely got to massage your extensions within the dust. It does indicate that it's finest to figure with hair that had not been lately cleaned. Perfect ponytails are made daily or more after your last shampoo, as well as a result the same holds for your extensions. Utilize a touch little bit of completely dry shampoo or appearance spray to offer your hair and extensions much more grit. Crinkle your hair or add beachy waves using a house device or a level iron. Smooth your hair to the specified place of your ponytail, secure it, as well as voila-- you have a simple, attractive hairstyle.Use the appropriate Ponytail Holder If you're will not to making use of ponytail holders to make your ponytails, it's time to urge creativity. A truthful hair stylist knows that bungees and also hairpin are the most basic thanks to offering your ponytail volume while likewise keeping it in situ. Ditching the typical ponytail holder additionally prevents damage and also keeps your hair looking healthier. Experiment with various hair connections up until you find the one that functions best along with your expansions. Smooth the Perimeter Even the messiest of ponytails look much better without the frizz. Regardless of what sort of ponytail you're styling, validate that you just complete it off with the correct items. Beneficial oil through ends will certainly maintain your ponytail looking fresh as well as professionally styled. It likewise maintains your expansions from looking boring. Use hairspray or pomade around your face to stay fly-aways caught. The utilization of those products develops a much more sleek look as well as can maintain your ponytail looking wonderful all day.

It seems to be the norm these days so I’m making one, I guess it’s time to be somewhat organized on this messy blog.

I’m only putting my favorites, as in the ones I had the most fun writing because hey I do what I want. NB: I’m not guaranteeing the quality of these, I’m just saying I had fun and that’s my only scale of quality measurement.

(Sorted from most recent to most ancient.) ~ ✨ ~

Searching Every Lonely Place 

70k - E - Sterek - tumblr post Stiles is a Winter Spark -whatever that means- living a solitary life in the forest. It could have been a quiet life, except for that one part... there are wolves in these woods and for all Stiles would love to ignore them and keep to himself, well, there's this part of him that was meant for more.

~ ✨ ~

When The Wolf Comes Out

3k - T - Sterek - tumblr post The Sheriff brings Stiles a surprising present on Christmas day. (in which Derek is a dog-not-dog and Stiles has a plan).

~ ✨ ~

Hot to Touch, Holding You

8k - E - Sterek - tumblr post The pack bonding weekend Stiles had hoped for has gone terribly wrong: everybody cancelled on him. Now he's here alone with Derek of all people. Stuck in a fucking snow storm, with little else to do but... keep warm.

~ ✨ ~

keep these flutters in check

4k - G - Sterek - tumblr post There's a hot guy in the pumpkin patch, Stiles' mission is to sell him a pumpkin and not to fall in love.

~ ✨ ~

The Bluest of Blue Skies

16k - M - Sterek - tumblr post "You didn't." Derek grumbled to himself. "Fuck, Laura, you didn't."Derek shook his head slowly, his whole body burning with a feeling of utter betrayal. She could have. Fuck, Laura had actually paid for a cruise hooker, didn't she? Derek was going to murder her. He was going to kill her as soon as he set a foot back on land. - or the one where Derek finds himself stuck on a cruise with an accidental roommate who seems to be the most annoyingly cheerful person Derek has ever met.

~ ✨ ~

Summer Fling (better shape up)

10k - T - Sterek - tumblr post After spending an incredible summer filled with sex and romance, Stiles realizes that his summer fling actually attends the same college. Awkward, isn't it?

~ ✨ ~

Not A Normal Flavor

23k - M - Sterek - tumblr post Derek has a hard time bonding with his daughter since he finally got her back. She only seems to find comfort in the magic of the ice cream parlor that Stiles owns. (featuring : alive family hale. werewolves are known, magic Stiles. magic ice cream. fluff and finding one's own truth.

~ ✨ ~

Z for the zig-zag (of my heart to yours)

33k - T - Sterek - tumblr post When soulmates meet there's a clarity moment referred as the click. Stiles' whole world changes when his best friend, Scott, clicks not only on one but two people. (featuring : Stiles as a rich heir and bookstore owner, hater of the idea of soulmates. Allison as the new bookstore employee. Isaac and Derek as the owners of the gym next door. Scott as a puppy in love. Group dates and a whirlwind of feelings.

~ ✨ ~

Outrun The Stars

56k - M - Sterek - tumblr post Derek never imagined what the universe had in store for him when he helped a little girl find her dad at the farmer's market. featuring : worried Boyd and flirtatious Erica as Derek's best friends. Scott who has a bad habit of adopting people into his pack of friends. A lake where the magic in the stars aligns. and also a jar of fairy dust.

~ ✨ ~

Find all of my other fics on AO3 or on tumblr 

You can also support me on Kofi because that’s neat 😎

Mid-year book freak out tag

Finally have some time to do this! Thanks @bloody-wonder for the tag💕

1. Best books you’ve read so far in 2022? The Raven Cycle books by Maggie Stiefvater, they just got me. I read them back-to-back in a week or so and they have everything I love in a book, the prose was great and totally fit the overall vibe with that kind of Night Vale-ish feel to it, sort of eerie but also cosy? Can totally see this series becoming a comfort read. All the characters have a special place in my heart and I wasn’t expecting to love all of them so much, I usually have one or two faves but I just, love all the gang and I love how they all love each other and their friendship and just. I love them. So much. Also well planned plot, mysteries where everything is connected and you can see the puzzle forming and everything clicking together, old European folklore (specifically old kings waiting to be woken)?? Sign me the fuck up. I need more. Also I had to get them in hardback and oh they're pretty.

Also, We Both Laughed in Pleasure the diaries of Lou Sullivan, it was incredibly good and moving and so happy? joyful? usually trans memoirs are always sad and bitter, especially when it's about someone living during the AIDS crisis, but this was just so full of joy, specifically joy in being trans and queer and even when it was sad there was always something comforting or hopeful. I'd recommend this to every trans man or transmasc out there (and anyone else really) cause there's so much anger and sadness out there that reading about how good it can be to just get to live your life is, something I've never seen in trans lit and it's just, it warms my heart reading about Lou's life.

2. Best sequels you’ve read so far in 2022? Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey probably. It started out different than the other books, had a broader focus and was a bit confusing at first as a choice but it worked out in the end and it helped in making sense of how it all came together so I appreciated it. Also seeing how the Roci crew story came to its end and how much they’ve all grown and changed since the beginning hit right in the feels. Lletting go of them made me emotional ngl and I’ll definitely re-read the whole series at some point but I couldn’t have asked for a better finale ( even with all the heartbreak and angst and tears it was just. Great.).

3. New releases you haven’t read yet, but want to? Book of Night by Holly Black, the plot is extremely intriguing and looks slightly darker? than her other books so I'm very curious how's it going to be. She's also one of my favorite authors and she's not disappointed yet so I'm trusting her to deliver some Quality.

4. Most anticipated release for second half of 2022? I know Greywaren is coming out in October so I'm waiting for it to get the whole trilogy and get more from TRC universe and I! Am! So! Hype! I don't even have a clue what it's about I just want more of anything TRC kjhgjhk

5. Biggest disappointment? Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg probably. I was expecting heists and some good "be gay do crime" vibes given that it's based on an irl master thief and while it did deliver on the gay it didn't deliver on the crime at all. It was kinda boring? and unnecessarily long and drawn out in some parts, way too focused on the romance (and didn't even develop it properly?) and not enough on the plot, and given that it's a story-within-a-story kind of book with conspiracies and plotting and Big Mysteries tm... it was just Not It. It also kinda read more like an academic text rather than a fiction book, which I get the fictional author is an academic but there are better ways to go about it imo.

6. Biggest surprise? Lou Sullivan's diaries for all the best reasons. I said how joyful it is, but it's also not the usual narrative. His life was messy and his gender journey even more so and I don't think I've ever read something so relatable, like honestly ever. He didn't always know, he didn't write about dysphoria or being trapped in the wrong body or whatever, all his discoveries about himself are always marked by happiness and how right he feels, and how he just loves being a man, loving men and I don't think there's enough lit (gay and/or trans) that focuses on that, the happiness of being trans and gay. I started this book expecting it to be sad (cause, you know, AIDS) but I came out of it feeling happy and with all the negativity often going around trans spaces (specifically gay trans men spaces) it's,,, nice, really nice. I didn't know how much I needed this book until I read it, and I'm so incredibly happy I did.

7. Favorite new authors? I didn't read any book from a new author that made it into my faves yet? I really liked The Singing Hills Cycle by Nghi Vo but I wouldn't say it's fave material, just really good and definitely worth a read. We'll see if second half of 2022 will deliver more :')

8. Newest favorite character? Can I say the Gangsey? Definitely the gang from TRC, I love them all to bits they're my children I'm adopting all of them and Chainsaw and that's that nobody touches them I will protect them with my life.

9. Newest fictional crush? I do am very gay for Jacob Reckless (Reckless by Cornelia Funke) but that's nothing new, it's been going on for years I'm a lost cause at this point smh

10. Book that made you cry? We Are Okay by Nina LaCour made me tear up quite a bit, the way it deals with grief and the importance of solitude and growing up and figuring yourself out it's just *chef's kiss* and the way it's written it's like a warm hug from a friend in front of a fireplace and it's so comforting to read and while the title may seem misleading at first (they are Not Okay) by the end I was left with this cosy feeling that yeah maybe they will be okay after all, and even if life can be a mess sometimes it'll all work out in the end.

Also TRC (specifically the end) but that's just cause I was deep in the feels tm

11. Book that made you happy? Again, Lou Sullivan's diaries <3 queer joy is the best joy.

Also Fairy Oak - Il destino di una fata by Elisabetta Gnone came out this year and it's sort of an extra content collection for my favorite kids series and even if it's been 20? years since I read the series as a kid I still love coming back to the magic and the world in these books and getting to know these tiny little extra details about all the characters and the village I'll never grow tired of it.

12. Favorite book adaptation you saw this year? Haven't read the book but The Handmaiden was so unhinged and chaotic and Great and I loved it, can't believe it took me this long to watch it oh was it good. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell was also great, both as an adaptation and as a mini-series, almost as chaotic and unhinged, definitely creepy and unsettling, also the fx were just *chef's kiss* so good. Great vibes all around no complaining here.

Also honourable mention to The Magicians for still making a mess of me on this rewatch.

13. Favorite review you’ve written this year? Bold of you to assume I write reviews.

14. Most beautiful cover? The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon has The Most Beautiful cover I've seen in a while, truly stunning, the colours the dragon, the style is just. Wow.

Also not as stunning but TRC has some truly gorgeous covers seeing them all lined up on the shelf is hhhhhh so. nice.

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year? I still have A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara in my TBR and I plan on reading this summer but am waiting for my beloved kobo to come back from maintenance. I'm also curious about The Secret History by Donna Tartt after seeing so much of it on my dash, and I wanted to read more quality dark academia so ig it's the perfect book to start with jhjkj. I'm also planning on finally reading Coraline by Neil Gaiman and then I have Le Otto Montagne by Paolo Cognetti which I know absolutely nothing about cause it was a surprise gift from a friend but they promised gay and wilderness and mountains and the cover looks so pretty and winter-y so I'm def hype to read.

I'm tagging @pollyna @bismuth-209 @abramminyard @maybemountains @theblackswanuniverse if you want to do it ^^

you already Know who i'm gonna ask about for the f/o ask ( -v-)👍[bull armor]

HELL YESSSSSS I have an established brand now!

B - Before: Before you decided to make them your F/O, what did you first think of them/their source?

I know I’ve said this before, but he’s literally what got me invested in the show. The first two episodes of Iron Leaguer, I was just kinda waiting to see if this really was a show that I could get invested in. I was really skeptical, what with the sports angle and my own distaste for sports anime! But something about his episode just... Clicked in my brain! I wanted to see where all of the characters were going to go and grow! 

Once I was really in deep and going through the show with FULL interest, I didn’t think I had a crush on Bull. My main ships for him were him and Top Joy and/or him and Silky! I still love those ships, of course, but I didn’t even consider self-shipping. It’s not usually something I’ve ever given much thought to. It wasn’t until my wife kept teasing me about how obvious it was to her that I was crushing on him that I came to realize it myself! We’ve been writing cute Buruburi stuff ever since! 

U - Uplift: How do they help you when you’re stressed or sad and vice versa?

He’s a really good talker and listener. He gives me the space to talk freely about how I feel and that means a lot. Plus, I dunno, he always seems to have just the right thing to say to make me feel better! And it helps a ton that he’s also quite the cuddler, so not only do I get to vent out my feelings, I’m also being held and having my hair pet and all the good stuff that just makes the world not seem so bad! 

L - Language: What’s their love language? What’s yours?

Okay, I’m not gonna get on my high horse about love languages. At least I don’t think I will! My main issue with love languages as a concept is I think that many people get caught up in the idea of Everyone Has One True Love Language when... I think most people have varying degrees of multiple! It seems reductive how some people will treat it like a Hogwarts House or whatever. The concept is helpful, but execution is often lost on folks. Plus, it doesn’t help that like, every time I’ve taken a love language test, I get different answers, all based on slight variations in wording. And my wife never has a consistent love language either from these tests. I just like a little bit of all the languages! 

ALL THAT ASIDE... 

Bull Armor’s main love languages are Quality Time and Physical Touch. Meanwhile, my main love languages are Words of Affirmation and Physical Touch. Naturally, we hold hands quite a bit! 

A - Art: Do they draw or paint? What about any other kind of art? What’s their favorite style/subject/another artist who inspires them?

This one really got my brain thinking. At first, I think art and the art world would be a little bit lost on him. But once he saw something that moved him, that made him feel something, he’d really get what it’s all about. I could see him coming home from an art museum and just throwing himself into a new hobby of abstract art. He’d like the kind of messy “throw a whole bucket of paint at a canvas and smear it with your hands” kind of stuff. And I would gladly get him a tarp. His color schemes would likely be a bit on the garish and bright side, colors clashing in unpleasant ways, but it still provokes a certain feeling.

R - Rainbow: What colors do you associate with them and why?

So, Magnum Ace is already honestly the "red guy" on this rainbow of a team. Naturally, that leaves Bull Armor as orange. I always think of him as the orange of the team! I mostly think of the accents on his helmet, which are a bit more orangey than the yellow of his horns. Then you've got his pretty big baby blue eyes, of course it makes me think of him! And then there's his adorable pink cheeks! He's got a perpetual blush going on! 💗

M - Meeting: What was your first time meeting them?

We met at the mecha hospital! I was a paper pusher and he was a nurse! We became cordial little work pals, but I split from that place and eventually, so did he. Back then there was only a work buds bond.

O - Online: What is your f/o’s social media presence like, or what would it be like if they had internet in their world/era?

I’ve got two distinct ideas for Bull Armor on Twitter and Tumblr: 

Either one, the Hoizer approach, where 90% of the time it is very clear that the account is run by like a manager. Manager posting is almost always very formal, hyping up game days or autograph events. But randomly, Bull himself log on and post something that is very clearly directly from him. It’s not promoting anything, it’s just some random ass thought or feeling that he had in the moment. 

Or two, more like Chafurin’s (his voice actor’s) Twitter, where he honestly just happy old man posting. Pictures of sunsets in places he’s been, ramblings about the good things in life. Very wholesome and probably has a side hobby listed in his bio instead of, like, the fact that he’s a multiple championship winning Iron Leaguer. 

I told myself I'd turn this into a tradition, so here I am throwing all my art in one place again.

All the art featured here is what I had on my art flash drive since that's mainly how I keep track of when I drew what.

Explanations for all the boxes under the cut:

January: Ok, so, turns out I didn't draw shit in January except a fun little doodle of Goldic (the character) fighting one of my friend's ocs. Not gonna throw it down here because it was for a friend. (I also never finished that one thing I was eluding to in the last progression post, big sadge; it would've been so funny if I finished that, or at least enough of it so I could put the other half at the start of this one)

February: Ah yes, playing Uno with Silent Magician and Silent Swordsman. The best way to spend Valentine's Day, tbh. Oh yeah, the GoldicSoulless emote also came into existence.

March: Oops, didn't draw anything. And if I did, I doubt any of it was Tumblr-worthy.

April: Oops, I did it again. I just didn't feel like drawing around that time. It was a nice art break, I guess.

May: Back to drawing and I... didn't draw much, but I did draw a redesign for Moon! ...That I never shared until now:

I also designed regional variants of Riolu and Lucario for fun (and for my fake region, Avnou, that you don't get to hear any infodumps about yet, I'll share that when it's more "complete"; Riolu is Ghost type while Lucario is Ghost/Ground):

and here's the shinies, hehehe (click to see the sparkles better):

June: PRIDE MONTH, WOOOOOOOO- *ahem*, I drew a lot of shit in Pride Month, like: - Me holding my giant af flag made of multiple flags - Note and Symph being cute and gay - Mew and Mewtwo designs for the comic I didn't make yet - A bunch of Pikachu sketches for no reason in particular - and this as a little treat for myself since Sonic's Game Anniversary and my b-day are so close together (literally two days apart):

July: My current profile pic was drawn here, as well as a new (and currently unfinished) ref sheet for Goldic! Here's what is done right now:

though, I'm tempted to just redo it again with all the improvements I've made to my art since drawing this...

August: I just drew a bunch of doodles around this time, tbh. I even colored a couple of them. Also drew Angora again:

Beyond that? Nothing of note.

September: Cyno. Just Cyno. Definitely my best attempt at soft shading in recent memory. Also, you're not tripping, I did design an Ash (and Goh) for that Mewtwo comic I didn't make yet (Ash's design is a mix of his Unova and Journeys designs with some creative freedom mixed in; Goh's ref isn't done yet, but he does have a doodle here!):

Friendly Reminder that Ash has Aura Powers™ and Lucario, the Aura Pokémon, can read people's thoughts (just in case someone wonders why Ash seems to read Goh's thoughts in the above image):

October: I... didn't draw shit in October, but I did draw some all-digital doodles with my mouse! (because no art tablet, lol); I can't share most of it because Angst and NSFW™, but I can share what I haven't shared already:

November: I also didn't draw shit in November, but when I did, I made two whole characters: a catboy (Kitari) and a duelist, yu-gi-oh style, that I didn't share yet (Yune). Fun Fact: Yune is the first Yu-Gi-Oh oc I've ever made, despite loving the series for years, and all I have to show him off is a colored headshot and some messy sketches:

Outfit design isn't final yet, but hey. He exists. Yes, the scarf (and hair) will stay.

December: S Q U A R E - The Puyo Puyo Brainrot returned and so did me drawing Squares. I also drew a bunch of emotes for Kitari (of which only half are done) and another little something that I'll share later~

Overall: - Very productive year in terms of art improvement (mainly anatomy and color choice; character design quality has also improved a lot) - More brainrot fanart than in previous years - Less art overall, but more got shown off - 10/10 quality (compared to older art), hell yeah

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A comprehensive planter package featuring the NATGAI Hydroponic System Growing Kit with detailed instructions. Benefits of Using the NATGAI Hydroponic System Advantages of soilless cultivation and hydroponics in general I am absolutely thrilled to share with you the amazing benefits of using the NATGAI Hydroponic System! If you're not familiar with hydroponics, let me tell you, it's a game-changer for growing plants without soil. First and foremost, soilless cultivation allows you to have complete control over the nutrient levels your plants receive. This means healthier and more productive plants, as they get exactly what they need to thrive. Plus, since there's no soil involved, you don't have to worry about pests or weeds ruining your garden. Specific benefits offered by the NATGAI system Now, let's talk about the specific advantages of the NATGAI Hydroponic System. With its 12-hole design and air pump, this system provides optimal conditions for growing herbs, lettuce, and vegetables. One of the standout features is its compact size. The NATGAI system is perfect for those with limited space, as it can be placed in a garden cabinet or even indoors. You can have fresh produce right at your fingertips all year round! Another benefit is the ease of use. The system comes with clear instructions and is simple to set up. You don't need any prior experience in hydroponics to get started. Plus, the materials used are durable and long-lasting, ensuring that your investment will pay off for years to come. In conclusion, the NATGAI Hydroponic System offers numerous advantages for soilless cultivation. From complete control over nutrients to a compact design and ease of use, this system is a must-have for anyone looking to grow their own fresh and healthy produce. Customer Reviews and Testimonials Real-life experiences from users of the NATGAI Hydroponic System I recently purchased the NATGAI Hydroponic System Growing Kit with Air Pump and I am absolutely thrilled with the results! This system has completely transformed my gardening experience and I couldn't be happier. The ease of use is one of the standout features of this kit. Setting it up was a breeze, thanks to the clear instructions provided. The 12 holes in the soilless cultivation grow box are perfect for growing a variety of herbs, lettuce, and vegetables. I was amazed at how quickly my plants started to grow and thrive. The performance of the hydroponic system is outstanding. The air pump ensures that the plants receive a constant supply of oxygen, promoting healthy growth. I have noticed a significant improvement in the quality and taste of my produce since using this system. Not only does this hydroponic system produce excellent results, but it also looks great in my garden cabinet. The sleek design adds a modern touch to my outdoor space. Overall, I highly recommend the NATGAI Hydroponic System Growing Kit with Air Pump. It is a game-changer for any gardening enthusiast looking to grow fresh and healthy produce right at home. Conclusion Summary of the advantages and features of the NATGAI Hydroponic System I am absolutely thrilled with the NATGAI Hydroponic System Growing Kit with Air Pump! This innovative system has completely transformed my gardening experience. Here are some of the key advantages and features that make it stand out: Soilless Cultivation: With this hydroponic system, you can grow herbs, lettuce, and vegetables without the need for soil. This not only saves space but also eliminates the hassle of dealing with messy dirt. Air Pump: The included air pump ensures that your plants receive a constant supply of oxygen, promoting healthy growth and preventing root rot. 12 Holes: The grow box has 12 holes, allowing you to grow multiple plants simultaneously. This is perfect for small spaces or if you want to maximize your yield. Garden Cabinet Box: The system comes with a garden cabinet box, which helps to maintain a controlled environment for your plants.

It protects them from pests, harsh weather conditions, and other external factors. Final thoughts on its suitability for growing herbs, lettuce, and vegetables If you're looking to grow herbs, lettuce, or vegetables in a compact and efficient way, the NATGAI Hydroponic System is an excellent choice. Its soilless cultivation method ensures clean and hassle-free gardening, while the air pump and controlled environment provided by the garden cabinet box promote optimal plant growth. With 12 holes available, you can grow a variety of plants at once. I highly recommend this hydroponic system for anyone who wants to enjoy fresh and homegrown produce all year round! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.2) Advantages: Many users find the system very useful for starting plants and rooting plant plugs. The pump has been reported to run efficiently night and day for extended periods without issues. Some users also appreciate the affordability of the kit. Disadvantages: Some users have mentioned that the air pump is external and can be loud. The foam provided might need modifications as it can be too dense for some seedlings. There are also concerns about light leakage leading to algae formation due to the grow media and tub not being completely opaque.

lots and lots of unpolished and messy feelings wrt informative posting especially those that are targeted towards americans and other people whose privilege or global distance has left them with a particular gap in their knowledge

fun little read more cause it got a bit long :)

I am, in general, not the biggest fan of implementing shame into these processes. while it may push some people to try harder, I also feel like it's gonna push a substantial portion of people away (similarly, shaming the hypothetical shamer I find also unhelpful, ex. thank you for providing this information instead of just expecting people to know). on the scale of "trend" I personally find myself most drawn to instances where it's just plain presenting of the information in a way that's convenient and easy to understand (as much as it can be) and the comments appreciating it without coming at someone else

there's a bit of a problem with "just Google it" too nowadays. aside from the horrifying fact that a lot of young people have abandoned general search engines in favor of platform specific ones (like literally just searching things up on tiktok), the quality of commercialized search engines is also becoming downright abysmal. plus, with a wealth of misinformation flooding the Internet, it can be kind of hard to know how to wade through all that, especially if so much of it is foreign territory.

non English word pronunciation for the English speaker is also its own mess — especially if those words have been adopted into the English language. ask Google how to pronounce axolotl. it'll say it's aks-oh-LOT-ul (approximated**, you can play the sound aloud), click a YouTube result that comes up, you'll get the same thing. you have to dig to find ah-SHOW-loa(tl*) (*no English equivalent, but it's a fun sound to learn and not terribly difficult) in it's original Nahuatl (nah-WAH-(tl*)), but to even get that far, you need to know that you need to look in the first place, and then after that how to wade through everything and pick out what's a legitimate resource and what's not. and these are the very skills that are decreasing

**the phonetics used are non standard and based on my own system, but I assume this has an average audience 0.5 people so it doesn't really matter.

but the thing is. I GET the frustration with American ignorance***. American culture is more or less impressed on everyone whether they want it or not as part of American imperialist outreach, but this flow of culture does not really go both ways so we in particular have considerably less global knowledge than the rest of the globe has of us. this is what I like to very scientifically call. Fucking Bad.

(***American ignorance used here as a blanket term even though this type of ignorance can be found in plenty of people across the global north. it's just most obvious and I think most common AND most acknowledged in Americans)

hmm following up on my bit immediate above though, there's kinda two levels to this? One is negative ignorance. Information that has been withheld as part of propagandistic efforts or an education system that's not doing its job. the second is incidental ignorance — information that is in general not particularly important for someone to know that it's also not expected that they might know and may also be particularly localized.

the ideal situation is for one, upon finding within themselves a negative ignorance, to immediately seek to bridge that gap so that they might be better equipped to exist in the world, especially in a more conscientious way. there's lots of barriers to this. it can be a lot of work. oftentimes it's not fun. we live in a world that seeks to take all of our free time and energy and convert it into profit for others. we also have plenty non-informative distractions for us to sink what money we do have into should we choose to do that. we're tired, we're scared, we have an education system that kills people's innate curiosity, and a lot of people don't see why they should put in the effort, especially if they feel like they've already done the work

now do I think any of the above actually justifies intentional ignorance? no lmao. like I really do think it's important to fill these gaps in our knowledge because it directly informs how we interact with the world around us. getting a master's degree or a doctorate in whatever or going through a very big and pivotal Experience does not exempt you from the fact that you should be learning about new things and new perspectives and new anything forever and ever up until the day you die. a faulty education system is not an excuse for continued ignorance once you're aware of the gaps.

and like I can easily empathize with the frustration coming from other side of things — to be ignored, passed up, invalidated; to have your history erased and to see tragedy repeat itself — this is worse in a material way. you can see why my thoughts are messy and complex. dunking on Americans is hardly a structural equal to what others have to face, BUT the problem is that on any meaningful level, the frustration is misplaced AND it's off-putting to people who do have negative ignorance but are trying to close that gap.

we touch briefly here on public vs private communication, and the problem is that anything that's public-but-obscure can be reasonably designed for a like-minded audience without the adequate preparation that might be needed for a larger scale, more cultural and experientially diverse audience, however it's laughably easy for something like that to "escape containment" and be treated like it was supposed to be the latter.

back to the previous paragraph though and ultimately my original point, I think that this type of bullying is ultimately unhelpful in the informative-posting field, especially because what it does is it targets the wrong people. most Americans are working class, and while we undoubtedly reap far more than our fair share of rewards through the privilege living in the global north, the very same system that gives us that also hurts us far more than it helps us. we're victims of the same system, which means in the end that we should be allies and not enemies.

we don't control the flow of information. we don't define the gaps in our education or the propaganda that's fed to (or the information that's propagandistically withheld from) us. actual, meaningful change occurs when you stop the enemy at its source.

but falling into my own critiqued trap of talking too much of Americans and not others, I would like to say specifically that I don't excuse the people of western europe (cultural unit, not geographic), especially in the way that they bully Americans too when they barely had a leg to stand on, just because they are less ignorant of their neighbors. this state of meaningfully large cultural negative ignorance can pop up in countries around the globe, but western Europeans have this special way of digging into Americans like a) they don't also immensely profit from the privilege afforded to them by the imperialism of their own countries b) they aren't massively racist in and of themselves and c) they aren't just looking for someone to bully so that they can feel better about themselves.

I do feel like bullying Americans like this can also be a way to distract from their own negative ignorance without actually having to do anything about it.

now, that came off as really negative, but what I really mean to say by it is this: "you're not better than us. you have problems too that need to be confronted and by coming after/blaming the average American person, you're possibly putting off someone from their own growth, ignoring the actual culprit, and driving further wedges between the global working class". it helps no one except those already in power, and given that these people are generally of about comparable privilege (nasty argumentative trap to fall into, but given my audience of 0.5 I'll let it be) it feels like they don't quite have as much room to complain. like america-centrism is fucking annoying yeah but make a fun little material/quality of life comparison here...

anyway! eurgh. still don't know how I feel about it all 👍

and I didn't even talk about incidental ignorance

The Comic (tm) has been getting more attention recently for reasons that have brought up a lot of complicated feelings on my end. To qualify, by “more attention”, I mean like, a journey from being read by one new person every couple of months for years, to one new person every week or two for the past year (whenever I was actually posting pages, so like, half that on average). To 2-3 new people, every week, for the past few weeks. So not an eye-popping difference, but something that has never happened before. 

This difference in traffic comes exclusively from reddit, where I mirror/post pages every week. My best guess is that it’s due to some combination of small algorithm-manipulating changes in how I make those posts, regular posting so that people are reminded of its existence every week, and maybe something in either the quality or the content of these pages specifically. (I remember seeing a bump in attention at the end of chapter 2, a narratively similar scene. Which surprised me, I’d guessed the more visually striking  and mad-science-y action scenes would get more attention. Both scenes also require significant context to know what the hell is going on, which I’d assumed would be a deterrent to random strangers. But maybe it’s the opposite? I do also think they’re some of the better written scenes, in terms of like, emotional clarity, which might contribute. )

My first thought: It feels weird to have my messy feelings about what I want from making things and posting them on the internet turned into statistics. From what I’ve observed, there’s a line that gets crossed, in terms of number of people exposed to any given thing I post online, where the feedback I got  turned from “uninterpretable randomness” to “actual statistics”. That makes sense. More people clicking through to the website directly translates to more people reading it, commenting, whatever. But the law of large numbers also means the more people who click through to the website translates to a more consistent proportion of people who do those things. That proportion is universally low and noisy - from what I’ve read about online marketing, both getting a random person who sees your post to click to your website, and getting someone who clicked to your website to stay and do something there, are textbook low-probability events. That means when the sample size (number of people seeing your post) is small, the noise dominates the signal, and you can’t extract meaningful information from the relationship between what you’re posting and those downstream returns (engagements, comments, etc). Most of the time your return will just be zero, because you’re looking for a low-probability event with a small sample. 

This is a simplified model of both people and posting, obviously, but it captures the wild difference in both the subjective experience and quantitative results I get from posting somewhere I can force 50 people to see my art versus somewhere I can force 5000 people to see it, for the same stupid comic. This is my current joker arc about algorithms and independent artists online.  The algorithms on many websites are built to make it so that a few posts are seen by a million people, and many are seen by 10 or 5 or even 0 (*cough* Twitter) people.  I’ve had more success finding new readers on reddit than anywhere else because of 1) silo-ed subreddits with large subscriber bases that 2) have an algorithmic feed that shows recent posts to more people most other websites do. [and 3) definitely not the ability to easily sockpuppet a single upvote to my posts because that gets them shown to more people, who will then subsequently upvote them. I definitely don’t do that because that would violate the reddit ToS, and that’s definitely not the thing I think is actually driving the increased traffic in the past ~month or two.] 

Second thought: this also triggers an evolved anxiety in me, centered around the idea that better art gets attention because it’s good, and doesn’t need to play a numbers game to get even small returns. This thought fails the “not written by the generative language model in my brain that hates me” smell test, for what it’s worth, but it makes an interesting point about what I’m even trying to measure with those numbers. It’s difficult to separate my ego from the difference between what something I make means to me versus what it means to other people. It’s difficult to separate my complex feelings about that difference from the messy feedback in a chaotic system that I have to use to approximate it. 

To get existential for a second, I’ve felt like there’s a growing gap, especially the past few years, between what I’d have the ambition to be or make or do in an in ideal world, and what I can do in the world I live in as the person that I am. I’m better at accepting it in some areas of my life than others. I actually think I’m relatively good at accepting it when it comes to making art.* There’s a comic I want to draw (and just haven’t yet) about the process of writing/drawing/making things that get put up for public consumption, where an abstract humanoid representation of “an idea” gets graphically and violently beaten to death, by me, with a bat in front of casual onlookers. That’s basically how I feel about it. Not even in a bad way! Still, I don’t think I’ll ever not have those ambitions, and often feel like I’m trying to feed them table scraps. I don’t mean that ungraciously - more like, I look at a Number That Goes Up a little bit and think “great, but I have no idea how this will impact my future, and I feel like I could really use something that will impact my future right now”.  Which is probably not a problem reddit can solve, for me or the vast majority of people. But I appreciate it trying, I guess. 

*I used to be way worse. Probably detectably worse, lol. I like to think I’ve gotten better at seeing what I make for what is is without my ego getting in the way, and I have definitely gotten less anxious about showing it to other people.  I find it interesting how that got better. In most other areas of my life where I felt a disruptively painful desire for external affirmation, part of what resolved that involved getting that external affirmation. Mostly because I had a lot of luck in getting it, honestly. It’s not like I got zero affirmation with art stuff, but I had a lot more experiences where I wanted to prove something and felt like I didn’t even get a foothold, for reasons that felt like fundamental personal limitations. Unwillingness to adapt, lack of connections, perceived incompatibilities, whatever. The edge has slowly worn off anyway, which is pleasantly surprising. Like, I know I complain a lot, but I feel happy with and good at what I do frequently. I probably would’ve preferred a path where I felt like I was constantly hitting some validating new milestone, I guess. But it’s interesting and bracing to know that’s not necessary for the thing to feel worth doing in the long run. 

Three Ways to Stay Healthy at Work

When you do finally land your dream job, it can be tempting to throw absolutely everything you’ve got into it, particularly if it’s been a long time coming. But while you want to make your best impression and prove that you’ve got what it takes to make that job a huge success, this mustn’t ever come at the expense of your mental or physical health. In the article, we take a look at three practical steps you can take to stay healthy at work. When you do finally land your dream job, it can be tempting to throw absolutely everything you’ve got into it, particularly if it’s been a long time coming. Tweet This Take Your Eye Health Seriously Working at a desk all day can take its toll on your eye health. When you stare at a screen all day your eyes can start to feel tired, blurred, and unfocused. It is so important to practice good habits when you’re at work. Regular screen breaks will help you to stay healthy and prevent your eyes from becoming overworked. You may also want to invest in computer glasses that have a special coating. This may help to prevent digital eye strain and relieve any symptoms you are currently struggling with. Practise Good Desk Hygiene Been working through lunch again, eating at your desk? Those greasy fingerprints on your keyboard and the crumbs lost down between your keys need dealing with. Grab hold of some antiseptic keyboard wipes and give your workstation a thorough clean at least once a week. Your clean desk will not only look better it won’t attract further build-up and the little bugs that like to live inside messy keyboards. Careers in Healthcare and Beyond $52.22 This book is intended for someone curious to learn more about a career in healthcare, but not certain if it is right for them, or if the industry would be a good fit for them.  Buy from Walmart We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. In the same token don’t let your coffee mug collection build-up but instead, wash and put it away to maintain your hygiene standards. It’s also worth giving the receiver of your telephone a wipe-down every now and again, particularly if you have been ill recently and don’t want to pick up a virus again. Image from Pixabay: CC0 licence Get a Fitbit Or another device that allows you to track your movements. You may not be able to fit in 10,000 steps in one day but if you haven’t moved for a while your device will probably remind you it’s time to take a screen break and move around a bit. Good for your physical health or course, but also a necessity when it comes to your mental health and your concentration too. If you feel that you would benefit from additional support for your mental health, click here. Find some stretches to do at your desk, somebody strength exercises that you can carry out to feel physically fit and healthy. Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay Admit You Need to Take a Day Everyone gets ill, everyone needs to take a day off once in a while. Pushing through making yourself feel worse and churning out lower-quality work does not do anyone any favours. Take up the offer of workplace flu vaccinations if they’re given but if you do succumb to the flu or even a heavy cold your co-workers will thank you for staying away and not passing on your germs. Take responsibility for your health and the health of others and take a day or two to rest and come back fighting fit. Getting ill at work is an inevitability but you can take some steps to make it as infrequent as possible. Be sure to keep your workstation free from old food and coffee cups, wipe down your equipment frequently, and have some hand sanitiser on standby.  Look after your mental and physical health by incorporating some movement into your day and when you are ill, stay away and maintain good relationships with your co-workers by not spreading your germs around. Stay fit and healthy and at the top of your game. Work-Life Brilliance: Tools to Break Stress $8.99 If you’ve been searching for that elusive work-life balance oasis, or if you’ve ever described yourself as “super-busy,” this book is for you. There is a way for you to feel more fulfillment and ease in all parts of your life. Buy from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. 10/15/2022 12:21 am GMT Read the full article