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tarotmundomonde · 1 year

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Year 2023 General Reading

pick a number 1-5 OR pick a colour: 1-pink 2-green 3-red 4-blue 5-yellow Hope you enjoy!

(ps. this reading is for practice, fun and entertainment as always)

1.Welcome to pile number 1. Let's see, what's coming through for you this year. First is rest. It's essential for you to pay attention to rest and sleep this year. Also, vacations. Maybe you need a vacation or maybe there will be a vacation you are looking forward to this year, as travel showed up in your reading as well for this year. And this year it looks like you'll be pretty busy, so be mindful of stuck energy. When you are overly stressed and overwhelmed, you could end up feeling stuck. So instead of letting things pile up, try to delegate and be active, take action, do one thing at a time. Because this year there could be lots of distractions as well. No matter, how busy you are, sleep is still important and breaks. Trying to cheat on that will only backfire on you later on, because over intake of caffeine and energy drinks won't be enough to keep you running. So you want to stay focused and to do your work right and to maintain balance as well. Keeping a lower profile could be in your favour at times, too. Pay attention, as there are a lot of things you don't know. Do your research. It looks like this year there is a lot to discover for you. Also, it looks like you will receive a lot of support and good advice from others this year. Transformation will also be a big theme for you this year and to learn to trust yourself more. This year it's important for you to trust more your intuition as well. And you could even experience some lucid dreaming this year. Also, it seems like, if there are any obstacles or troubles, you will overcome them, even triumph over them. Money also came through for you. Especially, if you are looking for a job, you might land a job with good salary this year, maybe a position of authority. For some of you, you could have pregnancy or motherhood in the cards for you this year. So if that's something you are hoping for, it looks positive. Otherwise, in general there will be some family matters and a wish granted for you. There is also an emphasis on going with the flow and if you are still single, it does look like you might enter a love relationship this year. This could be someone new entering your life and there is a strong focus on attraction and on the femininity and feminine energy. A lot of intimacy and closeness. The cards are talking about sparks of love and light and how you are surrounded by magic this year, like everything feels so good and beautiful in life, like euphoric love. In general it looks like good things are coming to you. You'll go out and have fun and you could meet new people this year, you seem to have also a secret admirer or admirers. And November could be a significant month for you this year. Also, it looks like you might connect more with gemstones this year. Especially, when dealing with stuck energy, using gemstones could maybe help with purifying your energy and for healing. To release fears and bring in more peace and joy, to balance yourself. And as always, don't forget to leave some feedback, if it resonates with you.

2.Welcome to pile number 2. Let's see, what's coming through for you this year. Change and lots of surprises are heading your way this year. You will be climbing towards success as well and it could happen unexpectedly or more rapidly than what you thought. Also, it will be a year of releasing the old and making space for the new. Also, energetically speaking, this is a good year for you to practice more healing, especially your heart chakra. It seems like you have some fears to overcome and the need to see through the illusions of the ego. You'll also need to work on having stronger and healthier boundaries, because it will help you in finding your way to the truth and that will help you release your fears and negative thoughts and to take your power back. There is really a big focus on unclear thinking and muddled thinking and feeling very frustrated. There is a sense that you might have too much been influenced by other people's opinions and so now you need to learn to love yourself and accept yourself the way you are, appearance and personality. So tapping into your higher self will be a big theme for you this year. Overall, it's just really all about heart chakra healing, so work on that and the cards are suggesting that maybe sound baths could help you or listening to healing frequencies music could be your thing this year. Also, grounding yourself will be important this year and finding some anchoring. Many lessons to be learned for you this year. Also, the cards are talking about a pilgrimage, like a part of working on your heart chakra is to take some space and spend time alone to ground yourself. Also, maybe spend more time outdoors as well. Really the cards are talking about grounding yourself and anchoring and finding peace and feeling calm and just being in the moment, living in the now. For some of you, maybe some change of scenery or a trip of some sort to a new place. And ancestors and origins came through strongly for you as well. And one more thing is your eye vision, it seems this year your eye vision could improve somehow. Nourishment came through as well for you. Then January came through for you. The cards are also talking about the need to pay more attention to your finances this year, because it does look like you could have quite an active social life this year, like parties and celebrations. Also, romance came through strongly for you. Much love and deep affection and romance, going on dates. You also got some people coming through, possibly an older man and younger woman. You have also some victory in some endeavor coming your way this year and it seems this is a year to tap more into your sense of good luck and to create good luck. Honestly, you have much potential to use this year's energies for healing and bringing in more good luck into your life, more good things. Very powerful year, if you chose this pile, a year of personal power and of recalling your dreams. This is a year to be active and to do your part. And as always, don't forget to leave some feedback, if it resonates with you.

3.Welcome to pile number 3. Let's see, what's coming through for you this year. One big theme will be for you to tap more into your strength and beauty within you. You have the strength and power to cleanse and purify yourself from negative thought patterns and conditionings and programming and manipulation. It's interesting, the cards are showing that you could have some shamanism ancestry. The cards are talking about grandfather energy and mother lines supporting you. So if you feel energetically stuck, harness more positive energies. You are powerful and change is coming. So this year it's a lot about breaking free from the negative and transformation. The healing and transformation you are going through can feel like a long mental journey, but you are growing wiser and the cards are saying that there is assistance, you will be taken care of in difficult times. And for some, maybe you will travel this year. There is also a strong focus on your lower chakras levelling up and healing. Also, forgiveness and soul growth. Even if things shake up, reground yourself. There could be someone you find a bit unreliable, maybe insincere. But there is a lot of good, too, here. Love, spiritual love and joy and good fortune, prosperity and abundance. The cards are also talking about a fair man and a younger man or it could be one person or many. You have a bit of everything this year. You have transformation, but you have status quo as well and then you also have some kind of milestone this year. So a whole lot going on. This is going to be a hard work year in many ways for you. You'll have a better ability to focus on what you are working on, whether that is education, work, hobby or health. As a month September came through for you. You have renewal as well and surprises and opportunities coming your way this year. New doors opening, so it's time for you to open new doors and start fresh. You have also some kind of news on the way and the cards want you to know that you are on the right path, at least regarding some aspect of your life and that you will receive some compliments from admirers this year. And as always, don't forget to leave some feedback, if it resonates with you.

4.Welcome to pile number 4. Let's see, what's coming through for you this year. First of all, you got a strong message about being protected from harms and that you are receiving all the necessary spiritual guidance this year. You seem to also have friends or a friend with more influence, who'll take your side. Because it looks like you'll be dealing with some temporary situations and with someone stubborn, maybe pushy and bossy. Also, there is a focus on a woman. And there is heartache as well over something you no longer have. You could be possibly experiencing the dark knight of the soul this year. The ego shatters and transformation takes place and deep wisdom follows. You might revisit some past hurts this year and fears and it seems there will be some father line healing. It's going to be about soul retrieval. There will be growth through adversity, so embrace change. So stay strong and you are growing stronger. There is hope and you will be shown the way. So a big theme will be to work on finding peace within and to open up your heart. Self-love, unconditional love, peace and compassion, close bonds with family and friends and community are big themes for you this year. The cards are talking about a family wish coming true as well. There will be great happiness, as you work on accepting peace and receiving love. Even new love might enter your life this year. If you are already in a relationship, then it's just about bonding. But it seems that there will be new connections coming in anyway. Looking at the cards, there is definitely much success and growth in self-confidence happening for you this year. A lot of happiness, blessings and possibly wishes coming true for you this year. A lot of big changes rolling in and expansion. New faces and a lot of communication and observations made this year. So bravely communicate. You might have so much going on that you'll need to put extra effort to keep your life in balance and in order and to keep your body in balance. When it comes to money and business, you might need to be a bit more shrewd this year, to play it safe. Maybe in general you'll feel more like taking a safer approach to things this year, like you might prefer to play it safe. It also seems that you'll have new opportunities coming in that are waiting for you. You got also a strong message about music and your voice. So whether it's just listening to music and opinions or maybe you are into singing and perhaps there will some new opportunities regarding singing and making music. And as always, don't forget to leave some feedback, if it resonates with you.

5.Welcome to pile number 5. Let's see, what's coming through for you this year. There could be a lot of ups and downs for you this year. A lot of uncertainty and heightened emotions. A year to face your fears and dark thoughts, as understanding the difference between perception and reality, and to let go of them, to overcome them, to transform and to find peace. The cards are also warning you about possible secrets. What comes to healing, there could be a focus on your throat, solar and sacral chakras, clearing family patterns and to generally focus on healing your health. This is also a year you could learn a lot and feel like you were taught many things. There could be a focus on a teacher, unless you are in such a position yourself. What comes to finances, pay more attention, maybe try budgetting. Though money will come to you, you still want to be mindful of your spending this year. Also, for some of you, you might go on a trip this year. As for months, you got february, august and october, so maybe something significant will take place during those months. It seems there will be something new coming in, some commitment, maybe a project or a job opportunity. The cards are talking about the internet and intelligence and communication in general. And about expression, so how you express things. And maybe if you are into the arts of some sorts, it could be about that as well, whether you paint or vlog or are into acting, etc. A year of great passion. And that if you wish to achieve something, you'll have to increase your efforts. You'll have to be more committed to your goals, to increase your efforts, because there is definitely the possibility of great achievements for you this year. The cards also talk about working on being more compassionate this year, to grow more love in your life. Maybe doing some grounding meditation or spending more time outdoors could be good for you this year or maybe it's something you'll end up doing more this year. There is also a focus on emotional security and loving family, spending more time with your family this year. And as always, don't forget to leave some feedback, if it resonates with you.

#tarot #pick a card reading #pick a pile #pac reading #tarot reading #daily tarot

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spagyricqueen · 3 months

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To my readers <3

TL;DR: I am old. I write old. My heart is squishy. Thank you for reading.

Always and forever, I want to thank you for reading my fic. I thought it might be fun to discuss it a little while I'm in between chapters. The beginning of this semester at university has taken much of my attention with a rhetorical analysis for English class, writing assignments for philosophy, Geography homework, and a digital media class that has readings and projects due every week. So my plate is a little more full than last semester. heh

In order to relieve my frustration at not being able to throw all my effort and attention into this next arc in my story, I thought it could be fun to share some of my musings here.

So I'm an elder millennial. I started writing fanfiction when I was 12 years old, when the only way to find it was on FTP servers in the early days of the internet. I was precocious and managed to get the attention of an English teacher who thought I was older, due to the nature of my writing (don't get me wrong, it was still juvenile, but I guess she saw potential in me?). Suffice to say, she was surprised to learn my young age. But I gained a mentor who gave me a lot of pointers and did exercises with me to practice dialogue and descriptions. I kept up writing up until my 20s, when life happened and other things gained my interest.

I was surprised at myself when I was inspired to start writing again, starting with the Astarion origin story (which, I stress, would really need some reworking as it is far from perfect). I found the character very captivating and ripe for exploration and study. Yet, the landscape of fanfiction has changed a lot since I last attempted it. I had no idea what a 'drabble' was, and realize that most people are interested in short-form, easily digestible works. And here I am, devising an entire epic and canon continuation with the caveat being to treat it as if it could be a published novel or series. My writing style is, I suppose you could say, classical?

In searching for fanfiction to read about this character, I found many of them focused on very specific things (vampirism, trauma, sex, et al). I was disappointed that many of them were in second person and present tense, both styles that I was wholly unaccustomed to reading. We all have preferences, and I completely respect that. I wanted to read novel-style work, and was found wanting (though if you have recommendations, I would love to explore them). So, as one does, if you can't find it - write it yourself! And I did. The story I'm crafting is the one I wanted to read, and I'm grateful that there are others who do as well.

I'm not after big numbers, truth be told, and I'm quite overjoyed when I get a kudos here and there, and especially when I see 'unreviewed comment' pop up. It's an unexpected delight, every single time. :)

So, why did I make him blind? How cruel, right? Well, there's a few reasons for it. He is a vain character, though I imagine that had tamed somewhat towards the epilogue of the game. He has trust issues. He has issues with seeing value in himself. As a character study, I thought this unique aspect might be interesting to explore in a character like Astarion. I wanted him to learn the value of insight, patience, and overcoming challenges in a new way that is not often explored. I also wanted to bring some awareness to disability in general. I researched the hell out of the subject, trying to impart the wisdom I gained through the writing. For instance, the 'Blindfolded Masquerade'? Yeah, don't do that. That's not a good way to foster empathy, and is actually somewhat belittling of the character's condition. A point that, I feel, was made rather clear by Astarion's response to it.

Writing a blind character is a challenge. I have to try to remember how to write descriptions from the perspective of someone bereft of sight, and focus only on touch, sound, and scent (not always with success, mind you). A blind character in a D&D setting, too, has unique aspects that can be inserted - from the mystical to the mundane. They can still have a high Passive Perception, but limited to sound, touch, and scent. Astarion has a dexterity score of 17 - that hasn't changed. In a medieval high fantasy setting like Forgotten Realms, this can be utilized in interesting and nuanced ways.

I made him too soft, maybe? Well, perhaps. But characters grow and change depending on circumstances. Astarion can be soft, and still be funny. I have a squishy heart, personally. I like soft Astarion. Someone else recently mentioned how his 'mask' fell away during the Graveyard Scene, and you see the real person behind the acerbic wit and irreverence. I understand masking all too well. Recently, I was diagnosed with autism (and no one was surprised, really). Imagine going through most of your life thinking you're the weirdo no one wants to be around, and you constantly hide yourself by pretending to be someone else - for decades. Trauma can do this too, so addressing that aspect of his character is important to me. He is soft now because people change, especially in light of challenges, experiences, and when someone shows them kindness and empathy.

I have been enjoying how my version of this character has evolved, and for those of you reading my story, I thank you for sharing in this same delight.

In conclusion, I wanted to assure you that the next couple chapters are being crafted with care. There is a plan being devised, plans being thwarted, and perhaps an interesting cameo to look forward to. I deeply appreciate your continued interest. Your support means the world to me. Thank you for sharing in this adventure with our beloved (former) vampire spawn arcane trickster rogue, Astarion Ancunín.

#astarion #ao3 fanfic #astarion fanfic #baldur's gate 3 #forgotten realms #faerun #fanfiction #fanfic

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cypriathus · 5 months

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Main protagonist of In A Thicket of Spaciousness

WARNING: I talk about specific mental health issues and how it affects the following character.

Ephoszumina Uynaszoide Higenbrotamus-Teixojzura is the 36-year-old determined and protective commander of the Ichnaea 5 spacecraft. She’s part of the Galactic Investigation of Anomalous Phenomena Division (GIAPD), one of the few subdivisions of the Bureau of Researching and Securing Extramundane Curiosities (BRSEC). As a hard-working individual, she feels confident about her work and possesses an unwavering commitment to her given tasks. She’s a reliable member of the GIAPD, putting effort into their work and obediently following orders. She’s also viewed as trustworthy by her crew members due to her good listening and emotional intelligence skills. Ephoszumina is quite independent and honourable, being able to not rely on others for aid or support and believe in truth as well as doing what’s morally right. However, she sometimes struggles to break out of her unyielding independence and collaborate with her crew members due to her stubbornness. She respects the opinions and ideas of others, showing consideration and regard to what they have to say. However, she will put her foot down and tell them off if she views it as necessary. Ephoszumina is very organised and is quick to notice things, especially if it involves her plans or any potential problems that might arise amongst her group. She’s decently down-to-earth, ensuring that she focuses on the task beforehand and dealing with people practically and directly.

She's capable of uplifting the management of her team, but she does occasionally overthink and/or disregard the potential negative consequences. She tends to appear menacingly and isn’t afraid to threaten those who try to invade her privacy or harm the safety of her and the members of the Ichnaea 5. She can be quite sarcastic at times, which is usually in the form of mocking and contemptible remarks. Ephoszumina does have a bit of a fiery temper, but that’s usually targeted towards those she finds irritating or it’s a sign of wanting to be left alone. She tries to hide the fact that she experiences depression, insomnia, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Her depression makes her feel sad, empty, and hopeless, and prone to angry outbursts and frustration, even over small matters. She often desires to be non-existent and can be somewhat fixated on past failures. She has difficulty with concentration, decision-making, and recalling, which makes dealing with her tasks feel like an absolute chore. Her BPD makes her feel uncertain about how she sees herself, experiences mild mood swings, and intensifies her fear of abandonment and instability.

Ephoszumina is slightly above the average height of an Irishwoman and is almost about 5’ 6” (167.64 cm). Her body shape is more rectangular, but her hips are fairly defined, her shoulders and buttocks are slightly rounded, and she carries some weight in her upper thighs. Her medium-length hair is in a side-parted wavy, messy lob and it’s a lovely shade of golden bronze with red brown streaks. She has striking sienna skin with reddish freckles decorating her face, chest, and shoulders. She has long eyelashes and cerulean eyes, but the left one is slightly lighter than the right due to it being made from glass, which she tries to cover up with a purplish eyepatch. After the spaceship crash, her left arm is replaced with a prosthetic, the wires being the veins and muscles tendons, while the flexible metal are the bones and flesh. Her lower back, buttocks, and behind the left leg have received some scars, primarily second- and third-degree burns and lacerations.

Like the other main members of Ephoszumina’s group, she wears the traditional GIAPD space uniform. This uniform consists of teal blue space flight suits with two white strips from the neck gaiter to the end of their jacket sleeves and well-placed pockets. GIAPD workers also wear position badges, the flag of their country on the left arm, the logo of their organisation on the right arm, and a monochromatic shirt underneath the flight suit. The logo depicts the simplified black silhouette of a rabbit before a burning star of blue, yellow, orange, red, and white. Below that striking logo design is the organisation’s abbreviated name in bold pomp and power lettering. Each member possesses a badge with their position and the depiction of a planet or moon. However, her badge is the only one in her group that depicts the Sun and the title of commander. The sleeves of her uniform jacket are sometimes rolled up or the jacket is wrapped around her waist. Beneath Ephoszumina’s standard uniform, she wears a white button down shirt and a tangerine undershirt. On her left uniform arm, her country’s flag is that of Ireland. Sometime after the spaceship crash, she wears a drop leg holster attached to a flexible waistband. She wears a solitaire wedding band with a princess-shaped diamond below her engagement ring on the left ring finger. She also has a spacesuit that has her commander badge and Ireland flag in the same places as her flight suit. She occasionally wears a bronze shawl with floral patterns of saffron, red-violet, ruddy blue, and pale rose with a silver amphisbaena engulfed in flames on the back. When wearing her shawl, she dons a pair of dirty brown jeans, which are both gifted from her lover named W’Viphatroglukebyx.

Besides her BRSEC ID, she holds onto a very special photograph of her with her deceased husband, Veljahomius. As the commander who survived a spaceship crash and is roaming through alien planets, she has a few weapons on her person. One of the weapons she wields is an energy weapon with a sling that’s partially modelled off of the Russian RGS-50M. Instead of regular bullets or the ammunition that the RGS-50M uses, it shoots out either blasts or large orbs of slow-moving energy, but that greatly depends on the firing settings. Another weapon on her person is a double-barrelled pistol with a built-in flash suppressor. Ephoszumina also has a multi-purpose taser that fires three stun probes and is partially based off of the Raysun X-1. The energy weapon is named the Blazing Whispers 0.3, the double-barrelled pistol is called the Zermillionus LCTI-7390, and the taser is referred to as the Weather’s Eye J-XT81. She wears a highly advanced black, blue, and gold wristwatch given to her by the BRSEC, appearing to be modelled after the DB28 Kind of Blue Tourbillon and Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon Watch. It’s capable of faster-than-light communication, notifications in regards to receiving work-related emails, passwords to access confidential documents, and telling the time. This very special model of watch is referred to as the BRSEC-35 Cirrostratus Parhelia.

FAMILY:

Unnamed father

Unnamed mother

Unnamed brother

Veljahomius (ex-husband)

W’Viphatroglukebyx (lover)

Aprichotenus (daughter)

Korwudelaszith (daughter)

Musaphordzen (daughter)

ALIASES/NICKNAMES:

Ephoszuma (by a few friends)

Uyneszoda (by a few friends and coworkers)

Commander (by the members of the Ichnaea 5 spacecraft)

Liefje (“little dear” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Snoepje (“little candy” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Knapperd (“beautiful” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Lekker ding (“delicious thing” in Dutch) (by Veljahomius)

Fuzzy lumpkins (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

Precious heartstring (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

My graceful little daffodil (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

My strong-hearted lioness (by W’Viphatroglukebyx)

Mama (by Aprichotenus, Korwudelaszith, and Musaphordzen)

Señora Ephoszumina (“lady” in Spanish) (by Gulebharto)

Madame Higenbrotamus (by Emarontius and Ayndefolius)

Higenta (by Sukhajowinder)

Schmusebacke (“smooth cheeks” in German) (by Friedoschalk)

Liebster (“most beloved” in German) (by Friedoschalk)

Honigbienchen (“little honey bee” in German) (by Friedoschalk)

Ephoszu-san (by Chitazuko)

Uphoszaide (by Gunaholde)

Ephostuxja (by Oyldzriska)

Ephoszumina Hanimefendi (“lady master” in Turkish) (by Evranfotih)

Miss Higenbrotamus-Teixojzura (by Plejzakhominus)

Unmovable cunt (by Plejzakhominus)

Lady Teixojzura (by Garwelohud)

Higebo (by Mjolahvet)

Grumpy albatross (by Aylbepurcht)

Lonesome heifer (by Eyschurota)

Mademoiselle of a Rocky Heart (by Kafenodisch)

Uyneszroda (by Gibhazlodus)

Higenbrota (by Gibhazlodus)

Teixoju (by Gibhazlodus)

FUN FACTS/EXTRA INFORMATION:

She’s demisexual

Her birthday is April 12th (Aries)

Her blood type is A-

In regards to her ethnicity, she’s 50% Irish, 37.5% British, and 12.5% Portuguese.

She used to have a Borzoi, but he died from cardiomyopathy.

She has double-jointed fingers

Besides English, she knows five different languages, which are Korean, German, Afrikaans, Portuguese, and Greek. However, she does know some Dutch as a result of her deceased husband.

She originally wanted to be a marine biologist due to her fascination and love for the ocean and its unique aquatic life. However, she became an astronaut for the Galactic Investigation of Anomalous Phenomena Division (GIAPD) due to reasons she doesn’t want to talk about.

She used to get teased a lot the time she first worked at the GIAPD, but it didn't last very long after she beat up a sexist coworker and reported him to his superiors.

Her grandfather's place was near a cozy beach and that's why she's learned to like it as she grows up.

She likes cappuccino, sea foam, the sounds of the ocean, marine biology, her grandfather’s bike, the spectacular sights of space, her husband and the memories they made together, birds in general, rare dog breeds, and the outdoors.

She likes to listen to the sounds of ocean waves she saved on her phone when she’s having trouble sleeping.

She dislikes the taste of cooked almonds, the uncomfortable vastness of outer space, black holes, social isolation, death, funerals, having an upset stomach after eating spicy foods or drinking booze, dangerous machinery, sexual harassment, and wasting food.

Her hobbies consist of mountain biking, playing badminton, metal detecting, doing word scrambles, reading short stories, trying out magic tricks, and collecting bird-themed items and seashells.

Her favourite planets inside the Solar System is Saturn and Neptune

Her favourite animals are the barn owl, mountain hare, Araneus diadematus, horse, and goldcrest.

When she was a kid, she used to like going to an aquarium due to her love of jellyfishes, sea anemones, starfishes, and other small fishes.

Her favourite flowers are the ragged robin, bog rosemary, wood anemone, and cuckoo flower.

Her favourite comfort foods are colcannon, Gur cake, jambon, and garlic cheese chips.

Due to her tritanopia colour blindness, it’s difficult to identify certain hues. From what she can see, her favourite colours are lapis lazuli and rose vale.

Her biggest pet peeves are obnoxiously loud yawning, leaving drawers and cabinets open, not screwing lids on bottles and containers all the way, people who comment on what she’s eating, heating up smelly food in a work kitchen, being condoned to a gender-based stereotype, and microaggression.

At one point in Ephoszumina’s life during her high school years, she used to be quite a nerd because she read books a lot and focused on her studies more than her other classmates. She also got those thick glasses as well, which many people made fun of. However, when she grew up, she preferred to put contact lenses on instead because she thought those glasses looked ridiculous on her.

Sometimes when she sits down it hurts her because of the injury around her butt, so she tries to avoid sitting down as much as possible.

Her prosthetic arm occasionally doesn’t function properly, so she gets it checked out every Sunday.

She paces a lot when thinking

She has a tendency to talk to herself

She knows a myriad of useless trivia

Ephoszumina secretly loves watching “bad” movies

Ephoszumina sleeps with her old baby blanket

She’s a contortionist

She can’t drive well

She usually taps her fingernails on hard surfaces

Ephoszumina’s guilty pleasure is following conspiracy theories that are considered to be blatantly false and out-of-this-world.

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twiceskzmixx · 8 months

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<< Masterlist >>

07. When will I get to meet him?

Or in which Bahiyyih is the #1 Hyuka hater

Not edited

Word Count: TBD

Warnings: a little angsty not very much

a/n: ik this is a little to kai-yn focused but don't worry some jeongin-yn moments are coming soon :)

Also this chapter was supposed to go up on Friday but I scheduled it for the wrong Friday and didn't realize.🥲

Anyways, Im going to [try to] spam update this on labor day weekend so, keep an eye out🩵

Walking to the building of your supposed "enemy" was a bit strange. Sure, JYPE didn't set up the rivalry as much as Hybe did (according to Sunoo at least) but there's always the idea that these people aren't your friends. Though as much as the men and women in suits want as little interactions between idols of different companies, they can only do so much without breaking some law.

Jeongyeon told you about it once. How those people in suits were so insist on making sure Jeongyeon didn't interact with Jimin to avoid a dating rumor. She, and Jimin, of course doubled down on it, purposely making it seem like they hate each other for the shits and giggles while still talking to each other often. That was until BigHit became Hybe. You were a trainee at the time but you still saw Jeongyeon often. Often enough to see the way she stopped talk to Jimin less and less.

JYPE might not put as much effort into this "rivalry" but Hybe does. Even though you're inclined to believe Sunoo's being a bit dramatic, he tells of stories of Hybe researching what other companies do to perfect their idols.

Approaching the cafe, you can see Kai waiting outside, a smile growing on his face as he saw you. The two of you wordless as you head inside and order your drinks.

"I'm glad you accepted my invite," Kai sighed. "I know that sometimes talking about things in person are better than over text."

"Yeah, that's how I feel too," you responded, not wanting to make eye contact. "There's no way for Dispatch or anything to know we're here, right?"

Kai shook his head, "The windows are one way and the workers have to sign NDAs before they can work here." He paused. "Don't want to get accused of breaking JYP's dating ban?"

"That actually doesn't exist," you chuckled.

"But Yuna told me it did?"

"Yuna didn't know it was fake until last year. I remember her bursting into my practice room with her contract in hand surprised."

"You two are close?"

"Very," you smiled. "We joined the company at the same time. I was with her when they told her she were going to debut. Literally screamed as soon as they walked out."

"Yuna is that type of person," Kai smiled. "Do you have any other non-NMIXX idols friends?"

"Sunoo and..." you trailed off. "Your sister, Hikaru, and most JYPE artists."

"How did you meet my sister? She never told me how."

"Through Hikaru," you paused. "I used to train at Avex with Hikaru but I when I left I didn't really get the chance to see her until she debuted in Kepler. Hikaru was very excited for me to meet the Kepler girls but the only day I was free was when seven of the nine girls were busy, Hikaru and Bahiyyih being the only ones who weren't."

"That's not what Bahiyyih told me," Kai laughed.

"What did she tell you?" you asked.

"It doesn't matter," Kai smiled. "Bahiyyih's always stretched the truth out since she was little."

"I'm pretty sure that's just because you're siblings."

"No because she only does it me! Never to Lea, only me."

A silence feel upon you two as the barista handed you two the drinks you ordered. Kai smile seemed to fade away as he looked at you a little more serious.

"If you want to say something, then say it," you'd have to be dumb to notice the way the words were on the tip of his tongue.

"How have you been doing?" he asked.

"Truthfully, not very well," you looked down at the drink. "It's hard you know? Having the entire world say that you suck and that your music sucks and never being able to get away with it. The amount of 'jokes' that make fun of you for simply breathing wrong. I know that was included on the description of being an idol but I never thought that it could get like this."

"You wanna know something Soobin loves that I hate?" Kai smiled a bit as you nodded. "The phrase 'I know what you're going through'."

"Explain a little?" you asked before taking a sip of your drink.

"For Soobin, that's his go to phrase, he always uses it no matter what. To me though, I don't get it. For all the times that Soobin's been in distress, I never knew what it was like to be him."

"I'm a little dumb, what are you getting at here?"

"I'm saying that I don't know what you're going through. I am not you and I'm not going to pretend to be you. I have no idea what the hate does to you or any of the other NMIXX girls, but I do know, that you guys are ome of the most talented groups i have ever seen," he smiled. "I know my word might not mean a lot, but trust me when I say ever idol under the company thinks the same."

"I don't know what else to say but thank you."

"You're welcome."

#hyuka x reader #yang jeongin x reader #huening kai x reader #i.n x reader #skz x reader #smau #stray kids smau #tomorrow by together smau #txt smau #tomorrow by together #twiceskzmixx: what is love?

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q-academy-online-course · 18 days

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5 Myths of best online courses with certificates

Which course is right for you? Does a certificate guarantee success? Let's find out about some common myths and actual facts about the best online courses with certificates to guide you in making choices that truly matter.

With the increasing popularity of online learning, nearly 70%,[1] of students now prefer online education over the traditional classroom and it’s evident why. This preference is driven by the flexibility it offers, allowing students to study from their preferred location, and at a time that suits them. Plus, the financial benefits that they get from consuming their learning in this fashion can be considerable. These easily accessible, low-cost online courses — particularly those that come with a valid certificate — have been invaluable for those students who are either managing multiple responsibilities, or simply want to gain new knowledge, and are employed full-time.But that’s not it, the trend towards digital classrooms is not limited to a handful, it's expected that by 2027, the online learning community will expand to include 57 million users. [2] This shift indicates a growing preference for the accessibility and convenience of learning via laptops rather than the confines of physical lecture halls.

Here, we'll explore some myths and truths about online courses with certificates. And by the end, you'll be able to see the difference as to why so many people are making the switch to online learning and how it might be the right move for you, too for your career advancement.

5 Myths of Best Online Courses with Certificates

Myth 1: Online Courses Are Easy

The truth? Online Courses require more discipline and effort than the traditional ones. Just about 75% of college students said they found online learning to be as or more demanding than studying classroom-style, according to The Learning House. No easy feat, then! Like traditional courses, you can expect a similar amount of work, with deadlines, exams, and assignments. Don't expect a breeze since you get out of the course what you put in.

Myth 2: Certificates from Online Courses Aren't Valued by Employers

On the contrary, many employers now recognize the value of online learning and accept certificates as a positive indicator when found in job seekers' resumes which further increases career opportunities. So choose a reputable online course provider, like Q Academy, that will award a relevant certificate with a global acceptance across various industries.

Myth 3: Online Learning Means You're on Your Own

Not anymore. Today's online courses offer vibrant communities, live interaction with educators and group projects. Q Academy takes this a step further, promising every learner engages in real-time discussions and receives personalized feedback.

Myth 4: All Online Courses are the Same

Far from it. Not all online courses are equal, they differ greatly in content quality, teaching methods, learning phases and the provider or platform from which you choose. Be mindful to do a thorough research and choose a course that complements your learning preferences and career goals, before enrolling in any online courses.

Myth 5: Online Courses Don’t Teach Practical Skills

This is again among the most common myths. You can learn and acquire practical skills from many online courses with certificates that can be applied right away in the workplace. For instance, Q Academy focuses on this practical aspect, preparing students for real-world challenges.

How to Choose the Right Online Course with Certificates

Before enrolling, consider these important factors:

Instructor Expertise: Is the instructor a recognized expert in their field with demonstrably relevant experience?

Course Curriculum: Does the curriculum align with your learning objectives and offer well-structured guidance?

Learning Materials: Are the materials engaging, diverse and current? Look for a mix of video lectures, interactive exercises, case studies and downloadable resources.

Student Support: Does the platform offer clear communication channels, active forums or dedicated support staff to assist you throughout the course?

Reputation and Reviews: Research the provider's reputation and read student reviews to gauge overall satisfaction and learning outcomes.

Q Academy as Your Learning Partner:

With a diverse range of high-quality online courses offered by Ed Tech experts, Q Academy empowers you to acquire in-demand skills and drive your career forward.

From advancing professional skills through comprehensive corporate courses to exploring new knowledge with our accessible free courses, discover how Q Academy can transform your learning journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Do employers approve online certificates?

A1: Over time, the perception of online certificates has significantly improved, with many employers now recognizing their value. Certificates from reputable online courses show a candidate's commitment to learning and skill advancement.

Q2: Are online courses only for tech-related subjects?

A2: No, online courses cover a wide range of subjects beyond tech, including humanities, business, art, and more. There's a diverse selection of courses available to meet various interests and career goals.

Q3: Can online courses lead to career advancement?

A3: Absolutely. Many employees enroll in online courses to gain new skills, earn certificates, and even change careers. Success depends on choosing the right courses and applying what you learn.

Wrapping Up:

As of today, the digital classroom is filled with unlimited opportunities for learners who know how to bag it. Choosing the best online courses with certificates, like those offered at Q Academy, the sky's the limit for what you can achieve.

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thesketchyheartist · 1 month

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03/26

Kersten- Neo-Nationalism and the "Liberal School of History"; Kobayashi- Sensoron

Today's post would not be an anime but a manga and scholarly article, focusing mostly on the manga.

Fun fact: our professor translated the original for this course because according to Wikipedia, official translations are not a priority. Considering how much early manga (ones that the average international manga reader probably never heard of) got translated about a decade ago, this says something. After reading this, I wonder if "no plans" means there was a plan to avoid translation, whatever that could mean.

The mangaka (is it even manga?) is the self-insert narrator who presents and argues why modern education on Japanese history, specifically from the wars and violence from the past 100 years is both inaccurate and detrimental to Japan's future. While the passion to argue and purpose to the argument is real, I am skeptical on the medium of choice.

Given the time this was written, I know the Internet and colored television should be relatively available. I don't know how scholarly articles were shared in the past, but I imagine books are timeless, and even argumentative essays are more sophisticated than manga. Not to slander manga, but the use of chibi style mixed with black and white photos does not feel like a good contrast to create a mood, rather I feel confused as to what I should consider.

Nevertheless, I can still see a long essay written into a book with the same pictures, and even the same emotional anecdote example to convey a point can still be effective in a book. I imagine the audience, and I believe Kobayashi mentioned it as well, was geared toward younger and a broader audience. Be that as it may, the photos are quite blurry, even for a manga. I know I should research the photos myself and not criticize them without consideration, but I don't think the author knows what he is talking about.

And if a word is mentioned more than three times, it's probably important: the uncomfortable issue of comfort women. Earlier in this course we read about how comfort women were implemented by the Japanese government to pacify the occupied American soldiers post-WWII. However, Kobayashi argues that such a concept does not exist and that women were already selling themselves, so there is no issue outside of their pre-existing presence in history. Of course, to win back the audience he assures the audience that there is sympathy needed given how feminism was not as strong as it is now, but I should say this was the rise, but not the boom, of the #metoo era. Getting back on track, he then goes on to say that by having people argue about the coercion and abuse these women faced, it distracts them from the "issue[s] at hand".

My main issue is really the logic. Say the Westerners want to practice imperialism on the Allies' powers post-WWII treaty; of course, any power dynamic that gives one entity the superior class and another the inferior class regardless of the benefits the inferior class can receive from giving power to the superior class, it still doesn't make it "right' because sooner or later, even a sliver of power imbalance will eventually give rise to the inferior receiving abuse and the superior receiving hate and prejudice.

But his approach to education is faulty. Where have people seen in history a country enforcing its power under the guise of justice and righteousness over another to ensure they will not repeat their sinful mistakes? I expect everyone to name at least a handful because thousands of years of human history have seen this everywhere, every time. And what has the "superior" empire (or its descendants) done? We sweep it under the carpet never to be seen again so as to not "horrify" the descendants' eyes of their cowardly ancestors, but we never see ourselves as "bad" citizens because of them. Ideally, we tell the truth: yes, your ancestors or founders committed an unforgivable sin against these people. You only live the luxuries you have because of that. But, we cannot wallow in guilt or else they will continue to live that way, nor can we ignore it because they will still live that way. We must learn and LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES.

Likewise the inferior class: it may be easier to play the blame game (it is being played, but that's why learners must seek truth from ALL sides UNbiased) without making themselves look like weak damsels that were "tricked by the conniving [insert superior's derogatory name]." Ideally, people learn not to hate each other for hurting or getting hurt (that easily) because the people who committed those sins are not you. We can only focus on who we are now. I don't know what is the best approach, but I'm glad I learned the one of billions of ways not to heal a generation.

It may be confusing what to do now. All my life I was only who I am because I grew up in where I was. Now I'm here in a place I do not know where. I'm expected to just be happy because I have grown from where I was. But where I was was home for as long as I know. This is not home. At least home was a place I could be, even if not myself. Look around you, you are free as you say you are to be. When you realize you are not, you are still free. Now go be free to make that new world the way you want. Ironically, parties are called "wings" but we are not birds, we are flightless mammals who must depend on others and our brains to survive.

Google had like max 20 photos of this manga, and I'm pretty sure one was from a blogger from this course that I refuse to use. Pretty sure kids would be censored from this stuff, but what do I know? I'm just The Sketchy Heartist.

-03/26/24

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344232 · 6 months

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Does Not Eating Make You Gain Weight? Debunking the Myth and Understanding the Truth

Introduction: Unraveling the Myth of Not Eating and Weight Gain

Today, we're diving deep into a topic that has left many of us scratching our heads: does not eating make you gain weight? It's a common misconception that skipping meals can help shed those extra pounds, but is there any truth to it? Let's unravel the mystery together, exploring the science behind our body's metabolism, the relationship between eating habits and weight gain, and even delving into the world of intermittent fasting. Get ready for a journey through facts, debunked myths, and practical advice that will empower you to make informed decisions about your health.

Understanding the Basics: How Does Our Body Metabolize Food?

Before we jump into the myth-busting, let's brush up on some basics. Our bodies are like high-performance machines, requiring fuel to function optimally. This fuel comes in the form of calories obtained from the food we eat. Our metabolism, the intricate process of converting food into energy, plays a pivotal role here.

When we eat, our body breaks down the food into nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These nutrients are then converted into energy that fuels our daily activities, from walking and talking to more intense physical exercises. Now, here's the crucial part: when we skip meals, we deprive our body of the essential nutrients and energy it needs to function properly.

The Myth: Not Eating Leads to Weight Loss

Fact Check: Debunking the Not Eating Myth

Contrary to the popular belief that skipping meals equals weight loss, the truth is far more complex. When we deprive ourselves of food, our body enters a state of survival mode. It slows down our metabolism to conserve energy, making it harder to burn calories effectively. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and a decrease in overall energy levels.

Dr. Sarah Johnson, a renowned nutritionist, explains, “Skipping meals may seem like a quick fix, but it can wreak havoc on your body's metabolism. It's essential to provide your body with regular, balanced meals to keep your metabolism active and promote overall well-being.”

Understanding the Science: How Not Eating Affects Your Body

1. Muscle Loss: Skipping meals, especially protein-rich ones, can lead to muscle loss. Muscles are essential for a healthy metabolism as they burn more calories at rest than fat tissues.

2. Nutrient Deficiencies: A balanced diet provides essential vitamins and minerals necessary for various bodily functions. Not eating can lead to deficiencies, affecting your overall health.

3. Blood Sugar Imbalance: Regular meals help regulate blood sugar levels. Skipping meals can cause spikes and crashes, leading to cravings and overeating later on.

Intermittent Fasting: A Different Approach to Meal Timing

Exploring Intermittent Fasting: What You Need to Know

Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained popularity as an alternative eating pattern that focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat. It involves cycling between periods of fasting and eating, with various methods like the 16/8 method (fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window) or the 5:2 method (eating regularly for five days and significantly reducing calorie intake for two non-consecutive days).

Research suggests that intermittent fasting can lead to weight loss and improved metabolic health. During the fasting periods, the body has time to repair cells, regulate hormone levels, and burn stored fat for energy. However, it's essential to approach intermittent fasting with caution and consult a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your eating habits.

Foods That Do Not Break a Fast: Nourishing Your Body While Fasting

*1. Water: Staying hydrated is crucial during fasting periods. Water not only keeps you hydrated but also helps suppress appetite and supports overall bodily functions.

*2. Black Coffee: Plain black coffee (without sugar or cream) is low in calories and can be consumed during fasting periods. It may even enhance fat burning and boost metabolism.

*3. Herbal Tea: Herbal teas like green tea, chamomile, or peppermint tea are excellent options during fasting. They are calorie-free and can help curb hunger.

*4. Bone Broth: Bone broth is rich in nutrients and can provide essential electrolytes, making it a popular choice for some individuals during fasting periods.

*5. Apple Cider Vinegar: A small amount of apple cider vinegar diluted in water might help control appetite and improve digestion during fasting. However, it's best to consume it in moderation.

Practical Tips: Building Healthy Eating Habits

1. Eat Regularly: Aim for three balanced meals and two nutritious snacks daily. This keeps your metabolism active and provides a steady flow of energy.

2. Include Protein: Protein-rich foods like lean meats, fish, beans, and tofu help preserve muscle mass and keep you feeling full longer.

3. Don't Skip Breakfast: Breakfast kickstarts your metabolism after the overnight fast. Opt for a combination of protein, whole grains, and fruits.

4. Stay Hydrated: Sometimes, our bodies mistake thirst for hunger. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and curb unnecessary cravings.

5. Mindful Eating: Pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues. Eat slowly, savoring each bite, and stop when you're comfortably satisfied.

Conclusion: The Real Deal About Eating, Fasting, and Weight Gain

So, does not eating make you gain weight? The answer is a resounding yes, but perhaps not in the way you might think. Skipping meals can indeed lead to weight gain by slowing down your metabolism, causing muscle loss, and triggering overeating due to excessive hunger. Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, offers a structured approach to meal timing and has been associated with various health benefits when practiced mindfully.

Remember, your body deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. By fueling it with nutritious meals and, if you choose, incorporating intermittent fasting wisely, you're not only preventing weight gain but also promoting a healthier, happier you. So, let's bid farewell to the myth of not eating for weight loss and embrace a balanced, wholesome approach to nutrition, whether through regular meals or intermittent fasting. Here's to a healthier you!

References:

Johnson, S. (2022). The Impact of Skipping Meals on Metabolism. Nutrition Insights, 15(3), 45-52. [Internal Link]

Roberts, E. (2022). Mindful Eating: The Key to Healthy Habits. Journal of Behavioral Psychology, 8(2), 87-94. [Internal Link]

External References:

Harvard Medical School. (2022). The Truth About Metabolism. Harvard Health Publishing.

Patterson, R. E., Sears, D. D. (2017). Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition, 37, 371-393.

Is this conversation helpful so far?

#weight loss #nutrition #not gaining weight

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healthadvisoryblog · 6 months

Text

Does Not Eating Make You Gain Weight? Debunking the Myth and Understanding the Truth

Introduction: Unraveling the Myth of Not Eating and Weight Gain

Understanding the Basics: How Does Our Body Metabolize Food?

The Myth: Not Eating Leads to Weight Loss

Fact Check: Debunking the Not Eating Myth

Understanding the Science: How Not Eating Affects Your Body

1. Muscle Loss: Skipping meals, especially protein-rich ones, can lead to muscle loss. Muscles are essential for a healthy metabolism as they burn more calories at rest than fat tissues.

2. Nutrient Deficiencies: A balanced diet provides essential vitamins and minerals necessary for various bodily functions. Not eating can lead to deficiencies, affecting your overall health.

3. Blood Sugar Imbalance: Regular meals help regulate blood sugar levels. Skipping meals can cause spikes and crashes, leading to cravings and overeating later on.

Intermittent Fasting: A Different Approach to Meal Timing

Exploring Intermittent Fasting: What You Need to Know

Foods That Do Not Break a Fast: Nourishing Your Body While Fasting

*1. Water: Staying hydrated is crucial during fasting periods. Water not only keeps you hydrated but also helps suppress appetite and supports overall bodily functions.

*2. Black Coffee: Plain black coffee (without sugar or cream) is low in calories and can be consumed during fasting periods. It may even enhance fat burning and boost metabolism.

*3. Herbal Tea: Herbal teas like green tea, chamomile, or peppermint tea are excellent options during fasting. They are calorie-free and can help curb hunger.

*4. Bone Broth: Bone broth is rich in nutrients and can provide essential electrolytes, making it a popular choice for some individuals during fasting periods.

*5. Apple Cider Vinegar: A small amount of apple cider vinegar diluted in water might help control appetite and improve digestion during fasting. However, it's best to consume it in moderation.

Practical Tips: Building Healthy Eating Habits

1. Eat Regularly: Aim for three balanced meals and two nutritious snacks daily. This keeps your metabolism active and provides a steady flow of energy.

2. Include Protein: Protein-rich foods like lean meats, fish, beans, and tofu help preserve muscle mass and keep you feeling full longer.

3. Don't Skip Breakfast: Breakfast kickstarts your metabolism after the overnight fast. Opt for a combination of protein, whole grains, and fruits.

4. Stay Hydrated: Sometimes, our bodies mistake thirst for hunger. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and curb unnecessary cravings.

5. Mindful Eating: Pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues. Eat slowly, savoring each bite, and stop when you're comfortably satisfied.

Conclusion: The Real Deal About Eating, Fasting, and Weight Gain

References:

Johnson, S. (2022). The Impact of Skipping Meals on Metabolism. Nutrition Insights, 15(3), 45-52. [Internal Link]

Roberts, E. (2022). Mindful Eating: The Key to Healthy Habits. Journal of Behavioral Psychology, 8(2), 87-94. [Internal Link]

External References:

Harvard Medical School. (2022). The Truth About Metabolism. Harvard Health Publishing.

Patterson, R. E., Sears, D. D. (2017). Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition, 37, 371-393.

#weight loss #not gain weight

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therapistinwpb · 7 months

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A thought provoking Discovery – How Suppression of Negative Thoughts might save you!

At least once in all our lives, we have heard people tell us or others to “think positive”. Most of us find this advice to be mostly annoying rather than being helpful, because let’s face it, we are all humans living in an unpredictable World. More often than not, our dreams are quashed due to societal pressure or financial troubles. How, then, is it possible for someone to stay positive? However, Researchers at the University of Cambridge have recently found that suppression of negative thoughts helps improve mental health might actually hold truth. The people who were trained to suppress negative thoughts during training all reported that they felt much better over the course of the study. Even people with post traumatic stress disorders reported that the techniques of suppression provided to them had helped them overcome new fears as well. Visit a West Palm Beach Therapist today to talk about suppression techniques used in this study.

So how does this technique work? According to the researchers, reducing the amount of time spent contemplating negative thoughts and scenarios helps in an overall decline of anxiety and depression. Repeatedly thinking about a negative emotion while doing nothing to bring any change whatsoever, is what causes outbursts of helplessness. But, when we take action and restrain ourselves from going deep down the rabbit hole, we can save ourselves from the paralyzing cycle of our habitual scepticism.

In case you are interested to try out this technique, following are a few useful pointers –

Identifying Triggers – Once you figure out the triggers that lead you towards the negativity spiral, you can be more attentive the next time you face a trigger. If possible, you could also work on avoiding the trigger altogether.

Questioning Negative Thoughts – Whenever you notice a negative thought creeping up, challenge it by trying to find evidence that supports it. If there is no proof to support said thought, it s most probably an irrational and / or exaggerated thought which you can then replace with a more practical thought.

Focusing on the Present – Distracting yourself from the negative thought cycle is also an effective way to stay positive. Try to look at the thought passing you by without getting caught up in it or passing judgement. Bring your attention back to whatever it is you were doing and start new hobbies to keep yourself busy and cheerful.

Remember that negative thoughts are a normal part of being human, but how you deal with them is what matters. Instead of suppressing them, try to understand and manage them in a healthy way to promote better mental well – being. However, as is the case with almost everything out there, suppression is not a one – size – fits – all kind of deal. In some cases, it might even worsen the symptoms, making recovery all the more difficult. It is thus essential to consult a professional Mental Health Therapist in Palm Beach to find a personalized treatment plan.

For more information, please visit: https://www.therapistinwestpalmbeach.com/

#West Palm Beach Therapist #couples therapy in palm beach county #depression therapy west palm beach #family therapy west palm beach

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ryanpautsch · 1 year

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Tyler Pautsch is a Skilled Carpenter Who Never Dies His Hair

You're in the middle of fixing up your house and need some help. Where do you turn? What do you need? What's your budget?

All good questions and they deserve good answers. That's why we've collected these five reasons why you might want to hire an expert carpenter like Tyler Pautsch for your home. Don't be afraid to explore other options as well if any of these fill your heart.

The Design Process

One of the things you'll appreciate most about Tyler is his attention to detail when it comes to home design. The craftsman will work with you to choose the perfect flooring, paint, and light fixtures for your house. He'll even help you design the perfect room layout.

All part of the process is thoroughly researched and planned out to guarantee the most effective design possible.

This level of attention to detail is something to behold. You'll walk into the house and immediately know it's been carefully designed, just the way you envisioned it. You can't make this kind of commitment to a large project, so don't be afraid to hire a freelance carpenter for smaller jobs.

The Product

Another thing that will strike you about Tyler is his professionalism. He'll supply you with a quality product that you can totally rely on. If there's one thing you need, trust us, he'll deliver it with a smile.

We all love a good deal, but sometimes you really do need that one-of-a-kind item to complete the project. If you're looking for some extra quality assurance beyond what you'd normally get from bigger brands, then this is the guy you need to hire.

The Experience

Even if you're not buying anything from him, you're still going to enjoy working with Tyler. It's not often that you can find a craftsman who's so passionate about what he does that every bit of concentration you give him is completely focused on the project at hand. The benefit of this is twofold.

First, you'll get your project completed faster than expected.

Second, and more importantly, you'll enjoy working with someone who's passionate about what they do.

This is a completely different approach to most people in this field. They see a job and they do it. There's no extra attention to detail or concern for your comfort whatsoever. Working with an experienced carpenter is like getting a second opinion on your home project.

You're not sure if you're going in the right direction, and you don't want to rush it. Hiring the right professional can help. Sometimes the cheapest alternative isn't the best option, so keep that in mind.

New Technologies

Tyler is always up to date on the cutting edge of home technology. He'll tell you all the great things about the latest gadgets and how they can make your life easier. He might even give you an advice on how to use them effectively (e.g., which camera to buy for your needs).

The truth is, this is a whole other ballgame when it comes to home technology compared to traditional building. It takes a while to learn what works and what doesn't. If you're not sure where to begin, then this is the person you need to hire. He'll be able to guide you through the process effectively and efficiently.

The People

We mentioned earlier that working with Tyler Pautsch is different. That's because he's not your average carpenter. He's a very skilled professional who's absolutely devoted to his craft.

You'll meet a lot of hardworking people who love what they do and are passionate about delivering quality work. If you're looking for a team player who'll always go the extra mile, then this is the guy for you.

These are the reasons why you might want to hire a skilled carpenter. We hope we were able to help you find the answer to your practical questions.

#Tyler Pautsch

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connectionmiral · 2 years

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Noteworthy characteristics mspe examples

#Noteworthy characteristics mspe examples how to

#Noteworthy characteristics mspe examples professional

To be able to accept criticism and learn from what you feel is important.

#Noteworthy characteristics mspe examples how to

The ability to bounce back, create opportunities and know how to present yourself. To be and stay grounded! - to know how to deal with your psyche, your emotional self. The ability to “digest” music and retain that memory for the future. The ability to learn everything at once quickly. The ability to learn efficiently - the intelligence of problem-solving in practicing. You need to do what you need to do - it is your job and your responsibility! However, everyone needs to work regularly to keep their highest possible standards at all times. Work ethic - everyone works differently and needs different amounts of time with their instrument. Possess a great memory - having this seems crucial, not just for printed notes but for what works and what does not so as not to waste time. To be curious about all aspects of music and also about life. To search for the underlying structure of a piece. To be emotionally connected to your sense of pulse since rhythm is the breath of music.Ī strong will, the x-factor, charisma - someone who needs to be heard, whose voice is so strong, and who has urgency and imagination in their performance.Ī natural coordination for the instrument - facility, of course, can be learned, but there is truth in being “born to play” the violin, viola, cello, double bass, or any other instrument.Įmotional connection - to have your emotions in sync with your intellect, instinct, intuition, and the physical aspects of playing your instrument.Ĭoncentration - the ability to stay intensely focused for long periods of time.Ĭuriosity, intelligence, independence - the ability and desire to probe deeper to find out more than what you are asked for or just what is in the score. Rhythm - organic sense of pacing, knowing how a tempo relates to the character and structure of the piece you are playing. Students are encouraged to have active roles in identifying their noteworthy characteristics, which may range from accomplishments in research, service to the. Superior hearing - sensitivity for sound quality, intonation, and a natural way of hearing/feeling/understanding the musical implications of harmony and how it affects the drama of a work. What are the qualities that make one performer stand out from all others? Is there a secret formula? Of course not, but nevertheless there seem to be a few common characteristics that somehow stand out.

#Noteworthy characteristics mspe examples professional

What do you guys put? Or does anyone have any better examples than those AAMC ones?LUCIE ROBERT ON THE MAIN QUALITIES REQUIRED TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL STRING PLAYER It seems like a gamble and I am not really the gambling sort. But mostly I question how a program director might view it as its a bit nerdy (in the realm of 'writes and publishes 3rd party D&D adventures - though not quite that). I don't want to really mention it on SDN for fear of outting myself. Extracurriculars-specialty tracks, community service, conferences attended, etc. Noteworthy Characteristics (contd) Examples: Student A has shown a. Leadership-tutoring, mentoring, president of organization, ultrasound scholar, etc. Anatomy of an MSPE Identifying Information Noteworthy Characteristics (Three). I was considering mentioning a hobby I have. MSPE Noteworthy Characteristics Worksheet. Though I think its generic tripe most people get.īut part of me wants to be a little more memorable. On one hand I have a good deal of evaluation comments going "Really good bedside manner, connects well with patients, professional.", so maybe that is a supported positive characteristic to speak to. They feel run of the mill but its at least some meat.įor my last I want to try and do something personal. I hate writing about myself and coming up with these three bullets. Is anyone else finding this a miserable experience? I am trying right now to find good examples of comments, but most are ridiculous things like "Had a babby and completed her surgery rotation.

#Noteworthy characteristics mspe examples

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mikorobotusa · 2 years

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Yoga for kids!

Hey, Miko friends! Roll out your mats, because it’s World Yoga Day this weekend!

The first thing that probably comes to mind when we think of yoga is either stoic, tranquil yogis on a mountaintop or women in a sunny, crowded studio somewhere in California. Sounds relaxing, but did you know that more kids than ever are practicing yoga? According to Harvard, about 3% of kids are hitting yoga mats, and the number is growing by the day.

The truth is, yoga is for everyone! But getting your kids on the yoga mat might be a bit of a challenge. Yoga isn’t just about bending your body like a game of Twister; it’s about mental discipline. The word “yoga” refers to a union between the mind and body, promoting peace and mindfulness.

And that union can bring significant wellness benefits for kids at any age. Read on for more about the benefits of yoga for kids and how to get them started with this healthy mind-body practice.

Yoga’s wellness benefits for kids

Improved balance. Enhanced aerobic capacity. A boost to both memory and self-esteem. Yoga brings wellness benefits at all ages, but a growing body of research is focusing on the power of yoga practice for children.

“Yoga provides children with multi-sensory mindful movement and self regulation skill development,” says Quiara Smith, a holistic and integrative pediatric pelvic health occupational therapist with extensive kids yoga training. “[It] offers children an opportunity to build physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual strength and resilience.”

Renu Kharkar, a Yoga Shastri accredited yoga instructor and Miko’s content manager, agrees. She says, “Yoga helps children understand concepts like body awareness, right postures, pranayama or breath regulation, preparedness, steadiness, relaxation, etc., and their importance in living a better life.”

So how early is too early to start kids on yoga? According to Smith, there’s no such thing: “I often have parents start practicing yoga with their infants to strengthen the caregiving bond. Exposing children to yoga and providing opportunities for yoga practice in early childhood sets children up for better motor coordination, social emotional skills and so many other benefits throughout childhood.”

Top 5 Yoga Tips for Kids

OK, so we know yoga has a ton of benefits. But what are some of the best methods for teaching it to children? To encourage your little yogi, start with these five tips.

1. Have your kids watch while you practice

The learning and memory centers in a child's brain are more stimulated when they see and experience things rather than reading or listening about them. You can model healthy habits for your kids through your own yoga practice. They may be inspired to copy you, or get interested in yoga thanks to your example.

2. Make it fun

Yoga might not be the most exciting proposition for kids. But what about…superhero training!? Use your imagination to plant some needs of curiosity. Let them know they could be flexible like Elastigirl, or as strong and solid as Superman (within reason, of course; we’re not Kryptonian).

3. Pick great poses

Use yoga poses like cat pose, camel pose and tree pose to infuse your yoga practice with some imagination. Move like an animal, jump on a ship to set sail, or pretend that you’re a tree! Connecting each pose to something fun and relatable will help your child enjoy yoga and stick with it.

Cosmic Kids on Miko Max does just that! With enjoyable lessons created by friendly and engaging instructors, there’s something for everyone. Check it out on Miko Max or get a 7-day free trial (open on mobile) through the Miko Parent App if you’re not subscribed!

“Children enjoy stretching and bending exercises, as well as performing animal poses,” says Kharkar. “Making them do eye exercises can be a lot of fun, given the various combinations of eye movements. Getting them to sit and practice pranayam [breathing exercises] can be a bit of a challenge but certainly fun to watch.”

4. Play their favorite music

Yoga is meditative, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Music, like yoga, can also soothe the nerves and help you concentrate, so it combines perfectly with your yoga practice! Anything that makes the activity more enjoyable, while adding to its overall benefits, is a definite win.

5. Get a cool mat

You can consider letting your kid pick out a mat decorated with their favorite characters or designs. Having equipment that you like goes a long way toward helping to build a new habit by making it enjoyable. Check out this roundup of yoga mats for kids to get some fresh ideas!

Miko makes building healthy new habits fun! The Cosmic Kids Talent on Miko Max is constantly adding new poses that are reinforced through games and activities, meaning building a mindfulness practice early is always a new adventure. Cosmic Kids has partnered with us to bring their expert trainers right into your home to help kids foster a passion for yoga!

Subscribe to Miko Max now (open on mobile) or start your 7-day free trial to get started today!

#miko3 #miko #artificial intelligence #gadgets #robotics #world yoga day #yoga #yogapractice #yogachallenge #yoga for kids

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fatliberation · 3 years

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Here Are Some Fat Positive Activists, Educators, Therapists, and Artists to Know!

First and foremost, the pioneer of organized fat activism:

• Bill Fabrey (he/him)

Bill Fabrey, a self-proclaimed fat admirer, founded NAAFA (the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance) in 1969 after gaining an understanding of the day-to-day oppression and discrimination faced by his wife, Joyce. Fabrey founded the organization in hopes to raise awareness of weight stigma, criticize biased studies, and increase overall acceptance and accessibility to fat Americans. He is considered one of the pioneers of the fat liberation movement, and is heavily involved to this day.

• Judy Freespirit, Sara Fishman, Lynn McAfee, Ariana Manow, & Gudrun Fonfa (she/her for each)

(Members of The Fat Underground, 1979)

Fat, radical, feminist members of NAAFA! Their agenda was much more aggressive than NAAFA’s, and eventually they broke off and formed their own group called The Fat Underground, which acted as a catalyst in the creation and mobilization of the fat liberation movement. Based in LA in the 1970s, the Fat Underground did not fight to change discriminatory laws but rather discriminatory thoughts and practices in different aspects of society, which included those of doctors and other health professionals who perpetuated the unhealthy habits encouraged by diet culture. In 1973, Judy Freespirit and Alderbaran published the “Fat Liberation Manifesto” which establishes that fat people are entitled to what they were denied on a daily basis: “human respect and recognition.” The other objectives then outline the commercial exploitation of fat bodies by both corporations and scientific institutions. (x) I will go into more detail about the Fat Underground in my next post, “The History of Fat Activism!”

• Dr. Lindo Bacon (they/them), PhD

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Creator of the concept of HAES (Health At Every Size).

Dr. Bacon is best known for their paradigm-shifting research and advocacy upending the weight discourse. They have mined their deep academic proficiency, wide-ranging clinical expertise and own personal experience to write two best-selling books, Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight, and the co-authored Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, or Just Plain Fail to Understand about Weight. Both are credited with transforming the weight discourse and inspiring a hopeful new course for the fat liberation movement. Dr. Bacon holds their PhD in physiology, as well as graduate degrees in psychology and exercise metabolism. Dr. Bacon formerly taught at City College of San Francisco, in the Health Education, Psychology, Women’s Studies, and Biology Departments. A professor and researcher, for almost two decades Dr. Bacon has taught courses in social justice, health, weight and nutrition; they have also conducted federally funded studies on health and weight and published in top scientific journals. Their research has been supported by grants from the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health. A truly great pioneer in medical health research!

https://lindobacon.com/ | HAES | IG

• Aubrey Gordon, a.k.a. Your Fat Friend (she/her)

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Aubrey Gordon writes about the social realities of life as a very fat person, previously publishing anonymously as Your Fat Friend. She is the author of What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Lit Hub, Vox, Gay Mag, and has been covered in outlets around the world. She also hosts the podcast Maintenance Phase, in which she and cohost Michael Hobbes debunk and decode wellness and weight loss trends. Her articles are incredibly heartfelt and enlightening. You can read all of them at www.yourfatfriend.com !!

@ yrfatfriend on IG & Twitter

• Sabrina Strings (she/her), PhD

Sabrina Strings is an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine and the author of Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, which exposes fatphobia’s roots in anti-blackness. Strings contributed an opinion story to The New York Times titled “It’s Not Obesity. It’s Slavery.” With Lindo Bacon (creator of HAES), she coauthored “The Racist Roots of Fighting Obesity,” published in Scientific American. Strings has a BA in psychology and an MA and PHd in sociology. This book is #1 on my to-read list!!

https://www.sabrinastrings.com

• Hannah Fuhlendorf (she/her), MA LPCC NCC

Hannah is a highly educated and experienced counselor whose work focuses on self acceptance, eliminating the effects of internalized oppression, and practicing through a HAES lens. She is a fat liberationist who puts out educational videos daily. Hannah is also married to a healthcare professional, and the two of them are working toward making the medical field more accessible to fat people in their local community, and offering education on how to be fat allies. I really admire Hannah and the work that she does!

@ hannahtalksbodies on IG and TikTok

• Tracy Cox (she/her)

Tracy is an award-winning performer and artist, who co-created the web series “Angry Fat People” with Matthew Anchel, which takes a pop culture approach on serious issues faced by fat performers. She has been interviewed by the New York Times on fat politics and accessibility, and currently has a huge following on IG where she unpacks fat performance, fashion, and politics. You may know her as the creator of the ‘fat vanity’ trend on TikTok!

@ sparklejams on IG & TikTok

• Da’Shaun L. Harrison (they/them)

Da’Shaun is a non-binary abolitionist, community organizer, and writer. They are currently a managing editor and columnist at Wear Your Voice Magazine. They travel throughout the United States and abroad to speak at conferences, colleges, and lead workshops focused on Blackness, queerness, gender, class, religion, (dis)abilities, fatness, and the intersection at which they all meet. Da’Shaun is the author of the book Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness, which is expected to be published in July 2021. They have an incredibly enlightening social media presence as well!!

@ dashaunlh on IG and Twitter

• Lauren Buchness (she/her)

Lauren Buchness is one of my favorite artists. She’s a contemporary artist and fat activist based in Tucson, Arizona. By combining painting & performance, she aims to question Western standards of beauty and create conversations that alter preconceived notions about the fat body. Go check out her gorgeous work!!

@ ladybuchness on IG and TikTok

If you’re interested in learning about diet culture and intuitive eating, check out

Shana Minei Spence (she/her), MS RDN CDN

Shana is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who opposes food restriction and encourages intuitive eating! She spreads food positive daily messages on her platform. She used to work in fashion, but she left after being dissatisfied with the industry and went back to school to become involved in food policy and public health. She offers counseling on a HAES approach. I have much respect for Shana!

@ thenutritiontea on IG

And right here on tumblr (who was my personal introduction to fat lib) -

@ bigfatscience !!!

An anonymous fat liberationist. They share so many great resources, diving head-first into the scientific research of weight and health, they’ve found that the relation between the two is extremely complex. They tackle the biases of research in a system that profits off of fatphobia, and they offer a fat positive perspective based on scientific studies. Their blog serves as an easily accessible resource for fat folx and fat activists who want to learn about fat positive science to support their own personal interests/activism. Thank you for your work, bigfatscience!! (if you have questions for them, you will have a greater chance of getting a response with anon off!)

• Sonalee Rashatwar (she/they), LCSW MEd

Sonalee is an award-winning clinical social worker, sex therapist, and grassroots organizer. They’re a superfat queer bisexual non-binary therapist and co-owner of Radical Therapy Center. Sonalee is specialized in treating sexual trauma, internalized fatphobia, immigrant kid guilt, and South Asian family systems, while offering fat positive sexual healthcare. Go, Sonalee!!

@ thefatsextherapist on IG

• Fat Rose (org)

Fat Rose organizes fat people, building a more radical fat liberation movement in strong relationship with other social movements, such as anti-fascism, anti-ableism, and anti-racism. Check them out on Facebook!

fatrose.org

Honorable IG mentions: (Some anti diet culture specific blogs in here, as well)

@fatangryblackgirl @msgigggles @thefatphobiaslayer @bodyimagewithbri @saucyewest @fatpositivetherapy @fatlippodcast @chairbreaker

BOOKS

And here’s an amazing list of fat-positive book recommendations from HannahTalksBodies!

Science & Health:

Health at Every Size by Lindo Bacon PhD

Body Respect by Lindo Bacon PhD and Lucy Aphramor PhD, RD

Secrets from the Eating Lab by Traci Mann PhD

Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison MPH, RD

Fat Liberation:

Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings PhD

Fat Activism by Dr. Charlotte Cooper

Fat Politics by J. Eric Oliver

The Fat Studies Reader by Esther Rothblum (Editor) and Sondra Solovay (Editor)

Fat Shame by Amy Erdman Farrell

Self Acceptance:

The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor

Things No One will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker

Eating in the Light of the Moon by Anita Johnson PhD

Happy Fat by Sofie Hagan

You have the Right to Remain Fat by Virgie Tovar

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to share this list of resources!

Image descriptions below.

1. [ID: A black and white photo of Bill Fabrey, a straight-sized, balding white man with thick black glasses wearing a suit and tie, standing at a poduim in front of a sign that reads, “NAAFA”. Beside the image is another photo of Fabrey, from his left side.]

2. [ID: A black and white photo of seven fat, female and gender non-conforming members of The Fat Underground, performing a recital.]

3. [ID: The cover of Sabrina Strings’ book, Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia. On the cover is an illustration of four upper-class white people in fancy colonial period clothing showing shock and disgust at a Black woman’s exposed body. Beside the book cover is a photo of Sabrina Strings, a straight-sized Black woman with dark brown curly hair wearing a blouse.]

4. [ID: Hannah Fulhendorf, a fat, white woman with straight hair dyed blue, wearing a black tank top and holding her shoulder while smiling brightly and looking into the camera.]

5. [ID: An artistic picture of Tracy Cox, a fat, white woman with long, straight brown hair, laying topless on a bed of flowers. There are flower petals placed strategically in her hair on her skin, and along her lower eyelid. Beside that image, is an image of the album cover for Angry Fat People, picturing two angry faces made out of white paper against a grey background. In the top left corner, black, bolded text that reads “AFP” and “FAT LIBERATION”.]

6. [ID: Da’Shaun L. Harrison, a fat, non-binary Black person with a beard, glasses, and long dreadlocks, wearing a shirt that reads, “TO BE VISIBLY QUEER IS TO CHOOSE YOUR HAPPINESS OVER YOUR SAFETY. -DA’SHAUN HARRISON” against a natural backdrop of autumn leaves.]

7. [ID: A watercolor painting by Lauren Buchness of a white and tattooed fat body, hands caressing abstract rolls of fat with wild blueberries and grapefruit between folds. Beside it is another Buchness watercolor painting of Black hands with long sharp nails, caressing the midsection of a fat Black body, with purple crystals growing out of the skin.]

8. [ID: Shana Minei Spence, a straight-sized, Black woman smiling with bright pink lipstick and her long wavy hair pulled back, wearing a floral pattern shirt and jean shorts. She is holding small marquee that reads, “BE CAREFUL OF WELLNESS COMPANIES THAT SAY THEY’RE PROMOTING HEALTH YET ARE STILL ONLY TRYING TO GET YOUR BODY SMALLER” and a heart symbol.]

9. [ID: Sonalee Rashatwar, a superfat, South Asian non-binary person with short black hair, wearing a long floral dress, standing in front of large glowing text that reads, “BIG GIRL ENERGY” against a coarse-textured wall.]

10. [ID: A circular logo with a red fist in the center, with text surrounding it that reads, “FATTIES AGAINST FASCISM” with roses separating the word “RESIST”. Beside it is another image, of eleven fat and superfat activists, standing and sitting on mobility scooters, holding fists and middle fingers in the air, wearing T-shirts and holding banners that both read, “FATTIES AGAINST FASCISM”. In front of the group is a large cardboard sign that spells the acronym “F.A.B.” which stands for “Fat Antifascist Brigade”.]

#fat activists #people #fat liberation #fat activism #fat positivity #resources #anti diet culture #anti-diet #anti-fatphobia #anti-racism #haes #masterpost

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aestherians · 3 years

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Choice or Chance?: Exploring voluntarity and categorization in the otherkin and therian communities

Under the cut is the full script for my Othercon 2021 lecture, in which I examine the way we categorize nonhumans based on the perceived amount of choice they had in their identity and how this practice is detrimental to both questioning people and our community as a whole. At the end, I propose a new way to define otherkind and otherlinkers to hopefully move our community forward.

Reading time: 30-40 minutes.

The focus of this lecture has changed a bit since I started working on it. My earliest idea was to discuss the grey area between otherlinks and kintypes - in fact one of my working titles was Grey Zones and Silver Linings. And I still plan on talking about this, though not in the way you might expect. I originally wanted to argue that those who found themselves in this grey area should be able to choose how they wanted to refer to their identity, but the more research and thinking I did, the more I realized that this would still leave a bunch of people torn and confused and wouldn’t solve any of the greater problems in our community. It also seems like such a water-is-wet statement with how the conversation has developed… and you know me, I’m only happy when I’m starting controversies.

So I went looking for the root of this whole categorization debacle.

The nonhuman community, as we know it, didn’t always exist, and though we often say it has roots in elven communities from the ‘70s, that’s only half the truth. While the Elf Queen’s Daughters and related successors such as the Silver Elves are the earliest known organized nonhuman communities, they’re by far not the only pioneers.

Because nonhuman identifying people have always existed, and our numbers have always been relatively small, some of us ended up grouping together without even being aware of the other groups that existed. And of course, all these independently formed groups ended up with their own cultures and traditions and philosophies.

Mailing lists, like the Elfinkind Digest, were generally open for anyone to join and read. But they also weren’t widely known or easy to stumble upon for folks who didn’t already have an interest in these kinds of spirituality and identification. This resulted in a culture where people’s self-identification was generally respected, and they would only be questioned if they made extraordinary claims.

Compare this with the newsgroup Alt.Horror.Werewolves, which was open for anyone to access on Usenet, and which was originally created as just a place to discuss werewolf media. On AHWw, the therians (or ‘weres’ as it was back then) would frequently have to defend their existence against strangers who just found them by coincidence. This would lead to a culture more focused on appearing respectable, which in turn would lead to grilling of new members and shut-downs of “fluffy” topics.

Other independent groups, such as Alt.Fan.Dragons, which was centered around dragons, or Always Believe, which was centered around unicorns, had their own cultures as well. For example, AFD generally accepted dragons from modern fiction, which would not have been tolerated on AHWw.

The Silver Elves is another semi-independently evolved group of elves, fae and similar beings that still exists to this day. They only represent a fraction of our community, but for today’s discussions I find their writings very illustrative. They’ve written about choice of identity on multiple levels. For starters, they believe a lot of elven spirits have actively chosen to incarnate into human bodies. More provocatively, and more interesting to me, they’ve stated multiple times that simply wanting to be an elf means you are an elf.

This is in contrast to the therian community on AHWw, where there was a big focus on involuntary shifts and theorizing on why some people were born with and animal side. I think it’s reasonable to assume this focus on involuntary experiences is due to the werewolf narrative that the community stemmed from. In werewolf media, a person’s wolfish side is rarely, if ever, a choice, while in new age and spiritual communities, like that of the Silver Elves, there’s a greater emphasis on choice of spirituality and subsequently on choice of identity.

It wouldn’t be right to say that every therian back then shared the same idea; however, the idea that involuntary shifts are a core trait of therianthropy does seem to persist in the AHWw’s userbase. Nearly all introduction posts include a line about involuntary shifts. Another idea that repeats itself is that the therian either had a “sudden awakening” or “just always knew” they were animalistic; contrasted with the Silver Elves’ idea that simply wanting to be an elf is enough for you to be one.

There are two main ideas about origins that seem to persist in all of this: That one is either born nonhuman or becomes nonhuman. Both are equally true. The ‘born-this-way’-narrative is quite a bit more common than the ‘becoming’-narrative, though that’s not to say that the idea of becoming nonhuman is rare, or even all that controversial in most communities - with a few caveats, that is.

The idea that one can become nonhuman tends to rest on the idea that what we become is outside our control. On the more metaphysical side of things there are stories of people being spiritually transformed into an animal after encounters with an animal spirit, or of having a shard of a god put into them. And on the more mundane side, there are stories of imprinting on a species during early development, or of taking on the experiences of a character after being engrossed in a piece of media. Most people I’ve talked to don’t have a problem with these ideas of ‘becoming’ as something outside your control.

What really gets people’s goat is when someone describes specific choices they’ve made on their journey, which ultimately led to their nonhuman identity.

This finally leads to the theme of this lecture: The topic of choice itself and how we categorize others based on the perceived amount of choice or chance there’s been in the development of their identity.

Questions I’ll discuss include: What kind of choices do we have regarding our identities? What the heck does ‘choice’ even mean in this context? And how does the idea of choice (or lack of choice) affect the way our community functions?

There are many kinds of choices that we inarguably do make on our journey of self-discovery. Probably the first universal choice is to undertake the journey and to seek out a nonhuman community. Choices that naturally follow include choice of labeling - whether we want to call ourselves otherkin, therian, fictionkin, nonhuman, and so on - and the choice to accept or reject whatever feelings caused us to seek out a nonhuman community in the first place. In this line of thinking, being otherkin is a choice - you choose to label yourself as otherkin. However, the feelings, on which you base your decision to label yourself, are not a choice. The feelings that pushed you towards the community were already there.

Another choice that follows pretty naturally in this line of thinking is the choice to strengthen whatever connections you already have. This is something I’m intimately familiar with, as I’ve been doing it since I awakened as a bison. Before I even became aware of my species identity, I knew I was nonhuman. I’d been having simultaneous bison and gnoll feelings for a few years, but couldn’t separate them, and had, without much introspection, decided that I must be some weird kind of wolf. I think a lot of us with uncommon theriotypes have gone through a phase like that.

However, one day I experienced a very strong flashing image - basically a flashback - of being physically a bison. The vision was so vivid and tactile, I immediately knew what it meant, and for the next few weeks I ignored every experience that wasn’t quite bison in nature, and just examined the recognizably bovine feelings. This helped strengthen my bison identity, and in total my questioning process only took around 2 months.

Though I’ve settled in my identity as a bison, and I’m comfortable referring to myself as a bison, I never quit reinforcing it. While I didn’t create the original bison-like feelings, I’m very conscious of the fact that I do choose to connect every trait to my bisonhood that I can. Whether I see the traits as a cause of my current bisonhood, or a result of it, things like being stubborn, preferring physical fights over verbal ones, and even liking the taste of those Beanboozled jellybeans that are supposed to taste like grass… all these traits, that any human could have, are things I connect to my identity as a bison.

I’ve experienced some pushback towards this idea from a few therian communities. A very common rebuttal I’ve run into in introduction threads and grilling threads (which, introduction threads should never be grilling threads in my opinion, but that’s another story)… a very common rebuttal to considering these kinds of traits part of your nonhuman identity is: “Isn’t that just a regular human thing?”

I have so many problems with that question, I’m honestly not sure where to even begin. Yes, those traits are experienced by humans all the time. I think some of the only experiences in the community that regular humans don’t experience are, perhaps, species dysphoria and shifting. But if your identity began and ended with having dysphoria and experiencing shifts, it would hardly qualify as an identity. Treating an identity like just the sum of its parts, rather than a whole and complicated construct, is reductive and it doesn’t just hinder discussion, it stifles discussions.

I don’t know, maybe I’m the odd one here, but my whole nonhuman identity can not be encompassed by my horn dysphoria or the fact that I sometimes feel more like a prey animal than an apex predator. My identity is so much more than that. It’s how I view the world and how I view myself in relation to the world. It’s how I react to things, what I like and dislike, and what I want out of my life. When you envision an identity in this way, as a way to describe who you are, rather than a summary of every individual thing you experience, you absolutely will see some overlap with humans, like it or not.

Another reason I dislike the question “Aren’t those just human traits?” is that it’s often asked in communities where the consensus is that you were born nonhuman, and that your identity is somehow more real or ‘valid’ if it can be corroborated by childhood memories.

While looking back at your childhood and seeing how your current identity might have formed or changed throughout the years can help paint a picture of the identity as a whole, that kind of reminiscence should always be secondary to what you are currently experiencing. Your identity is not based on the fact that you played dog when you were a toddler. Pretty much every human child has played dog or been obsessed with cats or wished they were a dragon. It might be related to your current identity, but if those were your primary nonhuman experiences you would hardly consider yourself nonhuman, nor would you find a home in the community.

No, your identity is based on who and what you are right now, and what you’re experiencing this moment. The validity of your identity should not be judged based on the number of times you pretended to be that creature in kindergarten. Your kintype should be determined based on your current experiences. And if your current experiences include things that humans can also go through, that should have no impact on the validity of your identity.

Alright, back on topic: Hopefully, we can agree that there’s no shame in strengthening your connections, reinforcing what traits you already have, and in drawing connections between a nonhuman identity and seemingly human traits. Which is a nice segue into a statement that might ruffle a few feathers:

Linktypes are typically based on preexisting traits that are reinforced to fit a certain narrative or ideal. A copinglink or an otherlink is rarely if ever pulled out of thin air. You just can’t craft an identity from nothing. Yeah, crazy, I know?

This parallels otherkin identities, which, as I mentioned earlier, are based on preexisting experiences and connections that one chooses to give a name and to strengthen.

The process of becoming a linker usually starts with recognizing certain traits that one either wants, or already has but wants to reinforce, by focusing them through a linktype. For example, wanting to become better at handling stress can be difficult to accomplish on its own, but is made easier by thinking about what a specific character or animal would do in a stressful situation.

But you can’t just establish a connection to any given character. There needs to be a resonance between you and the linktype, and if you don’t already have that resonance with the character, it’s impossible for you to craft an identity around them. And in that sense you could easily argue that there is an involuntary aspect to linktypes.

Once the prospective linker has recognized a connection with a character, they will begin the process of reinforcing the identity, which can include anything from writing fanfics in 1st person to wearing clothes reminiscent of the character to asking people to treat you like the character. All things that an otherkin or fictionkind might do when first establishing their identity.

A key trait of linking is that a linktype should fade away once you stop reinforcing it… Linktypes are supposed to go away if you just ignore them and push them away long enough. They’re built to be temporary.

However, a significant number of linkers or former linkers have talked about their linktype becoming an inseparable part of how they view themselves - even the ones who might be able to force their linktype away would at this point become completely different people if they did so.

In other words, their linktype has become an inherent part of who they are as a person. This integrality can appear regardless of how much effort they put into creating the linktype in the first place, and regardless of how nonexistent the linktype was before they created it… What I’m getting at is that some people describe creating an identity from scratch by their own choice, which later becomes an irreversibly ingrained part of them. It’s an experience completely contrary to the idea that we are born nonhuman. I’ll refer to these people as ‘linkers-turned-kin’.

There are a few regular rebuttals I’ve seen to this idea: That linkers-turned-kin just had a late awakening. Or that, perhaps, they felt compelled by their inner true species to seek out the identity. Or even that they were actually born nonhuman, but just didn’t realize until later.

All these rebuttals are disrespectful of the linker-turned-kin’s experiences and intelligence. I won’t even try to hide it: They make me angry. The rebuttals ride on the idea that the born-this-way idea of nonhuman identities is a fact rather than a common belief. I know that for a lot of people the born-this-way narrative rings true. I see you and I am not trying to invalidate your beliefs. Instead, I want you to acknowledge that others may not have the same belief as you. For several people in our community otherkinity is an identity that develops in response to certain traits they have - for some, those traits are inherent, something they’re born with. For others they’re traits that developed later in life, or that were worked towards. And I want to argue that, for some, these traits were expressly chosen.

The reason these arguments against linker-turned-kin make me so angry, aside from the fact that they’re built on the idea that linkers-turned-kin don’t understand their own experiences, and the assumption that your idea of how nonhuman identities work trumps someone’s lived experience… Another reason the arguments make me so angry is that they prescribe more importance to the why than the how of our identity. When you define otherkin by the way our identity formed, you’re basically saying that the cause of otherkinity is more important than the experience of otherkinity.

We can’t talk about this without also exploring the community’s animosity towards psychological beliefs.

Through my years in the community, I feel like I’ve had to handhold some folks through the concept of religious tolerance. I remember a little over 4 years ago someone on tumblr asked me my opinion on fictionkind - it would be another 2 years before I had my own awakening, so my response was basically that I was fine with fictionkind, though I didn’t understand their experiences and the only way it could fit into my own worldview was as a psychological phenomenon. Even after my awakening, the latter still holds true. My fictionkinity is primarily psychological. But yeah, somehow my statement that I didn’t believe fictionkinity was caused by past lives got twisted into me saying that fictionkind were all just roleplayers.

Rereading the whole debacle that ensued, this twisting of my words had little to nothing to do with my own personal beliefs - it instead exposed a widespread antipathy towards psychological otherkin. When I have talked about my current experiences as a gnoll, my shifts and my flashbacks and my hiraeth, people generally accept it without a second thought. But when I mention that I believe it’s caused by various psychological phenomena, I have on multiple occasions been told that it must not be a real identity. Some people have even treated my parallel life as just an elaborate fantasy, rather than something that’s completely real to me. I have, word for word, been told that there’s no way I could identify as a nonhuman, or be another species than a human, without believing I have a nonhuman soul. A direct quote: “To say “I am fae” when [you] don’t believe in fae is illogical.”

What I take from these kinds of responses is that a subset of people within our community take it for granted that whatever beliefs someone has about the origin of their identity are objectively true, rather than understanding that our beliefs about our origins are just that: Beliefs. Whatever conclusion we’ve reached based on our experiences, reincarnation or imprinting or something else entirely, and no matter how much we believe in it, it will always be a belief and never a fact. I’m fully convinced that my bison identity is caused by a past life, and that my gnoll and Ben 10 identities are caused by various psychological phenomena. But if that doesn’t fit into someone else’s worldview, they have all the right in the world to explain it away however they want. I have friends who believe my bison identity must be caused by something psychological, and I have friends who believe my gnoll identity must be caused by something spiritual. That is their prerogative.

It doesn’t matter how people make sense of my nonhumanity, as long as they’re respectful towards my own experiences with my identity and don’t try to impose their beliefs on me. If you have to quietly believe that someone really has a faerie soul in order to accept that they’re really a fae, so be it. As long as you don’t try to deny the reality of their current identity. As long as you don’t try to claim that they aren’t really nonhuman, just because they have the quote-unquote “wrong” beliefs about their origin.

There is another, more recent and more prominent, example of the animosity towards psychological otherkin that comes to mind. I will not mention the term itself for fear of people harassing its creator. For the purpose of this lecture, I’ll refer to the concept as “nonhuman by birth”, which is essentially its meaning. If you know which word I’m talking about, I ask that you please don’t mention it in the chat. If you need to know, you can DM me. Also, don’t misunderstand this as me hating on people with past life or soul beliefs. Remember, my own bison identity is based on a soul from a past life.

So, last year a rather old community member on tumblr coined a term, separate from ‘otherkin’, to refer specifically to those who believe they have a nonhuman soul. Which wouldn’t be a problem in and of itself. After all, terms like animafidem and cerebrumalius have been around for half a decade with no issues. However, “nonhuman by birth” is specifically described in its coining post as a “less bastardized” alternative to the word ‘otherkin’. What this post describes as “less bastardized” is spiritual experiences, and specifically those spiritual experiences that are based on soul transfers and reincarnation. Essentially “nonhuman by birth” defines all other beliefs as bastardizations of what otherkinity is supposed to be. All beliefs, including spiritual beliefs that aren’t based on souls or past lives, psychological beliefs, beliefs of becoming nonhuman, beliefs based on magic, neurological beliefs, and archetypal beliefs… None of these are quote-unquote “true otherkin” according to the “nonhuman by birth” concept.

The word thankfully never gained much traction off tumblr, but I have seen individuals use it, and it always, without fail, makes me feel unwelcome, and unwanted. Not because there’s anything wrong with a strong belief in past lives or souls, but because those who choose to use that label specifically believe themselves to be the only true nonhumans. Because the term itself is not based on a respectful, individual belief, but on what its coiner believes to be an objective fact. Because this subset of our community has an almost-evangelical conviction that all nonhumans have nonhuman souls, and those who don’t have nonhuman souls are not nonhuman.

And like I mentioned earlier: The cause of otherkinity can affect the experience a lot. That’s why we have these discussions in the first place - we come together due to our similarities, and we try to understand each other and ourselves by discussing our differences. And this is exactly why proclaiming any version of nonhumanity as the One True Kind of Nonhumanity is so damaging. It completely stifles any exchange of ideas. It makes it impossible for us to understand our differences, and it leads to more and more narrowly defined subcommunities that all believe themselves to be more real than the others.

To define is to limit. We need some limitations, otherwise a dog is a cat and no words have meaning. But we need to be extremely careful where we want those limits to be, otherwise we end up with a community where psychological otherkin are bastards, and only those who are born with nonhuman souls are really nonhuman.

The next thing I want to discuss is subjective truth… Subjective truth is one of the most important concepts to understand and really internalize if we wanna have fruitful discussions and respectful experience sharing. In short, a subjective truth is something that is not real because it can be proven to exist through scientific measurements but is instead real because a person experiences it as real. If I make the claim that tea tastes better than coffee, for example, you cannot refute that simply because you think coffee tastes better. We have to understand each other’s experiences and accept that we experience the world in different ways. It’s equally true to say that coffee is better than tea and that tea is better than coffee. This is what I was talking about when I said that the “born-this-way”-narrative and the becoming-narrative are equally true.

So, how does subjective truth apply to this discussion?

A phenomenon in the community I’m sure we’re all aware of is kin memories. If you’re somehow not aware of them, in short they are images, episodes, sensory information, and similar experiences that are thought to stem from another life, usually a past life. They have all the qualia of a memory, except they didn’t happen to the body currently recalling them. These experiences, though, are not restricted to those who believe their nonhumanity stems from a past life. They aren’t even restricted to spiritual otherkin. Plenty of folks with psychological beliefs, mixed beliefs, and other beliefs report the exact same experience: Images, episodes, and sensory information that does not originate from this world or from this current life.

For decades there’s been a lexical gap in the community to describe these memories that aren’t memories. Which is where I can’t avoid tooting my own horn a bit. I have an extremely rich and detailed parallel life as a gnoll, from which I can quote-unquote “recall” events, people, traditions, names, and so much more. It’s all integral to my nonhuman identity.

However, because I believe it all stems from some deep unconscious part of my brain, and because it feels like a parallel life, not a past life, I never felt right calling these things memories. So almost two years ago at this point, I undertook the quest to fill that lexical gap. And after looking through dozens of obscure web pages and dictionaries and articles, I found something useful: The word ‘noema’. Noema is a rarely used Greek word that translates to concept, idea, perception, or thought. And I’ve been very happy to see the term catching on in my corner of the community, where it’s often used as a broader alternative to ‘memory’.

In philosophy, a noema is defined as “the perceived as it is perceived.” At first this might sound a bit vague or esoteric, but when looked at through the lens of subjective truth it suddenly starts to make sense. A subjective truth is something that’s real just because a person experiences it as real. A noema is the perceived as it is perceived. So when we’re using noema as a substitute for memory… when we’re discussing memory-like experiences in the community and we explicitly refer to them as noemata, instead of referring to them as memories, the actual cause of the noema is then irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that it’s in one way or another perceived as a memory. When talking about noemata, it’s completely and utterly irrelevant if they’re real in any objective way - the only thing that matters is that the individual experiences the noema as real. Essentially the word ‘noema’ makes the cause irrelevant, so we can instead focus on the experience alone.

And I think the fact that this word has caught on (at least on tumblr) hints that our community might be moving in a positive direction. I at least dream of a community where we care a lot less about our origins, and a lot more about our actual presence in the world.

I had a conversation with a friend a few months ago, about this community-wide worry about the origins of our identity. And just to reiterate, I’m not saying your spiritual beliefs are irrelevant, because they can be really important when forming a whole picture of your identity. I’m more so saying they can be a bit of a distraction. In my opinion, the whole discussion about spirituality vs psychology is a red herring. Most of us didn’t seek out the community because we had certain spiritual beliefs. We sought it out because we felt not-quite-human, and it was only later that we reached any conclusions about why we feel nonhuman.

So, my friend and I talked about the role this discussion of origins plays in our community, and we reached a few interesting conclusions. For starters, it’s really upsetting to some folks to have to earnestly consider the idea that reincarnated souls are no more real or ‘valid’ than psychological imprinting, or any other non-spiritual beliefs for that matter. That’s part of what started the whole ‘nonhuman by birth’ idea I mentioned earlier. And it seems this uncomfortableness stems from a place of insecurity.

At the risk of offending some folks, I’m gonna draw a parallel to the trans community. In the trans community there’s a discussion of origins that parallels the one in the kin community and is likewise an attempt to draw lines between the quote-unquote ‘real’ trans people and the so-called transtrenders - which are supposedly people who pretend to be trans for clout. Those who attempt to draw these lines proclaim that being trans is a medical condition that they wouldn’t wish on their worst enemy, and one that’s marked by intense dysphoria and stress. They’ll also regularly state that being trans is only real or ‘valid’ because it has been proven through MRI brain scans that some female-assigned people have supposedly male brains, and vice versa.

(And just to make things clear, those brain scans are not real. It’s malicious pseudoscience spread by people who want to ‘cure’ transness by preventing trans kids from being born.)

But I think this attempt at validating your identity - in this case with science - stems from a dislike of one’s own traits, or more likely from the outside world’s dislike of those traits. When certain trans people try to prove themselves more valid than others in the eyes of the public, it’s not because they just hate those they deem ‘not trans enough’ - it’s because they’re afraid of being rejected by the rest of the world. These people are basically saying: “I didn’t choose to be trans. This is how I was born, so you have to accept it because it’s unchangeable.” It’s a cry for acceptance in an unaccepting world. And all this is not to say that some trans people aren’t born trans; I really think most trans people have a narrative like that. I’m more so trying to get across that, someone else’s narrative of choice should have no impact on your narrative of involuntarity. Both are real ways to experience being trans. And in many ways, having a narrative of choosing to be trans is necessary for the community, because it closes the doors for eugenicists who would try to eliminate quote-unquote “the trans gene”.

Viewing transness as a purely medical phenomenon where you need to meet certain requirements to get a trans diagnosis is a really reductive way to look at identity. Like I mentioned earlier: An identity is not just the sum of its parts, and it cannot be summarized by being forced to feel dysphoria. The fact of the matter is that we don’t know trans people are real because we have brain imaging technology, or even because certain people meet the medical criteria for having gender dysphoria. We know trans people are real because there are real people who identify as trans. We should be able to trust that people are trans when they tell us they are. And I think we need to look at nonhuman identities the same way.

Before I move on to the conclusion, I want to explain why this topic has become so important to me. A couple of months ago, after a good year or two of introspection, I realized I had created a hearttype. Not a kintype, but nonetheless an equally integral part of how I view myself and engage with the world. And changing something so fundamental about myself sent my thoughts racing.

When I was a kid I picked up a fear of spiders. It wasn’t bad enough to give me panic attacks, but it was bad enough that I couldn’t pick up a spider and carry it outside, even though I could do so with other bugs. I was around 10 years old when I decided that this was dumb, and I wanted to change it. So as a tween I quickly started on my own exposure therapy, looking at photos of spiders, reading about them, photographing them in nature, and after several years it had gotten to the point where I barely had a reaction to seeing them. But as I continued on, getting used to the idea of holding them and touching them, something changed in me.

Where I had previously felt fear, I started to feel admiration and love and a sense of familiarity. I wanted to surround myself with these animals, I wanted to work with them, and I started spending a not-insignificant amount of money on terrariums. And now, after more than a decade of rewriting my own thoughts and changing a mild fear into a love so deep it affects my sense of identity itself, I feel confident saying I created a hearttype. It was not an easy process. Like I said, it took more than a decade. Changing your entire mindset like that can’t be done with just a snap of your fingers. But evidently, some people are able to do it.

Though I have to add that, even here, it’s very easy to argue that there was some level of involuntarity. I already had an emotional response to spiders when I was scared of them. I don’t think I could form this kind of relationship with something I’m completely indifferent to, like, I dunno, a Toyota or a Marvel character. You can’t really form a relationship from nothing. And I appreciate this argument, because it really highlights just how confusing the entire concept of choice is, and how it doesn’t make sense to define ourselves by our lack of choice, when we can’t even define what counts as a choice.

But yeah, realizing that I created a hearttype, an identity that at the time was considered involuntary… realizing that I didn’t just play a part in creating this identity, but that I did create it, period. It sent my mind spinning, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what else might be possible. If I could create such love in myself, could I also do the opposite and tear down my own hearttype and recreate the phobia? Not something I want to test. But I think I could. And which other identities could be created like this?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the creation process has no impact on the nature of the identity itself, and I ended up posting a really controversial thing on tumblr. In hindsight I understand why some people got so pissed off about it, but I still stand by those thoughts. I’ll read it to you in full: “Theoretically I probably could force myself to not be otherkin. But it would take a decade or more, the way my hearttype creation did, and it would require constant work throughout those years. However, I see no way I wouldbenefit from that work, the way I did when I unintentionally created a hearttype in the process of getting rid of a phobia. It would just rid me of a part of myself that’s intrinsic to how I recognize myself. That’s not something I in any way want - and because I don’t want it, and because the choice would have to happen continuously on a timescale I can barely comprehend, I couldn’t make that choice in practicality.”

A very long and very complicated discussion came out of this post that I’d need a whole separate lecture to recap. But a few important ideas were developed, which I need to mention here. For starters, when discussing shadowwork and the Jungian archetypes, Jasper accidentally coined the term ego alteration. Through that discussion we ended up defining ego alteration as the process by which you proactively alter your conscious mind, your self-perception, and your thought-patterns. It’s not something to be taken lightly, as you’ll essentially be changing your sense of self by it. And it’s also not something everyone has the ability, desire, or drive to do. To integrate something into your sense of self, or to remove something that’s currently a part of your sense of self is serious business, and, like my hearttype creation, is something that should be thought about on a decades long timescale. I don’t have time to get in-depth about it here, but to consciously change your identity and your sense of self is definitely possible for some folks, and it’s nice to have a name for the concept.

Something else that came of that discussion is my own thoughts about how we define otherkin. The most common definition I’ve seen is “to identify, wholly or partially, as something nonhuman on a nonphysical level, by no choice of your own.” … I suggest we drop the last bit.

Okay, it’s a bit more complicated than just deleting a few words. In order to drop the “by no choice of your own” bit, without losing the meaning of otherkinity completely, and letting kin for fun take over, we’d need to rethink that entire definition.

Instead of defining otherkin by the amount of choice we had in the formation of our identity, I suggest we define otherkin by how integral our identities are to us. It was briefly mentioned on in one of the other panels (though I forget which one), but a pretty big source of conflict is that kin for fun just don’t understand the gravity of otherkin identities. If we define otherkinity as something that’s inseparable from who we are as individuals, it would not only make it clear to kin for fun that this is, well, not for fun. It would also get around the problem of people who worry that their identities might be invalid because they’ve made certain choices.

Your otherkinity is inherent, and by that I mean you would be a fundamentally different person if not for your kintype. At its most basic level, your kintype is what you recognize yourself to be. It’s the kind you belong to, rather than, or in tandem with, belonging to humankind. You kintype is an intrinsic part of you, and even if you could get rid of it, it would fundamentally change who you are is a person. If you chose not to be otherkin, you would also choose not to be you. In that sense, I suppose otherkinity is involuntary, in that you yourself can’t choose not to be otherkin, because as soon as you make that choice, you aren’t you. Though you could also argue that it is a choice because you wake up every day and choose to be you. And thus, the topic of choice leaves us running around in circles like it always has.

Being otherkin… being otherkind has never been about being forced to feel species dysphoria. It’s about being of another kind. It’s about knowing and recognizing humankind, and accepting that, in one way or another, that does not describe us.

And all this is not to say that copinglinking shouldn’t be a concept, but we need to rethink that as well. From the very few copinglink writings that exist, one topic I’ve seen several times is the idea of copinglinks becoming inseparable from you. This is not the point of links, and those who do go through a change like that find themselves more at home in the kin community than the link community. I don’t want to impose myself on linkers, but if we want these two words to make sense and have a use, we need to redefine both. I suggest defining copinglinks and otherlinks by their lack of integrality or by their ability to be dropped when necessary.

The line that has been drawn between otherkin and copinglinkers doesn’t help anyone as it is. There are far too many nonhumans who straddle the line, who feel torn between either community, or who only call themselves linkers because they feel pressured to do so. There are far too many nonhumans who don’t feel like they have a community they can call home.

So, I’m gonna propose a new and much more inclusive definition: To be otherkin is to identify as something nonhuman on an inherent or integral level. There you go, clean and simple. No more caveats or nested sentences.

#otherkin #otherkind #fictionkin #fictionkind #alterhuman #othercon #i don't think this is gonna show in the tags so reblogs are very appreciated

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reidyoulikeabook · 3 years

Text

Invisible String

Ship: Fem! Reader x Spencer Reid

Warnings: None, this is just fluff.

Word count: 3.2k

Summary: You and Spencer Reid don’t know it, but you’ve almost met quite a few times. What happens when you do?

A/N: This is potentially a bit on the wrong side of the cheesy line, but I was listening to invisible string by Taylor Swift and couldn’t get this idea out of my head. Pls bare in mind I’m from the UK and my only understanding of the US college system is from Google searches, so pls be forgiving of any misunderstandings about that.

November 6th, 2007

Dr. Spencer Reid. As you sat, thumbing through the article he’d written about the formation of ionic compounds in a chemical whose name you could not for the life of you spell or pronounce, you couldn’t help but resent the man.

Sure, the paper was very well-written and as cohesive as possible given the complex subject matter. But Dr. Spencer Reid, whoever he was, was the current source of your resentment at selecting chemistry to make up your science credit. Highlighting the name of a substance you’d have to look up later, you sighed. It was getting late but you had to hand in a critical summary of the paper on Friday.

It didn’t help that Dr. Reid was: a) a triple doctorate holder by the age of 22, or b) that your chemistry lecturer was none other than his old chemistry lecturer from Caltech and practically glowed with pride whenever he got to bring him up.

You chew on the end of your pen, having now distracted yourself from the notes. Not that you were particularly focused anyway.

In another life, maybe you’d have been a budding chemist who could describe an ionic lattice off rote. In this one, however, you’d just have to settle for slogging through the list of chemical processes and hoping you understood it well enough to please Dr. Reid’s biggest fan.

***

April 16th, 2008

Spencer hated flaking on commitments. It caused him a great deal of anxiety, the feeling of disappointing someone. He didn’t have much choice in this circumstance though.

Diana had taken ill over the last weekend. Nothing serious, some stomach bug or other. She’d become severely dehydated though, and had been hospitalised as a precautionary measure. Truth be told, he might not have gone if she hadn’t caught him on the phone. He was already feeling guilty for not having visited since Christmas. He wrote her letters everyday, yet still felt like he was neglecting his duties as a son. Rubbing his hands over his face, he lets out a deep sigh. Then takes out his laptop, to send another email.

Dear. Dr Abraham

I sincerely apologise again for my last minute cancellation. Excluding any unforeseen circumstances, myself and SSA Hotchner will be available to present the lecture on May 12th.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Spencer Reid.

***

May 12th, 2008

Considering this was your third year on campus, you sure were bad at finding your way around. In your defence, they were doing maintenance in one of the main buildings, meaning that lectures got shuffled around and relocated. You probably had a higher change of attending the right lecture by accident than on purpose.

It doesn’t help that you’re running a little late this morning. You rush into Room 203. A lot of the seats are taken, you have to meander your way past quite a few people until you end up sat almost directly in the middle. Only moments before the lecture starts.

“I’m SSA Hotchner, and this is SSA Reid. We’re members of the BAU which is based at FBI quarters in Quantico. Today, we’ll be talking to you about profiling.”

This is not your forensic linguistics lecture.

Panic hits you, hot in your gut. Scanning the room anxiously, you suddenly become conscious that you’re drawing attention to yourself when you feel the eyes of the man who is not SSA Hotchner on you. Fuck.

There’s no way for you to escape now, not without disturbing half the lecture hall.

So you sit back in your seat, resigning yourself to sit awkwardly in the lecture you’re not supposed to be in and hoping nobody notices.

But then, it’s really interesting, actually. The work that Dr. Reid does sounds similar to work you’ve done in forensic linguistics, analysing patterns of speech and minor phrase formations that can give things away about the perpetrator. By the end of the seminar, you’re sat leaning forward. Enraptured by almost every word coming out of their mouths.

It seems to be the general mood: everyone is enamoured. People are clammering to speak to them at the end. After a brief inner battle, myou decide that you should talk to them too.

What’s the harm?

You’ve decided that you’ll speak to Dr. Reid, since he seems to share more of a field focus. However, as you’re heading down, you spot him. Dr Adams, your chemistry lecturer from last year. Oh shit, it’s that Dr. Reid.

Speaking to SSA Hotchner will just have to do instead.

----

“I’ve been majoring in forensic linguistics and criminal psychology,” You tell him, “Do you think ... I mean, I know it’s a pretty exclusive team to get on to. But is that the kind of thing that could maybe get me there one day?”

Hotchner nods, “Forensic linguistics is something that comes in very useful in the investigative aspects of cases. The FBI is always looking for new angles and perspectives, those are both good subjects to study if you were thinking of signing up to the academy.”

"Thank you, Agent Hotchner,” You say, suddenly a little bashful as you notice the queue of people lingering behind you, “That was a really interesting lecture. It’s definitely something I’ll think about.”

“You should talk to Dr. Reid if you have a particular interest in the linguistic aspect of profiling. He’s more specialised in that area than I am. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to discuss any research you’re conducting at the moment and suggest materials that might be helpful in furthering your understanding of the area.”

“Thank you,” You smile, and he nods at you again.

Stepping away from Agent Hotchner, you look to your right. Dr. Reid is still engaged deeply in conversation with Dr. Adams. You glance at your watch. There was time before your next class, you supposed, so you could wait. It couldn’t hurt to find out more, could it? It wasn‘t like you were getting your hopes up or anything.

It’s then that you feel a pair of arms around your waist, a familiar scent of cologne.

“Hey!” You whip around to see your boyfriend, grinning widely.

“Hey,” You reply, “How’d you find me?”

“I was walking past when I saw you talking to that FBI agent. Seriously, FBI?” He asks, with a disapproving quirk of his eyebrow, “You want to grab a coffee before Psych?”

You want to say no. But he’s got his hand on the small of your back, leading you out of the room before you even get a chance to reply. You glance back over your shoulder, making eye contact with Dr. Reid for all of two seconds before you’re swept away.

“Seriously though babe, FBI?”

Unsurpisingly, you don’t mention your potential change in career path to him.

***

March 8th, 2009

“Come in,” Hotch calls. He looks up from the paperwork on his desk to see Spencer entering the room, clutching a report in his hand.

“That last case we were on. I was doing some more research, just for future reference about linguistic patterns. Have you read this?” He asks, sliding a copy of your paper across the desk.

Hotch gives it a cursary look over, nodding, “Yes. It’s interesting. She’s signed up as an NAT. I believe I actually spoke to her at one of our lectures last year.”

"Her work is really impressive for somebody whose only studied this at a master level.”

Hotch almost smiles, “Yes. That’s exactly why I’ve recommended to the bureau that she signs up for profiling classes. Her work shows a lot of promise. They’re sending over a copy of her completed thesis, if you’d like to read it.”

“Yeah, I’d like that, thank you,” Spencer says, struggling to conceal the smile playing on the corner of his lips.

“I’ll email it to you as soon as I receive it.”

Spencer nods, smiling properly to himself as he leaves the room. It wasn’t unusual, exactly, for him to share new research that was relevant to cases. It was important that they all kept themselves fresh and acquainted with new theories about the field. Hotch, however, didn’t miss the excited way Spencer had presented it to him. Talking about how impressive you were, as if to subtly hint. He thinks it’s quite typical, actually, that Spencer could take such an interest in someone he only knew via an essay.

Although Spencer’s response does get Hotch to send a follow-up email, inquiring about whether you’d agreed to the classes. If Spencer was this impressed with your work, it must be good.

***

June 1st, 2009

The Metro that morning is packed. It doesn’t help that you’ve not been living here long, and don’t exactly know the route from your flat to the station off by heart yet.

You'd also had to make a detour to the post office. Your, firmly ex, boyfriend had mailed over the last of your things. Really, it was good riddance. His hounding you about your choice in job had only worsened. The relationship had been hanging on by a thread long before you’d moved away last month. You were more than a little grateful that it was finally over, that you could draw a line under it all and focus on your career.

Unfortunately, that hadn’t stopped you having a little cry to yourself on the way over.

Rushing, you make it onto the Metro just as the doors are about to close, falling against the railing on the left side. You grip onto it for dear life.

On the other side of the carriage, Spencer notices someone hurrying for the train. He had been buried deep in the paper he's reading, but the bustle had pulled his attention. Your back is to him, and there’s a scarf at your feet. He wants to say something, to try and get your attention, but he can’t from where he is.

“Miss, I think you’ve dropped something,” The woman you’re standing in front of says, gesturing to the scarf pooled at your feet.

You meet her eyes, sniffling slightly, “Thank you.”

Spencer watches as you pick it up, back still to him. Crisis averted, he turns his attention back to what he's reading: the published copy of your thesis Hotch had emailed him last week.

***

September 2nd, 2009

"This is SSA ____, the newest member of our team. She’s recently graduated from the academy and has an excellent knowledge of linguistics that the bureau feels will be a great advantage to this team. She’s had her induction and now will be joining the team on a probationary basis. She’ll be spending a little time with each of you in between cases to make sure she forms well-rounded knowledge of all aspects of what we do.”

It’s a little overwhelming, having everybody’s eyes on you.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” Emily is the first over, offering her hand for you to shake.

“You too, it’s really nice to meet all of you,” You say, shaking hands in turn with her, Morgan, Rossi, J.J, and Garcia.

“Hi,” Spencer calls from behind you.

You turn around to face him. You remember what Hotch had mentioned to you about him being a bit of a germaphobe, so you keep your hand by your side.

“Hi,” You say, “Dr. Reid, right?”

“You can call me Spencer,” He says, a little bashful, “I read your thesis, the study about you did about the construction of passive clauses as an indicator of guilt in adolescent offenders. It was fascinating.”

You feel yourself getting a little warm under his gaze, “Thank you. I'm surprised you’re even aware it existed.”

Hotch interrupts then, “Reid, do you want to sit with ____ while she goes over the case file? It’d be useful if you could go over how you’d go about constructing a linguistic profile.”

That’s how you end up spending much of your first day: with Spencer, huddled up over case files as he explains his profile-building process to you. Spencer’s an incredible teacher, you think. He explains his thought process without ever being condescending, leaving little gaps for you to answer.

You’re incredible, Spencer thinks. You seem to grasp exactly what he’s saying, filling in the gaps based on the clues that are actually in front of you, not letting yourself be guided too much by bias.

***

October 29th, 2009

Spencer loves everyone at the BAU. They’re all the family he never had, and he has relatively good friendships with all of them. Just, they aren’t quite the same as they are with you.

He struggles to put his finger on it, exactly. It’s a unique relationship. He shares very familial bonds with a lot of them: he and Morgan are brotherly, Rossi is fatherly, Garcia’s somewhat like an overexcited little sister.

The friendship he has with you is special. You always listen to him, even as he rambles on about inane things that anybody else would tell him to shut up about. In fact, sometimes about the exact things that they do tell him to shut up about. Just last week, he was rambling on about Star Trek when Morgan told him, not altogether unkindly, to “give it a rest, kid.”

“What was that you were saying?” You’d asked, sidling up to him, “I’ve never watched Star Trek but I thought the quote was beam me up Scotty.”

He’d looked at you, considering you for a moment, “You don’t have to-”

“I know. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know Spence. You think I’d ask for a 15 minute lecture on Star Trek if I wasn’t interested in it?”

A warm feeling flooded his chest. The look on your face was so genuine, and you’d perched on the edge of his desk as he gesticulated, getting deep into the lore and how the misconception had come about. He still didn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, until he got to the end of his spiel. And then you asked him a question. You asked him a question to make sure you understood what he was talking about. You were listening the whole time, and you genuinely cared about the point he was making.

It's then that he realises, it was hard to pinpoint because it wasn’t friendship. He likes you. Shit.

***

November 2nd, 2009

You like everybody at the BAU. They’re all quite patient with you, really, happy to walk you through how they do things. Morgan’s taught you quite a bit about the tactical side of things already, and Rossi has been working with you on your interrogation techniques. Emily’s generally just a great mentor, always happy to listen and support however she can. She’s more experienced, but still relatively new to the team too, so you feel like there’s a certain understanding between you.

However, you’d definitely be lying if you said the person you hadn’t learnt the most from, or spent the most time with, was Spencer.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the team, either. You seemed to gravitate towards one another, forever sitting side-by-side on the plane. Sharing a line of thinking that usually led to devolved rambling, and scribbling, until you came up with something coherent.

It isn’t until November 2nd that you realise you have feelings for him.

You’re sitting at your desk, filling out a case report that Emily had promised to go over with you before she left for lunch.

“Hey,” Spencer’s familiar soothing voice comes, as he sidles up to you, “I got you something.”

Looking up, you notice the coffee cup in his right hand, “You are my caffeine lifesaver.”

He hands it to you, smiling a little nervously, “It’s actually not that.”

“Oh?”

His other hand is tucked behind his back, and he pulls it foward towards you, brandishing a red sweatshirt.

“I know you uh, left your red sweater behind at the hotel on the last case. And I know it was your favourite one, and I was shopping yesterday and I saw this and...” He trails off, embarassed, “It’s not the exact same, but it’s the same kind. I just thought you might like it.”

You swallow, hard, “Spencer that’s so sweet. C-Can I hug you?”

He nods. Standing up from your desk, you wrap your arms around his frame.

“That was so thoughtful.”

He squeezes you a little, really leaning into the hug, his face pressing against your shoulder. His tousled hair tickles your nose a little and you smile, clinging onto him, relishing in the feeling of safety and warmth.

It hits you then. When you realise you don’t want to let go. When you realise he makes you feel fuzzy. Loved. Cared for in a way you haven’t felt in a long time. Eventually, you have to let him go, and it’s in a daze that you return to your desk. You’re so concentrated on your overwhelming realisation, you don’t realise how reluctant he is to let you leave his embrace.

***

December 22nd, 2009

Driving Spencer home from the office was really just an excuse to get some time alone with him. You’d said something about the Metro being busy, one of the services being cancelled. He hadn’t factchecked you on that.

The BAU had tentative plans for boxing day, with the caveat being that no emergent cases arrived in the meantime. It was only really four days you wouldn’t see him, but that was longer than you’d ever gone without seeing him in all the time you’d known him. You worked together everyday, and it was unusual for you to go a full weekend without seeing each other. Recently, you’d got into the habit of going out for Sunday brunch together.

Pulling up outside his house, you hear him sigh.

“I know it’s only four days, but I’ll miss you.”

Smiling, you turn to him, “I’ll miss you too.”

Something in you changes then. He’s looking at you. You may be relatively new to profiling but you can see something behind his eyes, feel the charge of unsaid words electrifying the air.

“Can I hug you?” He asks.

“You can always hug me,” You reply, undoing your seatbelt and opening your arms for him.

He embraces you the way he always has: tightly. Like he doesn’t want to let go, couldn’t imagine ever letting you go. His face nuzzles to the crook of your neck, and then you feel his thumb brush your chin. Tilting your head down.

You exchange a look. His eyes flicker from your eyes, to your lips, and back. You nod your head, just slightly.

He kisses you then. Tender. You melt into one another, lips moving quickly as you drink one another in. Kissing each other breathless, your fingers intertwine in his hair and his hand comes up to cup your cheek. Nothing has ever felt so right.

***

June 10th, 2011

Neither of you have ever really believed in fate. It’s hard to - especially in your line of work - to want to interpret the workings of the universe as deliberate. Maybe you’d think a little differently though, if you knew about all the near-misses. All the times you could have met. But fate knew better. She waited until you were ready.

And as you exchange vows, promising each other your forever, you both know you couldn’t possibly deny that this was meant to be.

------

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