#but I don't know if I'm ready for it yet

[cinnamon-flame]

I was going through my art folder again and I saw one of the oldest wof stuff I've ever drawn (the fourth one ever I think?) and I redrew it! I love Turtle and I just took this excuse to draw him again

#What's this? two cinnamon posts in a week? #I got so tired of reading about molluscs man #so many snail shells and clam shell hinge types #I finished my notes and run to look for something to draw #I feel like I'm redrawing my stuff recently #but honestly it brings me joy so why not #I have this one drawing I'm constantly thinking about redrawing #the oldest wof drawing I've ever done #it's actually on tumblr it's the one with blue and orange rainwing #but I don't know if I'm ready for it yet #anyway Turtle #I love turtle and my design for this dude #also I took my old anemone design and gave it more jellyfish-ness #I feel it suits her vibe and also anemones are cnidarians too so it makes sense to me #wings of fire #wof #dragons #wof turtle #wof anemone #seawing #cinnamon's doodles #wof fanart

[inkskinned]

there are a lot of posts out there that are positive and healthy coping mechanisms for handling the holidays. this is not one of them :)

i think there's like. going to be times in your life you will be stuck in a social situation that you cannot escape from gracefully. i do not know why the internet doesn't believe these times exist. it's not always just that your physical safety is at risk - sometimes it's legit like "i just don't currently have the energy or time to put in the effort of responding to this." sometimes it's a coworker you hate so much. sometimes it's just like, fine, you know? like you know you can handle your aunt when she's cheerily horrible, but if you actually set a boundary around her, it's going to be weeks of fallout with your father.

i don't know why people think the answer is always just "cut them out!" or "don't let them get away with that!" because ... the real world is tricky and complicated. i think kind of a lot of us have an internal "radiation poisoning" meter for certain people. like - i'm talking about the ones who are absolutely giving you gradual ick damage. like, you can handle them, but you'll be exhausted.

and yes. you absolutely should listen to your therapist and the good posts about handling others and set good boundaries and take care of yourself. prioritize peace.

HOWEVER :) ...... since im often in a situation with a Gradual Sense of Ick person i cannot just "cut out" of my life (without losing someone else precious to me) - i have sort of developed the most. maladaptive form of mischief possible. because like, if i'm going to have to listen to this shit again, i like to have a little bit of private fun with it.

now! again, i am physically safe, just mentally drained by this man. you should only do this with people you are not in danger with. which leads me to my suggestions for when your Unfortunate Acquaintance shows up and says oh everyone pay attention to me.

my favorite word is "maybe!" said as brightly and happily as possible. whenever the Horrible Person starts in on a topic you do not want to go further with, particularly if they make a claim that you know to be inaccurate, do not respond to it. you and i have both tried to actually argue with this person, and it hasn't gone well, because this person just wants the drama of an argument. however, "maybe!" gives them literally nothing to go on. it is incredibly disarming. they are used to people having some response. they know they can't prove what they're saying, and maybe! treats them like the child they are. it dismisses them in the politest way possible.

i like to say maybe! and then, in their stunned silence, immediately change the subject. this is because i have adhd and i will have something unrelated to talk about, but if you can't think of topics fast enough, i recommend just pointing to something and saying, "isn't that lovely?" because fuck you let's bring in some positivity.

by the way. that second trick - of pointing to something and stating an opinion about it? - that just works on its own, like, 70% of the time. i picked it up from teaching preschoolers. it's an intentional "redirect". it stops children crying and it also stops grown adults from finishing their explanation on why women belong in kitchens. dual wielding!

keep it silly for yourself. i absolutely do not care if people think i'm fucking stupid (it's more fun if they do) and as a result i will purposefully misunderstand things just to see how long it takes them to realize i've completely removed them from the subject at hand. when they say "women aren't funny" i get to be like. "which women." "all women." "all women in america?" "no in the world." "like the mole people? the people in the world?" "what? no. like, alive." "oh are we not counting the mole people?" "what the fuck are you talking about." "you don't believe in the mole people?"

similarly, i play a personal game called "one up me." my Evil Acquaintance literally knows this game exists (my family & friends caught onto it and now also play it) and it always fucking gets him. i don't know why. you have to be willing to be a little free-spirited on this one, though. the trick is that when they make one of those horrible little bigoted or annoying comments they are always making, you need to go one unit weirder. not more intense, mind you - just more weird. "you don't look good in that dress." "yeah, actually, my other dress was covered in squid ink due to a mishap at the soup store." "you shouldn't wear such revealing clothes." "wait, what? oh shit. sorry, your son tears off strips when no one is looking and eats them. i swear it was longer before we left the building."

the point of "one up me" is to completely upend this person's narrative. we both know this person likes setting up situations where you cannot "win" and then they really like telling other people how badly you handled it. in a usual situation, if you respond "please don't say something that rude", you're a bitch. but if you let it happen, you're letting yourself be debased. they are not usually expecting door number three: unflappably odd. because what are they going to say when they're telling everyone how badly you behaved? "she said my son eats her dresses" ".... okay?"

if you can, form an allyship with someone whomst you can tagteam with. where they can pick up on your weird "soup store" story and run with it.

the following phrase is amazing and can be deployed for any situation: "oh, be nice :) it's the holidays!" i do not know why this works as often as it does. i'll say it for the most random shit. i think this is bc most of the time these people know they're being impolite, they just like to fight.

godbless. when in doubt, remember that you could always start stealing their pens.

the whole point of this is - if you can't escape. maybe see how long you can just be. like. a horrible little menace.

#this is objectively bad advice #don't listen to it protect yourself and do real work on yourself find one of the good posts i've made about this #but also. u know. if u want to have fun while u do the work of setting boundaries #.... it IS fun #i will say that my fear of him went SO down after i just started. fucking with him. #bc i used to get SO fucking upset #i'd spend WEEKS arguing with him. tearing my hair out. sick with anxiety and dread and anger about all of it #and now i just LITERALLY do not engage #instead i'm like '' haha :) mole people" and get the HELL out of any tense conversation #i kind of think some of these people are literally addicted to drama as a form of connection #they like the rush they get from arguing #but those arguments are incredibly damaging for me #so like..... i am in the process of literally rehabilitating this person to figure out how to find connection thru #NORMAL CONVERSATION #he doesn't get it yet #i also do talk to them like they're preschool kids lmafo . ''are you using a safe and kind voice right now?'' #'' do you need a snackie? you sound a little upset. let's have some hummus and come back to playtime when we feel ready''

[lilirot]

Old unfinished drawing of shark!Cove and my OL character Lily as a goldfish mermaid smooching I'll probably never finish this because I forgot what brushes I used lmao

#art #unfinished #our life #our life beginnings & always #I've been thinking of replaying OL but I don't know if I'm emotionally ready for it to end yet #cove holden

[celestialrealms]

CANNOT stop thinking about how Barbatos went from

to this

#sorry i'm not ready to shut up about all the feels yet <3 #you guys don't understand....... barbatos's offscreen/pre-series character development ? i want to EAT IT #and you KNOW his feelings for mc are just making it worse for him smh #obey me barbatos #obey me #barbatos

[marypsue]

Because I am literally never not thinking about weird meta, blurring lines between reality and narrative, and the whole concept of actors becoming their characters, I am now entertaining thoughts of a Shadow of the Vampire-style story wherein a late-2010s-style all-female The Lost Boys remake gets derailed when the lead actress suddenly starts not showing up to shooting because she's sleeping all day...

#the plot still revolves around trying to figure out who the very real head vampire is (but now including everyone in the cast and crew) #but also trying to figure out what bits of vampire lore (from various sources) are actually applicable #('no that doesn't count!' 'it was in the sequel!' 'exactly why I said it doesn't count!') #and of course there's a little sister. there's got to be a little sister. #i don't know enough about moviemaking to do a story like this justice and yet. i always so badly want to #it's an all-girl remake because i'm queer and driver picks the music. hope that helps #(ngl any kind of remake/reboot made in the late 2010s/2020s would be aesthetically toothless. see the Flatliners reboot/sequel/whatever) #(so part of the happy ending on this one is the movie getting scrapped) #(the world's not ready. hollywood's not ready.) #(wait until the costume designers and makers strike and get better conditions. then we'll talk.) #the lost boys

[ancientouroboros]

giggling kicking my feet twirling my hair spaghetti

#loki #mobius #loki season 2 #tom hiddleston #owen wilson #yea this is what the show is about if you haven't seen it #lokius #I guess? #myart #collab with iku iku! they aren't on tumblr yet #don't worry I'm working on it so get ready to follow them #bc they are amazing #YES we used a ref YES I am dying to see if anyone else has ever encountered it in the wild #I know I have followers and mutuals who might have... #I ate the loki show and now I have MCU brainworms again thanks everyone for your patience and flexibility 八(＾□＾*)

[soldrawss]

Rosy cheeks and clumsy feet 

#my art #toh #the owl house #toh hunter #toh willow #toh huntlow #toh winter #yes i only draw huntlow art now don't look at me #two posts in one day? #wow i must be obsessed #no but really i drew the other one a week ago and forgot to post #so i'm posting these both now #you're welcome huntlow nation #i am always fond of over the head blushing and in love hunter #but i LOVE me some smitten and blushing willow as well #they are mutually crushing #not yet ready to draw them ACTUALLY dating yet #working my way up to it #i just love all the softness that comes with mutual pining without them knowing it's mutual

[somegrumpynerd]

I'm down for any option honestly, just whatever you guys think would be fun!

...Hypothetically

#UTDR #UTMV #Charlie Stuff #I made the poll a week cause a day doesn't seem like that long #And I don't have any of the others sketched out yet so it'll be a bit before I'm ready to post anything #But this will give me an idea of who to focus on next! #The options are basically do you wanna see the order be Dust then Horror then Cross #Let me decide who's gonna be in the middle cause I think I know which one will be worst #Or do another poll to let you guys vote on who goes second and then after that who goes third #The bonus polls could be fun but it means you guys don't know which I think is the worst and might end up voting for them #Up to you if you wanna play nightmare roulette :3c

[mewkwota]

Juste's hair gives me the impression of fresh-fallen snow. I want to imagine it's light and incredibly soft to the touch. This is the physical sort of feeling I needed to get down on paper.

Please tell me you understand it.

#I don't mean to always draw these so little and in a corner #I find the limited space to somehow be less strenuous (for error that is ^^; ) #and then I had to top before I over-shaded again #anywho #do you remember that little thing maxim mentioned about getting tickled by that hair? you understand now no? #I wanted to get down that gently draping feeling again but at this particular perspective #doodle-daas #akumajou dracula #maxim kischine #(I'm not ready to retag your friend over there yet but you know who he is)

[transfinan]

What if i showed the kindest man alive and you love him soo much and you desperately want more information about him and then every time u learned something i made you regret it immediately.

#That's what Bernard Cornwell did to us btw #Also pls no spoilers for the books or anything past s4 #I'm vaguely aware there's worse shit I don't know about him and I'm not yet ready to feel the regret #Finan #Finan tlk #Finan the agile #liveblogging tag #the last kingdom #Tlk s3e7

[hooligans-holiday]

Depressed Patient and Creepy Doctor Meet Again (part 1)

(Yu Yu Hakusho ep. 99)

#yu yu hakusho #hiei #shigure #mukuro #my gifs #this is a monster post but I wanted the episode to be all together #I have this fascination for Hiei and Shigure's relationship #that unspoken mutual respect #that dysfunctional father/son dynamic where Shigure was the first demon who was not scared of Hiei and who showed him some kindness #IMO both are absolutely TERRIFIED of “human” interactions #Shigure has this weird god complex where he lives alone but wants to control other demons' lives #and yet he decided to take care of Hiei. And he had nothing to gain from it apart from the pride of saying “look how strong he is” #(Hiei had already paid for the operation when he accepted not to tell Yukina the truth so the rest was free from what we know) #and anyway if that's not unconscious father-like behavior on Shigure's part I don't know what is then #on the other hand I'm ready to bet Hiei was starved for affection and when Shigure offered him some he immediately jumped on it #look I have FEELINGS for this okay?

[mel-loly]

-“Oh, school has to be something serious, especially this year/something like that!”

The things I did when I was at school (especially in computer class):

TW: cigarette

I have a lot of memories, and this is certainly one of the most important/best/funniest in my life. I'm really going to miss everything... and I'm already crying lol..

#yes. I did that- and my friends loved that stuff <33 #*sigh* I'm really going to miss it.. I'm not ready to be someone older... (I really hate the future) #and I'm not posting anything yet because I'm waiting for christmas day to me come back. that's why I'm not answering anyone #when I get back. I'll kind of try to have more content and answer you guys. but for now I want some time... #I want my year to end in a different way. #like- full of memories. the ones that made me laugh the most. these are the ones I really want to remember.. #I don't want to leave aside everything I've experienced this year. and in all these last years actually. #I want to remember them. I want to make them become stories so I can tell other people how much I had fun.. #and I hope that even I will enter a new life. I can also have other stories to tell and have fun! #with other people. and maybe. with my friends too.. #so- yeah. I'm mel. and hope if you read this. say something.. to let me know that you care or something... #i'm mel and this is my blog✌️ #my art blog #my memes #? #my memories #my memories of school #my memories at school

[artetass]

#yeah maybe you are just as disappointed for not winning the league #but we're not ready yet #at the beginning of the season all I wanted was to have revenge and get top 4 i still remember that match at st james park #but then they made me believe that something much bigger than that was possible #and I'm really proud of them for everything #you may think it's conformist #but you don't know how bad we were the last seasons #and this one feels like old times #city is a great and experienced team #but don't forget that we will be back #because the gap is getting shorter #and this team is getting better and better #arsenal fc #afcedit #myedits #football #champions league #premier league #fact: i had this edit in my laptop since 2021 because i didnt did the 2022 photo because i was so angry for not getting ucl football

[lockewrites]

Your past is an aching void.

Rhegan, the Dark Urge

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate iii #baldur's gate #dark urge #the dark urge #durge #tav #tav bg3 #I'm not far with her yet and I don't know near anything about Durge but I AM SO GODDAMN READY #I love her so much already. She's trying so hard to be a good girl D: #rhegan #visage: rhegan #bg3 spoilers

[likesummerrainn]

SurrealEstate 2x09 Dearly Departed "She'd want the best for you...and the best for you just isn't here anymore."

#SurrealEstate #syfysource #syfyedit #my gifs #okay i know i'm late BUT. we're close to the end and i don't want it to end yet... #I'M JUST!!!!!!!!!!! THIS FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #IT'S ABOUT LETTING GO AND LEAVING AND IT'S GETTING READY TO TELL US TO LET GO OF THEM #BUT WE JUST GOT THEM BACK.

[trans-axolotl]

hey i love your posts on anti-psych organizing, the work you're doing is really inspiring <333 i was jw if you have any advice for people who want to contribute to the movement but have certain accessibility challenges? for example in my case i have very high social anxiety which makes public speaking hard and i also have difficulty processing denser criticism/theory in written form due to cognitive symptoms, etc. and it makes me feel like i don't have much to offer to help but i would love to get more involved if possible!! tysm in advance if you answer this happy pride btw <3

Happy pride anon! Thanks so much for this question, I think it's really important!

There are so many ways to contribute to antipsych/mad liberation movement, and it's so important that our spaces are accessible! When we're fighting for our rights as mad and disabled people, we deserve to have our access needs respected, and to be able to show up in whatever ways work for us. I talk a lot about writing and theory on here just because Tumblr is a place I go to write, but theory is not something that feels always relevant or important in many spaces. Community and accessibility always comes first!

Whatever you have to offer to the movement is enough and valued. I'll list off some ideas I have, but honestly, whatever you feel passionate about and your own ideas are likely to be better than what I can list off.

Creating art! whether writing, drawing, mixed media, anything, creating art and sharing it with others really can be an important way to honor our experiences and share them with others.

Finding out where a psych ward near you is, and writing cards, sending in care packages with things like books, puzzles, fidget toys, things like that. Happy to write out some more tips for that if people are interested.

Graffiti! even if you're just using a sharpie to write alternative crisis line numbers that don't call the cops on posters for the 988 hotline, putting up psych abolition stickers near hospitals, things like that.

Going to protests. There aren't a lot of specific mad pride/antipsych protests, but depending on your area, there might be some stuff happening in July for mad pride! I know there's an event happening in Vermont on July 15th.

Creating reading groups. I think theory is not more important than lived experience and isn't necessary to read super dense academic stuff, but I know for some people it can be a really powerful experience to read stuff that validates your experiences and offers new ways of understanding. Creating a book club where you can read stuff with other people, talk about it together, discuss questions and confusions you have together, can be a way to make it more accessible then trying to navigate it on your own. And it absolutely doesn't have to be theory that you read, it could be memoirs, fiction, nonfiction, anything that interests you!

Finding out what is already going on in your location. Even if there isn't specific antipsych groups, a lot of cities will have mental health support groups, mental health clubhouses, peer support, etc. Sometimes there will already be projects going that you can figure out ways to get involved.

Writing reviews of hospitals/psychiatrists/treatment providers to better give people in your community an idea of what to expect.

Community building. I think that a lot of times, we can feel really isolated and that the psych system can make it hard for us to be connected to each other and learn the skills to support each other. Joining groups like the Hearing Voices Network, other peer support groups, local support groups, clubhouses, etc, can be a really important step just to build relationships and get involved without necessarily having to create specific projects.

Learning what resources are near you and building up a resource library so that you can share things like coping skills, peer respite, local orgs with other people in your community!

Understanding the laws around psych hospitalization, mental health, medications, etc. If new laws are proposed, giving feedback, emailing hospitals about policies, things like that.

Self care and rest. So often we are in crisis, constantly going, feeling the pressure to be involved. Resting can be part of resistance! Taking the time to care for ourselves, our community, embracing joy, play, recreation, is so important. Our survival can be resistance in a system that doesn't want us free.

These are just some ideas, and are not a complete list. I really believe that everyone's contributions are worthy and valuable, and that whatever people have to offer is worth celebrating. Our movements should be accessible and considerate of all of our different needs, and figure out ways to empower each of us to participate, and to get rid of barriers together. My way of engaging with antipsych stuff is absolutely not the only or best way, and I always love to hear from other people about their approaches!

TL;DR: Theory and public speaking are not the only ways to particpate, and accessibility is important! Whatever things you are passionate about are good places to start brainstorming. There are multiple options of things like art, sending care packages, and getting involved in local community.

Followers, please feel free to add on your own ideas or ways you participate! Would love to hear all the amazing ways we're all engaging with this movement.

#asks #antipsych #psych abolition #mad liberation #mad pride #disability justice #neurodivergence #also this goes for any followers please feel free to let me know what i can do to make things more accessible on this blog! #i'm always happy to try to write summaries of posts and things like that #a project i've been working on for a while but that isn't live yet is plain language and easy read guides to some antipsych topics #plain language guides will be ready sooner than easy read guides bc i don't have as much familarity with using symbols and those norms #but that is something that's important to me!