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#I was listening to the show you're wrong about which is a really good podcast and Michael Hobbs was like

ghostingfee · 2 months

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Okay guys, I really really love the podcast You're Wrong About. I recommend the podcast in general, but at this moment I recommend a specific series of episodes of theirs: Quarantine Book Club, "Michelle Remembers". It's so good you guys omg

#its different than their usual style of episodes #cause its a book club #but its really good listening #maybe you wont like it if you don't know the rest of the show #idk #i just really like this book club dudjsnskdb #informative and funny #which i can say about the podcast in general #which is what makes it great #you're wrong about

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calamitys-child · 6 months

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Listening to a podcast discussing conspiracy theories and deconstructing the ideas behind them and it's reminded me of the coolest practical lessons in critical thinking I ever got, both in high school, both from the same teacher. One was a month long project on who killed jfk in which we could basically present any theory as long as we cited all our reasons and it got us really excited about research and interpretation, but it was the follow up that I liked best.

Our next project she brought us into class and showed us a documentary claiming the moon landing was faked. Gave us worksheets to do that sided with that stance. And at the end of class a bunch of us were like miss wait this doesn't seem right?? and she said okay, we'll discuss that next week. The next lesson, she showed us a mythbusters episode countering all the claims of the original documentary and gave us worksheets for that, and another bunch of people went wait miss you can't teach us two opposing things, which one is right? What do we put on the exam??

So she split the class in two and told us each to present a case based on each side, and to explain why our source was or wasn't the more reliable of the two. Got us to debate each other directly and use additional sources to back us up and explain why those sources were reliable and should be believed. And because they were randomly assigned there was no guarantee you'd agree with the stance you were presenting, but you had to present it like you did. At the end of the project she asked us all which stance we found more convincing and why, and the majority of us basically said "we think that the moon landing is real because most of the arguments against it seem like someone reacted to a confusing thing without testing it, but when you test it and ask the person running the test to explain the science it makes sense once you have more information. Also, one documentary was made with the help of scientists with qualifications and experience and the other was made by people who don't have that but like to write mystery books, which looks like a less reliable way to get an answer. But we still dont understand why you showed us both if one is wrong."

And she was like excellent. You've done exactly what you should do. At high school level, we as teachers are expected to filter for the reliable sources for you, so you know to repeat that to pass an exam, but if you want to be historians on your own, I won't be your teacher any more once you graduate. Lots of people have opinions and theories and research about times in history, and it's your job to learn how to look at them and decide who you want to trust. This won't be on the exam, but I need you all to know it. You all did a great job following the school's instructions to repeat information you were given, but for some of you, that information wasn't on a reliable foundation. I know you all know how to pass an exam. You're smart and you've been trained to follow these instructions. What you deserve to be taught is how to use all this once you don't have to do exams any more.

And then as a reward for us doing a good job at figuring out the value of checking your sources' sources she let us watch Bush get hit in the face with a shoe before we had to go to maths. Shoutout to you Ms Hannah you were a good'un I hope you're doing well ten years on from that class

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fairuzfan · 3 months

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It's the zionist concern anon again. I will say for now that with what you said about prioritizing Palestinians I do agree. The people going through a genocide are a bigger priority than people who are not going through a genocide. I just fear that due to the fact I am neither Palestinian or Jewish that I may end up embracing stances that I do not actually understand and that innocent people may suffer because of it. I do not want to be irresponsible. I am also someone who lives in a country built on stolen land, so that does to some sort of extent influence my feelings on Isreal as I imagine many people in Isreal share my thoughts on the fact we have lived our entire lives on stolen land. As I said before, I also do not know any Palestinians personally so I find it hard to know who I can ask about the history, Hamas, technical details of politics, etc without risking being taught the wrong things. On a much more selfish note, I also struggle with debilitating mental health issues that make it very difficult to navigate moral issues especially if the moral issues do not impact me on a personal level. So if I am being honest, my questions are not entirely selfless as I have very self-centered fears on if I am actually a horrible person. I thank you again for being so understanding, but I figure the right thing to do here is admit I am likely not as pure intentioned in my questions as I should be when a large factor to why I worked up the courage to ask is in hope I am worrying too much about my quality of moral character from a selfish perspective. Again, I thank you for being so understanding and willing to answer these asks instead of just brushing me off as a horrible zionist.

I don't think you're a horrible person at all I just think everyone has underlying zionist biases because it's a product of the society we live in.

And I do understand where you're coming from, honestly. Something that always helps me is remembering something that my parents taught me as a kid: always stand on the side of the oppressed. Now as I grew up I realized you have to define what oppression means and I think exploring that will also help you get a better understanding of how to combat other forms of racism/antisemitism/transphobia/etc.

If you do want to learn about hamas tho, I would suggest taking a look at Tareq Baconi, he has a lot of writings about the history of Hamas and he's Palestinian. There are also Palestinian podcasts and social media accounts. I understand that not knowing a palestinian personally to help you guide yourself through these things is daunting, but there are plenty of resources to help! It's why I'm here on this blog honestly, I don't mind you reaching out to me for questions or anything.

A good principle to remind ourselves with is "how can I ensure that justice can be had?" And to find the answer to that you need to look into multiple types of antizionist thought. Some blogs I like to check out for a diverse antizionist opinion are @el-shab-hussein and @bringmemyrocks as a couple of examples. Plus I'd look to Black American thinkers on antiracism (like Angela Davis and James Baldwin and Kwame Ture) because they do a good job of showing you how to examine your internal biases which we are all subject to.

I don't think this selfish to want to be a good person. I have the same worries. I actually do get worried that sometimes I'm *actually* a bad person secretly without me realizing and I reach out to friends and family to talk it out. Something that helps me through this is realizing that you have to forgive yourself for previous beliefs you've had and promise yourself to do better because at the end of the day youre human and you make mistakes.

But really my biggest advice is to read and listen to a variety of schools of thought and if you can, interact with local communities dedicated to antiracism. Even if theyre digital communities! That will help a lot with identifying any problem points.

Again, feel free to reach out with any questions. I don't think you're a zionist at all! Please don't worry and thanks for reaching out :)

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nykie-love-anime · 9 months

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Baby Come Back

Natasha encourages Y/N and Jake to go on a ‘date’ together while the squad takes care of the baby and their teens. Bradley takes Ally to the park and flirts with a cute girl, then brings back the wrong pram, and therefore the wrong baby.

Based on Good Luck Charlie Season 1, Episode 2.

Warnings: Cursing, loosing a child

“Hi, Ally. It's Natasha here your favourite aunt. So, right now, you're eleven months old, and everything is going great.” Natasha starts talking, looking into the camera. “Well, almost everything. Now, what I’m about to show you is kind of disturbing. It may give you nightmares in the future. So brace yourself Al.” Natasha goes into the kitchen with the video camera and walks past Javy. Bradley is sitting at the table with his earphones in his ears. Natasha pans in closer to Y/N and Jake, who are at the kitchen table making sandwiches and are talking like babies.

“Hmm, these sandwiches will be yummy-wummy in your tummy.” Y/N said talking to Jake in her highest baby voice. “Yes they will, yes they will.” Jake answers back smiling at Y/N. Natasha turns the camera back to her again. “Mommy and daddy have been talking like that ever since you arrived, and if it's not over soon, I’m gonna go queasy-weasy. All over the kitchen floor.” Natasha closes the video camera and puts it down on the island. Over at the table, Javy is yelling at Bradley. “Bradley!” Javy shouts waving his hand in front of Bradley’s face. “What?” he yells back taking out his earphones. “What are you listening to?” he questions the male as they look at Y/N and Jake who continuously talking in their baby voices.

“I downloaded a podcast on the history of boring facts and it’s currently on why people fear spiders more than they do death.” Bradley answers with his head tilting to look up at Javy. “You like stuff like that?” “A lot more than baby talk.” Rooster smiles as they both look at Natasha who rolled her eyes at the parents still busy making sandwiches for their trip to the beach. By the kitchen island Y/N hands Jake a box of cookies. “Would you like some cookie wookies with your snacky wacky’s?” “Yes I would, yes I would.” Jake continues the baby talk. Natasha is in front of them at the island chairs and points at the pram which is empty no baby in sight.

“Guys, Ally isn't even here.” Natasha noticed. “No, little baby is taking a nappy-wappy.” Jake smiles at Nat who just shakes her head. “So why are you guys still talking like that if she’s not even here?” “I don't weally know.” Y/N said looking down at the sandwich she was currently making. “I guess we're just fried.” “Well we fly all day, take care of the baby all night.” Jakes starts laughing quietly. “Work, baby, work, baby. I barely got time to make poo-poo.” “Well, when was the last time you guys had a night out?” Natasha asks and Y/N and Jake turn towards each other. “You know, like a date! Just you and Jake.” The tired parents look at each other seriously for a second but then burst out laughing.

“Natasha made a funny.” Y/N looks at Phoenix and through the laughter she answered Jake. “Funny-wunny.” “No, but seriously guys,” She starts with determination in her voice. “You know what Saturday night. You two. You go out, you have fun, and do something besides work and taking care of the baby.” Natasha walks over and joins the boys at their table.

“Well, it's nice to dream, really, but who is going to take care of Ally?” Natasha leans in between Javy and Bradley and puts her arm around them. “Hello?” Nat says questioningly. “You've got three great babysitters right here. And we will even do it for free.” Y/N and Jake stand in front of their team. “I don’t know, Natasha, it's a really nice thought, but we haven’t gone out without Ally yet and I don’t know about the guys looking after her, no offence.” Y/N says turning towards the guys and the boys just change the subject. “You guys want to see a magic trick?” “Sure!” Y/N said with a grin on her face. “Okay.” Jake agreed.

“Prepare to be amazed.” Javy says with his best magician-like voice, rubbing his hands together get ready for his best prank magic show ever. Coyote waits a second and then pulls the sheet off the table from beneath, the plates, cutlery and glasses goes flying of the table smashing everywhere all over the floor. Y/N and Jake pull faces at the mess. “I could use a night out.” Y/N walks off. “Clean this shit up guys.” Jake says pointing at the floor.

- - - Skip to Saturday - - -

Natasha is walking Y/N and Jake to the door as they get ready to go out. She is holding Ally with a smile. “So you guys have fun. Stay out as late as you want.” She starts with a smile before pausing for a second to think. “But not too much fun, we don’t need any more, little Seresin’s running around.” Phoenix said pointing at the four teenagers sitting on the couch watching TV. Jake laughs. Y/N pats Ally goodbye before walking towards the door. “Okay bye baby girl be good for Aunty Nat. Please look after the others as well and make sure they don’t just sit in front of the TV all day. Make sure they go out for a bit at least.” Y/N says stressing about leaving the baby alone but knowing she will be in capable hands.

“I'm serious.” Natasha said pausing Jake just before he can exit. “Okay, everyone. Be good, have fun. Love you.” Y/N said calling into the living room and the teens just grumbled goodbyes not wanting to be disturbed from their current favourite show. Y/N finally walks out the door, Bradley and Javy are on the couch watching something on their laptop not currently into the show on the TV.

“Yeah, yeah...” they trailed off uninterested. “Hey Phoe, thanks for doing this. It's going to be good for us have to have some special time together.” Jake moves towards the door waving goodbye to little Ally. “Be good my little girl we will see you later”

Natasha walks over to the couch, still holding Ally, to talk to the boys and the four teenagers lounging on the couch. “Okay guys, gals and no-binary pals. Who wants to go first?” Natasha questions looking at everyone in the living room. “I think you should go first.” Bobby the oldest of the kids answered. “Since this was your idea why don’t you spend the day with her.” Sam continued.

“Hey, I’m not doing this all by myself! You guys have to help out, your mom and dad agreed to go out with those terms.” Natasha said pointing at the kids along with Javy and Bradley. Rooster sighed standing up from the couch. “Fine I will go forth.” “There is no fourth. We all go.”

“No. What I meant; I shall go forth to the park to shoot some hoops." Bradley goes to walk out, and Natasha pulls him back by his hoodie. “If you want to go to the park so badly, then why don't you just take Ally? And take the little Seresin’s with you while Javy, Melissa and I go to the store to get food for later.” “Well what's a baby supposed to do at a park?” Bobby asks Natasha as he groans standing up. Natasha passes Ally into Bradley’s arms.

“Babies love parks.” She begins explaining “You can show her the duck pond...the blue, blue sky...the clouds... you choose what you want.” “We're just going to look at shi…stuff?” Sam cuts herself off before she gets reprimanded by her aunt. “That's what TV is for!” she complains just like her older brother. Natasha points to the door then at Bradley as if to encourage their departure.

At the park, Ally is lying in her stroller to the side of the see-saw area. Bradley is having a good old time on a blue swing set that he is far too big for. A young girl is waiting in line to have a go and is looking impatiently at Bradley as he swings back and forth shouting with enjoyment. “Yes! Whoa!” Bradley cheers swinging on the swing. “What are you looking at? I was here first.”

“Hey, you can ride that horse. I'd look silly on the horse.” The little girl just continues to stare at him. “Fine.” Bradley climbs of the swinging tyre as he walks towards the pram with the rest of the Seresin clan. Dropping down to Ally’s level he begins talking excitedly. “Hey there little Ally. Are you having just as much fun as I am.” He stands upright with a smile pushing the sun cover down and begins walking forward as the groups follows behind him. Just as they are moving forward a middle aged man runs through the park in a blue skintight suit. With a red cape flowing as he comes to a stop next to the group.

“Hey. Have yo-you seen a-a kids party around here somewhere? I'm the entertainment for them.” The man asks out of breath from just running across the park grounds. “I saw a jumping castle at the other end of the park.” Bradley points behind him and the man sighs. The man continues on his journey just as Sam turns towards him to ask. “Who are you supposed to be, anyway? Plastic man? Rubber man?” “Oh no, those are all registered trademarks.” He begins explaining. I’m Captain Joe.”

“So what's your superpower Captain Joe?” “Super elasticity.” Captain Joe walks off just as Bradley turns to walk away with the stroller and notices a beautiful young lady coming his way, with the exact same stroller. His face lights up as he is automatically attracted to her, she smiles at him in return. Bradley does a loop around her, bumping into a post, until he is at her side.

“Hi.” He says with a stupid grin on his face. “Hi.” She greets back. “I, ah... I like your taste in strollers.” He said looking at the duplicate pram and this causes the girl to giggle. “Hehe... Thanks, I like your taste as well.” She looks at Ally and with a soft voice. “Oh, wow! That baby is so adorable.” “You too.” Bradley being the sappy dumbass replies and she looks stunned for a second before going back to a smile on her face. “Oh, I mean... Your baby… the baby is cute too.” He stutters over his words and the Seresin’s all giggle at the display in front of them

“I'm Sofia.” “I'm Bradley.” He replies the starts pointing at Sofia’s pram. “And who is this little guy?” Sofia smiles at Bradley. “This little man here is my nephew. We're just out for our stroll waiting for his mom and dad to finish work. We do this every day.” “We as well.” Rooster said trying to impress Sofia. “Like I always say, babies love parks. Would you like to sit for a bit?” he said pointing towards where the picnic tables are.

“Sure.” She replied with a giggle. The two of them push their strollers over to the chairs as they sit. The rest of the group stunned not expecting this to go so well for the fumbling idiot. “So, I saw you talking to Captain Joe earlier.” “Oh, yeah the man was lost. Not much of a superhero, am I right?” “Oh yeah, he's the worst. My brother hired him for Tommy’s birthday. The fricking guy ate all the snacks that were provided for kids. And to make matters worse he sat on the cupcakes.” She shook her head still astounded at the memory of that awful day.

“That sounds awful.” Bradley shakes his head not wanting to image something like that happening to little Ally. “Oh don’t even get me started.” “That is so weird. I mean, he looks like such a quality entertainer.” The two of them chuckle. “You know, Bradley, I’m really impressed that you take your little one to the park. My brothers would never do anything like that.” “Well, she is my niece after all so I love going out with her, now her brothers and sisters not always.” Sofia and Bradley chuckle again. The rest of the group just scoffs and silently curse Bradley and his stupid charms.

Back home at the house, Natasha is sitting on the couch and Javy is standing in front of her wearing a magician's hat. “Now, watch closely. In this hand, I have a coin.” Javy says holding the coin to show Natasha. “And in the other hand, an ordinary egg.” Coyote takes off his hat and places both objects inside. “Now, I put them both inside this hat. Spin them around a little and ta-da.” Javy tips the hat upside down and just the coin fall out.

The silence that follows their cheers are interrupted as the Seresin clan along with Bradley bursts through the front door and Bradley comes walking through with an energetic persona, pram in front of him, a big smile on his face. “I love this baby!” Bradley exclaims with a massive grin on his face. “Any time she wants to go to the park, sign me the hell up.” Natasha stood up from the couch

“What on God’s green earth happened to you?” Bobby shuts the front door, and Javy and Sam lies comfortably on the couch cuddling each other. “Let's just say... Ally made a friend; Bradley made a friend.” Natasha look at Ally’s pram but smells something off.

“Oh, and did either you or your friend bother to change a diaper while out on your excursion?” Natasha takes the stroller and walks around the lounge. “There was no time for that.” He argues. “I was too busy talking to Sofia.” He sits down on the couch beside Melissa who is currently reading. “And who's this Sofia?” Melissa questions not even looking up from her book. “A vision... An angel... The girl who has my whole heart.” Bradley sighs dreamily.

“Bradley...” Nat panics looking into the pram. “What?” he questions with a stupid grin on his stupid face Natasha wanted to smack of. “You brought home the wrong baby!” she exclaims “What? I did not...!” he tried laughing it off. Bobby and James walks over to the stroller and are stunned as they notice that Natasha’s previous statement is true and begins oohing. “Bradley did bring home the wrong baby!”

“Mom and dad are gonna kill you.” “Take a look... Wrong parts!” Natasha says removing the diaper. As the four look inside the stroller, a big spray of urine comes out as if it was aimed directly for them. Thankfully they all dodged it, only just missing the stream. James goes to the join Melissa couch. Bradley and Natasha remain standing in shock as they come to terms with what has just happened.

“How the fuck could you bring home the wrong baby?!” Phoenix asks frustrated. “I'm very sorry, I got a little distracted...Sofia is really cute.” Bradley says grinning “Yeah?” Natasha say smacking Bradley on his forehead. “Well, so is my niece.” She says walking towards the door with the stroller. “Come on, let's go to the park and find her.” “Relax! I got her number.” He says with a grin

“Well, then what the hell are you waiting for? Call her! I want my niece back before Y/N and Jake gets home.” Bradley goes to get his phone from his pocket... But hesitates... Then sits down on the couch. “Wait a minute...is it too soon?” Bradley asks unsure. “If I call now, she'll think I’m desperate.”

“Oh for fuck sake.” Natasha mutters under her breath and the teens chuckles along with Javy. “You are fucking desperate man.” Coyote tries to help Natasha “Good point.” Bradley gets to his feet and dials up Sofia’s number, raising the phone to his ears as he talks. “Hello...? Is Sofia there?” he questions raising an eyebrow. “This is a KFC?” Natasha rolls her eyes.

“She gave you the wrong number man.” Bobby teased the brown hair male who sunk into the couch shocked. “Who couldn't see that one coming?” James continues his brothers teasing. “But... I gave her sweets... It was so romantic.” He mutters disappointed. “Well... What do we do now?” Natasha's phone starts ringing. She goes over and looks put off as she inspects the caller id. “Fuck man now of all times.” She whispers to herself

“Hey Y/N, what up?” she answers the phone listening to you speak on the other end. “Yeah, everything's going… great. Why wouldn't it be?” Nat fake laughs. “We're...we're just having a good time here with the baby.” Phoenix starts panicking. “Yeah, sure you can talk to him... her, her!” she holds the phone down to the pram “Talk to mommy Al...” Quickly realising she must make something up, starts making baby noises. “What do you mean that didn't sound like Ally?” she listens to you and sighs softly. Alright, bye... Say bye Ally!” Nat continues makes distant baby noises and fades it off as she hangs up the phone.

“Not that I’m in any position to criticize, but I was getting more, monkey than baby.” Bradley says with a smirk and this time Javy whacked him across the backside of his head. Natasha walks towards the door pushing the pram out of the house. “Let's go to the park to fix Bradley’s fuck up.” Phoenix says pointing at Javy. “Bradley since you decided to be an idiot you get to stay home with these guys.” Before he could protest Javy did it for him. “We don’t know what she looks like so maybe I should stay home so that Bradley can point out what she looks like.”

Natasha comes walking into the park, panicked, and pushing the stroller in front of her. Bradley and Bobby are coming in right behind her. “I don't see her.” Bradley says looking around. “Bradley, what did she look like?” “She was hot, literal angel but I don’t see how that matters?” Bradley ‘Dumbass’ Bradshaw answered and Nat sighs and before Bradley could go on Bobby cuts him off. “Maybe we should call someone.”

“Captain Joe!” Bradley exclaims. Pointing over to the other entrance of the park, where Captain Joe is still hanging out. “Who is that?” Natasha questions Bobby as Bradley runs over to Captain Joe. He seems happy. “You're still here?” “Yip every Saturday, all day long.” “Just the guy we needed to see. I think you can maybe help us.”

“Hey, man, I’m just an entertainer.” Captain Joe starts to walk off. The three of them follows after him. “No, you don't understand. I was talking to a pretty woman here earlier, and she said that you worked a party for her brother’s kid.” “So you have to be more specific? I've worked lots of parties.” “Where was the party where you sat on the cupcakes?” “Please Captain Joe. This is really important. We need to find her.” Nat pleads the man now in normal clothing. “Interesting situation. You kids need info, and I want food.” He says rubbing his belly

“Her name's Sofia. Did she come back to the park?” Bradley asks Joe. “Well...” he rubs his fingers together as though looking for money. “Maybe she did, or maybe she didn't. “Stop rubbing your fingers together and answer his fucking question man!” Natasha all but yelled at the man and Bobby just sighs. “He wants a bribe.”

Bradley mutters curses under his breath as he reaches into his pocket and gets out his wallet, passing Captain Joe a note. “Here, man now please give us anything you have.” “Yeah...yeah, I know the girl. She comes from a big family, eight kids. I’ve been a lot of characters for them.” “Magic Marvel?” Bobby questions grinning now all of a sudden. “Yeah!” Captain Joe answers with glee. “You're familiar with my work?” “Yeah!...And it sucks.” Bobby starts with a grin. “My uncle is just starting and he is a better magician than you are.”

Natasha eyes off Captain Joe as he scurries away. “Look, sir, do you know where she lives? Please this is important.” Natasha calmed down a bit and gives him a pleading look. “Yeah, it is around here somewhere. I'd know it when I see it.” “Great!” Phoenix grins. “You help us tonight, and we'll get you that plate of food you have been craving.” She says with a smile. “But only if you help us otherwise you are on your own here man.” “Yeah, I get it I will help you guys.” Captain Joe smiles

“All right. Come on guys, we have to go find her.” Natasha said walking towards the exit of the park. “Okay. Captain Joe, blast off!” He says in character and points his arms up towards the sky like a superhero and turns left. “Truck's this way my guy.” Bobby teased. “Oh, right...” he trailed of embarrassed. He turned around and followed the group towards their car. Embarrassed, Captain Joe turns around and follows the group out of the park.

Y/N and Jake are sitting a table in a really cute restaurant, looking at the menu. “Order whatever you want, honey. I get a discount here. This place is one of my family’s best customers.” Jake says proudly and you smiled at your husband. He could go on and on with family business. Across from where Y/N and Jake are sitting, there is a family that has a stroller next to their table. The baby inside starts crying.

“Aww, look at that it's a little baby in a pram just like ours.” Y/N sighs longingly looking at the stroller. “Okay, honeybun, this is supposed to be a night away from the baby, just you and I, so let's go back to us.” Jake smiles at his wife but can’t help but miss their little miss as well. “Okay. I'm back, I’m back! I’m just going to run to the ladies room really quick.”

“Okay baby girl be right back! Once your back maybe we can order some dessert, how does that sound?” Jake grins as she give him thumbs up and he returns it, Y/N rolls her eyes and continues on. As she passes the family’s table, she looks inside the stroller, smiles and continues past but then notices that the baby inside the stroller is familiar. She quickly turns back and takes another look. The family looks at her like she has grown two heads but all she can do is stare back.

Y/N now waving; awkwardly turns and smiles at the family still looking at her. “Ciao.” She smiles then pauses. “Arrivederci.” Walking towards the table angrily she taps Jake on the back, and speaks in a hushed, agitated tone. “Jake! Would you go over there and look at that baby? I think it's our little Ally!”

Jake in disbelief exclaims. “What. Baby what the hell are you talking about.” “You heard me!” she starts pointing at the pram. “That is Ally! Our little Ally is in that pram.” “Sweetheart, would you please sit down?” “I will not sit down.” Y/N sighs agitated all of a sudden. “A mother knows her baby.” She whispered. “And that is my baby girl right there.” “Okay, honey…” Jake trails off. “What do you think happened in the last hour, somebody went to our house, borrowed our baby, then brought her out for pasta?” Jake grins as he looks out your shoulders dropping

“I don't know. It's a big family.” She says still looking at the family across from them. “Maybe that's how they get their babies!” she says with a smile. “Sweetheart, please...” Jake begins laughing as he thinks over what Y/N just said. “I know you know how babies are made; we had a lot and I mean a lot of practice on how they are conceived. I think you're just missing Ally. And you're having a little separation anxiety.”

Y/N finally comes to her senses and she calms down, brushes her hair away from her face. “Oh, okay...you're...right.” In a high pitched voice she points to her head with a smile she muttered ‘crazy’.” The two of them chuckle as she sits down again. “I mean, that is impossible, right?” she mutters with a smile on her face. “Exactly.” He says with a teasing smile.

“I'm just gonna go to the ladies room one more time.” Y/N says standing up from her chair already looking towards the family across from them “Sit your ass down baby. Don’t make me pull you over my knee in the middle of a restaurant.” Y/N sits down again sighing.

“Now let's enjoy the rest of our night out.” Jake smiles pointing his glass towards her to clink. “At this very lovely restaurant. Okay?” “Okay.” Y/N nods agreeing to his statement. A waiter from the restaurant comes over and whispers something in Jake’s ear, while Y/N is distracted eating something from the entrée that was still on the table. Jake dismisses the waiter. “I'm needed in the kitchen something about the beef cuts being wrong.”

Out on the streets, Bradley is driving around with Nat, Bobby and Captain Joe around. They are looking around, calling out for Ally. Natasha and Bradley are in the front, Bobby in the back with Captain Joe. “Ally?” Natasha calls after rolling down her window and Bradley isn’t far behind. “Sofia?” but so far there is nothing but houses around them. “Ally?” she tries again even though it is useless because baby Ally can’t answer. “Sofia?” but to no avail she also does not answer.

“Marco?” Bobby yells bored out of his mind even though they are looking for his sister. “Polo!” Captain Joe follows and Bobby smiles before looking out the window again. “Bobby this is not fricking helping! Joe, does any of this look familiar even if it is just a little bit?” Natasha angrily sighs. “Maybe it does...maybe it doesn't.”

“Hey!” she exclaims and they all look shock for a moment at the loudness of her yell. “You are not getting any more fucking money out of us man please I asked you nicely the first time and now I am getting angry so please just help us or get out of the fricking car.” “Nat getting so worked up is not going to help bring her back we have to remain calm to think rationally.” “Your right sorry, but this is my niece we are talking about.” She begins calming down before looking at Joe in the mirror.

“Sorry Captain Joe. It’s just…her parents entrusted us to look after her when they go out for the first time in a while so I just wanted them to have one night of peace. Sorry for yelling I shouldn’t have yelled at you that wasn’t nice and you are trying to help us find her so it is all good.” “It is really not problem miss I would get the same if someone lost my baby/niece. No, all I meant I have a bit of night blindness you know. So all...all I’m seeing is shapes and trees.” He explained looking back out of the road.

“Why didn't you mention it earlier?” Bobby grumbled knowing Natasha is going to yell at Joe if she says something to the older man again. “Sorry but I needed a ride home. Stop here.” Bradley stops the car at the traffic light. “Okay well if you go down four houses I believe her brother lives there so hopefully they are home.” Captain Joe takes off his seatbelt and gets out of the car. “Night, Captain.” “Good night, Captain Joe.” Bobby says with a wave.

“Goodnight guys, again thanks for the ride and I hope you find your niece before her parents get home.” Captain Joe smiles before closing the door and walks into his house and out of sight for the group in the car. “Okay well lets go to that house and hopefully they are there. I really hope they are home otherwise Bradley you have to explain to Y/N and Jake you lost their baby girl on the one night they are out.” Natasha sighs rubbing her hand over her face to calm down her nerves. Bradley's drives towards the fourth house as mentioned but they all had a bad feeling as they see no lights on.

Getting out of the car they all go up to the door to knock. They waited a minute but no one answered. “Fuck.” Bradley mutters under his breath. “Now what do we do?” Bobby finally realising they are not seeing his baby sister anywhere begins panicking but Nat quickly pulls him into a hug calming him down a bit. “Well, can go look at the other side of the park we haven’t look there.” “Yeah,” Phoenix agrees. “But we can't just keep driving around all night.” They all but sigh. “Okay it's over. We have to tell Y/N and Jake.” “But...I…” Bradley started but was cut off by Natasha interrupting him

“No, it'll be okay. They'll know what to do. They always know what to do in these situations they are wonderful parents and we are awful babysitters and now Y/N is never going to let us babysit ever again. That is if Jake doesn’t kill us the moment he realises we lost his baby girl.” Bradley looks ashamed of himself, looking down all of a sudden as Natasha finishes talking.

“How the hell am I gonna tell them I lost their little girl?” Bradley pauses thinking for a bit. “I’m the oldest...I’m supposed to be the responsible one. They're going to kill me and I deserve it.” “Bradley, if it makes you feel any better...nobody thinks you should be the responsible one if you’re the oldest. They expect all of us to be responsible no matter who looks after Ally.”

Bradley takes a deep breath. “Why do I always mess everything up?” “You know what?” Bobby starts. “This could have happened to any of us but we're all in it together okay man.” “Thanks.” Bradley mumbled cheering up a little, looking at his friend and his nephew before driving off again.

Back at the restaurant, Y/N and Jake now have their dessert. There is a band of three people quietly playing Italian music with their instruments on the little stage, right next to their table. Jake moves his head to the beat, as he seems to enjoy it. Y/N, on the other hand, is sitting there with her arm on her forehead as though she is nursing a headache.

They finish after a few seconds more and Y/N claps them off, happy as they walk away to take a quick break. Not long after that, Natasha along with the pram, Bradley and Bobby enter into the restaurant from around the corner. “There they are.” Bobby points spotting his parents. “All right, let’s get this over with.” Phoenix sighs. “Do…do you think it would be better if we have the band deliver the news? Or are they going to know something is up.” “Well, if it's Italian, probably better for all of us. But we have to face them sooner or later.” As the band walks away from the stage, Bradley notices straight away that it is Sofia’s family sitting there. Bradley stops Natasha from walking over to the parents.

“Wait, wait! I don't believe it.” Bradley sighs relieved seeing the pram and a panicked Sofia. “That's Sofia!” “Oh, wait, so that's Ally? Because she does look stressed.” Natasha says hopeful. “Yes! We're so fucking saved!” “Not quite.” Bobby says as Bradley and Natasha have seem to forgotten one thing one big important thing...the parents. Y/N and Jake are waving at them. Y/N has a very happy smile on her face. “Hey, guys what are you all doing here?”

The three of them wave back with uncomfortable smiles. “What now?” “Ah...I’ll let you know when I think of a plan of action.” Natasha walks over to Y/N and Jake’s table. “Hi guys.” Nat greets them stopping in front of their table. “Hey.” Jake greets back. “Well, we just realised you must be missing sweet little Ally, so we...brought her.” Natasha points behind her with a smile. “Oh, Natasha. You're not fooling me.”

“I'm not?” she questions alarmed but not saying anything as not to get caught. “Nope you haven’t. You've spent a little too much time with Ally. And you're ready to hand her over to us early.” “Well, I wouldn't say too much time.” She cringed at the thought of them finding out. “Well, I am so ready.” Y/N sighs happy prolonging the ‘dy’. “So let me at her! Gimme, gimme, gimme.” Y/N starts to stand up to head to the pram at the door, but Natasha stops her.

“Y/N! Y/N! You're on a date why don’t you sit back down let me bring her to you.” “Okay...” she trails of looking at her best friend as if she has grown two heads. Natasha runs back over to the entrance where Bradley and Bobby are. Natasha leans over and whispers something in Bobby’s ear. “I want you to do what Uncle Javy did a few days ago.” She whispers.

“Here?” he asks surprised. Natasha whispers again. “Yes I want it to be messy right now.” “Now? Well, all right.” He says with a grin as he starts walking towards his parents table. Bobby walks over to Y/N and Jake’s table. “Hey mom!” Bobby greets his mom with a smile. “Hey, baby.” She greets back before Bobby turns to Jake. “Hey, dad.” “Hi buddy.” Jake smiles at his oldest kid who is like a carbon copy of when he was Bobby’s age.

“There is something I want to show you and mom.” He starts. “What is it, Bobby?” Bobby is going to do his uncle’s magic trick from a few days again. He reaches for the tablecloth underneath all of his parents food and pulls it right out. Food goes flying all over Y/N face, Jake’s clothes are a mess of red wine and dessert. Everything happens as if it is in slow motion. “No!” Jake yells. But it's too late everything is already a mess.

As this distracts Y/N and Jake from what is about to happen, Natasha quickly picks up the baby boy inside Ally's stroller as Sofia also takes the opportunity and pickup Ally from her brother's pram because she too saw the opportunity to get back her nephew in the chaos that ensues. Natasha runs over, almost bumping into the band who was coming back to their stage, and twirls around as she and Sofia swap babies.

Natasha runs back to Ally's pram and places her niece right where she should be, where she belongs. Bradley lets a triumphant grin cover his face as the babies are switches before either parent could notice. Natasha pulls the cover down and she quickly stands up, flicking her hair back behind her ear. Thankfully Y/N and Jake are still completely oblivious. Y/N looks angrily at Bobby, she has custard all over her dress and wine dripping down her face. Bobby tries to look innocent.

“And now for my next trick...I’m gonna make a teen disappear!” he runs back to the entrance of the restaurant. Bobby runs away quicker than ever and out the door. Bradley walks over and meets Sofia, who has been standing there for a while. “You know, you should be ashamed of yourself.” He begins with a frown. “You lead a guy on, make him think you have a really great connection...all to give him a fake phone number.” Bradley holds his phone for her to see.

Sofia who is currently looking at the screen notices a mistake. “You put it in the wrong last digit. That 5 is supposed to be an 8.” Bradley looks down now all of a sudden embarrassed. And Sofia can’t help but to giggle at the dumbfounded look on his face.

“Oh...my bad. So do you wanna get a table?” he questions and she smiles again. “Well I tell you what I am just going to finish my wine then we can get out of here before my brother realises I almost lost his baby boy.” Bradley can’t help but grin. “That sounds good can’t wait.” She waves goodbye as she turns to her table to quickly finish her wine then leaving her share of money for the bill and the joins Bradley at the door to go on their date.

“My widdle baby.” Y/N in a baby voice, greets Ally. “Did you miss mommy and daddy?” she giggles at her silly parents. “Yes you did, yes you did.” Jake continues his baby talk as well. Natasha is smiling now, probably from shock that they pulled everything off, that they did, without the parents realising they almost lost little Ally. “I never thought I’d be so happy to hear baby talk.” Natasha sighs in relieve while taking to herself when she realises no one is at her side. Y/N see she is holding a dummy that is definitely not Ally's.

“Nat, this isn't Ally's dummy.” She hands her the dummy with a racing car on the front instead of a heart along with a kitten. “Where did you get this dummy?” “Oh, hehe so funny story. You see, what happened was...” Natasha starts clicking her hands behind her back in a rush in hopes of getting the band to start playing again. Thankfully they got the signal and starts playing louder than they did previously. “It’s too loud I will tell you what happened later at home.” Natasha shrugged and Y/N and Jake just raised an eyebrow looking at each other.

- - - Back at the Seresin Residence - - -

Natasha is filming a video for little Ally. “Yeah so.” Phoenix prolonged the so. “Ally, now that you're home, safely, and everything turned out okay. Well actually just for you.” She clears her throat panning in on Ally playing in her ball pit. “It would've been okay for us too, but when we got home, your mommy and daddy started asking all these questions.” She sighs turning the camera back to her.

“And as you know no one really had an answer to their questions especially to the pee stain on the living room floor which not of your brothers, sisters of Uncle Javy cleaned up by the way.” She smiles into the camera before laughing. “Hehe so they got in trouble as well thankfully not just us.” Y/N comes into view of the video camera as she sits beside Natasha on the couch.

“And that's when the truth came out.” Jake cuts Y/N off with a smile as he sits next to his wife. “And all the kids and adults got into trouble.” Y/N says pointing a finger at the camera. “So, the lesson is, if you ever try to pull anything over on mom...well good luck Ally.” Y/N stands and walks off along with Jake, leaving Natasha all alone on the couch. “I really couldn't have said it better myself. Goodbye baby Al.” Natasha switches off the camera going to the kitchen to talk to Y/N and Jake about the punishment you guys have for all the kiddos and the adults.

Masterlist

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crimeronan · 6 months

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hi I saw you posting about the silt verses. it sounds interesting so I googled it but I'd like to hear what You have to say about it!!

(I'd also like to ask if it has any emphasis on bug-related horror bc that's a huge no from me, but if it doesn't I think I'll take a listen)

oh lord i have So Much to say about it. asking me what i have to say about the silt verses is like asking me what i have to say about call down the hawk or the owl house, like. it's a piece of media that is so immaculately conceived and well-executed that i can meta about Literally Every Single Line. if you've followed me for a while you probably know that i have high standards for horror media bc it's my most-consumed comfort genre; the silt verses is my fave piece of horror media Of All Time.

as for bugs, they don't play a huge role in the overarching story, but i do FOR SURE remember some imagery about parasites, insects, and people being transformed into bug-like creatures. so i'd look up episode warnings prior to consuming it, i can't remember off the top of my head which episodes specifically involve that.

the silt verses is, on the surface, a typical horror story about another world where gods are created through belief & fed through sacrifice. different gods have attracted cult followings, some gods are outlawed, some are not. it's stuff you've probably seen before if you're an avid supernatural horror fan.

however the writers then take the time to do absolutely Vicious and Scathing social commentary about pretty much every leftist topic you can think of. cult abuse, late-stage capitalism, corporate "we're all a family" speak, war, fascism, the creation of Unpersons with unhoused and mentally ill populations, prison violence, police violence, copaganda, generational trauma, environmental catastrophe, rural vs city mindsets and the political manipulation behind them..... Every Single Plot Point and piece of imagery serves a social commentary purpose. every single god and political movement is a transparent metaphor or allegory for our own world.

but what really keeps me coming back to it are the character arcs. from a horror writer's perspective, i can see exactly how carefully those arcs were sketched and plotted out. each of the narrators is dynamic and goes through a huge amount of character development -- positive for some, Horrifically Negative for others. characters are frequently caught between a rock and a hard place, forced to choose between two things they've always wanted...... and they also frequently choose Wrong.

and then they have to live with the consequences of those choices.

the protags are all messy and flawed and complicated, the antags are all messy and grounded and Very Real, and the relationships between people grow in organic ways that make me go MMM... before falling apart in equally organic ways. if you've ever enjoyed the same kind of desperate codependent and messy relationships that i most often write, HOO BOY you will have a good time with this podcast.

and if you like stories about people who are Genuinely Trying Their Best In The Face Of Impossible Circumstances, you'll ALSO get a lot of mileage out of this. it's a show where people make a lot of terrible decisions but also, people care So So So So So Fucking Much. really hits that sweet spot between nihilistic "everyone sucks" media and saccharine "everyone is always good at heart, all the time" media.

it also features some of the most stunning voice acting i've ever heard, not just in podcasts but in any media, ever. méabh de brún, b. narr, jimmie yamaguchi, and lucille valentine in particular all fucking KILL IT. like DAMN

and i can wholeheartedly recommend it without adding this, but if it's important to you: like 98% of the characters are queer. lots of trans cast members, lots of gay relationships, ace rep, los jibbities who get to be just as Fucking Terrible and embarrassing and hopeless as the characters in my fave White Man (TM) tv shows. u know how it is. i want queer people who are shitty bitches, always. and the silt verses DELIVERS

it's just. really good. i realize that this doesn't even get into the intricacies of who the characters are and what they want and what happens, bc like i said, i can talk about this show for a novel's length of meta. but these are the broad strokes of what has me in love with the narrative. it's So Good.

#replies #the silt verses #the silt verses meta #long post

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andmaybegayer · 6 months

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Last Monday of the Week 2023-11-06

It was Bandcamp Friday so I'll open with a rundown.

Listening: One song per album let's go

Do The Hate by MiSLeD, off TERRORTORIES, a deeply uncomfortable sounding song.

I originally picked up MiSLeD's acoustic album a few Fridays ago and took a while to come around on their unbelievably blunt and hyperlocal style. A sledgehammer through Johannesburg concrete, I have come to love 'em. Do the Hate has an aggressive chant that makes it genuinely kind of uncomfortable to listen to and also extremely fun to yell along with.

The Length of the Chain by Chamber Mage, off their 2022 demo tape and thus far their only album release unless you go see them live.

I picked these guys up off I think the Topic Lords podcast? Solid reliable heavy metal. Can't wait to see their first full album, they're from Denver so if you're from that part of the world definitely find out if they're playing.

All On Fire by Double Sun, from the album of the same name, Pretoria boys playing bluesy punk.

One of the last bands I saw in Johannesburg before I moved. I had the three-part Dead Wreck Beach stuck in my head for a good long while. I'm still not sure what it is about Gauteng that produces so many psychedelic punk bands but I'm not complaining.

Two Jack de Quidt albums, soundtracks from Friends at the Table which I have been getting really into.

First up, The Tower, As Built By The Divine Candidate Chital, from the soundtrack for COUNTER/weight, meditative track to match the meditative and still incomplete two-player game The Tower.

Apperances of The Tower in F@TT games are always great. It's a game that the GM and composer have been working on forever and they get really, really into it.

Next, gotta be Marielda, from the season of the same name. The clarinet from this is so memorable.

The intro tracks to every game are obviously the ones you hear the most, and they're all bangers.

All Through the Night [Patrick's Version], from the Titus Andronicus demotape for their most recent album The Will to Live. Rough cuts from studio sessions.

I adore The Will to Live, when I'm honest I really don't care much for most of Titus Andronicus's work other than The Monitor and now The Will to Live. These are good at capturing what I like about live performances: performers going ham and not necessarily performing well but definitely performing the most.

And lastly, Threshold from sungazer, off the album Perihelion. This was an experimental piece combining rhythms at both extremes of human perception, with the overall rhythm of the song being as slow as possible with individual bars being impossibly fast.

There's a whole Adam Neely video on it, because he's one part of sungazer.

youtube

Alright on to the rest of the show:

Reading: Back into The Count of Monte Cristo, rapidly seeing the roots of many other stories I've read crystalize into this genre, most notable Eoin Colfer's Airman.

Watching: The various Hackaday talks that have been uploaded over the past week, some good ones lately like A Hacker's Guide to Audio and Video Formats.

youtube

Playing: on Saturday evening I finished making dinner and sat down to play Titanfall 2 from the start because for some reason my save was incomplete and I figured I'd just start over. And then it was two in the morning and I had beaten Titanfall 2. Great game.

Making: Abortive attempts at designing some adapters for my vacuum cleaner because I realized I took my reference images wrong and had to start over, fortunately before I wasted any filament.

Also Hack Week at work, so I'm working on some original code with two much, much more experienced python developers, which if nothing else is a good learning experience.

Tools and Equipment: Modern text editor configuration systems can be rigged to almost completely bootstrap themselves if given an internet connection. You should use this to your advantage. I use lazy.nvim in bootstrap mode now and it's so easy.

Side note, nvim's lua configuration mode is real nice, major improvement over vimscript when you want to do anything complicated. Sorry Tim Pope.

#last monday of the week #bandcamp #youtube #Bandcamp #Youtube #MiSLeD #TERRORTORIES #Chamber Mage #Double Sun #Jack De Quidt #NotQuiteReal #Marielda #COUNTER/weight #Friends at the Table #Titus Andronicus #sungazer #perihelion #bandcamp friday #music

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angelosearch · 2 months

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Once you get this, you have to say five things you like about yourself, publicly. Then you have to send this to ten of your favourite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool~) 🌈🌈

First off, thanks for this! ❤️ yaaaay an ask game!!!

Second... OH MY GOD five things Iike about myself?! This is going to be hard. But my therapist would be so happy to know I've been given this challenge, haha.

And of course, I have to provide details and addendums to these because I have to treat everything like a personal essay. Ugh.

I am a loud cringe nerd

I have fun facts for days, if not weeks

Music is my religion

I bet I can make you laugh

I understand my narrative

Longer answers under the cut.

I am not afraid to show enthusiasm/honesty and be loud. You know the part of your brain that tells you to not do embarrassing/cringe/over-the-top-thing before you do it? I am not going to try and diagnose it but that literally does not exist for me. I will sing along loudly to songs in public; I am the person at a wedding who never leaves the dancefloor; I dress in bright colors and wear the weirdest prints; I will laugh or cry uncontrollably if the moment calls for it. I am incapable of holding back positivity and excitement. I will gush about how great something or someone is. If I like your shoes, I am 100% going to tell you, no fear. All of this can make life really fun. It attracts people with good energy into my orbit. It makes me feel like the last thing I am is boring - but I also go home and regret every minute of it because of the second-hand embarrassment later. Somehow all these things are wrong to do in my head (even though I am never moved like this by negativity, fear, or hate), yet I cannot stop myself from doing them. I loathe that I am a book with a broken spine that cannot stay closed. I hate every inch of space I take up. I cannot stop being vulnerable which is great for therapy but not so great for being a normal, functioning adult. I fear sometimes that people think that I believe my thoughts are all-important because I share them all. Nope. I just literally have no choice in the matter. The thoughts and actions pop into my head and they must be heard/done.

I am an endless fountain of "fun" facts because I am interested in a lot of stuff and love to learn. I think "did you know that..." is my most used phase. If I have a fun fact on a subject, you will know (it's something else I feel I have no control over). My hand will be up if I don't just blurt it out. And I am always rolling them up in my Katamari-Ball brain, listening to podcasts, reading articles, watching documentaries, and other videos. I remember these weird fringe things but then I will forget your name and your job. Don't tell me what you're into because I AM going to do a deep dive and suddenly be an expert in it. Tbh it's a great skill for a writer, but I am pretty sure it annoys people around me. Especially when all the fun facts are related to whatever I am obsessed with at the moment. You'll never guess what I have way too many fun facts about right now.

I connect with music, so strongly it's almost spiritual. Singing and listening to music have always been my go-to coping skills. I learned to drive very late in life (at 30 - but that is a story for another day) and at first I was a horribly anxious driver. But once I realized my car could become my little mobile box of music where I could just belt it out 24/7, I learned to love driving. Lyrics help me understand the prism of my experience and others. I love when songs make me dance, or cry, or give me goosebumps. My shower is my favorite place in my new house because of the great acoustics; plus, there is enough space to pull off an entire shower concert, complete with choreography. Concerts and karaoke make me feel like I am connected to the universe and everyone in the venue. I love my taste in music, which sounds weird, but I am just so proud of my eclectic taste. Also! I am mad skilled at identifying songs and artists and samples, probably because I have listened to so. Much. Music. The downside to this one is that I emotionally connect so thoroughly with every song that I enjoy that a bad association will make the song/artist or even the genre unbearable to listen to (see: country music). Also, some people in my life don't understand why I prioritize concerts so highly and are very critical of me for it. I can't help that a concert is the closest thing I have to a church!

I have a great sense of humor (or at least I think so). If you have followed me for more than two seconds, you have probably figured out that I am constantly attempting (and hopefully succeeding?) to be funny. I try VERY HARD to make people laugh. If you were to talk to me in real life, you'd quickly discover that I would come up with puns in our conversation like we're having a funny rap battle. My favorite tools are wordplay and re-contextualization but I also have quote upon quote and will use physical humor, too. The good thing is that I can make myself laugh, for sure. Like I said yesterday, I embody Chrysippus. A lot of comedians claim their jokes are hiding pain. I've recently realized that I use my humor a little differently--since my social anxiety has convinced me that no one in the world wants anything to do with me at any given moment, I use my jokes as sort of a litmus test. If you're laughing, there is a very strong chance that you don't actively hate me at that very moment. I think this strategy probably annoys people and probably comes off at inappropriate. Don't bring me to a funeral.

I can contextualize my personal story. Somewhere between taking autobiography/memoir and essay classes in college and over a decade of therapy, I've become exquisitely good at taking an event in my life or facet of my personality and placing it in the context of my life. Does that make sense? Like in high school English class I took so much joy out of reading a novel and analyzing character motivations and author intent and "why is the wallpaper yellow." I am still very good at reading something and identifying symbolism, but now I mostly use this same skill to look back at the story of my life and find patterns and connections. I think this will help me as an Art Therapist, and, if my personal essays and posts are actually any good, then it is helping me as a writer as well. But this is a double-edged sword in therapy. It means I can sit in the chair and practically therapize myself. But lives are not novels. We are not characters. Sometimes the wallpaper is just yellow. My over-cerebral approach to my understanding of self makes me come off as "not sick enough" in some settings--I've been told by peers and staff many times while in treatment, "Why are you here? You seem fine!" Well, the truth is, just because you understand why the monster is in the book, you can't always outrun it. Sure, it can help to know where the monster came from and why he's chasing you, but if you get too caught up in that it may slow you down. Or you will run the wrong way because you are so sure you understand him. Or you will run so well that no one will notice you are running at all.

#ask game #answered #answered asks #personal #personal essay

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kebriones · 1 year

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Sorry to bother but where can I find informations about Alcibiades? I saw you and the others mentioning many times on Tumblr and I got very curious, can you please help me?

No worries, I love introducing more people to the cult I mean spreading the love for alcibiades!

Here are my suggestions:

Plutarch's life of alcibiades. You can find this one in english online easily but I included a link. A good first read in my opinion, but you need to know in advance that the author is writting about Alcibiades a few hundred years after he lived and a lot of what he says can't be taken for absolute historical fact.

jacqueline de romilly's book on Alcibiades. This one I am afraid you might have to purchace as I have been unable to find it online with my surface-level searching. Perhaps you might be able to find it in a library, I am not sure. I own this one in a physical copy that my grandma gifted to me. This one is in my opinion the single best book on alcibiades, as far as I can remember the author knows exactly what she's talking about and is not trying to push any agenda, unlike other authors of biographies of his.

If you get REALLY into it, the most historically accurate portrayal of Alcibiades is by Thucydides, BUT his texts are a pain to parse through if you're not completely possesed by madness like I was when I read it. But you can find them online in english I am pretty sure. If you just care about alcibiades and decide to give thucydides a try, I would suggest looking up when exactly alcibiades shows up to avoid reading a massive part of the book which doesn't include him.

Plato's Alcibiades I, Alcibiades II and the Symposium, all paint a very vivid picture of him but here you must remember that these are more like fanfiction than an accurate portrayal of him, but they are still fun and I honestly treat this fictional alcibiades as if he's the same as the real one for fun's sake. Like, I know these aren't facts but I chose to ignore that to have a more well-shaped character to think about. All of plato's texts can be easily found translated in english online.

Articles and videos on him on youtube. Now, these might be shorter to read/watch BUT. Very big warning: Most, if not all of the articles, videos and podcasts on him that I have read/listened to etc (since last july, I have consummed DOZENS of that stuff) have bigger or smaller misconceptions, misunderstandings and inaccuracies in them. I am afraid this is because nobody reads the actual ancient sources but there's a game of "broken telephone" where misinformation on him gets spread around. I would be vigilant when reading stuff on him online, I have even heard professionals and phd students and what not getting details about him very mixed up. If you've read plutarch's life and/or De Romilly's book beforehand you can catch these misunderstandings, but if you haven't, it's very easy to learn things that are just completely made up or wrong, but presented as facts.

Hope this helps!! If anyone has any other suggestions for reading on alcibiades or anything please feel free to contribute!

#alcibiades

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vyla-and-the-pods · 8 months

Text

Vyla's Sunday wrap-up!

Hello lovely people on my screen! I've been getting really into podcasts these last few weeks since finishing Wolf 359 and I am DYING to talk about them! This is my way to talk about what I've been listening to this week and dumping my thoughts since I do not have friends that listen to podcasts lol

Cry Havoc! Ask Questions Later (ep 14) (minor spoilers)

I'm a die-hard Cry Havoc! fan. It's one of the few podcasts I've caught within the first few episodes and it is quickly one I will jump to every time a new episode comes out. Who would've thought a workplace comedy set in ancient Rome would be so good! The humor is dry and mostly situational and works so well.

This episode had a bit more heart than Cry Havoc! has had before and it worked so well! Listening to Octavia and Charmian have a serious discussion that helped further their relationship beyond "ooh haha sexy morally grey lesbians" was really refreshing and nice to see such character growth within just a few episodes.

And the entire plague plot with Gaius and Mark was a great way to balance it out. I love Cry Havoc!'s style of humor. My only qualm is I couldn't find a transcript for this episode but I might've been looking in the wrong place.

Arden (eps 1-4)

GUYS I LOVE ARDEN SO MUCH!!!

This is also a Shakespeare inspired piece! Season 1 is inspired by Romeo and Juliet, which I realized embarrassingly late in, and the little R&J easter eggs I have been picking up are really cool and make me feel like I remembered something from 9th grade English haha.

I used to looove true crime podcasts but I got uncomfortable by how the hosts would discuss the killers and victims so Arden, as a fake true crime podcast, is a great middle ground! I heard season 3 is coming out soon so hopefully I can catch up in time! I love Bea and Brenda's banter and honestly the two just need to kiss or something, but I digress. The writers make this a really compelling story and even though only one aspect of the cold case is examined per episode I am hooked and not at all bored or frustrated when we divert to Bea and Brenda's side convos. I have listened to this when going to bed and gotten scared once or twice, and for a fake true crime podcast I consider that a win!

Wolf 359 (finale)

I don't have the word count to say everything I want to say about Wolf 359. If you know me you might have seen the post I made about finishing Wolf 359 this week and how it was just so world alterting for me because I've been listening to it on and off for about 8 years. It really is the end of an era. It didn't go down the way I thought it would and it was a very bittersweet ending. I feel like everything was tied up well but I do have some questions about Bob. I am going to miss Lovelace, and Eiffel and...everybody! Maybe not Kepler. Truly is an end of an era for me. I was podcast-hungover the whole day.

Stellar Firma (ep 1)

I gave the first episode of Stellar Frima a try, I'm a big Rusty Quill fan so I had high hopes but guys, I don't think this is for me. The pilot episode didn't click for me the way I thought it would and it just didn't seem my speed. What do you guys think about Stellar Firma? Should I give it another shot?

Malevolent (ep 6)

Malevolent is another show I'm trying to get into since everybody loves it but the pace just feels so slow to me right now. I know more overarching plot points develop later on so I'm willing to stick this one out. I like malevolent but it just feels like all the places and things they're doing right now are building toward something I'm not at yet and that's just frustrating.

Time:bombs (1 -3)

What better way to get me out of my Wolf 359 hangover than a podcast made by the Wolf 359 folks? This one came recommended to me by anon so thank you whoever you are! I listened to the entire podcast (3 episodes) in one day and loved it! I miss you Radio Bob. I hope you're doing well. Humor was elite but what else should I have expected from Gabriel Urbina? I loved the character development they were capable of in 3 episodes. I can see myself relistening to this soon!

The Kingmaker Histories (prologue....ep 0?)

another podcast I heard had a new season coming out soon. I don't know how I feel; about fantasy podcasts but I liked season 1 of The Two Princes so I have high hopes. I only listened to the prologue so far and haven't even met the MC so I don't have many opinions yet.

Liminal Criminals (ep 1)

I listened to the first episode twice. It was so funny. Few podcast make me actually laugh out loud. I interrupted my roommate making dinner to tell her about this because I kept laughing. The dry voice the narrator has while he explains the most ABSURD FAKE TRUE CRIME sold this for me. "Mr. Breadsticks stays. Mr. Breadsticks stays. I will kill you with a fork. Mr. Breadsticks stays." is my discord status and no one understands me. I hope the rest of these episodes are as funny.

Alright well that's my week! Thanks for dealing with my ramblings folks! Tell me your thoughts on these shows, what's worth it what's not? I'll be shitposting about some of these shows throughout the week, but we'll see what the Pod Gods hold. Til next week lovely people!

~Vyla

#cry havoc! ask questions later #cry havoc #liminal criminals #arden podcast #arden #the kingmaker histories #time:bombs #malevolent #wolf 359 #stellar firma #fiction podcast #audio drama #audio fiction #podcast #podcast recommendations #Vyla's sunday wrap up

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thewitchesfortune · 1 year

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So someone posted a short rant earlier that kind of pissed me off, but rather than going on their post and starting a fight, I'd like to make my own rant about it. I also wound up blocking that person, because they've been posting things I disagree with far more than anything, and I disagree inherently with the ideology behind the post they made.

They essentially said that routine and discipline in the craft are not at all important, and neither is getting results. They said that anyone who believes any of it IS important had a "toxic grindset/workout mentality", which is rather ridiculous to be honest. Basically they were comparing occultists who are dedicated as the gymrats of the occult world.

First, routine is important. I'm not great at building routines myself, but if you have a routine set up for monthly and weekly spells it will help you keep on top of things. And to address some of the comments on that post that I know I'll get, I am also neurodivergent. I am undiagnosed, suspected adhd. Routines are extremely difficult for me to start, especially if they are spaced out. Once I am IN a routine though, it's so much easier to keep up with

Discipline is not "toxic" btw. I saw a lot of people talking about needing to have a life outside of the occult, and no one with a brain is gonna tell you that you don't need/get to have one. Discipline is not "I will eat/sleep/breathe this thing until it has comsumed my every waking moment" it is "Practicing this thing at least for an hour a day, or a few times a week will help me get better at it."

Practicing divination daily will help you improve your predictions, just like practicing the guitar every day will help you improve your finger technique. Discipline is required in any craft if you want to become proficient, whether you want to become a "master" or not. It's ok to dabble, but I'm not gonna go to someone who dabbles in painting for a portrait I actually want to show off.

And then the bit about not needing to push yourself to get better results. Like ... I don't understand why anyone would type that. At all. If you don't want results, why are you doing magic? Do you really not care about results, or are you just not getting them? And instead of actively trying to figure out where you're going wrong and improving your craft, you're just gonna talk down anyone who puts in the work to do better? Are you seriously negging people who enjoy practicing magic because you can't be bothered to? That whole post just made that person seem so sad, and then I saw all these other people in the comments agreeing

I'd like to make it clear, this is not putting down spoonies or chronically ill people. Of course, work within your own abilities. Someone with severe asthma shouldn't be trying to mountain climb without a good amount of training. But you CAN START TRAINING. You can work on your craft little bits at a time. You can do low energy magic and rework spells that include things you're allergic to. You can do research, or listen to podcasts in your downtime. Dedication to the craft might look different for different people. It doesn't mean you have to hyperfixate on it and let it consume your life. But you can't expect progress if you AREN'T PROGRESSING

#witchblr #witchcraft #spirit work #occult #divination #daily divination #dedication #discipline

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callmearcturus · 2 years

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okay i'm a podcast hound as we all know because I have long stretches of data entry and file management in my work and I need sound

anyway I am falling in love with Vox Conversations, which is a show in which people have very mild-mannered and thorough conversations about complicated topics. it's been really interested to listen to 1 to 2 hour conversations about topics I don't know a lot about.

my faves so far are

The Gun Control Episode, talking to a gun advocate about the actual logistics of guns in America and the problems inherent in gun control arguments and why gun stans seem just... completely incapable of engaging on the issue after tragedies

A long conversation with Dan Pfeiffer on why the Democrats are so fucking bad at communication when their platform would benefit the majority of Americans and why so little is being done to fix that issue

The Cult Of Toughness, particularly why US politics is obsessed with toxic masculinity and how to deal with that

I just listened to "Did the sexual revolution go wrong?" which is one of my favorites so far because myself and the podcast host don't agree 100% with the person featured and there's a lot of nuanced discussion of her positions, and ALSO as an ace person this shit is always fascinating

ANYWAY if you're in the market for something to listen to, this one is p fucking good. esp if you have ever wanted to hear an interview with someone you absolutely do not understand to try and figure out wtf is up with them.

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cuti-romeros · 2 years

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A lovely anon in my inbox yesterday mentioned that Gary went on a political podcast earlier this week, and as ever, Jamie came up several times

(Separately, Gary is a magnetic speaker and it was fascinating listening to the full interview, so I would highly recommend it to anyone interested)

But I’ve listened to the full two hours in case you don’t plan to, and here are the carraville bits you came for:

On being nervous to be on a political podcast (21:35)

MNF in particular, that minute or two before we go on air. It’s live, four hours…You certainly don’t know what’s going to come out of Carragher’s mouth next. And absolutely, he doesn’t know what’s gonna come out of his mouth next. So you’re always a little bit on edge, thinking you’ve got to be ready. And I think it’s a good thing sometimes.

On growing to like London (25:40)

I spend a lot of time down here now. Actually, I stay at the Corinthian, just around the corner... Me and Carragher. I mean, honestly... [host interjects something] I know, Carragher, he's drinking red wine, he writes for The Telegraph, he's staying in Whitehall. Fucking hell. He's from Bootle!

On whether people he's played football with share his political opinions (33:10)

Take Carragher. I mean, to be fair, I didn't like the guy at all when I played against him. And now, to be fair, we've become really good friends.

On joining the Labour Party (36:41)

I thought, to be fair, I was shouting my mouth off that much. And Carragher goes, "What are you fucking up to—" [to the interviewer] Do the Carragher accent, I can't do the Carragher accent. [interviewer does a not great impression of Jamie saying, "What are you doing? You can't talk about Labour without joining, of course you can't."] So I just thought I'd put my money where my mouth is.

On the interviewer asking, "Do you have [political] conversations with Carragher?" (53:01)

(Under a read more because there's still a lot from here)

(chuckling) You can't, can you, really? Difficult, that. [interviewer: "well I got the impression that he was quite Labour"] He is, he is very much. Very much Labour. Very much. Yeah. Absolutely. Can't not be, can he, from where he comes from. Also, I mean, you think about the way in which, sort of, the city of Liverpool and Merseyside view the Conservative Party. Phew. But do you know something, they aren't wrong are they, at times... They're wrong about a lot, but— (chuckles) No I don't have this type of conversation... He's furious as well. He's furious as well. He doesn't speak about it as much, not publicly either. But yeah, he's not happy. He retweets a lot, he posts out a lot. I think he went for Johnson last week, didn't he.

On him and Jamie calling out Partygate on Sky (54:04)

Yeah, it was FNF. We got a right bollocking for that. We have about a thousand complaints from Ofcom every fucking week. The amount of people who complain about me and Carragher, it's unbelievable honestly. It's fantastic. If we mention politics, we get a call, usually from the hierarchy at Sky... You never get a call to say, "well done, great show yesterday". But to be fair, they do get that many complains, the Ofcom then maybe get involved. We'll be told, you know, "make sure you're balanced"... We don't push it, because we accept it's a football audience that are, if you like, tuning in… We should, in our everyday lives, not be ignoring what's currently going on. We should be able to relate to it, particularly if there's a big event. I mean, if there'd been a no-confidence vote on the night of MNF, I don't we'd have come out alive, me and Carragher. I don't think they'd have let us on, I think they'd've cancelled the game!

On why England's Golden Generation failed (1:04:37)

When I look back then and think, the division between us—you know, me and Carragher, for instance... There were cliques.

On someone in football that's like Boris Johnson (1:10:49)

I've never met a guy like him in my life. I've never met—I've met some arseholes, don't get me wrong. I work with one regularly on Sky. (chuckles)

#carraville #gary neville #jamie carragher

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lungsmp3 · 1 year

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i like to occasionally plug my podcast playlists on here bc i know some of you have found them really good for finding new podcasts to listen to, so here they are again :) all of these are my personal recommendations, so if you feel the same way i do about true crime you can rest assured that the ones i've included are very empathetic (especially bad people, it's super nuanced and just all round great)

ongoing podcasts - your general podcasts, most of these are weekly and have quite big back catalogues so there's lots for you to listen to.

limited series podcasts - these are the one-off series following an overarching storyline, usually over the span of around ten episodes or so. sometimes it'll be from a standalone show (like the immaculate deception) while others are series from anthology-style podcasts (like short creek, which is the second season of untitled, but is a standalone limited series podcast separate from the other seasons. if that makes any sense) i always wait until i've finished the series to add these, so i know they're actually good all the way through before i recommend them.

fiction podcasts - does what it says on the tin. just like the limited podcasts, these are usually a one-off series, and i wait til i finish the entire thing before deciding if i'm going to add it or not. if you're going to listen to any of the podcasts from this playlist, i'd recommend soft voice the most. the others are good, but i listened to soft voice last summer and i still think about it. also it has tumblr it girl olivia cooke in it so you can't go wrong really.

my favourite episodes - another one which does exactly what it says on the tin. these are specific episodes that i love from ongoing podcasts, and most of them in this playlist are because they made me cry laughing.

#mine #stevie.txt

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measuringbliss · 8 months

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Spider-Man Read-Through BONUS: Marvel Team-Up 1 (#1-35)

So in my hurry to get through years I've already read, I completely dismissed Marvel Team-Up (1972), Spidey's first concurrent magazine, as something that wasn't worth reading. I may have been wrong, and I need to procrastinate, so here's a quick post where I skim through the issues I missed until now and show anything I find neat.

MASTERPOST

I actually expected the issues to be 100% Spidey and 0% Peter, but...

Spidey_is_bisexual.jpeg

Johnny has a... particular outfit.

That's actually nice!

Great composition.

My favorite kind of plot. Not the moeans, although that too, but "i know you're in there".

#3 features Morbius, and I'm sorry because Dracula is still much more interesting than Morbius to me. Oh well. The Human Torch interrupts one of Peter's classes, that's fun at least!

#4:

Ooooh I immediately recognize those Gil Kane lips...

That's a great scene, I miss that dynamic. I wish we saw more of Harry and Peter's cohabitation.

The Bugle publishes that Peter kidnapped a scientist, so Charles Xavier's on it! I'm really happy I listened to a bunch of episodes of that X-Men podcast because I'm absolutely not lost. It feels like I know these characters so well, hahaha.

...I will pretend this never happened and he kissed Scott instead, and consensually so. Yeah. That's a fun issue though, with the X-Men trying to save Spidey's life.

#5: Spidey gets a new roommate.

Conway didn't have quite the handle on how to write Harry, but that's fine.

The issue features the Puppet Master, and I'm pretty sure I read a recent issue with him and the Fantastic Four.

#6 features the gayest ad I've ever seen.

#7 features interesting stuff.

Notably, Peter soon reveals his secret identity to Thor! And we also see The Watcher as a cameo, nice.

In #8, the Cat (who later becomes Tigra) and Spider-Man team-up against "the Man-Killer", aka Katrina Luisia van Horn. Um.

This issue is alright at least, but it's clear what she's supposed to represent, and I found her quite sympathetic.

9 time! Peter's fagged out, which means, he's gay.

In 10, Peter drinks tea with Johnny.

#11 keeps the time travel plot going. (18)

In #12, Peter wants to get over Gwen's death. We also learn he loves cheeseburger and milk.

In #13, Peter's still not fine.

#14 is about fighting Namor.

#15 features Ghost Rider and the Orb (great designs!) and Peter and MJ on a date.

Like this is great.

In #16, Peter mentions he goes so rarely to the movies he wouldn't be able to differentiate Clint Eastwood from Linda Lovelace, who's a porn actress. Silly writers! Now I want to meta about that tidbit, but I don't have the time. (Note to self: watch Linda Lovelace flicks)

This is actually fascinating.

#17 features Reed Richards. #18 doesn't feature Spidey. In #19 and #20, Spidey's back to the Savage Land... However, MJ inquires about Pete's disappearance! And she features prominently.

#21 features Dr Strange! And #22 Hawkeye! And #23 Iceman and the Human Torch! I briefly discussed that one here, as it's linked to the incredible Giant-Size Spider-Man #1. In #24, there voodoo and buff men.

#25 features Daredevil though! They do the basic and overdone thing of "two heroes fighting for no good reason when they could just talk, and then they fight together". #26 features the Torch and Thor!

In #27, we see the Chameleon!

He's just like me for real.

#28 features another one of Pete's professors. See, that's the worldbuilding I'm after!

In #29, Iron Man pays us a visit.

Oh no, he's hot.

In #30, Gloria Grant (Peter's acquaintance who lives in the same building) is here. We learn about Gloria's family, and she contacts Sam Wilson, who's a friend of a friend. I'm glad to finally see a bit of her life, even if it doesn't last.

#31 features Iron Fist. He has fun with Spidey, then it ends with Peter recording everything that happens to not forget... but he forgets. Hmm, wonder if that will come back later. #32 features the Fantastic Four. #33 features Night Hawk. #34 features Valkyrie! And, finally, #35 features... not Spider-Man. Alright, we're done! I'm not sad that I skipped all of that earlier, it's not really my thing, but I'm glad I skimmed through all that, there was some neat stuff.

See you next time, dear readers!

#parksborn #peter parker #spiderman #harry osborn #marvel team up #comics #comic books #marvel #spideytorch

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notabled-noodle · 2 years

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I suspect autism and OCD but especially the former and have a lot of traits. I'm getting an interview to have a psychological diagnosis this Friday! anyways, my question is, how do you improve your social skills as an autistic person? Or manage intrusive thoughts? Also, did you grow confident in yourself while having ASD and OCD? (I hope it doesn't sound the wrong way, and that you're!)

okay! this is a few questions, so I’m going to break it down into sections to keep on top of it all

but before everything else — good luck with the diagnosis! I hope all goes well, and that you’re not feeling too nervous about it

social skills

to be honest, I’m still not great at this stuff. the one benefit I do have is that I have never had social anxiety. if you do have social anxiety, I think it can be a lot harder. anyway — with autism alone:

write down scripts for phone calls if that’s something that will help you. I usually get confused while using the phone, so it’s good to have written out what I’m supposed to say and do

scripting in general can be your best friend for those shorter social interactions. you may already have scripts for talking to customer service people, but this also applies to most acquaintances

if you go to the same places at the same times each day/week/etc, you’ll eventually start to see some of the same people, and this makes it easier to do social interactions

most people probably think I’m weird, but I’ve learnt to make this “my thing”. I try my best to be kind and polite, and people tend to care more about those things than about the fact that I say strange things and wear strange clothes

asking questions is good! if you’re not sure what to say next in a conversation, try to ask the other person a question about what they just said (this gives you more time to think of something else to say, and also shows them that you’re listening and you care)

honestly, most people are just looking for connection and to be understood. most situations can be worked through by: listening, respecting, and sympathising

if you have more specific questions about a certain kind of social skill, feel free to send follow-up questions!

intrusive thoughts

don’t show your intrusive thoughts any respect. try not to engage with them, because that’s just continuing to feed them. learning how to just go “okay, sure, whatever” in response to intrusive thoughts is helpful!

the big things I’ve learnt are:

sitting with discomfort is hard, but it helps. acknowledge the discomfort, and then try to move on with your life

practice good self-talk. “I’m anxious right now, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do this” or “my now is not my forever”

know your limits. avoidance is not a habit you want to get into, but if something is overwhelmingly triggering for you it is okay to take a step back

the bigger your life is, the smaller OCD gets (and vice versa). try to think about what you enjoy and what you value, and centre those things in your life. make living a good life your priority

guided meditation and guided journalling can really help. unguided meditation and free flow journalling does not help (and can make things worse). find a good guided meditation, and try to get into the habit of doing it before bed or first thing in the morning

OCD is complicated! having intrusive thoughts is hard! but it’s not an impossible beast to conquer, and you can still live your life without the intrusive thoughts taking over (I recommend the podcast “All The Hard Things” for further resources!)

confidence

there’s this James Acaster quote that goes “confidence comes from knowing something that nobody else knows”. I know it’s just a silly part of a comedy set, but I’ve taken that to heart. I know I’m an interesting person with lots of passion, which is something that strangers certainly do not know about me. if I can carry that vibe inside me, it’s easier to be confident from the outside

in terms of talking to strangers, my philosophy has always been YOLO. they don’t know me, I don’t know them, I’m unlikely to ever see them again… what’s the point in being embarrassed about any interaction we have? who knows! I could be the star of some anecdote they tell their friends later!

confidence around people you may see again later is a little bit harder, but not impossible. if someone is choosing to spend time with you, it means they see something in you that they value. they expect you to be yourself, and to be honest with them, so they shouldn’t be surprised if that’s what you give them

I don’t know. I have a little bit of excessive (and perhaps undeserved) confidence, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I am who I am, and I can’t do anything to change that. whether people like me is out of my control, so I’ve learnt to try not to care too much

I think that’s it! lots of luck for Friday, and I wish you all the best in future

#asks #autism #ocd

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